Books, books, books.

A Course in Miracles
by Helen Schucman

Unfortunately I started this book with a distaste for Christianity and was put off by the mentioning of God. It has some interesting lessons and I do plan on rereading this book in the future with a more open mind.

I can harbor respect for this book, but it just was not what I had in mind. It's recommendable but only to those who will not stick to their presupposition of what Christianity is.

The Scarlet Letter
by Nathaniel Hawthorne

I read The Scarlet Letter in my junior American Literature class in high school. While many of the other students disliked the book for its complex sentences and advanced syntax and Puritan diction, I found myself very fond of this Nathaniel Hawthorne novel.

Hester Prynne is the super woman of Puritan Boston. She is the epitome of what most Calvinist women lacked: courage, freethought, independence, and deep reevaluation of morals and values.

A lot of the other students also found themselves overwhelmed by the amount of symbolism, themes, and motifs in the novel. Personally, I think that is what really shapes the story and makes this Hawthorne's "magnum opus." The copious amount of symbolism is what makes this book unique.

Overall, it is a great book and I am glad I was introduced to it. I highly recommend it. Themes it explores are society vs nature, human condition, and self vs society.

The Catcher in the Rye
by J.D. Salinger

A very well written book that is either underestimated or over appreciated for the wrong reasons. We follow the "plot" by the first person narration of Holden Caulfield, who goes through extreme existentialism with a hint of misanthropy, often mistaken for teenage angst (or are they mutual?), and ends up in an asylum.

It is not one of my top books, but it is definitely a book I really like. I find myself being able to relate in some aspects to Holden from past ideologies and experiences. The main problem that Holden comes across is his fixation on preserving innocence. That is where we no longer relate. He tries to be that "catcher in rye" and we don't exactly find out if his perception on that changes by the end of book. (Correct me if I am wrong.)

I find it almost ironic that schools ban this book because of the explicit language. They are trying to bubble-wrap their students and preserve their innocence, just like Holden tries to do so with his sister. If only Holden knew the amount of kids he is corrupting...

I AM NOT A SEX OBJECT

I'm tired of seeing advertisements everywhere objectifying women as sex objects. No, if you buy Axe cologne women won't swarm all over you lavishing your scent. And you eating that double cheeseburger from Carl's Jr. will definitely not get you a one night stand with a super model. Why am I seeing almost naked women in the cover of Sports Illustrated? What does her exposing everything but her nipples have to do with sports?

There is an unnecessary pressure being built on females from a young age to fit 'the image'. Girls are beginning to feel inadequate and "unsexy" at a younger age now than before
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Yep, you guessed it. Wearing D&G won't get you hot, steamy sex. That leads me to my next question: What are they trying to sell? Are they trying to sell sex? the image of women? or... their clothing?
Because now you totally want to buy one their subs.

I'm not saying males don't get pressure from our current culture either. With such things as Viagra, men are expected to last longer in bed. Don't you think your grandparents should stop having sex already?

The book I recommend for better understanding of the female development and how they are being "girl poisoned" read Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher. For better understanding of boys and the emotional straitjackets they are being forced into read Real Boys by William Pollack.

Dates, historic figures, and revolutions...

Dates, historic figures, and revolutions are a part of what history encompasses. History continues to take its place, but when does one have the opportunity to live in a time where people still fight opposition?


Iranian supporters of reformist, Mir Hossein Mousavi, disturbed by the potential voting fraud, decided to flourish their once muted voice through peaceful and violent riots.

The protests are taking place in the larger cities of Iran. The picture above, set in Tehran, depicts one of the peaceful protests. Aside from the absence of violence, the discomfort is evident in some of their expressions.

It may not be a revolution itself, but these are changing moments. Patriarchal Iran does not equate women the same rights, so it is a revolutionary movement to see women fight back for a fellow civilian.

For a bigger view of the images click them or visit:
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/06/irans_disputed_election.html