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Swine Flu, it's coming to get you and eat your flesh!!

My mother called me on Thursday during classes just to tell me that a middle schooler, a twelve year old little girl from our county died last week of swine flu. You could hear the concern and worry in her voice as she frantically relayed the story about the out-of-nowhere onset and the girl’s lack of contact with anyone who was “infected.”
Although I was more than appreciative of my mother’s concern for my health and well-being, she’s playing into the mania that is the fear of swine flu. This scare, hysteria, paranoia, panic, whatever you want to call it, is something that is directly brought on from years and years of science fiction zombie movies.
Take the recent movie Quarantine, for example – a movie that might be a little questionable in merit and not exactly a huge hit in the box office, was scary in itself because of the fact that the infection, ailment, disease, etc, is a mutation of something that would otherwise be considered normal and (although not by any means safe), usually easily-handled – rabies. This mirrors the swine flu considerably, since the regular seasonal flu is something that has ravaged our society for years upon years, whereas swine flu is a new strain that we just don’t seem to be able to deal with, yet. The thought of this scary mutation theory is twisted even more by the thought that someone might have manufactured it to victimize the human condition of which we’re so fond. Movies like this, where infection spreads quickly and symptoms take effect even quicker sending the victims into a zombie-like frenzy, are no doubt the reason why the regular populous fears something unknown, the swine flu, so damn much.
It’s as if those infected with the “influenza like symptoms” are going to fall down, get back and start eating each other and everyone else. Or, the whole human race is going to be infected one way or another, except of course for some lucky duck who’s immune and survives even after the government turns in on its own people, I am Legend style.
Paranoia is no doubt the name of the game. People are worried about the unknown, which is completely normal and expected, but the over-preparation and over-whelming anxiety is going to do nothing to ease the spread of the malady, minus practical applications of disease prevention. I feel like every time someone coughs or sneezes on campus or anywhere else, people instinctively slide a little bit further away, or take a step back, as if being anywhere within a twenty foot radius will mean instant death. It’s like the scenes in Dawn of the Dead where the surviving group of uninfected people shoot the individuals who are infected in the head to prevent them from turning into a mindless, flesh-eating zombie, in order to ensure the survival of the whole group. Only our weapons aren’t shot guns and 9 mm hand guns, but disinfectant spray, hospital masks and an over-whelming abundance of hand sanitizer.
I completely expect that after all of this hype is over, the “pandemic” is situated and everything is quite literally history, the SyFy Channel will produce a B rated movie about the whole thing as their so famous for doing. Only, to make it interesting, (because in all reality, it killed just about the same, if not less than the season flu) those infected with the flu will turn green, grow pig snouts and begin eating and infecting everyone else, being only defeated by a meat cleaver to the head. It won’t really be a stretch in the public’s eye, however, since that’s how it’s seemingly being treated.

Books

I've come to notice over my years and years of reading, that my choice and amount of interest in books are primarily dependent upon the look of them. That's funny, one might say, since we're told from a very young age not to judge a book by its cover, but what about the paper, or binding, or font within?

Maybe it makes me a reverse book snob, but I cannot stand a book that is on crisp white paper. The book that I am currently being asked to read by my creative writing professor is on such paper, with wide margins and minute font with a much too big gap in between the lines. It irks me to no end. I open the book and the pages catch the light, reflecting an almost sunny-like sheen on my face and it bother me! The also, this book has a single paperback cover, but has a jacket quality to it. It had a flap on the front and back cover. Sorry, Mr. Book, but that's just not allowed in my book (bad pun). Paper back books have the normal kind of cover that are just like a thicker version of the paper within, and hardback books have a had cover and a paper jacket with flaps in order to keep it on. This book breaks laws, indeed. There's absolutely no need for flaps on this style of book,and it really bothers me!

One thing I do like about this book, however, is the cover art itself. It's a dark, royal blue cover with silver writing. I love gold or silver etchings on a plain, solid background, so to me, it look extremely elegant and makes me want to open it. I also really like the biding method. when you open the cover and crease it back, the crease is lost in a silver line on the cover, and when you open the rest of the pages, it stays open without having to crack the binding. Quality, if I do say so myself.

If only we could work on the inside...
And i fonly I could muster up the tolerance to actually read my assignment...

Sleep...

I haven't slept for about 42 hours, and yet I find myself wandering around my room, doing trivial things and unable to sleep.

It's not so much that I'm forcing myself to stay awake. I want to sleep. I want to relax. The problem lies with my stress levels, as well as my expectations of the life I'm living. There's so much that I love about it, but so much more that I want, that would make it whole. Looking at it from the outside, it's a small part, but I can see it as a big part. I want it. I'm ready for it, so now it's just a waiting game to see if I can receive it.

So, I continue to stay awake. Counting the hours and minutes as they go by, thinking and wondering with heavy lids and a light head.

Oh well, I suppose. If things happen, they happen. If sleep happens, it happens.

Summer

I'm never one for poetry, but I had to write this for creative writing and I thought it turned out okay. The key to poetry, I'm told, is sincerity. Well, there you go. I don't rhyme, and there's not much of a flow, but whatever.

Warm breezes and long drives
burning wood and the taste of champagne.
Looking up to see the twinkling
of the smallest yet brightest of lights.
The soft touches and warm embraces,
caresses of senses complete.

Playing in the flames
and talking about nothing
but smiling all the while.
Falling in love, perhaps,
Or just living in a fling.
Either way, bliss fills the pair.

Both cuddled around the open flame,
whispering as if no one can hear
their secrets over the crackling.
Breathing in the summer smoke,
both from the wood and tobacco
that set their season alight.

Temporary or not
the nights live on within each of them.
Brought to life by familiar moments
touches, smells, tastes, songs.
One knows what they want,
while the other holds back.

But when the fall comes
and life goes on,
and their moments end,
she’s afraid she’ll be left behind,
reveling in that summer haze
of wood and tobacco smoke.

Those things...

I want to steal everything negative away from you.
I want to kiss away the tears that you refuse to cry but I know are there.
I want to take away all your pain and replace it with such feelings that only someone like me can give.
I want to sip the worries and uncertainty from your lips and draw it out of you for good.
I want to steal the words you use to worry others and replace them with the laugh I love so much.
I want to comfort you with just one look.
I want to give you a reason to smile and look forward to tomorrow.
I want to love you, if only you let me.

Latest Song Obsession

I love this song. I love the lyrics and the meaning behind it. It's my latest obsession.

I've been roaming around, I was looking down at all I see
Painted faces fill the places I can't reach
You know that I could use somebody
You know that I could use somebody

Someone like you and all you know and how you speak
Countless lovers under cover of the street
You know that I could use somebody
You know that I could use somebody
Someone like you

Off in the night while you live it up I'm off to sleep
Waging wars to shake the poet and the beat
I hope it's gonna make you notice
I hope it's gonna make you notice

Someone like me, someone like me
Someone like me, somebody

I'm ready now, I'm ready now
I'm ready now, I'm ready now
I'm ready now, I'm ready now
I'm ready now

Someone like you, somebody
Someone like you, somebody
Someone like you, somebody

I've been roaming around, I was looking down at all I see


What's so interesting is that the words are so damn perfect, yet so damn simple. Well, I am ready now. And I hope you notice.