My goodness! I haven't updated this in gods know hoooowwww long. (Actually, Blogger knows and I believe it's been a bit more than a year which I can confirm once I've posted this post and can see my last entry. Anyways~)
Sadly, I don't really think there's much to say. Or more of, there is a LOT to say of what has happened in my life, but I always find that I prefer my blog to be my metaphorical soapbox. Whenever there's something I feel strong enough to write about, to give my most uninformed opinion on, I write it on here. (That way, I can pretend that people are actually listening to me.)
I signed up for a subscription of Time Magazine and I rather like having the weekly magazine. It's nice to take a break from my computer and read something serious in print, I think. (It's also nice to get news period since I've been such a recluse this summer. I didn't even know Jobs had died until I walked past the Apple store in Philly and saw the "We'll miss you!" post-it notes which piqued my interest enough to do a google search.) Anyways, enough about my utter fail at being an educated, global citizen who keeps up with things like politics or news.
Though not initially the purpose of this post, I guess I'll mention how much the news depresses me. I used to really like watching the news. More accurately, the news channels were some of the new tv channels I could stomach watching because TV dramas and sitcoms always make me cringe and run away. So yeah, I used to watch a lot of news when I had free time and a TV. However, it always become depressing. There's rarely (if ever!) happy news in circulation. There are no endearing stories of cats being saved from trees or little girls being walked home by kind strangers. Nope. That sentimental happy stuff doesn't sell well so instead it's.. TERRORIST BOMBING. REVOLT IN X COUNTRY. SHOCKING GREED FROM THE WALLSTREET BANKS. etc. etc. My god, it's like wake up, drink the coffee, and get depressed. If it's not politics, it's the economy; if it's not the economy, it's a natural disaster; if it's not that, it's violence in some part of the nation or another nation. If it's a particularly slow day, it's some scandal from a "celebrity." (Aside: what's with these random "celebrities" today? I picked up some trash mag while waiting in line at the grocery and I recognized maybe 3 names (not even people/pictures!): the Olsen twins and I think Angelina Jolie.)
Anyways, news is damn depressing. So I stopped watching it and following it. Now I feel plain stupid cause I don't know what's up in the nation or the world and I'm apparently "uncultured" and "unintelligent" or stuff but really, I'm sorry that the time I have not devoted to studying (soon to be work) isn't being spent depressing myself so I can realize how much the world really sucks and my job is pointless because materialism/consumerism is a horrible curse that plagues our moral fiber or something. (wow! long sentence!) Now that I'm rejoining society (read: starting work), I guess I have to pick up the news again and learn about more stupidity around the world.
For example, I didn't know about the "Occupy Wall Street" movement till some joke of it was on my friend's FB and I saw it in the TIME Magazine. By the way, I'm not entirely sure I agree with the Occupy Wall Street movement. First of all, what exactly is their premise besides that they are generally unhappy with Wall Street? What are they aiming for? What do they propose? Right now, I believe they're "still figuring it out." It's kind of hard to really support or argue with them until they figure out what they're representing. I agree with them in that I believe that Wall Street did not get the reform that everyone wanted it to get after the financial meltdown.
I'm unsure of what I think of them focusing so heavily on the wealthy. (Or, perhaps, I'm just afraid that I or my family will be caught in the middle: Rich enough to feel the heavy brunt of the taxes but not rich enough to shrug them off--like the AMT.) On one hand, as George Clooney said, "asking people who have been lucky enough to make a great deal of money to participate more is a patriotic thing to do." I suppose that can be interpreted as people who are wealthy should pay higher taxes. However, I also think that people should be able to enjoy their wealth. They earned that money somehow, don't they deserve the spoils of their work? From my experiences, many government benefits aren't enjoyed by the people that pay the most for them. Many people with spare money also donate at least some of it. (I'm guessing.) I guess my point is the wealthy already pay for a lot without receiving any of the benefits, why are they paying even more? Why is making a lot of money being punished? It's like "Here, we encourage you all to be poor. Less taxes, more benefits."?? I don't know, I've confused myself now!
Btw, Social Security benefits seriously tick me off. With Social Security: they're going to tax you your entire working life and when you retire, if you were well off, you probably are getting less back than what you paid in. If you make enough money, they'll tax you on Social Security Benefits again. (Wait--what? You take my money, give me less of it back most likely without appreciation for the past 20-30 years I could have earned interest, and then tax me on that money again?! FML.) I know the program/government is meant to be distributive like this but come on, give me a break. At least let me have my social security benefits tax free.
There are so many disjointed things to talk about! I hate taxes for taking the money I've earned away from me! I hate the fact that I'm being forced to give to charity (tax money for welfare) yet still bombarded with requests to donate more (my university, my high school, random charities). I'd almost prefer it if they had a "check where your money goes" option on my taxes! Then I could be like "Put my money in the Philadelphia roads! give my money to help support Clark Park!" then I'd actually know what my money is being used for and when I drive on the highway and hit a pothole, I can scream to my car interior "what are they doing with my money! Why is this pot hole here?! I'll put more in next time!"
Right. I've gone totally insane now. Checking out before more random crap comes out of my fingers.
Random: I really like Joel Stein's piece this week in TIME labeled "Nice Work If You Can Avoid It." I'm pretty sure it's half serious (break is good) and half meant to make people think.
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