A way to show my creativity for creativity class
“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”
Victor hugo
(listen to some of my favorite songs as you scroll through my page!)
Post #1: Self Portrait 1/23/20
A place that I believe can show a lot about someone is their bedroom. It shows their taste in everything from the art on their walls, to the clothes in their closet, to the snacks on their bedside table. Though at its core, a room is just 4 walls and a roof, I think this space tells a lot about an individual’s characteristics. For instance, a messy room can denote qualities of disorganization and carelessness, or perhaps it belongs to a person lives a busy lifestyle and does not have time to clean up as they run from activity to activity (which I am for sure guilty of). Our bedrooms are the places we spend the most time in, so how we decorate and take care of them can reveal much about us. Shown in the above image is my dorm room here at SMU, a place that I believe serves as a self-portrait and reflects the things I most enjoy. From my perspective, a stranger could walk into my room and gain a much more accurate understanding of my personality and lifestyle than he or she could by just looking at a photo of me, the most literal approach to a portrait.
Post #2: Fake News at Olive Garden 1/28/20
Last night one of my best friends (seen above) took me to Olive Garden with the gift card she got for her birthday so I am devoting this post to her. She paid for my $6 Minestrone soup <3. I got soup because of that theory that soup makes you feel better when you are sick…but has anyone proven that? Why should consuming soup make any more of an impact on curing your illness than eating cake? For the record, I don’t feel any better…but at least it was free!! Shoutout Tara.
Post #3: The Exception 1/30/20
I feel like I am going to spend a lot of time on here talking about things I enjoy. So allow me to break this love fest up by saying something I am not super fond of: Pizza. Don’t get me wrong. I love sauce. I love cheese. I LOVE bread. But together? Meh. It is not that I dislike it, more that I don’t understand the hype that causes it to be such a phenomenon. I also get sick of foods really easily so maybe to 15 years of my life in which pizza was served at every kid’s birthday party pushed me over the edge. Anyway, there is one exception to this belief of mine. Olivella’s pepperoni pizza. The crust is so thin, almost like paper. And it doesn’t get all mushy which is really important. The sauce is super sweet but there isn’t too much so it doesn’t overpower the star of the show, the cheese. And the pepperoni is all crispy. Yum. They do it right. In the picture is my friend Margot who I go get food with like everyday so I’m pretty my bank account hates her but I love her!
Post #4: Me vs. WordPress 1/30/20
I am always on my phone
My computer too
I thought I knew how to work them
But now I look like a fool
I just wasted an hour
Trying to add some dates
To my posts on wordpress
A site which I now hate
So this post must be published
Right now, this very night
Though it is the same as my last
I must win this stupid fight…
I AM A PERFECTIONIST. I can’t believe I just spent an hour trying to figure out how to input dates onto this website. I don’t even know if this poem rhymes or makes sense. I know we get graded for having more posts on unique days. I just have to post this for my own satisfaction so I don’t feel dumb sitting here in Fondren Library at 11:45pm after punching my keyboard so hard it sounded like I was playing the drums.
P.S. If I actually knew how to edit this website then everything would be pink so maybe it is for the best that I don’t #professionalism.
Post #5: Embrace the Shake 2/4/20
One thing I took away from the Embrace the Shake video is that creativity is not so one-sided/so black-and-white. It comes in many shapes, sized, mediums, and formats. It took the roadblock of his hand tremor for Phil Hansen to realize this. One limitation I see in myself is lack of persistence/determination, which Hansen experienced after losing his ability to perform pointillism. I am easily distracted. I am quick to lose interest. I am also not motivated to get things accomplished in a timely manner, which maybe you have noticed being that this is only my 5th blog post…If a professor gave me an assignment due in a month I guarantee I would not start until the night before. However I am trying to fix this and am doing this blog post on the night it was assigned! Fuck a limitation.
Post #6: Menace 2/10/20
This is my friend Eli. He hails from Louisville, KY and is the ultimate troll. I define trolling as going out and doing random shit to avoid responsibilities. For example I have an accounting quiz tomorrow but instead of studying for that we went to Equinox today (even though I despise working out, so that is how badly I am procrastinating against this quiz). Then we made gnocchi at his home. Counterproductive I suppose.
Post #7: A Gamble 2/25/20
Yesterday at the health center I got diagnosed with a concussion. It all started with me standing on top of a bed when my head got swiped by a rotating panel on a ceiling fan. I’m supposed to sit in a dark room and not go on any electronics for a week straight. Except then I would not be able to complete any of my work and then fail out of this institution…What I’ve realized in college is you can not possibly balance everything you want/need. You want 8 hours of sleep? Then you’ll fail your exam the next day. You want to be social and go out and party with friends? Then you’ll feel like shit the next morning and sleep through class. You want to remain in good health? Then avoid every public place where the other 6,000 students here may have spread their germs. You want to pass your classes? Then tell your concussion to fuck off so you can do your assignments and take your exams. I am preparing for permanent brain damage.
Post #8: Guac and Roll 2/26/20
I think I will have avocado stained into my carpet for the next 3 months. Skin be poppin’ though.
Post #8: Rob Says Hi Prof. Baronet 3/2/20
He is the quirkiest human I know. Also some woman came up to him and asked him what he knew about ghosts because he was wearing a “Kids See Ghosts” sweatshirt from the Kanye and Kid Cudi album. Sus.
Post #9: Commitment Issues 3/20/20
Sooo if you’ve noticed I have had trouble keeping up with this blog. I am not so great at long term projects, but now that I have nothing but time for the remainder of the school year (much of which will be spent on this computer), I am going to get back on my grind and make this a journal of my coronavirus quarantine journey.
Day 1 is bleak. I returned today from Miami where I spent my spring break (originally was supposed to be in Cabo, but was not about to risk getting stuck there if a travel ban occurred). My parents, being older and having weaker immune systems, did not want to risk catching coronavirus, which was heavily spread in the Miami area. So naturally I was shipped off to isolation in a hotel 20 minutes away from my Philly home for the next week. My mom moved me in all while keeping a 6 ft. social distance and wearing gloves and a mask. I think I quite possibly might be the only human keeping this hotel in business right now…I have yet to see another person in the hallways or lobby.
After a long day of traveling, I so looked forward to going to sit in the hot tub and taking advantage of its heat (with rumors circulating about high temperatures weakening the coronavirus). However as I entered the basement of the hotel and inhaled the scent of chlorine, I was greeted with a sign stating the pool and gym facilities were closed til further notice in order to avoid contamination.
So for the next 7 days I will be sitting here… in my room… alone. The entire state of Pennsylvania is shut down and I am armed with nothing but some microwaveable meals, a thermostat, and TV that only plays cable. This is dark. Stay tuned for update #2 tomorrow!
Post #10: Hibernation Nation 3/21/20
I am officially entering hibernation. I woke up at 2pm today and have not left bed since and I’m not mad about it. I also have been maintaining an only carb diet and a 0 min. workout routine daily. Oof. I should go for a walk but considering it is 40 degrees in PA, that seems unwelcoming.
Today I reached rock bottom when I spent $30 downloading Minecraft so I could play online with my friends. I realized as we all sat on the server together, building our virtual homes on our virtual island, that this would be the closest in contact we’d come to each other for months. But hey, at least constructing our village is a somewhat creative task, right?
Post #11: Daily Route 3/22/20
After waking up every day around 2pm, I eat breakfast, sit on my computer, shower, sit on my computer again, then eat again. Around 5 I finally mobilize and go on the walk my mom suggested I take to get fresh air every day. What’s my route you ask? Oh, around the deserted parking lot of my Hotel. Luckily for me the lot is attached to that of none other than a Joe’s Crab Shack. A very empty Joe’s Crab Shack. Being the menace I am, I naturally strolled on over to their playground. Who knew Joe’s Crab Shack franchises had a playground on the premise? Not me. Then again, I have never been to a Joe’s Crab Shack. Anyway, it is safe to say I made lemonade out of lemons at this establishment.
Post #12: Oops 3/23/20
Living alone in this suite has made me feel nostalgic towards the days when I was in high school and my parents went out of town for a weekend. The thrill of having the whole house to myself, going to bed whenever I want, eating whatever I want; It was the dream. However I have come to realize that being self-sufficient is not as glamorous as I thought. The cooking, the cleaning, the staying on top of schoolwork without having my mom over my shoulder to keep me on task…it’s safe to say I did not know what I was in for. In an effort to prove my maturity today, I made an internal promise to do the dishes I had accumulated following my 6 meals per day. Noticing there was no dish soap provided, I ventured out to the drug store a couple parking lots over. I bought the cheapest one, a cobalt blue bottle with the title “Dawn Platinum”. That’ll work.
After eating dinner, I put the dishes in the dishwasher, threw a generous pour of the soap in, and turned that sucker on. I hopped in the shower, feeling rather accomplished for doing an activity that required me getting out of the black hole that is my hotel bed.
When I emerged from the shower, the feeling of accomplishment soon vanished.
And for the cherry on top, as I frantically searched the kitchenette for materials to clean the sudsy explosion, I found none other than a dishwasher detergent block sitting right in the drawer beneath the sink. Lesson learned: Dish soap is NOT meant for dishwashers, and it’s a good thing these floors are fake hardwood.
Post #13: Vacancy 3/24/20
Day 4 in hotel isolation has come to its close. We had our first online advertising class today! It went well, but I won’t lie, it was a struggle to get up at 10:30. On the bright side, I am rather blessed with the hour time difference between here in Dallas…could you imagine having an 8am at SMU and returning to somewhere along the west coast after break? You’d have a 6:00 wake up call now. Rough.
After *finally* figuring out to work the dishwasher today, I took advantage of the 60 degree weather and sunshine and ran to the mall a few blocks from my hotel. In the entirety of my 20 years living in the suburbs of Philly, I have never in my life seen this place so empty. I practically grew up on my weekly trips to Bath & Body Works and American Eagle in this mall; It almost hurts to see this place filled with so many memories become a ghost town.
As the sun began to set, I found a parking garage and ran up to the top level. I jogged a few laps then breathlessly prayed that this pandemic would soon be solved. See proof below. I’m starting to get creative with these angles.
Post #14: Losing My Mind & My Eyesight 3/25/20
My eyes are burning from the amount of time I’ve spent staring at my screen. And for once, its not by choice. Today alone I watched 3 hours of prerecorded lectures online before live-streaming my marketing class at 3pm. I then wrote a paper til 6pm, watched the Banksy documentary til 7:30, and finally completed homework assignments til around 9. By the time I finally shut my computer screen I could feel my eyes burning with fatigue. As cheesy as it sounds, its during times like these when were forced to isolate ourselves and learn independently through technology, that we discover the hidden value of those 8am lectures in a stuffy room surrounded by 100 sleep deprived, hungover classmates. While in the moment I wanted nothing more than to hit snooze and sleep through my schedule, today I would do anything to be back in that environment. I would gladly take my crammed dorm over this hotel suite, the dining hall food over home-cooking, hell I’d even join a distance running club to be back at SMU (and if you know me, I can’t run for shit). I despise the fact that a virus named after a beer is taking over my life.
Post #15: On The Bright Side 3/26/20
The absolute #1 thing is this world I am most passionate about is music. And I suppose one of the plus sides to this whole pandemic situation (i.e. me sitting in my bed for just about 23 hours the day) is that I have gotten to spend a ton of time listening to my favorite artists and albums as well as finding new material I’ve never heard before.
I could truly write about music for hours on end. The way that certain songs can transport me to a place so distant from the isolated childhood bedroom I currently sit in; The way the tone of certain artist’s voice can take me back to an oh-so-specific moment in my life; The way it unites people across all cultures, races, ethnicities, age groups, political views, religious beliefs, and a multitude of other traits that usually serve to disconnect us; How lyrics and melodies can instantly evoke emotions of sadness, excitement, surprise, guilt…the list goes on forever. To think something so intangible has such a massive effect on my life blows my mind, for lack of better words.
For the next few entries, I want to show you guys some of my favorite music and why they offer me a sense of peace during this crazy confused time.
Post #16: THE Song 3/27/20
If you know me, you probably know every word to the song “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros as well. Its funny because the first time I heard it was as a cover performed on The Voice tv show. It took me no more than 10 seconds following that to find the original, and I have not stopped listening to it since. For the past 4 years in a row, it has come up as my #1 song on Spotify’s “Year in Review” tool.
I love it for many reasons. The second you hear the whistling melody at the intro, you immediately recognize the song. The singers’ voices are unlike any others- they sing in a sort of folk style that is so natural and unedited you can hardly compare it to the stuff on the charts today. Easily my favorite part is the bridge. Unlike a lot of modern music where the tempo picks up and the lyrics intensify during this portion, the instrumentals slow down and go nearly silent as vocalist Alex Ebert admits to Jade Castrinos (fellow band member) the moment he fell in love with her. And its not the sappy, unrealistic, picture-perfect love story we tend to hear in lyrics- its about the time Jade accidentally falls from a window (I’m very clumsy so maybe this is why I enjoy it so much?). Alex realizes as he watches Jade light a cigarette in the back of a car en route the hospital that he’s fallen in love with her, and he reveals this to her on the track. After the countless times I’ve heard this song, I can recite every word of this part at the exact speed and in their exact tones. Not gonna lie, I pride myself on it.
Finally, I really resonate with the song’s central message that home is not a physical place, but a connection you share with another person. “Home” is not the 4 walls that surround you in your childhood room or your college apartment. To be honest, there is really nothing inherently special about them. It’s the moments you spend in those places with the people you love that create the sense of warmth, happiness, and belonging we associate with being “at home”. I realize this especially as I sit in my house, writing this now. While I am back in the room I spent nearly two decades of my life in, I feel an extreme lack of comfort not being able to spend time with my family and friends amidst the pandemic. To me, those people are more of a home than this could ever be.
Post #17: THE Album 3/29/20
If I had to sum up my music taste I’d say it falls mostly under the alternative/rock category some contrasting elements of house music and hip-hop. My favorite album falls under this contrasting elements category; It’s technically considered “rap-rock”. Not sure what this really entails, or if I can think of another album that fits this title, but regardless, there is definitely not another release that compares to this.
Kids See Ghosts is the 2018 self-titled debut of hip-hop duo, “Kids See Ghosts”, a.k.a Kanye West and Kid Cudi. Before creating this masterpiece at Kanye’s ranch in Jackson Hole, they were lifelong friends and both dominated the hip-hop/rap industry.
The whole album can be listened to in around 30 mins, as the album features just 7 tracks. While some first-time listeners may question its brevity, it becomes clear that those 7 songs were all Kanye and Kid Cudi needed to f**king mesmerize their audience. Its completely different from anything either of the artists have produced before. The lyrics are transparent and fragile, the melodies psychedelic and fragmented. It’s almost hard to put this categorize this album under a genre as each track differs to much from the previous.
The lyrics to the songs are captivating- I mean like the type where you need to listen to the album immediately after you did the first time to make sure you heard every word. The overall “theme” of the album, per say, is the struggle of coping with mental illness. Its very refreshing to hear it sung/rapped about so openly- and frankly it could not have come at a better time than now, when barriers surrounding this taboo are finally being broken down.
I think what makes this album stand out most in my mind is the memories I have with it. It was released right after I graduated high school, and I first heard it during our “senior week” (when all of us go down to the beach the week following graduation). My at-the-time boyfriend showed it to me, as he did with a lot of my favorite music. Now every time I listen to it, it takes me back to that very moment of the pure bliss and simplicity we were living in.
Post #18: THE Artist 3/30/20
Though my favorite genre is alternative, my favorite artist somewhat strays from this category. The Weeknd, stage name for 30 year old Canadian singer/songwriter Abel Tesfaye, rose to the “alternative” R&B scene in 2011 after getting his start through an anonymous account on YouTube. Since then, he has released 6 studio albums, his 2012 debut entitled Trilogy and his most recent (released just over a week ago) called After Hours (attached above).
My personal draw to The Weeknd is his variability. I’ve listened to every album of his through and through, and each song has such a distinct style and emotional appeal to it. You can never predict the direction he will take next. He challenges the boundaries between genres and takes risks that create such unique music. To me, the ability to keep fans on their toes shows the true talent of an artist. He’s rater ambiguous in terms of his musical identity.
He released his first mixtape, House of Balloons, in 2011, after some of his tracks were leaked by producers he had fallen out with. This was his introduction into performing, playing small venues before he accompanied Drake on tour, frequenting as an opening act. I think some of his best songs were recorded for the mixtape, two of my top five favorites included: “The Morning” and the title track, “House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls”. He incorporates elements typically unusual to the R&B genre- heavily using guitar instrumentals and synthetic pop beats. This mixtape then morphed into his first studio album, Trilogy.
Following Trilogy came Kiss Land, which eventually rose to the number two spot on the U.S. Billboard 200. My favorite track on this album is single “Live For”, which he co-wrote and recorded with Drake. The lyrics of this album frequently mention fear or have screams as part of the instrumental, which The Weeknd attributes to the terrifying nature of his rise to fame.
His breakthrough, in my opinion, came with his 2015 self-produced album Beauty Behind The Madness. The singles he released in anticipation of the album were what brought his name to the radio and onto streaming services. The very first time I ever heard his sound was his single “The Hills”, an eerie, intense, bass-heavy track that became number one on the Billboard top 100. The lyrics are haunting, which to many listeners is his music’s appeal.
My favorite album by a landslide is his 2016 release, Starboy. This album opened a new chapter for The Weeknd; He ditches the dark persona and adopts pop-synth/disco vibes in the 18 tracks, once again blurring the lines between categorized music styles. My favorite songs are “Secrets” and “Rockin'”- their fast-paced, electronic melodies are reminiscent of what I imagine 80’s hip-hop consisted of. Makes me wanna dance.
Finally, the March 2020 release of After Hours reincarnated the artist’s dark spirit in a more prominent manner than ever before. The artist tweeted the morning of its release, “Tonight we start a new brain melting psychotic chapter!”, which is a quite accurate description of the album after listening to its 14 songs. The lyrics are reminiscent of his earlier work- focused on the theme of self deprecation that produce a sort of fear in his audience. My favorite track off this album is the single, “Blinding Lights”. I remember the first time I heard it driving back from my family’s Thanksgiving trip to New York. Its one of those songs that you hear once, then immediately listen to another 5 times in a row because it is that captivating. In my case, I listened to it for almost the entirety of the 2 hour car ride. I truly believe that beat could make someone rise from the dead. I feel like I’m in a high-speed car chase every time I listen to it.
The Weeknd is anything but static. His music, his brand- everything is constantly evolving. What I appreciate most about him is his willingness to ditch an identity he creates in one phase of his musical career in order to develop another. Too many artists these days are concerned with creating a consistent image for themselves and molding their music around that. But to be honest, that sh*t gets old. I have no desire to support an artist who produces ten albums that sound exactly the same- I want to support a musician who takes risks and steps outside of their comfort zone. In my eyes, The Weeknd avoids a comfort zone at all costs.
Post #19: THE Concert 4/2/20
I value the gift of experiences much more than any material possession. Ever since I could memorize the tour dates of my favorite band or artist, I have asked for concert tickets every year on my birthday. My first concert was Taylor Swift’s Fearless tour when I was 8. Since then, I’ve gone to upwards of 50-something shows, from sold-out stadium tours, to 3-day festivals, to intimate shows played in crammed concert halls.
In the beginning of the school year (R.I.P.), I trekked to Irving, TX to experience the magic of rising rock band Tame Impala. It was well worth it- easily becoming the most mind-boggling creativity-explosion I have experienced.
Tame Impala consists of a group of 5 musicians, led by vocalist Kevin Parker, started in Perth, Australia. The so-called “project” gained fame following their 2015 album entitled Currents, with hit single “The Less I Know The Better” reaching 500 million streams on Spotify to date.
The group played for an hour and a half. They began with my favorite song of theirs, “Let it Happen”, spewing rainbow colored confetti into the crowd as the opening beat struck (I captured this moment below).
In that moment (and many others) I am reminded of the reason that I wish so badly to pursue a career in this industry. There is no feeling that can top being in a room with 8,000 strangers who bond over one thing: the pure euphoria of hearing their favorite songs performed live surrounded by people who appreciate it just as much as them. To me, this is the power of music- the connectivity it fosters. Few people, things, or places have the ability to unite such a diverse audience in the same way a concert does. No matter where you’re from, what you look like, or what you believe in, you have a place in that crowd just as much as the next person.
As endless as the downsides seem to this pandemic occurring right now, there is always a silver lining. We’re at a place in our lives right now where we are given the rare opportunity to take pause and reflect on our lives.When evaluating my own presence in this world, I always find myself asking the question, “What makes me feel alive? I want to do more of that”.
This is that.
Post #20: Entering a New Relationship 4/3/20
It is so easy to speak or write about something that you’re passionate about. Just reflecting on the quality of my writing and the increased in excitement I have felt about this blog in the past week has proven that.
To be frank, I used to view this assignment as a burden; I am not someone who is good at keeping a routine so in terms of my blog, finding time devoted to journalizing my thoughts and feelings on this page was not something I prioritized. I think my generation has grown up with a weird relationship with writing. With all of our communication taking place in brief text messages, Facebook statuses, Snapchat captions, and 140-character tweets, the concept of writing has always appeared purely as an academic measure of success rather than a creative outlet.
This blog is giving me a chance to reanalyze my perspective on writing and change my attitude towards it. During a time where I really have nothing else to do, I seem to be enjoying recording my thoughts now more than ever. Another bright side to this crisis I suppose.
Post #21: Luck 4/4/20
21 posts! 21 is my lucky number. I believe in many strange theories in life but I especially in that..as if it can be proven at all or is of any relevance to my life.
I consider myself a very superstitious person. If leave my room in the morning with my bed unmade, I am automatically going to have a absolute mess of a day. If I don’t have a perfectly sharpened No. 2 pencil before an exam, I may as well just take the F now. Every 11:11 calls for a wish, but if I say it aloud then it won’t come true. And if I walk over the seal in Dallas hall, there is no shot I graduate (hmm, wonder if the whole class of 2020 tried this one out).
I think the reason I love to believe in these fictitious theories is that I look to blame my misfortunes on external factors. After spending years thinking this was my own personal perspective, I learned about the “self-serving” bias in my Intro to Psych class last semester. The theory explains that people who operate under this bias believe their actions are only responsible for some of the outcomes in their life. For instance, they may get a good grade on an exam, they take full credit for the achievement and pat themselves on the back for all the time they spent studying. But should they get a bad grade, they blame it on the exam room being too noisy, or that the night before the test was a celebration for their friend’s birthday. Its essentially a system where one rewards themselves for the good things that occur in their lives and external factors (“out of their control”) for the not-so-good things.
As we get older in life, we come to realize we’re all a little more selfish than we think- maybe our wrongdoings can’t be blamed on Friday the 13th after all.
Post #22: What If 4/6/20
My friend sent me a text yesterday saying, “What if this semester we were supposed to meet our spouse, our new best friend, or our next boss? And now we’ll never have that opportunity again.”
Yikes. What a terrifying way to look at quarantining- as a matter of lost time.
I hate the idea of losing time. Sometimes, I wish I could make time slow down and live in some moments forever.
We spend all of our childhood waiting to grow up and be viewed as “mature”, when in reality those are the simplest days of our lives that we take for granted. I wish I knew this when I was younger. As we get older the days seem to go by faster and faster.
Being forced to isolate myself has taught me to appreciate every day and every interaction.
I will no longer sleep in and skip class; I will wake up with eagerness and excitement to go to those 10ams. I am lucky to be able to attend college, let alone at one as amazing as SMU.
I will no longer stare at my phone as I walk down the boulevard; I will take advantage of every ounce of in-person communication. I am blessed to be surrounded by such friendly and welcoming students and staff at SMU and beyond.
I will no longer sit in my dorm and watch TV; I will spend more time outside on our beautiful campus. Being cooped up inside of your home for weeks on end makes you appreciate the simplicity of just breathing fresh air and enjoying the sunshine.
I always thought that saying “You gotta know the lows to know the highs” was bullshit.
I was wrong.
I’m wrong more often than I think.
Post #23: Play With Money 4/8/20
Most powerful drug in the world. No one is spared from its addictive qualities.
Post #24: ‘A’ 4/9/20
I have completed 24 blog posts, meaning I have exactly 26 left. I feel like I’m a roadblock. I feel unimagined. I need some sort of guidance.
So what has precisely 26 sub-categories to give me some creative energy?
The alphabet.
So here we go: 26 posts about 26 of my favorite things that start with 26 distinct letters.
We start with ‘A’. I think my favorite A word is “absurdity” because it’s what I strive for. The unexpected; The shit that shocks people and gets them talking. I’d say I’m a fairly irrational person, but I think everyone agrees it would be a shame if you went through life and didn’t have a moment where you looked back and said “I definitely should not have done that but I’m glad I did”.
(Second place word goes to “advertising”, duh).
Post #25: ‘B’ 4/10/20
My favorite ‘B’ word has got to be “boss”.
For several reasons:
- My high school friend group went by the title “B.O.S.S.” (Bitches On Senior Slide). Classy, I know. We stuck to the acronym.
- I have this hat sitting next to me as I write this post that displays “I’m The Boss” across the front. Got it from a corner store in London for reasons unknown?
- Would be cool to be called “boss” one day. Although knowing me I’d be the boss of choosing snacks for the company break room or something.
Post #26: ‘C’ 4/11/20
My favorite ‘C’ thing is a “camera”.
I love to take pictures of the scenery around me, especially of my friends and my favorite places. When I traveled to Europe this summer for a course at London School of Economics, I brought several disposable cameras with me to capture some photos. I loved the way they turned out.I’ll attach some below.
Post #27: ‘D’ 4/13/20
My favorite ‘D’ thing/activity/person (this is getting broader as I go on) is “driving”. I love the freeing feeling of cruising down a road, especially on a nice day when I can roll down the windows and feel the fresh air. I actually come up with a lot of my best creative ideas when I am alone in my car, listening to my music. I think this is partially due to the fact that you have no distractions while driving- no phone, no talking with friends. I might even be one of those rare people who don’t mind sitting in traffic.
Would MUCH rather be sitting in traffic than alone in my bed 😦
Post #28: ‘E’ 4/13/20
Not many ‘E’ nouns come to mind, but an activity I enjoy watching others do, and participating in myself, is “editing”- whether it be images, videos, music- really any form of media. I think it’s something that you can get imaginative with. Personally, I love editing songs on garage band, such as remixing multiple songs into one track. I also am very interested in video editing. In senior year, I got to make a hype-up video for our rivalry game’s spirit week which was one of my favorite projects I have done thus far. I did a remake of James Corden’s “carpool karaoke” with members of the senior class and staff members. I still cherish that video to this day.
Editing is a broad concept- one that everyone can approach in a different manner. Recently, one of my friends from home has become really invested in turning photos into graphics using Illustrator. As a result of being confined in our rooms with endless time to take on new hobbies, she mastered the skill super quickly. Perhaps this was her way of “embracing the shake”? Here’s an edit she made me below!
Post #29: ‘F’ 4/13/20
My favorite ‘F’ word (sounds weird saying “F word” and not referring to “fuck”) is actually a place. Fondren Library fourth floor! Triple points for that one.
It’s weird referring to a floor of the library as one of my favorite places, as a library is typically associated with lots of work, long nights of studying, cramming before an exam- you get the point. But if you’ve been to the top of Fondren, you know how serene the atmosphere is on this floor. 3 of the room’s walls are made of glass, so you get an amazing view of the sunset (and sunrise, if you’re like me and spend 12 hours there at a time). I typically sit at the high tops against the window with the panoramic view of downtown Dallas. It turns this amazing orange-y shade as the sun goes down.
It’s totally quiet too; Everyone feeds off the energy of one another grinding away. It’s one of those places that can calm me down when I’m feeling bombarded with work. More so than my bedroom at home can.
(I was gonna say France for this one but I’m not going abroad to Paris anymore so it’s too soon)
Post #30: ‘G’ 4/13/20
The winner in the ‘G’ category goes to…The Great Gatsby.
I suppose it’s a classic, and I hate being the one to say that my favorite ___ is something mainstream (I swear I have read more books than the one’s forced upon my for our high school curriculum) (but also now that I’m writing this I’m also realizing my favorite show is the most popular pick of them all- Game of Throne) (and that starts with a ‘G’ too 
). Anyway, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s words prove an exception to this. The way he balances the descriptions of Gatsby’s extravagant lifestyle with his delicate adoration for Daisy is striking. I am particularly fond of the story’s symbolism surrounding the 1920’s “American Dream” concept. Coincidentally reinforces the theme I discussed in my “Play with Money” post above. Money is the most dominate force in society and the most important factor in contemplating an individual’s power.
Post #31: ‘H’ 4/14/20
Okay, so cliché of me, I know. But I have to award my favorite ‘H’ word to “happiness”. This is the ultimate goal of my life: however, wherever, and with whomever I may find it.
I define happiness as a state of pure exhilaration; The absence of worries and presence of positive energy. Something along those lines.
I find happiness in a multitude of ways- through music, through exercise, through academic success, etc. Though there is no doubt in my mind that I am my absolute peak joy when I am surrounded by others.
I think everyone would consider themselves a “people person”. But I consider my self a “people fanatic”, like borderline “people obsessor”, but I have to nix that one because it sounds creepy. But you get the point, I am an extra-extrovert and thrive in the presence of others. I can’t think of a moment in life that excites me more than whole-heartedly laughing with someone. That, to me, is pure exhilaration. Makes me even happier when I am the one who caused the laugh- intentionally or not (the latter of which takes place more frequently given my clumsy, irrational, mistake-making self).
Post #32: ‘I’ 4/15/20
‘I’ goes to “invention”. The enabler of societal progress and constant source of inspiration and innovation.
I have always had an interest in designing products and services for the public use. Started with the phase I feel like every girl goes through as a kid- the fashion design phase. I had this whole picture in my mind that I was going to be the next Anna Winter.
Then in middle school, I got really into cooking and wanted to open a restaurant called “Spice”. Still love cooking, but not the idea of keeping up with a restaurant of my own.
In high school I did a summer intensive program at Columbia University that taught the principles of entrepreneurship and venture capitalism. There, my team and I spent 3-weeks inventing, designing, and prototyping an app that tracked the financial habits of teenagers and created a specialized budget for the user. Ironically, if you talked to my Dad he’d say I know next-to-nothing about money management. All inventions come from a problem, I suppose?
Most recently (as in during my shower a week ago), I developed the idea to improve Apple’s smartphone software. If you have an iPhone, you’re familiar with the ‘Health’ app. This app tracks everything from the steps you take each day to the amount of sleep you get every night. One element its missing is a way for you to record your weight. You can input it as a number, but that means you have to go through the hassle of finding a scale. My idea is to utilize similar sensors as the ones on the touch screen (that track finger movement) to figure out your weight when you step on your phone (stronger glass for the screen would also have to be incorporated as to prevent damage). Then this number would conveniently appear in the health app.
Just a thought. No better time to design new inventions than in a global pandemic!
Post #33: ‘J’ 4/15/20
My favorite thing under the ‘J’ category: “jewelry”. I actually don’t wear a lot, usually just one necklace and always my high school class ring. I have 3 I keep on rotation: a silver skull pendant, a gold necklace that says “boss” (told you I was obsessed with this word), and the one I’m currently wearing, my smiley face. Constant reminder to keep a positive attitude and what not.
Post #34: ‘K’ 4/15/20
My favorite ‘K’ thing is “knick-knacks”. I have so many little random things I have collected over the years that I don’t know where to begin with this one. I wish I was in my dorm room at school, because most of them are there, but I have plenty I can show you from my childhood.
These are a few that sit on my desk:
The wooden object is a tiki carving I got on my family trip to Hawaii at a luau. A local craftsman made it right in front of us and carved one of my favorite quotes on the back.
The pope figurine is from the 2015 Papal Convention in Philadelphia. I got a selfie with him (him being at a very far distance but a selfie nonetheless).
The wax sculpture-thing is from Madame Tussaud’s in San Francisco. I dipped my hand in wax and it molded around my fist to form that shape. I don’t know why but I have always dipped my fingers in candle wax (you know that thing where you peel it off) since I was young so I suppose this was the next best thing.
Post #35: ‘L’ 4/15/20
My favorite ‘L’ word is “lion”. They have always been my favorite animal for I am intrigued by the power they wield as the African apex predator. Also Lion King was a hell of a movie.
In speaking of Lion King, I’d be remiss not to mention Tiger King. I’m sure if you haven’t already read about it a million times, you will be doing so in the blogs following mine. Simple put, an insanely popular (deservingly so) Netflix documentary that covers the batshit crazy antics occurring on a plot of land in middle-of-nowhere Oklahoma that houses over 200 tigers. The star of the show, and self-proclaimed “Tiger King” is a man named Joe Exotic, a gay, polyamorous, gun-shooting, murder-plotting, presidential-campaign-running icon. Now he’s in jail. If you have time to watch, you’ll see why!
Post #36: ‘M’ 4/15/20
My absolute favorite ‘M’ word ever ever EVER: “mozzarella” .
I would actually die for this shit. First of all, there are endless ways you can prepare it- on pizza, on pasta, in a sandwich, in a salad. But my favorite is when it’s by itself. Just a ball of cheesy goodness with a little bread on the side to dip it in. Ugh. My mouth is literally watering as I write this. Burrata would likely be my last meal on death row.
Here are some glorious photos to further show you my adoration for mozz:
Post #37: ‘N’ 4/15/20
My favorite ‘N’ word is “nostalgia”. I consider myself to be a person who reminisces a lot. I love looking through my old family photo albums, my yearbooks, my pre-school journals, etc. They’re all stored in a bin under my bed at home. I’ve always had it in my mind that if my house were to catch on fire, it would be the first thing I would grab.
I think what I enjoy most about looking at these old relics is seeing how different my life has become. Of course, daily routine was a lot simpler when I was in 1st grade than it is as a sophomore in college, but even seeing the people I was friends with and places I went. I love that I’m still friends with a lot of those people today, as going to a lower/middle school with a graduating class of 30 kids definitely fostered strong, life-long relationships.
As much as I am interested in the differences, its also hilarious to see how similar I am to the girl I was as a young kid. See below for the big aspirations I had in 2007.
Post #38: ‘O’ 4/16/20
‘O’ is an easy one. One of my favorite things/place(?) ever is the “ocean”.
I always say I wish I lived near the ocean, especially during a time like now. I love the salty smell, the calming sound, the look of the deep blue-ish/green water meeting the bright blue sky- or when the the setting sun reflects across the water’s surface.
I’ve always loved swimming. I was on competitive swim teams from age 6-18. To be honest, I didn’t love the racing aspect of it. I more so just loved the feeling of being in the water- it’s therapeutic in a sense. But chlorine can’t compare to salt water. Seriously believe that shit has healing power.
I’ve gone to Cape Cod on family vacation every summer since I was born with my Dad’s side of the family. The beaches there are amazing- the water is so clear, the sand soft. Think that’s where my love of the ocean started. Praying that this pandemic is somewhat solved by August so that we can still travel there.
Post #39: ‘P’ 4/16/20
No question that this ‘P’ letter will be the easiest to write about because “pasta” is my everything.
I swear every time I see a carb my heart rate increases by 200%. Every night when I’m laying in bed and can’t fall asleep I scroll through my Instagram feed looking at pictures of pasta until 4am (Not gonna lie I wake up for our 9:30am class then go straight back to bed because pasta. keeps. me. up.). It’s like I’m in a relationship with it.
I love every shape of it. I love every sauce that comes on top. I eat it minimum 3x per week- breakfast, lunch, dinner- all of the above. I’m actually scared I’m going to break my keyboard from drooling all over it right now. I’m so damn passionate about this food.
If you don’t understand why, look at these pictures:
Post #40: ‘Q’ 4/16/20
Okay, wouldn’t call this one a favorite, per say. But I suppose the first ‘Q’ word that comes to mind in “quack”. Let me explain.
In senior year of high school, I started working my first job at a toy store called “Lucky Duck” that had just reopened in the town next to mine. Their tagline for the comeback? “The Quack is Back”. Wore a uniform shirt everyday of my first few months that had that message across the back.
Actually loved that job. It was super easy and I love being around kids. Not to mention the boss was a G.O.A.T. and I loved my co-workers. Sorta wish it was acceptable to work there forever.
Post #41: ‘R’ 4/16/20
Yet another super easy topic to talk about. “Rihanna” takes the cake for ‘R’.
Not kidding when I say easy to talk about. I wrote a 10 minute speech about her for my high school senior assembly in front of the whole 400-person auditorium. Essentially, these speeches are a sort of capstone project. Most people discuss scientific theories, historical milestones, or current events in the news. And what did I do? Stepped up on stage in cheetah print pants and read my 8 page paper on why Rihanna’s the most influential artist of our generation. If you remember one thing from my blog, I hope it’s that. I’m posting an picture of the first page.
Post #42: ‘S’ 4/16/20
Post #43: ‘T’ 4/16/20
(SO mid-typing I realized none of my work was auto-saving and I was about to lose it all if I refreshed the page so I screenshotted my writing for my R through V entries- technology doesn’t rule after all).
Post #44: ‘U’ 4/16/20
Post #45: ‘V’ 4/16/20
My favorite ‘V’ word goes to my favorite app: VSCO.
VSCO is a social platform for uploading, editing, and publishing images from your camera roll. It differs from Instagram/Facebook in that your ‘likes’ and ‘followers’ aren’t made public, rather the focus is on the content you produce. This is what I love about it. As I previously mentioned, I love editing, so utilizing their photo editing tools is my favorite part. I’ll upload some screenshots of my page below! You can check it out at vsco.co/brenndonawho 🙂
Post #46: ‘W’ 4/16/20
Might be slightly breaking the rules on this one, but my favorite ‘W’ phrase (sorry) is “Why not”.
Growing up, my dad would always say this cheesy quote, “Some say why, I say why not?”. Is this a movie line or song lyric? Still unsure. Never really got its meaning until I was able to make questionable decisions on my own. Now I certainly get it. It has become a way for me to justify all the stupid shit I do. I only get one shot at life so might as well try everything I can.
The phrase has become so prominent in my life it even made its way to my closet door: essentially my journal of favorite quotes from friends and ones I come across in reading. Big deal when something makes it up there! Not much space left.
Post #47: ‘X’ 4/16/20
Okay, I’ve sat here for 10 minutes trying to think of a word relevant to my life that starts with X. The only thing I can think of is when I was forced to play the xylophone when I was in 4th grade and that is a traumatic memory. I can still here the 30 off-beat, off-pitch xylophones ringing in my ear today. Never took up an instrument after that.
Post #48: ‘Y’ 4/16/20
‘Y’ goes to my favorite color: “yellow”.
I associate yellow with happiness and warmth. It brightens everything and grabs people’s attention. My nails are almost always painted some shade of yellow and I love to incorporate it into my outfits. When I get a house of my own I’m gonna paint my room that color. It brings good vibes. Could use more of those.
Post #49: ‘Z’ 4/16/20
Well well well. Look who messed up the numbering of these posts. This is why I’m not a math major damnit.
Anyway, my favorite ‘Z’ word is zoo. I’ve always loved zoos since I was little when we went on field trips. My first ever date was at the zoo too. Good place for a date because you don’t really have to pay a lot of attention to the other person. Whoops. Maybe that’s why that didn’t work out.
I think my interest with animals comes as a result of me never owning a pet. My mom is allergic to cats and dogs, so they were always out of the picture. I have a vague memory of owning a tadpole once but can’t confirm that. Regardless, I think being face to face with animals such as lions and rhinos is cool as fuck. I mean then again, a sub-saharan predator probably should not be locked up in a cage the size of my living room in downtown Philadelphia. Humans can hardly handle a month of quarantine, but for these animals, everyday feels like a global lockdown.
Post #50: That’s All She Wrote 4/16/20
I learned a lot.
I confirmed I can’t keep a routine to save my life. Confirmed that WordPress crashed my computer enough times that Apple’s customer service team knows me by name. Confirmed that writing 27 posts in 7 days was a terrible idea. Confirmed that I’m ready to never look at this damn page again.
I’m gonna go make some pasta.
See you on the other side, blog.
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