Short and Sweet (and Sour?)

It's fun to get emails from people who aren't my professors.

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It's also fun to have a nearly empty inbox. And a nearly empty room.

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Ha ha. Yay China! (Thumbs down+Raspberry)

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Graduating GPA: 3.93

My intention isn't to boast (I mean, who cares, anyway?) My intention is to let the world rejoice in the accomplishment of the goal with me. I came back from China to finish school and to finish it well, and I did just that (pats self on back.)

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Out of the following, which is stronger?:

Losing yourself in laughter, i.e. eyes closed, abs clenched, mouth open, tears streaming, nearing laughter levels of unconsciousness at that which is truly funny to you.

vs

Weeping tears in a state of Aristotelian catharsis, i.e. weeping due to "an extreme change in emotion, occurring as the result of experiencing strong feelings of sorrow, fear, pity, or even resulting from much laughter. It has been described as a "purification" or a "purging" of such emotions. More recently, such terms as restoration, renewal, and revitalization have been used when referencing the effect on members of the audience." While this definition includes laughter as a potential feeling which may induce catharsis, I am excluding it. I want to focus on those feelings which are normally considered to occupy positions which are opposed to laughter.

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I leave America on January 12. I don't know when I will be back.

:)

All Smiles

I'm done with college. Literally.

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I think that it is a testament to the widespread disappointment in the lives of individuals that there are less people waking up happily and driving happily to work. I'm not expecting everyone to be a "morning person", I am simply commenting on the logic of the fact that people who are happy with their jobs would likely be visibly happy (or at least not visibly unhappy, as is normally the case) on their way to work, i.e. If you were about to go do some of your favorite things for 8 hours, wouldn't you be happy?

I also don't intend to make a blanket statement. There are plenty of happy people. What would it look like if we stopped encouraging people to take jobs based (even partially) on salary and started encouraging those around us to do what they love and get so good at it that they could earn money by doing it? We figure out our monetary situations naturally- people know how much money they need to accomplish their goals with regard to family, debt, etc... it's the happiness factor that gets pushed to the wayside, I believe.

And yes, these are comments about happiness and work/career from a very, very recent college graduate who has a bit of experience with the first, and very little with the latter.

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I'd totally be joining the American armed forces right now (if not sooner) had I not been completely dis-romanticized of that idea back in middle school.

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Life is far too short to settle for less.

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Join in my graduation celebrations by listening to this song, to which I rocked out and laughed hysterically on the way home from my last day of classes. Also, I don't care what you think about that.

Tip: if the song doesn't seem that cool, the volume is too low and/or the bass in your equalizer is too low.

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OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!

An End and a Beginning

The semester is drawing to an end. How cliche is that?

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January 12, 2011 to Chengdu, China. Me.

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I intend to maintain this blog even and especially when I return to China. In fact, part of my intentions when I started maintaining this was to attempt to keep people who may be far away somewhat informed about what's going on in my life. I don't know if the structure and/or contents of these writings will be altered upon my departure in the beginning of my real life (i.e. life after university), but, in any case, it is my desire to continue writing!

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Something to look forward to. We all need something to look forward to.

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Well, this is fun...

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One of the things I hate most in the world is when a fellow student answers a question which I have very intentionally posed to a professor/teacher. I clench my jaw and nod at the professor (who is often still answering my question) and try not to unleash hell upon the fellow student.

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To me, American radio has finally found it: Rihanna's Only Girl is strong Europop. Solid.

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"In November it's dark and cold and the Christmas songs don't lift morale until classes are finished." -Canadian triathlete Ian Donald

I simply could not agree more.

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9 days until my last final!

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This is interesting.

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"I said not long before that work and weakness are comforters. But Sweat is the kindest creature of the three- far better than philosophy, as a cure for ill thoughts."

-from Till We Have Faces, C.S. Lewis

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There is nothing sacred when living with one's family.

There is nothing sacred when one has a 13-year-old brother.

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My family watches movies that they own, but they only watch them when they come on television.

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Only things in the past can be true or false.

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"Here's a case where, if you're ever going to get vertigo, this is it."

"I'm so cool that I say "negative G's"... you should infer that I am very manly and masculine.

"I once dated a guy named Atilla. It didn't work out.................. never believe anything I say."

-you guessed it... Philosophy Professor

-(might be the last quotes from him, ever!)

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Late Night Alumni- This is Why