A Contradiction of Sorts

As much as I am not materialistic, I find myself wondering what I should wear next Thursday when I enter the gates of my college, my home for the next four years. I want to make a good first impression.

With college, some fears and unanswered questions. Will people like me? Well, probably. The people I have talked to on facebook seem to. Will I adjust? I certainly hope so. I don't want to deal with my sister's moods. Am I ready for this? That one is a long shot. How can I know if I am ready for college when I haven't even taken a single class yet. I hope I am ready. I think I am.

This blog is a contradiction of sorts. I am not materialistic. I believe in things other than the material. Yet I like fashion, make up isn't all that bad. But I don't dwell too much on it. Or I tell myself that I don't.

I guess I'll just have to hope for the best.

New Look

So, today I cut my hair.  Well, someone else did it for me.  I thought it would be a good idea to change my look before college.  I still look like Heather.  I wanted a cute new haircut, especially one that would be easy to handle.

Other than that, I didn't really do much today.

Back to the haircut: Having a haircut doesn't really seem that interesting. To me, it also isn't a very big deal.  Some woman think of haircuts as  life or death situations, or it seems as if they do. It's hair.

Yes, being bald probably is a negative experience, but cutting off a few inches of hair is not murder. 

Yeah, I'm bored. Sorry if I've wasted your time. Have a nice evening.

12 Days and Counting

In 12 days I will officially be a college Freshman. That feels so cool. Not to mention devastating. College, for me, is a bunch of open doors. But do I really want to enter these doors? I know I want to become a writer and I know to go through that door. But what then?

Once I start my quest to become a better writer, what will become of me? I am not trying to sound paranoid. However, college is a frightening, awe-inspiring, groundbreaking experience. It is where you find yourself and figure things out. I hope that college will be a good experience. I hope that people (myself included) will leave the drama back in high school, where it belongs). I am not saying that college shouldn't be exciting, or that there won't be any drama at all.

It's life. Life is dramatic. Why would college be any different? I just hope that college will be a good experience, and I see no reason why it should be otherwise. I am going to my dream school, have already made some good friends on facebook and hope to continue those friendships upon arriving on the campus.

I am worried that I will let some good experiences slide by due to my determination to become a published writer. I don't want to take myself too seriously. I want to live, make friends, fall in love, listen to music. I want college to be all that it can be. I want to enjoy everything that it has to offer.

I am a Nerd. Get used to it.

I am a nerd, geek, bookworm, educated citizen. Whatever you wish to call me. What makes me part of this elite group? Shall I explain?

I pride myself in liking authors that most people don't. Notably: Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Nabokov...I like authors who make you think. Even more notable is the fact that I like writing about why I like them.

If I hate an author, I say so. I don't just say that the book is boring. Because, well...how original is that? I need proof, I need to give proof. Some authors do, however, just plain suck. But that's only if they misspell words, don't know basic grammar. Yes, it is possible for them to become published. Some have been published by actual publishers, while many have self-published. (Note: all self-published books are not bad.)

I write for fun. By time I was 17 I had written a novel over 300 pages because I felt like it. No one told me to. I did it because it was fun. When my dad saw how much pleasure writing gave me, he soon began encouraging me. He read my writing and thought it showed promise. My parents then edited my first draft, looking for grammar mistakes and focusing on plot a little. But since they are not creative writers it is hard for them to judge that aspect of my writing.

History and English are my favorite subjects. History class is awesome, but only when I have a good teachers. Freshman year of high school I had a teacher who had no idea what he was talking about. I knew more than he did.

I actually study. I enjoy studying history.

Reading, for the most part, is fun.

I am interested in politics. I am not apathetic.

So, there you have it, folks. I'm a nerd and I love everything about being one.

Tolstoy just owned Hawthorne

Tolstoy does it better, folks.  Hawthorne's attempt to get into the mind of his heroine is laughable, if not downright ludicrous.  It's mockery, even.  The story is so predictable.  He spends pages at a time describing the Scarlet letter.  To me, he seems to think that the reader is stupid.  And who knows, maybe the audience he wrote for was.  But there are several things I'd like to say to Hawthorne:

• One: We get that she's wearing a red letter.  It's red, scarlet, burgundy....It's the letter 'A'.  Move on and stop acting like we don't know synonyms for the color red.
• Two: We get that the A stands for Adultery.  Adultery is a sin. Again, move on.
• Three: This is probably the most annoying part of Hawthorne's writing: Description. There's just too much of it.  Stop describing every bloody thing.  We don't need to know every detail.  In some cases, small details are good. But for you, Hawthorne: EPIC FAIL!!! 
• Four: Why do all of the characters sound the same in the narrative?  At least show how they are different. Yes, their names are different. But for God's sake.
• Five: The plot is too predictable. I'm sure it was fresh and original then, at least in written form. But not in practice.

Final analysis: If Hawthorne were alive today I'd warn him to not quit his day job.

Why Tolstoy does it better:

• One: The characters have actual feelings. Some people think Tolstoy's writing is dry. Yes, it can be viewed as such by some. But there is obvious passion in his words. Like I said, the characters have real emotions.  Anna Karenina is well-written. The emotions speak to the reader. Tolstoy shows how Anna must feel, shows the pressure of the times without sounding too preachy.
• Two: Complexity. Tolstoy's characters are complex. All that one knows of Hester is that she committed adultery, hates wearing the letter, and has a baby named Pearl. But Anna Karenina? She's deep. Will Vronsky leave her? What will she do about her awful husband? And what of her son? You see, Anna actually loves her son. Hester's love of Pearl is indeed questionable.
• Three: Tolstoy does not describe Anna's dress 500 times. He describes her as she is, and only when he needs to. It's not like the color of her dress is that important to begin with. It's not like the color of her dress is what moves the plot forward.

Final Analysis: Tolstoy rocks. Hawthorne ought to take a creative writing class. Better yet, Hawthorne should read Tolstoy. I know that Tolstoy was alive after Hawthorne's death. But, theoretically speaking, Hawthorne would learn a lot from Tolstoy.

So, those are my thoughts about Hawthorne's feeble attempt at a novel.

Bottle Shock

So, I went to see the movie Bottle Shock today with my family.  I had to do a bit of convincing to see the movie.  My dad thought I only wanted to see the flick because Alan Rickman was in it. Well, that might have had something to do with it.  But I had other reasons.  Such as the film was based on a true story and that other good actors were also in it, notably Bill Pullman, Rachel Taylor (she's a real beauty), and Eliza Dushku (she's also a beauty).

I used what we shall refer to a "guilt trip" to get to see this movie. Well, sort of. I went up to my dad, and said, "Dad, can we go to the movies on Friday, August 15?"  Naturally, he wanted to know what was so special about the 15th. "Well, Alan Rickman's in a new movie." Of course. He then goes, "Just because he's in it doesn't mean it's good."  I told him that we should see the movie because I would be going to college soon and it would be some of the last bit of quality time the family would have before I went away.  My college is only about an hour and a half away, but I wanted to emphasize the fact that I would not always be around to hang out with dad. Obviously, since I am writing this blog, my plan worked.

Has my dad never seen Alan Rickman act before? I know he has, but he probably hasn't been paying much attention to the man's God-given talent.

Okay, back to the movie: Bottle Shock. Is it worth your time or not?  That, ladies and gentlemen, is a trick question. Of course it's good. Yes, I'm being biased. But this is one Hell of a movie. It's character driven.  I don't think I've seen a movie where each and every notable character had a motivation of some sort.  There are no stock characters. Of course, not every character has a backstory.  There are the extras.  The casting is spot on.

What's the story?  Rickman plays a man named Steven Spurrier, who is a British French Wine snob.  Well, he isn't really a snob.  He's just British, and well....you're not.  (Please note that there is an obvious disclaimer if a person reading this blog actually IS British).  Spurrier's wine business in Paris, France is not doing very well.  He decides to go to California to find some respectable competition.  He takes the Californian wine back to Paris for a blind wine tasting competition with and all-French panel.  To the horror of the French, the Californian wines win.

While in the Napa Valley, Spurrier meets many interesting people, tries KFC chicken and guacamole.  He even gets a flat tire (and of course he is helped out by the man who later beats him in a wine tasting). What fun.

Check out Bottle Shock. It is a truly great film.

Bittersweet Encounters

So I have 14 more days until I begin my Freshman year of college. It is exciting. scary, bewildering, and awe-inspiring all at the same time. One moment I am ecstatic to think of all the friendships I will make, some of which have already started over facebook. When I say that I am meeting people over facebook, people my parents age laugh. They say "We didn't have that". I know.

I want to meet people on facebook to get to know them. That way, meeting them in person is less awkward. Think about it. We'll already know at least something that we have in common. We can continue that debate about politics or about who has the best taste in music or...whatever. College is full of possibilities, some hidden and some out in the open.

I must admit, things are weird right now. My sister is acting weird. I won't get into that on her, but I really wish she'd get her act together. I am leaving my best friend back in high school. I wish her the best and hope to one day give her the poem I wrote about her. As for her boyfriend, also a good friend of mine, I hope that we remain friends too. I hope they know that they can alway send me a message on facebook when they feel down. Just because I am home does not mean I am too far away. For my friends, I am never out of reach. I will always be there for them. My friends mean the world to me.

I am excited to write papers. I have always enjoyed it. Don't ask why. I just love to write. The written word has immense power for me. It got me through some rather dark times and has helped me realize my full potential.

As a member of the Class of 2012, I hope I am worthy. College, here I come.

Hypocrisy and the Georgian Conflict

The conflict in Georgia may have caused a reaction of shock here in the United States.  I was shocked, too, I admit.  Then my dad told me that the conflict between Georgia and Russia has been boiling for a long time.  To me, war of any kind is a shocking, gruesome, terrible thing.  I am absolutely bewildered by the fact that the world was made through war.

And I am not trying to be naive by saying this.  How is it that something so beautiful was created from something so ugly?  There, I put it bluntly: point blank.  War is a terrible thing.  Anything that involves dehumanizing another human being is detestable, at least in my opinion.

But hypocrisy is far worse.  Does President Bush clearly not see that we ourselves are in a war of our own?  To me, George W. Bush lives in a bubble.  Even though he has travelled to many different countries he continues to live in a bubble, inside himself, inhaling the dangerous air of closed-mindedness.  He seems to think, in my opinion that the US is the best country in the world.  The US is a great country, but certainly not for it's current administration.  The US is a great country because it still has great people.  There are amazing people doing extraordinary things.

I know that I am getting a bit off topic.  But please bear with me.  What Russia did is wrong, though they did have good reason.  That's one of the main things I do not like about war.  The reason's. There's also a reason for going.  But is their ever a reason for not going?  Why is it that war is often viewed as the only option, and never as a last resort?  It should be a last resort, at least according to the Just War Theory.

Just War Theory? Yeah, right

What are we doing, America?

The world is a scary place. Especially since now, when people fight wars, they aren't using muskets any more, we're using guns. Really, really powerful guns. Not to mention bombs, gas, you name it. If there's any way to fight a war, it has probably been used before.

In my social justice class, I learned of the Just War Theory. The theory in many cases is cliche. Anyone who wants to declare war obviously believes that once they are finished, the world will be a better place. I do know that the Iraq War is a difficult situation. Since we started it, we might as well finish it. Yet finishing a war does not killing everything in sight or bombing everything that poses as a threat to the "cause". In my opinion, the war in Iraq is a war based solely on the concept of Manifest Destiny, or the idea that we are somehow chosen to spread Democracy and it's ideals to people who otherwise would've been lost without us.

Manifest Destiny is a bunch of bull.

Obamarama

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this fellow blogger loves Barack Obama. Let me tell you, I do not normally get this excited about politics, especially U.S politics. I like political change, in fact, I love change. In that way I am not your average person who wants to live inside a shell, or build a house within massive walls. Alan Rickman described that well. He said it would be like a "living death." Damn right.

That, quite frankly, is why I voted for Obama in the primary. My first choice, Joe Biden, had already bit the dust. But Barack Obama was the next best thing, if not better.

I do not care that he is black. I do not give a damn. It's just a part of his being. Being black will not make or break Barack's take on the White House. I've talked with people who say that we aren't ready for a Black President.

Well, quite frankly, America...we weren't ready for a lot of things.

• We weren't ready to invade Iraq. (I am sorry if I offend any diehard supporters of this war)
• Before John F. Kennedy was elected, America said they would never elect a Catholic President. JFK was Catholic.
• Many people claimed we weren't ready for integration. But it had to happen someday.

Yes, that's right. It has to happen someday. Having a woman or black person as President is not such a big deal. It has been proved time and time again throughout history that woman are just as smart as men, and that people of different races have different things to bring to the table. Race does not equal intelligence. Hard work, determination, and drive are what makes a person smart. Barack Obama went to Harvard and throughout his life he was worked to get a good education. It shows.

As I said, I like change. For the past 200 years, we have elected old white men. A few have bee young. Some, like JFK, even handsome. I think it's time for change, and time to change the norm. I am not voting for Obama solely based on his promise of change. If I didn't feel he'd bring about change, I wouldn;'t vote for him. He has his wits about him and during the primary he has dealt with some pretty nasty insults from the Clinton Campaign.

Tolstoy is not a Loser

One of my friends wants to know why Tolstoy is not a loser.

Tolstoy is one of my favorite authors. I stumbled upon this genius of an author when I was 14. Oprah's book club was reading Anna Karenina. One of the best books I've ever read. The ultimate soap opera. For those of you who like chick lit full of scandal, this one has it, along with excellent points about society. This not a book to be missed.

With this novel, Tolstoy manages to show the complexity of relationships and love in a way that only he can. Anna Karenina is rich in character, prose, and insight. There are characters worthy of a readers love, and those worthy of hatred. Some are in between, and you must read on to figure out what he or she is all about. Anna Karenina takes place in Russia at the turn of the century. At the time, divorce was scorned in many places of the world. Tolstoy describes perfectly what Anna must be feeling during her troubled marriage and the preceding divorce.

The lives of other characters intertwine is this sprawling love story. This novel is a love story, but also an intense piece of political commentary about the beliefs at the time.

Tolstoy is not a loser for several reasons. One of them being how great Anna Karenina is. Another being his fearless nature. Tolstoy didn't think twice about writing about the political issues of the day. He wrote about, and supported, peasant reform.

If Tolstoy was alive today, he'd be RICH! Think about how many copies of his books are out there, and how many translations there are. I don't know about you, but if someone wanted to translate my book, I'd want a share of the profits.

My Name is Heather

Unwavering Thunder. How poetic? Or do you think it's emo, too? Could be. It's whatever you want it to be. After all, you'll most likely never know me. In fact, the only thing you know right now is that my name is Heather.

I liked that for a title. "My Name is Heather." Straightforward, without a hint of irony.

What can you expect from me? I honestly don't know. I'm random. Check back tomorrow and see if I've met or exceeded your expectations.

I am big on Human Rights. You can expect blogs on the following:

• Amnesty International and all the good that they are doing in the world
• How much I love Barack Obama
• How much I support Human Rights
• The great actor Alan Rickman (I'm not obsessed, I swear. He's just so damn talented)
• The author Leo Tolstoy
• My life as a college student
• My writing endeavors

You see, I cannot just blog about one topic, can I? That would be BORING!