In this journey, Samuel experienced a series of unfortunate events from witnessing the death of his parents to being trapped in a heartless forest in Norway. Of course we know the protagonists of modern children’s literature are almost always granted happy endings, so the question is…What extraordinary events will fall upon Samuel, and how will he escape the forbidden forest?

A Few Metaphorical Messages

Death

Death is a running motif that strings the plot together, and based on the author’s previous book titled The Dead Fathers Club, Matt Haig is all too familiar with this heavy subject matter. Haig acknowledges how death robs you of your present. With no warning, with no guarantee, with no sympathy, death rips apart your current reality and rebuilds another one, and you are expected to sit there and accept it. If that is not enough, the aftermath of this horrific experience can make you feel disconnect with the world around you, which inevitably causes many to challenge the meaning of life, if any, in a state of grief. Samuel and his sister Martha experience these symptoms. Samuel becomes extremely negative, seeing everything and everyone as pointless, and Martha becomes mute. Based on the siblings current state; Samuel and Martha have a few choices to make. They can remain how they are, they can try to find happiness, or they can let the trauma overrule their life. The latter is exactly what happened to Professor Horatio.

The Most Devastating Outcome of Death

Haig made sure that Samuel and Horatio’s back stories were parallel to each other because Horatio’s current state could have been Samuel’s future if he did not make the best choices.

In Horatio history, his father passed away at an early age which caused him and his mother to move to Norway to escape their own pain and emotional backlash. While in Norway, the forest creatures of course lurked around and their spotting caused Horatio and his mother to become outcasts. (No one believed their claims.) Horatio’s mother then grew ill and died, and Horatio was passed along to his relatives who dismissed his presence. Horatio then became obsessed with the mythical creatures of the forest as loneliness and depression become a heavy weight on his mind. In the end, Horatio’s unfortunate past led him to be consumed by his own emotions, and as result, he become the perfect ruthless antagonist of the book. Horatio represents how good people can easily become evil if they are not able to conquer loss of loved ones.

Pro-Vegetarian

Speaking of the horrors of death, this book reflects the perfect perspective on the horrors of eating other living beings.

One of the many outrageous events is Samuel’s transformation in a rabbit by Horatio’s henchman. From here, rabbit Samuel is captured by trolls with the intention of being sliced up for dinner. Stop and think about this for a moment! The reason why it is easy for us to eat other animals in a casual manner is because we lack empathy. We don’t understand how it feels to be hunted, and Haig tries to put you in that mindset as Samuel tries desperately to save his life.

However, the cherry on the top if this experience is when rabbit Samuel learns the name of the very rabbit he ate the night before when he was a human, and immediately felt sick to the very core of his soul. He became sick because he learns that he ate a rabbit’s child; he ate a rabbit’s brother; basically, he ate a piece of himself.

The Bunny Cult?

The other captured rabbits have accepted their fate since their spiritual adviser has convinced to do so. He mentions that the trolls will take the “chosen rabbit” to Thubula’s paradise, which a place where the grass is always green and rabbits gain peace-of-mind. This may be Haig’s direct attack on the politics of religion. Thubula presented as the all-knowing spiritual idol, and paradise is presented as a type of heaven. The rabbit advisor is even able to convince his followers that the rebellious Samuel is resisting his fate, that humans are just confused bunnies. Let’s entertain the idea for a moment.

It’s very true that both humans and rabbits are communal and possess the follow-the-leader type mentality whether it’s a small scale (you do what your parents ask of you) or on a grand scale (you abide by the national government). As the adviser rabbit mentioned, humans are sometimes confused of their purpose in life. And this can be a fact since we pump up our egos with careers, material possessions, and artificial intelligence to compensate for our lack of understanding. However, human are unique in the since that we are design to create, survive, adapt, and re-create. This means, even though we are creatures of habit, we can break that and old habit and recreate a new habit. We can create a reality for ourselves, and erase it, then create another reality. So I guess, humans are special rabbits. But my point is, the rabbit scene in the Samuel Blink story is a direct reflection on communal thinking minds verses individual thinking minds.

Dualism

There are many opposites in the story starting from opposite personalities between Samuel and Martha to the opposite worlds between the Forbidden Forest and Norway. However, the most obvious (in terms of color) is the relationship between the Snow Witch and the Shadow Witch. Neither Witch is evil. They both co-exist as powerful entities much like the concepts Ying and the Yang. Because the witches are powerful, they are both admired and they are feared. Their contradicting nature creates balance and   harmony, and this is the very power that humans possess. Balance is needed for happiness, and going back to Professor Horatio, he only focus on his power with the Shadow Witch, so I’m sure you can guess what fate lies for him.

Samuel Blink and the Forbidden Forest is written by Matt Haig
Puffin Books

www.penguin.com

Lady Gaga!

Miss Gaga is a very unique breed of Pop because of her mind. Her mind is so odd and yet so brilliant that it is impossible for her not to be a sensation. Despite her powerful imagination, she still drowns herself with drastic costumes and heavy make-up to match. It was fascinating to learn that her wardrobe is just a piece of her puzzle to fame. Her fashion operates as a link between us and her castle in the sky. They also operate as a shield to protect herself from us, but most importantly, to protect herself from…herself. So come skip down the road with me as I peel away the layers of beauty and pain from Gaga’s Fame Monster experiment, which is an experiment she calls the “Art of Fame.”

Screen shot from Gaga's "Poker Face" music video...

In Gaga’s world wide hit single Poker Face, she automatically stood out from the traditional blond (or dyed blonde) celebrity personas like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Shakira, and Taylor Swift. I personally despise this song since the purpose of Poker Face‘s execution is to emphasize how a condescending chorus is the key to a hit record now-a-days, but I willingly suffered through the lyrics when watching the music video because at the time, I could not take my eyes off of Miss Gaga. As I mentioned, there is just something unique about her. At first  it was difficult to pin-point what this special something was, but after taking a quick peek at her back story, the answer becomes clear.

Before the Face

Gaga, or Stephanie Germanotta, was born in the year of the passionate Tiger (1986) and the time of the head-strong Aries (March 28th). She was blessed with natural piano skills at the young age of four and was granted the opportunity to attend Jillard, a prestigious school of the arts. If what I read was correct, she ended up graduating early from a Catholic School just to attend New York University. With all that said, this traditional career path is not for this prodigy gal.  The call of the entertainment world was pounding at her heart, and as a result, she ended college life early to pursue her destiny.

Wow! You can see why Gaga is so interesting, right? Hmmm if the answer is not so obvious, let me give you a relating tangent.

Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart

As we all know from experiencing Symphony Number 40 or The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart is a musical genius. However, it wasn’t until the movie Amadeus hit the big screen in 1984 when we were exposed to Mozart’s true character. He was so brilliant that he waltzed in a world of his own (this is the castle in the sky I was referring to in the introduction). In fact, he was granted so much godly talent that every single one of his peers grew insanely jealous, especially the Antonio Salieri character.

Long story short, Lady Gaga is Mozart’s reincarnation. HA! If this theory is too abstract for you…then, Lady Gaga shares that same creative intellect and turmoil as Mozart, but there is a HUGE difference. Gaga is much more aware of her musical strengths and its impact.

Gaga’s Awareness

Key Statements in Gaga’s CNN 60 Minutes Interview:

She says,

“I’m a true academic when it comes to music and when it comes to my style…as apart of my mastery of the Art of Fame, part of it is to get people to pay attention to what you want them to pay attention to…this maintains a certain privacy without feeling like you are withholding anything from your fans.”

“I still am very insecure in so many ways.” [She seeks freedom for herself and her fans].

Going back to the movie Amadeus, Mozart just created ground-breaking symphonies based on what popped into his head. It was said that he hears music every second in the day, from the pain streets of Vienna to the lavish parties he attends. He hears music, he sees music, and finally, he manifests music into a tangible creation. Gaga is similar in this respect, but she is in a new playing field and she knows it. There has been a long history of extraordinary musicians, and Gaga took it upon herself to study the greats to strive be greater…or close to it anyway.

Because of Gaga’s deliberate strategy to create an outlandish persona to draw in a fan base, Gaga has been accused of mimicking David Bowie, the master of transformation, and Madonna. What’s interesting is when these accusations are repeated to Gaga directly, Gaga would just respond in such a manner, I guess so, huh. I’m a huge fan. I am completely seriously! Her awareness is too strong to become defensive.  After all, Gaga had a similar reaction when Bette Midler herself accused her of plagiarism. As a response Gaga’s simply said, “I had no idea [Midler] did [the Mermaid in the Chair] and I’m a huge Bette Midler fan, Maybe we’re just cut from the same cloth. I couldn’t hop around in that tail so I just stuck myself in a wheelchair.” Bam Boom! Gaga took Milder’s bomb and threw it back with lovely hearts and roses.  Gaga is definitely conscious of what she is doing. Getting into a war about the masks artists wear as pointless as a dog chasing its tail, which is why Gaga has laid-back comments about the whole “copy cat” game.

Artists adopt crazy styles just to establish a quick and easy fan base, and Gaga is no exception. In her interview Gaga said that she views her outer wear as moving art, and this is a wise description. The unusual mash of color, glitter, shapes, and patterns that go in her wardrobe are definitely a show stopper, and through the shock and oohs and ahhs of the viewers, she is granted positive and negative celebrity power. On the darker side, the costumes are metaphysical separation between an artist’s true self and their ego. So the gorgeously devilish diva on stage is nothing more than Gaga’s ego. Ego is always based perception, so all the comments her fans and haters say about her are all derived from and thrown at her ego, which inevitably makes the ego grow. In a way, the is the healthiest way for an artist to maintain their sanity. After a long days work, Gaga can take off her costume and wash off her make-up and see herself. She’ll see Stephanie Germanotta in the mirror.

The Uniqueness and Non-Uniqueness of Gaga

Now I do not care how wonderful the art of the ego is, in the end, they are all  gimmicks. (This is another reason why accusing another artist of plagiarism solely base on outward appearances is a waste of air) And to top that off, ALL gimmicks, whether cheap or brilliant, DO get old after a while. Believe it or not, Gaga understands this fact. This is why she changes up her gimmicks before her fans can blink. However her most original and notable gimmick, which is used to compensate for her overuse of gimmicks, is when she wows us with incredible acoustic covers of her own hit songs.

Surprise! Gaga wows us with her superior vocals and advanced piano skills. Here, she generated an alter ego that is closer to her true self yet doesn’t damage her original ego that transform her into a Pop goddess.  So I must say, congratulation to you, Gaga! Your quick wits, your multiple layers, and your “Art of Fame” ladder has made you the richest woman in the world. However, this makes me wonder…why are you producing the same bowl of oatmeal for every radio release?

I never noticed Gaga’s dependency on the rhythm, the dualistic lyrics, the tone, the content, and the execution of Poker Face until Todd pointed out in his review of Bad Romance. Bad Romance is another imitation of Poker Face preaching about Gaga’s own connection with fame. She sings,

“I want your ugly
I want your disease
I want your everything
As long as it’s free
I want your love
Love-love-love
I want your love
…
I want your loving
And I want your revenge
You and me could write a bad romance
I want your loving
All your love is revenge
You and me could write a bad romance

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh!
Oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh!
Caught in a bad romance”

Like its predecessors, Bad Romance is a powerful concept disguised as a simple dance song. When Gaga sings “I want your ugly; I want your disease,” she admit that she doesn’t care about the dire consequences of fame, she loves the power of producing her work for all to see. In the end of the chorus she says, “caught in a bad romance.” This means she is willing to sacrifice her peaceful life for a chance to expose her creation; she is obsessed. Fame is Gaga’s addiction this is why her relationship with the celebrity lifestyle is considered a “bad romance.” So don’t get me wrong! Gaga’s pop formula works. Disguising the good with the bad is an interesting formula because this way, the listener can easily relate to the emotions in the song, and yet they can still dance to it too. It’s the perfect marriage, and it is a rare combination in the pop scene. So it is because of this rare marriage in Gaga’s clubs songs that convinces her to produce the same type of song over and over. Also, she can be a “big fish in a small pond.”

She states she has experience with classical music, rag time, and folk jazz music. She even admits to liking David Bowie. However she says pop music is obscure in her circle of friends, so she decided to go against the grain. With her talents, Gaga has no competition in the pop arena. Plus, you must remember her love for fame. Pop music is the perfect match for Gaga’s ego and alter ago. However, her ego will be her downfall because as much as it helps her, it also limits her. Her ego is to insecure to explore the wonder varieties music has to offer. The ego always still to what it knows. Her ego only know pop and it’s successes, so that’s all us fan should expect from her.

Gaga performs for President Clinton

Gaga recently performed at the Hollwood Bowl for Bill Clinton’s birthday, and disguised herself as Marilyn Manroe this time, which is to be expected. But may be I’m looking at this all wrong. I still hold what I said as true. Gaga is has a powerful mind, so may be her pop obsession is the healthiest way to enjoy simplest of pop while staying grounded. After all, she still sounds like she is in control when she was interacting with the audience during the transition to her next performance at the concert. May be Gaga will be one of the first artist to decide how long her career will last. Or may be this whole break down of Gaga is my perception. Regardless of the answer, I still find her to be an interesting mix of emotions, intellect, and appeal. We’ll see what the future hold for Miss Gaga!

I have been exploring ideas of destiny through Chinese astrology and now through past lives and multi-dimensions since I am trying to write a story based on these concepts. However, I consistently push the idea of one’s upbringing aside. Why? Well, the reasoning for this is simple. I have strong beliefs that an individual’s mind is extremely powerful and as a result shapes how you are. Then I used concepts of astrology and choices to shape this idea. But I began to realize, there is a puzzle piece missing. Just by living and breathing right now, I know for a fact that the human mind is capable of achieving epic success, yet obstacles do hinder the mind’s capabilities and these obstacles can force the mind to achieve nothing but epic failure. So, I began to expand my perspective. I now believe an individual’s mind is shape by their upbringing, and that upbringing will determine the person’s fate because after all, you will become the person who has raise you. In a way, it is inevitable.

Born with an explosion of artistic talent, Jane Lane is the spicy roll of Lawndale High. She has a rock solid self image, and it is matched with pure confidence. Quinn may have won the gold for Miss Complicated, but Jane has won the title for the most interesting character on the show. She knows what she wants and chooses the path of outcast at Lawndale High just to achieve it. This means Jane is destined to befriend Daria (“birds of a feather…”). Though, Jane is more original than Daria because she lives by her own rules. She is her own teacher, and by taking a brief look at her upbringing, it’s not hard to understand why.

Jane is born to a herd of cats. Her mother, father, and siblings are all independent thinkers who are blessed with their own talents and live life based on those talents. So the Lane family lifestyle is a free-for-all, which heavily contributes to Jane’s unusual way of thinking. Jane has spun a web of her own ideas, and those ideas has built thick armor for her to expel the negativity around her. On the contrary, Jane’s ideas do cage her and prevent her from seeing the bigger picture. Luckily, Daria holds the key to unlock that cage as we learn soon after they first met.

In the very first episode “Esteemsters,” Jane meets Daria in a self-esteem class held for people who truly lack self-confidence compare to the rest of the student body and people who purposely don’t conform to the mainstream ideals. Of course the latter describes Jane and Daria, but Jane chooses to repeat this class because of her that colorful mind of her. Daria asks, “I don’t get it Jane, you got the entire course memorized, how come you can’t pass the test and get out?” Jane then sarcastically replies, “I can pass the test, but I like having low self -esteem. It makes me feel special.” Jane is implying that she enjoys observing the politics of high school. She submits herself as a pawn and watches closely as the social structure labels her as a certain character and expects her to play the role of that character. And she plays that role quite well. In simple terms, Jane is stimulated by Lawndale High’s social hierarchy, but why? Remember, Jane is an artist. Being submissive in this situation allows her mind to explode with concepts for her creative projects. Daria, on the other hand, is the opposite. She finds her school, especially the self-esteem class, oppressive since she constantly thinks in the future. Therefore, Daria convinces Jane to do the same.

If you haven’t guessed it already, Jane lives in the moment. Like a true artist, she observes the emotions and outcomes of the present. As a result, Jane repeats the self-esteem class because, in the moment, it gives her pleasure to know that Lawndale’s “officials” recognize that she is different (even if they see being different as a negative characteristic). Also the class gives her pleasure to see the idiotic methods used to indoctrinate outcasts. However as I mentioned, Daria is able to convince Jane to expand her perspective. Daria says, “You know all the answers to the questions on the release test, right? Why don’t we just take the test tomorrow and get out of the class once and for all.” Once again Jane gives a cynical response and answers, “how would I spend my afternoons?” And Daria brilliantly replies, “UFO conventions.” Basically in this very instance, Jane realizes that she has found a like-minded companion and becomes open to the idea of quickly sailing through high school with a friend, instead of observing the sharks alone.

Now if the sharks were as observant as Jane, they will notice that Jane’s main weakness is romance, which is not surprising. Her older siblings have a history of multiple romantic encounters, so it is inevitable that she is victim to the same fate. First, Jane holds a shallow crush on her brother’s friend, Jesse. The Jesse fling is based solely on appearance because Jesse’s one-track mind is incapable of noticing Jane’s feelings. But Jane and her morbid humor doesn’t seem to mind this small detail. I would not be surprised if she wants the beautiful Jesse as her sex slave much like the love dynamic between Dr. Frank-N-Furter and Rocky from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Anyway, her obsession with Jesse fades as she meets Evan in the episode, “See Jane Run.”

You’ll begin to notice as I run down the hall of men in Jane’s life that she is attracted to guys solely based on interest. This is an extremely bad habit and the consequence of this type of relationship is perfectly illustrated in the movie, 500 Days of Summer. It can never work out because a relationship demands more than an exchange of likes and dislikes. So at the end of “See Jane Run,” Jane learns that Evan is not worth her time. Her relationship with Evan ironically foreshadows her more serious relationship with Tom Sloane.

Jane meets Tom at a club, and after an exchange of cynical jokes, they become glued to one another. They enjoy their days spontaneously while mocking their one-dimensional, small town. Everything seems perfect on the surface, but both candidates begin to grow bored with their relationship. And what is worse,  Jane is extremely idealistic. She naively thinks she can somehow save her romance with Tom by ignoring her feelings and occupying their time with frequent outings to the local movie theater and pizza parlor. Her efforts did not work, and the relationship ended in the most painful way.

Feeling vulnerable, Jane reverted to her old ways. She isolates and distracts her herself, and it chips away at her relationship with her best friend. This is when Nathan comes in the picture. Nathan becomes Jane’s rebound date. Jane already knows that he is not her match, but her break up with Tom drove her to careless behavior. It is to no surprise that this relationship ended immediately after it started. Though on the positive side, Jane deliberately focused on her art, which will soon end up as her career.

Wow! Jane is more complex than I initially gave her credit for. She is a walking canvas, which people cannot help but notice. (Even in the episode “This Year’s Model,” the model scouts spot Jane immediately, but Jane is too wise to fall victim to their clutches.) She lives day by day, and it causes her to live life through trial and error. Thank goodness she has Daria to keep her grounded; otherwise she would be floating on the cloud aimlessly without a cause. Or Wait! May be it’s the other way around. Anyway despite the romantic faux pas, Jane is still a strong stand-out character. Therefore, thank goodness Jane is in the series. The show would not be the same without her.

I was hustling trying to get everything packed and ready for my first trip overseas. I remember telling myself, just make sure to have the passport and tickets. My mind was fixated on traveling; I guess I have a one-track thought pattern in this aspect.

My energy was high. I drove to Los Angeles (LAX) and ate at a fascinating, country-style waffle house. Of course, I ordered the classic waffles. The meal was irresistibly good. The waffles were golden brown, a moist cake-like center surrounded by a delicious crispy exterior topped off with thick whipped cream. Those waffles set the tone for the excellent food to come.

The International Airport…I have arrived. I walked around aimlessly since I have many hours to kill. As I wondered around, I noticed the rich diversity of people the airport had to offer. All of them were waiting to visit another land, just like myself.

Finally the clock was heading toward midnight. It was time for me to redeem my official airline ticket, but suddenly I was struck with a bolt of bad luck. I missed my flight. It turns out my original flight left at midnight the morning before. It was extremely confusing, but nothing was going to stop me from seeing the new world. So for an embarrassing fee, I eased my way on the flight that was leaving now.

My first flight to Beijing, China was 12 hours long. Being in a small place (although this was the biggest plane I have ever been on) for a long period of time is enough to slowly drive me insane. Luckily, I met an interesting, cute fella who was sitting next to me. He was from Venezuela, and I learned he was quite the traveler. He was on the flight to meet his girlfriend who was dancing in a competition in Xi Ann, China. Anyway after hearing many fun stories from my neighbor, going through China’s security, eating a scrumptious Chinese dumpling breakfast, and catching another 3 hour flight to Japan, I was finally in the large city of Tokyo.

Tokyo was chaotic with people in every direction, but it was still very orderly. This oxymoron was my best impression of the big city of Japan. Thank goodness though, many of the locals were studying English and were interested in practicing it. This did emphasize how many of us English-only speakers are spoiled when it comes to worldly communication… or maybe not. The huge downside is that we cannot easily learn other languages. Seriously, I tried to studying Japanese for a month straight and I still cannot say a proper sentence in the language. Sad! But this was beside the point!  Many Japanese citizens were learning English for business purposes since the English language dominates the global market. However, Japan is keen on customer service. Learning English is also used to accommodate many foreign visitors. Relief!

Japan’s customer service wins the gold in my eyes. When I got lost in Asakusa, my home away from home, I came across an older gentleman on a bicycle. He was kind enough to take me straight to my destination, Khaosan Tokyo Inn, which was quite a distance. I wanted to offer money to show my gratitude, but thought it was rude, so instead I stressed the phrase “Arigato Gozaimasu” while bowing heavily. He was definitely a life saver.

I must admit, I was very disappointed with my sleeping quarters. This is because I never been in a hostel before, but sharing a dining and bathing area was all too familiar. Hostels remain me of college dorms, and that was not the experience I was going for when staying in Japan. But I was over reacting. I immediately got settled in and strolled through Asakusa’s nightlife, which lead me to my first Japanese dessert, creamy almond custard. It is to die for.

By the way, while trying to learn Japanese before my trip, I found tons of videos that entertained my child-like persona. From informative blogs to trendy pop culture music videos, below are the many treasures I truly enjoyed.

Foreigners in Japan

The Happy Dance?

Morning Musume!!!

IT’s BAAAAACK!

Tyra’s brilliantly crazy mind has come up with another dangerously addictive concept for her popular reality show, America’s Next Top Model (ANTM). There has already been sixteen successful cycles of excitement, pain, passion, desperation, art, but cycle 17 will be the cycle to end all cycles. Wicked Tyra is bringing back some of the most popular and most destructive members from past seasons. And while the blood-thirsty contestants claw their way to number one…again, us fans will be loving every second of it. So let’s travel back into ANTM history and re-introduce the All-Star Cast, one by one.

1. Shannon Stewart, Cycle 1

Whoa! Shocking!

Shannon is a small-town girl who chose to live a biblical life by pursuing a career in modeling. She is definitely one of the highlights in cycle 1 since her photos are the most memorable out of the pack, but that is not saying much. Honestly, I think Shannon will be eaten alive by her competition since she may not have anyone to cling on to. We will pray for you, Shannon.

 
2. Camille McDonald, Cycle 2

“Camilla Deville” is returning with her rock-solid confidence and signature walk. Camille is definitely going to bring the heat this season. Camille is a crazy genius who delivers lines so memorable, they will make you question your own sanity. She is known to stomp on other girl’s insecurities and thrive in the spotlight as a lone wolf. Despite what you think, Camille is a strong beauty who will definitely  be one of the stars.

3. Britanny Brower, Cycle 4

Britanny is a gorgeous creature from another planet, as her vivacious personality is not of this world. She is able to turn any situation into a party, even when she is placed in danger like being stalked by lions (seriously). Fear is not in this woman’s vocabulary, and it shows in her natural modeling abilities. Britanny, thank goodness you are here.

4. Lisa D’Amato, Cycle 5

Oh shitake!

Forget about being from another planet, Lisa is from a galaxy far, far away. Of course, her inhuman behavior is welcomed in this vicious cycle. Lisa is so unconventional and wonderfully strange, that it is impossible to fully describe her with words. I wonder if Britanny speaks her language.

5. Bre Scullark, Cycle 5

Bre is blessed with goddess-like features and an interesting set of raspy vocals. Unfortunately like Shannon, she is a little lukewarm in the character department. But unlike Shannon, she has a strong presence. I have a feeling that Bre is going to be a quiet storm during this cycle.

6. Bianca Golden, Cycle 9

No! No! NO!

I will admit, Bianca is the most strikingly beautiful girl I have ever seen, but that disgusting persona of hers leaves her face in molding scraps. Bianca is painfully insecure, and instead of finding solutions to empower herself, she strategically decides to tear down the stronger girls instead. She did this with Lisa from cycle 9, She did this with Heather, and she tried to do this with Saleisha. Luckily, this new group of girls will NOT stand for her devious tactics. Hmmm then again, she might make Shannon her flunky.

 
7. Dominique Reighard, Cycle 10

Dominique’s looks are harsh, but she is still fascinating. And yes, she was the “bitch” of cycle 10, but I have a strong feeling that this will not be the case in cycle 17. Like Bre, I predict that Dominique is going to take the back seat and watch all the other girls kill each other so she ends up on top.

 
8. Isis King, Cycle 11

Isis has peacock like features, and luckily, it is paired up with a humble demeanor. Isis is the most focused model out of the flock. Her drive, her passion, and her mind will make her immune to the dirty gossip that is attached to the ANTM experiment. Isis is definitely the most dignified model this season, and her professional determination will get her far in the competition.

9. Sheena Sakai, Cycle 11

Yes! Yes! YES!

Sheena is a spicy mix of East meets West. She holds the presence of a strong warrior, yet she has an angelic aura that is captured in her photos. All I have left to say is thank you, Sheena! Thank for delivering your many blunt opinions for our viewing pleasure.

10. Allison Harvard, Cycle 12

Once upon a time in the depths of our darkest imaginations, there appeared a girl named Allison who looked frighteningly stunning. Her eyes hypnotized our soul, and her artistic persona was brunt into our memories. There is a reason why Allison is so popular. She is a walking Mona Lisa, and I love her. I love her so much, it’s scary.

11. Laura Kirkpatrick, Cycle 13

Laura truly is a slice of apple pie. Every time the camera is on her, she is a face full of genuine smiles.  Laura is also a small-town girl, but her light spirits repels all the negativity. She is in a league on her own, but don’t be fooled. Laura will destroy you with her photos.

 
12. Angelea Preston , Cycle 14

Love her or hate her, Angelea is an unusual beauty. She truly looks like a model. However while observing her on the show and even some of her most recent pictures, there is a certain desperation about her that chips away at her beauty. Regardless, she is another ANTM genius. She delivers some of the most hilariously brilliant quotes…ever.

13. Kayla Ferrell, Cycle 15

Kyla possesses an interesting mix of awkwardness and sexiness. She is another girl who is very passionate about her pursuits yet is one of the background candidates. She takes fierce photos, but I’m not sure if she will last long considering her competition.

 
14. Alexandria Everrett, Cycle 16

Here we go again!

Alexandria understands the mechanics of modeling 101, but her constant need for control will be the death of her in this competition. She is capable of being spontaneous when she expected to be spontaneous, but she is incapable of living the art of spontaneity since she doesn’t “go-with-the-flow.” Relax Alexandria. Though, I’m sure you will become great friends with Bianca.

There you have it! The 14 beastly beauties are ready to fight for the last prize. If you notice though, there are no constants from cycle 3 or cycle 6. But I’m sure those girls are too sane to volunteer themselves back into this social nightmare. The 14 above are just crazy enough for another wildly, fun ride.

Let the games begin!

We must admit. We all are drawn to a specific friend, a specific movie, a specific environment, a specific style, and a specific career. But why? It is common for us to stick to what we know, but how do we learn what we know? Of course, our personalities plays a dominate role in our daily decision-making. Where does personality come from? Some will answer that our personality is based on our upbringing. We are just exact replicas of our parents, but I strongly disagree. Do you find it interesting how to siblings, born in the same household, have completely different personalities? Well, may be this phenomenon is more mysterious then we give credit for. May be our very characteristics are based on the astrological alignments or time. Every culture, including ancient Chinese and ancient Egyptian, have pondered this possibility. And I wish to share with you the very basics of their research. In today’s article, I will start with Chinese astrology.

Chinese Astrology is no different from Egyptian astrology where they determine a child’s characteristics, motives, and demeanor through the annual rotation of the sun. It was even believed that astrological experts can determine your past, present, and future from the exact year, month, day, hour, minute, and second you were born. If that wasn’t specific enough, Chinese astrological experts associate the information of your birth to the five elements: earth, water, fire, wood, and metal to better determine your outcome. It is quite fascinating. The minuscule details play a huge role in making you who you are today.

With all that aside, Chinese Astrology also has a practical yet whimsical element. As I mentioned, a child’s characteristics are determined by the rotation of the sun, or simply put, by the year. Each year is represented by an animal, and these animals were chosen based on ancient Chinese farm life. For example, there is the Horse and the Pig on the astrological calendar (zodiac calendar). The only mythical creature on the calendar is the Dragon, which is based on involved folklore in the Chinese culture. Dragons are believed to be the guardians to the spiritual world, so they deserve a spot on the calendar.

There are twelve animals for the twelve zodiac signs. The Rat represents year one and the Pig represents year twelve. These animal years repeat themselves after year twelve, so year thirteen is the Rat again. Get it? If not, it’ll make more since after I break down the main traits of each animal. First let us read the wise old tale of the twelve zodiac signs.

[I am re-telling the classic folklore story from Sabrina Liao's version.]

Once upon a time in a world just beginning, there was a heavenly Empress who wished to create a calendar for the humans to track time. The Empress told all the animals of the land that there will be a grand race and the first twelve animals to win will become the years and each human child born under their year will carry their characteristics. The animals where excited. Every single animal from the majestic dragon to the tiny tadpoles lined up to participate in the race.

The Empress said, “You must travel over the mountain and across the river to get to the finish line. There will be a party for the twelve fastest animals.” The Rat was worried.

The Rat took one looked at his little feet and knew he would have a problem climbing the huge mountain, and he expressed his concern with his best friend Cat. Cat also worried. The Ox over heard the Rat and expressed how he has bad eyes. Then, the Rat thought of a plan. He said, “Ox, let Cat and I ride your back. We will be your eyes and together we will cross the finish line.”

The race was about to start. The Empress held her hand in the air. “Ready, Get set, Go!” yelled the Empress while she dropped her hand. All the animals raced to the mountain, except the Dragon. The Dragon told the Empress that he had enough time to change the weather for the party since he can easily fly to the finish line.

Days passed and then months passed. The Rat and the Cat can see the finish line. “It is there. Go Straight, Ox!” said the Rat. Ox jumped in the river and the Rat and the Cat held on tight. While the Ox was swimming against the current, the Rat realized he wanted to be first. So in the moment, he pushed Cat into the river and the Cat screamed as he was carried downstream.

The Ox’s head was underwater and did not see what happened. When the Ox was just about to the cross the finish line, the Rat jumped off his back and claimed first place. The Ox didn’t mind and claimed second place.

Moments later, more animals trickled in. The Dragon came in fifth place after he made the weather sunny for the party, and the gleeful Pig came in last. The party finally began. After about an hour, the Cat appeared soaking wet. The Empress told him he was too late, and fury grew within the Cat. Even today, the Cat and the Rat are sworn enemies.

What’s your sign?

[Summarized from Sabrina Liao's Chinese Astrology book]

1. Rat People - As you can tell from the story, Rat people are born survivors and a problem-solvers. They’re able to use their intellect for any situation and they usually end up at the top. Rat people can turn competitive and be calculating, but they are still very communal. Their family comes first.

2. Ox People – These are hard-working and reliable people. They are also equip to be born leaders. Ox people do have the tendency to be to be stubborn, but that’s because they know their way is the right way. Though their gentle nature makes for that. Ox people are the type of people you can trust.

3. Tiger People – Fear is not in the Tiger’s vocabulary. Confident and assertive are natural traits for them. This can cause Tiger people to be impatient, but their natural charm allows them to enjoy many rewards. They are very energetic, and fun. Tiger People definitely stand out within a crowd.

4. Rabbit People – One of the luckiest signs in the group and toppled with a compassionate nature. These peace-loving people are accommodating and trustworthy. They can be very passive in the heat of confrontation, but like the Rat, Rabbit People are communal. Also, they love to show off their successes and talents.

5. Dragon People – You know a Dragon Person when you see one. Being the only mythical creature, people born under this sign are blessed with natural appeal. Being the luckiest sign of them all and born perfectionists, Dragon people usually live an extravagant lifestyle to feed their unique style.

6. Snake People – Intelligence is the key attribute for Snake People. They are also deep thinkers and know their decisions are always right. They are also competitive and know how to show off in a way that’s subtle and appreciated.

7. Horse People – These People must live freely. They ride life’s spontaneous events and absorb all of those experiences with passion and charisma. Since they operate through feeling, they can be emotionally detached, but their independence and excitement still make them alluring.

8. Sheep People – Sheep People were born in a dream and will do everything in their power to make that dream come true. As a result, they are extremely creative but can be unreliable with tasks they feel are not of importance to them. Creativity, compassion, and style best sums up their characters.

9. Monkey People – The fun is here! Monkey People are fun loving and highly social. Monkeys are clever and mastered the art of conversation and will prove it to you will long conversations, which can be center around themselves. They are not that lucky, but their optimism and natural charm makes up for that.

10. Rooster People – Rooster People are little peacocks because they love to put on a show and are the most eccentric of all signs. They love to hold extravagant parties with many unique trinkets. Rooster can be frank about their feelings and live their lives in the fast lane. No sleeping for the Rooster.

11. Dog People – Being the most loyal sign in the group, Dog People very caring and helpful to whoever they call family or friends. Dogs are also frank and see the world in black and white. They are best motivated when there is a goal in mind. They will be the first to run and achieve the goal.

12. Pig People – The party has begun! The Pig sign is one of the most social signs in the group. They love people and still caring and considerate. Pig People do tend to indulged too much, but most would say they deserve it. They are honest People who will go out of their way to help you.

This is Chinese Astrology in a nutshell. However, if this philosophy doesn’t work for you, be patient. May be Egyptian philosophy is more fitting with your beliefs.

In my first installment of this blog series, I briefly mentioned how Daria Morgendorffer adopts a metal persona to mask her sympathetic nature, but most importantly, her persona is used to decipher the genuine people from the wolves. Daria is granted a true friend, but her younger sister is not so lucky. Quinn Morgendorffer baths in the sea of temporary satisfaction, which blinds her from recognizing her own potential. But take a second look! Love her or hate her, Quinn is the most intricate character on the show since she is caught in an agonizing paradox.

Quinn’s strongest potential is her “light.” This characteristic is very difficult to describe since it’s based on one’s spirits, but I’ll give it a shot. People are just naturally drawn to Quinn, especially male peers like trio Joey, Jeffy, and Jamie. They follow her around like devoted servants to their queen. They’re easily excited if Quinn speaks one word to them. Some of you can argue that her beauty and social status attract so much attention, but this claim raises another question. If physical appearance and social prestigious are the only ingredients to gaining admirers, then why do girls like Sandy, Stacie, Tiffany, and Brittany receive less praise then Quinn? The answer is clear. Quinn has a natural charm about her. Of course, this develops trust issues within her which creates the first stage to Quinn’s paradox.

Even though Quinn is the most desirable girl in Lawndale, she is extremely cautious when selecting a mate. Notice in the episode “The Big House,” Quinn is being punished for breaking curfew yet tries to escape it by convincing her parents that she’s in love with a guy who remains nameless. This means, Quinn thrives in the praise she absorbs from her many nameless, male counterparts yet has not made a strong connection with them. Therefore most of the time, her many dates remain nameless since their names are not worth remembering. Actually toward the very end of this episode, Quinn pays more attention to her sister (even though it’s catty rivalry) than her suitor. She says coldly, “Tommy, go away.” Then she adds, “You’re two hours late, jerk!” After Quinn writes Tommy off, she immediately addresses Daria and never mentions him again. His is now thrown in the nameless category. Quinn does not trust Tommy, and just like the other boys in her life, Tommy cannot be her long-term romantic partner.

Although in the first feature film “Is it Fall Yet,” there is one gentleman that Quinn did consider for her boyfriend. His name is David Sorensen, and he is hired to tutor Quinn for her college entrance exams. While exploring history, Quinn made a mental connection with David. Unfortunately, David is not romantically interested in her. He countered her feelings with one key phrase, “look at the brain-dead people you hang out with.” Let’s take a moment and examine what he meant by this harsh comment.

Quinn’s “best friend” is Sandi Griffin, even though Quinn is in an abusive relationship with Sandy. These two girls are glued back-to-back when they can’t stand the sight of each other. They are friends for one reason; Quinn and Sandy click on an intellectual level. Both understand the pros and cons of social construction at Lawndale High and choose to compromise themselves just to conform to an intangible image of a high school celebrity. They’re both intuitive and persuasive, yet Sandy’s intelligence is paired up with disgusting jealousy.

Sandy knows that Quinn radiates with natural appeal. Therefore, Sandy thinks her position as Queen-bee is being challenged. Sandy quickly learns that she cannot compete against Quinn, so she strategically hires Quinn as her right-hand woman. Sandy becomes Quinn’s puppet master! After all, Quinn cannot surpass Sandy if Sandy is in control of her. Sandy’s jealousy has made her stagnant, which also made the people around her stagnant. For this reason, she is a dangerous friend. While other students pursue their dreams and grow mentally and spiritually, Sandi will just be Sandi. Sandi is well aware of her limitations, which are slowly transferring onto Quinn. However, it’s apparent in the episode “The Daria Hunter” that Quinn is too strong to stay at Sandi’s level.

At the very end of this episode, Lawndale students participate in paintball war. Once the game of blood ended, Sandi is left on the battlefield. Sandi moaned for someone, anyone to recognize her absence yet no one did. Sandi’s last image is of Quinn turning forward as the bus drove the students into the sunset. This powerful metaphor represents all the students moving onto new stages in life (especially Quinn) while Sandi remains Sandi. Sandi is a lone Queen of Lawndale with no followers and no goals, but let’s get back on topic. This blog is about Quinn after all.

David Sorensen said, “Look at the brain-dead people you hang out with” because he recognizes that Quinn hides her true self, which weakened her potential. He realizes that Quinn does not even trust her own merits and that’s why she associates herself with people like Sandy who does nothing, but put her down. In Davids eyes, it is impossible for him to see himself in a relationship Quinn. And here’s the full circle of Quinn’s paradox. Quinn wants to have strong relationships with people like David, but her fear of rejection has convinced her to settle with the shallow people who flock to her. Quinn is convinced that one-dimensional friends and suitors are slightly better than being alone. With that said, Quinn does have someone that’s she can be 100 percent herself with, and that’s her sister Daria.

To no surprise, Quinn matures at end of the series and it is apparent in the second movie “Is it College Yet?” In this movie, she decides to retire from the Fashion Club and explore her individuality. I predict that in her journey, she will come to be the person she’s meant to be.

You know, a high-status business typhoon once told me, “young business owners are a myth.” Apparently this person fails to realize that all myths are based on reality.

Tina Harris is a young entrepreneur who created her own online empire called Stacie’s Gifts, and get this! She started only two years ago and is still standing strong as we continue into the New Year. Tina has huge plans for her stylish jewelry boutique, and today I am excited to hear her plans as I interview her on how she created her success story. (All you aspiring business owner; you should definitely take note.)  

Sabrina: What inspired you to be your own boss, and how did it impact your current lifestyle for the better?

Tina: First, I decided to create something for myself while still young.  I wanted to form my own source of income, which would ultimately give me an entrepreneur skill-set that I would be able to use when older.  Second, I had fun both being a local and online merchant. 

From [my experience], I learned there is no security in working for someone else. Going into business with almost no clue, I took a blind leap of faith and have not looked back since.  My security is based on my own efforts and merits, not based on someone else’s business decision.

Sabrina: Since you are a service company, what is your customer service motto and how do you initiate it?

Tina: Having worked in customer service for over 10 years, this was not too hard to figure out.  I always put the customers first and make it easy for them to do business.  Customers want reasonable prices, open communication, and a secure shopping experience.  My goal for this company is actually initiated prior to the customers placing their orders.  In addition to having free 24/7 access to the website, customers have the same access to our social media sites.  This provides direct access to communicate with [the staff of Stacie’s Gifts] as well as information that can be used to help them shop online and offline. 

Sabrina: What type of business owner are you, and how do you set yourself apart from other owners?

Tina: You can say I am a business owner that operates in two worlds.  There is the virtual online world consisting of our website and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, and there is the “real world” where we also service our local customers.  As most business owners choose between marketing online or locally, I have been able to strike a balance between both worlds. 

Our size gives us an advantage [statement referring to Tina and her staff members].  We have ample opportunity to meet our customers face-to-face, and/or simply form a connection online.

Sabrina: Every business starts with an idea, but what is the first step that you recommend for aspiring men and women to take when trying to manifest that idea into an actual business? 

Tina: Now is actually a good time to start a business.  In this recession, it appears that the business world is realigning itself all the way from the fortune 500 companies to the “mom and pop” establishments.  My recommendation is to always start with a written plan.  Test your plans, and adjust them accordingly.  Have your plan reviewed by professional consultants.  Know that there are no short-cuts.  There is no fast track or tricks of the trade.  If starting and growing an enterprise were easy, everyone would do it.  Mentally prepare yourself for an adventurous journey ahead.

Sabrina: What are the three most important aspects of a successful business?

Tina:  Simply put:

One - A written plan with attainable goals and objectives.  Write down what you want to accomplish and how you plan to accomplish your goals in detail.  Keep it simple.

Two -  Happy customers that keep coming back and can put out the good word about your business.  Learn how to provide good customer service.

Three – A high degree of self-discipline and superb organization skills.

Sabrina: Your website is very straightforward, yet very bright and welcoming. How important is design and marketing for a new business, and what is the best way to expose the business to the public on a tight budget?

Tina: First impressions are very important, but there is also a bigger picture.  The best way to expose your business online is getting found.  Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, and even Ning sites are an excellent way to get your site found on an upstart budget.  Search engines like Google provide many free and low cost methods of getting your website out to the public.

Second, make sure your site is easy to navigate.

Last, make sure the site terms are straightforward enough for everyone to understand.

Sabrina: Loving what you sell is crucial for credibility and success. What are your favorite items in your inventory and why?

Tina: There are a few items that are near and dear to me.  The first is the beige Pashmina.  Of course, I own one of my own.  I can wear it with almost anything, and it is versatile enough to wear year round.  The Pashmina is a piece I personally wear on a regular basis.  The second is the Dragonfly necklace.  I love wearing the Dragonfly necklace as I can always expect a compliment, or it can spark up a conversation with someone I have never met before.  It also helps breaks the ice with prospective local customers who end up buying the very same necklace as a gift.

Sabrina: What is your ultimate goal with Stacie’s Gifts?

Tina: The ultimate goal of StaciesGifts.com is to create a secure future for myself and loved ones by becoming the premium one stop shop for gifts and women’s accessories online.  Our purpose is to provide gift items for any occasion such as weddings, anniversaries, holidays, and corporate events at the most affordable prices.