Where My Own Stubbornness Almost Makes Me Miss Out...

I'm always reluctant to jump on someone else's bandwagon. Especially when it comes to music and movies. (Just ask my sister.)

What? You have this new song I should listen to and fall in love with?
Pssh...please. I've got a CD collection that has everything in it from Eminem to Taylor Swift, Josh Groban to Gravediggers, Steven Curtis Chapman to the Newsies soundtrack, 3 Doors Down to Three Days Grace, Switchfoot to Santana, Simon and Garfunkel to Sara Bareilles. And everything in between. And on my computer? I have more music than I could listen to in a week and more Owl City songs than the band members themselves. What could you possibly have that's better than what I've already got?

A new movie I should see, you say?
Ha! You obviously haven't seen the shelf of movies I already own. A collection with such treasures as Saving Private Ryan, Pearl Harbor, the Lord of the Rings series, all three Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Because I Said So, and Mirrors. Also in that mix are the Shrek movies, Zack and Miri Make A Porno, A Knight's Tale, Surf Ninjas, and Benchwarmers. To name just a few. Don't tell me about good movies. I've got plenty, and I don't need yours, thank you very much.


So when one of my bestest friends in the whole wide world (who was also my arch-nemesis for a day when she tricked me into watching Casablanca, even when I adamantly stated for months that I'd never watch it) started talking about a song she loved, naturally, I was wary.
She posted it on Facebook, but I ignored it. I might as well have never seen it.
She talked about it on Twitter, and my resolve weakened a little. I actually opened the video in another window. But once I saw the name, I closed it without giving it a chance. "We have different taste," I told myself. "Doesn't sound like something I'd like."
But when I saw it again on her blog, I decided to bite the bullet and suffer through the almost-four minute video. How bad could it be? She seemed to be pretty passionate about it. What did I have to lose, besides four minutes of my time?

Turns out, I lost eight minutes of my time to that song. Because I had to watch the video twice.


My dear friend Heather did the song more justice than I ever could by saying "When music critics talk about haunting and melodic, this is what they should be referring to. I haven't been able to get this out of my head since the first time I listened to it."
And it's true. I've tried listening to other music, and I just can't get this song out of my head, either.


So...I share this video with you. My dear friends. And I hope that you're not as much of a pain in the ass about new music as I am, because I almost missed out on an awesome song by a great band. And that would have been sad.




And if you go here, you can get a free download.
P.S. "Free download" in my mind = one song. NOT SO!! These guys are so awesome, they'll give you a whole CD!!! How amazing is that!?!?

Homework

So... In my stats class, I'm required to make a survey.

I also have to test-run it before I turn the link in to my professor.
So I'm asking for help.

If you're willing to pretend you're an idiot, to help me idiot-proof this survey, PLEASE click the link below.

Thanks!!!!!

Click Here to take survey


**EDIT: The survey has been handed in. So your participation, while welcome, is no longer absolutely vital to my survival. ;-) Thanks, guys!!!**

My Legacy to Leave...?

So...
I had a moment in psych the other day that made me stop and think about my life and what I hope to pass onto my kids (or at least those I spend a lot of time with).
Actually, that was the point of the exercise. My professor asked each of us to come up with one thing, one saying, one idea that we'd like to pass on to future generations. What is it that, when they think of me and the values I tried to instill, would come to mind?

I thought pretty hard about it, actually. What do I want people to think about, when they think of me? What did I think was important that they remember?

As the professor went around the room, having everyone say their answer out loud, I was honestly shocked. All 15 other members said things about how important it is to finish your education or to follow the golden rule. And while I agree with both those sentiments, not once did they cross my mind. Not once.
And I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.

Because my answer was:
It's OK to make mistakes. It's how recover from them that defines you. And whatever it is that you choose to do, be sure to do it with your whole heart.


Now, I said that because I believe it.
And it's not like I don't think education or the golden rule are important. They certainly are. But...those are a given for me. Of course you need to get an education. Of course you should be treating others well. Those should be second nature. So...that's not what I want 'my thing' to be.
When I'm gone, and people remember me, I want them to remember more than the golden rule. I want them to remember that I encouraged them to make mistakes and then learn from them; to be themselves - more than that, to find themselves; to do what makes them truly happy, not just happy for the moment; and to be wholehearted in every aspect of life.
I hope I already live that...or at least encourage that.

So...I'm thinking that I'll either be a really good parent...or a really bad one.
:-/

Trying To Do Good

So...

I always feel like I'm not doing enough to contribute to the world and my community.
I'm trying to figure out ways I can do that, but not having a car or an income makes everything a bit more challenging. Not impossible, but more challenging for sure.


Anyway... I found one small way to make a difference. And I know that this comes nowhere near making the impact I'd like to make...but at least it's something.

Which is why I bookmarked The Hunger Site on my toolbar. And I try to make an effort to visit it every day.
On that page, they also have links to support breast cancer research, helping children get health care, improving literacy, protect the environment, and support animal rescue.
What happens is, there's a huge button at the top of each tab on that page. You click the button, and their sponsors donate X-amount of whatever, whether it's funds, books, food, towards whatever cause's tab you were on.
There are also ads for clothes, jewelry, knick-knacks, you name it, on the page. For everything you buy in the stores on the site, even more funds are donated to the causes.
(Go ahead and check it out on Snopes if you want - I did.)

I also frequent FreeRice.com. There, you get to take mini-quizzes on a variety of subjects. You can choose to be asked about art, grammar, vocabulary, foreign languages, chemistry, geography, or math. And for every question you get right, ten grains of rice is donated to hungry people by advertisers on the site. And if you think that ten grains isn't a lot, trust me when I say to you that the questions are addictive. You'll answer more than you realize.
Plus, as you help contribute to feeding hungry people all over the world, you're improving your own mind and intelligence. So it really seems like a win-win.
(Yeah, they've been checked out on Snopes, too.)


Anyway... I know I can do more. And I want to do more. But I try to do this, too. Because every little bit counts. And if I can even cause one cup of food to be donated to hungry people...that's one more person who'll have a little bit more to eat. And that's an impact.
And I thought that, just maybe, even if only one person who reads this actually goes to one of those sites and tries to be regular there, as well... Well, if one cup of food can make a difference...two can make twice the impact. And it can only grow from there.

So...I'm stepping off my soapbox now.
I've just felt compelled to post this for a while now, and I decided to finally post it before I put it off for who-knows-how-long.

<3