Asian Outlook Fall 2010 Issue #2

Advertising again.  As I said before, the last issue was a warm-up.  This one's drastically better in quality -- in both design and writing -- although I still caught a few errors here and there.  One day it'll be perfect... one day.

Asian Outlook - "Like an Editor"

Be very amazed with this music video parody of Far East Movement's "Like a G6."  It's my magazine's submission to Binghamton University's annual Asian Night.  Took about a week's time to complete.  Enjoy.

I took this from another blog I'm writing on:

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Virgin Galactic's VSS Enterprise, a pioneer "spacecraft," will mark a new era where regular people can tour the edges of the final frontier.  The world's first spaceport runway opened in a remote desert of New Mexico, prompting huge fanfare for all the enthusiasts and guests present during the celebratory flight.

"With each flight we make, we will learn more.  We'll experience more.  We'll open up more opportunities that we cannot even conceive of today," said Sir Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin.

It has been nearly half a century since Russian Yuri Gagarin became the first man to journey to space.  Now, in as little as nine months, everyday civilians will have the opportunity to experience the beyond for themselves.

Even though I have a feeling that tickets to space might be a little pricey in the beginning, curiosity will force me to pay closer attention to this breakthrough.  As Branson mentioned, more opportunities will be opened up from here.  Perhaps one day, humanity can colonize the outreaches of space.

Below, an exclusive test flight of the VSS Enterprise and its mothership, VMS Eve, can be seen:

Asian Outlook Fall 2010 Issue #1

Asian Outlook Fall 2010 Issue #1

Advertising again (though a delayed update).  Since most of us working on this magazine were inactive pretty much the whole summer, the quality of this issue is not up to standards.  Ah well, warming up.  I'll make sure the next issue is top-notch.

A Ho-Hum Scribble

It's been over half a year since the last post.  The blog was pretty much down-to-the-core lifeless.  But no matter what, it serves a purpose: acting as an open journal.  Whatever's on anyone's mind, this is a medium that is usually always available.  If I want to say something and I'm completely alone, I might as well jot some things down here.  The joyous, the ineffable, the aggravating, the grand, whatever.

Too much has been happening since the end of the Spring 2010 semester.  All the events equate to just one point: I'm changing.  Not my personality or the way I go about my tasks, but just some minor aspects of life that I treat differently nowadays.  I used to be a heavier drinker -- safe drinker, mind you -- but recently I found myself taking only a couple of beers for social purposes.  I wouldn't trash myself like I used to freshman and sophomore year.  Hell, I barely get even buzzed or tipsy now.  Instead of diving into a group of drunkards, I stay back and just monitor the environment.

And I'm definitely not the only one who changed in that manner.  A lot of my close friends have become more -- how should I put this -- responsible.  Maybe, classier?  No longer is beer and hard liquor the thing.  Now it's wine.  Wine in conservative doses.  Wine on occasion.

I don't think we can help it either.  We simply grew out of the activities.  I can definitely enjoy a beer here and there, a glass of wine to sip on, a flashy cocktail, etc.  Just once in a while, though.  I don't mind the music blasting in the background.  I don't mind having a disgustingly sticky kitchen counter.  I don't mind the periodic parties.  But how I act during parties today is noticeably different from how I act in parties in the past.

Calm.  Collected.  Reserved.  I could be described as such in the past, but I think right now I'm a few standard deviations above whatever I was.  It's odd.  What happened?  I'm not against it at all, I like this newfound maturity.  Less trouble and stress, more productivity and respect.

Then again, now I'm this boring, laid-back senior who doesn't do much but work, work, work.  Either work, work, work or talk about subjects that the majority of the population -- or the younger kids -- don't give an elephant's ass about.

I take pride in honing whatever skills I may have now, in anticipation that they will serve me well in the future.  I try and take care of the new freshman class -- if I can -- or at least new people in general, just so I may leave a lasting impression that not everyone in Binghamton is wack.  Well, that's not entirely true... there are only a handful of wack people in Bing that I know of.  But still, I do want to leave a nice impression.  A legacy, maybe.

Sometimes I find myself saying things to people I would normally not say.  Usually I stick with humorous, nonsensical talk.  Or some things about entertainment and sports.  But now, I give way more advice than I used to.  All these experiences gathered up through the last four years; it's surely piling up now.  I remain modest, as a rule of thumb, regardless of how people may perceive me.  As for my own opinion, I'll still just go with the flow.  Changing bit by bit in mindset is merely an outcome of going with the flow.

Eh, anyway.  I just want to graduate.  Nothing really outstanding to look forward to but that.  That, and life after graduation.

Asian Outlook Spring 2010 Issue #2

Again, can't help but advertise.

http://issuu.com/asianoutlook/docs/asian_outlook_spring_2010_issue__2_final

21st Birthday

Awesome Birthday with Myra, Tony, and Jeff in Buffalo!!!!

Asian Outlook Spring 2010 Issue #1

Can't help but advertise, right?

http://issuu.com/asianoutlook/docs/ao_spring_2010_issue__1

Forever 21?

It's a good age, right? 21.

At least for another 364 days, I can start saying to everyone, "To hell with the drinking age!"

Honestly, there is no difference in feeling 21 years old and feeling 20 years old. But in a nation that is tied for the highest minimum drinking age, turning 21 is culturally a huge deal. Aside from many Middle Eastern or Muslim countries (where the consumption of alcohol is illegal), the United States is pretty strict on alcohol-related issues.

But going with the norm, I did try and hold a little something for my 21st birthday. The sad thing is -- though this seems pretty normal -- I barely remember anything that happened that night.

Thus, I went on a short adventure, gathering stories from witnesses of what "supposedly" happened.

- I drank out of a hollowed-out pineapple. This I vaguely remember.
- I spilled a lot of beer out of said pineapple. This I don't remember.
- I made some kind of speech regarding academic probation based on underage drinking. This I don't remember.
- I took 14 straight shots... plus other drinks in between. I only remember most of the shots, but other than that, I have no clue what I drank.
- I briefly played drunken piano. This I don't remember at all.
- I was screaming at someone or something momentarily after I began to black out. This I obviously don't remember.
- I was bartending drunk. How in hell did that happen?

On another note, there were many signs regarding what happened that night. When I woke up around 2-3 PM the next day, there were bottle caps in my back pocket. There was a crushed beer can tucked away in the corner of my room. The towel rack was torn off the bathroom wall. I had a tie strung around my neck. My desk reeked of spilled alcohol. One of my textbooks was stained with pineapple daiquiri. Of course, I had a raging headache, but that's natural.

Friends that came said they had a great deal of fun. I appreciate that. As long as people enjoyed themselves, I can say the night was a success. I sincerely express my gratitude. For those who came, those who helped make the night the way it was, for those who managed to take care of me after I passed out, those who took the shots with me, and for those who offered really neat gifts. We only turn 21 once in our lifetimes, so why not let yourself loose this one time?

DVD Movie: The Proposal

Oh, geez, haven't written in here for a while. How about that, nearly a month of inactivity?

Most recently, I sat down with the family to have a little movie night. Past films have included Borat (2006) and The Hangover (2009) - both ideal family films, The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), Marley & Me (2008), The Namesake (2006), off the top of my head, amongst many others.

And then came The Proposal (2009), a snappy American romantic-comedy film starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. It's not the greatest film, nor is it the greatest romance film, comedy film, etc. However, it does keep up the energy for a decent amount of time. I'm certain that the plot is not entirely original, but it works.

For those that have not watched the movie yet, Sandra Bullock basically plays a workaholic, control-freak style chief editor - Margaret Tate - at a publishing company, who is accompanied by Ryan Reynolds, her somewhat too generous assistant - Andrew Paxton. Tate, a native of Canada, one day is placed on the verge of deportation (visa transgression, of course), realizes that by marrying a U.S. citizen (hapless Paxton), she can navigate around the immigration laws.

And so the comedy starts there. Paxton, wanting to become an editor at the publishing company, works out a deal with his boss, agreeing to marry her as long as he becomes editor. They plan to wed, and as soon as all the necessary paperwork goes through, divorce afterward. Of course, things don't go so smoothly... in the first 95% of the 108 minutes worth of screening time. And there's some more comedy to go with a budding romance.

Prototypical. Many characteristics of a romantic-comedy film show up, making it fairly easy to predict upcoming events. But the good thing is that despite being able to foreshadow, most events in the film bring about subtle twists to bring up some more funny. The only downside is that the writers didn't bother twisting the ending too much. In layman's terms, from the climax to the ending, it was pretty generic.

It was an enjoyable film, though. I particularly liked Bullock's portrayal of a socially awkward, fierce witch of a businesslady. Conversely, I also enjoyed watching Reynolds take hold of the somewhat victimized and confused role of a good-hearted assistant editor.

Most likely not a worthy film for an Oscar, but at least it took part in an award at the Golden Globe (Bullock nominated "Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy, or Musical").