...re-production

somehow woke up at 4:15 after falling asleep around 7 on the couch. I wasn't going to try to sleep again, so I decided to be superproductive.

So I've succeeded in finally registering for the ACT, thinking about registering for the SAT (Please kill me) and printing off an application for UW-Madison. I figure if I fill one out now, when I finally fill one out next year it will be perfect, (I mean, besides my grades and the lack of recorded community service hours-- I did them, I swear, I just never thought to write anything down and have people sign stuff, and isn't it enough that I helped people and didn't go for the recognition aspect? Because I don't really care if people know that I'm a good person. And colleges know that other people do it just to say they did it, but then they complain about how they HAD to do volunteer work and not other stuff, but like, hello, it's volunteer work, you volunteered for it, and I feel so guilty at youth service because it makes me start thinking about everything in terms of hours instead of in terms of nice things done. Plus, you get hours for like everything. It's not even like actual hours of service. But I digress..) and UW-Madison will be blown away, and I'll somehow make it to the "Maybe" table at Stanford.

I also started to look at New York Times Columnists for the Columnist project in AP, and I'm actually really excited to read all these columns. I think maybe I'll go for Thomas Friedman or Maureen Dowd (i.e. people who discuss political events using wit and sarcasm, as opposed to blatant approval or blatant disapproval), so I imagine it will become quite illuminating.
I don't know how I feel about the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, they're kind of emo. But I do know how I feel about the Hairspray soundtrack, as it manages to make a pretty boy, like Zac Efron, pretty sexy.

Another productive thing I have been doing; singing. I've been learning the duet of Movement 3 of Five Hebrew Love Songs. Which is pretty amazing, and pretty tough, I think I don't give sopranos enough credit sometimes, because they sometimes get hard parts, at least in the song that I'm learning the soprano part for. But really, the alto parts are pretty challenging too, so it's probably just that the melodies are already pretty hard.
It is based off of a beautiful by Eric Whitacre's wife Hila Plitman, which translated from Hebrew. I'll post them later, as I'm in too productive a mood to not be downloading songs from the rehearsal web site and practicing them.

Soon I will have to do math, and lots of it, I'll see you guys later.

And it's contagious.

I'm learning this song on piano.

Harry Potter and the Death of the Series

all right.
I almost got super emotional.
Because I kind of feel like this book touched my life in millions of ways, including guiding me towards the moral high road (insert story about being a fat arthritic sad 4th grader). I will give you my candid review of the book... yeah.

SPOILERS START HERE.

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

"To the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."

"Humans have a knack for choosing precisely the things that are worst for them."

You can scoff and moan and say that she spent the whole book unraveling the gigantic knot that was the Harry Potter series, but I have to admit, she prepared us well, similarly to a great teacher that I had for an AP class. As much as this was the last and most brilliant installment of Harry Potter, it was also a triumphant manifesto to the power of love over evil, and the possibility for redemption.

Bit By Bit:

Chapter 1 was boring. Sorry. There was like way too much description. Like in the first book, the first chapter was also boring. It got interesting about the 4th page after they stopped describing the ambiance.

Yeah, who's Yaxley? He was in like, every chapter.

Saying goodbye to the Dursleys was sad for me. I thought it was adorable that Dudley was so sad. I always thought that he might have a good person inside.

Does anyone else think that morphing into your guyfriend Harry Potter would be weird? I mean, doesn't it feel strange for Fleur and Hermione to grow weird male anatomy? Doesn't it change the way you'd ride a broomstick? Also, the Fred and George "HEY WE'RE IDENTICAL" joke was cute.

Poor Hedwig.

So they make Hagrid fall, and trick us into thinking he's dead when the next chapter is called Fallen Warrior, and really Moody's dead. Clever, Jo, real clever. So yeah. About Moody. I wasn't all that sad. ... yeah.

I'm sad that the Weasley twins are no longer. I mean one loses an ear, and the other everything else.

The wedding was sweet, but I was annoyed that Harry was in disguise when he met all of his old friends.

The reappearance of Krum was straight out of a fan fic. Harry was cute when he told Krum that Ginny was taken. She's also like 6 years younger than him. Gross.

Ron's birthday present was weird and Young-Min-like.

Ginny/Harry make out session was hot. ("she was the only real thing in the world") But then Ron had to go ruin it and be like "Don't grope her," and Harry was all "I promise I won't." I wanted more. But there was no more.

Was happy about visit to Grimmauld Place. Offered much-needed closure. Also, Kreacher became nice and made them yummy food. That was cool. All other house elves in this book were also cool. Dobby was the best thing ever. I was overwhelmed with grief when he died... he always spoke in cute third person. "Dobby has come to save Harry Potter!" I think that instead of making Dobby die, JKR should've made Dobby get married.

I kind of liked all the "Albus Dumbledore: Good or You know, Not that Good?" stuff. I think it really humanized him. And plus, in the end, when he talks about his sister and how his brother was the good one, it totally made me cry, especially when he tells Harry that he's a better person than himself. Another way the Harry Potter series convinces us that no matter how bad we've been there is hope for redemption, unless, of course, you're Voldy.

The stuff with the goblin annoyed me so much. He was so slimy and greasy and Ron and Harry totally disrespected him.

You know how they tried to summon all the Horcruxes? Why didn't they try to summon food?

SNAPE IS GOOD. I always KNEW it. I also knew that he was in love with Lily. I mean, duh.

Ron/Hermione wasn't that great. I miss the anger. They should've gotten into a big fight and then ended up making out. But I guess that was okay.
...but they never really did evacuate the House Elves.

Was happy about Harry's speech in the end to Voldemort. Was sweet and made me cry.

I was sad when Ron left and happy when he came back and destroyed the Horcrux.

I think the Ravenclaw diadem thing was weird. I mean, how could CHO have figured that out? But the Grey Lady was neato.

Felt bad for Snape being good but having everyone hate him. He should've moved on with his life... because he spent his whole life brooding over Lily. Aww. :(

The Dumbledore thing was really sweet. Thank god that man had all the answers when Harry was having his fantasy concussion thing.

I was happy about Regulus being a good guy.

Oh and Harry was supposed to die. I wasted all this time crying over him having to die, and then he didn't die. Good for Ginny.I seriously think Rowling was going to make him die, but then realized that if she killed Harry, she'd break the hearts of the whole world and probably get lots of death threats.

Epilogue was weird. I got all confused because everyone was named after everyone else.

I think Harry should've kept Dumbledore's portrait.

Neville and Luna are amazing as well as Grandma Longbottom. I liked how people throughout the series gained more and more importance, like Neville and Ginny and Seamus and Dean.

Potterwatch! was amazing. the codenames were cute.

It kind of sucks about Lupin and Tonks.


"Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living and those who live without love."

You are not unbeautiful.

Feel like you're just a few pounds over where you'd like to be?
Do you have fat thighs?
Is your nose too long, your forehead too high, your skin too pasty?

Never fear.
You're not unbeautiful.

You are not any less beautiful if you are a different shape than someone else.
You are not any less beautiful if you're a different color, gender, or blood type.
You are not less beautiful because you wear tennis shoes instead of ballet flats, if you're a size 10 rather than 4, if you have a pimple or if you have a scar.
Don't let anyone tell you that you are.

If someone else is beautiful, it doesn't mean that you're not.
If because someone else gets attention, it doesn't mean that you won't.
Life is not an endless competition, and everyone has beauty.

And because everyone has beauty... you know that it doesn't matter that much.

Don't let someone tell you that you're less than someone else.
Don't let yourself feel that way either.
Know your worth, and so will the world.

Don't change yourself for anyone else. Don't stay upset when you don't have to.

I adore this woman.
Finally a lady rock star, with grace and talent, who can also write a beautiful song.
We are so underrepresented.

A word to all girls who want bouncy curls

To avoid fluffbunny frizzy lizzies... rinse; lather; but for god's sake, DON'T repeat.

no regrets

Frequently I find myself wishing I could go back and live it again, knowing then what I know now...
but I fear that I could too easily kill myself redoing it.
Yes life is ridden with mistakes, but I wonder where I would be now if I hadn't made them, or if I had made even worse mistakes just trying to avoid those I've made.

There's something beautiful about new beginnings between old friends.

What do you do when you put all your eggs in one basket?

What do you do when you've spread yourself too thin?
Which one are you supposed to do?
Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Don't focus your energy on too many things.
I've been told many a time, to do neither. I personally am a big fan of the first tidbit of advice, it makes sense, it works.
But what if your basket is so sturdy, that you naturally, over time, put your eggs in it, because you feel you can really trust it...?
And what if you can't see it, but your basket is really being infected with this icky mold stuff and by the time you realize it, it's already broken through the bottom and all your eggs are slowly crashing to the ground?
I have been one to stretch myself too thin. And sometimes, if my basket breaks, everything else falls too.
I put too much faith in people and baskets and all such things.
What if you'll still keep the basket, even if it's broken... what if you want to nurse it back to health?
but what if you can't? what if it's just beyond repair?
Life is not something I could begin to fathom, even if as a child, I truly believed that I could.
Life is not something I could qualitate, no matter how hard I've tried.
Because I've always believed that I could save someone, that I could help them, that I could fix them, that I could...
And I've always believed that if I cared enough...If I knew enough, I could save the world..
But the world has opinions of its own.

Self Help.

I really suck at getting my way. So I've decided...

Screw being nice.

Really. It's true. I want to be manipulative. Manipulative people always get what they want. They think of something, and they go out and get it.
Not because they deserve it, but because they really want it. They are ruthless.

I want to be ruthless.

I'm not kidding. I am so sick of being so nice that everyone feels like they can walk all over me.
I am so sick of being too modest. I am sick of being underestimated.
Because you know what?

i am damn good at what everything i do.

and I'm kind of sick of pretending I don't know it. My sister always told me to not parade my goodness, to let people figure it out for themselves.
But I don't trust other people that much anymore. I am going to shove my awesomeness down other people's throats from now on. And they're going to like it. I'm going to sing loudly when I want to, I am going to answer questions, I am going to act like I'm as smart as I am, and I'm going to stop downplaying my successes by acting like it was easy or acting like I didn't deserve it.

Because I do deserve it. I work damn hard, and I'm proud of it.

I'm incredible, I know it, and I want everyone else to know as well. I've decided.


Why am I so incredible, you ask?

• I am smart... which means a lot of things.
  
• I have much knowledge. I know a little bit about almost everything, I can have not only lazy fun discussion, but dazzingly intellectual banter.
  
• I'm funny and you know it.
• I'm an excellent conversationalist.
• I am an excellent listener.
• I'm a good friend to the point where it's not good for me.
• I can sing in natural tune and natural pitch and I don't falter or sing off-key, ever.
  
• I am kind and always honest.
• I have a good speaking voice. Not only am I very articulate, I have good diction, and I have a pleasant tone, and I can speak loudly when I need to.
  
• I have a good voice, otherwise, for instance, when I am writing. You can hear my voice in your head, can't you? I know what words to say to express my emotions, and I am very eloquent.
  
• I can harmonize like a fiend.
  
• I am friendly, and always willing to talk to anyone.
• I care about people, and their problems. I give very good advice in a very non-condescending way.
  
• I am observant. I see people for what they are, not for what they appear to be.
• I am introspective.
  
• I am a good kisser.
  
• I have expressive eyes and nice skin. Also, I'm curvy in a sometimes good way, and my eyes are a nice color and I always smell good and my skin is soft and my nose is very unintimidating.
  
• I'm good at impersonations (like impressions). They're funny.
  
• I write really good poetry and in short amounts of time. It sounds good and it's meaningful.
  
• And I write good speeches, and okay short stories and meaningful prose and funny IMs and long eloquent emails and touching hand drawn birthday cards.
• I rock at making mixed CDs.
  
• I'm very generous and don't ask much in return.
  
• I don't give up on people.
  
• I have a very powerful singing voice, not only because it is loud, or because it has a really good supported tone, and not even because it has personality, but because there is passion behind the words that I sing. Because everytime I really sing, I really feel it.
  
• I'm not really all that methodical, but I'm good.
  
• I'm impulsive in a good way.
  
• I'm a good debater.
• I'm very emotional, in a strong passionate kind of way.
  
• I can write good songs.
• I can draw pretty well.
• I have nice handwriting.
• I rock English essays.
• I can make people comfortable easily.
• I think a lot. And a lot of the time that's a good thing.
• I am good at speaking impromptu, singing impromptu and generally sounding like I know what I'm talking about.
• I am a good actress.
• I have a sense about music. I know what's right, I know what's wrong, I know if something's in the right key, I know what sounds right.
• I'm really practical too.
  
• I have a sense about people. I can see through past appearances and I have a good eye for knowing what's going on with someone. I know what people want, and I know why people are the way they are.
  
• I have an analytical mind, and I organize ideas well.
  
• I work really well under pressure.
• I dress well. Not like everyone else. Most everything I wear is an artistic expression, because I love color and I love looking good.
  
• My room is pink. :)
• I have a song lyric database in my head.
• I know a lot about music, a lot about music history, albums, bands. Chances are, I've heard of it.
  
• I'm good at concepts.
  
• I'm not afraid to say what I am thinking.
• I care. More than anything, I care, too much.
  
• I love other people, and I love life for what it is.
  
• I love.
  

But above all that, I deserve more than how I let others treat me.

Life's Not Fair.

This well quoted, and definitively true statement never does more than depress me.
I mean, why the hell not?
Life: not fair. School: not fair. Love: not fair. The Justice system: not fair.

Why can't we get what we want?
I usually just shrug and move on.
But somedays, the injustice is just so so prevalent that you just want to break something. The fact that something so harmless looking could bite you in the but
t.
And it's just like... Dammit, world. Give me a break. Tell the truth. Be fair. I'm a good person.
Why does it seem like everyone gets a break, but some people just get whatever they want, like they have more of a right to be happy than anyone else?

Maybe some of us just have higher standards for happiness.
In a just world, personal opinions don't count. In a just world, those with the most passion win over those who are emotionless and the people with the most talent beat out those who suck up the most. In a just world, mothers could keep their children, and Cyrano wouldn't have died before he got to marry the annoying high maintenance lady with the ugly sleeves.
But life's not fair and it's terrifying that we have to live with it.

The fact is, we'll never get the instant gratification of someone taking back what they did because it was so unfair. And no one knows how they're affecting you. We can't hit rewind, and our life doesn't have a voiceover, or some kind of plot twist where the mean cheerleader gets hit by a flying rhino, allowing the dorky, but beautiful heroine to be the lead in the musical.
We just have to live and let live, and remember that we really did deserve it.

"i'm not gonna lie, but.."

I absolutely HATE it when people say that phrase. "I'm not gonna lie, but..." or "Blahblahblah. I'm NOT gonna lie."
How did this get popular? Why is everyone saying it?
Like remember when everyone said, "No offense, but..."? Remember THAT was annoying?
So in this new century, have we switched over to this troublesome petty phrase?

Things that bug me about this phrase:

#1: How it reflects on you

"I'm not gonna lie, but.. "= "Normally, I would lie, but in this very special case, I'm making an exception for you!"
What? You're not going to lie? You're not? Really? Now, you're not? Well, okay. Now that you've told me that you're not lying. I guess... I'll believe you.

#2: You're never saying anything pleasant when you say it
"I'm not gonna lie, but.. you look really fat in that dress."
"I'm not gonna lie, but.. I was on my way to Einsteins this morning, and I saw your mother get eaten by a bear."
"I'm not gonna lie, but... I kicked a developmentally disabled child while they were petting a kitten."
"I'm not gonna lie, but... I just said that stupid phrase again and you want to shoot yourself."
It's almost become a prologue or a foreshadowing to life shattering events.

#3: ...except when it's just used to talk about petty stuff
In which case, it's still annoying as hell, because you were expecting it to be something bad or you were just SO annoyed by it. "I'm not gonna lie, but I fell asleep last night."
Thank you. Thank you for not lying. Thank you for your brutal honesty.

#4: when it's used for emphasis
"Those are amazing shoes, I'm not gonna lie"
If you wanted to emphasize the statement, just slap in a very, or a quite, or a completely, or a très, or a mui, or a really, or even a fucking.
Instead of using this terrible phrase, try using artful adjectives to imagery to emphasize your point.
"Those are fucking amazing shoes!"
"Those shoes are mui amazing."
"Those shoes are très magnifique."
"Those are some fine looking flats you have right there, missy."
"Snappy shoes!"
For the LOVE OF GOD (or whoever), people. BE CREATIVE.

#5: It used to be cool. But IT'S NOT anymore..
When not a lot of people used it, it was cool in an individual cute type of way. But now, that it's everywhere, people are getting closer to becoming the dull grey blobs that affluence creates. I google searched this term and I got 169,000 results. Watch as I google "Those are some fine looking flats you have right there, missy." Not one single result. Now, if I google "Aarushi", I'm one of the only results that comes up. This is because my name is very unique and original. Don't you want to be unique and original?

#6: It's used all the time.
I'll admit, I've said this before. Maybe like, twice. Since then, I have used it well, never.
Because everyone says it.. and therefore, it is so overused that it gets stuck in your head. It's like... any song off of American Idiot.

#7: It would not be cool if you said "going"
or if your mother said it.
or if Mrs. Commins said it.
If you're going to use a phrase that only some people can sound cool saying... then, you're probably not one of them.
Like, I don't say fo' shizzle and pull it off all the time.
I mean, 9 times out of 10 but still.

So please! Don't use it. Or if you use it, say "going". It makes you sound 509485948594x smarter. I'm not gonna lie.