minute thoughts 12.19.15

Thoughts while obsessively adding $300 worth of items to my Sephora.com shopping cart

1. THE CHAINSMOKERS ARE COMING TO UCSB THIS YEAR! We won our slot on tour as one of the six schools that raised the most money the fastest in the first-ever crowdfunded tour through the app Tilt. They're coming sometime in January, I think, and I'm excited. Olé.

2. One of the best things about the holiday season is that it means super-soft, cozy sweaters, candy apple-scented hand sanitizer from Bath & Body Works (I have a very long-standing obsession with this, and my sister and I routinely buy 30 mini hand sanitizer bottles to stock up until the next winter), and limited-edition Sephora palettes. Omg.

3. And one of the worst things about the holiday season is that consumerism and commercialization are at an all-time high. I wonder if people would have the same experience during the holidays without material things and gift-giving obligations.

4. Consent as tea. Simple and brilliant.

5. One of the worst insults, in my opinion, is "basic". Nothing annoys me more than basic people. It's okay to enjoy some "basic" things (they're basic for a reason), but there reaches a point where it becomes more than the way you dress or what you order at Starbucks. Basic people don't have their own personalities or their own opinions. They live for what other people think and what other people think of them. And they're maddeningly all the same. It's frustrating and difficult to be around.

6. I was talking to two of my friends recently, and one of them had never heard the expression "same old song and dance" and the other hadn't heard of "you've made your bed and now you have to lie in it." I can't decide if they're extremely unhip or I am.

7. My housemate recently linked this video on Facebook and I think it's SO IMPORTANT. I think this is especially relevant given the recent attacks on Planned Parenthood and the pro-choice/pro-life debate. For all of the guys out there, this is what it's like to feel marginalized, even accidentally, on a daily basis. This is what it's like to have all of your choices questioned and to have to justify all of your actions because of what other people might think, all the time. This is what it's like to feel like you're only worth what your looks or your sexuality will get you.

8. I need to learn how to stop pushing people. I know exactly how to push people to their breaking points, and sometimes it's difficult to stop myself in arguments. It's definitely one of my biggest flaws and I know I just need to learn to let the little things go and accept olive branches when offered, or I'm going to lose people I really care about.

9. I just had Secret Santa with my house a couple of weeks ago and it was SO CUTE. I'm genuinely going to miss our house next quarter, because three of my housemates are going to study abroad. In terms of living, this year has been the best so far. Everyone in the house is so sweet and considerate and drama-free, but what I love most about coming home is that I can actually have intelligent conversations with them about things like the implications of defunding Planned Parenthood or Asian-American/minority pride. It's the best.

10. SIX MORE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS! ^_^