What is wrong with the world today?

Since waking up this morning at 9:00 a.m., I have done maybe five things. I ate breakfast. I watched an episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus. I refreshed my Twitter feeds. I read a book. And I read about five or seven news articles. And I am already flabbergasted at the insanity with which I have been presented (blancmanges from space look tame compared to this).

From what I can tell, the world is in a state of chaos. But anyone could have told you that. Greek protests, Mongolian nomads' herds devestated from freezing temperatures, the possibility of a war between North and South Korea, the Gulf oil spill…there are so many other things I could name. What about the gay couple in Malawi sentenced to 14 years in prison simply for being who they are? For being two consenting adults in a romantic relationship, they are now convicted criminals. What about the redshirt conflict in Thailand? I ask you, how have we come to this?

This past spring semester I took a course about genocide. It was some of the hardest material I've ever had to learn. We studied Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Armenia, and Russia, among many others, and I promise you that what I learned there I will never forget. There were times that I felt that if I started crying, I would never stop. It was raw, unrestrained, and hit me harder than ever I've been hit before. The knowledge I gained in that class keeps echoing in my mind, saying WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?, and WHY CAN'T WE STOP IT?, but I fear it'll never stop unless we do something.

I don't understand how it is that I, a college student who's not even twenty years old, would be more willing to step up and do what I have to do to make things right again than would most of the people in power in my nation. YES, I am calling all of you out. Democrats, Republicans, I DON'T CARE. You have screwed up. You have fucked over everyone with your petty, partisan squabbles, and I call utter bullshit on everything you have done in the past I don't even care to count how many years. You say we are the greatest nation on earth? Bullshit. You say that we have the best of everything? Bullshit. You say that we are a Christian nation and that your Christian God blesses this country? Bullshit. You say that it's the other person's fault? BULLSHIT. It is YOUR fault, it is THEIR fault, and unless you can put aside your stupid issues and, I don't know, work together, you are going to make us into another Roman Empire (as though we aren't there already), and we are going to fall. Painfully.

I had once thought about going into politics. For maybe a split second, I thought about it. But then I realized that no matter what my intentions going in were, I would end up just like you, ALL of you, and I don't want to be like that. Show me an honest politician and I'll start believing that world peace isn't just a faerie tale my mind has cooked up to try to help me cope with the overwhelming despair the world has thrown on me and so many others. Yes, maybe I'm not the best one to complain, but considering that, I still have a right to complain. I vote, I try my best to pay attention to what's going on in the world, and you know what? I care. Which is more than I can say for a great many of the people in politics, not only in my country, but probably across the world.

I DARE you to do better. I dare you. I dare you to stop acting like children on the playground, fighting over who gets to play in the sandbox and who can't get on your part of the jungle gym. I dare you to band together and fight ignorance. I dare you to work together regardless of your personal beliefs, to better this nation for everyone, not just you and your friends. I dare you to forget your agendas, your capitalist greed, your fear of diversity, and try to understand those who are different from you, to make a system that can help all people. I dare you to stop trying to push what you think onto other people. I dare you to stop fighting with one another, and instead forge bonds of camraderie and solidarity. I dare you to work with the rest of the world, instead of trying to boss it around. I dare you to try.

Maybe this will never be heard. Maybe my voice will go on echoing into nothingness. But it doesn't matter. My voice, and millions of other voices, is out there now. Can't you listen? Can't you even try? If you make even one genuine attempt at trying to make this world a better place for someone else, then it is enough. If everyone can try to do that, it may be enough. But if no one listens, if no one pays any attention to those they see as "beneath them," then the world will never change. And I weep at the mere thought of what that could possibly mean for my children, and all of their children of countless future generations.

 

For your consideration:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8686275.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/10130240.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8693681.stm

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37244411/ns/world_news-asiapacific//

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37251905/ns/world_news-europe/?ocid=twitter

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/science/earth/20noaa.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

And is it just me, or is there something very wrong about this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/science/earth/20alaska.html?ref=earth

Sometimes you just have to go with it.

So I've more or less settled down into a routine now, it being over a month into school and all. My roommate moved out-- it feels like there's a trend here -___- I swear I'm gonna start getting paranoid here soon-- and my other two roommates hardly ever come out of their room. But whatever. They're nice girls, but sometimes...ughh. Messy messy messy!!

I'm doing a hell of a lot better with coping and dealing with stress than I was last spring, due in part to my having switched medications :) Yay! I feel like a completely different person now. I'm doing my best to toss out old emotional baggage that's been wearing me down for who knows how long, and I think I'm better for it. Building my confidence back up, well, I'm working on it :P It's a process, and we'll see how it goes. Also, I'm setting goals for myself, and while I haven't made them quite yet, I'm gonna do what I can to reach them.

Lately, though, I sometimes get that old pang in my chest where it feels like I'm isolated from everything (not helped by the fact that I have a room by myself and I never see my other roommates >< ), and I hate that fact. I've made friends on campus, so why do I still feel this way? Heck if I know; I just want to find a method of making it go away for good. At the same time, though, I need to realize that time alone isn't necessarily a bad thing, being an introvert who can't socialize well and all :P but having friends is a wonderful thing, too-- even if several of them are going to be or currently are out of the COUNTRY... *mutter mutter*

I've finally gotten my writing (and drawing! :O ) back on track, which I'm very excited about. My current writing project is called 'The Jade Pendant,' and I've been working on it (or have at least had the idea) since about seventh or eighth grade. Hopefully it gets somewhere, unlike all of my other writing, hahaha~. I swear I'll get them all written one of these days ;)

Lastly, I want to add that I just started using Netflix two or so months ago, and it is fantastic. Oh, and eBay is far too addictive to handle in more than the most miniscule doses. ^^; eh heh. Nothing much else to say, but if there is I will hopefully write about it and not completely forget that I have thing this. Later~!

It's been a while. There's a bit of a rant to follow.

Things have been...insane. Seriously. So much crap has been happening since last I wrote, what, two months ago? O_o I dunno why I all of the sudden just stopped updating, buuuut I decided that I ought to get back in the swing of things. That and, uh, I don't really want to put stuff away right now (because it will just make me angrier about my roommates' idiocy and complete...obliviousness is the only word I can think to describe it).

So I'm back at school, have been for two weeks, going on three now. It's Labo(u)r Day, though, so I don't have class today :P woot? I dunno. I'd honestly rather be in class because it gets me out of this stupid apartment. I'm just frustrated with the complete feeling of isolation-- my roommate is almost never here, and my suitemates hardly ever come out of their room. That, and they apparently can't CLEAN UP after themselves, and they've moved the dishes and crap around TWICE now (and the first time lied about it when I asked them about it...). It's not so much that I mind, I just wish they'd ask everyone, or let everyone know, or somehow include all of us so that it doesn't just come out of nowhere. As well, they may not know how to use the dishwasher, because I came back from the weekend at home to find that it hasn't been run since I left-- I know, because the dishes in there are exactly the ones I put in before I went home. Just because I (and my roommate, in theory at least) am on dishwasher detail this month doesn't mean I'm the only one who can run the dishwasher!!! Ugh! I'm sick and tired of it, and it's only been two weeks. I want to find a way to talk about this with them, but I don't want to sound like a nagging bitch at the same time. >< So frustrating.

LATER: I cleaned a bit (err, a lot), and I feel better. :P Now to get to my homework, and hopefully keep the resolutions of a) staying organized, b) exercising daily, and c) eating better and remembering to eat. Also, resolution to be happier and not worry so much. ^_^ I'm-a workin' on that, haha~. Aaaaaaand to update this blog more often. Come to think of it, I have quite a few resolutions. Hrm...

Recent Happenings

I had my nineteenth birthday last Thursday. It passed by with little consequence, except that it is the beginning of the end for my teenage years. It's kinda weird to think about, really. But regardless, it wasn't too bad (even though I had to work ><).

For the past two weeks, I've been obsessed with Alien, Terminator, and to a lesser extent Predator. My friend Jess and her fiancee Andy let me borrow a ton of A/T/P movies and EU books, and I have been enjoying them greatly. In fact, it ripped me quite suddenly from my vampire/werewolf kick and threw me into a non-space opera sci-fi kick. :D

I'm still writing well *knock on wood* and ideas are flowing through my brain like water. I love this feeling, and I hope I can continue this for the rest of my life. If I keep this up, I may have enough story ideas in the next few years to fill hundreds of books and short stories and such like. I won't need to come up with anything else, because I'll have an all-you-can-write buffet :P Eh heh. In any case, I feel so wonderful going back to my roots (sci-fi). This is what I know the best.

School is starting up in about a month and a half. I'm not too upset, though; I'm actually ready to go back, believe it or not. What I'm kinda upset about is that I may not get the kind of room I want in the dorms. Last year I had a 4 person 2 bedroom apartment (aka a double). This year, I want to try and get into a single (a 4 person 4 bedroom apartment), because last year there was much frustration due to sleeping/working/etc. roommates. Also, I can listen to my music at night and actually turn the damn lights on in the bathroom to get ready in the mornings. >< But there's gonna be a waiting list first day of classes that I can sign up to switch rooms. Hopefully that works out...

Work's been going pretty well-- as much as can be expected, anyway. It's boring at times, frustrating at others, but it's the best I'm gonna get for a summer job. 4 hours a day, 5 days a week, no nights, no weekends, $8/hour...I really shouldn't complain (but I do anyway :P ).O well.

Oh dear...

It's been a while, hasn't it? I've been busy with work and everything lately, so I just haven't really thought about much outside of my writing projects and working. >< I don't have much time before I have to go to work, but I just wanted to let everyone know I'm still here! And I plan on throwing in a nice long update later tonight when I get home from work. I have stories to share, don't worry~! It has been an...interesting summer vac, to be sure. Till later, then~

Whee~!

1. Moving on is something I have a very hard time in doing. I tend to get hung up and overanalyze things far too often than I should.

2. All I want is to be free of the restrictions society tends to place upon us.

3. My best quality is...uhh...you expect me to know my best quality??

4. I tend to get way too caught up in the little details.

5. In nearly 10 years, I've become a completely different person. I have overcome obstacles, and I've discovered that, despite all my progress, I still have a long way to go.

6. A day at the spa is what I need right now!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to kicking back after work for a three day weekend, tomorrow my plans include absolutely nothing, and Sunday, I want to continue to RELAX

Friday's here- do you know what that means...?

FRIDAY FILL-INS!!!

1. If we had no winter the seasons would be all out of whack.

2. Life is a perpetual astonishment, and every day I seem to find out more about the true nature of what it all is-- and therefore, I learn more of nothing all the time.

3. If I had my life to live over, so far I'd take back some things, wouldn't let myself be influenced by some certain people, and I would definitely do my best to have better health.

4. There's so much that can happen inside of four and twenty hours. It's why no one can yet accurately predict the future.

5. If you've never been thrilled by the beauty of a six a.m. sunrise, you're missing out.

6. To be interested in the changing seasons is to find order in chaos, and chaos in order.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to heading up to Lexington after work and seeing Wes, tomorrow my plans include going to Wes's friend's lake house and hopefully going boating, and Sunday, I want to come back home, relax, and watch Star Trek!