Cryptography

“The soul is a cypher, in the sense of a cryptograph; and the shorter a cryptograph is, the more difficult there is in its comprehension" Edgar Allen Poe

I really like this quote. He's saying that the longer you know a person, the easier it is to figure them out. This was part of Margaret Fuller's obituary.

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Food and politics shouldn't mix

I'll post a real post soon....I just have to share this:

W Ketchup is a brand of ketchup made in the United States. The brand was founded during the 2004 Presidential election campaign in reference to that fact that the Democratic candidate John Kerry was married to Teresa Heinz Kerry, who inherited an interest in the H. J. Heinz Company upon the death of her first husband.

The company describes itself as "a private company that makes ketchup in America solely from ingredients grown in the USA and does not support the Democratic Party"

Star Spangled Ice Cream is an American ice cream company. They are marketed as a politically conservative alternative to Ben & Jerry's which they feel to be too liberal. Similarly to Ben & Jerry's, the names of the ice cream are puns; Star Spangled Ice Cream's names are plays on conservative phrases and ideas, such as "Smaller GovernMINT" and "Navy Battle Chip." Previously, they offered flavors such as "Bill Clinton Im-Peach" and "Choc & Awe"

Minuteman Salsa is a brand of salsa made in the United States. The brand was founded during the summer of 2006 in reference to the illegal immigration debate.

According to the company's web site, Minuteman Salsa is America's only 100% United States-made salsa. The company boasts of its "Americanness" as its main selling point, claiming the salsa is made in America using "American ingredients". The company's website criticizes "Big Salsa" for owning factories outside the United States.

Minuteman Salsa donates a portion of its profits to the Minuteman Project, a group of American citizens whose goal is to deter illegal crossings of the United States–Mexico border.

The salsa's slogan is "Deport Bad Taste."

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And I thought freedom fries was rediculous and stupid... Thank you America, for proving how stupid and self absorbed you are to the world. France agrees: "We are at a very serious moment dealing with very serious issues and we are not focusing on the name you give to potatoes."

And That minuteman salsa is just fu**ing racist.

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Graduation 2009

Yeah...I know its sort of a big jump from start of classes to end of the semester....I've been very busy. I'm still in lots of medical dept, I don't have insurance coverage, and I'm struggling to get through every week. But I have food, a place to live, a cute boyfriend and something that resembles optimism for the future.

Finals were hard, I had a ten page essay, an eight page essay and a huge Japanese test...but I got good grades this semester. I was so scared to look at them, I seriously thought I failed everything. It was such a relief after I found out I had mostly A's.

I watched commencement last week. THAT was depressing. Seeing everyone I know get their degrees and not walking with them... When the graduation march music started playing I cried. The girl next to me was crying too. But then we suddenly looked at each other and laughed at how silly we were being. After that I was feeling better, and happy for everyone. Erika looked really beautiful in her dress and Jim and Cody were very dashing. David worn a bright green tunic. The class of 2009 ended up getting more awards than any other class, there were so many people with fellowships and honors it was crazy. After the ceremony I ran into Jenna and her family.


Jenna's family is fantastic. They are so kind. And her brother reminds me of my brother. Him and Jenna look so much alike its really funny. Jenna's parents were nice enough to give me an extra meal ticket, so I ate a box lunch with them. And later Jenna gave me all the extra food from her apartment. It was amazing. I don't have a lot of money right now and was just going to live off rice. But now I've got vegetables and noodles too! Jenna is going to India to work with a women's group there, and I think she will be wonderful. She has a very kind heart.

I am living in the same apartment I did last semester. Its just for the summer. I don't know what dorm I'm living in next semester yet.

I am taking internet courses from Navarro College in Texas over the summer, and working in Oberlin. It should be a productive summer.

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Got the Flu...

Its now the 3rd week of classes. They are going pretty well. I especially like the Japanese prints class I'm taking. I got sick again though, which is really frustrating. Last Wednesday I suddenly got a fever and was feeling really bad. I went to the doctor the next day and found out that I had the flu. I got there soon enough to take anti-viral medicine though, so I'm feeling better, and I only missed a day of classes. My gym class is really killing me though, I'm so sore. I'm hoping that I get over it soon... This Wednesday I took my first Japanese test of the semester, hopefully it went ok. It was a hard test, and I need to study more to get caught up. I need to do more homework, but I'll try to post again soon. But before I do I have to share some clothes this girl named Mari Santos created out of large T-shirts. They are pretty awesome. Makes me want to start sewing again.

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4 months, doing better

Its been a very long time since I last posted. A lot of things have been going on. I'm not sure where to start... My life is better now though. I'm back in school taking really awesome and interesting classes, I have a great job with the lorain county urban league, and insurance until November.

I guess I'll start with summer? In August I moved into a really nice appartment: 3 stories 5 bedroom, 3 bath with mostly new furnishings. It was also very cheap for such a nice place. I got along really well with my housemates too.

I stopped working at the Alumni Office after Aug. 31. Since I took fall semester off (I was incredibly sick from mono, pnuemonia and strep throat...) I was no longer a student and couldn't work at a student job, which is what the Alumni Association was considered. I had enough money saved up to pay for rent for the next 4 months of the semester though, so I didn't work. Instead I slept alot, and tried to eat really healthy. I have been taking 8 different vitamins everyday which has helped me greatly. I was deficient of almost everything because of the tumor I had, and then getting mono and pnuemonia made things worse.

So for Sept. Oct. Nov. and Dec. I focused on getting healthy. In January I was back in school. I had to meet with a lot of deans and professors, register for classes, apply for housing and meal plans and do finanical aid.

In January (winter term)I took an intensive gamelan (indonesian gong) course which was really fun. I started working out at the gym too, I was feeling better and getting my energy back.

I visited Dallas to see my Grandparents and Aunt/Uncle/Cousin. I hadn't seen them in a few months, and not since I'd been in the hospital.

I moved into Asia house. Some people I know are living there this year and I've been making new friends as well. I also really like my classes this semester. I"m taking Japanese 202, Japanese art history: Prints, Japanese avant-guard film, the gamelan emsemble and a gym class for credit. My classes have great teachers and are really interesting. I"ve also been getting the homework done early. Its much better than my last semester at Oberlin. My friends Coulter and David are also in some of my classes, which make things better as well.

I got a new job as the Electronic Communications Director for the Lorain County Urban League. (Its a non-profit organization that help poor african american's with housing, healthcare and education) My job is to build the infrastructure for an electronic newsletter, rss feed, blog, facebook group and other things to help raise awareness and money for the LCUL's programs. I get to work mostly from home and I take the bus to the main office once a week to update my boss and take about my plans and progress.

I'm also sort of dating someone. He's really cute and nice. For once I'm happy about valentines. :D

Ok, I'll try to post more. I need to do homework now though.

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Cruise, fair and Moving...

So Satoko got extra tickets to a school funded cruise on lake erie...and Me, Nancy and Andrew got to go! It was really fun. the ship was full of nerdy med students, so I got along with them pretty well. We got a free dinner; chicken in butter-wine sauce, pasta and cake, a tour of the lake/cleaveland docks, and there was an open bar and disco...and lots of dancing. Here's some photos:





After the cruise we spent some time at Satoko's appartment and I got a ton of free migraine pills from Satoko's awesome roommate Pria. Pria got them from india but ended up not being able to use them. This is saving me so much money...and I was out of medicine.

I spent the rest of the week working and organizing things at the office. I made some headway into my court case, found a lawyer and sent in a ton of information to them. Its hard having to do this long distance. When I'm in texas, there are things I can't get done in Oberlin, and when I'm in Oberlin its the opposite... Later in the week I went to the county fair.


Nancy and Andrew took me to the fair. It was really really fun. Lots of good food, animals and rides. Right after getting there Andrew decided to give blood at the bloodmobile, and while he did that me and Nancy looked at all the animals that were going to be judged. I really liked the goats at the fair they were cute and very talkative. It took over an hour for andrew to be finished and Nancy was mad at him, so he spent the rest of the night making it up to her. :) I got some fried cheese curd and a hamburger. . .Andrew bought some fudge and tickets for everyone to ride a ride (which was really nice of him). I rode my favorite ride, the one with swings that go in a circle., and Nancy and Andrew went on the fairis wheele.



I also had to move into my new place this weekend. Lucas informed the house that they wanted everyone out by monday...so I've been moving things by bike all weekend. (I"m so tired!) I almost have everything over here and I'll post up some photo's of my appartment later on. Tons of people have come back for the school year. Its awesome, but also strange...like I'm in a dream. Things are going so fast.

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