The Acura, Some Free Time, and Lengthy Hair

          Right now, it's a little past one in the morning - you'd think I'd be asleep, right? But I've been distracted and my mind's been racing lately. It all began on Monday. It was the first time I've truly had free time since God-knows-when. So I spent the afternoon immersed in thatgamecompany's offerings: Flow and Flower. Both games are so simple, relaxing, and visually engaging. In Flow, you are a small organism, able to eat and grow and become a gorgeous being. As you delve deeper into the ocean, you encounter other larger beings that you can run away from, or kill and eat them up. It took me a while to get the controls down though, so it was frustrating for while, before it got relaxing. In Flower, you use the wind guide single petals to other flowers, causing them to bloom and plucking a single petal from that flower, too. In each level, the chain of petals get longer and longer, as well as colorful, too. It makes me wish that we, as humans, weren't so negligent of our environment, though I doubt that was the game's intention. Like Flow, it was simple and meant to be relaxing. Here's the official trailer to Flower: 

          Yesterday morning, I was trying to start up my car again. Only it wouldn't go. For some reason, the engine wouldn't turn over. The first thing I thought was that the distributor was shot - again. I swear, my Acura eats distributors for breakfast. Somehow, in the end, I got the engine to turn over, though I feel lucky that it did at all. I'm tempted to go to a mechanic, but I don't have the means to pay for it. I'm going to have to save some money.

          My hair's been getting longer lately, and I'm surprised it took me so long to notice. The last time I had a haircut was mid-July, when one of my best friends was getting married, and I was asked to be a groomsman. So I haven't had a trim since. I don't mind having longer hair. In fact, I enjoy it so much better than shorter hair, though others despise the though of me having lengthy hair. I probably won't be able to get a trim until the end of the year. The one thing I don't like about having my hair at the current length is the fact that it's so shaggy. Think of Michael Cera's hair in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. It's just like that. It'll be a while before it looks more appealing, unfortunately. Though, if I can be vain for a bit, it's been looking good. My hair is layered quite nicely that I get compliments from women from time to time. So maybe it won't be so bad this time around.

The Space Between Two Worlds...

          I hate to end this week on somber note, but more and more frequently, I have been losing motivation to communicate with my "people," so to speak. By people, I am referring to those of the Mexican culture, to The People of the Sun. Most of this dissatisfaction has to do with work. Many see me and they assume I'm Middle Eastern or Indian or that I don't know Spanish. I hate that I look like something I'm not. I'm exasperated of those nonchalant comments of how I don't look Mexican, or that they're surprised that I know Spanish. It's frustrating when I try to communicate in Spanish and they adamantly continue struggle to speak in English, with their thick accents and poor vocabulary making it difficult to decipher what it is they're looking for. It's almost as if they think I'm too stupid or too ignorant to understand Spanish, the same language passed on to me from my parents. I'll admit that my Spanish isn't the best, but I know others who are worse off than myself. In the end, I really do feel like I'm in the space between two worlds - the one that has defined my parents and our ancestors before them, and the one that I'm forging for my own here in the US. Two very different cultures juxtaposed into one human being - what's one to do?

Cheating Is Not Only Fun, It's Easy! (No Kylie Minogue This Time...)

          Though I guess that's the point of cheating: it's supposed to make things easier. So here's my way of cheating - a new vlog. This was actually all recorded a few weeks ago - I just was finally able to piece it all together. Enjoy!

Simba Is The New Hamlet?!

          I'm working on some research for a compare/contrast essay for a class. These types of essays are some of the easier styles to write out, in my opinion, but they can also be bland and monotonous. The two subjects I chose for this particular essay are Disney's The Lion King and Shakespeare's Hamlet. I knew that TLK (The Lion King) followed the same footsteps as Hamlet, at least as far as the main plot goes. After all, both kings die, both uncles usurp the throne, and both sons expose and reclaim their kingdoms from their uncles (at least,  that really does happen in the TLK). I knew that both stories were connected as such, since I've had this discussion in my 11th grade advanced English class. Now that I'm on my own, however, I'm finding so many similarities and differences that I didn't cover in that class long ago. It's all so fascinating. I'll probably post my essay here once it's complete and evaluated by my professor. After all, I don't like giving nor receiving crap work to or from anyone.

Ever Get That Feeling...

          Where you're surrounded by a crowd of people, yet can't help but feel isolated, alone? Where the madness of this world consumes you, overwhelms you, threatens to destroy you? I could never really find, whenever I closed my eyes, any place that was still and at peace. This is a weight on my shoulders that I don't want nor need, but this social malady haunts me, plagues me, and refuses to leave me alone. This signal of aberration is a bit too much to handle right now...

Reflection Time!

          How I'm hanging on at this point is beyond me. I'm doing very well in my classes, save for one since most of the work is online, and I'm not online as frequently as I must to be able to offer quality work. However, this isn't the point of this post. 

      

          I've been doing some reflections in the back of the fridge at my work (the buzzing drowns out any distracting trains of thought) and I've come to the realization that I've been feeling lonely lately. Not in the "I don't have a girl" kind-of-way, but more of "I need friends." Not that I don't have any, but I've been thinking and realizing that I don't have any one to talk to on a consistent basis on my campus. I guess I'm what's known as a commuter student - that is that I go to campus for as long as I need to, then I leave the site since I have other responsibilities outside of the classroom. I supposed I had envisioned a more interactive experience on campus, but with other responsibilities weighing me down, I'm certain this vision won't be realized for some time. After all, I just started going here, and perhaps I'm asking too much as of now. Still, it would be nice to be able to talk and even have a lunch break with people.

Essays Are Done! (For Now)...

          So I'm burned out today, I've gotten very little sleep these past few days, juggling the two demanding essays as of late. I have now accomplished that feat so I have some free time before I'm smacked with another essay to write up. So for now, in this very precious time, I'm spending it trying to catch up with reading. It beats writing since I'm a bit burned from that. So I'm going to get as much as I can in these few days.

          Incidentally, this 18th post is the same number as the other blog of mine (Found HERE). Not that I'm comparing the two, but it's only been a month and I have the same number of posts here as the other. Shows you how much attention I give to the other blog. But I still must focus on the letters, since I'm only on the ninth letter. I'm surprised how far I've gotten with them.

KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!! (A Kindle Fire HD, That Is...)

          This past weekend, my brothers decided to give me a belated birthday gift. We ventured in the mall, and I couldn't decide what to get. Then it hit me: even though there still things that I want to buy and have (like microphone for my camera, or a tablet of some sort, and even a telescope someday), I was content with what I did have. I didn't need a new gadget or toy, I was completely happy with what I do have. Also, I'd feel guilty that they would even consider spending money on me. I have always played the older brother role, sacrificing my happiness for my siblings. I always missed out on the latest toy so that my brothers would own it, not me. But they were adamant, refusing to accept no for answer. I even told them that I was afraid that I wasn't going to use it to its potential, but they just shrugged off that concern. We made our way to Best Buy.

           Although, I do admit that I have been eyeing a new tablet (I was debating between the Galaxy Note or the New iPad), but I have been wary since my biggest fear was that I would shell out a paycheck for a shiny, new paperweight. I was afraid that I wouldn't know how to use it, or rather, make the most of it, and my brothers understood that insecurity. They knew I'm old-fashioned: I collect CD's, not MP3's; I read books on paper, not electronically; and I watch movies that are on discs, not streamed online. So they pointed to a more convenient and economical tab to start out with: the Kindle Fire HD. They felt confident that this first-ever tablet of mine would help me become accustomed to the more modern technology of today's time. I was simply blown away of their generosity - I simply wasn't expecting that from them. Although, it's my first, I'm feeling happy about it, even if there is still so much to learn and discover of this little machine of mine.

Sick & Tired...

          I feel like there's no time anymore. I have two essays due next week, my weekend is all used up and I am exhausted. I feel like I have these huge bags under my eyes from the poor quality of sleep. I haven't had time to work on anything else but my classwork. However, with one of my assignments, I'm done. This will be the third attempt to write out a four page essay, and at this point, I'd rather take the fall with an F. I'll eventually work my way up to a B and be done with this class.

Cheating is Fun! (Also, Kylie Minogue is involved!)

Gonna cheat again here }:-)

I saw a recent Bally Total Fitness commercial with this weird music. Then I remembered an older BTL commercial with this catchy tune.