Reading: Veronika Decides To Die

I have been very hesitant, if I want to read this book or not. I tend to get influenced by ideas pretty easily because of my openmindedness and I was worried that it might be a sensitive topic. Yet, this is surprisingly not a depressing book. Within the first few pages, the reader is already witnessing her first suicide attempt. In her explanation, she is clear that she is not depressed, or sad, but she feels like the world is vapid, or repetitive. She thought there was no reason for living, because she thought she had done it all. She had friends, boyfriends, a good job, good family, etc and didn't know what else would change, so she might as well leave on her own terms.

So her attempt doesn't work, and instead has her wind up in an insane assylum. Through her own processing, and conversations with others, the reader gets to understand a critique on society. At this point, this is my favorite quotation. "Once in a mental hospital, a person grows used to the freedom that exists in the world of insanity and becomes addicted to it. You no longer have to take on responsibilities, struggle to earn your daily bread, be bothered with repeitive, mundane tasks. You could spend hours looking at a picture or making absurd doodles. Everything is tolerated because after all the person is mentally ill...They no longer had to hide their symptoms and the "family" atmosphere helped them to accept their own neuroses and psychoses." It continues on this line of reasonings, offering that society is created to keep people in order, beginning with Adam and Eve. The premise that people cannot handle chaos, and are afraid to be crazy. It's an interesting perspective!

One neurosis that the main character has, that I to have is the constant feeling that I am bothering others. An ancillary character comments on this thought, "Stop thinking all the time that you're in the way, that you're bothering the person next to you. If people don't like it, they can complain. And if they dont' have the courage to complain, that's their problem."

So far, the book has not been depressing in the least, and instead has been very thought provoking as many of Paulo Coehlo books are! About half way through now, looking forward to the end!
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Cultural: Japanese Karaoke

I have done this one other time, in Thailand. The premise, is you sit in a room with a monitor and two mic's and you control the karaoke. It's pretty much awesome. We went for my coworker Brian's birthday. Most of the guests were gay rugby players, which is a real shame since one was SUPER cute. Had an absolute blast, singing everything from "I got rhythm" to "Roll out".

Dress up: New shirt

In Vegas I scored 5 new tops and a pair of pants at Limited for $100! I've been featuring them all week at school, but saved the best one for tonight! I also put on light make up, but no major eye make up. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture with the shirt. :(

Cooking: Ginger Orange Chicken

I was desperate for vegetables, so I stuck to my "classic" salad but wanted to add a little twist. After unsuccessfully navigating allrecipies.com, I decided to check out some of my cookbooks, and found this recipie in "The Everything Healthy Meals in Minutes Cookbook", which it looks like I, (or more likely my mother) purchased at Christmas Tree Shops.

So as I said I started with my basic salad and made the chicken, which essentially called for cooking it through first. Then grating garlic, orange zest and ginger and mixing it with some orange juice and throwing the chicken back in. I then cut up the chicken and threw it in my salad for a protein, and vegetable meal that satisfied and was fairly quick(1.5 hours from leafing through the cookbooks, going to the store, cooking, eating and cleaning!!)

Movie: Clash of the Titans

If this man wasn't enough of a reason to watch this movie I don't know what is. This movie told the story of Perseus, half god-half man. It's an action movie in which he is fated to save the city of Argos against Hades. Overall, I liked it. The graphics were fun, and during the fighting scenes I finished up grades(comment codes). It frustrated me a little, that all the other major characters in the movie fought and died for the cause, while Perseus was really the only 3 dimensional character. It seemed like the point of the movie was for him to realize his destiny. Yet, in denying his destiny for most of the movie, many people had to die. It creates a very selfish character, and for those who watch a movie like this at a young age, will think that other people are not as important as the changes going on within yourself. I don't know if I am explaining this right, but it seems to insinuate that its ok if all these people died, as long as you changed and grew?

Anyways, the guy was cute, and it filled in another myth, so I can better teach the Greece unit at the end of the year!!

Creativity: Envelopes

I was unable to send out the cards I made last week to my Grandma's. I gave them the biggest pictures of me, thinking that they would appreciate them the most. However, the card I had written out had an envelope that was just too small!! So all week the cards have been sitting next to my bed with my ginormous face looking at me every day.

Waiting for a phone call back from Adrianna(she just had to readjust her hands free set, she claims), I decided to make some envelopes for the picture/card to go into. I used this website, and just modified it slightly. First, I used 12 x 12 paper, and therefore second, didn't need the extra paper to complete the envelope. I used scrapbook paper that I bought last year that has actually come in handy!!

My only worry now though, is that the envelope might be too big or weigh too much for a regular stamp.

Nature: Cal Academy of Sciences

Ok, so its a stretch, but this week most everything is going to be a stretch. So we started off by having sushi OUTSIDE(the beginning of the "nature" activity) and wound up at Cal Academy. My favorite things were the Sea Dragons and the Ribbon Eel! I really enjoyed the Aquarium in general and also had a REALLY great Cantelope drink!

Reflection: Week 6

So I am definitely a real person. This was part of the reason that I was doing this, to ensure that I keep my identity as a person and not just a teacher. This weekend in Vegas, I officially forgot that I was a teacher. I was so wrapped up in that world of Vegas that it seemed like that was all I had at the time. The papers I had to grade didn't feel like an anchor to my real life, it felt like I was truly on vacation, in a way that I am just now starting to investigate and enjoy. I guess in reality I started it last year, but accidentally. Now, it is an intentional part of my life!

Cutlural: Winner!!

While I am not even remotely a gambler, I do enjoy playing the penny slots from time to time. Luckily Miquila wanted free drinks quite a bit so we wound up there a bunch! Who knew you just sat down somewhere for a while and drinks are delivered to you!! Anyways, while I have partaken in light gambling before, I think it can still count as my cultural event for the week! I x7.5 my money!! Started with a dollar, wound up wth $7.50

Physical: Dancing at Tao

Gots to get a little creative here to ensure I am doing all of my chart. Tao was a $20 nightclub that we got into for free! We immediately hit the dance floor and I immediately met this boy that I wound up spending until sunrise with, out on the strip hanging out in front of the "Trevi fountain". However, the moral of the story is the dancing, in HIGH HEELS! For nearly an hour!! That's totally physical right?