Fictional Women I Adore

Inspirational women in reality are amazing, but what of the women that we read/see in our favorite books/TV shows/movies?! I think that fictional women have even more influence than the ones we see in reality, because we are simply more exposed to these characters and we, as humans, consciously or unconsciously, emulate the characters we admire and relate to probably a bit more than we should.

So without further ado, here are the heroines that have inspired me, relate to me, and whom I admire dearly:

MacKenzie McHale - The Newsroom

Being the Executive Producer (EP) of a primetime evening newscast is my dream job. I could be an EP for the rest of my life, and I would die the happiest woman who ever lived. MacKenzie is so fantastic at being EP for News Night. She delivers the important stories right, and makes the critical decisions (with Will McAvoy, anchor and managing editor for News Night) like no one else. She was also a reporter for quite some time before her EP gig and got stabbed in the stomach while out in the field! I have no idea why, but I find that quite noble. She's sweet, sour when she needs to be, sassy when necessary, and she knows what she wants and has the conviction and determination to get it. She is such an inspiration. Not to freaking mention her beyond-cute office romance with Will. I know office romances are distracting as hell and basically always a bad idea out in reality, but I can't help wishing that I was part of an "Ultimate-Journalism-Power-Couple" thing.

Nyota Uhura - Star Trek

This character is no stranger to Political-ish. What do I not like about Uhura? She's basically the only main woman on The Bridge on the Enterprise. She is a vital part of the crew and she does her work like nobody else. She's an expert on alien linguistics, acts as Communications Officer for Enterprise, and a lieutenant, no less. She kicks butt. She's awesome. You can't tell me otherwise. She's also in a really nice relationship with Spock. It's cute as cute can be. Alright, I'll stop talking about relationships now.

Elizabeth Bennet - Pride & Prejudice

She's smart, witty, and won't marry for money, regardless of what anyone tells her. She wants to find true love, and she luckily finds it with Darcy. She's also extremely sassy, independent, and she's not afraid of what society thinks of her. The society that surrounds her is beyond superficial, only taking interest in women who sew and draw and do useless things. Rather than employ herself doing those things, she reads and harvests knowledge for no one else's pleasure but her own. She's fearlessly herself. In other words, she is different. And she's not sorry for it.

Sloan Sabbith - The Newsroom

Oh, to be Sloan. One, she's really freakin' gorgeous. Two, she's smart as hell when it comes to money matters. A PhD in Econ? Beauty and brains. Also, her sassiness is unparalleled. I love when a woman enters a male-dominated industry and just kicks ass. She'll school anyone on any fiscal matter and do it in 4-inch stilettos and a pencil skirt, no problem.

Katniss Everdeen - Hunger Games

It's Katniss. No commentary or explanation needed.

Maggie Jordan - The Newsroom

Yes, I do realize that there are now THREE Newsroom characters on this list, but I forgot to care. Maggie seems like a strange choice, but being promoted from intern, to assistant, to Associate Producer  (AP) for News Night is pretty freaking impressive. She didn't get it because she was lucky either. She was loyal to News Night when no one else was, and she got rewarded. She brings awesome story ideas to the table, and is extremely hardworking. Even though she has panic attacks, takes Xanax to subdue those (and she picked journalism, probably the most high stress job there is) and she's in a really weird relationship with who I like to call "Douchebag Don," she is invaluable to the staff. And I KNOW I said I wouldn't talk about relationships anymore but her chemistry is Jim Harper is the cutest thing I have ever come across. The are soul mates, just like MacKenzie and Will. Yeah, I know office romances are bad news, but like I said at the beginning of this paragraph: I forgot to care.

Spencer Hastings - Pretty Little Liars

This seems like a weird one (which is why it's at the bottom) but hear me out. Out of all the PLLs, she's pretty much the only one who has any sense of logic (in the TV show and the books). Also, she's the only one who's not excessively vapid. She cares about grades and takes pride in her intelligence. Sure, she's hooked up with a couple of her sisters boyfriends/fiancés BUT she makes up for that because she gets in a relationship with Toby and she's able to see past his weirdness and alienation to see a really sweet dude!

And there it is ladies and gents. There was A LOT of Newsroom feels tossed in there, so I thank you for putting up with that.

It's 2014 in a couple days, can you believe it? If I don't post until then...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

xx

It's the little things...

There's a bunch of little things that I just adore about life, and here's a list of all of them (because I feel like listing them):

• Peppermint anything (Mochas, Bark, Gum, anything)
• Shopping (Window-Shopping, online shopping, and actually buying stuff)
• Pad Thai
• Sweet Potato Fries from The Kettle or The Counter
• Coke Zero
• Coffee anything (the drink, the ice cream, anythinnnnggggg)
• Twinings Tea (Earl Grey and Lady Grey)
• Spotify
• Gummy Worms
• Fiji Water
• Tumblr
• Reading a new book
• Re-reading a beloved book
• Cats who sit on your lap and purr and don't scratch you
• Having zone-out time with Netflix and your couch/bed
• When you wake up and have a few minutes to just lay in your bed and truly enjoy it's warmth and unparalleled coziness
• Gossip seshes with your best friend(s)
• Late-night car drives and blasting the radio with friends
• Getting ready for a night out or an event
• School sports events (you can't beat the Friday night lights...)
• Spending time with people who you can be yourself around
• Good-looking guys who are actually nice and stuff like that
• New shoes, esp. boots and high heels
• The sound your heels make when you walk
• Swiping your debt/credit card (a dangerous thing to like...)
• That salon-hair smell right after you get it cut
• My phone
• That satisfied feeling you get when you're done applying your makeup and you look straight-up awesome
• Taking drives down PCH
• Compliments (giving and receiving)
• Being flat-out proud of your work (in school and out of school)
• J.Crew and Madewell
• Reading physical newspapers
• Going to Barnes & Noble
• Rain
• Snow
• The plethora of pretty colors during Autumn
• Coats
• Warm showers
• That empty-and-sad-but-semi-satisfied feeling you get when you finish reading a book
• That awesome feeling you get when the thing you were trying to remember finally pops into your head
• Knowing that people honestly care about you

I could go on and on, but you know what they say: "Pay attention to the little things in your life, because looking back, the little things might become the big things."

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

xo

Have a "Correct" Christmas

Fighting: 2013's Holiday Caroling

This is something I have wanted to blog about for awhile, and I think the Holiday Season is the perfect time to do it.

That's right ladies and gents: Political Correctness. Oh yeah, I'm going there.

Society may want me to walk on eggshells and tiptoe through the tulips on this subject, but I refuse to. I'm sick of it. I'm tired of having to censor what I say.

I have one question: Why is everyone so so so OFFENDED? ALL THE TIME. People of all colors seem to be offended. People of all genders. Heck, animals and objects are offended. Why in the world is everyone so damn sensitive. 

Schools can't have images of Santa up in classrooms. We have to call ugly christmas sweaters "ugly sweaters" if you want to have an "ugly sweater" day in December. I want to put up a mini-Christmas tree in my school's journalism room? No can do! We can't even call it a Hanukkah Bush. I can't even buy a "Holiday Fern." Why? Because the school afraid that people are going to get offended and sue them.

I'm all for the separation of church and state. Forcefully putting students through any type of serious religious promotion in a public state-funded school is unlawful. But decorations with good ol' Saint Nick on them aren't allowed? Really?

I honestly can't identify a person at my school who gives a damn. I'm pretty sure teenagers don't care if they see a Santa or a mini tree. I'm pretty sure they'd find it cute and festive. Why can't everybody just bring in their own decorations? Christmas is December 25th... so it's pretty fitting that most December decorations are connected to Christmas. But do students want Hanukkah represented? What about Kwanzaa? What about other religious holy days? The more the merrier! Bring your decor! Let's all celebrate together!  What I don't get is that schools in general seem to preach and simply love the idea of multi-culturalism, yet they block every sort of religious expression when it December comes around... talk about "Bah-Humbug."

But I'm not just talking about schools here. The whole "What race is Santa?" debate? WHY DOES IT MATTER SO MUCH? WHY? SOMEONE TELL ME. Santa has been an icon since forever, and he has been depicted as a big, fat, jolly-looking white old dude with a long ass beard. It's always been that way. People weren't offended before, why are people so offended now? And I have done my research, and it turns out that Saint Nicholas is of Greek nationality. Should Santa be white? Should Santa be black? If we want to be factual, he actually should be Greek. 

My point is that December celebrations are really good-natured and everyone has their heart in the right place. In my eyes, the real Scrooges in this situation are the people who claim that one religious group can't do a certain activity because it is offensive. Does someone want to bring a menorah to school? How about something to represent Kwanzaa? Scientology? Heck, why not! I'm Roman Catholic, and I'm not offended one bit.

We should be evolved enough to speak up if the term "Secret Santa" offends us or makes us feel uncomfortable. You wanna call it "Holiday Homie" instead? I'm down with anything at this point.

We shouldn't have to tiptoe around people. We shouldn't have to be hyper-sensitive about every issue. We shouldn't have to spend our holidays worrying about being "racist" or "intolerant." That's not what the holidays are about. I just want the freedom to express my merry December spirit, uncensored.

P.S: Aren't we technically offending Atheists by saying "Happy Holidays" considering they don't believe in any sort of holy celebrations? Idk...

Happy Holidays/Christmas and a Merry New Year! :)

The Christmas Wishlist

Here goes nothing... (from left to right, top to bottom)

Cath Kidston - I guess their kinda like the Vera Bradley/Lily Pulitzer of London... (idk) But anyway, they always have gorgeous prints in the cutest bags and mugs! My favorite styles are the Book Bag and the Cedar Mug, I already have those two in the Royal Guards print! (too freakin' cute) I'm dying over this snowy-London-Holiday print! I want right now!

Royal Apothic: Kensington Garden - Keeping with the British brands trend, I found this little gem at Anthro. It smells divine! Such pretty floral scents! I took one whiff and I was back in the gorgeous English gardens I perused this past summer!

TIME: Inside the Red Border - I adore TIME magazine for a plethora of reasons. Whether it be the photographs or the layout or the page design or the actual articles, I just find that magazine so awesome! If I were to work at any mag, it would be TIME without a doubt. An informative and pretty coffee table book about this publication is right up my alley.

Pride & Prejudice - I lost my copy of one of my favorite books. It would be really nice to get another one, especially in this pretty Collector's Edition Hardcover. :)

J. Crew Everything - If I get anything J.Crew this Christmas, I will be the happiest of happy campers. But come items that I have been crushing on for months is the Schoolboy Blazer in Navy, the Cashmere Boyfriend Cardigan (I looooveee youuuuuu), and the beautiful Cambridge Turtleneck Sweater.

Kate Spade - I love Kate Spade, and their tech accessories hold a special place in my heart. They don't sell this cute Dictionary case for iPhone 4S (sad face) but I love it nevertheless.

J.Crew Shoes - These. Shoes. Oh my. Love at first sight, for sure.

LET THE CHRISTMAS CHEER BEGIN!

Union Issues

Unions are great, they really are. But I believe unions have their time and their place. Those times and places should not involve students.

To give you a bit of backstory, the teachers union at my school is severely butting heads with the district, due to the fact that the district is attempting to postpone negotiations regarding salary and the teacher evaluation system until after School Board Elections. Of course, this is a straight-up douche bag move and pretty damn idiotic of them. They are also shoving the idea of "iPad integration" down the throats of all teachers, classrooms, and students in the district, which is also completely idiotic and further proves that the district is seriously not listening to what the teachers and students are saying. I mean, let's be real. The middle school in my district, who jumped in head-first into this iPad education thing, had a drop of 18 points on their API score this year. EIGHTEEN POINTS. The largest drop they've had, ever. Clearly something is wrong and clearly the district refuses to see past their bureaucracy. 

I support teachers because I believe that they are truly a foundation of success and growth later on in life. But in reaction to all this bull that the district has been pulling, they have refused to work past their pay. Their doors are closed at lunch, meaning school clubs cannot meet in classrooms. This is the second time they have done something like this. Last year it was a bit more dramatic, they wouldn't do any letters of recommendation for the seniors. Obviously, this method got the district to meet the teachers halfway, but I think it was still morally wrong.

To use students and their parents as political pawns? To utilize their anger and frustration as a means to an end? I don't approve of the teachers' actions. Teachers do noble things, but that does not make it right for them to pull cruddy political moves. This is in no means ok. Some might say that this is all about the students and their well being, BUT it still does not give teachers to, in essence, use students as leverage to get whatever they want, in this case, it's higher salary and an upper hand in negotiations. Some might even proclaim that teachers were basically boxed in a corner, and this move is a move of desperation. Once? Maybe. But twice? I don't think so. This is the second sequential year that the teachers have pulled this move. This doesn't look like desperation to me, it looks like savvy political strategy.

So, my conclusion is that both parties are at fault here. The district and the administration continue to be, well, the district and the administration, and teachers now think it's ok to pull moves like these. I say that the district needs to man up, keep to their word, and be straight forward with the Teachers Union. They deserve that much. In addition, I think the Teachers Union needs to cut the crap and stop using pupils to their political advantage. It's not right. It's not ok. Be truthful teachers, you are not getting the students involved to benefit them, you are using them to get what you want, which has nothing to do with our education and has everything to do with the size of your wallet and the benefits you receive. Do I believe that teachers need a higher salary and more benefits? Yes, absolutely. But do I validate their current actions? Do I think it's ok to use students as political leverage? Heck no.

Playlist #2: Neo-Flapper

Imagine: Paris, 1925. You walk into a seedy, but sincere enough bar. As you step inside, you can't help but notice the place is a bit snappier and sharper than the rest of Paris, perhaps with an aftertaste of the modern era lingering in the background, despite the authentic people and fixtures inside. Your eyes are lined, your hair is swingy and swishy, and your silvery sequined dress shines brightly in the dim light of the smoky bar. The skirts are short, the heels are high, the liquor is pretty loose. You have a drink in one hand, a cigarette in the other, and a F. Scott Fitzgerald look-a-like chatting you up with his witty tongue and sparkling eyes. What's the band playing behind all the hub-bub?

They are playing this playlist.

Fangirl: A Book Review

Rainbow Rowell really did it... She stole my heart!

Fangirl is such a teenage girl book, such a fangirl book, and such an amazing, enrapturing story! 

It's doesn't have a lot of intellectual prowess, and not a lot of thinking power is needed for this book. Purely a fluffy, fun read. But with all of the heavy analyzing required for mandatory school readings, fluffy readings are right up my alley.

It basically tells the story of two identical twins, Cath and Wren as they enter their freshman year at University of Nebraska. Cath & Wren were super-fangirls for the fictional Simon Snow series (it's basically like Harry Potter with vampires in the mix). They do the whole fangirl bit, and they write fanfiction too. Turns out Cath is brilliant at writing and is supremely internet-famous for her Simon Snow fanfiction, written under the pen name "Magicath." But once they enter Uni, Wren grows out of fangirl-hood and becomes your stereotypical drunk college girl while Cath is still desperately stuck inside her awkward self.

As the story progresses, the twins hit many bumps in the road, especially having to deal with their eccentric, overworking single-dad and the whole deal with their elusive mother (don't want to spoil the deets). Not only does Wren branch out, but so does Cath, especially in the boy department. Cath basically in a weird place with these two guys she meets, Nick and Levi, who are both cute and charming in their own ways, and she has to choose what is best for her: a life alone or a life with someone special? On top of all that, she is major struggling in her Fiction-Writing class. You'd think fiction writing would be a no-brainer for someone who writes tens of thousands of words of fanfiction, but she butts heads with her professor and faces another choice: giving up/staying in your comfort zone or treading in uncharted waters/being fearless?

This book was pretty damn good on a lot of levels. All the subplots were just awesomely weaved into the main story. The fangirl elements really pulled the story together and just made the story more relatable! The relationships were actually believable. None of "all-this-sugary-syrupy-sweetness-gave-me-an-actual-headache" relationships happened. There were sweet moments, romantic moments, rough moments, awkward moments, and just an overall great depiction of the trials and tribulations of a relationship (or, at least, what I think happens during a relationship). The guy Cath ends up with is just wonderful, and he's believable enough to make you hope that there's some guy like him out there for you.

The only thing that disappointed me was the ending. I felt that it was a bit rushed, and maybe a little incomplete. But then again, maybe I was just a bit unsatisfied with the ending because I wanted more. (I really didn't want the book to end!) Perhaps both factors are at play.

Despite the ending the book is worth the read. For fangirls, it's an absolute must! It's so adorable, you'll love it! For non-fangirls, just give it a shot! It's a good book all around, truly for everyone...

And I'm still buggin' about the cover art! So pretty! The illustrator is Noelle Stevenson, AKA "gingerhaze" in the tumblrverse. She does many other fandom-geared doodles and even does some pretty legit art and comics! You can check out her stuff here.

Sherlock/Doctor Who Cross #lovethistoomuch

JUST READ IT, OK?

Playlist #1: City Slickers

Imagine: You are walking on a bustling city sidewalk, somewhere between 7:00-8:00 AM. It's slightly foggy and the brisk wind is blowing right onto your cheekbones (think London or Manhattan). You've got your fabulous (and warm) coat on over your soft cashmere sweater and skinny jeans. A big, comfy, and chic scarf is covering your neck, and you can hear your high-heeled boots making that wonderful sound it makes when it hits the pavement. You've got a large latte in one hand, your iPhone in the other, your big ol' "It Bag" is tossed over your shoulder, and earbuds are in your ears. What are you listening to? 

You are listening to this playlist.

Broadcast Journalism: The Red-Headed Stepchild?

Newsroom Porn: The BBC Newsroom in Central London

Control Room Porn: BBC's Control Room

Writing in this little blog of mine is so much easier than writing college supplements, so much easier.

Alright. With that little confession out of the way I wanted to get something off my chest. I'm sad to say it, but I think, especially in this time of this era, that print is dead. (Not to me, I still read newspapers like crazy. I mean in the general public.)

Which is why I was tremendously puzzled when my broadcast journalism advisor stated that, "Broadcast is the red-headed stepchild of journalism."

Uhm... excuse me? What? What? What? What? I'm not quite sure I was catching his drift.

I couldn't help but feel a bit weird when he said that. It was like being told that you weren't the center of the universe for the first time. Like you were being told that Santa and Faeries and Unicorns weren't real (I believed in all that shit when I was little). Like realizing that despite the fantastical worlds that were in your head due to books and daydreams, they were all fantasies. 

Needless to say, It burst my bubble a bit.

But I found this kind of haughtiness and attitude that favored print in other places. In Newspro magazine, in internet comments regarding different J-Schools, etc. My question was: Why?

It's obvious to me that broadcast is superior, on multiple levels, to print. I thought it would be obvious to other people as well too, but apparently not. Let's take a look at the facts: Broadcast undoubtedly reaches more people in a more "reachable" format. People watch the news everyday. It's more informative as well. Instead of looking at a picture of the event, you have actual footage of it happening. Instead of reading the words that someone supposedly said, you have the ability to hear it from the horse's mouth and to see their mannerisms and expressions as they are saying.

Why are broadcasters the "stepchild of journalism?" WHY THE HELL ARE BROADCASTERS "RED-HEADED?" I don't understand. I can't even begin to compute this quotation! "Stepchild?" Really? That kind of talk is basically saying that broadcast is separate from journalism. We don't even get the coveted title of "daughter" or "son" or "sister/brother." We are the "stepchild."

Broadcast journalism is real journalism. No matter what anyone says. Sure, print has more history. Yes, I am very aware that CNN was not present during the Revolution. I am also very aware that Ben Franklin didn't intern at KCAL Local News, but his brother's printing press. I know, I know. But broadcast has made lots of strides in history as well. The JFK assassination, Queen Elizabeth's coronation, countless other milestone events: covered by lovely broadcast journalists. Broadcast is also lucky enough to have some great journalists in it's history as well: Walter Cronkite, Fred Friendly, Tom Brokaw, and others that have transcended our past and present.

I know how broadcast journalism looks today in the eyes of Americans. I'm not blind nor am I stupid. We see politically fragmented cable news networks. Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, PBS, and others caught in partisanship who will say and do anything to get their numbers up each night so they can keep advertisers in their wallets. But that's not what true journalism is. That's not what it used to be. 

Here is the opening scene from "The Newsroom" to give you a bit of journalistic and American nostalgia. (This made cry, I'm not going to lie to you.)

My point is that broadcast is a bit of a mess right now, but we will rise above the partisanship and the messy political games, and we reclaim the first and only virtue of journalism: the truth. (and that Broadcast Journalism is way better than print. It is fact.)

Broadcast Journalism For Life
#BJ4L

Book Club #1: Fangirl

This book is actual gold. I'm about 200 pages into this 433 page beauty. I highly recommend you read this! To all my fellow fangirls out there, it is completely and utterly relatable. Even if you don't consider yourself a fangirl or don't know anything about fandoms or fanfiction, it's such an adorable coming-of-age story. I think it's especially suiting for seniors, considering the whole tale is about the main character adjusting to college life as a freshman, in a whole new and unfamiliar space.

ADDED BONUSES:

- There are cute guys in the book, and cute relationships

- There are realistic awkward moments that we can all relate to (but not "second-hand embarrassment" awkward)

- There is cussing in the book (FINALLY! An author not afraid to utilize all of the English language and use teenage slang to make her book realistic!)

- The cover art is pretty darn bomb

Just read the book, ok? I'll do a proper book review once I'm done with the whole thing!

Why Does It Matter?

It was leading up to Halloween. I wanted to dress up like Lieutenant Uhura from Star Trek. Why? I absolutely adore her. If I could trade places with anyone in the sci-fi universe, it would be her. She's all smart and sassy and just awesome. I thought it would be the perfect costume. I have the boots she wears, and I could easily re-create Zoe Saldana's look with the long, sleek, black ponytail and the sharp cat-eye liquid liner. (If only I was as pretty as Zoe is... sigh) She's also chief communications officer on the Enterprise, and I run the sound board during the live broadcast of my school's news program. I know it's not the same, but we both have headsets and play with switches, buttons and lights on a high-techy board, manipulating sounds and stuff like that. I was so pumped about it.

But then, my friend and my mom talked me out of it. They both said I would look "dorky." They both had absolutely good intentions. Both were looking out for me, I suppose. So, I obliged and caved, and I didn't get to be Uhura for a day. I reasoned that no one would know who I was, and I would be the only person clad in Star Trek gear.

But I was so, so wrong.

I walk into AP Bio class on Thursday, and, to my surprise, my teacher was dressed up in a Red Star Trek Engineering costume. The dress, the boots, the everything. Turns out, all the math and science teachers were in Star Trek apparel. It was like being on the Enterprise. Then, the Star Trek theme song started chiming from the PA system.

I was beyond bummed.

The Trekkie spirit was all around me, and I wasn't even wearing a costume! Just some yoga pants and a sweatshirt. To be completely honest, I was a little heart broken. I couldn't believe I caved! Why did I do that?

Was it because I was afraid of what people would have thought? Most likely.

As I was talking about the costume more and more with my friend about 3 weeks before heart-breaking Halloween was thrust upon me, she started asking questions like, "Why are you so into Star Trek all of the sudden? How long have you been obsessed with Star Trek? Do you watch the TV show? Why do you like it so much?" Those questions made me extremely uncomfortable, and she kept asking them. Again, she asked with good intentions, but I just wanted to scream in her face "Why does it matter?"

In consequence, I chickened out of the costume because I didn't think I was like "Trekkie" enough to pull it off.

But in all honesty, why does it matter how my liking for Star Trek started? I felt like she was questioning the legitimacy of my liking for Star Trek. It made me feel defensive and awkward. I didn't expect such a strong reaction from myself, but I felt it nonetheless.

I'm going to fully disclose the origins of my "fanhood" for all things Trek: It started with the movies. I loved them. I started to get more into it from there, watching the original TV show, window-shopping for merch, following some lovely tumblrs. I bought my Red Star Trek Engineering phone case from ThinkGeek.com back in September. I picked red because it matched Uhura's dress. So, I mean, you could say that I'm not an OG fan because I started liking Trek from the blockbuster movies, but I personally don't think that makes me any less of a "fan."

Now that I think about it, a lot of things that I am now a fan of are due to "late" jump-ins. I jumped on the Sherlock wagon a bit late. I hopped in the Doctor Who fandom extremely late. But that doesn't make me any less dedicated or make me like it for all the wrong reasons. Some people might even presume that I'm liking all these geeky things because it's "cool" to be a "geek girl" now. That's total BULL. I'm not a part of these fandoms to boost my self-image. If anything, I'm in these fandoms because I want to escape myself and the world I currently inhabit.

Plus, I really don't think a "fake fangirl" would buy a Trek phonecase, a TARDIS scarf, make a paper Who-Lock TARDIS for her desk, and break 5 needles while hand-sewing a red buttonhole on her peacoat lapel so she could have matching red buttonholes with Sherlock Holmes. 

My point is: No one has the right to question why someone does or doesn't like things, and no one has the right to make you feel inferior about your legitimacy in your fandom of choice.

I'm a fangirl. I maybe semi-new to this fandom world, but that doesn't make me any less of a fan than the next person. I am a Trekkie, a Whovilan, a Sherlockian, a Hiddlestoner, a Pine-Nut, and a member of the Cumber Collective. And I'm damn proud.

Stripes

J.Crew Striped Sweater / J.Crew Skinnies / Frye Boots / Mom's Scarf / Cardigan with Missing Tag

(Saturday) Five

I KNOW I KNOW. I didn't do a Friday Five! So I'm doing a Saturday Five. It's lacking alliteration, but whatever. 

I did take the ACT this morning, I did survive, and I thought I did alright. We'll just have to wait for the scores... (crossing my fingers!)

Anyway, WE BELATEDLY BEGIN:

ONE - Charles Krauthammer, Inspirational Human Being

This guy is beyond amazing. He's always been a friend to the Arciga household since he's such a fabulous commentator for Fox News, but I really had no clue about his personal life, or what he had been through. Last night I watched little snippets of his "Fox News Reporting" profile, and I was astounded. I give his mad props for his academics and credentials: Oxford University to study Political Theory, Harvard for Med School, and a FREAKING PULITZER PRIZE. WHAT CAN HE NOT DO?! But what impressed me most was his heart. When he was 22, he had a diving accident, rendering him paralyzed. Despite this, he graduated Harvard Medical on time and went on to become one of the most influential figures in political journalism, and politics as a whole. I have great respect for Mr. Krauthammer!

TWO - The Christening of Prince George

They. Look. So. Happy. SO HAPPY! IT'S BEAUTIFUL! I LOVE YOU KATE AND WILL. AND THE BABY. JUST LOOK AT HIM. HE'S BEYOND ADORABLE. QUITE POSSIBLY THE CUTEST LITTLE PATOOTIE I'VE EVER SEEN!

THREE - Kim K's Ring

Now moving on to America's tacky "royalty." 15 carats? Amazingly large. I wonder how much that thing weights her finger down...

FOUR - Icona Pop

"All Night" has been perpetually stuck in my head for about a good 3 weeks now. Plus, I seriously dig the album art for some strange region. Maybe it's because it's modern and minimalist? Maybe because it has grey as the background?

FIVE - London Calling

Kate Spade has done it again. I need this bangle. I'm going to get it, even if it is $88. It's too beautiful not to be mine. Just one more accessory to keep London close to me at all times! I love the little idiom on the inside too!

An Empire State of Mind

I wore a Yankees cap yesterday... in Dodger territory! (eh, I'm a risk taker)

I brought it originally for an english project (we were acting out a segment of a play) but I thought it would look pretty cute with my navy blue/white/black outfit I had going. My skinnies were blue and white pin-striped, and since the Yankees uniform pretty much has the same exact stripe-thing, it ended up matching pretty perfectly. I also wore a navy J.Crew puffer-peacoat-thing, a black scarf (super soft & cozy), and a white v-neck. The cap added a little pizzazz! 

But to be truthful, I didn't pick the Yankees cap at random. There was also a Dodgers and Braves cap lying around my house, but my dad was a BIG Yankees fan when he was a kid and was pretty passionate about baseball throughout grade school and high school, so it was kind of a salute to him.

My second team of choice? The Giants! I grew up in SF from 5-10 years old, so I can't rid of my loyalty to that foggy city. Sorry Dodgers fans...

In other news, college apps have been, of course, stressing me out immensely. AND I've got the ACT tomorrow, wish me luck?

See you on the other side.

Online ObamaCare

So, I'm sure that ALL of you have seen this little gem... but in case you haven't, here's Jon Stewart beautifully RIPPING the ObamaCare website by the seams.

The Daily Show

Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook

I mean, really? If the White House can't even run the OC website properly, things aren't looking up for this policy's approval ratings overall...

Just thought I'd share a little chuckle. :)

- Julia

Catchin' Up // Friday Five

Hey Guys! It's been a bit since I've posted, but I finally found some time to actually write!

Since I've posted:

• Got a newspaper internship! It's quite a feat to juggle all my academics, school-related extracurriculars, and this internship, but I think of it as training for life outside high school! I'm pretty darn busy, but it's better than being bored and being a lazy butt!
• I think I've finalized my college list... I think. Scary thought! I also interviewed with my #1 and plan on interviewing with a couple more. Naturally, all of them are J-Schools (Journalism Schools, hehe).
• My J.Crew and Kate Spade obsessions are at an all time high, and, OF COURSE, my fund$ are at an all time low. Hopefully that will change soon...

Anyway, I thought doing multi-paragraph and dense political rants on all my posts would get a bit monotonous for my dear readers. So, from now on I'll be doing Friday Fives, just for a cool way to tell you guys what's been on my radar.

ONE // Government Shutdown Ends

Yeah, the Gov. Shutdown ended... Seriously I have NO idea what Congress wants us to do. Do they want us to pop a bottle of bubbly just because they failed to do their jobs in the first place? Yeah, NO. And the whole "THE ECONOMY WILL DIE" bit never happened either. Boring. Uneventful. Next.

TWO // BBC Turns 91!

Happy Birthday to my future employer! Haha, just kidding... (No I'm not...). But in all seriousness, BBC has been and always will be the most prominent name in global news in my eyes. A truly reliable source, and all the best of journalism represented under one roof (but actually, their newsroom is my heaven).

THREE // Benedict Cumberbatch

The Fifth Estate comes out tonight AND he landed TIME's international cover! Seriously though, if you look up "Perfect British Male," his picture will probably show up along with Tom Hiddleston's. If anyone happens to watch The Fifth Estate, please tell me what you thought of it, I'd love to hear! Especially since Wikileaks has been consistently clogging my Twitter feed with their negative campaign against the film... The whole drama around this film just makes it more interesting!

FOUR // House of Cards

If you have not watched this amazing Netflix series, PLEASE do yourself a favor and watch it RIGHT NOW. It's beyond perfect, especially for political junkies! I adored Kevin Spacey in American Beauty, and he does not disappoint here. All the episodes of Season One are currently on Netflix, and Season Two starts February 1st. It's going to be the perfect motivation to get me through first semester finals!

FIVE // Kate Spade

I told you I was obsessed. I can't get enough of their tech gear, like this geek chic "dictionary" iPad folio, and their girly luxuries, like these inhumanly beautiful shoes (Only a bit over $500 for those babies, but hey, they're gorgeous).

xx - Julia

As the summer sun sets, senior year lies ahead...

Senior year starts in a week! It's been a hectic summer, and with 5 AP classes and Broadcast Journalism and Model UN and College Apps headed my way, I guess the chaos won't stop anytime soon.

Summer was fantastic. Spending a month at Oxford University studying Journalism and International Business was nothing but enriching and I'm so thankful for that learning experience. We produced a magazine called The Visitor in my Journo class and I learned a lot about Game Theory and decision-making in my Business class.

Journalism was truly remarkable. The people I was so blessed to work with, including my teacher, Paul, were so incredibly amazing. Staying up until 4:30 AM the night before print was exhausting, no doubt, but it was the best type of exhausting. It was hard work, but it was work that I loved to do.

During my month at Oxford I also got to tour the British Broadcasting Corporation, also known as the BBC. I got to see the BBC newsroom, live feed from the news desk as the anchors were reporting, and I even got to give anchoring a try at a mini-demo desk. I've done some anchoring before, but I was so nervous that my heart was racing and I messed up a bit! I've decided that I want to work for the BBC someday, and that might be ambitious and too "reach-for-the-stars" type of thing, but I love England and being a proper journalist at one of the best networks in the world would make me nothing but happy.

Robbi and I anchoring at the BBC

After my month at Oxford I got to spend a week in London, South of France, and Paris before heading home. I must say, London was my favorite out of all of them. It might be my favorite city of all!

The fact that I'm going to be graduating high school in a year makes me squirm. I just feel so old! I can't believe by this time next year, I'll be settled in at university. It's crazy how time flies...

...and I still haven't finished my summer homework. Oops!

PS: I promise that next post will be something political! Probably about Edward Snowden and Egypt! :)

Rights on Rights

You must have been living under a rock if you don't know what's been going on politically for the past 24 hours.

For those of you who DON'T know what's been happening, here's a Rapid-Fire Update for ya:

• Yesterday Morning: A vital part of the Voting Rights Act was struck down by the Supreme Court, freeing 9 states (mostly southern) to pass any voting laws sans federal approval (unlike before, when they did have to get federal approval).
• Yesterday Night: Texas State Senator Wendy Davis (D) was a straight-up badass, filibustering for 12-13 hours (in running shoes and a back brace no less) to kill a bill for abortion restrictions during a special session. There was a sh*t-ton of drama. Republicans (predominately male) were trying to illegally end the filibuster (they did end it because she went "off-topic") and tried to vote on it. Turns out, the vote was at 12:03 PM, and the vote was supposed to be made before midnight. So, it's dead, for now. Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) called for another special session (in other words, buckle up).
• This Morning: DOMA = Dead. That's right, ladies and gents. Gay married couples now have the right to get the same federal benefits as straight married couples do AND California gay couples now can get married!

Alright, Rapid-Fire Update: over.

Let's get to the deets, shall we?

I know the Voting Rights Act is all about racial equality, but my question is how does one determine whether or not a voting process is racially discriminatory. I'm all for racial equality, but is there a standard for racial equality, or is the determination of discrimination all subjective? I guess you could say this is where it gets dicey. I still don't understand how in the world showing your ID is racially discriminatory. You can get IDs, it shouldn't be an issue. Passports, Driver's Licences, etc. Why is that racially discriminatory? It's only trying to prevent voter fraud! Unfortunately, I don't know as much on this issue as I'd like to, and I plan on digging up more info.

I'd also like to say that I LOVE YOU WENDY DAVIS. YOU GO GLEN COCO. Tumblr last night was on FIRE! It exploded to make wonderful, angry, feminist, politically-charged confetti. It was simply gorgeous, and I thought I'd share some:

[WARNING: There's foul language in the following images and I didn't censor it because it's completely necessary for this issue in my opinion.]

I've said this before: Separation of Church and State is so important, and my fellow Republicans are forgetting that COMPLETELY. I understand that the issue of the unborn baby is important, and I can completely see the legal concern for murder.  I still think Roe v. Wade is the best and closest compromise for the issue at hand. But the behavior displayed by the Republicans that night? Trying to illegally end the filibuster and simply not giving Davis the respect she deserves? That is completely inexcusable. Those who disrespected her that night ought to be ASHAMED. It makes me so angry that women still are not treated equally on a social and legal level. I'm utterly sick of this nonsense and America deserves better.

I take the same stance with gay marriage. Separation of Church and State, is that SO HARD to understand? What does it matter to you if two guys/girls get married? WHY DOES IT MATTER SO MUCH? STOP SHOVING YOUR RELIGIOUS MORALS DOWN UNWILLING THROATS! I repeat: WE ARE A SECULAR NATION. WE LEGALLY CANNOT DO ANYTHING LIKE DOMA. Oh, and for those dipwads who claim that 2 men/women would hurt society by raising a child that isn't a traditional family: Calm the hell down. I have friends who have been raised in gay/lesbian families and they are awesome. SO F YOU, and please consider the following image:

And some fantastic parting words, courtesy of Tumblr:

- Julia

PS: I'm headed to the UK this Saturday and going to be out of the US for a month-and-a-half. I'll try to write one more time before leaving, and I'll drop some pictures and short updates when I'm overseas. 

PSS: For those who actually read this and care, thank you so much for reading. I really appreciate your support! POLITICS ROCKS, AMIRIGHT? (well...sometimes)

Summertime, Sherlock, and the Stock Market

Hey everyone! Long time, no type... (I'm sorry. I blame finals.)

But it's a great time to give some RAPID-FIRE updates about my life and what's been goin' on. READY, SET, GO:

• I got accepted to a program to study Journalism and Business at Oxford University. I will be leaving for England in 8 days.
• I have joined the Sherlockian, Trekkie, Cumber-babe, and the Hiddles fandom. (If you don't know what that even is, GOOD. STAY IGNORANT. FANDOMS WILL RUIN YOUR LIFE.)
• Today was my last day of school... SUMMERRRRRR
• I think it's safe to say that I'm obsessed with anything British.
• I'm officially a senior now and I'm kinda flipping out about it.

Ok, Rapid-Fire Update is over. Now let's get down to the deets...

So, first topic: SUMMER! Yes, it's officially summertime. I will be in the UK (or the Cute-Accent Country) in approximately eight days. I'm going to be studying, staying at the dorms, and living the life of an Oxford student in just a few days! It's safe to say I'm stoked. I mean, great people have walked the halls and the paths that I will soon walk. W.H. Auden, Margret Thatcher, Tony Blair, James Cameron, Stephen Hawking, and tons more! GAH I'M EXCITED. (Don't worry guys, I'll post updates w/ pictures.)

Second, Sherlock. What can I say about BBC's Sherlock... I guess I can say that it's an amazing piece of art. It's absolutely gorgeous. I'm freaking obsessed. It's actually quite unhealthy. It's probably my favorite thing about my life right now.

Third, the Stock Market. (YUP! I'm going to do some actual reporting today...)

Today, the DOW Jones Industrial Average dropped 353.87 points. In one day. I know that in today's context, that doesn't sound like much. But on Black Thursday (the day that pretty much kicked off the Great Depression), the DOW dropped a little less than 300 points that day (in 1929 money). In the stock market crash in 1987, AKA Black Monday, the DOW dropped a little more than 500 points.

Well, clearly, we aren't in a Great Depression, but these numbers to me are really disturbing. Even though our economic system isn't on the super-über-brink, I think these numbers are show that our economic system is in a weak position. Weaker than we think it is. My opinion? If irresponsible economic policies continue, we will see a collapse. SOON. It's easy to get caught in a bubble of fiscal ignorance when you are a teen, but I think people my age really ought to pay more attention. In a few short years, we will be legal adults. So if the stock market collapses, we are the ones who will have to deal with it.

Alright. It's the first hours of summertime. 

How am I going to spend it?

Watching Sherlock on Netflix.

:)

- Julia

17: What I Know Thus Far

Today is May 30th. My lovely birthday, and also the birthday of the Brooklyn Bridge and Cee-Lo Green. Yesterday was JFK's b-day, tomorrow happens to be Brooke Shields' b-day too. (If only I looked like the 17-year-old version of her...)

Historically speaking and in the big picture, 17 doesn't sound like a lot. But I feel straight up old. In 3 years, I'll be TWENTY. To me, that's just weird.

Anyway, here's just a couple of life lessons I've learned in my short 17 years here on Planet Earth. Most likely you've experienced the same things I have... but whatevs.

• Work Ethic Matters...

My scholastic discipline started young... when I was four I was sitting in a desk with a full-on uniform on and writing sentences in little-kid cursive, (preschools in the Philippines are way different than in the US) and I was that total geek in elementary/middle school that did ALL my homework on Friday night. My mom would do multiplication drills with me every night, and the harder I worked, the more good results I would see. I learned that you can contribute to your successes immensely if you worked hard and didn't give up at the first sign of difficulty.

• ...but kinda-sorta-not-really

The bad part about starting my work ethic super young? I started developing a work-a-holic-control-freak-like view on life in general. It kind of hit me hard in high school when I realized that there are somethings in life that don't go your way - no matter how hard you work, no matter how many hours you put in, no matter how many cups of coffee you drank to get it done. I had to learn (primarily last year and this year) that life isn't always "fair." Just because I had worked my 100% didn't mean I was going to get News Director or a Producer spot for my schools news program. It was a very bitter pill for me to swallow, but lessoned learned.

• Surround Yourself With Good

Good people. Good teachers. Good-tasting food. Good-feeling activities. I learned that in life, there's no room for negative stuff or "energy-suckers" as my dad likes to call them. Everything in life should have a positive influence/benefit on you and your vibes. I can be really really pessimistic at times, so daily positive reminders and surrounding myself with things that make me happy has made life a bit more enjoyable. :)

• Passion and Learning

I really love learning stuff.  I love learning stuff I'm passionate about even more. So it's no surprise that I'm pretty much beyond stoked when I walk into a seminar at a journalism convention (NSPA/JEA BOSTON 2013 hell yeah). My point is that in life, I've learned that you need to learn A LOT. Be a sponge, absorb everything around you. Be an eternal student. Learning doesn't stop when you leave campus, it's everywhere. Learning things is how you find passion, and passion leads to more learning, and learning leads to more passion... etc.

• Confidence Comes From Within

Admittedly, this is something I really struggle with today. Confidence and self-esteem can't come from the outside. It can't come from other people, it can't come from awards or GPA, it can't come from pictures or the mirror or the scale. It has to come from the inside. Does it hurt to be flat out rejected? Yes. Does it suck that no one asked me to prom this year? Yes. Does it suck that I don't have a 4.0 GPA? Yeah. Does it really stink that I have epilepsy? YES. But I can't feel sorry for myself. I have to be totally ok with who I am and who I've become in order to make any progress for the future. I have to stand with my decisions and actions, and keep my chin up. This is hard for me, but it must be done.

I think my life has been pretty rad so far. Can't wait to see what comes next! :)