Con-fuse

I need to know.
Who are you?
Where did you come from?

Stop.

Remember me?
Remind me
Console me
Hurt me

Play

Anoint me
Dethrone me

Who am I?
Who are we?
When are we going home?

Brooklyn Boy

I never thought that I would fall for a brooklyn boy, all chocolate brown and sweet as pie.

 

Worldly knowledge and hood swagger

he can go from the new york times to

dealing with this crazy time .

Has a gentle touch, and rough hands

and swears he knows me like the back of his hand

 

Who’s this brooklyn boy that’s killing my composure?

He makes me feel, makes me think, makes me want,

makes me lose control.

 

He’s my weakness

the explosive in my foundation

My fata morgana

where the lack of my will resides

where my knees go weak at the though of his smile

and my heart refuses to beat

 

He’s fire and I’ll surely get burnt

like a peice of paper close to the flame

pulling back from the heat

but wanting to be the reason why it burns

at the same time

 

Burn me

Change me

Consume me

 

This brooklyn boy will surely be my downfall.

He stole my breath and left me panting for more.

Can he take my heart?

Gaming: A study on its effect on culture

Since I’ve been playing Halo (3, going on 4 years) I’ve been plagued by a lot of issues namely from non gamers who really believe, deep down in their hearts that video games have contributed to violent outbursts in children/young adults.

Now. I’m not saying that video games haven’t upped the exposure of violence but like with movies and music, games do come with a rating. If your child is under 18 and playing a rated M (Rated M for Mature), then it’s not the fault of the Game Makers and they should not be held accountable when your underage child plays a video game and acts out (Children sometimes can not tell the difference between real and fantasy and the lives maybe blurred), what I’m trying to say is check yourself.

Example 1. If you child drinks underage, gets drunk and gets alcohol poisoning, would you sue the beer company? Example 2. If your child sneaks and gets into a movie that features cursing and your child starts cursing, do you sue the makers of the movie? Same logic applies here.

I’m tired of the blame game. The latest strand of idiocy arises from this article: http://www.wdtimes.com/articles/2008/09/05/news/news3.txt. There’s a couple of things wrong with this article and I’d be delighted to point them out.

1. An 11 year old boy decided to skip school and there was no one to do anything about it.

2. He owned a .22 calibre rifle

3. He plays halo, a game that’s rated M17 which means for mature audiences, recommended for ages 17 and up.

4. He owned a gun, but was not taught how to properly use a gun. He took the magazine out but did not eject the round that was already in the chamber.

I can not believe that journalists and even the parents are even encouraging and goading the media and the community at large by stating that he skipped school to play halo and was continuously playing halo. Uh, the parents shouldn’t have allowed the game and should have paid a bit more attention to the gun they had lying around in the house. The kid could have been trying to recreate what he saw with his parents while they were casually shooting around.

I’m tired of people using video games, music, movies and everything but themselves as an excuse for why they are not good and attentive parents. I’m not saying that my mom knew everything I did, but if it was something as intense as playing a video game, she made damn sure she did her research, she would have spent an afternoon at the gaming store finding out everything about the thing before it even set foot in the house and it would have never set foot in the house since I was underage anyways.

We need better parents, more initiative and to follow the ratings. Stop scapegoating! I’m sorry that your son passed away, but don’t play the blame game.

I am, going to play some halo tonight. Anyone getting on Live?

P.S. for entertainment purposes only: http://www.break.com/index/blame-halo-3.html

 

Anastasia R, gamer girl

Fastest Growing Weblog

Holy shit!

So I’m checking out my dashboard and of course the handy section they have for what’s hot and happening on wordpress, and I see in the “Fastest Growing WordPress.com Blogs” that there’s a blog called “My Weblog” so I’m like..wow, that’s a crazy name for a blog and I click on it and it took my back to my page. I have never felt so stupid and happy at the same time.

Thanks to everyone that’s read, commented or even viewed my blog! You made it possible, well you and Sarah Palin’s controversies.

 

Palin can not use Barracuda

So, a few news sites are reporting that Sony BMG and Universal Music Publishing sent a cease and desist letter to the Republican party asking them to stop using “Barracuda”, The band Heart’s 1977 hit song. While it may have fit in with Palin’s high school nick name and the reputation she is attempting to create for herself (pit bull with lipstick on) it seems that Heart is not comfortable with her using that song to try to create that illusion of herself.

It’s crazy to me that an older band like Heart would forgo any type of recognition with today’s “youth” and yesteryear’s fans by asking them to stop using their music. Fancy a rock band standing up for themselves.

In a quote from the two female members of the band as reported by Entertainment Weekly

Sarah Palin’s views and values in NO WAY represent us as American women. We ask that our song ‘Barracuda’ no longer be used to promote her image. The song ‘Barracuda’ was written in the late 70s as a scathing rant against the soulless, corporate nature of the music business, particularly for women. (The ‘barracuda’ represented the business.) While Heart did not and would not authorize the use of their song at the RNC, there’s irony in Republican strategists’ choice to make use of it there.

Hilarious.

Taboo

When I was growing up (not that long ago) tattoos, piercings (other than your ears for girls) were extremely taboo. I remember noticing guys getting their ear pierced and wearing an earring in one side and everyone would cluck their tongues and shake their heads, asking themselves, amongst themselves, what the world has come to.

Now, not that many years later, having a tattoo is a rite of passage and piercings are just as popular for boys as they are for girls. I wonder at times if this is more celebrity worship and popular culture wreaking havoc on our young people, there’s no way of me finding out whether or not everyone that has any type of body modification would have done it if it wasn’t so popular but I bet the numbers would not be so staggering.

I support freedom of expression in any way you choose, however, isn’t the purpose defeated if you’re doing what everyone else is? I daresay taboo has become common place and taboo practices have been replaced with even more reckless and outlandish doings. Sign of the times or necessary change?

I’m not knocking you if you decided to get a tattoo, hell, I’ve been thinking about getting one…I will however urge you to be original, no nautical stars, no stars period, no butterflies with hearts, no tribal tramp stamps….truly show who you are. Not who you think everyone else is, that is what led it to being Taboo.

Anastasia R.

Celebrity Worship

Most magazines are devoted to them along with the best spots in the newspapers. Everywhere we turn they are trying to market a product; get us to see their movie, buy their album. Companies use their influence to start trends and to increase sales and we fall for it, hard and most of the time, we don’t even know why. Do we really think that celebrities are our friends or do we think them so fascinating that we crave a part of them in our lives so badly?

Reality shows, news, magazines, websites, books; all dedicated to them. Most of them are best sellers or get the highest rating. It’s not only that we want a glimpse of their life; we want the reassurance that they are real people with real problems but we should already know that, we should have to spend money to realize that they too are human.

I remember when Britney Spears shaved her head, programming was interrupted to show a promo clip for the news later that night the infamous video of her with clippers in her hand, that spiralled into her being followed and us being updated, as though it was a family member in crises we weighed in and called others to discuss her problems, some of which could be solved if we lay off the celebrity worship.

See, if she weren’t such a high commodity, there would be no reason for Photographers to be following her around, showing all her personal life on film. Again, they are real people with real problems. How would you feel if your latest spat with your significant other made the news, if your children’s picture ended up on the front page of a magazine without your permission, if you have to be subject to the entire state/country/world, judging your every move? I imagine that the thought of it might not be as bad as the reality of it.

I feel sorry for celebrities. I wish they could have normal lives. Wish they could take a vacation without being harassed. I wish they could fall into the ranks and become invisible if they wanted to, even if it was for a day.

We have to realize that some of these problems are partially our fault, that we contribute to what these people become, they may not know our names or ever see our face but we create the world in which they live and sometimes, it is unbearable for them to exist.

Love.Chronicled. Spoken Word

Get me where it hurts, rub it in, rub me down….put it in. Make sure I know you hate me, take back all the things you told me about…love and family. Break me, make me scream, make me want to change my life, make me regret the past, make me….make me you. Show me that you deserve better, parade her around me, fuck her deep like you did me, take it there, make it fair…hurt me in all the ways you know how. Never let go, never stop, never let up, step it up. You can’t treat me good, you know how to hurt me good, I let your prowess grow, I should have killed this a long time ago.

I can never be what you want me to be, I could never see the things that you see in me, I can never change to be your queen. I’m that lowly bitch, I’m girl you made fun of in high school, I’m the one hiding behind the glasses, watching, waiting for an opportunity knowing I’d get shot down.

I was always there for you and this is what it got me. I have always been true, nothing could have stopped me….because I’m not you…you can’t be in love with me. This is what I have deserved, forever is a long time to love unrequitedly. Who am I to you? Could I have been more? Could I have waited to let you see that I’m more than what you see? Could I have shown you that deserved care? Who is she to you? Nobody doesn’t call your phone, nobody never steals your heart, nobody never changes your tone, nobody never makes you smile….I’m supposed to be your baby.

Time makes it hurt more, death too sweet a release, the only way to prove I am strong is to keep living with the scars you’ve given me. They’re so deep, they never really heal…every lie a curse, every promise a bruise, every kiss a slap in the face. You said you wanted me. I gave you all of me. Is this all I am? A fad? An obsession? A toy to be used and chucked away when you’re bored. Should I learn new tricks baby? Should I become what you want me to be? Should I take it slow….make you scream?

Glowsticking

Glowsticking was birthed from poi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poi_(juggling) and the rave scene. Glowsticking can be defined simply as dancing with glowsticks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glowsticking, www.glowsticking.com) and is broken down into Glowstringing and Freehanding. It is not “raving”. Raving is the act of going to a rave. Glowsticking and being at a raver aren’t mutually exclusive.

Glowstringing is when you attach strings (laces in most cases) to your glowsticks and do moves/combos with it. Freehanding is just glowsticks and freeform dancing.

Glowsticking in any form is an art and a danceform first and foremost, the culture of the Electronica scene from which it originated is one of love, happiness, unity and friendship and should be reserved as such. It is a great hobby which can be used for entertainment of yourself or just expression. There are no battles, no crews just glowsticks and dancing.

For more on the definition of glowsticking check out this article written by glowsticking.com founder David Oh: http://www.glowsticking.com/what-is-glowsticking.html

For the best glowsticking resource and the premiere site for tutorials and a warm, welcoming community check out: www.glowsticking.com

For more on Poi: www.homeofpoi.com

 

Anastasia R.