This coming February, Marvel Comics will be releasing a series featuring what seems to be your average teenage Muslim Jersey girl juggling school, family, and friends ... However, Kamala Khan is not just your average girl ... She is a shape-shifting superhero!
Kamala, whose family is from Pakistan, faces so many of the same issues that first generation kids face in this country (not to say I am speaking from experience or anything). According to The New York Times, Kamala - who goes by the name Ms. Marvel - has a super conservative brother, a paranoid mother, and an overbearing father. (For all I know, this character could be based on any number of people I knew growing up ... I could be Ms. Marvel!)
On top of trying to keep her family life in order while being a 16-year-old girl, Kamala fights villains. Personally, she will need superhero powers just to pull that off because just being a teenager is hard enough!
Photo c/o www.huffingtonpost.com
I am not an avid reader of comics by any means but I might give this one a try because I think the story described has a little more depth than others I've heard in the past AND, additionally we all know that Jersey girls know how to kick ass and take names better than the rest - so why wouldn't I!
I'm more than a bird. I'm more than a plane. I'm more than some pretty face beside a train and it's not easy to be me. I wish that I could cry, fall upon my knees, find a way to lie about a home I'll never see. [Superman (It's Not Easy), Five for Fighting]
Exactly one year ago today, Superstorm Sandy pounded the tri-state area, as well as the entire coastline, with what turned out to be the second most expensive storm in US history. The only storm to cost the US more was Hurricane Katrina back in 2005.
Photo c/o http://www.telegraph.co.uk
Today, some people affected by the tragedy are remembering, while others are still recovering. Certain especially hard-hit areas are still in need of basic services ... Residents have still not received grant money promised to them ... and some people are still living in makeshift houses and shelters.
Despite all this, over the past year, we have seen some boardwalks rebuilt, volunteers come together to build houses for their neighbors, and vigils held in honor of those lost to the storm.
Superstorm Sandy dealt our area a hard blow but even so we have begun to rebuild and progress towards what will surely be a greater coastline.
From the tip of Cape May County to Sandy Hook and straight on through and every town along the way, we'll remember you. We're gonna build it back. We'll right the wrong. We're Jersey Strong. (Jersey Strong, After the Reign)
Hey Jose Cuervo, I just saw this advertisement ...
And I just have one question, are you seriously basing the sale of your product on the whole premise of no regrets? I mean it's a great concept and everything ... But I am pretty sure tequila has been the reason for a plethora of regrets on many people's laundry lists of "SHIT I SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE." I mean, I am no expert or anything but hasn't everyone had a Pee-Wee Herman-ish tequila moment in their life?
I mean I'm not saying that people should be blaming it on the (a-a-a-a-al-)alcohol on the daily or anything ... That would be alcoholism ... But I am saying that I have seen tequila do some strange things to some very normal people ... So, Jose, here's to living life with a few regrets. Ain't nothing to be ashamed of.
She can handle any champagne brunch, a bridal shower with Bacardi punch, jello shooters full of Smirnoff --- But tequila makes her clothes fall off. (Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off, Joe Nicols)
You turn the ripe old age of 15 today ... and despite being stuck dead in the middle of your teenage years and having been the most popular kid in the class for the past few years, you have not turned around and started to curse out your users or to try new styles ... You consistently do what you do best - search out the answers to our hard pressed questions that we need to know immediately.
I am not sure about everyone else on this little planet called Earth who have made use of your intelligence but I will be celebrating this auspicious day - your quincenera, if you will - by utilizing your skills for the betterment of myself. I will Google my own name, stalk cute guys I work with (or who work at Starbucks ... or who I meet on the subway ... or who I just happen to get a business card from in random situations on any given day), and figure out if Lindsay Lohan has attended her scheduled court dates for the current month. Because we all know this information is critical and that you know best!
Hell, if I'm ever unsure if a dude is right for me, I'm game with getting your advice on that too! And other people should be too! "Will this relationship work out?" ... "Is my hair too red?" ... "How do chickens reproduce?" ... "Why does my butt hurt?" ... All acceptable questions for you, my young friend. No question is too strange or inappropriate. And I love that about you.
Thank you for your years of answers, Google.
Love,
Nazzle Dazzle
I'm in love with Google Plus. I'm judgmental on Google Plus. Here's another douchebag and another loser that didn't make my Google Plus! (The Google+ Song, Kayla Sarian)
... Unless you're Mariano Rivera, then you can shed as many man tears as you want! Because you've earned it. 19 seasons with the Yankees. Five World Series titles. And countless mentions of you as my baby ...
So, yes, you can go ahead and fall into the arms of Andy Pettitte and Derek Jeter and cry as much as you want because those are the tears of a champion. If I had anything to do with it, I would bottle up those tears and place them in a museum.
While fans everywhere are heartbroken at the thought of you leaving the Yankees, you will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest closers of all time.
'Til the Sandman he comes. Sleep with one eye open, gripping your pillow tight. Exit light, enter night, take my hand, we're off to Never-never-land. (Enter Sandman, Metallica)
Rutgers University has officially updated (read as ruined) their 140 year old alma mater by changing the lyrics to be gender neutral ... and I say this as a woman ... a woman who loves the tradition that Rutgers once prided itself in ... and is slowly breaking down each and every one bit by bit.
If you are reading this, you may very well know that the original lyrics to the first verse of the alma mater went (sing along with me now, students of Rutgers) --- My father sent me to Old Rutgers and resolv'd that I should be a man; and so I settled down, in that noisy college town, on the banks of the Old Raritan.
The lyrics (ridiculously) now go a little something like this ...
From far and near we came to Rutgers and resolved to learn all that we can; and so we settled down, in that noisy college town, on the banks of the Old Raritan.
The new lyrics remove the reference to fathers and becoming men ... because students have a mom too or even two daddies or two mommies or no mommies or no daddies or whatever and because Rutgers is now co-ed and people have felt the need to whine and complain over this fact for years ... Because you know changing the lyrics for a select bunch of people is better than holding on to a tradition that a much larger group of others love and appreciate.
I don't know if these new lyrics will gain any popularity and stick ... But I do know that I will continue to sing the lyrics that I have grown to know and love (and, let's be honest, memorize) over the past almost ten years I have been around Rutgers, and I hope others will too.
My father sent me to Old Rutgers and resolv'd that I should be a man; and so I settled down in that noisy college town, on the banks of the Old Raritan. On the banks of the Old Raritan (my friends), where Rutgers evermore shall stand, for has she not stood since the time of the flood, on the banks of the Old Raritan. (On The Banks Of The Old Raritan, Rutgers Alma Mater)
If you are child of the 90's, you undoubtedly have an allegiance to one of the following uniformed teams - the Red Jaguars, the Blue Barracudas, the Green Monkeys, the Orange Iguanas, the Purple Parrots, or the Silver Snakes ... and it is without question that you have sat around wondering why contestants on Legends of the Hidden Temple simply could not get that silver monkey together when it was three damn pieces ...
And, yesterday, marked the 20th anniversary of the premiere of that legendary show!
How's that for a Look how old you've gotten!
So, with that, here are 5 reasons why Legends was so damn legendary!
Legendary Reasons
1) Kirk's Jean Shirt --- I am almost positive the man still wears it until this day ... or sleeps in it.
2) Temple Guards --- Any child who viewed an episode of Legends certainly had a nightmare or two at some point in their life about a temple guard jumping out of their closet and wrapping their crazy arms around them and possibly stopping them from winning a brand new, shiny dirt bike!
3) Olmec's Bad Ass Voice --- This one needs no explaining. When that giant talking rock began speaking, people shut their mouths ... and listened to the damn legends ... because Olmec commanded the damn room.
(This guy - Dee Bradley Baker - is the voice of Olmec, by the way).
Photo c/o http://www.imdb.com
4) The Silver Monkey --- No one really ever understood why none of the kids could get that silver monkey together when it was only three pieces ... but apparently it was bigger and heavier than anyone ever thought. Who knew?
Photo c/o www.tshirtgroove.com
5) Pendants Of Life --- We all knew that earning those pendants was the only way to progress through that game, and I'm sure there was some behind the scenes shenanigans between some of those kids where they tried to trade their pendants away for a few dollars ... or to get to second base with someone on the Orange Iguanas ... because, let's be honest, that team always had the hottest team members.
No matter how I try I just can't make her cry 'cause she'll never break, never break, never break, never break this heart of stone oh no, no, no this heart of stone. (Heart Of Stone, The Rolling Stones)
The CIA has officially acknowledged the existence of Area 51 in Nevada ... However, it states that the space has been used for aerial surveillance tests and lots of things less than alien experiments and the like. Conspiracy theories about Area 51 have existed forever so I am sure this information crushes the imaginations of millions around the world ... or simply adds fuel to the fire.
Now that the CIA has released this information about the area's existence and it's lack of connection to aliens ... I am positive more people will begin to crawl out of the woodwork and claim abductions and probings and experimentations ... And other crazy MIB stuff.
Let's just hope that if Area 51 is being used for anything related to aliens, those cute little guys are being treated hospitably by our government.
It started with a low light. Next thing I knew they ripped me from my bed and then they took my blood type. It left a strange impression in my head. You know that I was hoping that I could leave this star-crossed world behind but when they cut me open I guess that changed my mind. (Spaceman, The Killers)
... And, no, I'm not referring to the sexy kind of texting. I mean full-blown relationships ... that just happen to exist via text message. Is it possible for two people to become so close via text message that it almost feels as though that they are in a relationship?
I am beginning to think that this phenomenon is becoming more and more common in today's social media obsessed, technological world. It's scary to think that people are unaware that they are falling into the trap of the "textlationship" ... So here are some signs that YOU may be in a textlationship and not even know it!
5 Signs You May Be In A Textlationship
1) You met a nice gal or guy, exchanged numbers, then proceeded to flirt, get to know each other, even maybe express love for each other ... all via text ... with continuous promises of meeting up ... straight through your breakup, which inevitably happened via text.
2) You find yourself irritated when your "significant other" does not text you back after several hours ... However, you have not seen said person in weeks and/or months.
3) You know all the essential first-date facts, as well as tons of other info, about your texting partner ... without ever actually having gone on a date.
4) You love telling all your friends about your partner ... but in order to do so, you need to bust out your cell phone to recap a conversation or a funny anecdote involving said person.
5) You've escalated your textlationship to a sextlationship in hopes that an actual relationship would ensue but, alas, the texts just keep coming ... and the dates don't.
And there you have it ... If any of these five signs apply to you, do yourself a favor, if you genuinely care about the person you are texting, talk to them. NOT TEXT. TALK - face to face - about how you feel. And if they don't understand or reciprocate the feelings and the texts just keep coming, go ahead and click delete!
Gonna find me somebody not afraid to let go. Want a no doubt, be there kind of man. You came real close. But every time you built me up. You only let me down. And everybody knows, almost doesn't count. (Almost Doesn't Count, Brandy)
Wishing all my readers a wonderfully red, white, and blue HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! I sincerely hope you learned about the founding of our country like this ...
You know all those times you wished you could have clicked those hashtags that your Facebook #friends placed in their status updates ... But then realized it was a useless dream because it was not a tweet or an Instagram photo ... Well, #thetimeishere.
FACEBOOK IS INTRODUCING #hashtags!
Photo c/o www.enveritasgroup.com
(Yes, I just hashtagged hashtag. I'm so #aboutthatlife.)
So, get ready to stalk celebrities easier (#zaynmailk, anyone?), laugh at strangers for hours on end (#drunkdancing), and cry just because you need to (#nicholassparks).
I have not (::read as never::) been this excited for a Facebook update since they introduced the like button. And, if you are not excited ... I can't comprehend why or how you are using social media. You are clearly using it incorrectly.
I actually don't even see why you are still reading this ... Go get on Facebook and update your status with an appropriately placed hashtag (yes, there are rules ... You can't just place them anywhere!) and begin clicking your day away!
#havefun!
Can't you see it's we who own the night. Can't you see it's we who 'bout that life. And we can't stop. And we won't stop. We run things, things don't run we, we don't take nothing from nobody. (We Can't Stop, Miley Cyrus)
So Boy Scouts of America voted today to lift the ban on allowing gay Boy Scout members to partake in their manly man activities.
It's about time BSA. What was the hold up?
I mean I totally get that it is unthinkable that a gay boy could fulfill the requirements for those MANLY merit badges like railroading and wood carving ... As well as the requirements for the badges in essential life skills of pulp and paper making and Indian Lore.
I mean, come people, what harm would really come to your precious organization by letting gay boys hang out and learn to swim and hike and build fires with straight kids their age? Children should be incorporated into diverse communities and organizations to grow to their greatest potential and if the BSA has the best interest of their boys in mind, they would have lifted this ban years ago.
BSA has taken one step in the right direction with the lift on the ban, and now they need to go ahead and lift the ban on gay leaders - which they have not done. They need to show the children in their organization that acceptance is a key component to how their organization is run and that the actions and words of a man are more definitive of who he is than who he loves.
It's 2013. Come on, people. Merit badge for acceptance? The BSA should establish one.
You're the saddest bunch I ever met but you can bet before we're through, mister, I'll make a man out of you. (I'll Make A Man Out Of You, Mulan Soundtrack)
This one goes out to besties J&J (no, not Johnson & Johnson, different J's) - two lovely people I work with - who offhandedly inspired what I will be calling Random Ramblings. If you have been following this blog for some time now, you know that most of time the entries stem from some current event or some celebrity gossip or whatnot ... But occasionally, it may be nice to just write about whatevaaaa I darn well please.
So, on that note, I'd like to explain why, while I love love love New York City ... I also adore getting off NJ Transit at the end of the day and coming home to the suburbs.
Yes, I like being close to my friends and family and I like having a lawn and all that good, fun stuff ... But what I really love about pulling on to my driveway after a long day of work is that when you live in the middle of nowhere, on a clear night, you are able to look up and see stars. LOTS AND LOTS OF THEM!
I know it sounds simple ... but I love stargazing. I always have and always will. There have been nights where I just lie on my driveway and stare at the night sky in all its magnificence. Ever since I was a kid, I've been looking up and wishing on stars - some have been granted and others are still on the back burner. Part of me probably thought I was a Disney princess back in the day wishing on those stars, but it doesn't matter. Until this very day, I still wish on the first star I see at night ...
And, I hope I never lose that little bit of my childhood that I have brought with me into adulthood.
Like a bolt out of the blue, Fate steps in and sees you through. When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true. (When You Wish Upon A Star, Cliff Edwards)
Last week, Saudi Arabian masses were introduced to their first ever anti-abuse advertisement ... And it's one of the best advertisements I have ever seen. It features a woman wearing a niqab, and from underneath you can see that she has been given a black eye.
This ad, which is sponsored by the King Khalid Foundation, helps to shed light on the problem of violence against women in a country where women's rights aren't necessarily a priority. The 2012 Global Gender Gap Report, which ranks countries based on gender disparities, ranked Saudi Arabia 131 out of 135 countries, overall. (Iceland placed first. Yemen placed last. And, if you are wondering, the United States ranked 22, overall).
Many people have called this the beginning of an anti-domestic-violence campaign, but I beg to differ. The King Khalid Foundation, and the agency behind this ad, went so much further with this advertisement. Although the original ad is in Arabic, having it read "Fighting Women's Abuse Together," crosses all lines, to all relationships - father/daughter, husband/wife, brother/sister ... uncles, bosses, any member of the male sex with (or without authority, really) in Saudi.
This could be the start of something big in Saudi Arabia. I would assume that a lot of crimes against women go unreported in the country because women are uninformed about where to go to for help. And, as for the people who commit the acts of abuse, they probably think that they are home free because they believe their crimes will never be reported. Well, hopefully this will be the start of a change.
It took a long, long time to get here. It took a brave, brave girl to try. It took one too many excuses, one too many lies. Don't be surprised, don't be surprised if I talk a little louder, if I speak up when you're wrong, if I walk a little taller, I've been under you too long. If you noticed that I'm different, don't take it personally. Don't be mad, it's just the brand new kind of me. That ain't bad, I found a brand new kind of free. (Brand New Me, Alicia Keys)
It may be evil but sometimes you just need to have a laugh at another's expense, and today, I just rolled over laughing at the "deranged" sorority email published on Gawker this past week when it was read dramatically by Michael Shannon of "Boardwalk Empire."
I do feel a little sorry for this girl, but I mean, come on ... Why on Earth would you send this email in the first place ... THINK BEFORE SENDING PEOPLE. Cyberspace is a scary thing. Everything is saved. Everything is available for pretty much forever. Be smart.
Lord, help the mister who comes between me and my sister, and Lord help the sister who comes between me and my man. (Sisters, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen)
This week we have seen too much tragedy and heartbreak and violence the world over. Like I said in my previous post, from Boston to Baghdad, my heart goes out to the victims of senseless violence and loathsome crimes that have been committed.
I pray for the departed, for the maimed and recovering, as well as for the souls of the criminals across the world who carry out these horrific acts. I believe that everyone deserves a prayer.
Here's to a better, more peaceful week. Smile at a stranger. Hug a friend. Call a relative. Do whatever it takes to make this world a little better. A little more peaceful. A little more accepting. A little happier.
We could all use it.
Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me, where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me. (Somewhere Over The Rainbow, Judy Garland)
Y'all are gonna like this one ... Wait for it. Wait for it ...
At work a few days ago, I had a grown ass man ask me if I was related to Saddam Hussein. If it was a child at the school that I work at, I would have written it off as curiosity and a learning experience, but when you are a TEACHER, it gets written off as ignorance and stupidity, sir.
Now, I have had my fair share of people ask me that question, and my fair share of times, I have looked people straight in the eye, deadpan, and said, "Yeah, he's my uncle." Just like Will Smith is related to John Smith, and Denzel Washington is related to George Washington (for all I know, they might be, I did not research this ... But, for the sake of making a point, there you go).
Usually after saying that people realize, "Shit, I look like an dumb mf-er right now." Nope. Not this guy. He straight up was like, "Nooooooo wayyyy." Ummmm, first off, our names are not even spelled the same, bro. Second off, NO. We are not all related. And, lastly, comparing me to one of the world's most hated men and maniacal terrorists in the history of time - super offensive, especially in light of recent events.
For anyone who may have this compartmental way of thinking - yes, it may make your black and white life easier - but it is NOT RIGHT.
When you talk and you say things like "People from there are blah blah blah" or "I guess it was the so-and-so's again" and "The terrorists did this ..." you are simply exacerbating an already hateful world. And when you do say these things do you think about who the "people" are that you are referring to and who "the terrorists" are? When you say things like that, you have already painted a picture of who the problem is, and of who a terrorist is. You are simply adding fire to an already humongous flame. A terrorist can be anybody. Terrorism knows no creed, color, nationality, religion, or ethnicity. Yousef Erakat of FouseyTube put out this video today, which I think sums it up wonderfully, especially when hate crimes have already been on the rise in the past week against what many people paint as the stereotypical "terrorist" in today's society.
Now, am I saying that a terrorist is never a Muslim? Obviously not. Am I saying that they are never of Middle Eastern or South Asian descent ... No. I'm not that naive. What I am saying is that there is no reason to paint all people of one faith, or one color, into one horrible picture, and to put them in one small box. That is simply ignorant.
And, on top of that, I refuse to get into the "But guys, you need to understand you shouldn't do that because Islam is a peaceful religion" argument ... Because, you know what, personally, I am tired of having to apologize for the sins of others. I am tired of having to think, after every horrible tragedy, "I hope it wasn't a Muslim" for fear of all Muslims being blamed, and I am sure that this is the feeling of billions of Muslims all over the world.
As the innocent bystanders of these horrible incidents that occur, we also deserve the time to grieve alongside the rest of humanity but oftentimes we are not given that because we are too busy worrying about apologizing for the actions of others, but you know what? I'm sorry I'm not sorry. There is no reason that the innocent should have to apologize for the misguided actions of a select group. What I should be able to be sorry for are the families who lose loved ones in these tragedies. I should be able to mourn the lose of life due to these actions ...
But the one thing I will not do from this moment on is apologize for the actions of others.
Why can't we talk it over? Always seems to me that sorry seems to be the hardest word. (Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word, Elton John)
There are simply no words to express my feelings about what happened in Boston yesterday. There can never be words to express things like that because there are always too many emotions involved - sadness, anger, confusion. There are always too many questions - who? what? why?
After the initial shock wears off, you begin to think about the people who were there, the ones who actually experienced the insanity and the horror of the situation. That's the worst part and it doubles once you flip on the news and you put yourself through the agony of watching the horror unfold - because you have to know, you need to know, what is going on and what the new developments are, whether or not they are confirmed.
It pains me even more to know that there is no corner of the world where people can simply walk in peace and just be with each other without hatred - and that people don't take the time out to read or research and know what's going on in the world.
Yesterday it was Boston and Baghdad, and unfortunately, tomorrow it may very be somewhere else in the world where something horrible will happen ... because it's become a daily occurrence in our lives. People around the world are dying, and being terrorized, and what are we doing to stop it? Can we do anything to stop it?
What will you do to be the change this world needs?
Now I've been crying lately thinking about the world as it is. Why must we go on hating? Why can't we live in bliss? Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train. Oh peace train, take this country, come take me home again. (Peace Train, Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam)
Ummmm, yeah, I don't know about you but I was not particularly concerned about marriage while in college (or now, for that matter). I had my mind on more important things like if I would pass my Dinosaurs class and where the next party I would be attending was happening and if my new rush crush would get a bid to my sorority and pick me as her Big Sister. Yeah, sounds superficial, but, I mean, come on ... Isn't that what most people are thinking about at 20?
And that isn't even the biggest issue I have with this woman's "advice" to women ... I have a problem with her insinuating that unless you marry (and marry someone who is your "intellectual equal"), you will essentially be a sad, pathetic, lonely mess with no future.
Yes, intelligence is obviously an important aspect to consider when choosing one's life partner. As it has been said, looks fade (side note - unfortunately Alzheimer's exists, so sometimes your mind fades as well) ... so you do want to be able to spend the rest of your life with someone you can actually talk to on a level playing field ...
BUT what about those other aspects that are also important in choosing someone to spend the rest of your life withlike, I don't know, maybe choosing a man who is kind and warmhearted and funny and who is nice to his mom and likes puppies and/or babies and is not a total and complete douche.
You cannot measure a man's character by the name of the school on his degree that he has hanging on his wall in his giant mansion on a hill, like Ms. Patton would like you to do ... A man's character is measured in the way he treats the people around him. And the way he treats you. I know plenty of extraordinary men who have graduated from state schools. I know men who have gone to what some people would call "no-name" schools, who are definitely a better catch than some of the Ivy-Leaguers I know. Just putting it out there.
This woman really needs to take a chill pill and consider how she evaluates the people around her ... and, if Son 1 and Son 2 happen to come across this blog, I apologize for bagging on your Mom. And I feel sorry for you guys because neither of you will be getting a date with anyone, anytime soon.
When somebody needs you, it's no good unless he needs you all the way. Through the good or lean years, and for all the in-between years, come what may. Who knows where the road will lead us, only a fool would say. But if you let me love you, it's for sure I'm gonna love you all the way, all the way. (All The Way, Frank Sinatra)
Seriously? I have no words for this one ... Just watch the video.
Then immediately judge Mama Bear. She's one for the Guiness Book of Worst Parents, if you ask me.
So what we get drunk. So what we smoke weed. We're just having fun, we don't care who sees. So what we go out. That's how it's supposed to be - living young and wild and free. (Young, Wild, and Free, Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa)
Muslim women around the world have been waiting for this day forever ... A "breathable" nail polish, which allows water and air to pass through to the nail bed, is now available for purchase. (If you don't know, this is super exciting because in order to complete prayers, one must complete a washing ritual which involves the washing of the hands ... and in order for that to be complete, the nails also need to be completely bare). Inglot Cosmetics has released a line of nail polishes called O2M - standing for oxygen and moisture - because both can pass through ... and the line is not too shabby!
If you have tried O2M, comment below with a review. When I get my hands on some, I will definitely post about it!
Two hands. What are you supposed to do with two hands? To get the life of the richest of man. Where you supposed to go with two hands? (Hands, The Ting Tings)
If you attended Rutgers prior to 2009, you probably remember the good old days of The Medium, which featured bare breasts and penises galore (on those very special, fun occasions, sometimes you'd even be surprised with a non-human penis). But now, when you open it, there's not a penis in sight - apparently they prefer to go the seriously offensive route with their so-call "satire."
Now, I generally consider myself a funny person - and I know this article hits close to home - but what The Medium did not take into account when printing the article entitled "Alpha Chi Omega to Shut Down: 'We don't want to be like you ugly bitches' Potential pledges say" is that 1) in order to write an effective satirical piece you need to have your facts right, which they did not, and 2) while it may have been funny to satirize a generalized group of people (in this case, fat people, or ugly people, or whatever nasty thing they want to say), it is not okay to specifically attack actual people at the university. People with friends and classes and names (albeit they changed them). I mean, when they refer to the president of Alpha Chi, did they not realize there is an ACTUAL president of AXO who they were personally attacking that hundreds of people within the Greek community know, as well as others.
I mean, come on. How stupid is their editorial staff? Did they actually sit down and edit their final draft and think this was a good idea? Did they think there would be no backlash? The article was not only misogynistic and sexist, it was also racist, and attacked the overall character of the women, in question.
The Greek community at Rutgers is strong and it will always back up any member that is kicked down.
At least the Greeks that I knew would do it.
I'm not the average girl from your video and I ain't built like a supermodel but I learned to love myself unconditionally because I am a queen. I'm not the average girl from your video. My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes. No matter what I am wearing, I will always be India Arie. (India. Arie, India Arie)
It's been 2 years since I began blogging and I've enjoyed every minute of it. I know that I can go weeks (or months ...) on end without posting but it has been an adventure, and if you are a consistent reader of my blog, I want to thank you! I don't know why you enjoy my ramblings, but I appreciate it so, so, so much. I love when people notice that I have not posted in a bajillion years and let me know about it. It makes me smile.
So, here's to the next year and the year after and the year after that ... if I make it that far. I mean, if you are a consistent reader of this blog, you know that even though I can go a while without posting, I have a big 'ole mouth and when something irks me ... I gotta say it!!!!
I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life. And, oh, just to be with you is having the best day of my life. (Thank You, Dido)
A Michigan nurse is suing for discrimination after seeing this taped to a newborn baby's clipboard in the neonatal unit last fall:
Photo c/o abcnews.com
For real, son?! What did the hospital personnel think would happen? - That black nurses would just see the note and pass on by, no questions asked, all hunky-dory.
Ummmm, no.
I understand that the manager on duty was concerned for the staff, especially after the father in question showed off his well-thought-of swastika tattoo but, at that point, if I was nurse manager on duty, I'd tell him to get his racist ass out of the place, if he didn't like how I ran my floor.
I, of course, have a big mouth.
Night nurse, only you alone can quench this here thirst. My night nurse, oh gosh, oh, the pain is getting worse. (Night Nurse, Gregory Isaacs)
If you are a consistent reader of this blog, you know that I am an active alumnae member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority - and if you are a member of any Greek-letter organization, you know how much that can mean to a person, so when I woke up yesterday morning to an email from our National Headquarters explaining that my collegiate chapter's charter is being revoked come May, you can imagine the flood of emotion that came over me.
I cried. I got angry. I wanted someone to blame. But it was whirlwind and I didn't know where to look. The collegiate members are not to blame. The alumnae are not to blame. If anything, I'd say that the women running the show are to blame. I truly believe that once these women make it to HQ, they forget what it means to be a member of the sisterhood. And, I don't care if they don't like what I have to say - it's true, at least in my mind.
I am heartbroken at the news that my sorority will not be represented on the Rutgers campus come Fall 2013. I am especially saddened for those sisters still active who will not be able to finish out their years as a collegiate members. The friendships I gained while a collegiate member will last a lifetime and I have AXO to thank for that, and I wish that the current sisters got the same full experience, ending at graduation, that I did.
So, despite what the reasoning may be for revoking for Theta Tau charter, know that through it all, Theta Tau is a true sisterhood. It is not one person or one pledge class. It is not a little green house on the corner of Union Street. It is not a specific class year or a specific family tree within the sisterhood. Alpha Chi Omega, Theta Tau is nearly 25 years of women who have grown as a result of love and friendship. It is nearly 25 years of philanthropic efforts bettering the Rutgers community, the surrounding New Brunswick and Piscataway communities, and the country, at large. Alpha Chi Omega, Theta Tau is nearly 25 years of Real Strong Women. And we live to show that everyday.
If you ever lose your way, you don't have to be afraid. Look inside to find a friend who will be with you 'til the end. Many different roads to choose, searching for the strength to make it through, but it was always there in you. (Always There In You, Valli Girls)
Carly McKinney, the 23-year-old math teacher at Overland High School in Colorado, must be the dumbest teacher on the face of the planet ... with a lot of supportive students. Any teacher (any person who works directly with children in any aspect) knows that there are certain aspects of your life that are just not meant for the social media sphere because sooner or later (and most likely sooner), those children will get to seein' them. So what inclined this woman to post this online is beyond me ...
c/o Twitter ... @KatiePatrick2
I get that what she does outside the classroom is her business and all that ... But either way, I mean throw some privacy settings on your accounts. Or better yet, have some better judgement. I thought that once most people even entered the job market, they quickly took down anything slightly scandalous from their social media sites, especially considering the fact that more and more employers are using social media to look for/weed out potential employees. Even throwing that aside, this woman needs to understand that as a teacher, as a YOUNG teacher, that she makes a very big impression among the teens she is interacting with day to day. That can easily be seen in the amount of students flocking to their social media sites to support her.
So, seriously lady ... put on some clothes, put down the joint, and grow the f- up ... Got it bad, got it bad, got it bad. I'm hot for teacher. (Hot for Teacher, Van Halen)
