Picquitachures

It's about time for an update friends. I've got loads of pictures that I've wanted to share in the past couple of weeks, but just haven't gotten around to it. As such, I've weened out most of them down to the photos that I like the best :D
Oh so pretty! This is the top of the mountain at Sundance. If you are actually there in person, you can see my house (ok...not really...I don't own a house)! Also if you are there in person, I suggest you go down Bishop's Bowl (or get good enough to do so) because then you can fulfill a dream of mine for me. If I get to go skiing one more time up at Sundance I WILL go down Bishop's Bowl. As it is I have no intention of going skiing within the next few weeks, and I feel that is going to be all the time I have to go because the snow is slowly, but surely, melting away...
On a lighter note, I look like an Oompa Loompa. I was privileged to go to Festival of Colors! (p.s., this picture gives me such exquisite joy, at first I thought I'd be annoyed that I looked like an oompa loompa...but now I <3 it!).It was 1) in an effort to educate myself as to other religions and 2) to have fun...I didn't do too hot on the first one though because I don't even know what the festival is about...uhm...but I think it's an interesting festival none the less...
:D I got a care package from my old young women's leader! I have to say that though I love the whole package, these two things were definitely at the top of the list of things that made me uncontrollably happy. The item on the left is a Dora the Explora toothbrush. Yes I have tried to use it and yes it does now just sit on my vanity in disuse, but the fact that I own one makes me giggle a little each time I see it! The item on the right is AMAZING! I LOVE PEZ!!! I have to honestly keep myself from eating too much of the stuff by reminding myself I don't want diabetes when I'm older. This link will take you to two pez dispensers that I own that are my prize and joy, C3P0 and R2D2. This goofy one will soon be added to it. It reminds me of my sister, for it her boyfriend hehehe...anyways, I would collect pez dispensers if it weren't for the fact that they, on the most part, look cheaply made...and I don't collect cheap.

If you don't know what I'm pointing at...that is very unfortunate for you. Go watch 'The Emperor's New Groove'!It is a llama. It is amazing (though that one was going to spit on me, I could tell). It was also the fattest llama there, you just can't tell from the picture. I love animals :D and whenever I get a chance to see an 'exotic' one, I tend to get overly excited. There was a peacock there too...but those annoy me.Lastly, here is my sister! :D I am proud to announce that she is back from a 1 and 1/2 year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! Already I must report that she has a facebook, a cellphone, and has probably read the rest of the Twilight Series that she had to catch up on by now. She has always been a fast learner and a smart cookie. I'm so proud of her service and will reward her in the future with a trip to see her boyfriend (goofy...at disneyland...ha...ha...) to be sure! I also still need to ask her how many llama's she saw on her mish...cause I have proof that I've seen one, and I've always been competitive about these things.

So there you have it. Random updates about various things that I wanted to blog about but never got around to it. :D

Dora The Explora

Well first off, know that I am quoting the greatness that is Brian Regan. Google him. See him live. Revel in his humor. Etc.

Second off I found this article which I shall now place here with annotated comments of my feelings about it.

"Dora's makeover miffs parents"

"Can't a cartoon character at least be ageless? Answer: No. Nor can she just be a cartoon character. Next fall, Dora the Explorer may be trading in her androgynous bob and shorts for big hair, pumps and a miniskirt.Quelle Horruer! If I wasn't off of sarcasm right now...boy howdy would this paragraph get it. For now I'll have to settle for pointing out the obvious and using corny phrases...

An actual doll will be part of the new version that Mattel says it will create for tweens. The younger, more innocent version will still be around, however. (Search for "Dora grows up.")For some reason I don't think this marketing ploy is going to work. Cause back in my day, even IF barney had began to wear rappers clothes or something like that to get my affection as a 'tween' I still would not ever admit to my friends (half of marketing is word of mouth :P) that I admired the punked-out dinosaur in any way.

The only early evidence of what the new Dora would look like was a silhouette Mattel released as a teaser. That was all some needed to raise their voices. (Search for the silhouette.)A silhouette...those poor desprate parents...hanging on by the skin of their teeth to any new Dora information...I'll either understand this when I'm a parent or merely remember how many loops of love and affection my own parents patiently went through to give me a great amount of happiness via my new obsession toy. I love you Dad and Mom!

But just last week, the new Dora was revealed. (Search for more.)

Parents are PO'd. And a petition is circulating to pressure Mattel and Nickelodeon to reconsider. In it, petitioners ask, what's next: "Dora the fashionista with stylish purse and stilettos?"Is that how you say facist in Spanish? Cause that's what I get from that paragraph; overimaginative parents. And to see any cartoon character in stilettos will always remind me of the Bratz dolls (not even worth a google search to give you a link to what they are...sorry). Ok...maybe I'm being too hard once again. But a petition? Just don't buy it for you're kids! Let it be a lesson to them that you don't get everything you want, that there are other role models out there, and that you don't have to like whatever entertainment industry's throw at you. Kids are not so starving for entertainment that they will DIE because they can't have Dora the 'fashionista'.

It might not be so troublesome if the little Latina weren't seen as such a role model for kids. (Search for more.)Ok...with this in mind, I may be being too hard on parents...I lack emphathy as of yet. Please excuse my ignorance.

Among Dora's new features are some contemporary skills: shopping and makeovers. Plug her into the computer to change her hair length, jewelry and eye color. Gag...Gag....Gag...this must be what the parents are really protesting. Why buy the doll when you can do this for free on the internet!

Let's just hope Dora doesn't show up on one of those sites about bad plastic surgery.This is a bit extreme...

And don't forget, Dora isn't the only doll trying to enter the modern world.

An ageless Barbie celebrated her 50th by getting tattoos. (Search for more.)Considering I didn't like my barbie dolls very much...I'm going to have to say that I don't care too much about this one.

Strawberry Shortcake ditched the candy for fruit and a cell phone for a makeover described as "berry disturbing." (Search for more.)" This just makes me laugh and shake my head...*sigh* But Punny?

So there you have my severly overdone opinion. Why am I even concerned about this? Because I saw it on msn.com and it made me laugh sad, sad chuckles of remorse for the poor kids who like Dora the Explorer and who have to see her subjected to this change. Kids need good role models. I remember various make overs of cartoon characters that have caused me great remorse (example, the Sonic the Hedgehog series? Very sad day when it was bought away from American hands...one of my few beefs with Japan...)...I suppose it has to happen to every generation that's grown up with commercialized television.

Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?

This (see blog post title) and many other questions will soon plague me; "Why is Russia Blue?", "Why didn't I pay attention in the 3rd grade?", "How long will it take me to memorize this?", "Is the Animaniac's country song up to date?", and "How accurate is this map...?" to name a few.

Why you might ask? Well if you haven't guessed by my map related questions or the picture that follows, I recently bought a new shower curtain! :D



Yes I am a proud owner of a map of the world. Soon I can learn where different country's are in relation to myself in attempts to awe and inspire people with my random trivia knowledge and geography skills! I can also find my way around if I'm ever lost (kinda?)!Ouai~!

But seriously, I never thought learning geography was a useful skill. Even after I've been forced to memorize it in school I have no desire to retain the information. It's just...not that important to me. I've memorized 1)the places I like/want to go and 2) the places that are frequently mentioned in the news.

But now I want to start working on it. Weaning out weaknesses so to speak. So I guess all I need to do is place maps everywhere and take standardized tests on it later so I remember...riiiiiiight.

So I Was Thinking...

...that my studies have ruined the fun of Google. I was googling something to write about (a picture or something) when my class and how it can be applied to google clicked in my head. Maybe it came from my stong aversion for word problems and how they make you apply math to 'real-life' situations. Maybe because googling something and seeing what comes up is very amusing for me-a sort of escape from work-and connecting the two is taboo. Maybe I need to accept the fact that the math behind google has simply become a part of my life whether I want to be a geek or not. Whatever it may be, I am intent on being an avid randomly-googling-things-waster-of-time person no matter what math problems go through my head as I do it!

This is a picture I got from googling 'Thinking in French'...

Also I've found that I've begun to think in French. Quel Horreur! There is a reason why this upsets me...the thing is I not-so-secretly make fun of people who say things like "Oh, I can't think of the word in English." or "Well, in Spanish it's called 'animo', but there's really no word for it in English" (the answer to that is-> yes, animo does translate into english->geeky) (That's from Divine Comedy btw). I often also begin to shoot random words at them like a thesaurus, but to no avail. They are as dumbfounded as I am ignorant of what they are talking about. So when I go to tell someone that I'd forgotten to bring something over and I almost say 'Oh, I oublie the thing!" I truly am reminded that God has a sense of humor as I glare at the heavens in indignation at this turn of events.

In the end I think I need to accept the fact that the things I'm studying are actually staying with me as I subconsciously try and apply them in my life. How precious. I need to learn to accept myself.

Mettre à Jour

"Westley: Who are you? Are we enemies? Why am I on this wall? Where is Buttercup?
Inigo Montoya: Let me 'splain. [pause] No, there is too much. Let me sum up."-The Princess Bride

So I though I might update a few things as pertaining to the various 'cliff-hangers' I'd left via my writings.

First off, Lent has been an abysmal failure. I haven't been keeping track if I eat meat on Friday's or not and I've lost track of how many times I've been sarcastic. But I am still trying and it's doing me good to say the least. One should always be in the attitude of becoming a better person, otherwise I find life gets much too boring too fast.

"Inigo Montoya: Do you hear that Fezzik? That is the sound of ultimate suffering."-The Princess Bride

Secondly, I took a linear algebra test this week. Usually I don't like to mention what classes I'm taking and only bring it up when I feel someone needs to know to understand a point I'm getting at...but I'm making an exception for this time because I'm oh so very happy! This week coupled with that test finally brought about the conjoining of that subject and one of my econ classes into a big thing that now makes sense! Any time classes begin to make sense, it's truly time for celebration. *throws some confetti in the air*

"Inigo Montoya: You know Fezzik, you finally did something right.
Fezzik: Don't worry, I won't let it go to my head. "-The Princess Bride

Lastly, I bought my first song(s) off of iTunes!
But I had to buy a whole CD to get it. It's not a very good CD, unless you like sitar music and such...which I don't...but I love track 22! And the Kinks are good too. So I consider it a semi-sweet purchase there.

:D yay!

iTunes

I'm a little slow when it comes to music. Not in the sense of attempting to read notes off of a sheet of music or that I'm not up to date technology-wise, it's more in the sense of until about a year ago I didn't feel inclined to care who played which songs. I've never had much of an urge to follow current music trends. And I also happen to adore music where most of the artists/composers are deceased.

All the same, I've come upon a dilemma. Though I am perfectly content to listen to the radio for my music fixes, I've found that I have a great need to buy a song off of iTunes. All the music I currently have on my account are from cd's I've owned or borrowed...and I feel this odd obligation to actually purchase a song on iTunes.

The question is which one?! I really want a famous french song...but I also want to buy music by the cd like I always have...oh well...I'll have to buy it soon though...I don't know how much longer I can deny myself new music...plus (on a slightly depressing note) Circuit City has them for rather cheap right now.

They Affictitiously Quit!

Having need of a succisive (of spare or extra time) post, I return once again to obarmate (to arm against) my readers of ignorance! This is mostly spurred by discovery that the website akin to a pomarious(of or belonging to an orchard or fruit-garden) collection of words had been momentlarily shut down! I was therefore momentarily distraught. But after checking religiously for the past 2 weeks to see if the site had been shut down, it came up again today!

I am easily mulcible (able to be appeased) from this turn of events for I don't want others to miss out. I have also decided to jungible( that may be joined) my design and another's keleusmatically(in an demanding manner) placed comment by giving you the website. It is http://savethewords.org/ and yes there is a roomthily (spatially; with respect to space) amount of things to be learned there. One might even say that you could make a dodranthal (of nine inches in length) list of things you can learn from it! I have already signed up for the cause, to be sure.

Sadly I must now stop procrastinating my ptochology (study of beggars and unemployment) assigned to me for the night, despite a dvd of a drollic (pertaining to puppet shows) tv series tempting me on the shelf. Bon Soir!