Everyone needs their daily fix...

I love books. I love reading books, I love talking about books, looking for books, finding books, even reading books online with my handy-dandy little Sony E-Reader. I may be addicted to the written word. And, like any true addict, I need my daily fix. But for me, it's intellectualism. Unfortunately, when your job keeps you on the move and helping customers all day, it can be quite difficult to sneak in ample time with your precious treasure tome of knowledge (especially if said tome is a large hardcover edition because you were too impatient to wait for the paperback...ahem...).

Therefore, we intellect addicts are forced to turn to our fellow man (and woman) for our fix of brilliant and stirring--or at least tolerable and coherent--conversation. I have found, however, that in my line of work, this presents something of a challenge. Mainly because the majority of my interaction with people is limited to customers who ask questions like "Is that a two-headed snake?" to which I am inclined to respond "No. Just two snakes in the same cage." Or "Yes; your tomato plants will freeze if it gets below 32 degrees tonight."

A friend of mine--and fellow shameless bookworm--is currently studying abroad in the Czech Republic, and he recently sent me a link to an INGENIOUS idea from Germany. It seems a German publisher named Hamburger Automatenverlag is restocking old cigarette vending machines surrounding the University of Hamburg with books. Let's ignore the obvious pun that someone named "Hamburger" is working with vending machines and no junk food is involved, and focus on the main cause: Books! Not highly-carbonated drinks, not cholesterol-and-calorie-soaked junk food, not even nicotine is being vended from these machines. Literature! Glorious literature from the press of a button!

Can you imagine how much better off America would be with these things?! Not only would Americans be less overweight, but as a culture we would be more well-read, more intellectual, capable of carrying on a conversation about something other than the weather, and just think of the vast improvements in spelling and grammar! :D

Goodbye Ding-Dongs, hello Dickens! Hell, I'd even take Stephenie Meyer at this point!*

*Disclaimer: I reserve the right to endlessly mock the Twilight Series as well as any and all readers thereof...because I have all four books hidden in the far bottom corner of my bookshelf...

Unfortunately, I highly doubt these wonderfully advanced book-vending machines will breach our shores in my lifetime. But perhaps my children's children will be able to choose a copy of Wuthering Heights during their break at work instead of a bag of Cheetos or a pack of USA Gold lights.

The "Why" Chromosome

I've never really been much for science. In truth, the only part of high school biology I actually paid attention to was the chapter on genetics, and that was only so I could figure out where my blue eyes and curly hair came from.

One of the few facts I have been able to retain, however, is the difference in chromosomes between men and women. I still couldn't tell you off-hand how many chromosomes are in the average human body (by the way, minus any mutations or genetic disorders, we have 23 pairs of chromosomes, which is 46 total. And yes, I had to look it up), but I can tell you that we women come equipped with double X chromosomes, while the men boast one X and one Y.

But really, how much of a boast are we talking? Sure, their Y gives them the ability to pee standing up and open that impossible jar of pickles, but our XX does outfit us with our fair share of shapely attributes, not to mention the ability to actually give life...in addition, of course, to those mind-numbing cramps, awkward (and incredibly personal) yearly doctor appointments, and the occasional emotional outburst... What was my point again?

Ok, so maybe there is a little something (no pun intended) to the whole penis-envy theory. But honestly, I'm not so sure it's really the hardware we women envy as much as the software (or perhaps lack there of). While I can't speak for all of my fellow females, I know that I certainly envy men the ability to keep their emotions in check. Maybe that little Y acts like a emotional barricade. While our feelings flood the XX gates, their Y stands strong against the tides like the little sand bag that could, keeping everything at a safe distance. Maybe that's it. When we're getting angry at them for not expressing their feelings, perhaps it's not actually their fault. I can see it now: one very angry Y holds Love and Vulnerability hostage, cocked pistols aimed at both their heads (this would be a great place for a little cartoon drawing). However, I'm not sure that argument would hold up too well in real life:

Girl: Joe, I tell you I love you all the time; why don't you ever say it back?
Boy: I want to, Molly, I really do, but my Y chromosome just won't let me!

Yeah. Right.

As a young single woman who grew up all but inseparable from her little brother and closest guy friend (and has since had her fair share of relationships with men), let me just say that I am no closer to understanding these Y carriers now than I was in the fifth grade when I was getting erasers thrown at me by my crush. In fact, I find myself, as I'm sure many women do, always coming back to the same basic question: Why?
Why would he say those things?
Why didn't he call?
Why won't he take the hint?
Why would he act that way?
Why won't he just get lost?
Why would he treat me like that?
Why why why???

Therefore, I have been thinking lately that perhaps this mysterious chromosome should be more aptly named the "why" chromosome.

While this idea had occurred to me some time ago (and no, I am not naive enough to believe I am the first to ever think of it), it wasn't until I suggested it to my mother today via text message - "I would like to officially rename the Y chromosome the Why chromosome. As in why are you such an ass?" *Disclaimer: this was directed temporarily at a man I work with; I do not believe all men to be asses. Most of the time - and received her enthusiastic agreement that I decided it may be a topic worth exploring. Maybe the name change would even help to silence some of our endless questions about men (and men, even you have to love that!); why try to understand them when even science can't give a clear explanation? Haha

If you think about it, the letter "Y" itself is rather confusing in real life (I mean really, are you a vowel or a consonant? Pick a side already! You are the alphabetic Switzerland!). Is it really such a shock that humans who carry this letter as part of their genetic makeup would be any less so? If the letter Y can't make up its mind as to what it is or wants to be, should men really be expected to act any differently? It's in their genes. Literally. (-Ahem- note that I did say "genes", not "jeans". Just wanted to clarify that).

So maybe I'm not ready to present my case to any of the higher-ups in the scientific field, and I'm sure I will never be credited with finally "figuring out" men. But for now, perhaps this simple thought process can serve as one small step for women, one giant leap for befuddled XX's everywhere.

Every Academy Award Winning Movie Ever

Let me start off by saying that I LOVE movies. I'm one of those die-hard movie fans who will go to the theater by myself, buy the DVD the day it comes out, and watch it repeatedly for about a week. Yeah, I love them that much.

Needless to say, the Academy Awards are pretty much my Super Bowl. That being said, I imagine we could all agree that most Academy Award winning movies carry with them a degree of predictability and--let's face it--often down-right corniness. But how can you love movies and not have a sense of humor about them? So, in the spirit of Oscar himself, I present to you, my movie-loving (and even my movie-hating) peers, the following video for your entertainment pleasure.

My personal nomination for Best Picture, I give you "A Trailer for Every Academy Award Winning Movie Ever."

A Trailer for Every Academy Award Winning Movie Ever -- powered by Cracked.com

PS - For some reason, I couldn't get the video to fit correctly on this screen, so if you click here or on the link just below the video, you can see it at on the original website in its full grandeur.

Surprised Kitty - Something to make you smile

Let's face it, sometimes you just get really STRESSED OUT! It's amazing how much a little smile and maybe even an unexpected laugh can help a bad day get just a little bit better.

This video has become my go-to, sure-to-make-you-smile video. So, why keep something so good to yourself? I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

~History of Halloween~

Endless candy, outrageous costumes, glowing jack-o-lanterns, trekking through haunted houses only to get the crap scared out of us by masked strangers... Welcome to Halloween!

Ever wondered where some of these odd traditions came from? Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays, so I did a little digging to see if I could find the freaky origins of some of our more bizarre Halloween rituals.

The name "Halloween" originated from the Catholic Church's term "All Hallow's Eve." This holiday was brought to America in the 1840's by Irish immigrants fleeing the Potato Famine. The holiday itself originated from the Celtic festival, Samhain (pronounced "sow-en") which celebrated the end of the Gaelic harvest season.

The Celts lived 2,000 years ago in what is today Ireland, the United Kingdom (England and Scotland), and parts of Northern France. During Samhain, the ancient pagans would take stock of supplies and prepare for winter. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped, and the deceased would come back to life and wreak havoc on the living, such as spreading sickness or damaging crops. In addition, the Celts believed that the presence of spirits made it easier for the Celtic priests, or Druids, to make predictions about the future.

So where do silly pumpkin faces fit into this? Carving Jack-O-Lanterns comes from the Irish tradition of carving faces into vegetables. Originally, turnips were used for the carving, and rather than lighting a candle, they placed a hot coal inside.

According to legend, a drunk named "Stingy Jack" invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn't want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy the drinks. Once the Devil changed, Jack put the coin it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not claim his soul. Soon after, Jack died.

As the legend goes, God would not allow Jack into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern," or simply "Jack O'Lantern." In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack's lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits.

With all these undead spirits wandering around on All Hallow's Eve, most ancient cultures believed they could avoid being recognized by these ghosts of Samhain who may seek to harm them by disguising themselves with masks. They would also place bowls of food outside their homes to satisfy the ghosts and prevent them from entering the home, which could be where trick-or-treating originated.

Now that you know a little bit more about this crazy, yet oh-so-fun holiday, I wish you all a pleasantly spooky All Hallow's Eve! I'm sure that while you are gallivanting around town in your wildest costumes, collecting your share of tricks and treats ;) you will all be remembering the historic origins of this October 31st. Yeah...right... HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Wedding bells mean wedding dances

I bet few people would argue with me that June is the unofficial wedding month. As a matter of fact, I am currently sitting at my parents' computer back home in the Nebraska panhandle, preparing to attend not one, but TWO weddings tomorrow (June 6th). 365 days in a year, and two of my oldest friends (Kate & Megan) both decided to get married on the exact same day. In two different towns. More than 60 miles apart. However, despite the time and distance discrepancies, I am sooo excited for both of these girls, and their wonderful fiances! So, let me extend an official congratulations to both sets of soon-to-be-married couples: Kate & Mike, Megan & Ryne - CONGRATULATIONS!

I love weddings. I love seeing people so deliriously happy and in love, and I love watching all the dancing. Everyone knows the traditional "first dance" between bride and groom: slow, lovey-dovey music while the newlyweds dance either cheek-to-cheek or gaze lovingly into each other's eyes. It's a very "aww" moment that tugs on your heartstrings and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. But let's face it; if you've seen one first dance, you've pretty much seen them all. Right?

Haha, guess again...

Dead Week...Ha!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was pretty sure the whole point of "dead week" (the infamous week preceding finals) was to give students an entire week in which to cram a semester's worth of information and work. Well, not if you happen to be a UNK English major with a journalism minor. If you fall into my demographic, dead week IS finals week.

ALL of my English and journalism finals were due this week, including my 15-20 page research paper, my final creative portfolio, a final radio performance recording, and a video commentary blog entry. The only "final" I have next week is a 10-minute presentation over my research paper, and that is only because I opted to do it next week instead of this week. Normally, I wouldn't complain in the slightest about being done with classes a week earlier than most people; while they are cramming away in front of computer screens, I can be outside enjoying the spring weather. However, in the last couple years, I have discovered a pattern in both the English and journalism departments of UNK. EVERYONE makes their final assignments due during dead week.

I'm sure this is done with the best of intentions; the professors probably realize that most students have more than enough to do during finals week, so they up the due date by a few days to give students more time for other assignments. Plus, they probably have their own finals to collect, so why not give everyone a little break? Well, that's great in theory, but what about those of us who DON'T have any other finals? All we have are English papers and journalism assignments, which leaves us in the dead week dust. We don't get an extra week to focus entirely on finishing our projects. We don't get a week with no other assignments due. Instead, we get an end-of-the-semester crunch week where EVERYTHING is due, and we still have all of our regularly-scheduled classes to attend on top of it. Yay us!

So, while the rest of you are dutifully studying away in the library for the remainder of this and next week, we will sleeping. Passed out from sheer exhaustion and assignment-overload in our comfy corner beds until it is time to pull ourselves up, put on the cap and gown, and celebrate the fact that those days and days and nights and nights spent in the library and computer labs really did pay off, and we are finally, officially FINISHED!