Monday, October 29, 2007
To Answer your questions, yes I am still a Tropical Storm...
Always a Bridesmaid and never a Bride right? (I should have switched those out for Groomsman huh? Doesn't have quite the same effect.) Lol. Well I think I'll survive. I'd rather not become a Hurricane. I'd cause way more damage and get this swelled head. So good morning all. That's it really. I am not feeling really poetic this morning. I need to chit chat...get my motor going. love you if you're reading this. You should subscribe...can you do that? Try it out. You'll get up-to-date me news. Duh....
Monday, October 22, 2007
Gripe of the Night
So, I'm flippin' through the channels. There's nothing to watch. I settled on Twitches 2...kinda sad I know. But then I watched a little but of Samantha Who? It's kind of cute. It tries to have this Grey quality with the voice over but it lacks. Finally it rolls around to CSI:Miami....the Medical Examiner is the Black Woman who looks like a man. She does. Don't pretend you don't see those clear masculine features. I'm proud she's black, I'm just upset she's stupid. The woman is in an ambulance that is cold to preserve the body. She is wearing a halter top. She's not even sexy enough to be wearing a Halter Top the whole episode. But she is freezing in this Cryogenic ambulance shivering on the phone. You'd think when she gets to the lab...which is even colder, and they tell her that information. She walks in, in the same halter top. She's doing this digital autopsy, shivering on the phone again. I am so pissed. Put the fool in a sweater, or a lab coat, or ANYTHING. CSI Miami is dumb. The Blonde looks like Jessica Simpson trying to solve a crime. The difference is...this chick has a better script. This is what I hate about TV. Why in Grey's can get real representations of women, and in a show based on Miami, we're all glitz and glam while we solve a crime. Its such utter bull. Miami is so much more than skin...I guess we need better writers on a show about Miami. Maybe one of them should actually be from Miami? That's my Gripe of the night...
Crushes
My friend has this saying about crushes.
He calls them crashes, and they're appropriately named because a crash is very much like a crush. First and foremost, they are unavoidable. If you want to avoid a crush, unless the person turns out to be Satan reincarnated, you're probably not going to get over it just like that. You may put it aside, or put it on the back-burner but it's there. It's like an MTD (Mentally Transmitted Disease.) You meet someone and they're moderately to extremely attractive and then when they open their mouth they actually have something intelligible to say, you're hooked. The reason you don't want to have a crush, at least for too long is, if it doesn't work out, there's all this wasted effort. So then we move to stage two.
The 411
We get out of our "Cars," (Minds) and look at the damage. The other person obviously doesn't have as much damages as you. So they get off scot-free and you end up clinging onto your bumper and trying to tie it up. You try to put yourself together so you don't look a hott mess and you exchange information. Now-a-days it's no longer home telephone number. Lol, remember the old days when you would have to do that and your mom would pick up the phone: "Honey, so-and-so is on the phone for you." Tre-embarrassing right? Now it's Cell Phones, and the occasional email exchange. Bur rather than give email people opt to use Myspace or Facebook. It's safer, you get more a choice when you use these venues. I mean email has become a little too personal to just give out. In Facebook, more so than Myspace you can control more of what people are allowed to see as your friend. So you exchange the information and wait. If you have inherent harmless stalker tendencies like me, you send over a little "Hello." just to remind them you're alive, and change your profile picture to the best one. So that when they see you're alive, they associate that livelyness with lovelyness. Am I right?
The Waiting Game
Then you wait. You wait some more. And then you wait a little more. I tend to not wait and realize things play out better when you wait. But you're excited and you need something to do with all that crush energy. You peruse their profile, looking at every picture.You might not look in detail, but just the cute pictures where your cursh is the main focus. You try to picture yourself in their life. Not in a weird insertion kind of way, but a "Where do I fit in?" inventory to see if you two are indeed compatible. And even if you aren't. You daydream. You wait and wait until finally you give up and write more messages, maybe even call. You invite them out, because nothing speeds up comfort like a face to face meeting? Right? Wrong...lol. Face to Face can be awkward. Chances are if you can't hold a conversation online, you might as well be dead in the water when you come face to face. It isn't a rule, just general experience. Your really are you true self around your friends. They get your humor, they get your intention. What do I say about relationships? Relationships are fifty percent intention, and other fifty is execution. And when you try these new things out on people that don't get it. It either amuses them or...makes yourself seem like an ass. Either way crushes can be the cute little pining away kind, or the one that jerk in your side. The pain in a a joint when you realize you're not as young as you used to be.
The Cure for the Common Crush?
How do you cure it? Well, there's no sure fire way to do it. I mean you think if you absorb enough of the person you'll get it out of your system. But it doesn't really work that way. The way I got over my last crush was rather unconventional but it made so much sense. I don't know if it was really a crush or my intuition. I knew there was something that happened between my friend or mine and this person. So that stopped my river of affection rather quickly. I don't know why, but it just did. It was like Hallelujah. And now I consider that person to be a semi-friend. Semi-friends are a little higher than an acqaintance. But in truth this person is still just an acqaintance. But we've managed to segue into quasi-friendship. As did another crush of mine earlier. That one was a little easier, because it became apparent early on we were better suited as friends. So you can't really get over a crush until you spend more time with the person on a non-expectations basis. And sometimes being direct works. I'll say, "I'll say, I kind of have a thing for you. Let me know if I'm just being delusional here. Could you possibly have a thing for me." Even when they say no, you might still feel the urge to crush. That's natural. If we all did what we were suppose to do...the world would be a boring, but lovely place. So that's just my take. I'll update this as more advice as it comes in.
Please Comment:
How do you get over, avoid, or follow through on crushes?
He calls them crashes, and they're appropriately named because a crash is very much like a crush. First and foremost, they are unavoidable. If you want to avoid a crush, unless the person turns out to be Satan reincarnated, you're probably not going to get over it just like that. You may put it aside, or put it on the back-burner but it's there. It's like an MTD (Mentally Transmitted Disease.) You meet someone and they're moderately to extremely attractive and then when they open their mouth they actually have something intelligible to say, you're hooked. The reason you don't want to have a crush, at least for too long is, if it doesn't work out, there's all this wasted effort. So then we move to stage two.
The 411
We get out of our "Cars," (Minds) and look at the damage. The other person obviously doesn't have as much damages as you. So they get off scot-free and you end up clinging onto your bumper and trying to tie it up. You try to put yourself together so you don't look a hott mess and you exchange information. Now-a-days it's no longer home telephone number. Lol, remember the old days when you would have to do that and your mom would pick up the phone: "Honey, so-and-so is on the phone for you." Tre-embarrassing right? Now it's Cell Phones, and the occasional email exchange. Bur rather than give email people opt to use Myspace or Facebook. It's safer, you get more a choice when you use these venues. I mean email has become a little too personal to just give out. In Facebook, more so than Myspace you can control more of what people are allowed to see as your friend. So you exchange the information and wait. If you have inherent harmless stalker tendencies like me, you send over a little "Hello." just to remind them you're alive, and change your profile picture to the best one. So that when they see you're alive, they associate that livelyness with lovelyness. Am I right?
The Waiting Game
Then you wait. You wait some more. And then you wait a little more. I tend to not wait and realize things play out better when you wait. But you're excited and you need something to do with all that crush energy. You peruse their profile, looking at every picture.You might not look in detail, but just the cute pictures where your cursh is the main focus. You try to picture yourself in their life. Not in a weird insertion kind of way, but a "Where do I fit in?" inventory to see if you two are indeed compatible. And even if you aren't. You daydream. You wait and wait until finally you give up and write more messages, maybe even call. You invite them out, because nothing speeds up comfort like a face to face meeting? Right? Wrong...lol. Face to Face can be awkward. Chances are if you can't hold a conversation online, you might as well be dead in the water when you come face to face. It isn't a rule, just general experience. Your really are you true self around your friends. They get your humor, they get your intention. What do I say about relationships? Relationships are fifty percent intention, and other fifty is execution. And when you try these new things out on people that don't get it. It either amuses them or...makes yourself seem like an ass. Either way crushes can be the cute little pining away kind, or the one that jerk in your side. The pain in a a joint when you realize you're not as young as you used to be.
The Cure for the Common Crush?
How do you cure it? Well, there's no sure fire way to do it. I mean you think if you absorb enough of the person you'll get it out of your system. But it doesn't really work that way. The way I got over my last crush was rather unconventional but it made so much sense. I don't know if it was really a crush or my intuition. I knew there was something that happened between my friend or mine and this person. So that stopped my river of affection rather quickly. I don't know why, but it just did. It was like Hallelujah. And now I consider that person to be a semi-friend. Semi-friends are a little higher than an acqaintance. But in truth this person is still just an acqaintance. But we've managed to segue into quasi-friendship. As did another crush of mine earlier. That one was a little easier, because it became apparent early on we were better suited as friends. So you can't really get over a crush until you spend more time with the person on a non-expectations basis. And sometimes being direct works. I'll say, "I'll say, I kind of have a thing for you. Let me know if I'm just being delusional here. Could you possibly have a thing for me." Even when they say no, you might still feel the urge to crush. That's natural. If we all did what we were suppose to do...the world would be a boring, but lovely place. So that's just my take. I'll update this as more advice as it comes in.
Please Comment:
How do you get over, avoid, or follow through on crushes?
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Hot Topic of the Week: Language
Has the English Language become obsolete, especially in a diversified market like Miami-Ft. Lauderdale?
In my Media Management class we we've been watching this video on the Language Barrier in the Miami area. There were a lot of views expressed by the different minority groups present. The Black community members consensus was that they are being maligned for their inability to speak Spanish fluently. There was a large emphasis on the Cuban community and their overtaking the city of Miami. While, some of the UM students offered their views, I wanted to offer mine.
One Student said when she goes to the mall, in certain stores there are only Spanish-speakers. She expressed the need have both languages in a place of business.
I believe this is correct. In a place of business, for the sake of money you better have someone on staff who can navigate both languages successfully or you lose a customer. This is the reality of our Miami market. While there are jobs where you can successfully get by with one language, business (In Miami anyway) really calls for two, because it means you can help the most people. In my line of work, which is in an English department, you have to speak English. They call it English and Communication for a reason. While I try my best to accommodate the people who are looking for the ESL(English as a Second Langauge) department, I don't always know if I am successful. But I feel like, you walk into an English (Mainly Composition and Speech) department, you have to know English. I mean, you have to know English to get into the classes. Still, some people slip by. I often mistake people for ESL and they correct me that they are indeed in an English class in my department. It still shocks and amazes me sometimes. An accent is fine, even endearing sometimes. But if you can't fully understand simple sentences in English, I worry.
Another student (Black, I don't know if that's relevant.) said he thinks English is the ugliest language and that he feels we have to adapt. Learn multiple languages. Just like when computers came into the market, we all had to learn. (He was very well received by the class and audience.)
Why can't we do the same thing that we did with computers, with language?
Here's why not. Spanish doesn't help "me" complete tasks in my day. It doesn't, allow "me" to search the internet, create word documents and charts, or prepare presentations. It doesn't do anything for "me" in my day-to-day that "I" couldn't do in English, except converse with those who only speak Spanish.
That is the atypical American egocentric response. And while it's flawed, it has some merit. How about people stop trying to convince us learning Spanish is so good, and tell my why they think not learning English makes any sense? I'll gladly learn Spanish when everyone knows english. How can you be American, or want to be American or live in America and not learn English. I don't care what age you are. The constitution is written in English. American culture was founded under the English language. The American Indians know English. (Granted, they were beaten into it by slavery, but they know it.) They had to learn. They don't say, hey let's all speak Cherokee. They learned English and as one of the women in the video said. She was told by a Hispanic person that she has to learn Spanish to get a job. How ridiculous is that? How dare someone tell a person, who has more right to this land than anyone, that the language that was beaten into her ancestors is obsolete. How dare they tell her that she must speak Spanish because it's Miami.
The popular argument is that the pilgrims came over, they pillaged the land and made everyone learn English. You can't use that as a defense. Well what if enough Spanish people come over, then can you pillage and make us all speak Spanish? No. That's not a defense. We are a country that was founded under some shady circumstances and we've tried to make amends for it. But we're here. We established the Government we live under (In English). America and English are synonymous.
We shouldn't erase our culture and nativity. I am personally excited to learn about new cultures and regions of the world. Hell, they're so much food I would miss if we only ate American dishes. I don't even eat many American dishes. What is an American dish? Grilled Cheese? BBQ chicken? Who knows. Diversity is a good thing. I couldn't live without curry goat or Cuban bread. I call skinny plastic slippers Chancletas (Couldn't spell it). I am a product of growing up in Miami. My Spanish isn't all there, but it's there.
So let me express my personal view. I know I probably said some things that people don't agree with. But I don't agree with a few things about the community of Hispanics who only speak Spanish. Granted, they will have to have someone read this to them in English, because I am not translating it. Let's start:
1.) When you come to America, learn English. I don't care how old you are or how hard it is. If you feel like you're gonna die soon then don't want to waste the time, get on it. It's better than sitting around waiting to die, watching Telemundo. ( I want to qualify this statement by saying there are people who are brilliant and do jobs only in Spanish because they were educated in a Hispanic country. But in all the stories I hear, in order for that person to move up, they learned English!) Too all those who don't speak English well, don't give English-only speakers stank looks and tell them they should learn Spanish, which brings me to point number 2.
2.) Don't you ever tell me to learn Spanish, or any other language if you can't speak to me fluently in English. I don't care where you came from. If you cant read the constitution to me, recite (not from memory, but from a book or something) some Walt Whitman, read me the Common sense, you're not American. Even if you've read those things translated in Spanish, the mere fact of anyone who hasn't read it that speaks english makes them more American than you. British people are more American than you if you can't read it. It should be a law that you can't be a resident if you don't learn English by at least your second year. You can't even be a citizen unless you express an ample command of the English language, can recite (not from memory of course) the Constitution, and recite one line of great American Literature or poetry from memory.
3.) I'm not telling Americans not to learn another language. Because chances are it will improve your cognitive skills. I want to learn Italian and French. I'm open to other languages, just not when people try to force them down my throat.
4.) There are some people who I adore that only speak Spanish. And I know a lot of my friends are reading this like, oh my Abuela, she's too old to learn to English. I love Spanish Grandma's and they can get away with not learning English, because they're so lovable. But let me never catch one telling me I need to learn Spanish. I actually want to learn Spanish so I can talk to them. I think it's fun. It's limiting not be able to communicate with people you like. And the Abuelita's I've met have a sweet attitude about it and talk to me anyway, and I just nod and pretend like I understand.
5.) Just stop expecting Spanish. That's all I want. The Spanish community has been very accommodating with neighborhoods like Little Havana, where you don't have to speak a lick of English to get by. We have two of the biggest Spanish Network television headquarters here. We are a big juggernaut of the Spanish language. Hell, how do you think Florida got its name. It wasn't Anglican, let me tell you that. We're a making it a little too comfortable for people to not learn English. But I feel like, people are allowed to make themselves at home here. We're a country built on (Legal) immigrants
(Let me just say some other things. I lost a lot of thoughts in writing this. When I get them, they will be up here.
I enjoy Shakira in Spanish more than in English. I think her lyrics are beautiful in her native Colombian Spanish, and in English it's almost a bastardization of her work. So I'm a fan of the Spanish people and the Language, just not the attitude that Spanish is better and that all American have to learn it. It's everyone's choice if they want to be limited. All our political events are conducted in English. If you want to claim your nativity without the American attached to it, go back to you country. For those of you who say, I am this and that, not American. If you were born here, I want you to go back to that country and tell me how much you have in common with those people? How well can you speak to them? Ask them what they think of you? Ask them what they think of America. It's a mini assignment, because chances are you you've done it, or will do it.)
6.) For those of you who already speak Several languages. Shut up in all of them. You already know English...you had to conform in order to be American. Don't enable one group without addressing the other.
7.) Realize that you are ethnocentric. American's go over to Europe and expect all the people to speak English. They think, as my teacher says that louder louder English will translate on its own. But when I go over there. I will have my little translation books. I want people to talk to me in their native tongue. I mean for the first few days a few American signs or guides might be helpful, but I want to be able to order un cafe on my own and say no when someone offers Escargot. Embrace the other cultures.
Language is like religion, you may share it with people, but you can't force it on them. It's not your right. It damn sure ain't your privilege.
I just want anybody's thoughts. Because it's a hot topic and it gets me heated. Especially when people come at me in Spanish, after I told them I only speak English. I try my best to comprehend the Spanish, but if you cant try to speak English...don't try to talk to me.
That's My Rapport
Get at me
Doc Mc Valentine signing off
In my Media Management class we we've been watching this video on the Language Barrier in the Miami area. There were a lot of views expressed by the different minority groups present. The Black community members consensus was that they are being maligned for their inability to speak Spanish fluently. There was a large emphasis on the Cuban community and their overtaking the city of Miami. While, some of the UM students offered their views, I wanted to offer mine.
One Student said when she goes to the mall, in certain stores there are only Spanish-speakers. She expressed the need have both languages in a place of business.
I believe this is correct. In a place of business, for the sake of money you better have someone on staff who can navigate both languages successfully or you lose a customer. This is the reality of our Miami market. While there are jobs where you can successfully get by with one language, business (In Miami anyway) really calls for two, because it means you can help the most people. In my line of work, which is in an English department, you have to speak English. They call it English and Communication for a reason. While I try my best to accommodate the people who are looking for the ESL(English as a Second Langauge) department, I don't always know if I am successful. But I feel like, you walk into an English (Mainly Composition and Speech) department, you have to know English. I mean, you have to know English to get into the classes. Still, some people slip by. I often mistake people for ESL and they correct me that they are indeed in an English class in my department. It still shocks and amazes me sometimes. An accent is fine, even endearing sometimes. But if you can't fully understand simple sentences in English, I worry.
Another student (Black, I don't know if that's relevant.) said he thinks English is the ugliest language and that he feels we have to adapt. Learn multiple languages. Just like when computers came into the market, we all had to learn. (He was very well received by the class and audience.)
Why can't we do the same thing that we did with computers, with language?
Here's why not. Spanish doesn't help "me" complete tasks in my day. It doesn't, allow "me" to search the internet, create word documents and charts, or prepare presentations. It doesn't do anything for "me" in my day-to-day that "I" couldn't do in English, except converse with those who only speak Spanish.
That is the atypical American egocentric response. And while it's flawed, it has some merit. How about people stop trying to convince us learning Spanish is so good, and tell my why they think not learning English makes any sense? I'll gladly learn Spanish when everyone knows english. How can you be American, or want to be American or live in America and not learn English. I don't care what age you are. The constitution is written in English. American culture was founded under the English language. The American Indians know English. (Granted, they were beaten into it by slavery, but they know it.) They had to learn. They don't say, hey let's all speak Cherokee. They learned English and as one of the women in the video said. She was told by a Hispanic person that she has to learn Spanish to get a job. How ridiculous is that? How dare someone tell a person, who has more right to this land than anyone, that the language that was beaten into her ancestors is obsolete. How dare they tell her that she must speak Spanish because it's Miami.
The popular argument is that the pilgrims came over, they pillaged the land and made everyone learn English. You can't use that as a defense. Well what if enough Spanish people come over, then can you pillage and make us all speak Spanish? No. That's not a defense. We are a country that was founded under some shady circumstances and we've tried to make amends for it. But we're here. We established the Government we live under (In English). America and English are synonymous.
We shouldn't erase our culture and nativity. I am personally excited to learn about new cultures and regions of the world. Hell, they're so much food I would miss if we only ate American dishes. I don't even eat many American dishes. What is an American dish? Grilled Cheese? BBQ chicken? Who knows. Diversity is a good thing. I couldn't live without curry goat or Cuban bread. I call skinny plastic slippers Chancletas (Couldn't spell it). I am a product of growing up in Miami. My Spanish isn't all there, but it's there.
So let me express my personal view. I know I probably said some things that people don't agree with. But I don't agree with a few things about the community of Hispanics who only speak Spanish. Granted, they will have to have someone read this to them in English, because I am not translating it. Let's start:
1.) When you come to America, learn English. I don't care how old you are or how hard it is. If you feel like you're gonna die soon then don't want to waste the time, get on it. It's better than sitting around waiting to die, watching Telemundo. ( I want to qualify this statement by saying there are people who are brilliant and do jobs only in Spanish because they were educated in a Hispanic country. But in all the stories I hear, in order for that person to move up, they learned English!) Too all those who don't speak English well, don't give English-only speakers stank looks and tell them they should learn Spanish, which brings me to point number 2.
2.) Don't you ever tell me to learn Spanish, or any other language if you can't speak to me fluently in English. I don't care where you came from. If you cant read the constitution to me, recite (not from memory, but from a book or something) some Walt Whitman, read me the Common sense, you're not American. Even if you've read those things translated in Spanish, the mere fact of anyone who hasn't read it that speaks english makes them more American than you. British people are more American than you if you can't read it. It should be a law that you can't be a resident if you don't learn English by at least your second year. You can't even be a citizen unless you express an ample command of the English language, can recite (not from memory of course) the Constitution, and recite one line of great American Literature or poetry from memory.
3.) I'm not telling Americans not to learn another language. Because chances are it will improve your cognitive skills. I want to learn Italian and French. I'm open to other languages, just not when people try to force them down my throat.
4.) There are some people who I adore that only speak Spanish. And I know a lot of my friends are reading this like, oh my Abuela, she's too old to learn to English. I love Spanish Grandma's and they can get away with not learning English, because they're so lovable. But let me never catch one telling me I need to learn Spanish. I actually want to learn Spanish so I can talk to them. I think it's fun. It's limiting not be able to communicate with people you like. And the Abuelita's I've met have a sweet attitude about it and talk to me anyway, and I just nod and pretend like I understand.
5.) Just stop expecting Spanish. That's all I want. The Spanish community has been very accommodating with neighborhoods like Little Havana, where you don't have to speak a lick of English to get by. We have two of the biggest Spanish Network television headquarters here. We are a big juggernaut of the Spanish language. Hell, how do you think Florida got its name. It wasn't Anglican, let me tell you that. We're a making it a little too comfortable for people to not learn English. But I feel like, people are allowed to make themselves at home here. We're a country built on (Legal) immigrants
(Let me just say some other things. I lost a lot of thoughts in writing this. When I get them, they will be up here.
I enjoy Shakira in Spanish more than in English. I think her lyrics are beautiful in her native Colombian Spanish, and in English it's almost a bastardization of her work. So I'm a fan of the Spanish people and the Language, just not the attitude that Spanish is better and that all American have to learn it. It's everyone's choice if they want to be limited. All our political events are conducted in English. If you want to claim your nativity without the American attached to it, go back to you country. For those of you who say, I am this and that, not American. If you were born here, I want you to go back to that country and tell me how much you have in common with those people? How well can you speak to them? Ask them what they think of you? Ask them what they think of America. It's a mini assignment, because chances are you you've done it, or will do it.)
6.) For those of you who already speak Several languages. Shut up in all of them. You already know English...you had to conform in order to be American. Don't enable one group without addressing the other.
7.) Realize that you are ethnocentric. American's go over to Europe and expect all the people to speak English. They think, as my teacher says that louder louder English will translate on its own. But when I go over there. I will have my little translation books. I want people to talk to me in their native tongue. I mean for the first few days a few American signs or guides might be helpful, but I want to be able to order un cafe on my own and say no when someone offers Escargot. Embrace the other cultures.
Language is like religion, you may share it with people, but you can't force it on them. It's not your right. It damn sure ain't your privilege.
I just want anybody's thoughts. Because it's a hot topic and it gets me heated. Especially when people come at me in Spanish, after I told them I only speak English. I try my best to comprehend the Spanish, but if you cant try to speak English...don't try to talk to me.
That's My Rapport
Get at me
Doc Mc Valentine signing off
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