It's Go Time!

March 30 (Day One)

• In what was arguably one of my most productive spare blocks, my team and I mixed lemonade, added fruit to granola to yoghurt, put up posters, blew up balloons, and set up a table in the foyer for our Lemonade & Bake Sale. Phew.
• We sold a fair amount of chocolate chip cookies and chocolate chocolate chip cookies (my favourite!) and a couple cups of parfait. Rice crispies were also a favourite.
  
• We sold only a few cups of lemonade and no one came to Temp Tax Tutors, but the week was young.
  
• Jenny collected more and more orders for sketches.
• After appealing to some friends and acquaintances, we got several people interested in our tax service.

March 31 (Day Two)

• We drew a crowd twice as big as yesterday as tons of people were attracted to the decorated cupcakes and (delicious!) brownies. We even got a couple of staff to try our products.
  
• We even sold more lemonade!
• Jenny has collected more requests for sketches than she can handle. Way to go!
• Maria completed her first tax form today. Let's keep them pouring in.
• Mmm, granola.
• We earned enough revenue to break even! Good work team!
  

I'm In Ur School, Runnin' Bizness Competitions

Blogging about my participation in the Impact Microcredit business and entrepreneurship competition.

Monday March 23

• We presented our proposal to the principal, who liked the idea and gave us permission to compete.
• Team members were finally rounded up, as well as their permission forms. While working on the yearbook after school, we finally uploaded all the necessary permission forms and hold a group meeting to discuss what we should do. We decided to hold a physical endurance competition, a Easter dinner, and provide tax help and tutoring.
  

Tuesday March 24

• We talked to the P.E. teacher to solicit his participation in the physical endurance competition, in which competitors are pledged to do a certain number of push-ups/sit-ups/etc. He said maybe.
• We met Anna from the Children's Wish Foundation, who gave us posters, pins, and donation boxes.
• We talked to the Mini 9 class and offered our competition as a way for them to complete their PIF.
  
• I finally finished the letter asking for support from local businesses. They were printed on Templeton letterhead, signed, and then we dropped them off on our way home. Unfortunately, most of the businesses had already made donations elsewhere in the month.

Wednesday March 25

• I grabbed several blank sets of tax forms from Accounting for our Tax help service.
  

Thursday March 26

• Change in plans: The Mini 9 class decided to do their own thing for PIF, and so there is not enough time nor people to organize a dinner. Mr. Kuniss suggested the Mini 11 class, but due to their tight timelines and heavy workload in Socials 11, our event must be structured, simple, and short. We talked to them, and decided to hold a bake sale next week. There seemed to be a consensus.
• The Visa arrived. As the one responsible for money related stuff, I signed the back and will have to be present whenever purchases are made.
  
• As we have one weekend to collect money, we will also hold a bake sale at the community center.

Saturday March 28

• Facebook event has been made, but much more in the way of advertising (other than word of mouth) needs to be done!
  

Sunday March 29

• We went shopping for our supplies that we need for a lemonade and bake sale. After 3 hours and $73.17, we have pretty much everything that we need.
• Posters have been made, more Facebook events have been created, and to get in the spirit of the competition, I made all important team announcements in CAPSLOCK.
• I am really anxious to get started on our plans tomorrow.
  

I Still Buy CDs And It's Adding To The Clutter In My Room

A snapshot of my CD collection thus far, because I still throw my money away on CDs.

I plan to add to this as necessary.

LEGEND:
I owe the physical CD. I can fondle it whenever I fancy.
I'm too cheap to buy this, so it lives in a folder in My Music.

---

Dave Gahan - Hourglass
Dave Gahan - Paper Monsters
Depeche Mode - Music For The Masses
Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward
Depeche Mode - Songs Of Faith And Devotion
Evanescence - Fallen
Franz Ferdinand - Tonight
Gorillaz - Demon Days
Hoobastank - The Reason
LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park - Meteora (+DVD)
Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight
Linkin Park - Reanimation
Linkin Park - Underground V2.0
Linkin Park + Jay-Z - Collision Course
Lostprophets - Liberation Transmission
Lostprophets - Start Something
Matthew Good - Hospital Music
Matthew Good Band - Beautiful Midnight
Nine Inch Nails - Closer to God
Nine Inch Nails - Further Down The Spiral
Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV
Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile
Nine Inch Nails - The Slip
Nine Inch Nails - Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
Peaches - Impeach My Bush
Radiohead - Hail To The Thief
Radiohead - In Rainbows (CD1+CD2)
Recoil - Unsound Methods
Saul Williams - The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!
Story Of The Year - Page Avenue
The Cure - 4:13 Dream
The Cure - Disintegration
The Cure - Greatest Hits
The Lonely Island - Incredibad
The Trews - No Time For Later
Tool - 10000 Days
Tool - Lateralus
Much Music Big Shiny Tunes 7

I take this pretty seriously.

Looks pretty good.

Great Moments in Presidential Speeches

I was browsing HuffingtonPost.com tonight and was reminded of a hilarious segment of Late Night with David Letterman called Great Moments in Presidential Speeches. It will serve as a reminder of how much Still President Bush will be missed.













Search these on YouTube and you'll find a lot more clips.

November 4 is here.

A few thoughts drifting through my head as Election Day draws near:

• Optimism, hope, Obama. Anxiety.
• James Carville is scary. He looks like Voldemort.
• Palin presidency is still better than Huckabee presidency. Not by much, however, and I'm not hoping.
• Don't let 500 people decide this election, k?
• The Daily Show/The Colbert Report Election Night Special = epic.
• WHY ISN'T THIS DAMN THING OVER YET?
• Stay far, far away from FOX News Coverage of the election. srsly.
• I don't bite my nails when I'm nervous, but I may take up that habit tomorrow night.
  

This Essay Is Not About Existentialism

Are you aware of the absurdity of your existence? The philosophy of existentialism, which grew in popularity during the middle of the 20th century, is a doctrine that concerns the state of being here. According to the basic beliefs, the individual is alone in a universe that is meaningless and absurd, and the choices that one make, as a completely free human, define the person and create value in the universe. While I do not agree with the more radical tenets of existentialism, I am in favour of the humanist aspect of this philosophy.

The existentialist philosophy of the complete freedom of the human being is a belief that I agree with. Individuals have the freedom to choose and to act on their own whims. They do not necessarily conform with the fixed human nature or the social norm, but these actions and decisions define the individual. One accepts full responsibility for their actions and in doing so create the value in life. Humans, empowered with this freedom, can ultimately change the world. On the other hand, I disagree with the idea of, “Existence precedes essence.” Life has meaning, and it is up to the individual to discover it. I do not believe in, nor am I aware of, the absurdity of existence itself. Common existentialism is atheist, and this contradicts my beliefs. I classify myself as agnostic, not following any particular religion, but believing in some kind of transcendent power. To quote Albert Camus on this subject, “I do not believe in God and I am not an atheist.” Finally, I do not identify with the belief that all individuals are alone in the universe. As participants of society, there exists an emotional, physical, or spiritual bond between all of us that one cannot sever from. In other words, one cannot be truly alone in the universe as society constantly influences one’s choices and actions.

In conclusion, I find that my outlook on life and the state of existing coincides with several tenets of existentialism. Specifically, I agree with the humanist ideas of this philosophy, as there is no superior being or power that can limit the human potential. As free and empowered individuals, we have the authority and responsibility to change the world.