The wretchedness that is patchouli oil June 19, 2008
Posted by NettyD in Lifestyle, Sociology.5 comments
(Image courtesy of indiamart.com)
I would just like to take a moment to discuss how much patchouli oil makes me want to vomit.
The scent of the oil itself isn’t so bad, but when it’s mixed in with days of stank body odor and sweat, I begin to feel my stomach turn upside down. Linnea’s Cafe (a quirky downtown San Luis Obispo coffee shop with lots of character) has always been a great place for me to do my writing. But as I sit here now, I am overcome with the scent of patchouli and B.O. What makes this time so especially awful is the fact that it’s a hot day. GAG ME!
What’s up with not taking a quick shower anyway? Okay, so you want to conserve water – then at least jump in the ocean!!
The internet makes me a better friend. December 11, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Lifestyle, Millennials, Sociology.add a comment
Life should be simple, but sometimes maintaining friendships is really difficult, especially when the people you love are far away. But keeping in touch and making the effort to send a little e-mail really goes a long way in this day in age.
There are arguments that the internet has made us a little more cold, or a little less personal. I disagree. Sometimes the internet has given me the courage to say things, or ask questions that I probably wouldn’t have the nerve to say face to face. I think this is better than not saying anything at all. Also, through the internet I have stayed in contact with people from elementary school! Social networking sites allow us to easily stay updated with our friends’ lives, and even provides us with features that secure our privacy – just in case that high school stalker boy suddenly contacts you.
This is all so much better than our parents’ way of keeping in touch with their old friends. It seems so ridiculous now to have to find a piece of paper, write “Hey, how are you doing?” and then purchase a stamp and make sure it gets into the mailbox. What’s a mailbox anyway?
Philosophy 911 December 9, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Lifestyle, Philosophy, Theories and Thoughts.1 comment so far
SITUATION: A friend of yours has been murdered. His parents do not want to have a memorial service for him. You and other friends of the deceased feel that a service should be held to respectfully celebrate your friend’s life.
QUESTION: Can friends of the deceased organize a memorial service, despite the choice of the immediate family not to do so?
Penn State students mock Virginia Tech shooting victims for Halloween… December 8, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Lifestyle, Millennials, Sociology, U.S. and World News.5 comments
[photos courtesy of drudgereport.com]
I just read an article about two Penn State students who decided to dress up as Virginia Tech shooting victims for Halloween. WHAT????????????Not just because I am a graduate of a Virginia University, but because I am a human being, I am appalled and disgusted about this. What if your sibling, friend, child, was one of these victims? Would you just write it off as Freedom of Speech?
One of the Penn State students basically explains that he and his friend have a reputation for outrageous costumes on campus and they needed to uphold their standard of pushing the envelope for shock value. What selfish bastards!!! He goes on to say that this is about “a bunch of college students who now think it’s trendy to be upset about their friends getting killed.”
Um, excuse me Mr. Turdball, but last time I checked grief was a natural human emotion that no one really wants to feel, but happens instinctually. Doesn’t it seem that these two are somehow jealous of what happened at VT? It’s almost as if they want the same attention, but without the pain. And by the way, what the hell ever happened to dressing up as a super hero for Halloween!?
The new “Bonnie and Clyde” and entitlement in America December 7, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Lifestyle, Millennials, Sociology.1 comment so far
[photo courtesy of abcnews.com]
Your family is well-off because daddy is a plastic surgeon and you’re a senior in college about to take advantage of career opportunities that many in this country dream of – what do you do next? Team up with your financial analyst boyfriend and steal thousands of dollars from your friends and neighbors, of course!
Jocelyn Kirsch and Eddie Anderton are an example of the kind of greed in this country that is making us sick. This greed is the kind that keeps us searching outside, instead of inside of ourselves, for happiness.
Has anyone else noticed the “Paris Hilton syndrome” that is taking over our young people’s brains? The lust and desire for material possessions and fame increases, while the standards of hard work and creativity diminsh.
Who is to blame for this? Is there a solution? Can we rationalize this somehow?
I hope these two spoiled brats are made into an example and that they get severely punished.
What’s for lunch? December 4, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Health and Well-Being, Lifestyle, Sociology.add a comment
[Image courtesy of timeinc.net]
Since I get an hour for lunch every day, and home is just a 10 minute bike ride from my office, I try to eat in as many days out of the week as possible. But, with all the great places to eat in downtown San Luis Obispo, it makes the choice each day very hard to make.
I don’t know about you, but lunch is the sneakiest robber of my money. Even if I decide just to drink a smoothie, Jamba Juice manages to pull a good chunk from my budget each month.
And then there’s the dilemma of deciding exactly what to eat. If I eat at home, the options are less satisfying – usually leftovers or a traditional turkey on wheat sandwich. That’s why I have a hard time eating at a deli-I feel bad spending the money when I know I have the ingredients at home to make the same thing. If I do eat downtown, it’s usually Thai, Sushi, or a juicy hamburger.
Do any of you pack your lunches, and if so, when do you get the time to pack it? Do you trust your office’s community fridge?
What about those of you who don’t eat lunch on your break? I know some people who go to the gym for their hour. How the heck does that work?
Bra questions for the ladies, and others who like to wear them December 4, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Health and Well-Being, Lifestyle, Sociology.add a comment
[photo courtesy of moonlightmoments.co.uk]
So, how much are you willing to spend on a bra?Do you have a collection of bras ranging from “the one I wear to clean the house,” to “the little black dress bra?”How long do you keep a bra?It seems that these answers should be alike for all of us, but I’m always amazed at some women’s answers. Our Mamas didn’t really teach us all the same way. Is there a standard regiment for bra maintenance?
Every minute, the national debt grows by $1 million December 4, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Lifestyle, Sociology, U.S. and World News.add a comment
[Image courtesy of patrick.net]
Yes folks, the national debt is expanding by about $1.4 billion a day! Most of you will hit the $30,000 in debt mark very soon. The news gets worse for those with an adjustable rate mortgage because the government is going to raise your interest rates in order to compensate for all of this.
And this might also lead to a drastic cut in services like Social Security and other government benefit programs. I guess Americans don’t really care about their libraries anyway since they don’t go to them anymore. But hey, at least Iraq is headed towards becoming a democratic and free nation! Oh wait, they’re not. SHIT!
(Facts from Associated Press writer, Tom Raum, 12/3/2007))
The faithless are not cold, bitter Scrooges. December 3, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Philosophy, Religion, Sociology, Theories and Thoughts.2 comments
This December I have been invited to five different holiday parties. It has made me take an honest and in-depth look at who I am and what I believe. The dilemma I have is that although I don’t celebrate any of these holidays personally, I see nothing wrong with celebrating life through the festivity of the season. I’m not religious, I am not African-American, and winter is my least favorite season. But please trust me -I’m not a Scrooge! It bothers me when agnostics and atheists are classified as cold, hard, and arrogant. I don’t understand why these adjectives are so easily placed on us!To not believe in religion is not to be heartless. We feel the same way everyone else does when our relative dies, or when a child’s face lights up. We need hugs and kisses too, and we have positive ideas about the direction of the world. Emotions are still a part of our basic human function, and our not sticking them in a box and labeling them doesn’t mean we are less spiritual.That’s why when deciding on whether or not I would participate in these upcoming functions, I decided to rely on my instinct. And my instinct told me that disassociating myself from others during the season would be rude and selfish, and would undoubtedly strain personal relationships. It does more good when we get out of our comfort zones and try to relate to others we are different from, than when we shelter ourselves from a false fear. The next time you speak or interact with an agnostic or atheist, I beg of you to not write this person off as a pompous, heartless bastard.And my wish for this season is for everyone to close their stomachs and open their minds.Cheers!
A self-discovery moment… December 2, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Lifestyle, Sociology.1 comment so far
I don’t like small talk. I am the most uncomfortable person when it comes to small talk. Small talk is a way to be “nice,” but it’s so fake! Sometimes it feels like small talk is scripted and robotic (listen for it at your next holiday office party,) and therefore none of us really listen, instead we buy the time to unconsciously assess the surface of the individual- looks, style and presentation. It makes me feel like a stained glass window. I prefer the meat and potatoes, the mud, the shot of tequila at 3a.m. Let’s just get straight to it, okay?
