What Should I Say?

The world of blogging was much more than I expected. Being part of this, I have gained truly a lot of experiences, work, emotional feelings and insights for a third of the year. I started this blog for the sole purpose of a grade for a writing internship in college. In kinder words, maybe it was better in a sense that some things (i.e. being a writing tutor) were not meant to be. Grammar is definitely not a strong subject for me. And probably, I would rather not spend time reviewing endless amounts of boring lab reports from underclassmen. If you can’t tell, I’m not slightly at all bitter. The position of a tutor would be the last thing I would ever want to be in life. I am more of a creative person with the imagination of a kid. With that said, you can guess that I already joined a creative club.

Of course, I am also an analytic. Throughout blogging, I was always thinking about the theme of my blog. If you have checked out some parts of it, it’s a mix of environmental, reviews, funny, and serious. So definitely a little bit of everything of what I like and don’t like.

Having talked to my writing adviser, I realized that maybe during the planning process I should have been clearer about my theme. I have a lot of regrets on how to go about writing posts for my blog. I also am kind of sad that I didn’t have enough time to write a review about one book. Due to limited time, graduation, papers, class requirements, and applying for jobs, it was disregarded. This was the consequence of having too much on my plate and so little time. There was no central theme that many readers would comment. And overall, I should have changed my topic. Of course, this is a part of the learning experience.

Things I’ve learned:

• People like reading shorter pieces made up of 500-1000 words (i.e. poems) Reason? Everyone’s busy, quick
• People like looking at pictures Reason? Everyone’s busy, quick
• Writing a long piece takes a long time and definitely a waste if you’re a nobody (hence this post)
• It’s easier being a writer on a well-known blog/site whose interests match yours than starting from scratch
• You’ve got to commit numerous amounts of time on your blog (networking and all) and share your work on other sites

There’s some more things I’ve learned about WordPress, The Daily Post, Freshly Pressed, DP Challenges and more, but that’s for another place (site), another time. What I’ve learned may not even make a blog successful. I don’t even know the secret to get many readers and comments. It could be there’s no secret.

Reading this, there are plenty of negative aspects about blogging. But there were several positive outcomes from blogging. I had a great time writing reviews and posts all the while sharing my writing style. I think that I have strengthened my writing and writing style along the way. I have found several great blogs and posts that were interesting. I am thankful for those who liked, commented and followed my blog. I am kind of embarrassed at my failed blogging attempts. Good luck to everyone. I am really thankful to my writing adviser for helping me along the way and for being understanding when I wrote different things from my so called outline. I am also sorry to my writing adviser about my doing my best. In all, I know that I could have done better. Sometimes, I wanted to throw my laptop at blogging because it felt like a job from 9 to 5. Other times, I have a spark and feel excited about blogging.

If I were to do this writing internship again, I would either blog and fix my mistakes or do a different type of creative outlet and not blog.

Is it too soon to Say Goodbye and Good luck?

Would I blog again? Can you predict the future? Will I blog as Girl On Green again? I really don’t know. It was fun and stressful. The chances are always higher if I become a contributing writer on a good and well-known site.

Thank You Very Much!

Thank you for encouraging youths that they can do what they like.

Forget about all the rules. Because they don’t apply in the real world. Forget about going to school. After all, it’s only your life. Forget about the future. It’s ridiculous listening to adults because they’re the ones who placed the US in debt, caused unemployment, caused climate change etc. And most of all, they’re the ones who left the future hanging.

The adults are not so innocent, but neither are the youths. Because blaming the adults for failing those who don’t study is much easier than taking a look at the real truth. And of course the future is certain. There’s nothing to lose.

Be naive. Stay in your little world, but don’t drag the rest who want to learn and make the world better. And thank you for taking the meaning out of “You Only Live Once”.

Oh Snap!

He was the only one speaking outright that the drivers of the cars should move from the no parking zone for the bus. Everyone’s attention shifted towards him as did mine. I’ve noticed the man had a slight limp. He was only assisting with traffic control. I understood and amused that the worker thanked him as well.

As the bus pulls onto the transportation center, the man opened his mouth and gestured his hands towards the bus driver to pull up to the front.

The bus driver only stopped at the bus sign causing the man with the limp with scold him.

I maneuvered my way down the aisle as I picked up my extremely large suitcase avoiding feet and a folding laundry cart. I took a seat towards the middle of the bus.

I was on the bus back to college. Only two more weeks until winter break. And then I would graduate entering reality.

“Just 30 more minutes” I thought to myself.

And then I would be walking to my apartment.

That man came back again to the front of the bus. Apparently, one scolding wasn’t enough. I understood although I didn’t see the reasoning to reprimand the driver several times. Before the bus left the transportation center, there was a one-sided ‘conversation’ between the man and the bus driver.

A man in a wheelchair was let onto the bus taking the front seat. The final passengers were an elderly couple each with a cane. By then, there were no seats available in the front.

The bus driver left the bus probably to get something to eat or to go to the bathroom. The couple stood by the man in a wheelchair.

Sitting towards the middle, I wanted to offer my seat to them. Preferably the couple wanted a seat closer to the front so they don’t have to go too far.

I looked around towards the passengers in the front, seeing who could give up their seat. A few people could.

No one moved from their spots. Was this the end of a Good Samaritan? What happened to the rule that you must give up your seat to an elderly, a pregnant woman or a young child? Does that not apply?

My heart was starting to hurt. I wonder if people weren’t raised the same way.

I wanted to say something out loud like that man with the limp, but I didn’t. I ignored the itch in my throat. I didn’t have anything in me. You could say I chickened out.

The only thing I did was stood up from my seat hoping someone would move so the couple could sit.

The bus driver came back and on the next stop, an older woman offered her seat to the elderly couple as she took my empty seat.

As the bus drove downtown, I regretted that I kept my mouth shut and that I didn’t take any photographic documentation.

Butterfly Effect

(Episode review of Infinity Challenge – “Butterfly Effect” episode 228– S. Korean TV show)

First Impression: I watched this episode for the interesting title “Butterfly effect”. I have no idea what it may be about. I was pleasantly surprised about the topic.

Would you rather go on a trip to Maldives where it’s warm and sunny or North Pole where it’s cold and snowy?

Me? Maldives! So did the majority of the Infinity Challenge members.

I won’t try to spoil those who want to watch.

Environmental aspect:

Although there were talks about global warming, the episode is also describing climate change. Global warming is part of climate change.

Humor: Extremely hilarious. Their so called vacation turned out to be where the environmental aspect comes in. At the start only three vacationing at “Maldives” were relaxing and having fun. It becomes a nightmare vacation for Maldives and North Pole when they watched, “The Butterfly Effect” or the ‘star’ (regular) life of their last member.

Global Warming: Watching the show on how the last member lives, there is a realization among those at Maldives and North Pole.

Going Green: There are plenty of tips such as turning off the lights, taking the train, turning off the heat when you leave etc.

Climate Change: Every activity done, the world continues to get warmer. These are lasting changes. The North Pole members couldn’t stop the ice from melting.

Real: Although this was a small world, this is a concept to understand global warming, climate change, and going green. There’s a way out to the episode, but in real life it may not be as easy.

Interesting: The last member came to visit both Maldives and North Pole. He had no clue what has been happening. This relates to the real world.

Butterfly Effect Definition: cumulatively large effect that a very small natural force may produce over a period of time or a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world might ultimately cause a hurricane in another part of the world (Taken from an online dictionary)

Butterfly Effect was coined by Lorenz, whose idea was that the changes in the force of the wings can cause a hurricane. The title of the episode does not accurately reflect what it is about. Climate change is a global issue so that rules out the butterfly effect. Also the rate at which environmental issues are happening, nature is not the cause.

Overall: It was very humorous and informational. It is also relatable to the general audience. There is an English subtitle for those who don’t know Korean.

Audience: Everyone

Recommend: If you like humor and/or environment.  or Infinity Challenge. Yes.

The Cuckoos Calling

This is not a review. It’s just a realization!

Being a major fan of Harry Potter, I decided to try out reading J. K. Rowling aka Robert Galbraith. Since J. K. Rowling wanted to break away from the widely popular adolescent book into more for adults, I can’t blame her. I honestly tried reading the book and probably didn’t get passed the first 30 or so pages. I’m on chapter 3, I think.

So I haven’t finished the book, I won’t give it a review. There is only a few that I haven’t finished. But honestly, this book is not for me. I like fantasy with magic and all such as the Hunger Games. Even so, I tend to look past that and read other fiction books and non-fiction. There’s plenty that I consider interesting.

The Cuckoos Calling didn’t seem that different from any other murder genre related book. I wasn’t absorbed in the first page like Harry Potter. To those who read Cuckoo’s Calling, is it great?

Less Than One Percent

I’m considered INFJ

Believed to be very rare

But out of 8 billion living people

That’s very common

And that’s not including the living history

Plain Jane on par with MLK and Mandela

Like Bacteria in your mouth

After the mouthwash

There’s many out there

Janes and Joes

Would you rather be defined by Myers-Briggs

What’s one percent out of 8 billion plus

I rather be the 0.000001

If You Recommend Blogging?

Fellow bloggers,

Now that you are blogging, would you recommend someone else to blog? How?

Apparently, the reason my brother takes a really long shower is because he spends the majority of the time thinking. It was the soothing and rhythm drops of water calms down his stress about school and life. (Talk about the amount of water wasted just thinking). It is be the same for those who sing.

In my progress to lower the water usage in my family, I’ve recommended blogging to him. I’ve told him that erratic and random thoughts could be the main idea. Of course, blogging didn’t appeal to him.

Why? 1. Writing is not his forte. 2. He didn’t want readers, followers or comments. He didn’t want to go public.

After that, I didn’t try to get him to start blogging. I began to question if blogging is right for me.

In 2011, I created a blog because I wanted to just write about what I like. I am not a writer and probably won’t ever be an official writer. I also had a photography blog, but with no photos at all. I stopped blogging all together in several months.

This year, I’ve created a blog again mainly for a creative writing project for a grade and a tiny bit because I wanted to a new blog. I could say blogging is currently a test subject.

Midway results.

For the cons, I would have given up a long time ago should I realized the problem right away. Blogging is not easy. I thought blogging would relieve my stress. Instead the constant pressure and limited time to blog are eating me away and causing me to lose hair.

I begin to question myself, “Maybe people don’t care about the environment. OR Maybe people don’t care about my writing. OR Maybe it’s too long. OR Maybe I began to not care about my blog. OR Maybe there’s no central/focused theme.”

It could be all or a combination. Anyways one thing for sure, I gave up on comments or viewers. Right now, I’m just writing fanfiction and blogging to fulfill the requirements.

The pros are that I began to appreciate interesting topics in art and writing that otherwise I would have no time for, and finding unique posts and bloggers.

I can see the time and dedication many bloggers put into their blog. How would it be easier to have your views increased?

In the time you read my blog, comment about any of the following:

What is blogging to you?                                                                                                                     How you began blogging or why?                                                                                                     How would you recommend if you do?

Be sure to link your blog below and I’ll check out your blog.

Start With Your Family: Go Green

If you can’t educate your family, how can you get the general public to listen? If your family can change for the better, there’s a chance that strangers will also as well.

Some Go Green tips our family has done:

•  Recycle
•  Install a low-flow toilet
•  Turn off lights and computer when not in use
•  Set the thermostat at constant 70 when it’s cold.
•  Use the sun to dry items  Grow plants
•  Buy food from the farmer’s market occasionally
•  Occasionally bike/walk 25 min. to get shopping done

I had no influence in any of these tips whether it is to save money or to benefit the environment. Living in NYC, we have mass transit.

Being a part of the Go Green club in high school, we decided to campaign for energy-saving tips. We sold compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to students and teachers.

• About CFLs
• CFLs vs. Incandescent
• What to do after using CFLs

I have been able to convince my family to change our incandescent bulbs to CFLs. Not only do we save money, we save waste and energy. I bought several CFLs from the school and told my parents the benefits to switching. Today, we buy and use CFLs.

Saving water

If you think there’s plenty of water, you’re living under a rock.

Five-minute shower uses about 12.5 gallons of water. The average shower (10 minutes) uses up to 25 gallons of water, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The average family of four can use 400 gallons of water every day.

I only take 5 to 10 minutes in the shower. My brother on the other hand, takes 20 minutes in the shower. That’s 50 gallons of water. I have tried to tell him to use less time (about 10 minutes). My mother steps in for my brother with the lame excuse that he cleans better than I do. I comment that my father takes even less time about 5 minutes. I only time my brother’s shower time because he takes the longest. I should calculate my mother’s time as well.

How long do you take in the shower? What’s your bill?

Artist: Bryant Arnold

In NYC, tap water only costs $2 per liter. One water bottle costs around the same. NYC water comes from upstate NY where the water is already treated. My family buys several cases of water bottles wasting lots of money, plastic, and water. They don’t trust the water from the tap. There’s nothing wrong with drinking straight from the faucet.

Do you buy water bottles or drink in a cup/nalgene bottle?

Personally I haven’t tried very hard to educate my family or follow my own advice (water bottles). Hence, I’m not very good.

I will put more effort into saving water this Thanksgiving break.

Goals:

• Shorten shower time
• Lower water bill
• Buy nalgene bottles and not buy water bottles

Maybe you can join me. Start with your family. What will you change?

Breaking Barriers

Music in itself is a language. You don’t have to understand the words to the meaning, tone of the song, or what the artist is trying to portray. If the song has reached your ears, chances are that they may also enter your heart.

Music is universal. There are billions of people in the world who listen to songs and artists in another language, but they don’t understand what the artists are saying.

1. What is the point if there is a disjunction between the artist and the audience?

People connect through music. Millions of people today listen to songs and artists in another language even if they don’t understand the words.

2. What if the artist’s limitation from branching out to other countries is because of the language barrier?

Language did not appear yesterday or instantly.

3. Should foreign music be ignored just because they are unfamiliar?    

The answer is No.

Ignored isn’t the right word…Or foreign music? I have not encountered those songs. I just listen to English music.

Most likely, foreign music has not entered your musical database. But haven’t you seen the music page on YouTube or through the news some sort of music that’s not English?

Currently there’s a Latin Music section and Girls’ Generation-Video of The Year section. There’s always a song that’s trending, but it’s in a different language.

Curious? Would you give it a glance? Maybe not right?

I was in your situation years ago. I only listened to English songs because I was exposed to those songs by my friends. Of course, I found American/Canadian/British artists that suit my type of music, alternative rock. I could list and sing the lyrics to my favorite artists.

In 2008, I got a strong exposure to foreign music from my cousin. I just listen briefly to one of the song playing on her iTunes called 10 minutes by Lee Hyori. I shrugged my shoulders and moved on with my life. Not much longer, I looked at a song because my friends raved about it. I finally looked at it because it was on the YouTube music page. It was Hug by TXVQ. I admit that they sang pretty well a cappella since I checked out a few of their other songs such as My Little Princess by TVXQ. I had also didn’t think much of the song, Gee by SNSD (Girls’ Generation).

I went right back to Avril Lavigne, Secondhand Serenade, Pink, Hinder, Nickelback, Simple Plan, All-American Rejects, Green Day etc. When I’m sad, I would listen to their songs. It makes me feel better. Or so I thought.

I struggled my way through my teenage years with a grim smile in order to graduate high school. I can’t say I hated it, but it wasn’t the best. I only focused on schoolwork so I was really stressed out. Music makes me feel better. All those artists that I mentioned before have made me feel that I am not alone.

A Second Glance

In 2010, I thought I would grow out of the awkward and moody teenage self. College was stressing me out and the songs I listen to in times of trouble weren’t helping. I wanted a change.

I wanted to listen to happy music so I could feel happier. I wanted to feel the bond of family even if they weren’t my own. (I have moved away for college.) And that’s when I gave a second glance towards foreign music. I found myself looking at the songs sung by SNSD again.

It wasn’t their pretty looks that got my attention. Looking beyond the appearance, I saw their hard work and their shining, different personalities. They were nine young girls brought together by SM (their agency). They were able to become family and sisters through obstacles they faced by having the same passions and goals. Their songs brought strength and happiness with bond of sisterhood. They have brightened and revitalized my outlook in life.

Songs that made me a fan (SONE): I really like ballads.

Complete by SNSD “You make my life complete” -my favorite line

Forever by SNSD “I want to dream with you forever” -my favorite line

I have become a kpop fan just at the beginning of the Hallyu wave (South Korean wave). I am not Korean, but I like Korean songs. Through kpop, I have gain great knowledge about South Korea, their culture, other artists, dramas and entertainment shows. One day when I have time, I will learn the language and visit the country.

I still listen to English songs. Korean, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese songs have expanded my love for music and occupy a grand space in my music collection.

Why not take a glance? Of course, the translation will always increase your appreciation for the song. To me, there is always a song playing as you live your life. You might as well listen to SNSD’s new Japanese song My Oh My or see their popular song Gee.

I did.

Do You Give Good Advice?

I am a woman of few words. At best, I can answer any questions in one word. I can answer most questions in concise and clear sentences. I do not give good advice as my words stumble when I mutter. I am not the Dear Abbey columnist.

Ask me for advice. Go ahead! I will throw the question back, intentionally not answering the initial question. I would rather direct it away or apologize and shrug my shoulders. At best, I would provide both sides and make no definite conclusion.

Why?

1. For fear that the Advise decides to follow my words, and it doesn’t end well.

2. Lack of experience, wisdom and age.

3. Lack of magical automatic happiness powers in my words. (The ability to make people feel better.)

I can still help. I just don’t like to give bad advice. I always thought that I am not a good person to offer good advice. It turns out that I’ m one of those people that would rather listen to your troubles, tell you to follow your heart and see for yourself what’s best.

It’s not easy to string together words and speak to someone who is seeking advice. I suggest you look elsewhere. Or perhaps I am writing to one with potential.