:: Pedantic Platitudes ::

:: Tuesday, December 28, 2004 ::

Ah, these past few days have been quite relaxing. I've been doing some free reading and watching a lot of movies! I recently watched (or rather re-watched) Cinderella, Bend It Like Beckham, Sleeping Beauty, Spider-Man 2, and Alice In Wonderland. Goodness knows there's nothing better to do, seeing as how it's been raining quite heavily every day so far this past week. Alas, it's expected to continue raining until the end of the week.

The rest of Christmas Day, we opened presents and ate cake. We had carrot cake with a cream cheese and white chocolate frosting, and that was most wonderful. We also had the double-layer pumpkin pie I had made. Yesterday, my dad and sister and I went to Santa Maria because my dad needed to get some supplies. We also went to the mall, and I looked around some stores. Today, my mom had to get some items in SLO-town, so in the evening after dinner we drove to the shopping plaza. There, I greeted JESSI! I also ran into a former classmate and friend I hadn't seen in quite some time.

Tomorrow night should be quite fun... I'm rather looking forward to it!

Quote of the Day: "It's 5 p.m., goddammit; why are the fools still frolicking nude by the lake? Especially when a voyeuristic couple is photographing the nudies!" or "When the sun goes down, it must be time to take photos of naked people."

:: SL 9:07 PM [+] ::
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The highlight of this week has got to be when my dad called the film Love Actually a "porn movie."

:: SL 2:08 PM [+] ::
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Merry Christmas!

On Thursday, the day after retiring early due to extreme tiredness, my sister and I got up early and went to the public library to get some books. We then went into SLO-town to see the Disney-Pixar movie The Incredibles, which I had not had a chance to see. Although the showing was at noon, it was the very last one of its run here in town, so I was glad to finally catch this movie before it disappeared.

I really enjoyed The Incredibles. It really was much darker than the other Pixar films, and the villain in this one was truly evil, but the film was still exciting in its own way. The animation was excellent, and there were quite a few funny lines.

After the movie, my sister and I had lunch at Fresh Choice, where we enjoyed many different types of salads and fresh breads. They had my favorites: Asian chicken salad and Waldorf salad. I also had this delightful pumpkin raisin muffin and Caesar salad. For dessert, I had some of their make-your-own triple-berry lemon shortcake and a brownie.

I went to the county library and used the computer and read a bit. I then went to the bookstore and leafed through some magazines. In the evening, I met up with my wonderful friends at Farmers Market, and we chatted and laughed at a table in Starbucks. We ended up staying there for about three hours, but it seemed to go by so quickly because I was having such a great time! It was good to catch up with everyone. I also ran into a bunch of other people because this is such a small town.

People started to leave as it got late, so the few of us who remained went with me to Barnes and Noble, where I got the latest issue of Disney Magazine as well as a present for my sister. We then drove to a friend's house, where a gingerbread surf shack was being built. We watched as the structure was being created, and it looked really great. We then played a cool mind game involving dice. I think I fell asleep sometime during that because I was so exhausted, but it was such a fun day. I always wish I could spend more time with friends like that.

On Friday, I was generally unproductive, spending most of my time playing video games, going online, and listening to music. At some point, I went to the supermarket to get some cooking ingredients for Christmas. I also wore my Mickey Mouse Santa hat! I love wearing that hat; it makes me so cheerful!

Sometime in the evening, I made my traditional double-layer pumpkin pie. This time, I made the cheesecake part a little thicker. Yay! I can't wait to eat it.

Today is Christmas! It's also my birthday. Yay! I am now 20 years old. Yikes! I feel so old already. It's been a great day so far; I got up early and had breakfast. Then I watched some television and played some video games. Now, I am helping prepare our big dinner and listening to holiday tunes! Later, we will open presents and have cake! Oh, Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year!

:: SL 1:44 PM [+] ::
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Oh my goodness... I laughed so hard while watching this... although the subject is certainly no laughing matter...

(Credit for the cartoon goes to Ian, whose uncle discovered it.)

:: SL 1:26 AM [+] ::
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On Tuesday, I cleaned up my room and got ready to go home for the holidays. I had dinner with some friends at the dining hall, which was somewhat empty because so many people had already left to go home. I later ran some errands in the square and returned some library books. I also got some bubble tea, which I haven't had in three weeks! I got the honeydew flavor this time. So good!

Later, I joined some of my friends to watch the movie Oceans 11. However, my friend and I left early because we were going to see the midnight showing of the new movie adaptation of the classic musical The Phantom of the Opera.

I was glad that I had just seen the musical live over Thanksgiving break, so I could compare and contrast it with the movie version. The movie stuck pretty closely to the show; all the famous songs such as "Music of the Night," "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again," and the title song were performed, and there was the famous chandelier crashing down, too. The movie was a lot more lavish with its sets and there seemed to be a lot more dancing, but it seems a lot less magical because it wasn't all onstage. The scene changes and special effects seemed a lot more amazing when they occur live. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the movie and wouldn't mind seeing it again.

After the movie, we took the taxi back to school, where I finished my last-minute packing and headed out on the T to the airport, where my flight home left at 8 a.m. At the airport, I ran into a great friend, and we got to chat for a bit. I got to sleep a bit on the six-hour flight. However, there was a kid a couple rows back who wondered loudly what would happen if we crashed into the water we were flying over. Great. Just what I want to hear when I'm on an airplane that is experiencing turbulence.

Well, I got into Los Angeles alright, and I was supposed to still fly to San Jose and then to San Luis Obispo, but I got lucky and got a standby seat direct to San Luis Obispo from LAX. I got home at about 2 p.m. My parents had to buy some things, so we went to Sears and Smart & Final. At Sears, I ran into an friend from high school, and we had a nice chat.

I finally got home, and I watched a bit of the animated movie Anastasia, and then ate some dinner. I was going to have a more productive evening, but I was so tired I just went to bed.

:: SL 4:18 PM [+] ::
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Wow, last week was such a hellish week. I'm so glad it's over. During that week, I had been slaving over a huge 30-page paper that was due this past Friday, which was also the due date for another 5-page paper, plus an exam! That pretty much explains what I've been busy with. Writing, writing, and studying. I pretty much cleared out my schedule so I could work on all these assignments. This week, my sleeping pattern became all messed up, too. Alas, I am tired, but it's all over, and I will sleep sleep sleep on the plane ride home and my much-too-short vacation.

This past Saturday, as a grand release from the stress of this past week and a celebration of being pretty much finished with all my work, I went to a big holiday party thrown by my dear friend. We danced, partied, ate, and had a blast. After the crowd left, a small core of us stayed after and sang along to "classic" Disney songs! It was such a great time with friends.

On Sunday, I worked on even more schoolwork and then studied for my statistics exam on Monday. I also went into town to see Barrage! I first discovered this unique fiddle performance group when I went to Disneyland two years ago. They amazed me with their unique blend of upbeat world music and amazing choreography that enlivened their performance. They were in Boston this week as part of their new "Vagabond Tales" tour, so I went to see them perform. When they performed at Disneyland, it was like a concert, so they had fun and had onstage antics. However, in this touring show, there is a storyline and a serious plot, so they don't get to fool around and be as crazy onstage, except for the finale and encore pieces. I missed their lightheartedness, but it was still exciting to see and hear them perform. They had many new songs, and exciting new choreography, including one involving giant bouncy balls. They would kick them around and bounce on them in patterns while playing the fiddle! After the show, the cast members were in the lobby to greet the audience, so I got a chance to speak to some of them again. One of the cast members (the Scottish lady with the amazing singing voice) said she remembered me from when they performed at Disneyland! It was cool.

On Monday, I went to classes in the morning. I then went with the graduate student I'm working with in the psychology lab to South Station, where we distributed questionnaires for a study we're conducting. There were a lot of really nice people who helped us out while they were waiting for their trains to depart.

It was snowing, and although it stopped snowing in the evening, the air became so cold that it was painful to walk outside. My face was hurting after having to walk back to my dorm.

Later that night, my friends and I went to trivia night. It was a lot of fun, and we won! I contributed with the facts that Norm McDonald from Saturday Night Live was born on Christmas Day, that Lucy charges five cents for "psychiatric help," and that the characters Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street were named after minor characters in the Christmas movie "It's A Wonderful Life."

Quote of the Day: "What do I say? Can we have a cup of Crisco because my friend wants to try fisting?"

:: SL 9:24 PM [+] ::
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It's snowing again. Sigh.

:: SL 5:51 AM [+] ::
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I'm so upset right now, I'm shaking. Why do I have to put up with all this bullshit?

:: SL 11:53 PM [+] ::
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I just used the phrase "sexual incompatibility" in a paper that I'm writing.

:: SL 6:07 PM [+] ::
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Woo hoo! I finally (after three years!) tracked down the song "Stop Me From Loving You" by the coolest music group ever: Steps. It's one of their rarer b-sides and one of the last songs they recorded before they broke up. Now, I just need two more of their songs and I'll have every song they've ever recorded through their existence (not counting remixes, though I do have a fair number of those, too).

:: SL 1:51 AM [+] ::
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Fun Friday Flash:

A tragic lament.

Happy Friday!

:: SL 4:20 AM [+] ::
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I have to write a paper about samurai warriors and their "boy love." Ew.

:: SL 2:17 AM [+] ::
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'Challenges' Prove Too Much for White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House went all out to showcase the advantages of President Bush's ambitious financial agenda this week, but in the end the "challenges" proved too much.

The word "challenges" -- a main theme of a two-day White House economic conference that ended on Thursday -- was misspelled on a large television monitor that stood in front of Bush during a panel discussion.

"Financial Challanges for Today and Tomorrow," the message proclaimed in dark blue capital letters against a bright yellow background.

Ha!

:: SL 6:55 PM [+] ::
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Rave reviews for the London West End's new stage version of the Disney classic Mary Poppins, which just opened yesterday. A sampling of the praise.

Just another reason for me to visit England!!!

:: SL 2:21 PM [+] ::
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BEST. SONG. EVER.

:: SL 6:40 PM [+] ::
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Beckhams' Nativity Scene Attacked in London

LONDON (Reuters) - A protester has attacked a controversial waxwork nativity scene featuring England soccer captain David Beckham as Joseph and his pop star wife "Posh Spice" Victoria as the Virgin Mary.

"He pushed Posh and Becks over. It caused some damage but we don't know how much. The baby Jesus is fine," said a spokeswoman for Madame Tussaud's waxwork museum in London Monday.

In the wax tableau, Australian pop star Kylie Minogue hovers above the crib as an angel while Victoria lays her shawled head tenderly on Beckham's shoulder.

:: SL 9:58 AM [+] ::
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The Wednesday before last, I attended a Leverett House faculty/alumni luncheon. It was another lavish affair with flavorful food. I went to the reception beforehand at the house masters' residence, so I mingled with Leverett affiliates and retired faculty members. One such faculty member told me that he regarded Princeton University as a better institution than Harvard University, but I disagreed with that position because Princeton is in the middle of nowhere, so there are fewer things for students to do.

We snacked on mini-quiches and shrimp wrapped in flaky pastry (with a distinct sweet and spicy sauce). There were also bite-sized vegetables and mini seafood cakes, which would serve as a clever transition into the actual lunch.

The first course was a wheat roll with a creamy New England clam chowder that had hearty portions of potato cubes. Oyster crackers were included as well. We moved on to the main course, which was a delightful seafood-themed plate featuring a nice slab of broiled cod with a light crumb topping enhanced by layers of a refreshing slaw. On the side were two small crab cakes, browned to perfection as two nuggets of treasure.

Dessert was a light chocolate mousse (with small chunks of soft chocolate mixed in) topped with finely grated white chocolate and decorated with a fresh juicy strawberry. The strawberry was remarkably sweet, considering the fruit is out of season. The dessert was a perfect conclusion to a nicely-themed culinary experience. Table conversations included various topics including bicycle riding and the discovery of a potential genetic basis for religiosity.

That Thursday, I went into Boston to teach a high school class about reconstruction in Iraq. It was part of the Harvard Political Education Program, which I'm involved in.

On Friday, I put in several hours at the psychology lab and ran quite a few subjects through the study I'm working on. I also coded some videos on the computer. That night, I made and ate delicious dumplings in the house masters' kitchen. It was a lot of fun and they were so tasty! Later, my friends and I got together to watch the movie Dirty Dancing. It was the first time I had ever seen the film, so my friends were sure to point out all the plot discrepancies. Now that we've all seen the film, my friends are considering staging a theatrical presentation of Dirty Dancing, complete with choreography. Whether that will surpass the wonder that was Poltergeist: The Legacy - The Musical! remains to be seen.

On Saturday, I participated in an economics/philosophy/psychology study. I then ran some errands. That night, my roommates threw a "Decemberween" party, a low-key get-together with friends and hot chocolate. I was not in attendance for much of this event, but I did visit many other friends in addition to attending the "Wind Party," which was an event to raise awareness for a campaign to bring renewable wind energy to Harvard. It's another way for the school to further its efforts to be more of an environmentally-friendly school.

This past week was fairly uneventful. I didn't get much sleep due to all the work I had to do. On Tuesday, I watched the movie The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise for my literature and arts class about the samurai warrior class in Japan. Wednesday was the big Junior Dinner with special guest Harvard University President Larry Summers (he was the Secretary of the Treasury during the Clinton administration, so his signature appears on some of our paper currency). We juniors gathered in the house masters' residence and enjoyed appetizers including shrimp cocktails and mini crab cakes. Dinner included a salad with ranch dressing topped with bacon bits, an entree with grilled steak tips on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes topped with green beans and crispy onion strips, and a cheesecake dessert topped with a nice blueberry sauce and an amazing (I've never seen this before) cinnamon-infused whipped cream. I was very impressed. President Summers then spoke to us about what it's like to be a university president and then took questions from us on various issues relating to the Harvard institution. My friend, who created a super-hilarious online animation lampooning Harvard President Summers singing the song "Shaniqua" with a bunch of dancing white boys, got a personal phone call from him congratulating her on her work; she also got his autograph at the dinner. (My friend also animated the wildly popular "End of the Harvard" animation, the script of which was written by my suite-mate.)

This Thursday I worked quite a bit in the psychology lab and taught a high school class in Boston. It was a great experience. Thursday night there was a wonderful "holiday feast" in the dining hall with glazed duck, seafood pasta with shrimp, and a dried tomato and olive oil ravioli. The desserts were the best, though. There was the most wonderful eggnog, gingerbread cakes, and a crepe station with warm banana slices cooked in brandy and various spices. I topped my lovely crepe with vanilla ice cream. What an amazing flavor experience!

On Friday, I worked in the psychology lab, and in the evening I went to a concert in the house masters' residence featuring student musicians. It'd been a while since I had been to a music concert, so that was a very nice experience. There were desserts at the reception afterwards. That night, I went to a Winter Formal!!! It was a lot of fun. I haven't been to a formal in ages, so it was a grand experience.


My friends Veronique and Pragati and I.

The event was at the Harvard Club of Boston in the posh Back Bay district, and that was a spectacular location to have a dance. They had a shuttle to and from, and that was a good thing, considering what a rainy night it was. The main hall of the club had a huge banners and tapestries depicting the various houses and famous buildings on the Harvard campus. Every corner was decorated with beautiful Christmas trees, wreaths, lights, and garlands. I even sighted a huge gingerbread house! There were tables set up with such wonderful desserts such as cream rolls, mini-tarts, chocolate triangles, and a huge assortment of fresh fruits, cheeses, and breads/crackers. The music was so-so, but my friends and I still had a great time. Afterwards, a few of us went to the Quincy Grille for a snack. We chatted and laughed into the night.

On Saturday, I went to see the show Pirates of Penzance. It was hack night (the last night of its run), so they inserted a lot of inside jokes and generally made fun of themselves in a show that's already hilarious thanks to the comedic genius of Gilbert and Sullivan. Later that evening, I went to a party hosted by my friends. There were so many holiday goodies! I had way too many cookies, chips, and cups of eggnog and cider! The cookies really were amazing. I was on a huge sugar high. There was dancing in one room and mingling in the other, so I did a bit of both. 'Twas good times.

Quote(s) of the Day: "He's disgusting. He looks like a dick."

"What are you, a middle child?!?"

"OH MY GOD, did he just snort a line of cinnamon with a twenty dollar bill???"

:: SL 7:51 AM [+] ::
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One of the random people whose blogs I read died today in a car accident. I never met him, but he had such humorous posts on his LiveJournal. I'd read it often for a smile and a chuckle. I'm going to miss reading his posts. It's the most tragic thing when people die so young.

:: SL 11:54 PM [+] ::
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Great headline of the week:

Shock as docs say laptops stop tots

From an article about a recent study that suggested sperm death may be a consequence of having a warm laptop on the lap.

:: SL 2:06 PM [+] ::
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Support our troops/Rumsfeld falls far short

I liked this article because it really points out the fact that it is meaningless to have a big "support our troops" ribbon displayed on your car yet support "leaders" who 1). put our troops in the way of extreme danger when it is not absolutely necessary and 2). don't do all they can to help them stay safe in dangerous territory.

From the article:

"It's common to see cars with yellow ribbons pasted to their backsides, signifying that the drivers "support our troops." The inference, of course, is that some Americans do not. That list must be incredibly small -- but Donald Rumsfeld's name surely belongs at the top.

That this man remains secretary of defense is one of life's great mysteries. Embarrassing is the best word to describe his performance in Kuwait on Wednesday. At a town-hall meeting with soldiers about to be sent north to Iraq, Rumsfeld came under sharp questioning from troops complaining that their vehicles lacked the armor needed to protect them from roadside bombs.

Specialist Thomas Wilson from the Tennessee National Guard had the courage to speak for thousands of troops when he told of rummaging through landfills for the scrap metal and shards of bulletproof glass routinely slapped on vehicles, 95 percent of which, in his unit, lack proper protection. Wilson simply wondered why the best military in the world had to resort to what the troops derisively call "hillbilly armor."

A stammering Rumsfeld had no good response because there isn't one. "You go to war with the army you have," was the answer he tried. But the Pentagon had years to prepare for an invasion and occupation of Iraq, an adventure anticipated from the Bush administration's very first days. Moreover, it chose when to begin the hostilities; if its forces weren't ready, it should have waited.

It's sad enough that a president has sent troops into harm's way under false pretenses. It's sadder still that troops are ill-equipped. Footage of Marines foraging for scrap metal, shown Thursday on ABC, was a shameful sight.

Supporting our troops requires more than affixing a yellow ribbon to the back of a car. It means demanding accountability and personal responsibility from those charged with ensuring that, once deployed, American forces have the very best opportunity to prevail and survive. Rumsfeld has always wanted to fight this war on the cheap. The troops deserve better than that."

:: SL 6:49 PM [+] ::
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I love it when I discover a new song I want to listen to over and over!

This time it's "Defying Gravity" from the musical Wicked, a "prequel" to The Wizard of Oz that tells the story of Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West and how they became the characters they turned out to be.

The song gets really good about halfway through until the end. Leading lady Idina Menzel does a phenomenal job belting out the final lines of the song. Such a powerful voice. Wow.



Speaking of songs, I recently surpassed the 10 GB mark for digital music files on my trusty laptop. If I were to play my entire music collection one song after another, it would take seven and a half days to get through the nearly 3000 songs on my computer.

:: SL 3:46 AM [+] ::
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Mickey Mouse was my 80th Harvard friend on The Facebook.

:: SL 11:54 AM [+] ::
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Thanksgiving week in review:

Monday, November 22: 'Twas a crappy day, but it was soon remedied by the company of dear friends at dinnertime. Later in the evening, my spirits were lifted further when my friends and I put on the most amazing production ever. Inspired by a campy, 80s-style made-for-TV movie from 1996 called Poltergeist: The Legacy, we performed "Poltergeist: The Legacy – The Musical!" It was basically one huge inside joke, but my friend Laura, the director, wrote the script based on the movie and included all the inane dialogue and improbable plot elements and actions, including one scene in which the poltergeist (in disguise) impregnates an unwitting and lonely lady, who later gives birth in a dramatic scene where the "polterbaby" shoots out from between the woman's legs, drags the lady across the floor and up a wall by the umbilical cord, and breaks the umbilical cord by itself on a sword displayed on the mantle. It was amazingly hilarious because many of the actors had not seen the film before, so they were guessing how to portray the characters. They did an outstanding job because of the excellent stage directions (which utilized such wonderful adjectives as "creepily" and "orgasmically").

I played the role of Mr. Bear (the little girl's stuffed animal), as well as the poltergeist when he takes the form of an innocent-looking child. I got to say the climactic line, "Give me the key, bitch!" Much of the story is set in Ireland, so we all got to use fake Irish accents. We had a great time and enjoyed performing. A lot of people showed up to watch the show, too! Afterwards, we all headed up to my friend's room for a cast party, during which we watched the actual Poltergeist: The Legacy.

Tuesday, November 23: This was the unofficial beginning of Thanksgiving break because a lot of people didn't have classes on Wednesday, so my friends and I gathered to watch some Father Ted (a British television comedy about three Catholic priests who live on a small island) and Family Guy (a new obsession we all have ever since I got the school's library to procure Seasons 1, 2, and 3 on DVD for the students). Family Guy is such a wonderfully entertaining show. My favorite character is Stewie, who has the most amazingly hilarious lines. We stayed up pretty late watching the DVDs, but afterwards I worked on a paper that was due on Wednesday. I stayed up all night working on it, but I finished it by the time it was due.

Wednesday, November 24: After turning in my paper, I went to the last class I had before vacation! Afterwards, I finished packing and met up with my friend, who was being picked up by her dad, older brother, and younger sister. All her siblings go to school nearby, so my friend's dad just made the rounds picking everyone up. It was a long drive to Long Island, where my friend lives; traffic was horrible with everyone heading home for Thanksgiving. A normally four-hour drive took us almost eight hours. I slept the whole way because I didn't sleep the night before. When we got to my friend's house, we had a tasty dinner with lasagna and this wonderful salad made from spinach, dried cranberries, and feta cheese. I then went to bed early to get some more sleep!

Thursday, November 25: Thanksgiving! I got up early and did something I don't normally get to do because I usually sleep in on turkey day: watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! After my friend's family got ready, we headed to my friend's grandparents' house, where we celebrated Thanksgiving with a big meal with wonderful turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, etc. There were a lot of wonderful homemade desserts, too. There was rice pudding, brownies, a special gelatin mold, and cheesecake! Yum. We enjoyed the sweets while watching the movie Elf, which was wonderfully hilarious. We went back to my friend's house afterwards and rented a couple of movies. We watched the movie "Saved," which is a satirical look at Christian extremism and people who are so obsessed with their religion that they are blind to reality. I really liked the movie because it didn't denounce religion; it denounced religious extremism.

Friday, November 26: A day trip to New York City!!! My friend and I got up early and dressed up warmly because it was a chilly day (a stark contrast to the unusually warm Thanksgiving Day). We got dropped off at the train station and took the train into Manhattan. It was so wonderful to be there again, but it was so busy in the city, considering it's the day after Thanksgiving, considered the "busiest shopping day of the year." We started on the posh Fifth Avenue, where we ventured into various retail establishments. We saw the new World of Disney store, which actually had a lot of cool items specific only to that one store in New York. We also went to FAO Schwartz, where there was a line to get in; I saw that cool giant floor piano that Tom Hanks dances on in the movie "Big."

My friend is a huge fan of fashion and designers, so we went into a few super-upscale boutiques like Chanel and Yves St. Laurent, where a dress can set you back $5,000. I can't imagine spending that much money for one item of clothing, but it was a special feeling looking at the designs. We then walked down Fifth Avenue and visited more stores, like Saks Fifth Avenue (where we saw some of the dresses by Alexander McQueen, my friend's favorite designer).

Funny exchange overheard in Saks Fifth Avenue:

Clerk: That dress will be $3,650.
Woman: And is it on sale?
Clerk: Ha ha ha… no, no. Nothing here is ever on sale.

It was funny because after looking at so many expensive clothes, we got to a point where we thought a $500 pair of pants was "cheap." We then went to H&M, where we did some real shopping. We saw the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, and the downtown Macy's, the one that serves as a backdrop to the big Thanksgiving parade each year. It was so crowded everywhere with shoppers and visitors! A sign indicated that the line for the observation deck at the top of the Empire State Building was over two-hours long!

In the mid-afternoon, my friend and I went to Chinatown to meet up with some more Harvard friends who were in town as well for the weekend. We had a meal at this little Chinese café, and then I got some bubble tea! I tried the watermelon flavor, but I wasn't too impressed. We then shopped around in Chinatown, and it was there where I saw a guy with spiky hair spikier than mine! I was in total awe.
Later, my friend and I headed to Times Square, which is so beautiful at night with all the billboards and lights! We wanted to get tickets to see a Broadway show, but all the ones we wanted to see were sold out because it was such a busy day in the city. However, we still managed to hang out a bit and also have some a fun elevator ride in this nifty glass elevator. We then took the train back to my friend's house, where we had Chinese food for dinner. It was a fun day! Even though I didn't buy anything, I still had a ton of fun.

Saturday, November 27: I went to New York City again! I got to see the musical Phantom of the Opera on Broadway! The singers really imparted the pathos of the characters. I really liked the melodies, too. It was such an amazing show. I was blown away by the lavish costumes and sets. I really liked the scene where the Phantom and the main female lead travel through the lagoon under the opera house. The two ride in a gondola onstage that floats above billowing smoke, from which flickering candles rise.



Later in the evening, I saw the musical Avenue Q, which is a more adult parody of Sesame Street or the Muppets. They had puppet characters discussing such topics as finding a job after college, racism, homosexuality, internet porn, and schadenfreude, each with a catchy, upbeat song. There were puppets having sex, too! I've listened extensively to the soundtrack, so it was nice to finally see the actual show. Such a funny production! With characters like Trekkie Monster, the Bad Idea Bears, and Lucy The Slut and songs like "What Do You Do With A B.A. In English?" "It Sucks To Be Me," and "You Can Be As Loud As The Hell You Want (When You're Makin' Love)," you know you can't go wrong.



Avenue Q has been sold out for a long time now because it is so popular, especially with younger audiences, but I got really lucky while waiting in the cancellation line when moments before the show was scheduled to begin a lady had a last-minute ticket to sell, so I got into the show for half price.

Sunday, November 28: We got up early and drove back to Boston. It was a much shorter drive; I slept on much of the trip as well. When we got back to Harvard, my friend and I had lunch at Quincy House. I then did schoolwork.

'Twas a great weekend and Thanksgiving break. Too bad I didn't get to go home, but my friend's family was very welcoming, and I had a fun time with them. The trips to NYC were wonderful, too.

Quote(s) of the Day: "It's having a 'poltergasm'!"

"I don't like it when the poltergeist cums."

"Give me the key, bitch!"

"Wow, her ambitions get more substantial each day!"

:: SL 5:42 PM [+] ::
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"What's a hoe?"

:: SL 4:05 PM [+] ::
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It's official! The Philadelphia Inquirer, Summer 2005!

:: SL 8:07 PM [+] ::
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Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a great holiday weekend.

:: SL 11:23 AM [+] ::
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Ha ha ha...

Wow.

:: SL 11:35 PM [+] ::
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Congress Passes $388 Billion Spending Bill

"The Senate voted 65-30 for the legislation late on Saturday that sets aside funds for a range of priorities including a presidential yacht, foreign aid and energy. It is one of the final pieces of work for the 108th Congress and they may return to finish a spy agency overhaul before the end of the year."

Great. Federal financial aid for college students and after-school programs are cut, and money to help clean up and protect the environment is reduced, but the president gets a fucking yacht.

It's breathtaking to learn about the priorities of this country.

:: SL 9:50 PM [+] ::
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I received 62 e-mails today! That has to be a new record.

:: SL 8:12 PM [+] ::
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Ah, yes... the week in review:

Last Sunday, I went to a meeting for Harvard Model Congress. We were coming with ideas on how to better the government simulation in the spring. It'll be a lot of planning before the big weekend in March, but it's going to be a lot of fun.

Afterwards, I went to a celebration for Diwali, a Hindu festival often described as a "Festival of Lights." Candles glowed all around, and there was a wonderful celebratory atmosphere. I didn't go with anyone, but at the ceremony I ran into several of my friends. Diwali is a time when Indian families get together, so participants at this ceremony recounted tales of being with their families, which they couldn't do because they were at school. There were a lot of prayers said and songs sung, and afterwards there were some amazing Indian desserts served. It was such a culturally enlightening experience. I'm glad I went.

On Monday, I spent all afternoon working at the psychology lab. It was fun running subjects with the new study I'm working on. You meet the most interesting people on this job.

On Tuesday, the tutors in my entryway from last year were having a study break featuring cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory, so my friends and I went and socialized and ate the wonderful cheesecake. I love cheesecake! I tried the tiramisu, the German chocolate, and the peanut butter chocolate cheesecakes. So many varieties!

Wednesday was a super-busy day. I was running all around campus. I went to classes in the morning. Then, after a quick lunch break with a couple of friends and a hilarious conversation, I went to the Harvard Business School to participate in an economics study. They pay so well. I made over $20 in less than an hour. I then went to a lab meeting back at the psychology department building. After the meeting, I worked a couple of hours in the lab and then went to hear a talk about the neurobiology of economic behavior by a professor visiting from (gag) Stanford University. It was an interesting lecture.

I had wanted to watch a bit of the hilarious film Goodbye, Lenin! at the Center for European Studies, but they were having technical difficulties and the film started late, so I headed off to have a quick dinner and meet up with friends for a private early screening of the new Nicholas Cage film National Treasure, which was being presented by the Harvard Undergraduate Council.

From the trailer, National Treasure seems like a horrible, horrible movie. The concept and plot is so utterly outlandish that it's hard to take any bit of the film seriously. However, the film never really takes itself too seriously in the first place, so it was actually entertaining. If you allow yourself to suspend disbelief for a couple of hours during this movie, you can have a good time. There were some great car chase action scenes and big explosions (in true Jerry Bruckheimer style). It was very Indiana Jones-ish at parts, and it was actually fun to see how they pieced together random historical sites into one mystery to solve. I'm glad we got to see the movie for free; I wouldn't have wanted to see the movie if I had to pay for it.

On Thursday, I worked at the psychology lab in the afternoon.

A pseudo-Thanksgiving dinner Thursday night! After spending the afternoon working in the psychology lab and then having tea at the weekly Lowell House get-together, I went to dinner, where there was turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie! I love pumpkin pie. I haven't had it in quite some time, so it seemed to taste extra wonderful. After dinner I rushed to the Kennedy School of Government to participate in a 45-minute economics study in which I received $25. Yay.

Tonight, my roommate threw a tea party, so we drank tea and ate cookies. We also played the "psychiatrist game," and hilarity ensued, especially when we were portraying members of the opposite gender. I then spent the rest of the night doing schoolwork. I ended up pulling an all-nighter because there was so much work to be done.

On Friday, I went to breakfast and then to my classes. In the afternoon I got trained to code some videos in the psychology lab and then headed off to lunch. I then participated in an economics study at the Harvard Business School, where I made $32. This has been a particularly lucrative week with regard to business school studies; I've made about $80 this week from these short studies. Well, I guess that's really nothing compared to the people who make hundreds of dollars per hour.

After the business school study, I went and (finally!) got a haircut. I've been needing one for the longest time. The lady who cut my hair was very nice. We were talking about wild hair colors, and she mentioned that she has pink hair in her driver's license photo.

Since I've been craving it all week and the store is near the barbershop, I got some bubble tea! I got the lychee milk tea flavor. Good stuff! I then went to see the movie Bolivar Soy Yo with the Harvard University Colombian Association. It was in Spanish with subtitles. It was very funny!

This weekend is the huge Harvard-Yale football game, so the campus Friday night was abuzz with a billion parties. Harvard's college rival is Yale, so the match-up of its football teams is treated with great anticipation and celebration. This weekend, we got a lot of visitors from Yale. Music was blaring out of windows, and people were roaming the streets in search of the next event to go to. Friday night was my friend's 21st birthday, so I went to a get-together to celebrate it. It was good fun!

My friends were going clubbing in Boston, but it was getting kind of late and didn't seem worth the cost of admission and transportation, so I opted not to go, even though I really wanted to dance. I instead went to visit a couple of friends, and we chatted for some time. It was a pretty low-key evening for me, considering all the events there were on such a major party night. I was also dead tired from staying up the whole night before, so I went to bed fairly early.

One event I missed that I think would have been interesting was one called the "Dance Conspiracy," which was this party where everyone would be given radios and headphones, and everyone would set their radios to the same frequency, which would be playing dance music. So from a non-participant's perspective, it would be completely silent except for the shuffling and movement of dancing bodies, while to participants it would just be a regular dance. I thought it was a creative concept. It would be intriguing to see masses of people grooving but to apparent silence.

Yesterday was "The Game"! I had a quick lunch and headed over to the huge event. Before going into the stadium, I went to the massive tailgate on the field across the street. There were so many people partying there! Each house, club, and social organization had a tailgate, and they served food, snacks, drinks, etc. People were dancing to the blaring music, too. Lots of fun. I then headed over the stadium to watch the game. So much fun! Harvard defeated Yale 35-3. Yay!!!

Alas... this update was three and a half pages on a Word document. Sigh. I need to update more often so I won't need to write these uber-long super updates.

Quote of the Day: "Egads! My stock is falling! Flash!"

:: SL 8:21 AM [+] ::
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I'm not a fan of coffee, but yesterday I had a cup of freshly brewed coffee, and for the first time ever I didn't find the coffee disgusting or unbearable, like I usually do. It wasn't tasty, but it wasn't horrible, either. Strangely enough, I hadn't added milk/creamer or sugar, either.

:: SL 5:23 AM [+] ::
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The revolution begins!

A Random Blog

Currently in beta testing, A Random Blog is a new site that will allow you to view, well, a random blog!

More features may also be in store to revolutionize the way you read your blogs...

:: SL 9:31 PM [+] ::
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Bad lede of the day:

From New Jersey's McGreevey makes goodbye address

TRENTON, New Jersey (AP) -- Gov. James E. McGreevey, who stunned the nation with the disclosure that he is gay and would resign from his post, wants to put his political record straight.

:: SL 8:02 PM [+] ::
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Win a Flu Shot: That's the prize for contestants in a new reality TV show

:: SL 8:04 AM [+] ::
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I wonder what Jesus would sound like if he spoke like a valley girl...

"OKaaay, I, like, totally, like, died for your sins, m'kay?"

:: SL 10:57 PM [+] ::
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Ha!

eBay pulls 'Virgin Mary sandwich'

Auction here.

:: SL 4:47 PM [+] ::
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Today, I found out that french fries dipped in bleu cheese dressing is quite tasty. I ate that along with spicy buffalo wings and an enchilada for lunch today. I had sugar cookies for dessert. It was one of the best lunches I've ever had.

:: SL 1:23 AM [+] ::
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I just had a cherry bagel. It was like a bagel with raisins, except there were dried cherries. Yum.

:: SL 1:22 AM [+] ::
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Ugh. Some finals club is having its initiations tonight, so there's tons of screaming and general hullabaloo out in the street. I hope it doesn't go too late into the night.

:: SL 10:56 PM [+] ::
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Two Saturdays ago, I went to Manchester, New Hampshire! Although it was a very wet day, it was fun going door to door to remind people to vote. I was volunteering for America Votes, an organization not affiliated with any candidate. It was an annoyance having to get up so early that day, but the drive up was pretty nice; it was probably the last good weekend to see the brightly colored falling leaves, and the highway to New Hampshire is surrounded by forests.

In New Hampshire, we handed out fliers and talked to people about the importance of voting, and I got sort of wet due to the rain, but it was all in good fun. They also gave us pizza for lunch. We found out that New Hampshire, which was a "red state" in 2000, had converted to a "blue state" this election. Yay. That night was my room's big "Rocktoberween" party, and pictures from that fun event can be viewed in a previous post.

Last Saturday, I went to see the play "The Playboy of the Western World," which is a major cultural classic in Ireland, studied and taught much like some works of Shakespeare are in the U.S. The production was presented in colloquial Irish accents by a major theater group from Ireland visiting Boston for this month, and my roommate, who was born in Ireland, invited us all to go see the show because his father is an actor in this production! It was such an interesting play; I am glad I had the chance to get this taste of Irish culture.

After the play ended, we got to meet my roommate's dad. We then headed back to campus, where I caught the end of the 80s DANCE! It was so much fun. My house throws a big 80s dance twice a year, and it's very popular with everyone because who doesn't have fond memories of 80s pop culture, with big hair, neon colors, and sweat bands? We danced to fun 80s songs including Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," Jon Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer," and A-Ha's "Take on Me." They also had Pop Rocks, the most fun candy ever, but they ran out before I got there. Alas.

Afterwards, my friend and I went to a local Mexican restaurant to get a late-nite snack; I had a quesadilla. Yum.

On Tuesday, I worked with a graduate student on running a new psychology study. This one will be a walk-in study, so I won't have to deal with the difficulties of scheduling people to come in at the same time.

Later in the evening, I went to see the musical Evita, which was the basis for the movie of the same name starring Madonna. It was interesting to see what they changed and added to the musical. The guy who played Che, the narrator, added some humorous touches to his performance, but I missed the fuller orchestrations of the movie (as well as the song "You Must Love Me," which was written for the movie). Interestingly, Evita is portrayed as getting to the top by sleeping around in the musical more than in the movie.

The chorus, although large for a stage musical, seemed tiny in scenes such as when Evita gives a speech to thousands of supporters off her balcony. The lady who sang "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" was an excellent singer, too. "So what happens now? (Another suitcase in another hall.) So what happens now? (Take your picture off another wall.) Where am I going to? (You'll get by you always have before.) Where am I going to? (Don't ask anymore.)"

Since we didn't have school on Veterans Day, I was able to relax a bit on Wednesday. I went to a lovely luncheon hosted for affiliates of Leverett House (old graduates and faculty members). The meal started with a nice pureed squash soup topped with toasted bread. The entrée was lightly browned salmon topped with tangy cranberry sauce and supported by a layer of spiced spinach and a foundation of richly buttery rice. For dessert, there was a most amazing berry tart with a thick but crumbly crust in a lovely vanilla-lemon sauce topped with fresh whipped cream and a leaf of mint. What an extraordinarily tasty meal. During the luncheon, I conversed with a former student who is now working for a financial firm in Boston and a nice lady who used to teach Japanese here at Harvard.

Later in the afternoon, I went to have tea and snacks with various faculty members at this weekly function, where I (strangely enough) was asked if I was British. I had a fascinating conversation about linguistics and accents around the world. Afterwards, I went to dinner and participated in Chinese table, where we practiced our Mandarin Chinese. There was a treat of dumplings and scallion pancakes. Yum!

That evening, my friends and I watched a Bollywood-style movie musical called "Kal Ho Naa Ho" ("Tomorrow May Never Come"). It's in Hindi, so there were subtitles, and we were amused by some of the bad or awkward translations, which my friend explained to us. It was a long movie (three and a half hours!), but it was a lot of fun, and there was a nice "live for today" message. There was an attractive character who wears glasses in the film, and she was repeatedly referred to as "Specsy," so afterwards we joked to each other, "Hey, Specsy!" There were a lot of random and cheesy (but still incredibly entertaining) dance and musical sequences, including one in which the male lead begins singing the song "Pretty Woman" in Hindi (complete with a rap interlude) during a block party on the street, as well as another random one in which the characters danced 70s style and performed a song entitled "It's the Time to Disco" at a dance club. It's a pretty catchy song! That musical number really made my day.

I then visited some other friends, and we watched the movie Bridget Jones' Diary. It was a humorous movie, although I'm not sure if I'm moved to see the sequel, which is out this weekend. We then stayed after, chatting and playing Super Nintendo: Super Mario World. It was so much fun. I hadn't played video games in a long time.

Even though I had stayed up very late, I had to get up early on Thursday to practice the study I'm running in the psychology lab I'm working in. Afterwards, I went with my friends Alex and Alex to have lunch at John Harvard's. I had a "California sandwich," which had grilled chicken, sprouts, Monterey Jack cheese, and avocado on focaccia bread. I then studied madly for my midterm on Friday, which was not fun to take.

I spent the rest of the day writing a paper, taking a quick break to visit friends after dinner (which was Chinese food night with General Gao's chicken, dumplings with ginger soy sauce, and steamed bok choy, among other dishes). Lunch wasn't bad, either; there was a "Savory Spotlight" on apples, and they had nearly a dozen varieties of apples, from Fuji to Golden Delicious. There was also hot mulled apple cider and apple crisp.

After finishing my paper (and walking through the still falling snow - it started snowing today for the first time this season! - to turn it in), I finally went to day after an exhausting day. On Saturday evening, my friends and I wanted to go to Burdick's (an upscale chocolate shop) for hot chocolate on a frigid evening, but it was very busy so we couldn't get seats. Finale, the upscale dessert restaurant, was very busy and all booked, too. A small dessert restaurant that we wanted to go to was closed, too, so we finally settled on bubble tea (always a delight in my book). I got the regular milk-tea with boba this time, and that was very tasty. This new store, which just opened this summer, offers the best bubble tea flavors because the owner imports the tea from Taiwan. Also, it is cheaper and offers a free drink program for frequent visitors. Yay for bubble tea! We then went to my friend's dorm and chatted and ate frosting-covered cookies.

My friend and I then watched "Sharpe's Revenge," part of a British made-for-TV movie series (a miniseries of sorts) based on books of the same name. The historical adventure details the exploits of Richard Sharpe during the Peninsular War, and we laughed at some outlandish scenes and exchanges between characters. I think I may have to watch the rest of the series now.

Wow, this update is two and a half pages long on a Word document; if only I could churn out my academic papers this quickly!

Quote(s) of the Day: "Jesus is not a member of the Teen Girl Squad!!!"

"A party without alcohol is like a rave without E!" "A 'rav'?"

"(sneeze)" "Mazel-tov! I mean, gesundheit!"

"Laugh like a lady; then make love like a whore."

:: SL 1:46 PM [+] ::
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It's snowing!!!

First snowfall of the season. Winter really is here. There is still a lot of green grass on the lawns, so it looks a bit strange with the white snow falling. The ground is not too cold, so the snow melts as soon as it hits the ground.

The first snowfall of the season is always so magical.

:: SL 1:27 PM [+] ::
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Yesterday, I saw the student here who looks like a young Tom Cruise.

:: SL 3:08 AM [+] ::
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The latest song I've been hooked on: "Dragostea Din Tei" by the Romanian group O-Zone.

:: SL 5:29 PM [+] ::
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AUGH!

I like getting my daily dose of high-blood-pressure-inducing news.

:: SL 1:28 PM [+] ::
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Oooh! Remember how I wrote earlier about the new iPod Photo and how cool it was? It stores music files and picture files with a wonderful color screen that displays pictures so vividly, as I witnessed firsthand at the Apple store in the mall.

Well, now a site is giving them away for free! Forget the old "Get a free iPod" promotion... now it's a new "Get a free iPod Photo!"

All you have to do is sign up, complete a free promotional offer, and then refer some friends!

Get your very own free iPod Photo here: Free iPod Photo!

:: SL 10:29 AM [+] ::
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This morning I entered through the doors of a restroom, and as the smell of the urinal cakes greeted and subsequently overpowered my olfactory bulbs, I thought to myself, "Thank goodness for sanitation products."

:: SL 10:40 AM [+] ::
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This animation is just oozing with cuteness.

I Love Egg

:: SL 4:07 AM [+] ::
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Our school newspaper has this wonderful student-produced comic strip called "School Spirits" by the Mercenary Missionary, and it features appearances by famous former Harvardians and characters of historical significance such as T.S. Eliot, Gertrude Stein, and Teddy Roosevelt.

Recently, the comic had a running gag that I found absolutely hilarious; check it out:

Oct. 25

Oct. 26

Oct. 27

Oct. 28

Oct. 29

:: SL 1:01 AM [+] ::
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:: SL 1:54 AM [+] ::
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Election Day!

Everyone go out and vote!

I already submitted my absentee ballot last week, and I voted for John Kerry.

I love the USA, and I am very sad to see what the Bush administration has done to it after only four years. It doesn't matter if you identify as Democrat, a Republican, a member of another party, or an independent. As citizens of this country and this world, we cannot afford four more years of a Bush administration.

For starters, here are 100 factually-based reasons not to vote for George W. Bush.

George W. Bush has run one of the most secretive administrations in the history of the American presidency. His tenure in office has been marked with lies and distortions, and this political season has revealed just how power-hungry he is, doing and saying anything in an attempt to be reelected.

The Bush administration now has a net loss of thousands of jobs (the first in any administration since Herbert Hoover, and that was during the Great Depression), and the new jobs created pay less than the ones they replaced. Working families are struggling more than ever due to the policies of the Bush administration; meanwhile, huge corporations and the wealthiest individuals exploit tax loopholes and are given huge tax breaks. Bush apologists may whine that we're in a recession right now. Yeah, and even so, Bush has failed to help the economy and create more jobs.

We have spent billions upon billions of dollars on a war that was not necessary. George W. Bush lied to us about Iraq. Yes, Saddam Hussein was an evil dictator. But did we have to go to war to remove him at that exact time? And at what cost? Over a thousand U.S. soldiers have died in Iraq (most of them after Bush arrogantly declared "Mission Accomplished" on an aircraft carrier), even though reports confirm that the country had no weapons of mass destruction and no links to Al Qaeda, the real enemy and threat against the United States. This sidetracked our efforts in Afghanistan and may have cost us the ability to catch Osama bin Laden, who planned the evil terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Thousands upon thousands of innocent Iraqi citizens, mostly women and children, have been killed due to violence in Iraq. And the cost of the American reputation in the world is immeasurable. Many people in the Middle East already disliked Americans, but now, by going into Iraq, we have given them more reason to hate us. The pre-emptive, go-it-alone war in Iraq was a diversion from our true enemies, and the Bush administration's failure to plan for the country's reconstruction has now lead to chaos and spawned increased hatred and potential terrorism against the United States.

Here at home, George W. Bush's administration has weakened many crucial environmental laws; the director of the Environmental Protection Agency actually quit in protest against his anti-environmental policies. As soon as Bush took office, he announced that the U.S. would not be a part of the groundbreaking international Kyoto treaty to reduce global warming around the world. He then weakened laws designed to keep our air and our water clean. His solution to the devastating wildfires of last year was basically to allow more trees to be cut down. Bush's environmental policy is a danger to our natural resources, and we cannot allow another administration to create such harm to our precious Mother Nature. This administration has also systematically ignored or distorted science and research in order to fit their narrow ideology.

The list goes on and on. The Bush administration has done tons wrong for the American people and with its unfettered spending has driven what could have been the largest fiscal surplus in American history into what is projected to be the worst deficit in history. We cannot afford this; our children cannot afford this. We need a fresh start, and the fresh start comes from John Kerry.

John Kerry understands the plight of regular hardworking individuals in this country. He will keep the Bush tax cuts for the middle class, for those earning less than $200,000 a year. John Kerry also seeks to raise the minimum wage.

In these uncertain times, John Kerry will offer strength and wisdom in fighting terrorism. Having fought in the Vietnam War, he knows the importance of resolve and the difficulties of war. He will also offer a new perspective on the conflict in Iraq and how to get us out of that quagmire.

It's really a no-brainer. George W. Bush had his chance to do something good for the country, and he failed miserably; now, his policies have made our country less safe to terrorism and more difficult to get by financially. It's time for a change. Vote for John Kerry. It's the right thing to do for the future of America.

:: SL 1:18 AM [+] ::
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Last night was so much fun! My roommates and I threw a big "Rocktoberween" party, and we invited all our friends and more! I DJ'd for most of the night, and we danced and had fun. It was great to see everyone dressed in costumes. I had a cowboy costume. Two of my friends, who are roommates, came as an angel and a devil. One of my friend's came as a peninsula. It was most amusing.

For the party, we used my roommate's cool sound system, which had a subwoofer, so the music sounded great. We also had glow sticks, which people placed in suggestive places on their costumes. Some showed off their glow stick waving skills when we played techno music. So cool!

We dressed up:

We danced and partied:

We were scandalous:

And then we crashed afterwards:

Quote of the Day: "No! Don't name my breasts! Stop it!"

:: SL 2:16 PM [+] ::
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Happy Halloween!

Saturday night was one of the best ever... more details soon.

:: SL 1:34 AM [+] ::
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Quote of the Day: "I still read your blog even though I don't care for some things you say."

:: SL 1:20 AM [+] ::
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Yesterday, I worked on some assignments that were due soon. I had a great dinner with some friends in which we shared stories we had heard about people getting maimed by elevators, and later at night, we had a quick tea party in which we had some great laughs. A couple of my friends were fighting over a red pitchfork that's part of my friend's devil costume for Halloween, and we found that wildly hilarious as they chased each other around the room for the object.

Despite the good times with friends, yesterday was a crappy day. It kind of worsened as the evening wore on, so I could not fall asleep last night. I ended up getting only about four hours of sleep when I could have gotten nine because I was so upset. Alas. Well, today is another day, and it was a bit nicer.

I went to my classes, and then I had lunch with a friend. Then, I worked on an assignment that was due later today and turned it in. I then planned with my roommates a major party we are throwing tomorrow evening for "Rocktoberween." We got a black light and glow sticks, so it should be lots of fun. We moved the couches and futon in our common room to clear a space for people to dance and planned where we would put food and drinks.

I then went to see the movie Mean Girls, which was being presented at the Science Center. It was such a hilarious movie. I highly recommend it. Its caustic commentary, satire, and caricaturizing of the high school social structure amazed me, and I could not stop laughing at the continuous humor. Lindsay Lohan does an amazing job in this film (as she does in all her films); I think she's a very talented actress.

Afterwards, my friends and I went to Finale, an upscale dessert restaurant, for a treat. I didn't feel like having any of their super-sweet desserts, so I just had some chai tea. I am growing quite fond of chai, actually.

I then went and got some snacks and drinks for the big party tomorrow.

Quote of the Day: "Well, I don't know how you're going to get into our room for the party that early; the doors open at 11." "What is this, a Broadway show???"

:: SL 7:48 PM [+] ::
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Summit board rejects 976 voter challenges: Officials say four Republicans had no proof of impropriety. Angry citizens blast accusers

Another shocking example of Republicans illegally attempting to deny others the right to vote. I am so angered by this case, and it's not the only one; all across the country, certain Republicans are scheming to deny non-Republicans the right to vote. That's about as un-American as you can get.

The Republicans cannot defend the record of their failed George W. Bush, so they seek to disenfranchise dissenting opinions to win the election. Shameful.

:: SL 11:53 AM [+] ::
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They finally took down the construction tarps. The new paint and gold leaf is INCREDIBLE!!! Sleeping Beauty Castle looks so beautiful now.

:: SL 1:28 AM [+] ::
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And I hope that you know
That nature is so
This same rain that draws you near me
Falls on rivers and land
And forests and sand
Makes the beatiful world that you see
In the morning
Everything's fine in the morning
The rain will be gone in the morning
But you'll still be here
In the morning

Vienna Teng: "Lullaby For A Stormy Night"

:: SL 1:22 AM [+] ::
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Big day today! Today, I went to my classes in the morning. Then, after researching and deciding my positions on the issues on the 20,000 propositions we Californians have to decide on (the LA Times offers some humorous commentary on California propositions... worth a read), I completed and mailed out my ABSENTEE BALLOT for the November 2 presidential election!!! What an important election. I'm so glad I am doing my part in our democracy.

I, of course, voted for John Kerry for president not just because George W. Bush is a colossal failure and an incompetent leader who lied to the country and put our troops in danger and made us Americans look like fools in the world, but because John Kerry has the strength and the vision to carry our country through these difficult times and to restore our country's dignity and credibility in the international community. I hope Kerry wins on Tuesday!!! I'm so nervous; I just want the election to be over so I can celebrate the end of the nightmare that was the last four years with Bush in office (or, god forbid, prepare myself for a draft and the end of the world).

Speaking of celebrating, the Boston Red Sox finally won the World Series after 86 years, ending the "curse" that was put into place after the team sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees. Wow, what a win. Everyone has been watching the games this week, and tonight everyone staked themselves out in front of televisions, watching the exciting game and cheering the historic win. The Red Sox have won the last eight games straight. What a winning streak to break the "curse"!

So after the game ended, everyone streamed out into the streets and gathered in Harvard Square, where the Harvard marching band played rousing tunes to rally the huge crowd that spread out into the streets, which were shut down by police to allow the celebration. Everyone was singing, cheering, and chanting in happiness. I've only been swept up by the enthusiasm since a little while ago, but there are fans who have been waiting decades for this historic moment tonight. I was quite touched by this Nike commercial celebrating the history and endless hope and enthusiasm of the Red Sox and the team's fans.

This afternoon, I went to the psychology department building for a meeting, but it was canceled, so instead I participated in a short psychology study for some quick cash. After having dinner with friends (and having one of the best conversations ever), I went to the mall to get some Halloween stuff.

While at the mall, I passed by the Apple store, and I saw the new color photo iPod that was introduced earlier this week. So cool! I wish I had one like that. Not only does it store 60GB of data (about 15,000 songs), but it also has a color screen (the quality of which is wonderfully vivid) and has the capability to store photos! They show up on the screen quite well. But it's sooo expensive!!! $599 for the new 60GB iPod. I already have a 40GB iPod that I won from a mall earlier this year, and even though it was the most expensive and advanced model at that time, it feels totally inferior to this new color iPod. But I'm still happy that I have an iPod at all! Such a cool gadget. I don't use it nearly as much as I should, considering its worth.

Going back, on Tuesday I went to a class and then ran some errands and did some work. Nothing too eventful. On Monday, I went to a bunch of interviews for activities I'm trying to get involved in this year. I think one of the most unfortunate things about extracurricular activities here is that so many of them require difficult applications that really puts a damper on wanting to participate. Oh well. I really hope I get into these organizations; they are certainly worth joining. I also did a lot of reading because I had a response paper due that night.

Quote of the Day: "For your birthday, I got you some scented hand lotion because ever since you started masturbating, your hands have acquired a strange odor."

:: SL 9:55 PM [+] ::
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Almost 380 tons of dangerous explosives have gone missing in Iraq. George W. Bush refuses to comment on this dangerous situation.

What happened to these explosives, Mr. Bush? Why won't you admit that you are doing a horrible job of handling the situation in Iraq? What else are you hiding from us? You already lied to us in order to push your illegal war on Iraq. Why can't you tell the truth?

:: SL 11:20 PM [+] ::
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Woo! Go local towns! As Apple celebrates the release of its new version of the immensely popular iPod, this one with new photo storage capabilities, it has put up a new page advertising the product, and guess what town is featured in one of the pictures? San Luis Obispo!

Check it out!

Scroll down about two-thirds of the page, and it says "San Luis Obispo Vacay" (Vacation?).

Coolness.

:: SL 8:28 PM [+] ::
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On Saturday afternoon, I went to help out with the Hasty Pudding business staff stuff envelopes and advertisements for this year's show and stick mailing addresses on them.

This weekend is the Head of the Charles regatta, so there were a lot of tourists and students from a lot of different schools participating in this major crew event on the Charles River, which is just literally ten steps away from my dorm. I went and watched some of the races, and that was a neat experience. They also had a lot of small tents set up along the river where the sponsors of the event were giving away free stuff and food vendors sold fried dough (New England's version of funnel cakes), hot dogs, and other foods you typically see at fairs.

In the evening, my friends and I went to see the movie I (heart) Huckabees, billed as an "existential comedy." I highly recommend this movie. I thoroughly enjoyed its humor and its pseudo-intellectualism and philosophical basis. It was really amusing how the main character had the detectives following him through his daily life, and I enjoyed how it brought such interesting theories alive to apply to modern life. Very funny movie.

After the movie, we decided to go get bubble tea at the newly-opened Boston Tea Stop, which is much cheaper and much better than the other place I've gone to get bubble tea because it is not a franchise. They even give you a free bubble tea every time you have nine! I'm totally going to this place for my bubble tea fix from now on.

Later, my friends and I went to the Quincy Grille for some late night snacking. It was funny because two of my friends who are dating placed their orders separately, and one ordered as "Lilo" and the other ordered as "Stitch." We cracked up when we heard the second name being announced. We had a lively conversation and talked into the night.

On Sunday, I volunteered with Pets as Therapy, where we take dogs and take them to visit the senior citizens at the local nursing home. It's such a joy to see the faces of the senior citizens light up when they see the cute dogs.

Later in the evening, I went and watched the Red Sox game at my friend's room. Wow, the Red Sox are ahead 2-0 in the World Series! Could this be the year they win it?

Quote of the Day: "Oh yeah! He was in that movie... what's that movie where you dance?" "Um, Footloose?"

:: SL 9:40 PM [+] ::
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Go Jack LaLanne! He lives in my hometown of Morro Bay, California.

Fitness guru Jack LaLanne turns 90

:: SL 6:30 PM [+] ::
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Great video.

:: SL 6:02 PM [+] ::
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This is shocking but confirms that many Bush supporters don't know what they're talking about:

"Supporters of President Bush are less knowledgeable about the president's foreign policy positions and are more likely to be mistaken about factual issues in world affairs than voters who back John F. Kerry, a survey released yesterday indicated.

A large majority of self-identified Bush voters polled believe Saddam Hussein provided "substantial support" to Al Qaeda, and 47 percent believe that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction before the US invasion. Among the president's supporters, 57 percent queried think international public opinion favors Bush's reelection, and 51 percent believe that most Islamic countries support "US-led efforts to fight terrorism."

No weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq, the Sept. 11 Commission found no evidence of substantial Iraqi support for Al Qaeda, and international public opinion polls have shown widespread opposition to Bush's reelection."

From Divide seen in voter knowledge

Quite an interesting read... I just don't understand why people still believe Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. There were no WMDs found in Iraq, and Bush lied to America to push for his war. In addition, Iraq had no ties to al Qaeda; the September 11 Commission has determined. Yet people are stubborn and unwilling to admit that they were fooled. Sigh.

:: SL 1:45 PM [+] ::
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Wow, what a busy week! I suppose I should say something about the events that transpired between last Friday and now. On Saturday, my friend's aunt visited, so she treated my friends and me to cheese, crackers, and beverages and then a wonderful dinner at Henrietta's Table, a semi-fancy restaurant. It was exciting because it was a four-course dinner with a fixed menu, making it extra-fancy.

There was a New England crab cake appetizer with a fine cucumber tartar sauce. Then, we were served a spinach salad with very fresh leaves topped with goat cheese, super-sweet raspberries, and crunchy walnuts coated with a toffee crunch. We got to choose our main entree from three dishes, and I chose the salmon dish because I love salmon. The salmon had a sweet glaze made from apple cider and honey and was decorated with a slice of braised apple speared with thyme. Sides included mashed potatoes, squash, beets, and brussel sprouts. The meal concluded with a dazzling dessert: chocolate bread pudding with caramelized bananas and the most wonderful vanilla ice cream. Such a delightful end to an amazing meal. I was so full afterwards.

Later that night, we celebrated my friend Molly's 21st birthday. It was a stylish soiree with conversation and fancy drinks and snacks. Not as much dancing as there had been at the party I went to the night before, but still fun in a different kind of way. I saw a bunch of my friends and we socialized.

This week has been rather busy. On Tuesday, my tutorial class got to watch the movie Memento, which was exciting because I had heard a lot of great things about it and had wanted to see for a long time. It was really clever how the story was told backwards, which mirrored the confusion of amnesia. We watched the film because the topic we were studying was memory and memory loss.

Also notable this week, the Red Sox won game 7! I'm not a big sports fan, but being in Boston, it's hard not to be swept up by the fever and excitement. Some of my friends who are hardcore Red Sox fans were so nervous, especially when the Red Sox were down 0-3, but they made an unprecedented comeback, winning four games to win overall 4-3. It was especially tense for the fans because the Yankees are the greatest rivals of the Red Sox, so it was an even bigger deal. Great stuff. After they won, everyone rushed out into Harvard Square and celebrated with cheers, singing, and general hullabaloo. Good times! Will this be the year the Red Sox finally win the World Series? I'm thinking this will be the year; the "curse" will be broken after almost 100 years.

On Wednesday, I went to a wonderful tea, where I socialized with faculty members and other students. I also ran subjects in the psychology lab I'm working in.

I had a paper due on Friday, so I worked on that, reading the subject material and then writing on the vague assigned topic. After I went to classes, finished writing my paper, and turned the assignment in, I participated in a quick psychology study and then had dinner with my friends. In the evening, I watched the movie In The Mood For Love, which is a Chinese/Cantonese movie with English subtitles. Since I didn't get any sleep at all the night before, it was a bit tough to stay awake, but I still understood the movie.

Later on, I visited my friends, and we went to CVS to buy some Halloween candy with a coupon one of my friends had in her possession. We ran into some other friends, and I ended up teaching the "TRAGEDY!" dance in the middle of Harvard Square. It was quite an event. We later visited and talked about the fashion and the musical Newsies.

I then visited some more friends and drank some tea while chatting. It was more good times and humorous discussion. I then went to bed "early" because I was so tired from not getting any sleep from the night before.

Quote of the Day: "Come on, we're college students! We're supposed to be doing acid and having group sex with animals!"

:: SL 9:25 PM [+] ::
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I just heard the song "I Hope You Dance," and it brought back unspeakably horrible thoughts about my not-so-pleasant past.

Can I just say that whenever I hear that song, I either a). want to laugh hysterically in pure mockery or b). want to vomit.

"...and when you get the chance to sit it out or dance, I hope... you DANCE! tee hee! I'm such an airhead!!!"

I want to sing a parody of the song and entitle it "I Hope You Suffer Through The Rest of Your Miserable Existence."

:: SL 3:05 AM [+] ::
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The header on this webpage from the White House has taken on a sad new irony...

:: SL 1:57 AM [+] ::
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It is less than two weeks until the presidential election, and it's time for this blog to get political.

This election is going to be one of the most important elections in our lifetimes. So much is at stake here. Are we going to continue to alienate ourselves from the rest of the world, or are we going to choose to build alliances that will allow us to work together with and be respected by other countries? Are we going to ignore science to appease a few people, or are we going to make informed decisions based on research? Will we continue to spend the government's money without care and create a larger deficit, or will we try to create jobs and bring back the projected surplus?

There are so many issues on the table, and one candidate, John Kerry, can lead us through these uncertain times with strength, intelligence, and an agenda that will help the people of this country - not just the richest one percent.

:: SL 5:08 PM [+] ::
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Anyone up for a good movie?

The Monster Slash

:: SL 9:52 PM [+] ::
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Well, after sharing the "enema story" from last post, I got several (interesting) responses. Here are my favorites:

"Horrifying!
EW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ewwwwwwwww. Ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew
EWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! EW! EWW! EWW! ICK!! ACK!!!! EWWWWWWWWW!!
P.S. EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW"

"I never knew they sold disposable enemas at the drugstore."

"Are enemas like colonic irrigation?"

"Do people even give themselves enemas?"

:: SL 9:12 PM [+] ::
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Conversation Today:

Random Person: "Hey... how are you? Are you feeling better?"
Me: " Um... Me?"
Random Person: "Yeah, is your meningitis better?"
Me: "What? I don't have meningitis."
Random Person: "Oh! It's not you. I'm so sorry!!! I thought you were someone else!"

Me, thinking to myself: "Of course... because all Asians look the same."

:: SL 10:26 PM [+] ::
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Yesterday, I went to the local drugstore/convenience store to buy a new umbrella, since some ASSHOLE had stolen it the night before. I was waiting in line to pay for my new black umbrella when I noticed who was in front of me. It was a creepy old man, but it was quite jarring when I saw what he was buying: latex gloves, a "disposable enema," and KY Jelly.

I don't even want to imagine what that guy might have been doing that night.

:: SL 9:53 PM [+] ::
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Freudian Slip?

"After standing on the stage, after the debates, I made it very plain we will not have an all-volunteer Army."

-George W. Bush during a recent campaign speech

:: SL 7:00 PM [+] ::
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OK, it's almost 5 in the morning, and I have to get up before noon tomorrow for an activity I'm participating in... but it's been so long since I've updated my blog that I feel compelled to do so right now.

This week has been quite busy; I had a midterm this morning and a big paper due this afternoon, so that was quite a drain with all the studying, researching, writing, etc. I also started running subjects for the psychology lab I'm working in, which has been fun but a pain in terms of scheduling because I have to run it with two people at a time. So, yeah, it was a busy week.

But after all was done this tough week, I totally let loose tonight; I went to a tea party with my friends at Quincy House. I then got some bubble tea (milk green tea flavor) because I haven't had it in a long time and I had a tough week and wanted to treat myself.

Afterwards, I went to a huge party hosted by my friends in Mather House, which was so hot that the windows literally fogged up. There were just so many people packed in that common room. We danced and partied and had a great time. After the party ended, the small group we had left gathered and chatted and joked. I played Super Mario Brothers on my friends' Super Nintendo in their room. It was a great time. Oh, I also found out that this girl from my tutorial is the roommate of a couple of my good friends! She's so cool; I had no idea we should have been friends all along.

It's been raining like crazy tonight. I hope it clears up tomorrow; I don't want to walk all the way to Harvard Law School tomorrow in the rain. OK, so it's totally not that far away, but I still don't want to walk all that way in the rain, especially after some bastard stole my umbrella tonight. That's OK; it was broken anyway. Ha! Sucker!!!

Quote of the Day: "Eat Ramen... for Ramadan! It's like Ramen-dan!"

:: SL 1:46 AM [+] ::
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GROSS!!! (From sexual harassment lawsuit against not-so-nice conservative bully Bill O'Reilly from Fox News.)

:: SL 9:42 PM [+] ::
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Good times gone awry...

:: SL 11:19 PM [+] ::
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Today was a good day. I participated in a psychology study where I sat in front of a computer screen and identified the names of celebrities whose pictures were flashed onscreen. That netted me $10 for less than an hour.

I had a couple of classes today, and then I went to the psychology lab and ran my first study! It was exciting to be running the study with real subjects after practicing it so many times to get it right. I think it ran pretty smoothly.

At dinner time, I joined the Taiwanese Cultural Society in making and cooking and eating dumplings. Yum! They are such a tasty meal. It was a nice social time, and a couple of people even made extra-large dumplings!

Afterwards, I participated in an economics study in which I solved mazes and earned money for it! I ended up making $48.40 cash in 40 minutes. Woo! So today was a lucrative day.

Tonight, I went to the open house hosted by our house masters. I got monkeybread! It was so sweet and cinnamon-y. Yum. There were also good snacks like chips and hummus, guacamole, and mini tacos. There were a lot of people watching the big Red Sox vs. Yankees game, too. Later, I visited a friend and had a good discussion.

Tomorrow will be quite a busy day. There's the third and final presidential debate, too! I'm quite excited about watching that.

Quote of the Day: "I'm too sexual to be asexual!"

:: SL 7:12 PM [+] ::
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Ooh, a day off! It's been a nice three-day weekend; I've been appropriately unproductive thus far, so now I must get cracking on the reading I have put off for so long.

Today is Thanksgiving in Canada! I should eat turkey today! I am really hungering for pumpkin pie. Yum. I can't wait until Thanksgiving! Well, maybe not because I don't have any place to go and will probably remain here at school for that weekend. Alas. Oh well. I could make good use of that time by studying.

Quote of the Day: "Shall I pay you for 'services rendered'?" "Just leave the money on the dresser."

:: SL 2:28 PM [+] ::
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Sigh. It's been too long since I last updated. Classes have been going OK, and I have been recruiting and scheduling people for the psychology study I'm running. Yesterday, I my friends had a wonderful tea party, and we drank tea and snacked on goodies. I then went over to Lowell House to watch the second presidential debate. Why is George W. Bush so angry? It seemed as if he was yelling at the people in the audience; he just seemed really upset and foul-tempered. At one point, he even cut off the moderator Charles Gibson... a big no-no in debate.

Today, I got up early, dressed up in business clothes, and participated in Harvard Model Senate, a government simulation sponsored by Harvard Model Congress. It was fun to debate the great issues (domestic and international) facing our nation. We sat in committees and discussed the pros and cons of various pieces of legislation, from the legalization of marijuana to air strikes on North Korea. I had to play the roles of a conservative senator and the Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge; that was a real trip, but it was interesting to see these issues from the "other side."

Tonight, I'm going to a big birthday party for my friend, whose birthday was actually earlier this week. However, parties are so much more fun when they are on a Saturday night, so I look to have a good time tonight!

Quote of the Day: "Yeah, this is the story of how I overcame diversity... I mean, adversity."

:: SL 6:18 PM [+] ::
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On Wednesday, I got up early and went to classes. Afterwards, I went to a health fair that they held under a tent in front of the Science Center. There were a lot of informational booths about various aspects of health, from dental care to stress relief. They also gave away a ton of free stuff, from Purell hand sanitizer and mini-pumpkins to thermometers and lip balm. They were also giving away an iPod in a drawing!

Afterwards, I had lunch with some of my friends. I then went to a meeting for the lab I'm working in. After sorting through some e-mail stuff, I went and had some tea. I chatted with some faculty members and students, and then I went and had dinner with other Mandarin Chinese speakers. We meet each Wednesday to socialize in Chinese.

Tonight, the fire alarm suddenly went off! It was so loud! I was so startled when it suddenly came on. We then gathered outside until the "all clear" was announced. I then had tea (again!) with my friend. I then memorized some of the things I have to do to conduct the psychology study I'm running.

Quote of the Day: "I like to sip weak tea in a cold room watching a dull movie."

:: SL 11:53 PM [+] ::
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Vice President Cheney is a liar.

During the VP debate on Tuesday, he said, "I have not suggested there's a connection between Iraq and 9/11." Yet in an appearance on Meet the Press last year, he stated, "If we're successful in Iraq, if we can stand up a good representative government in Iraq, that secures the region so that it never again becomes a threat to its neighbors or to the United States, so it's not pursuing weapons of mass destruction, so that it's not a safe haven for terrorists, now we will have struck a major blow right at the heart of the base, if you will, the geographic base of the terrorists who have had us under assault now for many years, but most especially on 9/11."

At the debate, Cheney also said that he had never met Senator Edwards until Tuesday's debate. That is a lie as well. They had met at least three times before, including one time when Cheney actually thanked Edwards for being at the event.

These are among the most egregious of various distortions that were made by the vice president at the debate.

:: SL 7:22 PM [+] ::
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Oh, so that's what the back of my head looks like.

:: SL 6:26 PM [+] ::
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Wow, it's Tuesday already.

On Sunday, I did a lot of schoolwork to prepare for this week. I had a quiz on Monday that I had to study and do reading for. The rest of the day was nice; I visited a couple of my friends and ate snacks. I then worked on a response paper that I had to e-mail to my seminar group.

It's gotten really cold these past few days. I'm sad because I don't like extremely cold weather. I have to wear a jacket now, and I can't wear shorts or short-sleeved shirts. I actually saw a tree with leaves that had started changing colors! It was depressing... winter is almost here.

On a brighter note, I went to a study abroad fair that was held today, and I got a lot of information about interesting schools around the world. I probably don't have time to do travel abroad, but it's nice to imagine the possibilities.

Sigh. I just spent an hour sorting through and organizing hundreds of e-mails from the last three days. I get too many e-mails! It's not going to get any better once I have to recruit subjects for the psychology lab I'm working in.

Tonight, I will be going to the open house being held by our house masters to get some tasty monkeybread (described as the "inside of a cinnamon roll" - it's really sweet and tasty!). I will then head over to the Institute of Politics and watch the vice presidential debate! Nobody wants crusty Cheney. We want Edwards!!!

Quote of the Day: "Was he hitting on you on behalf of someone else?!"

:: SL 2:51 PM [+] ::
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We made crepes yesterday! It was so much fun. After we went to see some improv comedy in Winthrop, we had a mini tea party and then went over to another friend's dorm to make crepes. We had some pears, apples, and bananas, as well as chocolate sauce and peanut butter, so we put that on the crepes. So tasty! It was cheap to make ourselves with the machine, so it made me upset just how much crepe places charge for those desserts. We mixed the peanut butter and the Hershey's chocolate syrup together to make a wonderful sauce.

My friends and I then saw a bit of Saturday Night Live, which wasn't really as funny as it used to be. We had hoped to watch some satire of the presidential debate earlier this week, but that might have been the first skit, which we missed because we were cleaning up dishes from making crepes.

My friend Molly asked me why I preceded a reference to my friend Alex with the phrase "my friend," since she knows I know that she knows who Alex is. I don't know why I always have to say "my friend Alex" instead of just "Alex." It just sounds right because Alex is my friend.

Quote of the Day: "I have a hair in my chicken." "I once had a chicken in my hair."

:: SL 2:01 AM [+] ::
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What does it say when George W. Bush's own hometown newspaper endorses John Kerry? The newspaper endorsed Bush in 2000, but this year, it offers reason after reason why it important for Kerry to win this election and why it would be dangerous to reelect Bush. I urge anyone even considering voting for Bush this year to read this piece and seriously reconsider; the dangers facing our country are too great to allow Bush to remain in the presidency and mislead our country even further.

:: SL 2:18 PM [+] ::
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Yesterday, I went to my classes. Afterwards, I went to a meeting with a graduate student with whom I am working. She showed me the procedures for one of the studies she is running, and we did a quick run-through of the experiment. Afterwards, I returned to my room and did some work.

In the evening, following dinner, my friend and I went to the Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Government to watch the first presidential debate. It was so crowded there; a lot of people had turned out to watch this pivotal moment in this year's election.

I must say with relief that John Kerry did a great job in maintaining a steady position and defending himself from the meritless and scripted attacks from Bush. Bush looked really unprofessional during the debate. He appeared flustered, angry, and impatient. He rolled his eyes, shifted back and forth, and was hunched over his lectern. Bush kept repeating the same lines over and over again, and there were moments when he spoke that the audience just looked at each other and wondered, "What?" because it was so non-sequitur and nonsensical. Some quotes from Bush sounded like something right out of Saturday Night Live. The Republicans, who spun Al Gore's sighing out of control in the 2000 election, are now getting a taste of their own medicine. It was interesting to see just how much Bush relies on his backup staff; during the debate, when he had to answer direct and critical questions, Bush stuttered, hesitated, and spoke very poorly (as usual). However, when it came to the final two-minute wrap-up, for which the candidates could prepare, Bush suddenly sounded clear. The contrast really underscored just how much Bush's campaign is just built on a big act to hide that the man really doesn't know what he's doing. The country and the world are suffering due to this.

Today, I got up early to attend a section I thought I had to attend, but it turned out that it does not begin to meet until next week. Alas. I could have spent that time doing something more important... like sleeping.

After attending classes, I had lunch with some friends and then attended the rededication of the Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, the centerpiece of the university library system. It's this huge, but beautiful, building in the middle of the campus that was built as a memorial by the mother of a book-loving Harvard graduate, Harry Widener, who died on the Titanic. The library opened in 1915 and now has 3.5 million books, but in the last five years it has gone through an extensive renovation that was such a massive undertaking. There was always construction going on inside and outside the library; it's so nice that it's finally all done.

The rededication featured some music and speeches. Then, a big red ribbon was cut with a big pair of scissors. Attendees were then treated with apple cider and a delightful selection of cookies at the reception afterwards.

Tonight, I went out to dinner with my friends Alex and Alex to John Harvard's, a really nice restaurant with really tasty food. I had a buffalo chicken salad, which was an interesting take on an already tasty food. It was nice, except they put too much dressing on the salad, and that didn't work well with the chicken, which was already very salty. For an appetizer, we had pita bread and hummus, and that was a nice, light beginning to the meal.

Later in the evening, I joined another group of friends, one of whom made smoothies from fresh fruit. It was very tasty, and it was like a taste of Jamba Juice, which reminds me of home. My friend from Minneapolis said a Jamba Juice just opened there, and her sister and she were obsessed with the wonderful concoctions.

We then watched some Father Ted, a hilarious British comedy about a bunch of Catholic priests and their exploits on a small, isolated island.

Quote of the Day: "The gays are destroying the morality of this country, but they do it while wearing such nice shoes!"

:: SL 11:16 PM [+] ::
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