Grim Reaper Talk

Disclaimer: This post is of a sensitive nature, so I apologize in advance if I hit a wrong nerve or cause emotional upheaval. It is also quite descriptive, so if you're squeamish, proceed with caution!
In other news, I incorrectly pressed some buttons while typing the sentence above and now know how to make this symbol: ∫. YAY. Okay, ahem. Back to solemnity.

I remember an experience that happened earlier this summer and I wanted to share it with y'all (howdy!) and get your opinion.

But first some background. In Grade 10, I took World Religions and as eccentric as my teacher was, I thoroughly enjoyed what she taught and learning about different belief systems humbled and inspired me. I remember learning that in Zoroastrianism, the deceased are placed in an ornamental tower and left to be consumed by wildlife (vultures, mostly? Correct me if I'm wrong!). The thought behind this is that the body is now a source of life for other creatures, providing nutrients and contributing to the ecosystem.
I learned last year that tribes in Papua New Guinea eat the deceased as a sign of respect - by consuming the dead (to put it crudely), they now become a part of the living, breathing tribe.

Alright. That's what you need to know.

Earlier this summer, I went to lunch with some friends, and told them about the Zoroastrian ritual as we ate (I know, I'm a morbid person to be with). And, unexpected to me, they recoiled in disgust. Not because the visual was unappealing, but because they thought it was a terrible and barbaric thing to do. Profanity was used.

Okay, when I learned about the topic, I was not at all disgusted or appalled. We, as humans, do not have the right to label something that is deeply spiritual and sacred to others as disdainful.
I mean, we generally put our deceased in the ground to eventually be eaten by maggots and call it a burial. Cremation could be considered the process of lighting the expired on fire and turning them into a pot of dust.
I know I'm being harsh with my words, but that's the same attitude that was used in judging the Zoroastrian funeral rite. And it's rude!

Whatever method we use, it is very meaningful to us and no one should say it is f***ed or messed up. It actually raised my hackles that day!

That is simply my opinion. Thank you for hearing me out, I know this was a long post. Let me know what you think.

Snape, Snape, Severus Snape... DUMBLEDORE!

I am highly dependent on Harry Potter to define all my childhood experiences. I remember the highlight of my time as a youngin' being the HP series. I immersed myself to such a degree that I'm pretty sure my brain melded fiction and reality together and I kind of remember myself as an eleven-year-old roaming the halls of an old castle wearing robes...??

Seriously, though, the most vivid memory I have of when I was ten years old is that of my friend and I wandering through a patch of bushes next to our school, hunting for Voldemort in the "Forbidden Forest." We used to be in those bushes (being short kids, they were tree-like enough) for nearly an hour. My school was in walking distance of my house and I remember coming home and my mom yelling at me for not informing her of my whereabouts. It did not phase me one bit as I had defeated the Dark Lord. Although, a mother's wrath is an equally powerful force to contend with.

I'm not sure why I decided to write about this topic, but it really is amazing how one woman (J.K. Rowling) managed to captivate so many people with a world created by her brilliant mind! She literally pulled off world domination! Kudos in a box.

The final movie is coming out this summer and I'm not sure how emotionally unstable I'll be after I watch it. It's been eleven years since I was introduced to the series; I (and so many others) basically grew up with Harry and his friends. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WHEN IT'S OVER??

Answer: read the series and watch the movies in a continuous cycle until I am forced to become a skeleton (plus other decomposing detritus). Anyone with me? :D

I Like to Lease, Baby ;)

Disclaimer: I am in no way being paid/sponsored for the following. Thanks and enjoy! :)

It's textbook season (or I guess it just passed... I try to hold out as much as possible before I have to surrender to the education system) and I've decided to rent my textbooks instead of buying them. Obviously, it's cheaper since you don't have ownership of the book, but I really don't mind. Now that I know you can rent textbooks, I'm kicking myself. Honestly, my textbooks are going to create the next earthquake when they make my shelves crumble. And what's even worse, I don't read the books enough to make it worth it! GARRR. At least it works as a dust magnet...

Anyway, I researched renting textbooks like a madwoman and there are a plethora of companies offering the service in the States; it's actually quite common there. Of course, Canada wouldn't be included in the shipping list >:(. I FINALLY found one that operates in Canada. It took me three days to find it. And I don't do much else productive with my time. So.

If you're interested, I got my books from BookMob.ca (wow, that line totally sounds like those viruses that pop up on msn from a "dear friend"). They charge $6.99 for shipping, which is a bummer, but return shipping is free and I literally saved $150 for the two textbooks I got. But that's not all, folks! :P

Seriously, though. The link above gets you 5% off, so if you do like the idea of BookMob... use the link.

BookMob should pay me for saying that. Fo reals.

May you text and [read a] book but never have to put them together :).

In Genetics...

I plan to make this a light-hearted entry as I've been quite contemplative/profound (or so I wish to think) in my last few entries.

I'm in my first Genetics class of the semester (at first I typed, "class of the future"... which I suppose is true). I'm semi-paying attention.

I'm doing my best to like winter, because I don't really celebrate Christmas, participate in winter sports, or enjoy waking up to dark surroundings and cold toilet seats. However, I do think the snow looks beautiful and is fun to play in if you've got the staying warm business down pat.

This is the song that never ends. It just goes on and on my friends.

Oh! I'm a cat lady! Well, I don't own any, but I am definitely a cat person and I want a kitty of my own one day. (Is it now officially inappropriate to say pussy when referring to a cat? Like, "pussy cat?" I guess so...?)

I'd like some input on getting a pet from a reputable breeder vs. adopting from a shelter. I have a slight weakness towards a particular breed of cat (Russian Blue), but I'm inclined to adopt from a shelter. Shelter animals are often misunderstood as delinquents, but that's mostly not true; their owners often have to give them up for personal reasons. Plus, they really do appreciate being "rescued" and treat you as their hero (source: me aimlessly reading nuff articles about it and I volunteered at an animal shelter one summer). Of course, purebreds are more predictable personality-wise and come with health guarantees...
Any opinions?

Later, gator!

A topic close to my heart...

This is today's blog.

I spent the last six hours watching Bones episodes where killers killed people and other smart people found the killer who killed the people. Man, some of those episodes were JAMMIN'. And by that I mean they were really engrossing and I crapped my pants several times out of fear and/or anxiety.

Also, I disapprove of the Canadian justice system. Way too lenient, a mon avis. My mom has a friend who shows up on crime scenes and literally handles the bodies. He has, on several occasions, been in court only to see the sentence being a pathetic excuse of a punishment and the family of the victim(s) devastated after years of awaiting a fair trial.

I myself have read several accounts and case studies with the same outcome. It's enough to make me hella emotional, never mind someone who has personally seen the victims and dealt with their families.

I know there are yay number of gray areas in law and justice, but if you are a budding lawyer, or politician, or anyone at all, I hope as part of the future generation you will not just go with the flow of your job, but work towards betterment of the legal system so that ordinary people can live with dignity and peace in their hearts.

Samaa the Clonebot

Allo? Aaaallo?

I'm seriously hopped up on cheese. I've had so much of it these last few days that I have to stay up late just to make sure it all digests properly. My liver is turning it all into fat as revenge.
I tested out the cheese-gives-you-nightmares theory, and because I am highly scientific I did it twice and because I'm a horrible scientist I didn't do it more than that. And so far I have gotten nightmares post-fromage, but I think it's because I'm either psychologically inducing nightmares because I'm expecting it (placebo effect-esque) or it was just a coincidence.

So that had nothing to do with the title of this post. The following does!

I have recently been watching copious (that word always makes me think of copulation and then discomfort ensues...) amounts of my favourite YouTuber, Toby Turner (a.k.a. Tobuscus), so much so that I seem to have picked up his way of talking like a big, fat leech and find myself increasingly saying, "What the balls!" (a common catchphrase of his) in normal conversation. Which, a) is not lady-like, and b) I don't have a b), I just enjoy having a variety of sentence structures.

In turn that got me to thinking how easily I (we?) can pick up behaviours and make it our own. Am I (are we?) just an amalgam of our experiences that fuse together to create our own style?
I know that's touching on the ever-popular nature vs. nurture debate, but I just wanted to say that I don't really have a problem with being a Toby Turner wannabe. Because he is cool and I figure just like with all my other sponged up behaviours, I will modify it to become my own and I will be a big party of awesome behaviours that I have screened out to be awesomely mine.

As I type this, Blogspot is periodically saving my words, and at the moment it is saying "An error occurred while saving." What a bunch of balls!

The Infamous NY Resolution...

I know, I know! I've been inconsistent with this blog, about as irregular as your BM when you eat jellybeans for 48 hours straight. Which leads me to my next point.

I only have one New Year's resolution and I think it encompasses every aspect of life: stick to your word.
Integrity comes from the root integer, meaning whole or complete (source: Wikipedia, duh!). I think nowadays people use the word integrity a bit loosely, and I sure have as well! Integrity is when everything you think, feel, and do is in harmony. Okay, so I stole that last line from Gandhi. He was a smart man.

So I've been pondering integrity, and I think step one for me is to basically just do what I say I will do. And that includes what I promise myself, as well. Drink more water, do yoga everyday, attend all lectures this week, etc. etc. If I can follow through with those things I have integrity, and I think that is a cornerstone trait of all successful people.

Now, if you know me well (especially my parents), you will guffaw at the thought of me coming through on my promises. I guess you could call me a flake when it comes to goals. But I have come to realize that it is the same as being a commitment-phobe, which, in the end, doesn't let you experience life the way it was meant to be. And I don't want that.

So sign me up for this integrity business and let's reap whatever fruit that follows!
I need to get new proverbs...

Happy New Year!