Comment Log

I posted a comment to SMU Mustang here: http://txmustangblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/are-college-students-actually.html

Comment Log

I made a comment to Mary Kenson about the Bush Library: https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2352413865231134905&postID=5638416814624781873

Comment Log

I made a comment on Max's Blog: https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=430225480447006111&postID=6621829276487032842

Comment Log

I made two comments to Pink Roses: https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2912174786938434779&postID=3803816988635735227

and here: https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2912174786938434779&postID=8203608610278942347

Wait a minute...I Thought I Had a Parking Permit?

Okay, so the parking at SMU has seriously gotten out of control. Just this past week, they took away seven parking spaces in front of my dorm. As if taking away four in the beginning of the semester wasn’t enough. However, they didn’t just take these spots away for nothing, they turned them into staff spots. This blog won’t be a rant, but rather I’m going to present my argument on this issue.

This past summer I paid about $300 for my parking pass. I was told that because I was a freshman girl I would be able to park near my dorm. However, I have been able to do anything but that. I am a resident on campus, and I think that entitles me to some parking in front of my dorm- especially when I’m out at night. The staff commutes to school, they don’t live here. I think it’s a fair argument to have them walk five extra minutes in the morning. I know people who walk an hour to work- such as my brother in New York.

I wouldn’t be complaining about this if the new staff spots were being filled. Every time I pass a designated staff parking area, there are at least five open spots. I think that the staff parking areas surrounding the dorms should be strictly student parking. Because there are so many open spots on a regular basis, students are parking in them anyways, and receiving tickets, or being booted. I haven’t been booted yet, but I’m probably not too far from it.

I personally don’t mind walking from the garage during the day, but at night I’m terrified. I purposefully won’t leave campus at night because I know I’m going to have to walk back in the dark. It’s not a problem on the weekends because I will just call a giddy up, but during the week, they aren’t running. If this school is going to create a parking problem where we are forced to park in the garage late at night, the least they can do is have the giddy-up working 24/7.

Anyone else have a problem with the newly created staff parking spots?

Ellen Trumps Oprah

Daytime talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres has surpassed rival Oprah Winfrey as favorite day time talk show host. According to a poll done by AOL.com, with more than 1.3 million votes cast, Ellen won 46% of the vote with Oprah only winning 19%.

This was a big shock to AOL because Oprah has been a long standing favorite, and even considered the Queen of daytime. No more! Ellen has been working in the industry just as long as Oprah, and I think it's her time to shine. I tivo both The Ellen Show, and The Oprah Show, and I find myself watching Ellen more times than Oprah. Ellen is hilarious, and always does interesting things on her show. For example, she has elements to her show that she does every day. She starts each show dancing in the aisles, which always excites the audience. Also, she is a hilarious dancer which makes it fun. She also shows the top YouTube videos that people are watching, and they are usually hilarious.

However, I can't completely diss Oprah. I'm always blown away with how much Oprah gives back to the community through her Oprah and Angel Foundations. She built an entire school in South Africa, and has been a huge help in the Katrina Relief. But, so has Ellen. They are both pretty equal in their philanthropy. But, Ellen doesn't focus on sad topics for her show. She almost always has a celebrity on her show, and you know that you will get a good laugh when you watch. Oprah tends to have more serious topics, sometimes limiting her audience age.

I say "Go Ellen!" right now as I truly believe she deserves to be number one. I still love Oprah, but am a little burned out. Do you think the poll was right, or should Oprah still be number 1?

Spring Break-itis

I call this post spring break-itis, because it seems to be an epidemic that has swept the SMU campus. For the past few weeks I’ve noticed many students suffering from similar symptoms.
1. Laziness
2. Fatigue
3. Excessive partying
4. Excuses for not going to class
5. Constantly saying, “Is it break yet?”
6. Annoyed with your roommate

I can safely say that I too am suffering from this. I have had more work this semester than last semester- by a landslide. I have never been busier as well. It may be because I am now in a sorority, or because my professor’s feel that they need to give me more work. Either way, I am completely burned out. I have no desire to go to class- even though my conscious ultimately gets me there. I am also at a breaking point with my roommate, and sharing space with her. She’s a great girl, but I need time away. While I don’t think there is a cure to spring break-itis, as it will probably affect most students, I think there are some things that can elevate the suspense, and anticipation during the weeks before break.

I think that professors should know that students are going to be stressed out before break, and should therefore all not schedule exams the same day. Also, I think spring break should be two weeks long. I mean, we come back from break and Easter weekend is the following weekend. I personally am going home, and coming back to school just seems useless. We are in college, and we need an ample amount of time away from school to clear our heads and reorganize ourselves.

Personally, all that is keeping me going this week is knowing that come Thursday (I’m leaving early) I will happily be aboard a plane bound for Paris and Rome. What are you looking forward to?

Who Killed JFK?

Just this past week I visited the JFK 6th floor museum in downtown Dallas. My dad was briefly in town, and we decided to visit the infamous spot of the JFK assassination. I’d always read about “The Grassy Knoll” and Dealey Plaza, but seeing it with my own eyes was more frightening than I’d expected.

Driving the historical route that JFK drove that dark November day was beyond eerie. Coming around the corner onto Elm St, I felt strange. I saw the huge grassy knoll that everyone talks about, and when I looked up I saw the window that Lee Harvey Oswald shot from.

Before I walked into the museum I saw countless visitors retracing JFK’s steps, with countless books on his death. After about an hour walking through the museum I left feeling confused. While books say that Lee Harvey Oswald killed JFK, I couldn’t help but think he didn’t do it alone. Yes, I’m not the first one to think this, but the museum had several different theories presented.

I find it strange that Jack Ruby killed Oswald, before he was ever put on trial. Coincidence? I think not. Also, multiple shots killed Kennedy- from multiple angles. Oswald may have killed JFK, but he most certainly didn’t act alone.

Overall, I think that this conspiracy will never be figured out, but I’m curious what your thoughts are on who killed JFK.

Rehab: The New Trend

If you’re anything like me, you’re obsessed with Hollywood gossip. I watch Entertainment Tonight almost every day, buy the latest tabloids, and even have a favorite gossip website I go to multiple times a day (http://www.thesuperficial.com). I love reading everything from the newest trend in shoes, to whose breaking up and hooking up.

However, it seems that for the past year, everything I read has some tidbit or article about another celebrity entering rehab. It all started with Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Mary-Kate Olsen etc. And now in the past week Amy Winehouse, Eva Mendes and thankfully Britney Spears.

In my opinion celebrities are supposed to be role models, but clearly they don’t get this. I’m not saying that entering rehab is entirely their faults. Take Britney for example. While I believe that she has made some poor decisions, I don’t really blame the girl for going insane. She has photographers and reporters following her 24/7, with little room to breathe. This is a girl who has grown up in the spotlight, and has had her entire life under scrutiny. Where I do think she is at fault is by not taking care of herself. For a while I was upset at how the media was treating her, but now I’m just waiting for her to realize what a mess she is. Hopefully, being taken to the hospital last week via a motorcade wakes her up.

I also feel that rehab isn’t as big a deal as it used to be. Countless celebs enter it for a month or so to “collect their thoughts, and find peace”. Then they come out as if nothing was ever wrong with them. I think that rehab needs to be taken seriously. Younger people are probably watching their favorite celebs and thinking, “oh well, I can experiment with drugs, and if I get addicted there’s always rehab!” Also, there is now a show called "Celebrity Rehab". The media is not only partly at fault for making celebrities enter rehab, but they are not making money off of it.

Celebrities need to be cautious of their actions, and realize that everything they do is going to get to the public. I can’t help but think they’re abusing their fame. They are given so much, and do such great things, why should they turn to drugs/alcohol?

Not So Boring Games

When I was a little kid, I loved playing board games. My favorites were Clue, Life, and Guess Who. Before winter break, I couldn’t tell you the last time I played one of those games. However, some new favorites have been introduced to me, and I haven’t been able to stop playing.

Over winter break, I was addicted to Catch Phrase. For those of you not familiar with it, it’s a fast paced hot potato like charades game- without the acting. My friends and I would play it all the time, and it got pretty competitive. People would laugh at me when I would offer up the idea of playing a game, but once we started playing, we wouldn’t be able to stop. I laugh at myself when I think of how much time I spent playing Catch Phrase over break, but it was a nice alternative when we were bored, or didn’t feel like going out. There are so many new games out there that are aimed toward teen audiences, that you don’t feel weird or too old when playing them.

Not only do we play catch phrase, but also Apples to Apples, and SkipBo. I highly recommend any of those three games when you’re feeling bored, or want to have some good ole’ fashioned fun.

I warn you, Catch Phrase and SkipBo are highly competitive; so try not to get frustrated if you lose!

Here I blog again

A new semester...a new blog.

My first post of last semester was written with a pessimistic mindset about the whole blogging thing. Now having blogged for an entire semester, I realize how fun it actually is. I was able to speak my mind, and got some pretty good comments from my classmates. Now, looking back on it, it's funny that I was actually dreading keeping a blog.

It'll also be nice to have a theme this semester - being happy. I hope I can find a way to incorporate it into all of my posts. I'm also curious to see if those new at blogging will enjoy it. I can assure them, it is way better than doing mundane papers every week.

This post is a bit lame, but I promise the proceeding post's will be much more interesting.