Justice

ISU Daily had just released an article regarding the case of Tong Shao's murder (see Dip from October 2014).

Police have arrested her boyfriend, who had fled America last Fall back to China.  Some part of me is relieved that justice was served.  As much as it should be an uplifting occasion, with her offender brought to justice, it still pains me that she is no longer with us.  It's mind-boggling to know that it took nearly a year to solve this case, as I've never fathomed the timeline needed to solve cases like these.

Hella - Cayucas

Fast

Today I decided to fast in a bid to experience the meaning of Ramadan. Waking up at 3 in the morning was tricky enough and after 17 hours of fasting (daylight lasts longer over Summer here), day one was over.

The moment of breaking fast made me really appreciate the food that I have. It was tough, and I really can't imagine having to do this for 29-30 days every year. I have a newfound respect for the practice and for the community.

So pardon me if I'm late to the party, but here's to all my Muslim friends, Happy Ramadan!

posted from Bloggeroid

Gay

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized the marriage of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual) community in ALL FIFTY STATES!!

I am elated myself. I might not know many people who are from the aforementioned community, but I do believe that you should be with the one you love. No barrier should exist between you and your significant other and it's touching to see Americans (mostly) agree on a single subject.

Maybe I'm just happy that it gives me more hope for love in my own life, maybe I'm just doing this as a quick fix to my emotional bouts, or maybe I just am touched by the explicit showing of love.

All I know is, I'm happy for this. And I'm tearing up a little. Love unconditionally. I should learn to live like that.

posted from Bloggeroid

Quora

Unemployment has been eye-opening.  Learning to live from day-to-day with no agenda, pressure or deadlines, is extremely double-edged.  On one hand, there's no obvious end goal (like gaining a college degree) and on the other, you have the rare privilege of having time to pursue things of interest.

So I devised a rough routine for my everyday activities, which includes:

Self-education (2-3 hours)

Listening to podcasts, reading up Quora entries (which is an educated version of Yahoo! Answers, and I highly recommend it), and articles presented on my Facebook feed.

Workout (1-2 hours, varies)

Be it through the 7 Minute Workout app, or playing sports like football (soccer), basketball, etc.  I have been tubbing up due to my medication and a healthy body goes a long way, so I should definitely prioritize my health and physical wellbeing.  That, and healthier eating habits as well.

Job Application(s) (1-5 hours, varies)

Look up jobs, do thorough research, and tailor my application documents accordingly.  Because ultimately, I'd like to be employed and not deported.  Truth be told, I'd consider myself a failure if I can't get a job in the US.  There are some standards I must adhere to, as demanding as they are.

Besides those things, I squeeze in meetings and get-togethers with friends and peers, as well as some "my time" to enjoy myself (or clear up my apartment for move-out).  That usually involved either watching TV shows, or playing video games, to get acculturated and blow off some steam.

But as efficient as I would like to be, it doesn't change the fact that most of my friends are leaving, and not coming back.  Elisabeth has left for Norway, and will be working in China next year, Adli will be moving to Amana (still in Iowa) for his co-op with Whirlpool, and Savannah will be leaving for Greenland tomorrow and returning to her home in New York once she's done.  These are just some of the many brilliant, young friends that I've made, and we're slowly growing apart already.

Everyone's leaving and doing things, but I'm still stuck here devising daily routines and writing down my thoughts and emotions.  I'll work hard to change that.  Again, there are some standards I adhere to.

Comfort Inn Ending (Freestyle) - Jhene Aiko

Unfaze

Here's a story of what I've recollected from a recent dream. This was a variation to said dream.  Disclaimer: I find this disturbing, and am as intrigued as terrified of what it implies.

Her heart's pounding, as she stumbles into the eerily dark room. Her eyes scan the concrete walls, searching for a shred of familiarity, anything vaguely similar to the world she knows.  Nothing.  The space is dimly lit with worn out bulbs, as static fills the silence.  She feels a slight chill on her skin as the hyperventilating grows increasingly apparent.

A tear begins to form as the unknown slowly overwhelms her. In helplessness, she clutches the back of her skull with both hands, thoughts racing on the diminishing options of escaping this reality, her lips trembling with fear.

Her eyes suddenly catch a silhouette emerging from the adjacent room.  She holds her breath for a moment, unsure of what to anticipate.  The mysterious figure slowly enters the light.  As her eyes adjust to the surroundings, a slender figure appears.

It was a woman, with beautiful long black hair, having a slight curl, gently resting on her waist, revealing her thin frame.  She has seen this person before!  Shockingly so, as it was her dear friend.  Her friend slowly walks towards her, almost like she was gliding, without breaking stride as she calmly advances.

Her heartbeat slows down, and relief fills her chest.  Her newfound company is wearing a grin while her arms sway with her small frame.  Amidst the growing calmness, she couldn't shrug the confusion: where is she; how did she get here; and more importantly, her friend, why is SHE here?

Her friend is within reaching distance now, merely a couple of meters from where she stands.  She tries to open her mouth, but was interrupted by the friend leaping towards her.  A pair of arms extend, wrapping around the bewildered adventurer, as her friend pulls her in for a deep embrace.

She feels the warmth of her friend's body on hers, as her bony arms are felt pressing against her lower back, her long hair brushing her cheek as she feels the weight of her chin resting on her left shoulder.

After a brief moment, her friend pulls away, as her arms shift to caress the back of her neck.  Before she could react, her friend plants her a kiss on her lips.  It was soft, and warm... but this was all alien to her: her recently reunited friend displaying affection in the most uncharacteristic of ways.  Bewildered, she tries to pull away, but her body was unresponsive, awash with fear instead.  

She redirects her eyes to her friend's face, looking for an answer, but there were no hints.  She didn't know how to react, and so she didn't.  Her eyes widened, but her body was growing numb, as she stood erect, arms limp by her side.  

Before she could mutter a word, the light bulbs display their last flicker, and soon the filament burns out.  In that last flash of luminescence, she catches a glimpse of her whatever-it-is's eyes. Within those hazel eyes, she saw desire and... pleasure?  But why?   

Her head begun to spin as reality pulled the rug from beneath her feet.  As though on cue, darkness swallows the room once again.

Due to the nature of dreams, this could all be an elaborate blur of snippets fed to me by my subconscious.  Regardless, seeing this line would mean that you've probably read the entire entry.  Welcome to a fragment of me, then.

45:33 - LCD Soundsystem