End of 2010

When I think back to the year 2010, a lot has been accomplished. When midnight struck, I had the best new years by starting it off with people that I loved. I had no idea that in the year of 2010, I would graduate from college. That realization came at the end of March 2010. Though my last quarters in college were academically difficult, I tried my hardest to make the most out of it. Having turned at the ripe age of 21 in the beginning of January, it was my time to go out and live that life. I tried going out with as little free time as I had, even though that was barely anything.
Realizing that I would soon start another life after college, I made sure I kept the friends I found valuable in my college life. I have met so many diverse people during my 3 years at UCI, but it really takes an effort to keep a friendship going. That was probably one of my hardest realizations when I moved back home in June. Orange County seemed like a lifetime away; I was too lazy to drive there, too lazy to hit people up.
Having I would think an impressive variety of accomplishment on my resume, I thought it was be easy to find a job right when I graduated in media. Here I go, applying to numerous positions on various websites, and still no answer. My big break in my self esteem came when I got the intern position at the local television station KTLA. Here was my dream-to work in the entertainment department for a well known station. Though the hours were not inviting, I committed over 3 months to my internships where I learned how to help produce the Morning News Show that airs everyday. On the way I met great people and even celebrities.
Even though the job market is very difficult at the time, I managed to find a part-time job for a mortgage company in Santa Monica. At the time where I also had my internship, it provided the strenuous yet right balance between my dream internship and a job where I can make some pretty good money on the side-->I can't complain.
On this New Year's Eve, I am reflecting on how crazy this year has been with all my accomplishments, relationships, and rollercoaster moments. Many times I have felt alone, and at a crossroads, but I've made it through yet another year. 2011 is about to arrive, and I'm still wondering what I'm meant to do with my life. Being out of college for 6 months now, I have no idea what direction my life is going though I do know where I want to be...and that is EVERYWHERE!!! I have a feeling that 2011 is about to be another great year. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!



You Just Do You, Imma Do Me


Camille

The Life of a Female Journalist

Interning at KTLA, I have further realized how much I want to be a reporter. I love the whole newsroom vibe, and how friendly of an environment it is with everyone sharing the same place, saying hi to one another.
About a month ago, KTLA reporter/anchor Wendy Burch is currently doing a package on what she's missing in her life: http://blogs.ktla.com/wendyburch/2010/11/when-its-cold-wet-or-snowy-how-do-you-stay-fashionable.html
Not only did seeing this alarm my supervisors who were in their 30's, but somehow it struck me as well. Though I am 21, and still very young to even be thinking about marriage, let alone children, I think to where I want my life to be at at certain points in my life and getting married AND having children is definitely some place in the future.
I'm starting to realize the hard lifestyle that accompanies any reporter, but women seem to go through the most suffering. Out of everyone who tries to pursue a career in journalism, only a few make it. I know the chances are pretty slim, but sometimes you got to try and put yourself out there and I know not a lot of people are comfortable with that. Growing up as an only child, my whole family is basically my parents, and maybe that's how I'm comfortable with being alone. Ideally I wouldn't want to move to a small town and be a reporter, but if the opportunity presents itself, then I might just have to. And from what I know, the constant moving never ends there.
Moving around so much is not good for a woman's love life. Sure you meet guys here and there and date a few guys, who knows. But I believe there comes a time in almost every woman's life when we realize that we want to settle down and have a family. Sure that doesn't always follow that order, but the two go hand in hand. Many independent women such as myself feel that with success, a man isn't necessary to complete our lives, and family. But I feel that despite all the material things we may have in our lives, nothing can ever take the place of having your own family.
Life of a reporter gets really lonely at times. Hopefully it's not too late, when you finally get settled in your career location to start a family of your own. So should a woman always have a man in her life that she wants to marry? Or should she just live a life where her career comes first, and where she works really hard at it that nothing or no one would get in the way of it? It's typical for men to do the same, and they're not affected, but for women it's different because there's a time frame where women are able to have babies, that doesn't last forever! We all want our babies to be healthy, and to ultimately not bring complications to them or even us!
Yes I know I am too young to look into possible options for having my own family, but what is suggested for women aged in their late 20s is to start a good relationship with your gynocologist. Although it's becoming more common for women to get pregnant before getting married, sometimes not even marrying their baby's father, ideally it would be nice to have both.
One of life's greatest joys is having a family, especially the ability to have a baby that we can call our own and share our DNA. Of course the perseverance to create a successful career for ourselves is important, but in the back of all women's minds who essentially want to have a family of their own, women always have to plan for that part in her life as well.

The Straw That Breaks The Camel's Back

It's been a long time coming, but decisions have to be made. Time does not wait on anyone, and that's the biggest thing I have learned. Why wait to see someone, to call someone, or to tell someone how you really feel? When we put things off, certain opportunities can be wasted.
I think it's important for ladies to realize the time, strength, and commitment it takes to be in a relationship with a man [[I'm telling this from my point of view because I am a female]]. If you're like me, I tend to put my whole heart into a relationship, especially when I really love someone. But is putting our heart on our sleeve the best idea. I mean who knows what can happen during the time frame you're together, until you get a ring on it right?
First of all, if you find yourself questioning the relationship, that's not a good sign. A lot of my friends tell me the problems they have with their boyfriends regarding how they treat them and how they take them for granted. Why is it okay for guys to not take their girlfriends seriously? Despite how different we are from one another, we end up with the same problems, and worse of all the same excuses for these guys we're involved with. But the hardest part was always letting go.
I was one who would tell my girlfriends that they deserved better, that they deserved someone who appreciated them. But I felt I was always the one giving the advice, not following it. When you find yourself in a situation when you've changed for the worst, and where you find yourself hurt most of the time, that's not a good sign. Sometimes for the other person to realize how much you should be appreciated, it takes letting go. If your partner does want to put you as an important part of their life GREAT, if not then it's better that you broke it off in the first place. Every girl deserves to be treated like a princess no matter what.
Time does not wait on anyone, and the hardest part is ALWAYS LETTING GO without any other influences. when in a relationship, both people should be happy and helping each other become a better person, not the other way around. It's always better to let go earlier, than when it's too late.


You Just Do You, Imma Do Me


Camille

Please Don't Leave Me

I am a firm believer that long distance can work out, but how long is that time frame where long distance starts to become more of a task. Sure it takes two to make it work, but what if your partner keeps leaving, then what? When would the time be where a couple can be reunited, and actually spend their time together like a couple should.
No matter what, it seems like it gets harder to say good-bye. Every time I think about where my relationship is at, and where it could be it gets me very emotional. It seems like more songs I hear on the radio are speaking to me, such as this one from PINK called "Please Don't Leave Me"

I don't know if I can yell any louder
How many time I've kicked you outta here?
Or said something insulting?
Da da da, da da

I can be so mean when I wanna be
I am capable of really anything
I can cut you into pieces
But my heart is broken
Da da da, da da

Please don't leave me
Please don't leave me
I always say how I don't need you
But it's always gonna come right back to this
Please, don't leave me

How did I become so obnoxious?
What is it with you that makes me act like this?
I've never been this nasty
Da da da, da da

Can't you tell that this is all just a contest?
The one that wins will be the one that hits the hardest
But baby I don't mean it
I mean it, I promise
Da da da, da da

Please don't leave me
Oh please don't leave me
I always say how I don't need you
But it's always gonna come right back to this
Please, don't leave me

I forgot to say out loud how beautiful you really are to me
I cannot be without, you're my perfect little punching bag
And I need you, I'm sorry
Da da da, da da

Da da da da, da da da da
Da da da, da da
Please, please don't leave me
(Da da da, da da)

Baby please don't leave me
(Da da da, da da)
No, don't leave me
Please don't leave me no no no

You say I don't need you
But it's always gonna come right back
It's gonna come right back to this
Please, don't leave me

Please don't leave me, oh no no no.
I always say how I don't need you
But it's always gonna come right back to this

Please don't leave me
Baby, please, please don't leave me



You Just Do Me, Imma Do Me


Camille

Nook vs. Kindle: The Battle of the E-Readers

This past summer being a college graduate, I definitely had more time to actually read books I want to read. No more textbooks for me, and I was loving it! I became immersed in the world of literature once again, and what also peaked my interest were the new innovations out in the market called e-readers.
The first one I knew about was the Amazon Kindle. Then I heard about the Nook, from Barnes and Noble. As holiday season is approaching, I'm trying to figure out which e-reader is right for me. I see e-readers as so innovative because I don't always have to buy a new book at a bookstore or online. Here is a device that can easily be carried around, be read in any environment, and has access to many books/newspapers/magazines all in one. There's even wi-fi and internet access in both products. This device can have me reading books at any time of day, at any location. So which one to choose?

Nook 1.3: “'Read in Store'” any book from the B&N ebook catalog daily for up to an hour for free (slower readers can return the next day); dual internet connectivity (3G and WiFi); lend a friend an ebook for up to two weeks; dip into OverDrive-powered local libraries; open ecosystem that supports Adobe DRM and non-DRM books; browse books by cover; customizable screen saver and color touchscreen with improved contrast; more font choices; and a user-accessible battery."


Kindle Version 2.5: "new features include: Folders for organizing books and documents; PDF that supports panning and zooming; password protection against unauthorized book purchases; sharper and larger font choices; highlight and share book passages on Facebook and Twitter direct from your device; identify most highlighted book passages by all readers of a book; half a-million ebook titles available; best book prices and largest choice of magazines and newspapers; a Read-to-Me feature and support for MP3 and Audible books; battery life of 14 days with wireless off; works in the US and in International locations."

"Kindle 2 Vs Nook Comparison
The first thing that we need to know is the differences in the screen of the 2 devices. This will make a world of difference because this is the part of the machine that matters the most, as far as such devices are concerned. They both use the same e-ink electronic displays which makes the text resemble real life text as closely as possible. This makes sunlight visibility extremely good in both machines. The size of both the screens is 6 inches, so there is not much to distinguish between them here either.

The smaller touchscreen on the Nook works slightly slower though, due to hardware limitations and this can be a major deterrent. The screen allows you to browse through book covers though, but if this should come at a cost of slower reactions is debatable. Hopefully, a firmware upgrade can solve this problem in the near future. The Kindle 2 has a keyboard as an input device, and we leave it to you to decide which is better because this is a matter of personal preference. For many people this fact can influence their decision, when they are caught between Kindle 2 vs Nook. The Kindle software can be used for various platforms too, as these articles on Kindle for PC, Kindle for Mac and Kindle for Android will show you.

An obvious advantage of the Kindle 2 is the text to speech feature which the Nook lacks. It's a wonder that the Nook left out this feature, and it does make a pretty big difference. Due to the presence of the touchscreen on the Nook, navigation is quite difficult. The Kindle 2 has a 5 way controller and this makes all your tasks very use to perform. Be it browsing through the Kindle book store, or highlighting parts of the text you're reading. The Nook's navigation is far inferior in comparison.

Another advantage of the Kindle 2 is the Global Wireless feature, which means that you can download books from the Kindle store no matter where you are in the world. It goes without saying that the web browsing capabilities of the device will be disabled outside the United States. The Nook does have wi-fi connectivity though, but this will rarely be used. The Nook comes with an AT&T carrier and their coverage is pretty sturdy, so the need for a wi-fi hot spot is really quite rare. With all the factors seen so far, the Kindle 2 is faring better in this Kindle 2 vs Nook comparison. But there are certain areas where the Nook is superior to the Kindle 2 as well. You can also read this Kindle DX Review, which tells you about the Kindle DX which was released in May, 2009.

The only downside of the Kindle 2 is the memory space. It comes with a 2 GB memory and this cannot be extended. The previous version of the Kindle had a microSD card slot, and why Amazon got rid of it is a mystery. This means that you can store a maximum of 1500 ebooks on the Kindle 2. The Nook also comes with 2 GB memory, but this can be expanded to 18 GB by making use of the microSD card slot which can accommodate a 16 GB card. This means you have access to about 15000 ebooks.

Another advantage of the Nook is the Book Lending feature. Through this feature, you can 'lend' an ebook that you have purchased to a friend for a maximum of 14 days. If your friend uses a Nook, an Apple iPhone, an Apple iPod Touch, a BlackBerry smartphone, an Apple Macbook or a Windows PC, then he can view this lent book for 14 days before it is deleted. This means that you have access to far more book titles through the Nook. All this knowledge will help you make a decision about the best ebook reader."

Both products has it's share of advantages and disadvantages, which makes it so much harder to make a decision! All in all you have to remember which e-reader is right for YOU, not others.


You Just Do You, Imma Do Me

Camille

My First Assignment

11/9/2010
Being the only intern at KTLA yesterday, I was caught up on all the usual work we had to do. At about 11:45am, my supervisor asked what I was doing after, and if I could cover a story. Of course I said YES!!!
I covered this event about an organization called the Lollipop Theatre Network, which brings movies to hospitals along with an actor in the movie. This event took place at the Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA. The kids had little makeovers where a team did their hair and makeup. They even had little accessories to complement their outfit, such as hats, sunglasses, boas, crowns-it was such a precious sight.
I interviewed three kids who had the best personalities, it was so adorable talking to them. All of them looked so beautiful and handsome, it was truly something special. I also interviewed the child actress Joey King from the movie "Ramona & Beezus." She was sooo pretty and she had the best personality. Right from the get-g0, she started talking to the patients, even walking the red carpet set up for them and individually taking pictures with everyone.
Being on assignment for the first time made me really appreciate my internship and the opportunities that come with it. Even though I'm only an unpaid intern, being sent to do a story that will be featured on the news means a lot to me because sometimes you can never expect what will happen next.
To everyone out there: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT COMES YOUR WAY! YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU'LL MEET OR WHAT PATH THIS CAN LEAD YOU TO IN THE FUTURE! I'M TRULY BLESSED I WAS GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY.


You Just Do You, Imma Do Me

Camille

The 80/20 Rule

My mom once sent me an email about something called the 80/20 principle. When in a relationship,everyone goes through the honeymoon stage where everything is absolutely perfect. As time goes on, you realize that the relationship is not as exciting as it once was; the arguments are more frequent; nothing feels the same as it once was. When being in a relationship, there has to be some sort of satisfaction that keeps us in it. That's where the 80 comes in. Our partner possesses 80% of what we want in the opposite sex, what that might be. But as the relationship goes on, our minds tends to focus more on what is not present in our current relationship.
That's where the 20% comes in. Our wandering eyes and wandering minds make us believe that what is missing is what's best for us. This I believe is what causes one to cheat on their partner. Even though who they have currently has most of the qualities they want in someone, the fact that something new can arise out of another relationship with someone else is more enticing. A challenge then sets forth in the game of pursuing a relationship with someone without the current partner ever finding out. Though it may not seem like a big deal at first, the fact that you're pursuing a relationship with someone in the confines of a relationship is unhealthy. That 20% may look so attractive at the present time, but when wrongful actions have been made, that 20% which once looked so enticing, becomes a burden you have to deal with.
Why does it take a mistake to realize what we currently have in our own lives to appreciate it at its full potential? What's the breaking point in all relationship where we start to doubt all the progress made and look somewhere else to fulfill that emptyness?
If we find ourselves doubting the status of our relationship in the first place, the best thing to do is work it out by talking about it with your partner, instead of finding a solution through unhealthy means. Sometimes things happen for a reason and even though they're not what we always approve of, some outcomes are for the best. It's more wise to think with your head than your heart.

A Man/Woman Dynamic

So what makes us a woman and what distinguishes us as a man. Besides the obvious physical traits, what intrigues me is the mind-set that seems to accompany the sexes. This past weekend in Vegas, I had the pleasure of getting to know the two different mind-sets a little more with me being in a somewhat middle position.
Yes, I believe that part of being a female entails choosing what we feel instead of the smart decision when it comes to a lot of things especially the opposite sex. I noticed that women tend to choose the "bad boys" instead of the "nice guy" because it poses a challenge. That can be the same for guys too, even though it may take them longer to realize what they want in a woman. What guy wouldn't turn down a woman who's all over them, but then again, when it comes down to it, he won't want to date you. So where's the line between getting what you want in the opposite sex. Does the physical aspect overshadow the inner qualities we place value upon? when is the time we realze what we really want in someone, and take the mature route.
In my time, I've had a lot of guy friends, but I never had the oppotunity to hang out with them for a full weekend in a crazy city like Vegas. What I did observe is that many guys together in a group do act different than individually. Though many females see guys as immature, I've realized they always find a way to make things fun and they restore the childish spirit in things. I do agree that females can take too many things serious that we forget the fun in the simple things.
What causes attention from the opposite sex to cross the boundaries where feelings get involved. It's not a good start when you meet someone in a club, or anywhere where alcohol is involved. Once the hooking up starts, and the new morning comes, and things are not what they seemed like the night before, do emotions get hurt? Surely many guys rarely catch feelings for girls they hook up with, but why are girls more prone to it?
What makes it okay for guys to say some obnoxious sexual terms to women and expect it to be okay. Do guys really see the female species as something to be conquered? Why do they tend to conquer the "easy" girls rather than try and work for something? But when females take the seat to assert their independence, the term "whore" would come into the mix.
The female and male species are so different in so many aspects, that it's confusing knowing what the opposite sex is thinking all the time. Guys really don't dwell on things and analyze it as much as girls seem to openly do and that's where feelings get involved. Nevertheless, there's no true explanation to what actions really mean anymore.


You Just Do You, Imma Do Me


Camille

Texting, the Preferred Choice?

I remember getting my first cell phone in like 8th grade. I was one of the first amongst my friends to have this device, and I took full advantage of it. Everyday I would have hour long conversations with all my friends, it was great.
As my peers began to jump on the cell phone bandwagon, they began to have extra features I didn't have, well mostly one feature: unlimited texting. I would get so frustrated when people would text now instead of calling, especially since I didn't have that option on my phone. The worst was when people would text me, then since I had no texting plan, I would call them. There would be times where I would text some people back, until the other person tried to turn it into some sort of conversation which was not okay with me. If I text you back, you should feel privileged...
In college, my dad finally let me have a few hundred texts. I was so psyched, but I still had to contain that excitement because in the texting world, one text can be wasted on a word like 'k', which I disliked very much. To the best of my ability, I tried fitting a whole few sentences into each text in order to preserve my texting abilities every month. Seeing how the texting world is completely different than calling, I became addicted. Not all the time can we pick up our phones to answer a call. The days are filled with school, work, internships, meetings, talking to other people...how rude is it that you pick up your phone to have a conversation with someone when you're amongst others? Texting proved the victor-anyone can text anytime, anyplace..you can continuously keep in contact with someone throughout the day through texting...texting other can keep you company in a boring class, or when there's nothing to do at work....oh the wonderful world of texting!!!
The time came when I got my official Blackberry smartphone with unlimited calling, unlimited texting, AND unlimited data plan. I immediately fell in love. Now I can text anyone as many times as I wanted, and bbm?!? how addictive!! it's AIM on your phone, yet exclusive to those of the Blackberry community. I see it as Blackberry's own Twitter, being that I don't have one myself, but I love how I can update my statuses constantly and post pics.
Caught up in this cyber world, I have come to find that texting has taken over phone calls. The purpose of getting someone's number is to text them, not really to call them. What's the worst is when you call someone, and instead they text you back. Why can't you return the phone call? If I wanted to text you, I would've done that instead, but no I took the time to call you. I've been realizing that as great as texting is, when you call someone, the job gets done a lot faster! For instance, in deciding where to go, something like 30 texts are used? Why not just make a quick phone call, a few minutes of your time to figure something out. Texting gets frustrating when you're waiting for the recipient to text you back, that's the worst. Then after all the waiting, they text you back something so little in response which makes you not want to have a conversation anymore.
What has this social world come to? Yes there are many advantages of texting, but I believe that taking time out of your schedule to call someone or call someone back is more meaningful. When talking to someone, a lot more miscommunication is definitely avoided because you can hear someone's emotions through their voice. I believe many arguments can be avoided just by talking things out, instead of texting where an argument turns into a problem over the course of a few hours. Don't let texting get the best of us, calling someone up from time to time won't hurt, but it will make relationships last a lifetime.



You Just Do You, Imma Do Me


CamiLLe

A Halloween Tradition

For some odd reason, October is hands down one of my favorite months of the year. I love the transition from summer to fall, even though there obviously wasn't much of a summer here in Cali. October is the month where we can officially bring out our fall wardrobe: tights, boots, coats, warm colors.
But the main reason I love October so much is Halloween. Even though I'm passed the age of "dressing up", I can say I'm not quit over that phase in my life. It's so fun to dress up and plan what you should wear and what to do. Besides dressing up, I have a love/hate relationship with getting scared. As I've gotten older, I have become more of a sissy when it comes to things scary, but the thrill of it and getting scared has got me addicted.

As an ode to this little post, here's some history about Halloween :)

"The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home while harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating.


Development of artifacts and symbols associated with Halloween formed over time encompassing customs of medieval holy days as well as contemporary cultures. The souling practice of commemorating the souls in purgatory with candle lanterns carved from turnips, became adapted into the making of jack-o'-lanterns.
The word "trick" refers to a (mostly idle) "threat" to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given."

Interesting Factoid: Halloween is the 2nd most popular tradition celebrated besides Christmas!!!


yOU jUST dO yOU, iMMA dO mE


cAMILLE ---> PRINCESS TAMINA ;)

Out of Touch, So Soon?

I remember my mom telling me that her closest friends that she has kept in close contact with to this day have been those she met in college, which makes perfect sense being that we're older. What I've been wondering is if this holds true to me, because even though I'm generally not a person to constantly keep in touch with anyone, my friends from back home who I've known since grade school and high school are the ones who's bond is the strongest.
In college, I met alot of people, very fast. There was the freshman dorm where you basically had 60 students living together. That was seriously the best times, when everything was brand new, and everyone was excited to make friends. When people moved on to their own housing plans after dormlife, I lost touch with many of them. How many times were the words "We need to hang out soon, I miss you" been told, with no action taking place. As if words now meant more than action....as long as they mentioned or thought about me, I guess we're still friends.
But what happens when college takes on the full effect? AKA HEAVIER WORKLOAD, INTERNSHIPS, JOBS, CLUBS, SOCIALS.....which is the situation I found myself in as college progressed especially my JUNIOR year, who knew that it would've been my LAST YEAR in COLLEGE...In a way I regret not making the extra time to hang out with the people I really cared about, and just focusing on what I had to do to get ahead in life. But should that be the priority? I'm not sure either. I regret not fully experiencing college the way it was meant to end..a time laughter and memories. I mean when will I ever be able to go to a free college sporting event, displaying school spirit? When will I ever get to screen free movies? Sadly I didn't take advantage to all that college has to offer, and I find myself here blogging about it.
The point is time is never definite. All of a sudden, I'm done with school and most of my friends are still in college, living up their senior year. Though I mentioned many of my closest friends are from back home, there are some at my college in which I miss dearly. Even though Irvine is barely a 40min drive (with no traffic) down south, it feels like a completely different world. It has dawned on me how much effort it takes to have a relationship remain, especially friendships. I have learned that in order for friendships to last, there has to be an effort from the parties involved. What happened to the people I would talk to on a daily basis, I barely talked to them over the entire summer going into this school year. Is that how post-college life is going to be like?
I guess in time you realize who are the friends that are worth keeping...

Can Girls and Boys Ever Be "JUST FRIENDS?"

Living in a world rampant of hormones, we find ourselves coming into contact with those of the opposite sex. Personally, I have quite a few guy friends...I mean they're easy to be friends with and don't require a "necessary schedule for hanging out" quite like girls do. Yes I admit, being a girl with girlfriends is a 2-way relationship, and it's a lot more work to keep a girl friend than a guy friend.
I remember some situations throughout my entire 21 years where I would have a guy friend. Our relationship would slowly progress to a comfortable level where we were be open with each other, and yes, some flirting did take place. But that after a certain time period, I would find out that they ended up actually liking me! Being naive back then, in high school and grade school, I did not know how to react. It would be along the lines of: "WHY DO YOU LIKE ME!! I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS!! HOW COULD YOU RUIN OUR GREAT FRIENDSHIP LIKE THAT!!" So then I would completely ignore the guy for some time, until they "un-liked" me. I admit I was cruel but I really didn't know what to do in that situation. Sadly, many of my friendships to these guys never recovered.
So I began thinking, maybe it's me that's giving off a certain vibe where these guys can think it possible that I'm actually into them. Maybe I'm too nice, too giggly, too flirty? Maybe I like attention from these guys, any attention is better than no attention right? But wait, that's sick, why should I be thriving on attention from guys I don't like in that way? HMMMMM...
This then brings me to the topic of there only be a friend barrier between girls and boys, is it possible? Here are what some people have to say:

"I think boys and girls can be just friends but you need to establish it from the beginning. In my case a lot of my friends are guys, they cause less drama, and they always keep me laughing. We hang out all the time and some have fallen for me, but i have a boyfriend and i told them as clearly as possible that i wont have any feelings that way for them and that they can remain my friends or not, it's up to them and i didn't want it to ruin anything. Things are really good with them now, we talk about everything and it isn't weird because we established that I want them as a friend not a romantic partner."

"Of course boys and girls can just be friend. Friendship is a meaningful thing. Being friends means you are there for each other, you talk, you hang out, sometimes you talk everyday, and sometimes you talk once a year, it doesn't matter, you're still friends."

"No. I have a guy who is my best friend, and I can tell you that there will always be other feelings involved. I love him more than he knows and I don't think he returns these feelings. I talk to him about the way I feel occasionally, but he doesn't want a relationship at all and I am ready for one. I'm so stuck at the moment because my friends don't understand that I love him...I can't leave the friendship."

"no, because you always hear stories that they ended up sleeping together after getting drunk or to cheer each other up. the Quran says that no man and woman can be in the same room together without the devil's company."

Though you may feel like it's obvious that girls and boys can only be friends, once your in that situation, you get to see how complicated it can actually be. The hardest thing that may arise is if one person is in a relationship, then the real question is where the boundary should be. Regardless, I believe that girls and guys can only be friends, but it depends how much of yourself you want to share with the other person. Just because your really good friends, doesn't mean you can expect to share your feelings, thoughts, etc with them without some kind of connection that may grow more romantically. If you do find yourself doing this, then you probably feel comfortable enough to open up yourself to them and who knows maybe even a potential relationship.


You Just Do You, Imma Do Me


Camille

PUMPS TO DIE FOR!!!

Steve Madden Shoes, CaryssaG Pumps
$129.00

Twinkle like a star in Steve Madden's glittery, gorgeous CaryssaG Pumps with their dramatic platform, movie star curves and cheeky high heel.

NEW!
Rachel Roy Shoes, Kimi Pumps
$99.00

Ready for the red carpet or the runway, have your diva moment in the Rachel Roy Kimi Pumps with their fashion-forward embellished upper, high-stepping platform and studded high heel.


I don't know about you, but I can't get enough of heels, and I'm so obsessed with playform heels, especially pumps!!! I'm not exactly the tallest person, that's why I love platform shoes, especially ones that add the finishing touches to any outfit. What's best is that, you can wear something so simple, like a plain black dress, then show off your fabulous heel!

What I love about the Steve Madden glitter pump is that it's so glamorous and chic. It brings the statement of beauty and perfection, the statement is sooo loud, you can't help but feel noticed. The glitter from the shoe reflects any light, and the color of the pump is still very neutral yet show-stopping.

The Rachel Roy pump is to die for! I have never seen any shoe like it. I prefer the black beaded design over the glitter for this particular pump because it matches the heel better and is still very sophisticated. The heel of the shoe seriously provides the perfect touch to this one of a kind creation because it's so edgy and fashion forward.

Yes, there is a love/hate relationship to pumps, especially 5 inch heel ones! But sometimes the only option is to ignore the pain, and keep staying fierce!!! Shoes are the best accessory to any outfit, a true necessary statement.


You Just Do You, Imma Do Me

Camille

The Price Attached to the Designer

Fossil Black Ceramic with Stones $225 <<<>>> Michael Kors Ceramic with Crystals $495

Window shopping is something I do often. I know I have a lot of possessions, so I try to look at things I really need at the moment. Of course who can resist, any designer item. A lot can be said without words to a woman who owns a Balenciaga bag or a pair of Louboutin heels. But have we ever thought what origin does that item come from. Nowadays there are so many labels where the work is being outsourced to different countries. When it all comes down to it, how much money are the items we use really worth?
One clear example I came across was in a Fossils store, I noticed many of the watches looked very similar to the Michael Kors watches I love so much. I've been on the hunt for a great ceramic watch, so while I was browsing in Fossil, I saw the most beautiful ceramic watch. It was black with crystals all around the face, and the thing that stood out was the mother of pearl detail in the watch. I've never seen anything like it before, so innovative and stylish!! And to my surprise, way cheaper than any Michael Kors ceramic - $225!!! Talk about my go-to watch, this is definitely on my list of things to get.
A secret I also found out, was that Fossil makes other designer watches!! Yes, Michael Kors being one of them. There goes the reason why the price has inflated because these well known designers need to make profit from the manufacturers. Of course I always knew this fact, but this item really applied to me. Just because I found out this fact, doesn't make me love Michael Kors any less or any other designer. Michael Kors will always be one of my favorite designers regardless, I will always love the Louis Vuitton Evidence sunglasses, and the stylish Burberry trenchcoat. I am a sucker for certain designer things, I admit it...
Which brings me to the point: what is the price you are willing to pay for a designer name?


You Just Do You, Imma Do Me


Camille

Why Do Women Stay in Abusive Relationships

Last night I was watching Dateline on WE, so this topic is mainly aimed toward females. The program was about women who couldn't get out of an abusive relationships despite being physically, mentally, and emotionally abused. A lot of this had to do with the fact that they loved these men and couldn't let them ago, and that they had a family with their partner.


"Women may not immediately leave an abusive relationship because:

*They fear their abusers will become more violent—perhaps fatal—stalking them if they leave.
*Friends and family may not support their decision to leave.
*They fear being a single parent with little money.
*There are periods of calm, nurturing and love between incidents of violence.
*They may be unaware of sources of advocacy and support.
*They may be unaware of shelters and other resources that offer safety and support.

The reasons women stay in abusive relationships typically fall into three categories.

1) Lack of resources:

-Most abused women have at least one minor child.
-Many abused women are not employed outside the home.
-Many abused women don't have property that is solely theirs.
-In many cases, abusers have cut off access to cash or bank accounts.
-Most abused women fear losing joint assets and custody of their children.
-Abused women fear a lower standard of living for themselves and their children.

2) Responses by services and authorities:

-Often, clergy and social workers are trained to "save the family" rather than to stop violence.
-Police often treat incidents of domestic violence as mere "disputes" rather than as serious crimes in which one person is physically assaulting another.
-Police may try to discourage women from pressing criminal charges.
-Attorneys are often reluctant to prosecute cases. Justices rarely assign the maximum sentence or fine possible.
-Restraining orders and peace bonds do little to prevent abusers from repeating their violent patterns of behavior. Sadly, there are too few shelters to keep women safe.

3) Traditional thinking:

-Many women don't view divorce as a viable alternative.
-Many abused women don't accept the notion of single parenting. They believe a bad father is better than none at all.
-Many women are conditioned to believe they are responsible for making their marriage or relationship work; that if the relationship fails, they have failed as women. Society has often taught these women that their worth is measured by their ability to get and keep a man.
-Many abused women feel isolated from their families and from society. Isolation is either the result of the abuser's possessiveness or jealousy, or it may be an attempt on the part of the victim to hide signs of abuse from the outside world. Either way, such isolation leads many victims to feel they have nowhere to turn.
Many victims externalize or rationalize the reasons for their abuser's behavior, casting blame of circumstances such as stress, financial hardship, job stress, chemical dependency, etc.
-Between violent episodes, there are periods of calm during which the abuser is charming, nurturing, and caring. Those traits which initially attracted him/her to his/her victim resurface and the victim sees her abuser as a loving person, thereby reinforcing her decision to stay. (See The Cycle of Abuse.) "


**info provided by Women's Web**

To see any person get abused by their "partner" is appalling because someone you love and who loves you back should never want to hurt you. The fact that they see you as property is something you should never oblige to. Being in a sacred relationship such as marriage, the two people have to be equal and be able to resolve conflict without any harm. Though these women may be dealing with torn hearts between what's best for them or issues of independence and self-esteem, it will never be okay to be abused.
Despite having a history of abusive relationships that you may have experienced with your parents, you CAN BREAK THE CYCLE. YOU NEED TO LOVE YOURSELF, BEFORE YOU CAN LOVE ANYONE ELSE, JUST BELIEVE THAT YOU DESERVE TO BE HAPPY. DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP YOU.




You Just Do You, Imma Do Me,


CamiLLe

Take a Stance Against the Slaughtering of Dolphins

Bored on a Sunday night, I was endlessly flipping through the channels trying to find something to pique my interest when I saw "The Cove", a documentary about the annual slaughtering of dolphins in Taiji, Wakayama in Japan.

"The film highlights the fact that the number of dolphins killed in the Taiji dolphin hunting drive is several times greater than the number of whales killed in the Antarctic, and reports that 23,000 dolphins and porpoises are killed in Japan every year in the country's whaling industry. The migrating dolphins are herded into a hidden cove where they are netted and killed by means of spears and knives over the side of small fishing boats."

This annual hunt for dolphins is to sell these mammals to marine parks and aquariums for revenue. The dolphins that don't make "the cut" are therefore slaughtered in the cove where their meat are sold in supermarkets posing as expensive whale meat.

Most Japanese people do not know of this practice that is happening in their country, and not only is it unjust to slaughter innocent animals, but a problem in mercury consumption also poses a threat. "In June 2008, AERA, a Japanese weekly journal, reported that the whale and dolphin meat sold in Taiji contained a level of mercury 160 times higher than normal, and that the hair of a local sample of eight men and women had 40 times higher mercury levels, based on a research conducted by the National Institute for Minamata Disease (NIMD)." Mercury is known for causing neurological damage, and is most dangerous to pregnant women's fetuses, causing deformities.

"The Cove has enjoyed success across the globe, winning awards from all corners of the world, winning over 25 well-respected film awards. Some notable awards include "Best Documentary" from the Environmental Media Awards,[59] Three Cinema Eye Honors [60] for "Outstanding Achievement", the “Golden Tomato Award” from the critic website rottentomatoes.com,[61] and the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature on the 82nd Annual Academy Awards."


Find out more information on thecovemovie.com. Here is a clip of the brutal slaughtering of Japan. I know it's not eye-friendly, but this is a serious matter: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xa9dn8_dolphin-slaughter-in-japan-video-pa


ALL SOCIAL CHANGE COMES FROM THE PASSION OF INDIVIDUALS!!!



You Just Do You, Imma Do Me


CamiLLe

Should Ex's Keep in Contact When in a Relationship?

What is the best dividing line between an ex-bf or ex-gf? Sure there can be numerous reasons why the relationship doesn't last, but is it appropriate to still keep in contact with your ex? How about when the boy or girl is presently in a relationship; do the same guidelines apply?

I know there can't be sufficient research for this, but some of the points I have found online address both sides of this issue...


"As long as your relationship with your ex is one of a platonic nature, there really shouldn't be a problem. If your current mate is comfortable with you and your ex's friendship, and your ex respects and acknowledges that you've moved on with someone else, everything should be fine! :D"

"You can keep in touch, but not in a sexual way. Keeping in touch doesn't mean calling every day, or even every week. Calling to say hi and such once every few months is fine, but too much contact is not cool. I keep in contact with my ex's but through email just seeing how things are. Main thing, just let your current know that you keep in contact with your ex. You don't want to be hiding something like that. It's a HUGE trust issue :)"

"wrong....big time how would you feel if your new man still spoke/saw his ex!!!!unless you have a good reason then leave the past in the past"

"I'm guilty of that sometimes, but I think it's wrong because those feelings that at one time attracted you to that person could take hold at any time. I only view it as talking to a friend, but yeah, I think it's a bad idea."

"By keeping in touch, if you can become friends and let each other know about what went wrong (that includes admitting you were at least partly to blame) you might be able to prevent it from happening again. but never i repeat NEVER try to hide any relationship with someone from the opposite sex from your new man, because then he will totally have a reason to think you're cheating (even if you aren't)."

"A situation like this is really dependent on what your clear intention is for maintaining contact. I suggest you ask yourself the following questions and answer honestly...
1) what am I wanting in keeping contact with my X?
2) If I do, am I respecting all the people I love and care about (will i hurt someone else)?
There is no right or wrong answer...it is what you do with the situation. Do it honorably and with no expectations."

From my point of view, I don't see it appropriate to keep in contact with an ex because that's the past and you can't relinquish what's already been done. I admit having some contact with an ex when the break-up was fresh, but I knew that keeping contact in each other's lives would cause more damage than good. To completely get over someone, no matter how bad the break-up, I feel you need to cut off complete contact. If you still have that person in your life, there's always going to be some feelings involved, whether it is only platonic. But this issue can affect your future relationships as well and damage it in an unexpected way.

In every relationship, a boundary should be involved. If your partner doesn't feel comfortable with it, then it's best to dispose of the issue before you find yourself arguing over stupid issues. Even though there has to be some level of trust, how conniving would it be for your partner to find out you still were talking to your ex behind their back? This therefore causes more mistrust than was actually intended. Respecting one's wishes in a relationship go both ways, the best way is to ask yourself internally if you'd be comfortable if your partner was doing the same things your doing. You don't want to break something that could potentially be something great; if you completely refuse to cut off ties, then you most likely do have some feelings for your ex still. If that's the situation it's best to break off ties with your current partner and be single until you figure out what relationship you really value for your future.

Even though there are no feelings involved, I recommend cutting off all ties completely, then maybe in the distant future, keeping tabs on each other wouldn't be so bad. Let me know your point of view on this issue...



You Just Do You, Imma Do Me


CamiLLe

My First Time in VEGA$

What a weekend in VEGAS!!! While I was preparing myself for the hot weather (over 100 degress), I was not preparing myself for the amazing and unforgettable things I was about to experience. Many think of Vegas as "Sin City", but in my time there, I saw it as a place alive with people and beauty. Set amongst a desert landscape, Vegas to me is very exquisite with their vast amount of hotels, each flaunting their own specific theme = GENIUS.

After settling in at our hotel in Imperial Palace, we were approached by a promoter who basically made our weekend. Now being 21 AND in Vegas, I got to go to many clubs and events that many aren't able to accomplish within a weekend's time.

*TAO* - First night, we got hooked up with free drinks and table at Tao nightclub in the Venetian. Due to some issue regarding a friend's id, we ended up coming back there at midnight. Though we lost our privileges of table and free drinks, we still got VIP access and walked in right away. Tao is an Asian-inspired club that is very big. It has a sultry feel with its dimmed red lights throughout the club with Buddhist-type statues. Being in the VIP area didn't allow us to interact with the packed crowd in the club, especially since we were dancing on an elevated part of this area. Tao Thursdays is very packed yet the atmosphere is very lively with others getting their party on in Vegas. The music is very good and everyone is literally dancing in there.

*DITCH FRIDAYS* - Next morning, we went to Ditch Fridays at the Palms pool. This was really fun because it's a really big pool party that included perfectly heated pools, sunny weather, swimsuit attire, great music, and mixed drinks. Finally a place with no creeps because everyone is here for a good time. Friendly people everywhere just partying and dancing=AMAZING.

*JET* - We came here for the open bar exclusively for ladies 10pm-12am. Inside, Jet had different rooms that played different music catering to specific preferences. The main room played a variety of songs: old school and some up-to-date, but more so on the old school side. The next room played exclusively hip-hop: old school and "new school". Overall this club was a good variety, just seemed to be composed of a more older crowd.

*RAIN* - Nightclub at the Palms, where rapper FABOLOUS performed that night. At 1:30am we caught the performance just in time and made our way in the packed club all the way to the front. For the well known performer like FAB, he was on stage was about an hour, which exceeded my expectations. He performed basically all his songs and was friendly with the crowd, slapping hands every now and then - including MINE :). Rain was set up like a mini performance space with a stages and platforms that exuded fire every now and then. Though we left right after the performance, the club had a lively and more young adult-type crowd.

*MIDSUMMERS NIGHT PARTY* - This annual Playboy party took place at the Palms Pool, it was hosted by Jenny McCarthy and Kevin Dillon's (Drama from Entourage) birthday bash. The theme this year was Roman/Greek inspired, with gods/goddesses galore. The Palms Pool was beautifully decorated, and the crowd followed the theme with gladiators, statues, and masks galore. The crowd was very mature, and everyone was really friendly - very beautiful women, and rich men (hahahahhaha). Everyone was very sociable and the music was great. We didn't alot of celebrities, but a few were present that we passed by in their cabanas.

Overall, Vegas was INSANE. I found myself very exhausted coming back to the hotel room every night, but my experience here is very memorable for sure. Vegas left an impression of classy-ness and fancy-ness. No better way to go here than to do it EXTRAVAGANTLY ;)

You Just Do You, Imma Do Me

CamiLLe

Are Women's Accomplishments Down-Played in History?

This post was inspired by a book my roommate of my junior year in college, Gaby, gave me as a historical fiction book called "Pope Joan" by Donna Woolfolk Cross. I don't want to typically write a book review, but this book is so amazing. Being a female, in today's still male-dominated world, I feel inspired and empowered. This specific book has me pondering the question if there was such a person who existed in history such as Pope Joan. Here are some facts left to question:

*The Catholic Encyclopedia contains the name of Pope Joan-the woman who disguised herself as a man in the 9th century

*There are more than 500 ancient manuscripts containing accounts of Joan's reign as pope, including authors such as Platina, Petrarch, and Boccaccio

*There are more stories of the existence of Joan than King Arthur, but the male version of the middle ages dominated

*Those who have wrote about Joan were Catholics highly placed in church hierarchy. Though the Church says she was a late invention of Protestant reformers eager to expose corruption in papacy, Joan's documentation precedes hundreds of years before Martin Luther was born

*Pope John XX changed his title to John XXI in recognition of Joan's reign as pope

*Joan's statue stood undisputed along other popes in the Cathedral of Sienna until 1601, when Pope Clement VIII "morphed" it into Pope Zacharias

*For more than 300 years, Joan's story was included in the official church guidebook to Rome used by Pilgrims

True, there are no contemporary chronicles of Pope Joan, but lead this to the fact that in the 9th century when Joan lived, fully diminishing any record account of her papacy was easy. Additionally many people at this time in history were illiterate anyways, so there were a select few people out of all whom existed at the time who could read and/or write. Thus, Joan's story would have been more efficiently passed through word of mouth. If you question this, did you know that there was no contemporary chronicle of Jesus - St. Mark, the first gospel ever written was 40 years preceding the death of Christ, yet we consider Jesus to be a universal figure.

Women for a long time, especially in the ninth century when Joan lived through was a time of predominant masculine power. By law, women had no legal or property rights, husbands were allowed to beat their wives, rapes were treated as a form of minor theft, and mentrual blood was treated like poison. A woman who had an education was seen as unnatural and dangerous: the more she learned, the less likely she could have children.

This is why some women who did not follow the accepted norms went out of their way to disguise themselves as men. To further the story of Pope Joan, there are other women in history who followed this route:

*St. Hildegund used the named Joseph to become a brother of Schonau Abbey

*Mary Reade was as a pirate in the early 18th century

*Loreta Janeta Velasquez took the name Harry Buford to fight for the Confederacy in the Battle of Bull Run

*Teresinha Gomez of Lisbon spent 18 years disguised as a man - a decorated soldier who rose to the rank of general in the Portuguese army

There may be countless numbers of women who have and are still to this day taking on a masculine appearance in order to not be discriminated against. One quote that stood with me in "Pope Joan" was from Joan's mother Hrotrud, "Never give yourself to a man." Women in society have a great obligation to marry and bear children throughout history, but what about to have their own identity in the pride of their own distinguished career. How much more accomplished would we feel if we became successful through our own terms and finances instead of through a man's? Pope Joan, despite her emotions toward her lover Gerold, had followed this route of not surrendering to her womanly desires and impulses to the best of her abilities. Not following what was expected of a woman, and seeking out her own destiny, she found herself educated and successful amongst the male dominated world.

Though ignorance may point out to religion to distinguish the dominant male role and the lesser female role, there is a little section of the book which pointed out the story of Adam and Eve, where I will end this post upon:

Adam was made out of the clay of the earth - Eve was made second, from Adam's side

Woman was created in Paradise - Man was created outside

Eve ate the apple for love of knowledge and learning - Adam ate the apple because Eve asked him to...

You Just Do You, Imma Do Me

Camille

Do Celebrities Get Special Treatment for Misconduct?

What defines a celebrity? Not really a clear definition other than someone famous that is always in the media. But there's a very big line between celebrity treatment and ordinary person treatment when it comes to misconduct.
Recently Lindsay Lohan was in court and sent to jail for violating her probation. She was supposed to have a pretty big sentence, but ended up staying locked up for what like a week? And now in rehab. Same goes for Paris Hilton.
A pretty big one was Chris Brown who tarred his image with the physical violence act toward ex-gf Rihanna. Now we've all seen these pics, and it wasn't just a little bruise. In the end, Chris Brown was sent to jail, but ended up paying out his own bail which gave him no served time locked up.
This has been a pretty big debate on whether celebrities have preferential treatment because of their involvement in the media. But is this fair to show how celebrities can not serve proper time locked up. Is this a proper way to show rightful punishment for wrongdoings? I know another reason why they have been locked up for a short amount of time is because of overcrowding. Though celebrity crimes are not as serious as others, its still not right to make such a media frenzy of it ->this shows that it is okay to have preferential treatment. This is another reason why these celebrities keep on committing these misdeamenors...they're always locked up, going to rehab, etc for the same things.
Ok, let's face it, the perk of being a celebrity is constant media coverage, though not always favorable. If you do get in trouble with the law, you get a lighter sentence; and if your in any other trouble, you get a little slap on the wrist. If your a famous AND good-looking celebrity then find yourself with no trouble ahead, you will get away with it. There will never be a sufficient answer to this issue, but there are some trends to help us answer this question.


You Just Do You, Imma Do Me


Camille

Is Tourism Good or Bad?

In my Econ Anthro class, we saw a video on the effects of tourism. Jamaica is a prime example of a periphery country who thrives on tourism. With the negative effects they face with the impacts of the IMF primarily and World Bank, they find themselves in a situation battling constant debt. Jamaica is known for their beautiful tropical environment and reggae.
But the topic is whether tourism has positive or negative effects. Though the economy is in a recession, the travel industry will never find people who aren't willing to go on a vacation. I will break this issue down into various effects the country faces:
Economic Effects-locals find firms who want to gain profit through the tourist industry by tearing down businesses and homes in the community for the purpose of making room for tourist accomodations. This puts locals in a worse situation where profits to the country are made for other causes.
Political Effects-Though tourism is intended to promote interrelations, it sometimes aggravates relations by pointing out the fact that tourists are from a wealthier lifestyle than the locals who witness these people with their digital cameras and various commodity possessions.
Social Effects-Though tourism helps bring income into a country, locals become dependent on making money through these means rather than depend on themselves for hard-earned money.
Cultural Effects-tourism provides an open window for visitors to see how locals live in their traditional environments and what customs they take on. But sometimes having tourists visit breaks this traditional cycle in a harmful way in which locals want to throw away their customs by seeing new technology brought upon them.
I know these effects side on the more negative point of view, one great benefit from tourism is that it helps us appreciate each other for our own distinguished differences. It's fascinating to see other countries and cultures, and to see the impact of the interaction between every background.


You Just Do You, Imma Do Me


Camille

Mo Money Mo Problems

This is a topic I've been wanting to write about for a long time now, but again haven't had the time to. Studying different cultures around the world, Americans/Europeans tend to give native people a "barbaric" title - something that transcends the term "civilized."
A story that struck me was that of the !Kung people in SW Africa. They are a tribal culture who had unlimited resources to land which provided yearly water, food, and shelter. Having vast access to resources, the !Kung people shared everything they had with one another. There was no such thing as a family having nothing, because everyone was so giving in order to help each other rise as a culture. Something so amazing was that it was a goal to acquire as much goods as you can in order to give the most things away. There was no such thing as selfishness.
When the white man came to "civilize" the !Kung people, they took away half of their land, which needed to support about 2x the amount of people. Now the !Kung had to work for money, something they didn't know anything about before. Though education was available for the children to have a more opportunistic future, their nakedness became shameful, and the !Kung were clothed, and made to work for money. The idea of sharing with one another, came at the cost of families being selfish with what they had. All this arguing over possessions tore the !Kung people away from the connection they all shared.
Which brings me to the question, when did money become so important into surviving everyday. I know we have come a long way from trading or bartering, but we depend so much on money to live our lives. We don't take into account the hard work many people go through without enough compensation. We know the more education you get, the better money you'll be paid in the professional world. But in order to get an education, you need to pay for it. Nothing in the world is free, which is an unfortunate thing. Possessions seems to define us nowadays - we value someone's worth by what house they live in, or the car they drive. But what about the value of a person's heart, shouldn't that go a longer way? When did money become so central in our lives, that we need it to accomplish so many of our dreams?


You just do you, imma do me


CamiLLe

Rosie the Riveter

Let me say for one thing , my Economic Anthro class brings a new perspective on things. I've been wanting so badly to write about certain topics, just haven't had the time to, even though I've been promising.

So yesterday, the topic was basically on women and their basic duties in society. When you think about it, women have come a long way. Not to say that our college attendance is basically equal or maybe now even slightly higher than men.

Taking a history lesson back to the 1940s when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and Theodore Roosevelt declared war on Japan. Many of the men had so much pride being American that the best solution was to go represent the United States in the military. As men were being shipped off for duty, they left behind many women, children, and loved ones.

Back then as we all know was the typical stereotype of men being the breadwinner and women working at home, taking care of the children. With the men gone for military service, the industrial sector needed someone to fill their positions - women. As dangerous as it was, women were enrolling to work in these industrial jobs, as wielders, ship builders, engineers, etc. No longer were women only restricted to "feminized" roles. Many women were so eager to join the workforce not only to support their country in a good cause, but also to make a life for themself.

Despite the harsh conditions and toiling hours, these women actually looked forward to going to work to make money for themselves and their family. They felt independence in excelling at a job that men did.

As the war effort continued for years, women stayed at these jobs and acquired skills so fast that it became a profession for them. These women had to learn the trade in a matter of days in order to continue the running economy, and they did just that.

Now when the war was over, women dreamed of new opportunities in the workforce, but that's exactly the opposite of what they found. As if there was no war at all, men resumed their positions in the economy, and automatically women were laid off. Because some women loved their newfound independence, they tried desperately to find any job, much to no avail. These women were not satisfied with being the housewife, but wanted a job to help support their family and themselves. Because industrial jobs had masculine labels attached to it, women had no choice but to accept feminine jobs like housekeeper, waitress, cook, cleaning lady, teacher, secretary for meager pay, a far less compensation compared to jobs they had when the war was going on.

Women who had jobs while their husbands were back from war were greatly ridiculed, especially in the media. They were seen as not caring for their children or family life at all...

My fascination with this subject lies in the question of women in the workforce today. If it wasn't for "Rosie the Riveter" who took over the industrial sector during war, would there ever be an existence of women working full-time jobs today outside the home? Nowadays, it's seldom to see a one parent sponsored household, and more likely for the husband AND wife to work a job in order to support their lifestyle. Why is it so necessary now for women to pursue greater eduation in order to find a professional job? This is the evolution of women in the workplace, an evolution of an independent woman who sees the importance of acquiring her own lifestyle, a sense of internal accomplishment.

Camille Mendez: Bachelors in Economics

So, I'm practically almost done. My worst thought was not passing 2 of my classes I had Spring Quarter, but I did!!! That was the greatest news ever!!! I can't believe my 3 years of college already passed by. That Saturday, June 12, I walked at my graduation and moved out of Irvine into my permanent home.
Surprisingly, I became really emotional during my graduation. I felt for one thing that it wasn't my graduation. I mean I knew some people, but being able to leave college with the people you came in with would've been great. Not that I'm complaining or anything, but my graduation became a true emotional moment. I found myself in the audience, trying to hold my tears back. I know truly my parents were so proud of me, and I was proud of myself.
At such a joyous moment, I also felt lonely. Seeing all the graduates and their families made me question my family ties. I don't want to go into it, but I just wish there was more of a personal audience to witness that great once in a lifetime moment. People I cared about so much and who I expected to be there weren't, so I began to question who my true family is. Who knew that your own family can be the most careless people sometimes.
Besides that, I'm here back at home, trying to keep sane. I found working out to be my one true, feisty friend. Home really is a place to reflect and see who would really stay in my life, whether it be friends or family. I'm so glad I'm more closer to Los Angeles because now I can get to network in this great city. We'll see what happens!!

Since I have a lot more time on my hands, I promise I will continue writing, and let me know what you think!!!


You do you, imma do me


Camille

I Could Really Use a Wish Right Now

May is such an eventful month, I don't even want to get into detail really about it.
As I'm approaching graduation, many lingering thoughts are constantly in my head, and yes the negative ones. I just feel for some reason I need a new beginning. Lately, I've been around so much negativity, that I can tell is just pulling me down, putting me in a big slump. For a girl with big dreams, I need every support I can get. I feel I've been under such a protective shield my whole life, that I may not ever get the fulfillment of making my own decisions devoid of asking someone if they agree.
I've prided myself with my parents approval my whole life, taking into consideration everything they told me, and did what they suggested me to do. But it just seems like right now I can do nothing right, and there's so turning back. I feel my relationships getting stretched too thinly, close relationships that I felt would be there for me forever. Who knew that some of my choices in college would affect my future with the people I care about the most. Am I wrong for following what I want sometimes, especially if I'm doing everything else right?
I have come to question myself as an individual. Of course I feel bad that I can't be the straight A student I was throughout my whole academic career. I remember when a C would make me cringe, and now a C is seen as a sigh of relief in passing my economic courses.
It's bad enough not getting into the college I always wanted to go to, but not even excelling in school was not something I thought I'd ever go through. School did involve a lot of hard work and dedication, but I never knew I'd be struggling to pass almost every course I enrolled myself into. Sure I could've changed my major to something simple, but I'm so close to graduating, I can taste it. Which is a bad thing because I have the worst case of Senioritis ever. Instead of being in the present, I find myself thinking about the future constantly. I'm so used to wanting to plan things and knowing what my future entails, instesad of it being up in the air.
Since my honeymoon in my personal relationships is not coming to a close, I have realized that I need to be independent, and not rely so much of other people. I could've have the great graduation gifts I was promised, but knowing for sure now that I will probably get none makes me realize I can wait and do things for myself. I always prided myself on accomplishing things on my own and that's what I can say college has done for me. I'm not the most responsible person, but I do learn from my mistakes and I take fault for my actions. I've learned the hard way that if I'm not on top of my stuff, things can turn out badly. Recently I paid a $40 late fee for my tutoring I had earlier this year, turning out to $100. And now I recently misplaced/lost my phone. Though I believe someone stole it from my bedroom.
Why are all these things happening to me to me right now, in the midst of me graduating, and needing to focus on my academics!!! I need money, but it's hard for me to work when I have all these classes and other things through the week. I feel like I always have to defend my actions, but why can't I just say something happened and not be criticized for it.

I Could Really Use a Wish Right Now...






Camille

My Name: My Identity

So before I start with my topic, I have made a resolution to update my blog at LEAST ONCE A WEEK!!!

So as I'm approaching graduation, I still haven't secured a job out of college. I thought I would at least have some advantage due to an experienced resume, but obviously that's not the case. As I'm applying to countless jobs, there's always a hint of hope to expect some sort of reply back. But I've noticed that the advancement of technology is not always a good thing. Of course it's great being able to apply for numerous jobs at one time, but I feel there's no personal interaction between the person who would consider you for the actual position. That job is up to those at human resources who get to make the ultimate decision if your the right person in their terms.

Recently, I've become very intrigued in my Labor Economics course I'm taking this quarter. One topic we've covered is Discrimination in the Labor Market, one that I never though I'd go through. With numerous job submissions and no replies from any I'm interested in, I've begun to question my identity. Is my name too ethnic? Does my address signify I'm from a "ghetto" area? Is being a female not necessarily head strong enough to survive in a fast paced environment? Do all my qualifications suddenly become ignored because I don't have a personal reference "in the business"? Most of these things I have no control over, but the ones that really hit me or made me think a little more about things is from place of origin and my name given to me at birth.

First of all, I really like my name, it's very unique and fits me. The next thing is that I live in a pretty okay neighborhood, though my surroundings aren't ideal. A name and location should never put a hindrance to the chances of being considered for a job your well qualified.

This has had me questioning my future, once again I know. I'm ready to make a name for myself, but how can I when I'm not even getting a chance to be looked upon. It's a fact that 2/3 resumes are thrown away (not even considered) for any job. Am I another statistic? Even though the economy is still not in shape, I never once considered that I would have trouble finding a job. Reflecting back, it seemed that I got more job replies when I put my address in Irvine. Is it a coincidence? I don't know for sure, but these connections I'm putting together are not encouraging.

My journalism teacher even told me that 90% of the jobs he got was from someone he knew from that specific job. Why is there even higher education when in the end networking is what gets you places? I mean I'm not fortunate enough to know people in the media industry, but I know I have more than enough qualifications for any entry level job. If I can only get my foot in the door somehow, I'd take it and run with it...

Check out this article from my Labor Economics class to see where I got the idea for this blog from: https://eee.uci.edu/10s/62460/readings/bertrand_mullanaithan.pdf


You Just Do You, Imma Do Me,


Camille Mendez

My New Inspiration

My friend Kerry invited me to this Mentor's Forum at UCI she got invited to. It seemed like a good opportunity for some networking, so I was more than eager to attend the event. To my surprise, Kerry and I were two of three females who were at the event. The room was filled with men!!! Many men were successful business professionals, along with male students from UCI. This male-female ratio made us stick out like a sore thumb, and attracted the attention of all the businessmen wanting us to sit at our table, for the fact that we were accomplished females in a male dominated world (well that's how I like to look at it.)
Coming in to this situation, I was just focused on networking with other professionals, but when it really came down to it, I wasn't dealing well with the pressure to get to know people just for their great business success and importance they can have in my future. All I can do was be myself and see if they would respond to that, which they did!! Everyone was so0o0o0o nice and welcoming. Despite each man being worth millions of dollars they were the most genuine people you can meet on a first-hand basis.
During the event that included a full course dinner, the actual Mentor's Forum was not business oriented like I had presumed. The two speakers both ended up speaking about their testimonials - yes you guessed it, religious epiphanies. The basis of their two testimonials really hit home to me. Not only was I really stressed with school and all the things I'm involved with, but lately I felt that I haven't been having a great relationship with God. I've been putting him on the back-burner, and putting other things as my priority in life.
Lessons they have learned and had an impact on me was how money can only provide happiness for a limited time, but not everlasting joy. Growing up, I have always admired the lives of the rich and famous, hoping that one day I would follow in those footsteps. But these successful men, who were millionaires and possessed anything their heart desired were not happy with all their material possessions. Once you have everything in life, there's nothing to look forward to in the future. How long will our dream car make our happy before we start looking for the latest model out in the market? Being very blessed in life in terms on wealth and success, these men found that they still felt empty in their lives. When they realized what they were missing was God in their lives, their life became one of purpose and meaning again.
These presentations had inspired me to put God as my priority. I know I'm not the greatest follower of my faith, but now I feel inspired to have a role in my everyday life. The last time I felt this inspired to further my relationship with Him was during my Junior year retreat in high school: I had never felt so close to God and it was great. Now that I have put all of my life and doings in his hands and being the best person I can be, I have now cleared my head of all that was troubling me each and everyday. Though it is a struggle to let things that bother you pass you by and take the higher route, the results that come from it feel better already. I find myself having less things to stress about, and now I'm trying to take each and every single day with great conviction. Knowing that God is always here for me, makes me feel like I am not alone and gives me more confidence to be the best person I can be.
Reflecting on what life has taken me through thus far, I can say that my family and I aren't the richest, but the love we share for one another makes us rich in our own right. I am so grateful to have great parents who have always been there for me and who have the greatest confidence in me and I cherish the relationship I have with them every chance I get. All my friendships I have acquired throughout the years, despite the fact that we may not talk all the time, but when we do have that time to see each other every few months is as if we were never apart.
I don't know what the future has in store for me but all I can do for now is to take it with open arms. I believe I am a woman with big dreams who can make any opportunity a successful one. Even though I have dreams of being a broadcast journalist, I don't even know if that's my calling. What if i am a great business woman? Only time can tell what the next step would be, and I have great confidence to say that God will always be with me.



You Just Do You, Imma Do Me


Camille