Track 23: Seriously, Screw formspring.me

(Disclaimer :For some of you guys, this will make sense. For others, it won't.)

So I noticed a recent influx of Facebook statuses recently promoting this new website called formspring.me. Always one for trying something unique and interesting, I decided to check out this website. I came to one conclusion: This is just another way for my generation to express their narcissism through social networking. I have a facebook and a twitter. That's enough to keep me busy.

The purpose of the site is that it provides a user with an account. The user makes a page on the website where other people can ask questions anonymously or through their own account.

Most of the questions asked through this website are also incredibly inane. Most of the questions just end up referencing inside jokes between certain people. Also, people just try to figure out who's asking them questions. It's pretty much ridiculous.

Do people really not have anything else to do with their life that they have to resort to using this stupid, dumb service? The parent company behind this website also specializes in data collection, so who do you really think is keeping all this information about you?

I judge every one of you who use this service. The day I make a formspring is the day I die.

Track 22: Back On The Grind

So this is going to be one of the few personal posts that appears on this blog. I don't really like to do ones like this, but I have a decent amount of stuff to go over.

So, if you haven't noticed, the ads are no longer on my blog. I don't want to go into a long story about why, but there's really nothing I can do about it. For now, I'm just going to keep posting, and I'll sort out something new with the ads in the future.

Rush Week finally ended on Friday or Saturday (depends on your point of view). I really am excited about our new pledge class at Delta Sigma Phi. 13 pledges! However, no one ever told me that rush is so exhausting. It surprised me quite a bit that I would just be worn out at the end of the day.

I started using Last.fm instead of Pandora. Holy Crap. It is so much better. Much more variety with no ads interrupting music. There's also no listening limit, which is awesome.

School is going well. I can't really complain. I feel my Intro to AE teacher isn't really teaching me anything needed for the homeworks, but it's okay. I'll get by.

Last thought, I started learning how to ride a motorcycle today. It's a lot harder than I imagined. Heck, I didn't even know that most motorcycles have manual transmissions. But, I'm excited to keep learning it.

The next post will be better. I promise.

Track 21: The Rush Tapes (Interlude)

So I'm not going to be able to post much for a few days on account of being at my fraternity's (Delta Sigma Phi) rush. Just letting all of you guys know. But you should still check out the site, sign up to be a follower, and leave comments.

Peace!

Track 20: The Websites List

I'm out of other ideas right now, so I present a list of my favorite websites.

1. Facebook- This one should need little explanation from me. Anyone that somewhat pays attention to modern technology or the internet has heard of Facebook. For me, I find it to be an excellent communication tool as well as a time waster. I can read what's going on with my friends, promote the blog, chat with a friend, or play a stupid game (like Mafia Wars or Farmville). Basically, Facebook is a necessity for people in my generation.

2. StumbleUpon- You've heard me talk about this before, but that's because it's one of the greatest things to ever hit the internet. To sum it up, it's basically a ginormous random button for the internet. I can stay up to date on current events, find something to laugh at, or learn something new with minimal effort. I've lost a lot of my life to StumbleUpon, but it's definitely worth it in the end.

3. Woot/Shirt.Woot- If you're not familiar with the business model of Woot or Shirt.Woot, you should be. The company sells one product a day until it runs out, and then a new product is placed on the website at midnight central time. Shirt.Woot uses the same idea with t-shirts, but the t-shirts are only $10 a piece with free shipping. I don't ever buy that much from Woot, but Shirt.Woot is a critical part of my wardrobe. At one time, I'd say 55% of the t-shirts I owned were from Shirt.Woot.

4. Ars Technica- This is my default website for technology news. I make sure to check it constantly so that I'll know what's going in the tech/gadget world. I also greatly appreciate the design of the website and the live blogging of press conferences and other events.

5. NFC North Blog- I go to this website to get my daily dose of news about the Green Bay Packers and their competition in the NFC North. Kevin Seifert, the man behind the blog, always seems to have the scoop on news and gossip.

6. Wikipedia- This is another website that has become vitally important to my generation. I hate that people always claim that the site isn't accurate, because, in most cases, Wikipedia is the greatest wealth of general knowledge available on the internet.

7. xkcd- This is a smart web comic for smart individuals. The humor is definitely unique and interesting. It also makes many insightful and relevant points. Another bonus is that the comic is updated regularly and often.

8. Surviving the World- This is a daily photo comic that I make sure to look at every morning. Dante, the creator, usually makes witty and intelligent statements, but my favorite part is the expressions he makes with some of his submissions. Most excellent, indeed.

Track 19: The Ocular Implant

So I was having a dinner with a friend the other day, and we came up with a weird or unique idea. It depends on what perspective you look at it from.

The idea was that humans would be provided with ocular implants. These ocular implants would be able to scan bar codes and other similar items, and then they would provide information about whatever it is through the use of an overlay on normal vision. For example, if I'm looking at a friend (by the way, humans would have bar codes tattooed invisibly on their forehead), I would see info like his name, age, and college. If I'm looking at a product at store, it would display prices, reviews, and other relevant information. I think you get the idea.

It doesn't have to necessarily work like that, because it's just a general concept. I think this would actually be very useful in fostering new relationships with people and avoiding the whole awkwardness of meeting someone new.

However, the main downside to this theory is that it would cause plethora of complaints over privacy issues. Many people nowadays are still very cautious about what information concerning them is available in the public domain. I know it would be quite an adjustment for this idea anyway. It's probably not something feasible in the short term future. I envision this more of a "In The Next 50 Years" idea anyways.

Just an idea to mull over. Anyone have any suggestions?

Track 18: The Soccer Goal

So I played soccer with some friends of mine and some random people today after my one class was over. I had a good time playing and getting a little exercise, but it made me realize something: soccer is one of the hardest sports to play.

The difficulty level is extremely hard if you didn't grow up playing the sport. The guys I was playing with today did some ridiculous things. They made pinpoint passes, impossible shots, and skilled challenges. I could do none of this. To make matters worse, the goal we were using was one of the practice goals, so it was the size of a small child.

All I could do was defend people as they approached our goal. However, this did give me some inspiration to improve my soccer skills. I feel my main focus should be on my passing and ball control, because I feel I'm an adequate defender. I can at least move with attackers and get in the way. It's kind of like being a movable door, because no one respects you until you're closed (i.e. block a pass or goal).

I do have a lot more respect for soccer players now though. The combination of skills needed to succeed is amazing. A player has to be able to run fast for extended periods of time, maintain ball control, always scan the field for passes, and defend when the other team has the ball. Quite frankly, it's astounding. I wish I could do it. (That's why I had the pun in the title. Think about it. I hope you found it funny like I did.)

Track 17: Edible Cereal Engineering

So I had a bowl of Frosted Flakes for lunch today (because the dining hall was packed and none of the food looked good).

Now, I have a huge bone to pick with Frosted Flakes. I'll give you some background info. I barely ever eat Frosted Flakes with milk. Generally, I eat them out of the box by hand or something. Today, though, I decided that I'd be a little different. I put milk in my frosted flakes.

This was the worst decision of my day. Apparently, milk just ruins Frosted Flakes. I take my first bite of the cereal totally expecting it to be more than delicious. Again, I was wrong.

Apparently, sugar doesn't stay on the Frosted Flakes. It just dissolves in the milk. This was not what I was looking for in my meal. When I'm eating, I don't want soggy flakes and sugary milk. This is not appetizing. It's like getting a flat soda. It's like finding mold on the piece of bread you were eating. It's like making a mess in the microwave. It's just not enjoyable.

I need a new cereal to really like. It's imperative that someone develop a cereal that doesn't get soggy. I'm not even sure if that's possible, but I know people need to start looking into. To further this aim, I propose that engineering colleges across the country create a new major: Edible Cereal Engineering. This major would include classes such as Food Presentation, Cereal Structural Integrity, and Taste 101. It probably won't ever catch on, but it's just a proposal. Final verdict: Until Frosted Flakes are fixed, I'm not having any.

Track 16: Haiti Is Wrecked

This is in all seriousness, but portions of Haiti are completely demolished by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

I have to say that this is devastating for the country.

The National Palace is rubble, most of the capital city, Port-au-Prince, is "flattened", and over 100,000 are expected dead. What's even worse is that there were many support personnel stationed in Haiti during the time of the earthquake. Doctors Without Borders apparently had around 800 staff in the region, and many of them are unaccounted for as of present. Several U.N. Peacekeepers are reported dead. The national penitentiary also collapsed, and many inmates have escaped.

Now of course, many of the nations of the world have offered their assistance to the country. I know of a friend's dad that's a firefighter deploying with FEMA. The Coast Guard is repositioning naval ships, aircrafts, and other supplies if Haiti needs them. France is also sending a specially trained team to the country. I'm sure many more countries are helping too.

But all of this might be not be enough. This not only affects the country, but the region as a whole. It will take a very long time, in my opinion, to get Haiti back to the level it was at (which wasn't very developed anyway). This means that Haiti will require more long term assistance. The U.S. has been supporting Haiti with funds for years, and now it will be imperative for us to recommit ourselves to the cause.

Here's a link to some pictures of the devastation if you're interested.

Also, you can use your cell phone to text “Yele” to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to Earthquake Fund (it will be charged to your cell phone bill). Please consider this option as those affected in Haiti definitely need our support right now.

Track 15: How The MLB Digs Itself Out Of Its Current Predicament

So Mark McGwire came out about his steroid use yesterday. Finally. It really wasn't a big surprise. Sure, we were all astounded by his "skill" and "strength" when he broke Roger Maris' single season home run record. Yet, nowadays, I just have to anticipate most of the modern day greats to come clean about their steroid use. To say the least, it's disheartening and troubling.

But, I have the solution for the MLB. 

The MLB needs to offer a one year amnesty period once and for all. Basically, this amnesty period would allow for all the current and past players to clear their records of steroid use. If they tell the MLB they use or have used steroids, the MLB forgives them. No questions asked. No fines. No suspensions. Then after this amnesty period, serious suspensions would be given to players who test positive for steroids. I'm talking about giving a guilty player a one year suspension for the first violation and lifetime suspension for a second violation.

Now, some might say that this is a very severe punishment, but this is exactly what the MLB needs to clean up its image. Instead of having a star player come out every year about his steroid use, the MLB will have one horrible year full of players admitting their usage. The benefit to a one year amnesty lies in the fact that the MLB can truly start damage control rather than being under fire for six months after every allegation. If the MLB continues its current course, it will get stuck in a never-ending cycle of bad publicity and questions about the legitimacy of the sport.

Yeah, I'm sure that this amnesty period would be a very difficult time for those involved in the baseball world, but the lingering effects of the steroid era are crippling the game. This is America's game. If little kids can't pretend to be their favorite slugger without envisioning the use of steroids, then the game is truly ruined.

The MLB needs to get a grasp of the situation. Now.

Track 14: He Said "Negro". Who Cares?

So just a short little piece today on account of classes starting back up. This is just something I read about in the news.

So apparently a new book that's coming out claims that Senate Majority Harry Reid referred to Obama as a "Negro" during the presidential campaign. Immediately, the chairman of the Republican Party, Michael Steele, and another prominent Republican senator started clamoring for Reid's resignation.

Now, for full disclosure, I generally align myself with the Republican Party on most issues. Yet, this is just another example of destructive bipartisan politics. Yeah, you Republicans may not like this guy or his policies much,  but him saying "Negro" is not any reason to remove him from office. I'm sure more than enough people from both parties have referred to a black person as a negro. Let's face it. These people are old. They come from a different generation, and you're not going to be able to make them change old habits.

This issue also has absolutely nothing to do with his ability to lead or be an effective senator. It's up to his constituents to choose whether they believe he's fit for office. Both parties are guilty of nitpicking members in the other party, but this does nothing for our country. We need leaders that will actually put personal issues and outside matters aside. We need leaders that will get things accomplished.

I'm done with my discussion now, but just think about if the next person you elect will actually make a difference.

Track 13: No, I Don't Want To Look At Heaping Handfuls Of Weed

So, I'm going to talk about something that's been bugging me for a while. I use StumbleUpon pretty regularly. If you don't know what that it is, it's basically a big random button for the internet. You tell it what you like to look at, and it brings up a new page whenever you hit the stumble button. Go educate yourself.

Now, I really like this website. It's a pretty awesome way to find some random, funny, or interesting stuff. As a testament to this fact, I've stumbled over 44,000 times. I know it's a tad excessive. You don't have to tell me.

Yet, I have one semi-major complaint. One of the interests that I have selected is drugs. Now, before you get any of the wrong ideas, I selected this one so that I could stay up-to-date on drug policy and statistics. Most of the time, this is what I get in this category, but, in other instances, it's completely different. I get pictures of people showing off their best weed. Now, I don't really care that much about whether you smoke or not, but I really don't have any interest in looking at your weed. Yeah, your Purple Haze, Blueberry Bud, Super Skunk, or Ganja Dwarf is great and all, but looking at a handful of it does not turn me on. Hate to let you know.

Now, I realize there's probably tons of people on StumbleUpon that really like this. That's fine with me. I just want a separate section for it. There should be a section for heaping handfuls of weed and a section for people interested in drug policy and statistics. That's just my two cents. It really annoys me when I have to thumb down those type of pictures.

I'm tired of looking at your weed, dude.

Track 12: My Top 5 NFL Players

So it feels like it's been a ridiculously long day. I am fully initiated now in my fraternity (Delta Sigma Phi) and saw Georgia Tech upset Duke in basketball. I watched the game from the floor and apparently was on ESPN for a second. We stormed the court when we won, but I got trapped in between three fat, sweaty ESPN camera crew guys.

But enough with that. Because I can't think of anything else to do, I'm just going to make a list of my 5 favorite NFL players past and present.

1. Brett Favre. So I know I'm going to get some crap over this one given all of his recent team switching and glory hogging, but I absolutely love to watch this guy play (not as much now because of the purple he currently wears). When the ball is in Brett Favre's hands, you have no clue what to expect. You have to prepare for a big play at any moment. He essentially makes football exciting. I also wanted to mention his ridiculous record for number of consecutive starts. This guy is a competitor.

2. Barry Sanders. I mentioned him in a previous blog post from the other day, but this guy is amazing. I never received much of a chance to watch much of him live, yet just watching this highlight video blows my mind. He made plays stay alive just by persistence, and that's something that I greatly admire. It was unfortunate that he played for the Lions his whole career, because the Lions' struggles helped bring about his early retirement due to being tired of the culture of losing.

3. Jerome Bettis. As a kid I always would play football with a friend who lived in my neighborhood. We were around seven or eight years old. He was a skinny, little guy, and I was fairly hefty. Whenever we played, I always pretended I was Jerome Bettis, because I could just run the ball all over the yard with my friend hanging on my feet. He could do the same thing. Jerome Bettis truly deserved his nickname of "The Bus". He was huge, and no one could stop him when he started driving his legs.

4. Charles Woodson. I have to include a defensive player in this list, because they're just as important as the offensive players. He's having the best season of his career just as other players his age are declining. He's smart, talented, athletic, and a leader. Charles is always looking to make a play which differentiates him from many of his peers. He's an easy pick for the Hall of Fame whenever he retires.

5. Reggie White. I was trying to keep this list from becoming biased towards the Packers, but I can't help it. Reggie White was the defensive end. He defined the position in my eyes. His ability to disrupt a play and obtain a sack makes him unparalleled. Sure, other players have come along and broken some of his records, but it just isn't the same nowadays. He was the "Minister of Defense". Requiescat in pace.

Track 11: Deserves His Name

He sure does deserve to be called "Agent Zero", because that's exactly what he is: a zero. I'm talking of course about Gilbert Arenas, guard for the Washington Wizards.

If you haven't seen the recent onslaught of media coverage around the incident he's involved with, I'll try to briefly explain it. Arenas wanted to remove his guns from his house after the recent birth of his daughter, so he decided to bring them to his locker room at The Verizon Center (where the Wizards play). In the Washington D.C. area it is illegal to possess firearms outside of one's home, so Arenas was already in violation of the law. Now, here's where things become a bit hazy. The NBA allows players to possess firearms while traveling for self-protection, but it does not provide for firearms at official team events. This is another tally mark against Arenas.

It was publicly discovered a couple weeks ago that Arenas had stored the firearms in the locker room, but then he did something even dumber. He pulled one of his guns on a teammate over a gambling debt in the locker room. A gambling debt, really? Mr. Arenas, unless you bet away your house or something, you really don't have any reason to worry about a gambling debt on account of making millions of dollars a year. Then, he decides to try and downplay the incident by joking about it over Twitter. He even makes gun gestures with his hands at teammates during pre-game warm-ups at a recent game.

Now, he's been suspended indefinitely by the NBA and also is being investigated by the police. Quite frankly, he deserves whatever suspension, fine, or jail time he receives. This is just unacceptable behavior, and he obviously does not think about the consequences of his actions. He could've prevented much of this by not joking about the incident. It's just like a murderer joking about killing someone; you're not going to get sympathy from the jury.

What's even more crazy is the fact that he sat out most of last season with injuries. Now, instead of maybe being able to put forth a productive season, he's going to probably sit out at least the rest of the season. The Wizards also appear to be looking into terminating his contract.

Great job, Gilbert Arenas. Agent Zero.

Track 10: Ten Dorm Room Tips

So, in celebration of me being back at my dorm in Georgia Tech, here's a list of dorm room essentials/nonessentials.


Essentials


1. Two sets of bedding. This is just for convenience mainly. You don't want to not have any bedding on your filthy perfectly clean mattress. Just bring two sets and rotate with your laundry.


2. A refrigerator. Yeah, you think that you'll get all your food and meals from the "delicious and nutritious" dining hall, right? Wrong. You need a refrigerator (preferably one with a freezer part) or else your body might just attack you to protect its own health.


3. Noise-cancelling headphones. If you don't have these, then you're probably going to hate your roommate more than you already will. Let's face it. There are going to be times when you just don't want to listen to anything having to do with your roommate.


4. A poster or two. I know it's pretty cliché with the college kid hanging all sorts of posters on the wall and going overboard, but you want to put a little pep in your room. (I have a poster from The Hangover and a poster of Muhammad Ali in mine.)


5. A desk lamp. You'll be studying late. I really don't think this one needs that much explanation.


Nonessentials


1. Cardboard boxes. These things just take up tons of space like you wouldn't even believe. If your family loves you, you'll get more boxes anyway. Just take the boxes out and recycle them.


2. A TV. I'm guilty of this one myself, but a TV is really unneeded. It just distracts you and wastes time. Most TV shows are easily viewable online now anyway.


3. Weed.  I mean, c'mon dude. You're in college now. If you're going to smoke it, don't be retarded and smoke it in your room. If you're half as smart as you say you are, you'll be able to find a good spot.


4. Too many clothes. I know you want to be fashionable and trendy, but chances are that you won't have nearly enough room for all of your clothes. Just pick out what you like and make sure to rotate your wardrobe.


5. Books for personal enjoyment. You're not going to have time to read all those books unless you sacrifice time from other commitments, and those books are just going to take up extra space. You should get a kindle for books if you want to have your library with you. (That's what I do.)

Track 9: Down with Zoobooks

So, disappointing loss for Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl yesterday. Congrats to the Iowa Hawkeyes for a good game.

Although, what I really want to talk about today is Zoobooks. I was just watching TV, and that old as dirt Zoobooks commercial came on. You know the one I'm talking about. This one.

Who even buys this anymore? Heck, they've been advertising getting the special elephant issue for as long as I can remember. I mean, this wasn't even that great of a present back in the day. But nowadays, these things are practically worthless. C'mon Grandma, instead of giving your grandchild essentially a pamphlet about an animal, why don't you give him or her access to the internet. That would be a much more worthwhile gift. Rather than learning a little bit about some generic animal, you can let them learn about animals like these (and a whole bunch more).

While I'm on the subject, can these fools that run the company make a new commercial at the very least? Please? I really don't enjoy feeling like I'm in the mid-90s again. People, it's the new millennium. Get with it. Thanks.

I can't possible imagine that this company is making money anymore; therefore, I feel as if I should put it out of its misery. My sole existence (other than blogging and aerospace engineering) is to bring about the ruination of this company.  I don't know how I'm going to do it, when I'm going to do it, or what I need to do it. Yet, it will get done. Who's with me?

Track 8: Cameras Can't Capture Barry Sanders

So I'm going to take you back in time a little bit.

It was the summer of 2006. More specifically, the weekend right before school was to start again. I was a young, innocent about-to-be sophomore. One of my cousins was getting married, so my family flew up to Detroit for the wedding.

Nothing terribly eventful happened at this wedding. Yet, here's where the bulk of my tale begins. It was Sunday. I was looking forward to seeing Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby with some friends later that evening. Little did I know that the movie would not be the highlight of my day.

I'm in the airport waiting to fly back to Nashville. I'm just sitting there reading a book, because we arrived at the airport super early. One of the airline employees approaches the microphone at the nearby gate and says, "We need Barry Sanders to come to gate [whatever gate it was] as soon as possible." Somehow, even though I'm barely paying attention, I'm able to process this statement pretty fast. I assume it's because I've watched so much football that famous players pique my interest. I look up at the employee and cock my head at him a bit as if to ask, "No, it can't be?". Our eyes meet and he very clearly states, "Yes, the Barry Sanders."

Well, now I can't even focus on anything. I'm looking all around the surrounding area to see if I can see anybody who could possibly be Barry Sanders. I wait for what seems like forever. Time drags on and on. Finally, I see him. He walks incredibly purposefully with a little bit of that Barry Sanders speed evident. I can nearly envision him ducking, juking, and dodging defenders as he weaves through the crowded airport. He reaches the desk at the gate, and the employee politely tells him that he missed his flight. It's at this point that I also realize that Barry also has teenage son (who is now a notable football prospect in high school) with him. As Barry and his son wait for the employee to rearrange their flight(s), I decide now is when I'm going to make my move.

I turn to my sister and tell her to come with me. I also grab the camera we brought with us. I build up my nerves (it's Barry freakin' Sanders!). I ask him if I can take a picture with him. He seems a bit taken aback that I even recognized him, but he agrees to the picture. I pose with him as my sister takes the picture. Something seems different from the way the camera normally takes a picture, but I disregard this fact. I thank Barry for the opportunity and go back to sit with my family.

I anxiously grab the camera from my sister to look at the picture as soon as Barry and his son leave the area. The picture wasn't there.

I was heartbroken. My one chance: Gone.

Nowadays, I've reconciled myself with the events of that day. But I have to say: Barry, if you're out there, I would like a second shot at a picture.

Track 7: I Don't Know Where You're Going With This Jay-Z, But Props To You

So I was planning on writing about something completely different today.

But after watching Jay-Z's new video that came out a couple of days ago for "On To The Next One" featuring Swizz Beatz, I just have to write about it.

WTF.

I have absolutely no clue what he's going for with the concept for this video. It's ridiculous. The internet seems to be ablaze saying that the video is full of demonic/satanic imagery and Illuminati references. But quite frankly, I can't see any of this.

Yeah, there are burning basketballs dropping from the ceiling. People in weird black and white makeup. Rorschach type images. Some ninja lady. A creepy Joker look-a-like. All very weird stuff. Yet, the creepiest part is that I actually like the video. The video just matches the mood for this song so well, and you can tell that Jay-Z and Sam Brown, the director, put a lot of time, energy, and thought into what this video was going to be. I still can't tell you much of anything about the imagery and underlying meaning, but that's beside the point.

This should be an example for other artists out there about how to make a music video. I don't need to see you running around just rapping. I know what rapping looks like. Take a second to think and put some thought into your video.

A music video shouldn't be deciding to start running around Wal-Mart and deciding to make a video right on the spot. Heck, they even had to put in photos of Gucci Mane, because he's in jail. Again.

Agree? Disagree? Why don't you leave a comment?

Track 6: The NFL's Media Dilemma

Okay, so I'm pissed. The NFL needs to get off it's high horse and follow the MLB's lead. I'm so sick and tired of having to scour the internet right as a game is starting to watch my Green Bay Packers play when they're not on tv. Most of this season, I've had access to DirecTV. The last few weeks, though, I've been at home, and they've only nationally televised one Packers game in that time.

This is ludicrous. The NFL is alienating their fans through this system. I'm having to switch feeds nearly every quarter just to watch the game. I realize I don't live anywhere near Green Bay, but I should have other ways to watch this game. This just doesn't cut it for me.

I would gladly pony up the money to watch these games online legitmately. I love Packers football, and it makes me incredibly frustrated to be forced to stoop this low to watch them. The NFL also needs to realize that not all of us have satellite, so the NFL Ticket option doesn't help at all. Putting games online would also allow fans of teams that have been blacked out in their area to have another way to watch the game.

And only 4 games on TV per week? C'mon.

Well, my little rant fest is over for now.

Track 5: The First Semester Findings

So it's about time for me to start turning my mind back to school and preparing for my second semester at Georgia Tech. Here's a little list of things that I've learned from my first semester.

1. Get out of your room and do stuff. I can't stress how important this is. If you don't make friends in the beginning or get involved with something, you are most definitely going to get left behind.

2. Finals are as hard as you make them. If you don't go to class all semester, don't do your homework, and don't even pay attention, there's no way that you're going to do well on the final. You can study for four days straight, but actually doing work throughout the semester is key to making good grades and performing well.

3. All-nighters are not good for your health or academics. You may think that you're really getting a leg up on that test and that you're going to show that teacher who's boss. But your body needs sleep to function. Not to mention that one of the main reasons that humans require sleep is to consolidate information into your memory. In other words, unless you sleep on it, you're just going to forget all that you just stayed up to learn.

4. Have Fun. Yeah, academics are important, but college is so much more than that. I've bet you've heard this before, but it's really true. I know I'm not going to remember what tests I got A's on, but I can tell you that I'll remember some of the parties for a long time.

5. Don't be afraid to confront people. You're an adult now. You need to learn how to solve your own problems. If you have an issue with someone, just talk to that person about it face-to-face. You'll be amazed how much that solves.

6. Be open to new things and new people. You're probably on your own for the first time in a strange, new environment. Just try to be accepting. I've made some weird, goofy friends during my first semester, and I would've never associated with them if I had come in all with my mind already closed off. Also, try to be respectful towards the culture of others.

7. Yes, the unlimited dining hall is very nice and convenient. Yet, please don't gorge yourself. The "Freshman 15" is true and does happens. Also, make sure to eat somewhere other than the dining hall once in a while. It'll make you feel better. I promise.

8. Enjoy your sports teams. This is probably one of the only opportunities in your life that you'll be this close to a high-caliber sports team. I don't care what your school is good at. Football, basketball, water polo, cross country. Go watch some games and support your teams.

9. Don't get bogged down by the school. Some schools (especially Tech) can just make you feel like crap at times. However, it's easy to avoid this if you always look on the bright side of life.

Well, that's all I have. Read this list. Know this list. Be this list.

Track 4: "I Pronounced The Man Dead Myself"

So I saw Sherlock Holmes today with a friend. I was really, really excited for it, because I've been wanting to see it since Christmas. Yet, when I was walking out of the theater, all I could remark was, "Yeah, it was good and all. I liked it. But it could've been a lot more".

Just to clarify a bit, the cast all did a really good job in their roles. Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes pretty much channeled the exact image dancing around in my head of Sherlock Holmes. Jude Law was the good loyal sidekick in Dr. John Watson. Rachel McAdams was quite adorable as Irene Adler. (I love Rachel McAdams by the way.)

With that out of the way, here is where my gripes begin. The main villian, Lord Blackwood, had a distinctly vampirish feel to him. Rachel McAdams' character gave me this same feeling, but to a lesser degree. I could be the only one walking away from the film with this feeling, but, if I'm not, this is an unnecessary addition to the movie. They're just trying to piggyback, in my opinion, on the whole new sexy vampire trend that has swept the nation. This movie was already set to be a blockbuster; therefore, you don't need to add in an insidious trend to get more viewers.

My other major complaint is that I didn't feel like I was actually in the era that the movie is set in. Instead, it felt much more like a modern-day version just trying to look old. I would have enjoyed the movie much more if it had felt more authentic. I don't care what your story is. I'm not going to care if I don't actually feel like I'm in the movie.

8 out of 10