“In the last lesson, we learned the special expressions to be used when we want to show respect to another person. Here, we will learn to talk modestly of our actions. We use these verbs when we want to sound modest and respectfu lin our speech, to show an extra amount of deference to the listener.”

Nihongo. What can I say? Sometimes, I don’t know what to do with myself, so I just imagine my life as a novel. If I ever sit down and write it out, I think it’d be a best seller. Granted, my life is pretty mundane at times, but funny things always end up happening to me..I am already chuckling at the thought.

I have realized that school is no friend to me. In fact, it discourages me, stifles me, takes advantage of me, tricks me, plagues me, usually haunts me, and ultimately hates my stinkin’ guts. I’m working on 3.25 hours of sleep and Lord help me, I WILL finish this week on top of things.

..Time to go to bed now.

You know that sinking feeling when you realize how much work you actually have to do? This semester has been pretty busy, but it’s come to that point in the semester where there is literally WORK to do every night. This does not include any extra curricular work like clubs, but the hard hitting content of college work. It’s a huge bummer, since I’ve gotten accustomed to slacking off (not a very good quality, I know), but here it is. Time to become accountable.

…And I would get sick when this happens, too. Great. :<

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/nyregion/10indulgence.html?_r=1&hp

In recent months, dioceses around the world have been offering Catholics a spiritual benefit that fell out of favor decades ago — the indulgence, a sort of amnesty from punishment in the afterlife — and reminding them of the church’s clout in mitigating the wages of sin.

According to church teaching, even after sinners are absolved in the confessional and say their Our Fathers or Hail Marys as penance, they still face punishment after death, in Purgatory, before they can enter heaven. In exchange for certain prayers, devotions or pilgrimages in special years, a Catholic can receive an indulgence, which reduces or erases that punishment instantly, with no formal ceremony or sacrament.

There are partial indulgences, which reduce purgatorial time by a certain number of days or years, and plenary indulgences, which eliminate all of it, until another sin is committed. You can get one for yourself, or for someone who is dead. You cannot buy one — the church outlawed the sale of indulgences in 1567 — but charitable contributions, combined with other acts, can help you earn one. There is a limit of one plenary indulgence per sinner per day.

Um, anyone else think this is completely (for lack of a better term) WACK? I mean, I’m not Catholic but I’m a pretty savvy etymologist. If applying this method of “new indulgence” includes “charity donations,” wouldn’t that be the same thing as paying your way to Heaven (you know, the way Martin Luther meant it.)? I mean, I get the “good deeds” bit too, but isn’t that called…good will, St. Peter’s bidding? Really, what is this indulgence business going on?

Is the Church now accepting donations as a result of the recession? Haha. The Church argues that we silly Non-Catholics (….and delinquent Protestants) will take this new notion the wrong way, but it DOES sound pretty out of place. So, here’s to kickin’ it Reformation style.

…Now where’s my hammer and Theses?

I find words almost useless when trying to explain how much being a part of something so amazing and wonderful and fulfilling as the BCM All Sing moves me. Just because I would hate to sound trite and obnoxious like I’m talking about my dog (which would be almost irrelevant because I’m not a pet person at all), so let’s say that I love All Sing as much as someone who would own a dog loves..his dog.

Awful comparison, I know. Anyway, our first performance (BCM All Sing 2009 Prince of Egypt) was this evening and it was just so..phenomenal. I feel like I’ve been waiting my entire college career to be involved with such an organization like All Sing (not that I do not feel involved with AAA or Phoenix), but it’s different kind of feeling. I feel like music moves you in so many different ways, but when you share your voice with other people, it’s like you’re a part of something more important than yourself. And with BCM, we sang music about hope and freedom, and mostly importantly overcoming hardship in your life through faith.

When you sing, people hear this message.

Not to say that I believe everyone is suddenly converted or that everyone even got the message clearly. But I think it’s good enough that it was heard–that even if a few people listened closely and thought about the words a little.

I joined All Sing on a whim. Last semester, I was hoping to find some place that I belonged. I’d like to join BCM soon, because my experience with All Sing was so much fun. Funny story. Before we went on stage, I was getting kind of nervous and when I told my new friend Olivia this, she just shrugged her shoulders and said, “Hey. Don’t worry about it. You’re singing for Him. That’s all that matters.” And what I love about the people in BCM is that even tough we were in a competition, trying to impress all those fancy judges, our friends, and family, when it came down it, we were singing for God.

Ahira ladonai ki gaohgaah
(I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously)

Micha mocha baelim adonai
(Who is like You, oh Lord, among the celestial)

Mika mocha nedar bakodesh
(Who is like You, majestic in holiness)

Nachitah vicashdicha am zu galata
(In Your love, You lead the people You redeemed)

Ashira, ashira, ashira
(I will sing, I will sing, I will sing)

“There can be miracles when you believe.”

Currently, the Obama Administration is seeking to create a law which would cap executive pay at $500,000 per year. That sounds good and dandy, especially to us who can only expect a meaningless paycheck now with the dwindling economy, but here’s the rub.

It’s a cap. Is that really moral, Obama? Should we tell companies, “No. You don’t really work as hard as you think andyou definitely do not deserve this amount of money, that you’ve earned.”

http://www.truthdig.com/report/print/20090202_who_knew_bankers_were_this_stupid/

TruDig.com reporter Eugene Robinson disputes, “the average CEO makes 344 times as much as the average worker, as estimated last August by the Institute for Policy Studies and the nonprofit group United for a Fair Economy.”

Does no one else believe that this “cap” is just a cutesy word for “communism.” I know, this is coming from a pretty liberal student, whose financial aid this semester is what those CEOs eat for breakfast. What do I know about money problems? But seriously, is this the kind of lesson we want to teach our impressionable youth? “Oh, sweetheart. You can be whatever you want to be! …Just don’t make too much money or the government will take it away from you.”

Yes, we all think those big industry bimbos are scoundrels who make profit from torturing their laborers, but that’s because we’re poor and bitter. Do you think the “average American” who may have not gone to college, who probably has a blue collar job deserves the pay of an executive? You’re going to say “yes” because you think it’s more moral, but if you’re like me, you’re in college for a reason, youngster. If you think otherwise, you’re a hypocrite.

But that’s not also to say that people who do not go to college are not successful. Many college grads work for these companies (whose leaders, such as Bill Gates, only finished high school). But they’re successful, hard driven, geniuses too. Now, be honest. Do you think the “average” American is Bill Gates?

Should CEOs and company executives be held accountable for their money, instead of given tax breaks? Yes. Should they be more humble, maybe do some real charity work instead of that BS fundraiser nonsense? Absolutely.

But should the government limit executive pay? No. Should America send that message that “we are a people of hardworking individuals who would rather lower the standards for executives, than raise the standards (and work ethic) of our middle and lower working class.” The Obama administration is not closing the gap between the rich and the poor, but rather, increasing hosility between them.

Another article:

http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2009/02/04/should-government-limit-executive-pay/

Movies I wannnaaa see:

- Shopoholic

- He’s Just Not That Into You

- Slumdog Millionaire

- Benjamin Button (again pretty please?)

- Coraline!!!

Wheeeee.

makes me think of old times. le sigh.