tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53353558620945485262024-03-14T03:26:15.216-07:00In Sanity.An Unofficial Guide to Staying Sane in an Insane World.Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-77865747823798635012011-10-01T19:36:00.000-07:002011-10-07T09:57:14.862-07:00Becoming a Man/WomanSummer of 2010 was an interesting time for me. I had just graduated from high school, so I was no longer required to be miserable in an educational institution. I could be miserable in an educational institution on my own volition! My friends, some of which I have known since elementary school, were going off to school, and that was pretty weird. Oh, and it was my last year being a minor. Yes, I was turning 18, and it was kind of weird.<div><br /></div><div>One August day after standing awkwardly in front of our friend's house, only to be quickly shooed away after being discovered we were loitering, a friend and I walked to some grocery store, bought bread and headed over to my old elementary school nearby. </div><div><br /></div><div>As we walked over, the topic of me being old was brought up. I stated that I didn't feel like a proper adult or a man. So we discussed certain things I could do to become a man. </div><div><br /></div><div>We came up with a few ridiculous ideas. Perhaps I could fight for a pretty girl's honor. But that would require me having upper body strength, which I don't. I am weak. I could save a baby from a fire... But that wouldn't work either. I'm afraid of fire and that would also require strength. Also babies sometimes creep me out.</div><div><br /></div><div>At this point we realized that I was basically fucked. Then we decided that all that was needed to become a man was to say that you are a man. So then I said I was a man, and we went with that for a while. </div><div><br /></div><div>But I never really felt like a man. For some time after that, I went around living life in this awkward state between man and boy, a state that I call moyhood. I spent a year living as a moy and, well, it was kind of really weird. But I went with it.</div><div><br /></div><div>One day, I woke up with the urge to buy Legos. There was this pretty bitchin' set I saw a few days earlier that I had to have. So I drove to the bank to pull out some money so I may purchase this wonderful toy. Then there was some lady that was all like, "Are you a student? If you are, we can give you a credit card which is a totally good idea for some kid who barely got a job and is prone to spend like a crazy fucker from the 1920s. Yeah. You want one?"</div><div><br /></div><div>I was well aware that she would not let me leave until I said yes, so...</div><div><br /></div><div>A few days later, I went to check the mail. I don't know why, I never get mail. Anyway, it just so happened that I did get mail that day. My credit card had arrived. And then I realized something...</div><div><br /></div><div>All the men I know have credit cards. </div><div><br /></div><div>It dawned on me that this is what was required for me to become a man. I had arrived. Boyhood was gone. Moyhood was also gone. I had entered the land of men. By that I mean I had become a man. Yeah.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think we go around in life worrying and stressing out over things like this. We are bombarded with ideas and steps on what it takes to be a man or a woman. But there probably aren't any real steps in reaching this state. But yet some of us continue to worry about it and, as we all know, that's never good for our sanity. Freaking out over something trivial like this never ends well. Don't fucking obsess, people, jeez. </div><div><br /></div><div>No but seriously, if you are on the verge of stressing out about this too much, just remember that you can decide what you must do to become a man or a woman or whatever you want to be. It can literally be anything! You can punch a gorilla in the face, jump off some tall person, kiss a pretty boy or girl, anything! For me, becoming a man was as simple as receiving a credit card. My man card.</div><div><br /></div><div>You define who and what you are.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-36937383260016860812011-08-11T16:39:00.000-07:002011-08-11T17:46:38.296-07:00Wisdom Teeth<div style="text-align: left;">Much has occurred since my last real post, dearest reader. I have changed majors, a decision that was not made easily, I passed all my classes, I have obtained the ability to drive an automobile, played and talked to many cats, watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, strengthened my relationship with strawberries and peanut butter, and I have stared at the face of death and misery and somehow survived.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>I'm not going to build up any suspense. At this point it should be pretty obvious what terrible thing I had to go through. I mean, it's in the title of this post, and I'm sure you're clever enough to figure it out. I had my wisdom teeth pulled. The day after school ended. This is how my summer started. With pain. This made me very sad.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>I went to the dentist place a while ago, and it was there that the four bringers of misery and woe were coming in. There they were, coming in slowly, like the Titanic making heading straight towards that massive iceberg. I knew chaos was to ensue. </div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">
<br /></span></div></div><div>At first I imagined the four wisdom teeth to be evil little fuckers out to make my life suck. But I soon realized that they weren't evil little fuckers. Despite their name, they really aren't wise. They were just four stupid, confused teeth, trying to help their older brethren with my chewing. But they actually just screw everything up, headed towards the other molars in a stupid manner, only to impact them and make them all claustrophobic and shit. I wasn't willing to let them mess up my nice teeth, especially after enduring three goddamn years of braces. No, my teeth were to stay straight. They're the only good physical feature I have, goddamnit. </div><div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">
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<br /></div><div>The night before the surgery, I was instructed to take Valium to keep me calm and help me sleep. I had lots of fun with it. I was watching television after I had taken the Valium and I remember seeing a thin Buddha. I apparently found this hilarious and started cracking up for no reason. I then stumbled to bed while giggling. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>But then everything went to shit the next day. I was sedated and put into a fucked up state of consciousnesses. I felt nothing in this state, and I was mostly asleep it seemed. It turned out I wasn't actually asleep, but just entirely unaware of what was happening around me. I did however hear these terrifying sounds of drills and other tools that I can only assume were instruments of torture from those terrible Saw movies. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>When I finally came around, my mouth was stuffed with cotton andI discovered that I couldn't feel my face at all. I was bored out of my mind. I found my chin and lips that had become completely numb to be a glorious fountain of joy and amusement and I began playing with these body parts. My mother made me stop. This made me very sad.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>After some degrading minutes filled with whining, incoherent mumbling, and bodily fluids, I was able to leave the premises. I was taken back home and I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up to the sounds of my sister making popcorn and a fishbowl on the table with water but no fish. This made me very sad.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>I was thinking clearly again which cheered me up a bit. But then, out of nowhere, my life of peace and sweet, sweet innocence came to an end. It was as if we were cruising at a speedy but comfortable 60 miles per hour, only to have the driver be a complete douchebag and slam on the breaks taking us down to a complete dead stop in a matter of two seconds. Then whiplash.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>From the back of my mouth, something was rising. Dark, deep, malicious holes consuming all happiness and joy were awakening. Tiny demons known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nociceptor">nociceptors</a> continuously struggled and fought within these black holes, making everything miserable, sad, and painful for me. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Fortunately, I had a weapon to fight back these evil little demons: Vicodin! I had heard stories about this drug making people feel sick, happy, pain-free, and more, so it would be interesting to see how it would affect me. I was looking forward to having the pain stop, so I went ahead and took one. And, yes, the pain ceased and I was happy. But then shit got weird. I was unable to function normally, my thoughts were scattered, and I got pretty fucking dizzy. Simple tasks like playing with Legos became incredibly difficult and impossible without the help of my two friends and scissors had become much more dangerous now. The more I took the drug, the blurrier everything got. The week after I got my teeth pulled is kind of like a smear on my memory. Everything is blended together and hard to make out. This made me very sad.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>But alas, I have recovered. A few months have passed and my sanity has not left me. I think. If you have yet to have your teeth pulled, I don't think you should worry too much. There is no guarantee that your teeth pulling will be as enjoyable as mine. It could be a lot worse. Or even more enjoyable! But I have some words of advice that may help.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>First off, I think one of the most important things you can do is to keep yourself entertained. Boredom can seriously fuck you up. With your teeth gone, and cheeks all swollen, going out into public may not be the ideal thing to do, especially when you are prone to bleeding and passing out and running into pointy objects. So if you aren't used to hiding inside all day, get used to it. Find a good book, or ask some of your friends to let you borrow some movies or games or something. You can try doing some puzzles, but you could possibly be in a state of complete confusion and helplessness, so that could actually exacerbate the situation. Getting used to eating mushy foods will help too. You won't be doing a lot of chewing after your teeth are pulled, which actually really sucks especially when a sibling of yours decides to make delicious popcorn knowing you are near the vicinity of said popcorn making and unable to eat said popcorn. Seriously, don't let anyone living in your house do that shit. It's the worst thing ever and it just makes you want to cry.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>I had the unfortunate experience of not being able to remember much of the whole week after having my teeth pulled. It was horrible. Having to ask your friends what you did when they came over is kind of pathetic and sad. I have an idea for you, dear reader, so that your memory loss, if you experience any, will not totally fuck you up. Much like some people do with their dreams, you too should keep a journal of your life on drugs after getting your teeth pulled. I don't know if it'll help, especially if you're all loopy on weird drugs, but it might! And it'll make for possibly funny, nonsensical words and stuff. It's a generally positive idea, I think. Just do it, damn it.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>But more important than that, just remember that this too shall pass. It'll suck, but it'll only suck for a while. And remember that everyone responds differently to the procedure. Go ask around for several opinions and accounts from your friends and family members and random strangers on the streets. They'll give you some good insight. Hopefully.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>So take a deep breath of that laughing gas and let the drugs lull you to a peaceful slumber. Happy teeth extractions!</div><div>
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<br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMMrL4nHoBroN-wVVaH4jvJ4r1rCkppNxoqkv29FJdn7ANqL-Dq31ZnOdDRdGr_j2pWzwG-BSbfJDvZGr3_faaoRPcgp9iZ5pYqcltWjoA3kCGhd0N8HkZdjzd4xYgwsn0P0wp8kyFHE/s400/002.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639746284566250850" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 400px; " />Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-41966922354063259082011-08-11T12:16:00.000-07:002011-08-11T12:21:22.571-07:00HiatusesHello, all!<div>It has been a while. I chose to take a break when I decided to be lazier. It was a life changing decision. Sort of. I did do other things instead of writing, and I suppose taking breaks is always a nice way to ensure that you continue to enjoy whatever it is that you do. Whether it's writing, being in a relationship with that awfully pretty girl/boy (yes, boys can be pretty too), running, eating (that isn't safe, though), or existing, the break will surely show you how much you've missed that activity or whatever.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>But now I am back for reals, you guys, and I will continue to try writing for, like, the few of you that actually read this. Unless I get lazy again. </div><div>Only time will tell.</div><div>
<br /></div>Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-81416956377852115562011-02-16T12:27:00.000-08:002011-02-16T12:46:17.710-08:00The End of the World Part 3: HumanityDecember 21, 2012 is believed to be the day that we all die at the hands of Mayans, bad movies, some crazy natural disaster, zombies, the planets lining up, time stopping, some massive flood that will engulf the whole world, division by zero, some kind of deity, Cthulu fighting Godzilla, etc.<div><br /></div><div>Or in some cruel yet hilarious way, we'll probably end up killing ourselves on this day due to mass panic, rioting and freaking the fuck out. Oh, the irony.</div><div><br /></div><div>My astronomy professor told us that if the world does come to an end, it'll probably be at the hands of humans. Which isn't very surprising. We've managed to create atomic bombs that really fuck shit up, we can't seem to get along with each other, we're destroying our planet, calculus exists, and no one seems to be doing a damn thing about it. And people that do something about it seemed to be ignored by everyone else. </div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps it is too late for our sanity. Maybe the human race has already gone insane. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not trying to be pessimistic. There is hope. As incredibly stupid the human race appears to be, we are capable of undoing most of our wrongs. Maybe. </div><div><br /></div><div>So go out, teach, lecture, protest, volunteer, listen, write, pray, sing, donate, do whatever you feel will help. Keep your sanity, and help promote sanity to the rest of the world. Insanity may slowly be leading us to the end of the world. Let's stop that. Because let's face it, when it comes to destroying our world, we do it better than anything else.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-38193501056092452092011-01-30T15:02:00.000-08:002011-02-16T12:26:02.402-08:00The End of the World Part 2: Natural DisastersI live in California. As a Californian, I have a lot of things to worry about. Earthquakes, beautiful celebrities ruining my self-esteem, heavy snowfall, stormy, rainy weather, unforgettable California girls who wear Daisy Duke's and bikinis on top, UV radiation, and in a matter of years, the end of the relationship between the Golden State and The U.S. It will be a terrible break up.<div><br /></div><div>So maybe some of us Californians will be slightly prepared for the end of the world, right?</div><div><br /></div><div>Hell no.</div><div><br /></div><div>If the world does end due to some form of crazy-go-nuts natural disaster, it'll be terrifying worse than what us Californians, or any other earthling has ever experienced. Maybe.</div><div><br /></div><div>Natural disasters are numerous. Here's a list:</div><div>Earthquakes</div><div>Tsunamis</div><div>Heavenly bodies colliding with the Earth</div><div>Killer Whales</div><div>The Sun exploding</div><div>Tornadoes</div><div>Hurricanes</div><div>Volcanoes</div><div>Flooding</div><div>Global Warming</div><div>etc.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not going to cover all of these. I'll probably just talk about events where we can prepare. The Sun exploding is an instant death sentence, as well as the Killer Whales War that could take place.</div><div>And I mean asteroids and comets and stuff when I mentioned heavenly bodies. I'm staying away from religion. Really far away.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's start with earthquakes.</div><div>I could get all geological right now, but that's not important. So for this blog, an earthquake is pretty much the earth having an epileptic fit. </div><div>The earth's seizures have a scale of how destructive they are. 1 being mediocre, and 10 being deadly to the extreme. When the world ends, it'll be a level 10 earthquake that will have killed us all. Everyone around the earth will feel it and they will be sad.</div><div>The best thing you can do is pretty much buy a flying house. They aren't on the market <i>yet</i>, but they might be soon. Invest in one of those, or whatever. I don't know any of the house buying stuff. Just get one. Or just hide under a really strong table. Canned foodstuffs will help you live longer, too. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not going to lie, you guys. I know little about earthquakes. I've experienced, like, three in my life. My first encounter with an earthquake took place way back when I was just a wee lad, sleeping all safe and sound in the warm confines of my bed. I was slumbering peacefully when my dear mum started screaming at the top of her longs that the ground was shaking. I would've been able to sleep through it, and to be honest, the earthquake probably wouldn't have scared too badly. My dear mother's cruel awakening, however, made it all the worse. </div><div>So in case of an earthquake, stay calm. Unless you want to scare your children. And scar them for life. Jerk.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's discuss flooding now.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've never been in a flood. I have known people that have, though. And of course we're probably all familiar with the catastrophic events that can occur because of these natural disasters. </div><div>Like earthquakes, one should prepare for these fucked up events. I'm not going to tell you what to do to prepare. Look it up yourself. Geez.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm just going to skip all the boring natural disasters. Hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes, all that stuff. Best you can do is just prepare for those, I guess. You'll be in a state of peace and stuff, so you'll probably do fine. Probably. Learn how to swim just in case.</div><div><br /></div><div>In real life, Bruce Willis probably won't be able to save us from a massive asteroid the size of Texas crushing us all. I don't think anything can prevent that. So if you're really worried, start training yourself to endure polluted air, a toxic atmosphere, a lack of sunlight and healthy vegetation, and all that good stuff. But if you live in Los Angeles, you're probably good to go.</div><div> </div><div>So this post kind of really sucks. I apologize. But like the post prior to this, the whole point is to just prepare so you aren't freaking out. It's like taking a test, I guess. If you don't study, you'll probably fail the test and you'll be freaking out the whole time. Whereas if you study, you probably won't. Ugh.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anywho, most of these events aren't preventable. We can treat killer whales nicely so they don't revolt against us, and we could possibly build a bad-ass laser that will destroy asteroids. But if we are to die by the cruel hand of Mother Nature, then that sucks. At least we won't be to blame. That would really suck, and it would be embarrassing. No, but we won't be doing that anytime soon. We humans are smart and wouldn't dare bring the end upon ourselves. Right?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Right.</div><div><br /></div>Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-79219505966881050902011-01-30T14:42:00.000-08:002011-01-30T15:01:11.415-08:00The End of the World Part 1: The Undead Part 2Probably the most confusing title for a post, am I right? I apologize, this was last minute.<div><br /></div><div>Colleague pointed out that I had missed a lot in my previous post and so he sent me what I had failed to mention. I thought it was very informative and fucking hilarious.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's a special guest post, you guys! Read and stuff!</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, and the second part of the End of the World posts should be up soonish. School has started once more and I have been barraged with a gratuitous amount of homework. So that's my excuse. Anywho, enjoy.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>You don't have to use all of this or any of it, I just thought you might like a little extra insight. And if you do use any of this and like the way I have worded anything you can go ahead and use it and I swear I wont take you to court for plagerismorwhatever.</div><div><br /></div>Zombies: You'll need fire starters, more than just one Bic, something that'll last a while. Knives, big ones for zombie killing, little ones for survival purposes, get extras in case you leave some in zombie heads. Get a gun, they're helpful.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: large; border-collapse: collapse; ">Can't shoot and have to get close? Get a shotgun. You barely have to aim.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >Can shoot and like to stay away from the zombies all safe and cozy on a hill top? Get a rifle, preferably with a scope, and get a hand gun in addition, just in case shit goes down. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >Golf clubs are essential. They hit just as hard as a bat but in a smaller surface area so deliver more damage. If that surface area is, say a zombie's temple, then you're golden. Nobody owns or sells one club so grab the lot and stash them wherever camp is cause they're bendy little fuckers and you'll need replacements. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >Associate yourself with a badass, one who's not yet a zombie, 'cause you'll need someone with the balls to shoot a friend without hesitation if they get bitten. Feeling sentimental towards the undead gets you killed. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >Get a large frying pan, it'll help you cook any meat you hunt down. It's also pretty useful as a hard object. And if shit really hits the fan and if you get attacked at home, you can hit zombies on the head and it'll have pretty good results. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >Get some soap if you can find it, if not more alcohol. vodka would be good, it kills germs effectively. Shovels are nice to have around camp if you can score one. Say you kill a deer for dinner, what do you do with all the parts you cant eat like a stomach full of bile? Take it far off camp and bury it with the aid of your shovel. That way zombies don't smell it and neither do any other unpleasent scavengers. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >Bicycles are helpful as well. Zombies aren't fast and bikes don't run out of gas. But if you can score a car for emergencies go for it. Not a Prius, though... </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >AND STOCK UP ON WATER!<div><br /></div><div>Vampires: Fuck axes like you see in the movies, you only get one shot with and ax if you miss. Vampires are really fucking fast. Find yourself a sword, if you cant find a proper sword because for some reason they aren't very popular weapons any more, just a long flat piece of steal that you've drug on concrete until it became sharpish. It'll do fine. Use it to cut vampire heads off. </div><div>First thing you should do when you hear of vampires running around is go straight to you local hardware store, high school and college and raid the vocational classrooms (metal shop, wood shop, auto shop etc.) for supplies and use all the supplies you find to reinforce your house for night time so no vampires break in. Stay inside when it's dark and get yourself a watch with an alarm on it and set it to go off so that you can get back home with two hours to spare before dark. That way you can go over every part of the house and make sure everything is closed properly and have time to fix anything that might have gotten broken or out of place, making sure everything is ship-shape for the night. Make NO noise during darker hours. Extinguish ALL light during dark. Stay INSIDE during darker hours. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you have a pet, kill it - they are just too unpredictably noisy and too hard to keep quiet all night. Go to a church and grab a bunch of proper crosses, find yourself some silver, and start eating a bunch of garlic just in case the myths are true. Sharpen a bunch of thick sturdy stick to points and learn where the heart is in the human body if you are dumb and don't already know. Only go out when the sun is up, too.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So there you have it, folks. Good advice from Michael. </div><div>Now you're prepared to not die and stay sane!</div></span></span></div>Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-89250537351665839152011-01-13T09:28:00.000-08:002011-01-13T19:39:17.032-08:00The End of the World Part 1: The UndeadHappy new year, everyone! I thought I'd start off 2011 in a positive way and talk about the apocalypse!<br /><br />Way back when in, like, November, or something, a friend of mine told me that I should discuss the end of the world on this here blog. At first, I couldn't figure out what the apocalypse had to do with going insane, but I figured it out! That's why I'm writing about it!<br /><br />Before I go any further, I'd like to let you know that I care about you, dear reader. I am aware that the topic of the end of the world isn't a topic some people like to discuss. So I'm letting you know now that this is pretty much what I will be writing about. So if you aren't fond of the idea, perhaps you should reconsider reading this. Your call, yo.<br /><br />This series of posts are aimed at those who believe the world will end, those curious on how the world might end, and those who are bored. Many people may worry about surviving the end of the world, which may cause them to begin to stress out and be afraid, which can lead to insanity. The proper way to ward of going insane in this situation is through the power of information and knowledge. So, dear reader, I will attempt to provide you with this information, but, again, please note that I'm not a professional in anything. So if you decide to take this seriously then learn that my advice doesn't actually work, get over it. It's your fault for taking it, so ha!<br />I've warned you.<br /><br />A "colleague" and I made a list of the most likely ways that the world will end. We have "gathered" information and I have been given permission to report our "findings."*<br /><br />Without further ado, let us begin. Today's topic of discussion will be on the undead, which includes zombies and vampires, I guess.<br /><br />Let's start with zombies.<br />Let's start with defining zombies.<br />According to Dictionary.com a zombie is...<br /><br />-noun<br />1. (in voodoo)<br />a. the body of a dead person given the semblance of life, but mute and will-less, by a supernatural force, usually for some evil purpose.<br />b. the supernatural force itself.<br />2. (informal)<br />a. a person whose behavior or responses are wooden, listless, or seemingly rote; automaton.<br />b. an eccentric or peculiar person.<br />3. a snake god worshiped in West Indian and Brazilian religious practices of African origin.<br />4. a tall drink made typically with several kinds of rum, citrus juice, and often apricot liqueur.<br />5. (Canadian Slang) An army conscript assigned to home defense during World War II.<br /><br />We know zombies to be those guys that were alive, but were infected by some virus, that made them dead, that brought them back to "life," and had a strong desire to consume human flesh. You know, the scary, walking dead humans that want to eat you. They normally have tattered clothes.<br /><br />According to Max Brooks, the awesome guy that wrote <i>The Zombie Survival Guide, </i>we are taught the science behind zombies. Solanum is, according to Brooks, the virus that turns regular people into zombies. There are symptoms, too!<div><div><br /></div><div>You know how in the movies, people who are bitten by zombies don't tend to die right away? They look pretty shitty, right? That's 'cause they're sick. And when someone is sick, they tend to show some symptoms. These are the symptoms, according to Brooks, that are exhibited. Hour by hour!</div><div><br />Hour 1: Pain and discoloration (brown-purple) of the infected area. Immediate clotting of the wound (provided the infection came from a wound).<br />Hour 5: Fever (99–103 degrees F), chills, slight dementia, vomiting, acute pain in the joints.<br />Hour 8: Numbing of extremities and infected area, increased fever (103–106 degrees F), increased dementia, loss of muscular coordination.<br />Hour 11: Paralysis in the lower body, overall numbness, slowed heart rate.<br />Hour 16: Coma.<br />Hour 20: Heart stoppage. Zero brain activity.<br />Hour 23: Reanimation.<br /><br /></div><div>So that's that. Once there are zombies running, erm, I mean, limping, or whatever, one should be very cautious. Zombies aren't fast, so they may seem like they are a pathetic force, but in numbers, if you're not prepared, you're pretty much screwed. </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, right, here's some fun information that will quell some of your fears! Zombies can't run. Yeah, all the stuff you see in those movies with zombies sprinting isn't real. No, <i>real</i> zombies don't run.</div><div> </div><div>Anywho, my "colleague" and I made a list of stuff that is essential to survive the zombocalypse. Brooks has one, too, but I ain't talking about Brooks' book the whole time. Go read it, and arm yourselves with knowledge.</div><div>Here's the list:</div><div><ul><li>Water</li><li>Alcohol (for disinfecting wounds and such)</li><li>Alcohol (it'll help settle your nerves, according to Colleague)</li><li>A way of defending yourself (chainsaws aren't good, though. They're loud and can attract more zombies.)</li><li>Ammunition if your way of defending yourself requires it</li><li>Some form of entertainment</li><li>Food (You know, the kind that won't go bad quickly)</li><li>Knives</li><li>First aid kid</li><li>Common sense</li></ul>It has been theorized that the list can be cut down to, like, three of these: Water, alcohol and food. Alcohol can be used as a form of entertainment, disinfectant, and as a tool of defending yourself (Molotov cocktail). This is probably a little risky, though.</div><div><br /></div><div>Apart from fear, something else also threatens your sanity in this situation: the moans of the undead. Imagine hearing someone complain 24/7. Your sanity would soon cease to exist after a few days. So make sure you distract yourself from the scary sounds. If you go insane while zombies are out to eat you, you're fucked.</div><div><br /></div><div>So that's zombies. There is another portion to the undead, though that has yet to be discussed. Vampires are scarier than zombies. They can think and stuff. </div><div><br /></div><div>Once again, Dictionary.com.<br /><br />–noun<br />1.a preternatural being, commonly believed to be a reanimated corpse, that is said to suck the blood of sleeping persons at night.<br />2. (in Eastern European folklore) a corpse, animated by an undeparted soul or demon, that periodically leaves the grave and disturbs the living, until it is exhumed and impaled or burned.<br />3. a person who preys ruthlessly upon others; extortionist.<br />4. a woman who unscrupulously exploits, ruins, or degrades the men she seduces.<br />5. an actress noted for her roles as an unscrupulous seductress: the vampires of the silent movies.<br /><br /></div><div>The last two entries are scary, but we will be focusing on the first three.</div><div><br /></div><div>Zombies are easy to kill. Destroy the brain in any way and you're good. Vampires are really specific, though. You need like a stake and guts to kill a vampire. Or expose them to light. Unless they're the vampires that Stephanie Meyer has created, but those should be easy to kill.</div><div><br /></div><div>The real scary vampires, though aren't. Vampires can fuck you up easily. I mean seriously, they only come out at night. They know we have pretty crappy night vision and they take advantage of that fact. With zombies, there is a chance you'll live if you do everything right. Vampires on the other hand...well, a lot of it will probably have to do with luck. Unless you're a clumsy, awkward teenager who just moved to an obscure town in the northwest, looking for true love or whatever. But don't get your hopes up. Vampires can easily fuck you up. I mean, anything that can turn into a bat at will and has, like, three weaknesses that aren't easy to utilize is not to be trifled with. </div><div><br /></div><div>But vampires being the death of all us is a lot less unlikely than zombies eating us. Seriously.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the end, though, a lot of the ideas of surviving really have to do with common sense and being able to function. So when the day comes when the handsome anchorman alerts you to undead walking about the streets of Seattle, or something, don't panic, stay calm, and act quickly and properly. This will ensure your sanity. Hopefully. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>*My colleague is my red headed friend. We are freshmen in college. We have very little knowledge on the subject of the end of the world. The only real information we gathered was basically from <i>The Zombie Survival Guide</i>. The rest we just thought made sense. So this stuff I'm writing about aren't really findings. They kind of are, though, right? Right.</div></div>Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-39374516349523836152010-12-20T11:07:00.000-08:002011-01-04T22:28:07.619-08:00The Holiday Season<div>Everything goes downhill after Thanksgiving. Well, not really.<br /><br />The holiday season is a rather stressful time for many of us. How can it not be? There are the dreaded finals high school and college students must first overcome to begin their Winter Break, the threat of contact with the unwanted, unliked and smelly relatives visiting, giving you a hideous knitted sweater with a deformed Rudolph embroidered on it, the need to spend a copious amount of money on people you may not like, knowing that you will gain weight, and more. It's also an incredibly dangerous time. Stores are filled to the brim with mothers who <em>need</em> to buy their child the brand new XBox or PS3. How else will they be able to satisfy their thirst for computer animated blood and violence?<br /><br />It all starts at around midnight, maybe 4:00 a.m., on the Friday follwing Thanksgiving. Black Friday is the day we celebrate consumerism, materialism, awesome savings on things we need/don't need, and human population. Oh, and it's also a wonderful way to shed off all the weight we might have gained from stuffing ourselves with a copious amount of food the night before, as well as forget what we learned the night before! No, that's not true. We are grateful for awesome savings!<br /><br />For those that don't really know, Black Friday is the day many stores decide to lower their prices on, like, everything. It's pretty much the first day of the holiday season. As wonderful as it may sound, this day is slightly infamous. People have definitely died, mostly by being trampled by obese peolple trying to get into the store. It's a good way to keep the population in check. Here's a video.<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2zBWjlkKDpA?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2zBWjlkKDpA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br />It can get a looooooot worse than that.<br /><br />It begins.<br /><br />If you unfortunately miss this day of fun and crowds, you're out of luck. Prices for objects your children want will return to normal and you will suffer. But if you feel the need to buy them crap, I have a piece of information that will save you from tearing your hair out!<br /><br />About a year and a half ago, I signed up for the Borders membership thingy. I like books, but books are expensive. Fortunately, by being a member of Borders Rewards, I get weekly coupons! So plan ahead. There are a lot of different memberships for different stores, I imagine. So look into them. If part of the whole membership allows you to recieve a large amount of coupons for free, then by all means join said membership thing. Coupons are pretty much your best friends during this time.<br /><br />Or, don't buy any gifts. Make some. It shows that you care a lot more (hopefully), and you won't have to spend any money.<br /><br />Or don't give any tangible gifts. Just, like, hang out with the people you care about. Perhaps that's one of the many meanings of the holiday season. And all the religious ones, too, but I won't get into them, mainly because I'm afraid I'll get something wrong and religious people will descend on my like a pack of angry, hungry wolves.<br /><br />Some people will be forced to spend time with their families they normally wouldn't want to be near. I say get over it. Some of these people could possibly die within the next couple of days, so deal with it. If you have to spend time with them, don't go out of your way to be bored, depressed, angry, angsty, annoyed, etc. Maybe try to enjoy your company.<br /><br />One last thing. I come from a Catholic family, so we celebrate Christmas. My sister moved out recently, so I was the only child living in the house. My sister normally organizes the tree decorating crap, but she wasn't here, and my parents were all busy-like and stuff. So, I believed the tree-decorating duty was placed on me. I didn't want to, though. The reason I did is because I felt like I had to. So I conformed to tradition.<br /><br />Normally, our tree is decorated in the typical fashion: ornaments, lights, strands of beads, and angel on the peak of the tree, etc., etc. I put fruit on the tree. It started with a banana, then a kiwi was added, followed by an apple and an orange. By doing so, I was pretty much flipping tradition off, but not so it was obvious. It was more like flipping tradition off so it wouldn't see me. So I ended up liking the tree a lot more by not following the rules and such, which made me feel better about it and stuff.<br /><br />I don't know how this applies to going insane. Figure it out.<br /><br />Happy Holidays, you guys!<br /><br />Love,<br />Alejandro. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCrzeqV__31HJMVm59p93AKCfZTBFFxVtPr-Pu3LHEj77Swrdgma5dXG-tIRew1m7K9Nx4IL4lNZAD2h2noSiMnZzFgKZwSDHl7IuoV5wUpm6IzD6nBvgF1Sr8Q5wEqKF5CIuHUy-hkQs/s1600/001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552857953588247010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 377px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCrzeqV__31HJMVm59p93AKCfZTBFFxVtPr-Pu3LHEj77Swrdgma5dXG-tIRew1m7K9Nx4IL4lNZAD2h2noSiMnZzFgKZwSDHl7IuoV5wUpm6IzD6nBvgF1Sr8Q5wEqKF5CIuHUy-hkQs/s400/001.jpg" border="0" /></a>Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-73198935388394398412010-12-06T09:09:00.000-08:002010-12-06T17:33:20.460-08:00Recovery from Insanity<div>My last post was, well, interesting to say the least. I'm not saying the actual post was interesting, but the events that followed the post. It didn't go over well for some. It was misinterpreted, and I received quite a bit of, well, negativity. It wasn't pretty.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, there was an epic battle of sorts, and both sides fought long and hard. But not really. It probably wasn't as dramatic as I make it sound, but, dear reader, I would just like to make it clear that some of the writing in my posts is meant to sound over-dramatic. I go out of my way to make things more exciting because, well, life is pretty damn boring.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now then, events that took place concerning the previous post had left me in a very strange, uncomfortable position. All this constant bickering and fighting over something that really didn't matter left me feeling rather high-strung. I couldn't take it any more, and some of my internal organs probably exploded. Dearest reader, I went insane. Rather, I was close to going insane. I was on the brink of insanity. But I recovered. </div><div><br /></div><div>So now that I've given a personal story, I will now continue to give some advice that may or may not suck. And it'll be in steps! </div><div><br /></div><div>1. Realize you're insane or on the brink of insanity.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is quite possibly one of the more difficult steps. Sometimes, it'll be simple to identify you're on the brink of insanity. Pay attention to your actions. If you notice that you're behaving rather strange, especially after something dramatic, traumatic, stressful, ridiculous or stupid happens. If your comportment is really off, you may be going insane. It is much more noticeable if you're writing or typing. You'll be able to see what you're saying, and that can really help.</div><div>More often than not, you probably won't be writing or typing when you're on the brink of insanity. I was fortunate enough to have been, so I acted quickly. If you aren't as lucky as I was, look at how others are reacting to your behavior. Especially if they're all like, "What the fuck is up with that guy/girl? He/She is crazy or something." Of course, being around people that actually know you well will definitely help in your self-diagnosis. </div><div><br /></div><div>The following step is incredibly crucial, so pay attention. But you don't really have to. Whatevs.</div><div><br /></div><div>The First 2. Calm down.</div><div>Pretty self-explanatory, I think. Try taking the situation in stride, tell yourself, "I'm probably going insane, but now that I know I am, I can do something about it and things will be cool and stuff." Reassure yourself. If you don't, you'll probably freak out and the problem will exacerbate, which is the opposite of what you want.</div><div>If that works, continue to step three. If it fails...</div><div><br /></div><div>The Second 2. CALM THE FUCK DOWN.</div><div>At this point you're still freaking out, the situation may have gotten a lot worse, and all hell is about to break loose. It's time to take drastic actions! Breathe all deep and stuff. Have others reassure you. Sit and attempt to relax. Fight the urge to do anything drastic. You know, all that kind of stuff. Find your happy place.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Recovery.</div><div>This step involves doing stuff you like. Unhealthy, junk food helps a lot, as well as sugary, fizzy, different colored beverages. Caffeine won't help, though. Not at all. Make yourself as comfortable as possible. Find a nice warm spot on the couch, by the fire, with a cat, a dog, or a hedgehog. Except if you're in California. You can't have hedgehogs there. Take a warm shower or bath, and let your muscles relax as your body recalls those wonderful, warm, safe days spent in the womb of your mum, surrounded by amniotic fluid. Try not to think about what happened. It was a terrible, tragic event, and dwelling on it will just freak the living life out of you.*</div><div><br /></div><div>4. Sleep.</div><div>I'm not gonna explain this one.</div><div><br /></div><div>So that's that. I actually don't know if this always work. Last night was the first time I tried it, and it seemed to work pretty well. Sort of. I didn't get much sleep, though. But it's probably because I went against the steps I made up and drank a Vanilla Coke at, like, ten o' clock, or something. That wasn't smart. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, I feel like this was poorly written, but I don't care. I'm gonna blame it on the stupid things that happened yesterday.</div><div><br /></div><div>Kbye.</div><div><br /></div><div>*That was a stupid sentence.</div>Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-5001986354268444832010-12-04T15:36:00.000-08:002010-12-04T17:20:18.703-08:00Changing the world.<div style="text-align: left;">Dearest reader, as of late, I have found it incredibly difficult to keep my faith in humanity. I have come to realize that the world is falling apart, and I feel like absolutely nothing is being done to prevent it. I have developed a cynical perspective, and it isn't good. Probably.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>But can you really blame me? The 21st century is a fucked up place. Wars breaking out, brainwashing advertising, obsessive consumerism, climate change, factory farming, Twilight fanatics, drug trafficking, apathy, genocides, ethnocentrism, the need for instant gratification, anthropocentrism, racism, biblical weather, celebrity news, anorexia nervosa, obesity, homophobia, the list is long, and it's probably growing. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Yes, without question, we're going to blow ourselves and the world to smithereens. </div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgHyO6Od4lFcSdYq18CC5k00K5ift8BKkMb1xkm9tXKOjnSK5VjOhoDIY-wUu6OIAIsQ5mBedpIUvKuZXUYj_sJtchiC34xBjekrljdAhJDxGroDVEa2mHlhjmro0-MdYoRm4EQ-qQmA/s400/001.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 298px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546999503489894530" /></div><div>I realized this in my psychology class as we discovered the wonderfully stupid world of advertising. After viewing some advertisement involving <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ozc-h-29M0">some girl make out with a sandwich and then proceed to pretty much have sex with it</a>, I started thinking about the rest of the crap that makes humans the worst living thing ever. Yes, even worse than those fucking camel spiders. Humans make <a href="http://www.nmpest.com/images/Jsalpuged.JPG">camel spiders</a> look like freakin' puppies. I immediately fell into a deep, deep hole of angst, anger, and cynicism. I felt as if there was nothing that could be done, that all human beings sucked even more than a leech or a cheap prostitute. </div><div><br /></div><div>I apologize for this little bit of the post, but the sandwich thing needs to be addressed. Seriously? That's probably one of the worst things I've ever seen. Even if I wasn't vegetarian, I wouldn't eat that. I don't think sex and eating should ever be combined. It's actually kind of gross. I know, I know, sex sells. But still, seriously, America? Seriously, Carl's Jr.? And the worse part of this is the fact that it actually works. IT FUCKING WORKS. I feel like vomiting whenever I see this. Ugh. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway...</div><div><br /></div><div>I hated everyone. I wanted to see the world catch on fire, and I wanted to see everyone's moronic face cry out, "We're sorry, we were dumb and stuff, like, oh, my god, this fire hurts a lot. Ouch, ouch, ouch, if this stops, I swear I'll only drive to that one store that I can easily walk to in ten minutes on cold days, ouch." And then I'd be all like, "No, you're lying, shut the hell up, you suck." I was absolutely convinced there was nothing to be done, and it was all humanity's fault.</div><div><br /></div><div>I went insane. Or close to it.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I type this post out, I'm also skimming and exploring the vast land of the internet. I notice a lot of things that are just really dumb, and I realize that a lot of people I know honestly don't give a flying fuck about our doom, and I'm instantly filled with annoyance and anger, but not as much as before. I'm no longer planning to destroy skyscrapers with vast quantities of soap like Tyler Durden once did. I realized that there is something that can be done.</div><div>I am currently attempting to organize a day of anger, which will consist of protests, angry fists punching the polluted, CO2 enriched air, and lots of yelling. As of now organizing such an event is merely fantasy, but the idea is keeping me sane.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, yeah. Often, the most troubling situations can stress us out into thinking nothing can be done and we will fall into a state of utter hopelessness. Don't, though. It's bad. If there is something that ever pisses you off, or makes you sad to the point where you begin to feel insane, do something about it. Confront it head on, and make it your bitch. The world is a messed up place, and it won't fix itself on its own. No, sir, we need to change it. Displacing a single grain of sand in a desert will instantly change the landscape. A small change is still a change. And even when it seems like there is nothing to be done, believe you me, there is. It just takes a little creative thinking. And some hopeful thinking as well. (Optimism is good sometimes.)We are capable of that, and consequently, we are capable of change. </div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgRNpyeRceyzKHMCBFVDevH86nPxRlJ5zDDQfmiftAnWM-pELo8HUkWt7aPqDh_aRE3aDqXLFAB_s0yUfvdn8F3GnJodI9B3VamfMFanlXQY_ZgpRYYyipEvtFuA8MePwGwqYd1TbzPs/s400/002.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547000648215203970" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 282px; " /></div><div><br /></div>Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-73771974453390167512010-11-04T18:35:00.000-07:002010-11-04T21:48:48.550-07:00Learning<div style="text-align: left;">We are but a speck.</div><div style="text-align: left;">In this universe, there is an infinite amount of information at our disposal, and we can begin to gather said information and use it for our own benefit. The possibilities of what we can do with that information are endless! Oh, what wonderful new ideas can be created from the massive ether up above? Limitless amounts of knowledge abounds, it's all around us.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Yes, this grand power is at our disposal. Imagine what can be done! Take any small morsel of knowledge and you can do something with it! It's incredible! What can you create with this? What can be done?! Oh, wonderful new pieces of architecture you can make! You can solve the most complicated algebra problems, learn how an engine works, unlock the secrets of DNA, discover what brings us to the ground, change the world! We have this power at our disposal! We've all had the opportunity to change the world!</div><div style="text-align: left;">I know I've had the opportunity to do something. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Just today, I saw a chemistry text book in my room. I had yet to use it, so I told myself,</div><div style="text-align: left;">"I'm going to learn something new! I'll be able to do something with my new found knowledge! I will change the world."</div><div style="text-align: left;">I picked up the book, opened it and said,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">"Fuck that, I'm gonna go watch television."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Learning is a good thing. In my psychology class, we learned about these fancy little things called neurons, also known as brain cells. They make us do things like run, think, punch, fly (a plane, of course), kowtow, speak, spell, everything. </div><div style="text-align: left;">A neuron is a special cell. The cell body has a bunch of tiny little branches that resemble roots protruding from it. These tiny little roots are called dendrites. They're helpful!</div><div style="text-align: left;">The neuron also has a long tail-like structure looking thing protruding from the cell body as well. This is the axon. The axon is pretty long and slender and ends with some other root resembling structures called the axon terminals. The axon is also very helpful!</div><div style="text-align: left;">There are a bunch of other stuff on and in the neurons, but you can look that up for yourself. We're just going to focus on those two structures and get on with whatever it is this blog is about.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Axons and dendrites are like best friends. The neuron will create an impulse of sorts and the impulse will travel down the axon and eventually the impulse reaches the axon terminals. Near the axon terminals are dendrites of another neuron! The impulse jumps from the terminals to the dendrites. The dendrites carry the impulse to the cell and the cycle goes on, through the new cell's axon, and onto more dendrites and such. Different impulses and types of neurons do different things, like allow us to move, think, feel good, lots of stuff.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Basically, axons carry impulses away from the cell body, and dendrites bring them to the cell.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now then, in my psychology class, we were learning about learning. I thought it was kind of weird. I was learning about what I was doing. It's like, a never ending chain, or ouroboros, or something messed up like that. Anyway our professor told us that learning and trying new things helps your neuron's dendrites stay healthy and such! Making new cell connections by learning helps dendrites stay alive! Unfortunately, not stimulating your mind can cause your dendrites to break down, which isn't good at all. It's sad. Healthy dendrites are important for good cell communication, you guys.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZT09hkofSXYZ3H8SNyVgSuzFmHGhpUBGz6YvnWlgJmRDZu0C62vzopM0U10njHEcdDXgOCFi-YMORwJiguusBO6MB3VhHDN3sMxL-aGqcuq1HBHIOJx3WtEeszZWhcP9deUFL_QpZuo/s400/001.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 357px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535882546229037858" /></div><div>So there's that. Apart from the fact that your brain cells will start sucking if you don't learn new stuff, there are other detrimental effects that can occur from not stimulating your sane mind with new things.</div><div>I probably could have come up with a neat pun using "detrimental effects" in the previous sentence. Dendrimental effects... If you get that, I will love you.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I wrote about in a <a href="http://iminsanity.blogspot.com/2010/10/monotony.html">previous article</a>, learning helps break the monotonous curse that can be inflicted upon us all. There may also be something you don't understand, like why some people suck so much, or how politics are all messed up and stuff. You may feel helpless about it all. But you can change that by learning about it and attempting to change it. Or if you don't get how something works, like gravity, you can read and learn!</div><div>You guys, becoming educated and learning is really important. Keep your mind stimulated and happy. It won't get bored, and you'll stay sane. Learning doesn't have to just occur in institutions of mandatory learning. There are these cool places called libraries with books. Or meet someone new. Walk a home a new way. Try selling your illegal drugs in a new alley, learn how to make frittata. Like I said earlier, there's a crapload of knowledge out there. Go make the effort to learn something new. You won't regret it. Hopefully...</div><div><br /></div>Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-13575956334914716932010-11-03T21:33:00.000-07:002010-11-03T22:48:52.450-07:00EmbarrassmentFrom the moment we are pulled and separated from our loving mother's womb and brought out into the cold, harsh reality that is the world by the cruel hand of some doctor, we unknowingly agree to be a part of some rather unfortunate events, activities, feelings and more. Shame, pain, break-ups, mathematics, the SAT, rejection, illness and much, much more make us miserable. There is one, though, that rises above all of these and makes us want to curl up and die. This event is experienced by everyone, mostly by awkward teenagers and pre-teens and can only be described as a gut-wrenching, bone crushing, tear inducing nightmare. We've come to know this experience as embarrassment. And as you know, it sucks. A lot.<div><br /></div><div>Out of the many things Canada produced, sociologist Erving Goffman was probably one of the best. Mr. Goffman made many contributions to the field of sociology, including his study of symbolic interaction in the form of a dramaturgical perspective. When taking a dramaturgical perspective, we see people as actors presenting a "front stage self." But, like all actors in a theatrical production, before heading out on stage to perform their role, they must prepare themselves backstage. </div><div>Before you head out with all your friends and people you associate yourself with, you probably, you know, get ready and make yourself appear presentable. Heaven forbid you walk out with your grimy, smelly pajamas. No, instead, you bathe and change clothes in order to look not gross. In this example, your front stage self, the self you decide to show your friends, is clean and not gross. Your backstage self, the self you hide from the world, is gross and grimy. Get it? If not, do some research. I don't know if I did an adequate job explaining it, but if I didn't, get over it. I'm not a teacher or whatever.</div><div><br /></div><div>There's a reason why I'm telling you this, you guys. Trust me.</div><div><br /></div><div>But what happens when your backstage self is revealed to the world? Or when our "performance" goes all wrong?</div><div>Embarrassment happens.</div><div>And we want to die.</div><div><br /></div><div>This unpleasant feeling is dreaded among us all. Many of us live in fear from it, avoiding all situations that can embarrass us such as reading out loud in class, dancing, singing, swimming in a pool, etc. </div><div>But, like everything else in life, if you worry too much about it, you're pretty much fucked. You will lose your sanity and people won't want to hang out with you anymore. You'll be boring, and boring people are not fun to be around. Those who will attempt to hide their backstage self from the world will constantly be cautious of what they do, say or wear. Every fleeting moment will be spent in constant fear. It won't end well. So, instead of avoiding it, embrace embarrassment. </div><div><br /></div><div>Embarrassment is next to impossible to avoid. Fortunately, we have methods of lessening the impact of embarrassment. Your fellow "stage actors" (friends, family, etc.) will employ the use of tact when you become embarrassed. If something goes wrong, your fellow actors will support you and lessen the blow. You'll be fine.</div><div>Wise words were spoken to me once. I was told that embarrassing yourself at least once every day would prevent you from becoming a robot. That's probably true, too. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, dear reader, wear your pants and shirts backwards, burp in the library, lose control of your bodily movements, have your stomach growl loudly at a funeral, and smile proudly, for the cilantro lodged deep within your gums are a sure sign that you are indeed not a robot. For the sake of your sanity, go forth and screw up.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-69348809832128391972010-10-09T20:20:00.001-07:002010-10-17T16:47:56.431-07:00Monotony<div style="text-align: left;">It's been a while since I did this blogging thing. Let's see how it goes.</div><div><br /></div><div>A couple of weeks ago, life was boring. For a while, my weeks consisted of the same events:</div><div><br /></div><div>Monday: School</div><div>Tuesday: Bruising from stick-beating/Editing</div><div>Wednesday: School</div><div>Thursday: Doctor</div><div>Friday: Homework</div><div>Saturday: Miscellaneous</div><div>Sunday: Homework</div><div><br /></div><div>Even the Saturdays, which consisted of different things, weren't enough to prevent me from becoming incredibly bored. I felt the icy hand of monotony reaching down to turn me into a robot, or something. At some point, I thought playing Uno in the middle of a street would be a good way to deal with the situation. It'd be exciting, and if a car were to hit me, my boring, monotonous life would come to an end! Oh, sweet relief!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>But seriously, death is never the answer to anything. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, it was on a Tuesday night that I decided to finally put an end to this monotony. I did something new. I did something incredibly risky, something completely different that even I was not expecting. I committed a risky and bold act that would completely shake the foundations of my life: I sent a text message to someone I had never text messaged before.</div><div><br /></div><div>And just like that, the cycle was broken. Balance had been restored.</div><div>It's as simple as that. There will be moments in life where routine will leave you in an undesired state of anguish and boredom. It is inevitable. It's natural, and in some senses, a good thing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bees are natural and good. They are also deadly.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you ever find yourself in a monotonous state, there are quite a few things you can do to save yourself from insanity. You can do something similar to what I did and try something new. Saying you don't have any free time in your schedule to do something new isn't a good excuse. Hours are not needed to end your terribly boring routine. The smallest act can save you. It'll only work if you're willing to let it work. </div><div>Taking on a different perspective helps break routine. If you were to move a single grain of sand in a desert, you would change that desert. Consequently, you would change the world, and by changing the world, you would have changed the universe.</div><div>This concept can be applied to a monotonous life. Wearing two different socks, combing your hair differently, buying a balloon, walking to class a different way or sending a text message to someone new may not be much, but it <i>can</i> be.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Today, I went to school, did homework, worked, and went home to sleep."</div><div>vs.</div><div>"Today, I went to school, did homework, worked, bought a balloon, and went home to sleep."</div><div><br /></div><div>I think the addition of the balloon is pretty exciting. But that's just me.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>As dangerous as monotony may seem to your sanity, it is also incredibly crucial. We don't expect to walk into our house and have someone hand us a puppy or punch us in the face. There is no mystery to it. If it was always a surprise, life would be kind of crappy and pretty stressful. Having a class be in the same location is good! Going to your room to find your bed is nice! Suddenly being allergic to peanuts when your favorite food was peanut butter is not good.</div><div><br /></div><div>Like everything else in life (probably), routine and the new must exist in a state of equilibrium so life can be enjoyed to it's fullest potential. Here's a graph.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZaG4zZ31pf4ACQFE2adqqLYRD8WXiSs4enZDrlkFmq0KjRmMIpBks7LadQFzrTx5kDqMRUw_In-wzGWgIk_LapmPAzMA-fxtFumGMvrK3eDJ7CCmhHxFg8MwpHikujGr7DhZopmijy6s/s400/001.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 365px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529158810778925426" /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In closing, do something new, but keep some routine. Monotony is like the foundations of a building, and all the new, different things in life is like the paint, structures, windows and architecture of the building. No one wants a boring structure, so it's up to you to make it interesting. </div>Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-31899318762683122812010-09-21T09:01:00.000-07:002010-10-17T16:39:53.458-07:00Doing things that are stereotypical to your genderIn sociology last week, we discussed gender. Our professor told us about the two different viewpoints that are used to define gender:<div><ul><li>Viewpoint #1 - Gender is based on sex. Basically whatever you got in your pants or skirt. And your genetics. Science stuff. </li><li>Viewpoint #2 - Gender refers to physical, behavioral and social traits that society associates with each sex. So, if you're a girl who feels like you're actually a guy, then you're a guy.</li></ul>For this post, I will adopt the second viewpoint. Mainly because the first has a lot of problems. Maybe not a lot, but, you know, some people could be offended. Also, please note that this post will be stereotypical. Hence the title of said post. Don't freak out. Don't sue me. Don't track me down and kill me. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway.</div><div><br /></div><div>About a week ago, a friend of mine offered to teach me how to use fighting sticks and beat me up. I was sceptical at first, mainly because I am not a fan of getting struck repeatedly by sticks, but after a long week of nonsense, I felt like I needed to forget the events of said past week. So I took him up on his offer. </div><div>It hurt. I was given many bruises. But it was worth it. Pain <i>is </i>weakness leaving the body!</div><div>I never go around starting fights, but the release of my angst helped me forget about some things. After the fight, the physical pain occupied my thoughts. I wasn't preoccupied with petty worries. It all worked out.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, one doesn't have to go about with a pair of shinais, striking their friends. No, bruises are not necessary. All that is really needed is a bath of either testosterone or estrogen. Not literally, though. I don't think you can bathe in hormones. If you could, it probably wouldn't be good for you at all. </div><div>The following is a list of what each gender can do. We'll start with the boys. Why? Because I am a boy and it's easier. Why is it easier? Because I have a Y chromosome. Not another X.</div><div><br /></div><div>XY</div><div><ul><li>Playing mindless or violent video games - Video games are a great way to channel anger and frustration. When partaking in video game playing in an effort to be more like your stereotype, it is important to note that said video game should be played with some friends. Playing alone is okay, but I've noticed that being in the presence of other guys brings out the the Y in XY a lot more.</li><li>Fighting - As I've mentioned before, the fight should be among friends. The scuffle should be relatively clean. You're not out to kill. I hope. If you are out to kill, fight someone you don't like. Nevermind. Don't kill anyone.</li><li>Eating meat - Steak. Eat it. Unless you're vegetarian. Or vegan. Lettuce? Fuck lettuce. Unless you're vegetarian. Or vegan.</li><li>Working out - I worked out once. It hurt. If you aren't a weakling like me, working out is good. You can brag to all your friends afterwards. How much can you bench-press? Three cars? A pregnant elephant?</li><li>Be a competitive asshole - "I bet I can leave my hand in this bucket of ice water longer than you can."</li></ul>I can't think of anything else.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anywho, as I have said earlier, I am a boy. Thus, not a girl. So for this next section, I asked a friend of mine what the stereotypes for girls are and stuff.</div><div> </div><div>XX</div><div><ul><li>Shopping - "Oh, hi, newest styles. Distract me from my thoughts!"</li><li>Talking on the phone - I'm not really used to talking on the phone unless it's business related. I once talked to a girl on a phone, though. Well, I have a lot in the past. But this one time it was different. It was, like, chit-chat. I was not familiar with it, so it was fascinating. I was told that talking to anyone, even if it isn't on the phone, can make a girl feel better and such.</li><li>Girly sleepovers - I usually see this on television. There's a lot of gossiping and make-up wearing and dressing up and ice cream consuming. The girls look like they're having fun and stuff. So, yeah.</li><li>Eating chocolate - I think someone lied when they said diamonds are a girl's best friend. It's definitely chocolate.</li><li>Participating in a "Girls Night Out"- I have no idea what happens during one of these outings.</li></ul></div><div>It appears the girl section isn't as well developed. Guess why? You guessed correctly! Anyway, I hope you get the idea.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Looking back at what I just typed, it seems kind of silly. I don't even know if it'll help. I mean, the only things that really apply to me from the XY section are the fighting and video game bits. Gender is weird. It's a topic one should be very careful on. I probably broke a billion rules. If you take anything from this, cool. If you don't and if you are pissed and are saying, "This guy is a total douchebag. I don't like doing <i>any</i> of those things. I'm gonna get a bunch of people together, buy a gratuitous amount of pitchforks and torches, find out where he lives and beat the crap out of him,"please don't. I mean, seriously, just don't do them.</div><div><br /></div><div>It should be very evident that I am afraid of people.</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay.</div><div>Um, if you are on the brink of insanity, and you want to do something to prevent that, but you feel like none of these things will help, do whatever it is you like to do. With your friends. Don't hurt people, though. Unless you like fighting.</div><div>I'm gonna stop now.</div><div><br /></div><div>These people helped me write this:</div><div>Christine Salek, Ellen Labitzke, </div>Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5335355862094548526.post-43697735205225599122010-09-13T22:42:00.001-07:002010-10-17T16:40:06.955-07:00Mental Health DaysOne time, when I was, like, a sophomore or something, some kids were causing drama. High school drama, as you may know, is annoying and dumb, but it seems to be a requirement in life. Anyway, being the angsty teenager I was, this drama that had been stirred up made me, well, angsty. Feelings of sadness, grief and despair soon flooded my being. My mind wasn't functioning. A non-functioning mind is pretty useless, especially in school. I didn't want to go to school one of those days I was feeling down. I needed a mental health day. So, I did what many children my age would have done. I left my window open at night, ditched the covers and blankets on my bed, and embraced the cold, chilly, winter air.<div><br /></div><div>I am aware that the cold does not induce illness. My mother, on the other hand, was/is not aware. So, knowing that my mum was gullible, and that those grimy little kids at school are basically breeding grounds for disease, I was able to convince my mother to let me stay home to recover.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have a friend that once told me that being surrounded by negative people will make you feel like total crap. Unfortunately, eliminating people from existence is frowned upon in this society. So the best you can do is isolate yourself from those damn people. The best way to go about doing this is to isolate yourself in a house or abandoned building where drug dealers hang out. All contact with annoying humans should be avoided on mental health days.</div><div>While in isolation, the consumption of these items will speed up recovery:</div><div><ul><li>Apple juice</li><li>Graham crackers</li><li>Soda (Preferably grape or orange).</li><li>Celery/apple slice with peanut butter</li><li>Popcorn</li><li>NaCl</li><li>Imagine Whirled Peace ice cream </li><li>Anything with little to no nutritional value</li></ul></div><div>Sorry, diabetics. You can always substitute all this crap with sugar-less junk food or whatever.</div><div>It's late, I'm tired, deal with this.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway...</div><div><br /></div><div>While away from work, school, club meetings, presidential debates, cult gatherings, etc., it is also crucial to distract yourself from any negative thoughts. Eating all your problems away won't cure you. You have to do more. Reading may help, but I have discovered that playing mindless video games is much more effective. I mean, what better way to eliminate your problems than to imagine that guy you hate is the same guy who is about to get decapitated? Some good example of mindless video games are listed here:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>Sly Cooper Series (Try to avoid first and third)</li><li>Jak and Daxter series</li><li>Ratchet and Clank series</li><li>God of War series</li><li>Elite Beat Agents</li><li>Any Pokemon game</li><li>Bust-a-Move</li></ul><br /></div><div>There are of course more, but these are the ones that got me through the toughest of times.</div><div><br /></div><div>Try your best to avoid any games that induce rage. These games include:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>Pac-Man</li></ul><br /></div><div>As you are lazing it up around the isolated building, feel free to make a mess. But make sure the mess isn't, um, too messy. Filth and such can make you feel gross and stuff, which will only lead to feeling upset which is what you DON'T want to feel on a mental health day.</div><div><br /></div><div>Emotions can ruin your day. Avoid most emotions, if possible. Your goal is just to feel comfortable and at ease.</div><div><br /></div><div>The goal of a mental health day is really just to let your mind atrophy and rot to the point that it can recover in one day. Oh, and make sure you will yourself back into reality before the day following the mental health day. This will prevent any mental shock.</div><div>So that's that. Let your mind rot for one day. This will, hopefully, allow you to deal with shit more effectively. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but hey, it's worked for some people.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is the end.</div><div><br /></div><div>-Alejandro Tinajero with contributions from Michael Juricich. </div>Alejandro Tinajerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02658810909210485668noreply@blogger.com0