Keysha Ivelisse. "My Cute One", "My white half", my beautiful befa.
And here I describe her from head to toe. She about my height, so she's short. Very pale skin that gets red but rarely tans. Nice, proportionate body. Skinny. Small feet. Used to play soccer, walks all through campus toned legs (that she always shows off with shorts). Small hands. She has a lot of freckles especially around her nose and cheeks. Dark, straight hair which is now shoulder length but used to be long. Round face. A nose that can only be described as "una nariz de Pietri". Very dark, thick eyebrows that she is constantly fighting with. Brown eyes shaded underneath with the mark of sleepless nights thanks to Biology and her 20 other activities. And that's my physical description of my little rusted piece of flesh. I added some of our pictures together at different activities throughout high school and college. I am really not kidding when I say that she is my other half, the personality (obviously not physical) similarities are undeniable and anyone who knows us well enough can state the truth to that.
The most talked about issue in the news right now aside of gay rights is the legalization or decriminalization of cannabis (marijuana).
First of all I think it is important to make a distinction of the terms used constantly in this debate:
Approval for medical use- Many states already have this measure in place where marijuana can be used under the supervision of a physician who understands it's usefulness as a treatment for various ailments.
Decriminalized use- In a nutshell this means that it is not legal, but not a law enforcement priority. Implications would mean tolerance of small quantity possession and usage. This also means it cannot be sold legally but for example you can't be fired for not passing a drug test. In addition decriminalization still includes legal consequences such as fines, community service and required drug treatment as opposed to incarceration.
Legalization of use- Complete legalization of medical and non-medical cannabis. By this measure it means that people can set up shops to sell marijuana, the government can tax it, people can use it freely and commercial marijuana farms can be created.
That being cleared up in Puerto Rico, at the moment there are two main projects involving cannabis: Proyecto del Senado 517 (decriminalization of marijuana) and Proyecto de la Camara de Representantes 1362 (legalization of medical use marijuana). Therefore, speaking of the "legalization of marijuana" is useless because it is not even in consideration at the moment. This is a big sociological issue in PR, although not necessarily a political one since the governor Garcia Padilla himself has specified not to be the most important thing on agenda. The decriminalization or medical legalization of marijuana is never the less a big concern for many because of the possible economical and criminal implications tied to it. The truth is that there is a large financial investment in law enforcement officials to fight and prosecute individuals that use marijuana as a recreational drug.
One side of the debate establishes the medical benefits of the drug, the economical increase that could be obtained by reassigning funds from the drug war on marijuana to violent crimes instead, the decrease in crimes, gangs and black market sales and the diminished severity of its side affects in comparison to other legal substances such as alcohol or tabacco. The other side stands ground by saying it is an initiation drug, and users would start with marijuana and continue into other more harmful substances. Others in opposition state that the decriminalization would not solve the problem and in addition oppose with moral reasons.
This issue has been present in the US since the 1970's when Oregon became the first state to decriminalize cannabis in 1973, followed shortly by Alaska, California, Colorado, Mississippi, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina and Ohio. So why the big debate now in PR and the US included? Because now the US is talking about full legalization and PR finally caught up to talk about decriminalization. As with any substance legal or not, there have been good people and bad who use it, places where the decriminalization has worked and places where it failed miserably. To understand this issue it needs to be put into context in PR and look into how it has worked in our neighboring Latino countries who share a similar culture. There is a lot at stake by going down this rabbit hole because like it or not it is a domino effect: decriminalization today, legalization tomorrow (like in the US) and now it may be cannabis but in 30-40 years when this issue blows over; what will be the next one to be debated about? My Opinion In all honesty I find this issue to be a tiring and somewhat unnecessary one. There are many more economical, political and social issues that are far more important than if people can smoke a joint or not. Other issues that are present, important and not as strongly addressed but should be include sex trafficking, education, healthcare, unemployment just to name a few. These are the issues that I think society should be pushing to resolve. Personally the legalization for me is a negative. The decriminalization although having its advantages and disadvantages (as with everything in life) has some serious repercussions to consider; when under its influence marijuana does diminish capacity, that is a well known fact. In a decriminalized setting I would certainly dislike that the surgeon that is going to cut me open be high at the time, or the bus driver that will drive my children to school be foggy from his last joint. I'm not ignoring the economical benefits of the decriminalization, but they have to come with some other implication such as prohibition of being under the influence when working, drug education and other measures to ensure that the benefits outweigh the risks. Medical legalization I can understand, many benefits have been scientifically tied to cannabis and physicians often resort to different pharmaceuticals on a patient to patient basis. From my point of view the final result of this debate will be approval of both projects in PR, society is pushing and politicians want to keep society happy in a way that is also beneficial to them. For me it goes in the same category as tabacco, I don't like the smell of the smoke, I don't want the person I'm dating to have it on his breath, I don't plan on trying it but I will respect anyone who chooses to use it as much as I respect vegetarians although never plan on becoming one.
In a field of very grass there is a young boy and girl sitting on top of a soft blue blanket enjoying what appears to be a tea party. Looking at her, the boy serves the girl imaginary tea from the white pot into the teacup in her extended hand. Behind them lies a closed basket with a piece of round bread on top. Around the children, who are about 8 years old, soap bubbles float around them. The little girl is dressed in ankle length blue jeans a white sleeveless shirt with a white and blue ribbon attached to her waist. She has loose brown hair held by a white and blue headpiece with a flower on the side and a small braid on the left side of her hair. For accessories she has a small charm bracelet on her left wrist. She looks directly at the camera with a small smile. Meanwhile the boy has white knee length pants and a blue and white plaid, button shirt. He has neck length soft brown hair that appears to be moving in the wind. Both children are barefooted and mosquito bites can be seen on their legs and ankles. This image I found especially cute since it seems to represent the innocence and simplicity of children with the tea party and the bubbles around them. On a more personal note I really enjoy picnics and would love to do something similar to this image with my boyfriend for a date.
Underlined answers are incorrect
Exercise #1 Sentence Fragments | Exercise #2 Fused sentences | | 1. F
2. F
3. C
4. F
5. C
6. F
7. F
8. F
| 9. F
10. C
11. C
12. C
13. F
14. F
15. C
16.F |
Results: 11/16
I seemed to have trouble identifying the dependent clauses when they came after the initial statement.
| 1. He enjoys walking through the country, and he often goes backpacking on his vacations.
2. He often watched TV when there were only reruns; however she preferred to read instead.3. They weren't dangerous criminals; they were detectives in disguise.
4. I didn't know which job I wanted, for I was too confused to decide.
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On the first I had eliminated the "he" from the second statement. And on number 4 I used "for" instead of "so". I believe them both to be valid interpretations of the answer. *Pending discussion to understand if there is a rule of why my choices would be incorrect.
| Exercise #3 Subject and Verb Agreement 1. Annie and her brothers are at school.
2. Either my mother or my father is coming to the meeting.
3. The dog or the cats are outside.
4. Either my shoes or your coat are always on the floor.
5. George and Tamara don't want to see that movie.
6. Benito doesn't know the answer.
7. One of my sisters is going on a trip to France.
8. The man with all the birds lives on my street.
9. The movie, including all the previews, takes about two hours to watch.
10. The players, as well as the captain, want to win.
11. Either answer is acceptable.
12. Every one of those books is fiction.
13. Nobody knows the trouble I've seen.
14. Is the news on at five or six?
15. Mathematics is John's favorite subject, while Civics is Andrea's favorite subject.
16. Eight dollars is the price of a movie these days.
17. Are the tweezers in this drawer?
18. Your pants are at the cleaner's.
19. There were fifteen candies in that bag. Now there is only one left!
20. The committee debates these questions carefully.
21. The committee leads very different lives in private.
22. The Prime Minister, together with his wife, greet the press cordially.
23. All of the CDs, even the scratched one, are in this case.
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22/25 Not bad! My confusions were for the most part due to not reading the sentence thoroughly. Once I saw the answer (of course!) I realized why I had got them wrong and immediately realized what I missed.
Eliminating Wordiness 1 | Eliminating Wordiness 2 | Eliminating Wordiness 3 | | 1. Many local farmers plan to attend next Friday's meeting.
2. Although Bradley Hall is regularly populated by students, close study of its structure is seldom undertaken.
3. He dropped out of school because it was necessary for him to help support his family.
4. It is expected that the new bus schedule will be announced within the next few days.
5. There are many ways in which a student interested in meeting foreign students may come to know one.
6. It is very unusual to find someone who has never told a deliberate lie.
7. Trouble is caused when people disobey the rules established for general safety.
8. A campus rally was attended by more than a thousand students. Five were arrested for disorderly conduct, while several others are charged with organizing a public meeting without being issued a permit.
9. The subjects that are considered most important by students are those they find to be useful to them after graduation.
10. In the near future, college freshmen must become aware that there is a need for them to make contact with an academic adviser concerning the matter of a major.
11. There are wide-open opportunities for professional growth with our company which enjoys an enviable record for stability in the dynamic atmosphere of aerospace technology.
12. Some people believe in capital punishment, while others are against it; there are many opinions on this subject.
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In general I did horribly on this first exercise. I didn't know I could be that reductionist with the sentences. | 1. The reefs below the steep cliff were barely visible through the fog.
2. The car is ready for the long, overnight drive.
3. Sometimes, Stan goes running with Blanche who has been a very good athlete since high school.
4. The candy Taylor brought back from Europe was very different from the ones in America.
5. Government leaders often mention that new jobs indicate a strong economy but they don't mention the kind of jobs that are replacing the good ones.
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I just can't seem to get these right. I either eliminate too few, or too much and lose the ideas that are important. | Many people enjoy reading murder mysteries regularly. As a rule, these people are not themselves murderers, nor would they really enjoy seeing an actual murder, nor try to solve one. They probably enjoy reading murder mysteries because they have found a way to escape from the monotonous, routine of everyday existence. To such people this reading is a realistic fantasy. It is realistic because the people in the book are believable. The hero that solves the murder does so by using a high degree of logic and reason. It is essential that people who enjoy murder mysteries have an admiration for the human faculty of logic. But murder mysteries are also fantasies. The people who read such books play a game. It is a game in which they suspend certain human emotions, such as pity. If the reader were to stop to feel pity for each victim or felt a terrible horror that such a thing could happen, that person will never enjoy reading such books. The devoted reader keeps in mind at all times the goal of arriving through logic and observation at the solution to the mystery. It is a game with life and death and whodunits that help the reader to hide from the hideous horrors of the real world. ------------------------------------------------------- I think I could have done a little better condensing the last paragraph. | Prepositions #1 | Prepositions #2 | - B
- A
- C
- B
- A
- C
- B
- A
- C
- C
- A
- C
- B
- A
- C
- B
- B --> C
- A
- C
- A
| 19/20
Not bad! Again, not reading the sentences thoroughly is the main cause for my silly mistakes. | | | 1. Anna has returned to her home town.
2. The dog jumped into the lake.
3. Are the boys still swimming in the pool?
4. Thomas fell on the floor.
5. The plane landed on the runway.
6. We drove toward the river for an hour but turned north before we reached it.
7. The kids climbed onto the monkey bars.
8. Joanna got into Fred's car.
9. The baby spilled his cereal onto the floor.
10. We cried to the man on the ladder, "Hang on!"
11. I went to the gym.
12. Matthew and Michelle moved the table into the dining room.
13. Allan left your keys on the table.
14. Dr. Karper apologized for interrupting us and told us to carry on with our discussion.
15. I walk to the amusement park.
16. Pat drove Mike to the airport.
17. Glenn almost fell into the river.
18. The waitress noticed that there was no more Diet Pepsi in Marty's glass.
19. Lee and Sarah took the bus that was heading toward the university.
20. Mary Sue jumped onto the stage and danced.
| 19/20
I didn't know about that one. But it makes sense. In general I'm pretty good at knowing what are the correct prepositions to use. Mainly because of how the sentence looks/sounds than actually following any rule. | | More Prepositions #1 12/14 | More Prepositions #2 19/20
Repeated quiz! And I got the exact same one wrong again! |
 Blog Post: Hope. Faith. Courage (A Movie about my life)
This post was a short synopsis of what a movie about my life right now would be like. In terms of structure I want my readers to focus on the structure and vocabulary of my post.
On a more personal note I want my readers to comment a bit about content. What can you get about my personality from that? Was it interesting? What comes to mind when reading it?
This is the song by song recount of my life. In the lyrics of each you will find different parts of me at different moments of my life. What things were important and what mattered can all be seen on this list. These songs are my story. Track 1 - Circle of Life (Lion King Soundtrack) I think the choice of this song is pretty self explanatory and a very cliche song to represent my birth. But on a more personal note of why I chose it is because I was born under the Leo zodiac sign which is something that my mother constantly reminds me and my father's name is Rafael so he would be Rafiki, that lifts me up to present me to all the animals of the kingdom (aka the nurses and doctors that were there). Track 2 - Carita de Sol (Tony Vega) "Carita de estrella, carita de sol. Llegaste a la tierra sin ser esperada con tu bendición.
Cuando ya no quedaba esperanza. Cuando nadie aguardaba tu amor.
Carita de sol, regalo de la mano de Dios."
This song represents my baby years and how my mother felt (and still feels) about my birth. I came later on in her life, very unexpectedly; and so she has always considered me as a blessing. The song also speaks about how with the baby's arrival the house changes completely and life in not the same. With three older brothers in their teens and me coming as a newborn I'm sure things changed dramatically for my mom.
Track 3 - The Big Comfy Couch Theme Song | Track 4 Pappyland's Theme Song | Both Track 3 and 4 have the exact same explanation. THIS IS MY EARLY CHILDHOOD. I spent so much time as a child watching these two shows. Learning how to draw with Pappy and how to tell time with Loonette and Molly. Just watch the videos and those theme songs represent such a big part of me. And to this day I still have some of the drawings I made and can still sing the theme songs as if it was yesterday! Track 5 - The Fresh Prince Theme Song | "In West Philadelphia born and raised...."
With just those simple words ANY 90's kid will immediately start singing in their best impression of my then and now crush Will Smith. That song is almost an anthem and in my life reminds me of watching that shows for hours with my older brother. I learned a lot of life lessons from Will and his family and it was such a great show that the repeats are still on TBS and I will watch them and laugh now just as much as I did then.
| | Track 6 - Pokemon Theme Song | Yes, I was that geeky girl at 11 that much preferred playing Pokemon with the boys than Barbie's with the girls. And for one Christmas the best gift my mother could have given me was my very own red Pokedex. I remember I was the envy of all the boys on my street that didn't have one and I search for the features of all the 150 Pokemon (when that was all that there was).
| | Track 7 - Yo te extrañare (Tercer Cielo) This one is for you Wella.
When I was 12 years old my grandmother died and I can still remember clearly all the events of that week and of the day of her passing. It was the first time that death had touched someone close to me and the fact that it was someone so important to me was something that I was not prepared to deal with. For a long time I was in denial and couldn't accept that she was gone. A few years later this song was released and I remember crying so hard the first time I heard it and then listening to it over and over again hoping that the chorus lyrics were true. This song definitely gave me a different perspective of the passing and let me go and be happy and do many things in my life with the knowledge that from wherever she is, she is watching. No llores por mi
es tan bello aqui.
Quiero que seas feliz. Que te valla bien
Y cuando te toque partir
... espero verte aqui.
Track 8 - Gone Forever (Three Days Grace) And so we enter the teenage years! As my first stupid decision (of many that were committed) I decided to date a guy after only two weeks of meeting him. We had things in common and at that time that seemed to be the only factor necessary for a relationship. Big Mistake. For 10 months he made my life so complicated and in the end miserable. We both had very explosive personalities at the moment, would constantly fight and in the end had a horrible break up. From this I learned so many things that helped me grow as a person. None the less this is the most appropriate song that comes to mind every time I think of him. | I feel so much better
Now that you're gone forever
I tell myself that I don't miss you at all
I'm not lying, denying that I feel so much better now that you're gone forever
| And now it's coming clear
That I don't need you here
And in this world around me
I'm glad you disappeared
| First time you screamed at me
I should have made you leave
I should have known it could be so much better
| Track 9 - Imperfection (Skillet) After being in that draining and emotionally abusive relationship, realizing the daddy issues I had and other drama in my teenage life I became very insecure and it all took a toll on my self esteem. When I first heard this song it was as if someone was singing the lyrics directly to me, someone who cared deeply about me and saw those issues. The lyrics spoke straight to my heart and I listened to it over and over wondering if someone actually cared about me that way. Later on, this song represented the found strength in me when I dealt with those issues and moved on. | You're worth so much
It'll never be enough
To see what you have to give
How beautiful you are
Yet seem so far from everything
You're wanting to be
| You mean so much
That heaven would touch
The face of humankind for you
How special you are
Revel in your day
You're fearfully and wonderfully made
| You're worth so much
So easily crushed
Wanna be like everyone else
No one escapes
Every breath we take
Dealing with our own skeletons
| Track 10 - Cool (Gwen Stefani) If anyone has an ex that they don't absolutely hate look at this video! Do it, do it now. (It's a lyric video so I'm sure they will explain itself) but this is the song that comes to mind if I think of my ex-boyfriend. He was my best friend in junior high school and after dating for a year things got complicated and we grew in separate ways. After breaking up and separating for a while we came to a point where we can talk normally again. And it's comfortable to have a friend that knows you so well and understands things of you in a way that not many other people would get. And so like the song says "After all that we've been through, I know we're cool". Track 11 - Bitch (Meredith Brooks) What kind of a girl soundtrack would it be without the Meredith Brooks anthem?
This song represent the bipolarity truth that is my personality and anyone who has gotten close enough to me will attest to that without thinking twice. Plus in high school I was considered by many of my friends to be a bitch, which I will now accept with no problem. If I am being a bitch to someone, it's probably your fault for annoying me in the first place. (Just Kidding.) -not really I'm a bitch, I'm a lover
I'm a child, I'm a mother
I'm a sinner, I'm a saint
I do not feel ashamed
I'm your hell, I'm your dream
I'm nothing in between
You know you wouldn't want it any other way
Track 12 - Entra en mi Vida (Sin Bandera) | This is the absolute, without thinking about it twice anthem to the beginning of the relationship with my boyfriend. We were both very guarded people that really didn't want to fall for each other. It didn't make sense, it happened without any of us really trying for it and when we were together we literally didn't notice the clock. (Reason why we got in trouble a couple of times for staying after hours on school grounds). Looking back at all the events it makes sense now and I don't think I could find anyone more compatible for me than him. | | Track 13 - Friends Forever (Vitamin C) | Track 14 - El Wanabi (Fiel a la Vega) | Graduation Time! | Friends Forever is by far the song that describes me and my high school friends. When it came to graduation time and the realization that we were going to different campuses and that everyone said that you lose your high school friends and the only life long ones are your college ones. We were worried. This all proved to be false as we are still very close to each other and celebrate all important events together and meet up as a whole group at least twice a year.
So as well all move on and grown up and become important people with jobs and stuff we are all still close. | THE THEME SONG FOR MY WHOLE LIFE This is the song that represents me leaving high school, entering college, senior year in college and for the rest of my life. I think the lyrics are very true because all the time that is what we are looking for: that one chance to prove what we are made of. The lyrics to this song are inspirational and true in a very crude way (typical of Fiel a la Vega) and they make anyone think of the purpose of your dreams and where you are heading.
| Track 16 - Still Into You (Paramore) | This song absolutely describes my relationship where it is right now. "I should be over all the butterflies but I'm into you. And baby even on our worst nights I'm into you". After almost 5 years together I'm still into him. I still feel the butterflies and get all dressed up whenever we're going out on a date. And like the song says no, it's not a walk in the park but it's worth it.
P.S. You should totally watch the video, it's really fun and I swear you will be humming the song for at least a week after hearing it. | | Track 17 - Wind Beneath my Wings (Bette Midler) This is the one song that will always, always give me a knot in the throat when signing it. Just writing about it and thinking of all that it means to me makes my eyes water. This is another life long song that represents the relationship I have with my mother. She is and always will be the wind beneath my wings, my greatest support and the one person who in her mind knows without a doubt that I will do anything I set my mind to. She is a strong woman that I admire both as a person and as a mother. And lately I've noticed (to my liking or not so much) how similar we are in so many things.
 After reading Ms. Thurin's interesting and highly accurate description of the boys at UPR I can say that I mainly agree with her and that since I am generally oblivious to these kinds of things I don't hace much to add to it. However I did find her to be funny and wish someone would also do the girls (Now THAT would be interesting). Honestly I don't usually notice much of my surroundings in terms of people unless they are annoying or actually do something to draw my attention.
Now for some stereotypical, cliche fun!
As a self proclaimed former slightly psychotic girlfriend as soon as my boyfriend decided to study Engineering (and knowing this meant he would eventually study on the other side of the island) I took to the task of scoping out what women in Engineering were like. And was very pleased to know that there actually aren't many! Nevertheless they do exist and since it is what I have mostly seen and heard of it will be my little research here.
INME (Mechanical Engineering) - Extremely rare species, of a class of 30, if you're lucky you might find 2 or 3 girls. These can be either slightly tomboyish trying to fit in with the boys or staying true to the "power to the women" statement. They tend to be extremely smart and extremely annoyed by the men who either only want to flirt with them (I mean, how often does a mechanical engineer come across a female anyway?) or the other type of men (professors included) that doubt their ability to be successful engineers.
INCI (Civil Engineering) - This is pretty much the ghost species of Engineering, and no data could be obtained for the women or even for the men. They are generally seen only in first year, in general classes and they occasionally they come out of their hiding spot to measure buildings with strange equipment and then go back to wherever they are.
ICOM (Computer Engineering) - Remember that "geeky" kinda shy girl in high school? Where this is where she ended up. Surrounded by men who like their INME and INEL relatives drool over them if they are even slightly attractive, these girls will be generally found stuck to a computer trying to decipher some writing that looks a lot like the green squiggles of "The Matrix". The women of this species are generally confused with their close relatives in INEL.
INEL (Electrical Engineering) - As with many engineering departments (other than ININ and INQU) women are rarely found in this department. Often mistaken with their close cousins of ICOM these ladies tend to stray away from their departments classmates to mingle with the girls of INQU.
INQU (Chemical Engineering) - The "pretty girls", these are glorified Chemistry majors that allow themselves the perks of being called an engineer. These are the hair always in place, weekends studying on the beach, " I'm so stressed out but still find time to hang out" kind of girls. It is the only engineering department where you will actually find a larger amount of women than 5 per class.
ININ (Industrial Engineering) - The lowest of the food chain of the engineering as considered by other engineers (this applies to both men and women). This species is closely related to INQU women and like them have the highest concentration of women in engineering and also contains the "pretty girls". These have the burden of endlessly answering the question "What does an industrial engineer do?" (Seriously, what do they do?) and never being quite as understood as their fellow mates.
And there you have it. A brief characterization of the almost non existent women in Engineering. See everyone? I told you they existed, you just have to look very closely and through the masses of engineering men that surround them but will rarely ever have the guts to talk to them.
 EVANESCENCE My all time favorite band is Evanescence. I consider them to be extremely talented both individually and as a whole with a wide variety of topics in their music and a wonderful range of music itself. I listen to Evanescence whenever I get the chance be it walking with my iPod, while taking a shower or just at home making very my own concert swearing (and yet knowing its definitely not true) that my voice is just like Amy Lee's. I was first introduced to this band by my cousin when I was 10 years old and ever since I heard the amazing music of "Bring me to Life" plus the chilling piano solos and beautiful vocals of "My Immortal" I was hooked, even against my mother's criticism that they were too "goth" and "suicidal" for me to be listening to at such a young age. Since then I have anxiously waited and listened to the songs of their 3 CD's in addition to other singles and EP's that have been released. Their variety of topics and tones were there for me all the time, but especially during my preteen and teenage years where in anger, sadness, strength and confusion I would find solace in the lyrics of each song. As of today listening to Evanescence's music always makes me feel empowered, strong, capable of anything... except singing like Amy Lee, or playing the drums like Will Hunt, or the bass like Tim McCord ... or the guitar like Terry Balsamo or Troy McLawhorn. But other than that, while listening to their music I'm pretty sure I can do it all, especially if it's their latest CD's first single "What You Want".
Evanescence is a highly influential band having touched the lives of many teenagers as you can tell by the posts left on their official Twitter page. In addition they helped raise funds for the relief of the 2010 Earthquake in Haiti with their charitable single "Together Again" and often include topics in their songs about issues that are important to the band members such as sex trafficking in their song "My Heart is Broken".
AND YES, I went -in arena- to their concert on an unforgettable October 6, 2011 accompanied by my also fan boyfriend. The intensity of the music and the feeling in my chest as soon as the drums reverberated and I saw them come on stage is indescribable and has yet to be superseded. And still to this day, each and every time I hear a song they played at the concert I am transported back to that night and can feel the vibrations and emotions as vividly as that day.
 MAROON 5 Another of my favorite artists are Maroon 5 which I've listened to since my preteen years when I heard " She will be loved" for the first time thinking what a beautiful song is was and how unique the vocalist's voice was. I usually listen to them while driving or working on the computer. After listening to a few songs I was convinced of their talent, individuality and musical variety. Their variety of topics, themes and musical patterns can take you from lovable, to full of hate in no time; and that is exactly how I feel when listening to them. Depending on the song I could be dancing, thinking about someone (in a good or not so good way) or just singing along with hottie front man and vocalist Adam Levine. Unfortunately I have never been to a concert because the time they came to PR I didn't have the money and still regret it horribly. One of the most important aspects of Maroon 5 that I consider worth mentioning is that contrary to many other bands the original members are still the same since their beginnings, they have attended college despite starting their career young and they financially support many charities dedicated to Tsunami relief, gay rights and the environment.
|  EMINEM Marshall Mathers better known as Eminem/Slim Shady is considered by me and many to be one of the most influential rappers of the past decades. His music, rhythms and beats have always had a unique style combined with strong, emotional lyrics with messages that often reflect his view of society, his personal problems or just making fun of pop culture. I remember listening to Eminem for the first time in the 90's courtesy of my older brother and at the time not being able to understand half of what the songs was about but bopping my head to it nonetheless. Now when I hear the songs both old and new I have a completely different view and appreciation of what they mean and enjoy them even more. Be it while driving, cleaning or showering Eminem definitely brings out the angry critical side of me, noticing everything from abusive relationships to overrated pop artists to political issues. Exactly why I consider him to be such a relevant artist because in his own words from the song The Real Slim Shady "I'm like a head trip to listen to cause I'm only giving you things you joke about with your friends inside your living room". And that is the essence of his music, things that many people go through, think or critique; the only difference is having the courage of saying it out loud.
| To learn about an artist Usually artists, bands and musicians alike have their own official page, an official fan page and many other sites made by enthusiastic followers, magazines or tv programs. Also with social media being such a big part of today's activities musicians take advantage of this having their own Myspace, Twitter and Facebook accounts. It was these types of pages that I looked at, as would any fan when researching an artist of interestEvanescenceOfficial Page - The official page has many things that cater to a fans needs: biography, videos, music, photos, news, store, link to fan club and of course contact infomation with the bands label. The only thing its lacking is information of the artists that influenced the band and awards they have won. And one very important detail I missed was the information of the beginnings of the band.Twitter Page - Official twitter account for the band it includes the latest updates of new releases, giveaways, tour dates etc.All Music Page - The all music page is a type of database that focuses on the band, its biography and discography. Interesting facts I found on this site was that it included the credits for movies and tv shows where some songs have been used and the different awards that have been one by the band. The only thing I could not find on any of the pages was information on the charities that the band supports.
Maroon 5Official Page - A very user friendly site with pretty much any information a fan would need. It has the official biography, latest news, tour dates, audio, video and photos of the band. Not to mention links to the fan page and shopping page. It is what a person would expect from an official site. The only thing I consider missing from this page is information on the charities and philanthropies of the band, which I think are nice aspects to know of the artist to have a view of what is important to them other than obviously music.Official Fan Page - Very similar to the official page, it has a stronger focus on fan interaction having a special section for the bands Twitter news feed, the fan club mailing list and more emphasis on the latest news of the band members. Both pages are missing awards, credits and inspiring artists. Rolling Stone Page - Rolling Stone Magazine online has somewhat of a database on bands and artists which has a small bio and links to the main sites. Since it is very basic info it doesn't contain photos, videos or tour dates. EminemOfficial Page - Not as user friendly and informative as other official sites I've seen. Focuses only on information about the upcoming CD and links to the merchandise and social pages. No photos or biographical information (although for any bio you can just listen to his songs).IMDb - Since Eminem is not solely a rapper he has his very own IMDb page that contains his biography, photos, videos and credits to movies that include his songs as part of the soundtrack in addition to credits where he is an actor or producer. As a bonus it includes personal details and trivia about himMyspace Page - Definitely not a user friendly page! Which might have something to do with how long it's been since I visited Myspace, I guess there were a couple of updates I missed out on. The page does have an extensive archive of this music which I thought was really nice, it also includes artists similar to him and who influenced his career, photos, videos and a space for future concerts when on tour. In their words Evanescence
“Forget the place you're trying to get to and see the beauty in right now...” “If people make fun fun of you, you must be doing something right” “This moment right now between us and the fans, it feels like a celebration, a homecoming, a family reunion” "Must be exhausting to lose your own game" ( Call Me When You're Sober) Maroon 5 "I was the music dude that was naked all the time with the girls, and that's fine, no problem with that." "If I were too smart, I would realize all the ills of the world." “Mothers, we love you. Thanks for making us.” "So scared of breaking it that you won't let it bend ( Misery) Eminem“If you have enemies, good that means you stood up for something.” “Damn. How much damage can you do with a pen?” “If there's not drama and negativity in my life, all my songs will be really wack and boring or something.” “Imma be what I set out to be without a doubt undoubtedly.” ( Not Afraid) Wrap it up! Click on the names of the songs to see the videos and I really hope you enjoy them and give yourself a chance to listen to different styles. As you can see my musical taste is very varied (how I think it should be!) and I hope you can learn something both about me and these very talented people through my post.
Some fun facts I came across while doing my research of them is that Amy Lee from Evanescence will always have something water related in her videos: it could be raining on her, she's drowning or walking into the ocean the point is water will always be an element of her videos. Maroon 5 was originally called Kara's Flowers they even had an album under that name which never really took off and then exactly 10 years after they originally formed Kara's Flowers their first album as Maroon 5 "Songs about Jane" went platinum. And Eminem is left handed, was arrested at age 20 for shooting at a cop car with a paintball gun and at age 9 was beaten so bad by a bully that he spent over a week in a coma.
The internet is pretty much a double edged sword for many artists; on the positive side it gives them what they need: exposure. It allows people to listen to a song, like it and find out more information about them. It facilitates research, such as the one I did for this post. But to the negative the internet is filled with false information about many artists and is a tool for easy piracy which of course harms them and their labels. In addition its possible for songs, information and photos to become leaked against the bands will. Lastly I include a little bonus... the new Love Somebody Music Video
 Shriner's Outreach Clinic at Veteran's Hospital Children born "damaged" with legs that don't work, organs where they don't belong and a mind that understands pain too well but not why it is so constant in their life. Children that often don't grow up and even when they do are subjected to stares, challenges and hardships a child should never know. In addition to the children to whom everyone's heart goes out to, we have the parents. Parents that often do not have the financial means to give their child the medical attention they need, that do not know enough about birth defects to understand what's happening to their child until it's already happened and of course parents with the constant "what if?" wondering if what is happening is somehow their fault.
For those who are unaware of what birth defects are and how they affect the Puerto Rican population, here are the statistics from the Department of Health: -Link-. Birth defects are present all over the world but combine that with the fact the Puerto Rico is designated a medically underserved area (MUA) -Link- and the end result is hundreds of babies and children that are left behind.To my knowledge there are three main organizations that are working towards this cause on the island: - Hospital de Niño - rehabilitation center for children referred by the Family Department of parents who are abusing them or are financially unable to meet their medical needs.
- Shriner's Outreach Clinics - an extension of the Shriner's Hospital for Children that hold a biannual activity where various doctors, physical therapists and such come to the island to attend children with orthopedic defects.
- Quality of Life Office - focuses on distribution of statistical information and educates the public on the importance of folic acid use for prevention of congenital birth defects.
It is clear where these organizations fall short... What happens to the middle class parents who do not qualify for extended stay and treatment of their children in Hospital del Niño? Who is attending these children between biannual visits? Prevention is highly important but what happens after the deed is done?With the intention of helping this cause, with money and time I would create the Mockingbirds foundation that would focus on ongoing treatment for babies and children affected by congenital birth defects with a special effort of support groups for the parents of the affected children. MissionProvide prevention education and ongoing treatment at little or no out of pocket cost to children with congenital defects in Puerto Rico, having a stable clinic in the metropolitan area with monthly outreach clinics to the different municipalities on the island. In addition have various support groups for parents and family members of the children.
Vision Mockingbirds foundation would become the model for children healthcare focusing on prevention, treatment and support for the child and family members alike.
From the moment she finds out she's pregnant, to that first sonogram, to the contractions that let her know that her baby is on the way a scared mother hopes for nothing else than a healthy and successful delivery. It turns into a nightmare when at any point a doctor gives her news that her baby is unhealthy and will require surgeries, treatments and medication to survive. No child should bear so much pain. No mother should have to think of her newborns death.
And no one should have to face this situation alone.
 Hope is wishing something would happen.Faith is believing something will happen.
Courage is making something happen.When a high school senior makes a last minute decision to study to become an MD instead of the safe lawyer she always thought she would be, it takes her on a roller coaster journey that can only make sense in the company of her strong willed mother, her high school sweetheart boyfriend and her new and lifelong friends that try to keep happy but far from sane.Theme song: Katy Perry - RoarGenre: Chick Flick Place: Puerto Rico
StorylineSelena Rodriguez (Gabrielle Union) is now a college senior reflecting on the past three years of her life, and more importantly those that lie ahead. Upon entering college she was terrified of the changes, of growing up, separating from her high school friends and boyfriend Max Berrios (Justin Timberlake). But as it turned out college life was amazing bringing new challenges and new people. And with time she realized that it would take a lot more than different campuses to separate her from the important people in her life; meeting up for summer getaways and winter ice skating kept the closely knit group of friends together and in touch. Finally when it's that time again, to be a senior, to fill out applications and make life changing decisions, she once more depends on the people who helped her in a time that seemed so long ago. Relying on the never ending strength and guidance of her mother Maria Rivera (Melissa McCarthy), the advice of her friends and most of all her own wishes, desires and dreams Selena sets off to a new world that promises to be even scarier but exciting as the one she's living in.CAST Gabrielle Union - Selena Rodriguez Justin Timberlake - Max Berrios Melissa McCarthy - Maria Rivera Eva Mendes - Roselin Caceres Anne Hathaway - Keysha Pietri Winona Ryder - Marialis Rosario Taylor Swift - Lyann Martinez Justin Long - Kenneth Martinez Krysten Ritter - Alanna Acevedo Matthew Lillard - Carlos Lopez Michelle Trachtenberg - Gildania Velez Taraji P. Henson - Kritzia Pabon Sandra Bullock - Marlys Massini Zach Galifianakis - Steven Arroyo Francia Raisa - Jaylee Mareé
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