If Life were like a lab manual

Camellia sinensis broth protocol

Camellia sinensis broth is an aromatic solution with vaguely medicinal properties. Commonly consumed by the British, many Asians, as well as hipsters trying to be pretentious, this broth is widely used to calm anxiety and is widely accepted as having magical properties. 

Reagents:
H2O liquid buffer, maintained at pH=7
15% lipid content homogenized, heat treated cream
Solid saccharose(C6H12O6)

Preparation of C. sinensis sample
1) Using a mortar and pestle, grind 5-10g of C. sinensis leaves into a powder. 
2) Transfer sample to a .1mm pore size silk filter
3) Seal filter bag completely. 

Preparation of C. sinensis broth
4) Heat H2O liquid buffer(pH=7) to 95C
5) Submerge C. sinensis sample into the buffer.
6) Incubate at room temperature for 4 minutes.

7) Remove sample from the buffer and discard in appropriate waste receptacle.
8) Reheat solution to 80C
9) Vortex to mix thoroughly.

10) Using a volumetric pipette, add 2.5 mL of 15% lipid content cream into solution
11) Using a magenetic stir bar, mix solution until homogeneity is reached.
12) Add 6.0g of solid saccharose(C6H12O6) into solution
13) Mix until all saccharose has been completely dissolved into the solution. 
14) Maintain solution at 80C. 

On "Reverse Discrimination" and Wendy Quiet

A month or so prior to the writing of this blogpost a Facebook page entitled "Wendy Quiet" was established amongst the Wellesley community. Students and alumnae were encouraged to "send in secrets" and other messages that they wanted to be broadcasted but remain anonymous. What started out as a useful outlet for general frustrations about the college/life or even small encouraging messages quickly turned into a vitriolic rant-fest of epic proportions. Not only were several groups on campus targeted, so too were major demographics such as heterosexuals and first years. (Side note: I would like to point out that if someone were to bring those posts to the administration[even though they are anonymous], they would be considered hazing, which is not something the college takes lightly.)

Most recently was the post about "reverse discrimination" which received(in my humble opinion) a lot of really violent backlash from people, as though they couldn't possibly fathom why someone might feel like they were being "reverse discriminated" against.

For the record, no-I did not send that in to Wendy Quiet.

I do however understand where they might have been coming from.

The activist culture at Wellesley is very vibrant and very vocal. If someone things you are being privileged(by not being accepting of those of another sexual orientation, class, race, gender etc), you will IMMEDIATELY be informed of their thoughts, and most of the time not in a respectful way. There was even an instance where someone wanted to be a stay at home mom and was subsequently called "a waste of a Wellesley education". While I think that it was a bit of a misuse of the term "Reverse discrimination", it's understandable that some people may feel that they are being penalized for being born into a life which makes them more privileged or more sheltered than other students at the school.

While I completely support peoples differences in being, thought and action, being disrespectful to your peers is something I absolutely can not condone. Nothing, not your sexuality, gender, class or ethnicity gives you the right to treat your peers disrespectfully. And to be clear, if this were the reverse case where it weren't minorities being volatile, you can be absolutely sure that I would be saying the same thing. You are allowed to be think/act/be any way that you see fit, but you are not allowed disrespect others because they are different for you. Just because you're responding to a majority does not give you the right to patronize them and it does not make issues they have less legitimate. (edit: also, I have posted to that group 3 times(not telling you which) and each time I have gotten roughly 40 likes by members of the LGBT*QIA community and straights alike so you cannot tell me my experience is not legitimate). I'm not really sure what the posters were trying to achieve with lashing out the way that they did. Respect is a two way street which a lot of people seem to be forgetting.

It's really quite unfortunate that the page evolved the way that it did. I think that having the knowledge that you were not alone in your struggles here was invaluable for some students. There were posts about feeling alone, feeling like not fitting in, feeling not good enough. These feelings I think were really helpful as a reminder that everyone is struggling here, that no one was perfect. It was a great platform for humanizing the community again, which I think was the creator's intention. It's sad that people couldn't find a better way to vent their frustrations in a more productive way.

So what does this say about Wellesley? The past month has demonstrated that, given enough time the Wellesley community ultimately succumbs to hatred and is unable to sustain a supportive network when you hear what the students are really thinking about one another. Frankly, I think that's part of the reason people have such negative feelings about the school environment; people are spewing negative energy at eachother like it's absolutely nothing and no one is calling them out for it. While we like to think of Wellesley as the liberal, progressive and accepting place, I think this shows that we still have a lot of work to do because the student body is still ultimately divided to a certain extent.

To the creator of the page, it was a good idea. Just crappy timing. I hope we as a community can work through this.

Thoughts on NY Fashion week

It's that time of year again: New York Fashion week. 

Christian Siriano, Fall 2013 RTW

From Feb. 7 to Feb. 14, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts was once again home to thousands of fashion connoisseurs and couturiers for New York’s annual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. This week-long industry event allows designers the opportunity to showcase their Fall 2013 collections to the public for the first time.

February is the first of two major fashion seasons throughout the year; Fall/Winter clothes debut in February while Spring/Summer clothes are shown in September to allow designers the opportunity to market their collection in the following months. These week-long industry events, beginning in New York, are also hosted by three other major fashion capitals: London, Milan and Paris.

While each of the runway shows is an impressive display of sartorial pageantry, “Fashion Week” at its core is about defining what is en vogue. So, what trends can you expect this fall?  

 In many of the collections, there was a profound sense of retromania with many designers drawing inspiration from previous decades. There was also no shortage of glitz and glamour as many collections featured opulent metallic detailing a la Gatsby. Beading and golden embroidery permeated many different collections. Also prominent was  the cosmopolitan influence on the Fall collections.  While there were the traditional English and French influences, many designers found unorthodox inspiration in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, from the extravagance of the Russian ballet costumes and the textiles patterns of Istanbul and Marrakech.

Christian Siriano Fall 2013 RTW

BCBG Max Azria, Fall 2013 RTW

While many collections that walked the runway showcased tasteful, innovating designs, the Tory Burch Fall collection fell short of expectations.  It was uninspired and  deemed by New York Magazine to be “outfits for when you just want to blend into the furniture.” Burch drew inspiration from Art Nouveau silhouettes with lots of floral patterns that would seem more at home on salon upholstery rather than on the runway. The collection felt scattered and surprisingly dowdy with a parade of frumpy, below-the knee hemlines, awkward boxy jackets and odd color combinations. Furthermore, the amount of patterns and embellishments on the pieces was somewhat overwhelming. For a designer who has built a reputation on effortless elegance, Tory Burch left much to be desired with her Fall collection.

I am not impressed, Tory Burch.

Whereas Tory Burch’s collection was positively passé, Anna Sui managed to produce a line that was evocative of the mod 1960s, yet tailored to a contemporary audience. Each model, sporting cat eyes and a nude lip , wore  psychedelic patterns that were fun and bold. New York Magazine hailed Sui’s collection as “such a perfect recreation of swinging London style that it’s beginning to appear Sui has a time machine synced with 60’s Carnaby Street.” The collection, with a color palette ranging from hot pink to electric blue, featured a series of shift dresses and Peter-Pan collars—two iconic pieces of mod London style. The jewelry showcased in Sui’s collection was minimal, mostly consisting of heavy jeweled pendants on long chains and nothing more. While the clothes may be considered by some to be loud for everyday wear, one could certainly imagine them gracing the streets of Manhattan later this year.

Anna Sui Fall 2013 RTW

Although menswear is more standardized, there were still several exceptional shows. Tommy Hilfiger debuted a collection described by the designer as “Savile Road meets Ivy League.” It was a nod to the brand’s traditional American style, although this time paired with mod London influences. A parade of impeccably tailored blazers dominated the runway with classic patterns such as argyle, herringbone and houndstooth. The Park Avenue Armory runway was converted to emulate the ambience not unlike that of Harvard’s library. The aesthetic was quintessentially preppy with a navy, red and white palette that is indicative of the brand. There were a few unexpected twists in pattern and texture that remind audiences that classic style does not necessarily mean cliche.

Looks like an Ivy library

I SPY AN ASIAN MODEL(he looks bored).

Most notably, the New York Fall 2013 runway shows signal a change in perspective within the fashion industry.  American Express’s fashion ambassador Lottie Oakley remarked, “It's not so passe to wear clothes from last season. It used to be that it did matter if what you were wearing was from a few years ago, but now, if it's a statement piece, you can keep it going for a long time." Evocative of decades past, these shows make it so you can delve into your mother’s or grandmother’s closets and still be relevant. This kind of longevity and practicality is not usually associated with the fashion industry, but this change is not an unwelcome one, especially in the wake of a struggling economy.

And since Fashion week is more about looking at pictures than anything else, here are a few more of my favorites:

Ralph Lauren Fall 2013 RTW

Reem Acra Fall 2013 RTW

Reem Acra Fall 2013 RTW

Jenny Packham Fall 2013 RTW

On the Necessity of Experience

So because my head was spinning mercilessly for the last couple hours, I decided to take a break from thinking about Chemistry and the Japanese language to watch a little bit of YouTube before returning to my work. Also I haven't written for a couple weeks and this is the first thing I've been inspired by in awhile. So here we go.

In the latest Vlogbrother's video, writer John Green poses the question about whether it's actually necessary to go places to get the true experience of being there or whether seeing it on film is sufficient.

Which is think is a slightly ridiculous question.

While the internet has enabled us to see/read a lot of things basically for free, it is incredibly limited in it's ability to let us experience things.

For example, in the above video Green goes to presumably the National Gallery and looks at a few of the artifacts. From my studies, I've learned that curatorship includes taking a lot of different factors into account like lighting, entire rooms as functional units and galleries themselves to make going through a museum a cohesive experience. These(at least in the above video) do not translate well onto the internet because we've taken them out of context. Things that are tiny in real life can be zoomed in on to seem massive but true scale is also part of the experience of looking at the object. Furthermore, we need to consider the limitations of the camera itself as opposed to examining something with our own eyes.

Another thing to consider is the fact that our eyes are not the only sense that is being used when we are processing events/places/views. Consider the following:

This picture was taken in a small Parisian bakery and a few key aspects of what would be making up this 'memory' are missing. Namely, smell and sound. If you were to venture to this bakery you would be able to smell the baked goods which is REALLY important where bakeries are concerned. Also, the sounds that make up this scene are really important too. There are probably a few people talking in rapid French, some old French songs playing on the radio. Cars whizzing by outside, people talking and laughing as they pass by the window. This photograph has been removed from its original context and that needs to be acknowledged.

The last issue I want to address is the uniqueness of experiences. The memory of places we've been or things we've seen is incredibly personal. Two people can see the same thing and come away with completely different impressions. This is just due to the differences between person to person and that's also something that can't be accounted for on the internet. So while we know what John Green did and saw in London, what would YOU go see and do in London? Probably a lot of different things.

In conclusion, the internet is useful for a lot of things but you ABSOLUTELY can not make the assumption that it is the same thing as going and and seeing something in person. Is it worth it to pay money and go see something live instead of on your computer or on your TV? Well, you should ask the people who buy football tickets versus the people who watch the game on TV. But seeing a vlog of London and standing on the banks of the River Thames are not interchangeable experiences.

525,600 minutes.

I knew a girl once.

I knew her since she first came home from the hospital, though I was pretty young too so the memory is a bit foggy. I still remember her first Halloween when I dressed up as Mulan and she was a pea pod. Even then, she was always smiling. While I wouldn't dare presume to say that she was one of the central players in my life,  her presence was definitely constant for a really long time.

She lived across the street and our paths would intersect every now and then. I was a mother's helper for her family when I was in 6th grade, oversaw her and her siblings during a birthday party in 8th grade and she and her siblings were the first and only kids that I have ever babysat.

Even though she was really young, I could tell that she was vivacious and clever and so so smart. But above all, she was kind. I was so nervous when I got to her house to babysit for the first time ever and I think she knew that. But she helped me get through the night by keeping her siblings in check and helping me come up with things to do. We danced together, played hide and seek and I taught her some yoga moves. I think at one point we even played a piano duet together. Somehow, this young girl had helped me through a night of taking care of others when I had barely gotten a grip of how to take care of myself. I was so grateful to her.

After that night, things in my life got busier and we moved away from our little town to start a new chapter. But then one day, I heard through the grapevine that she was sick. At the time, I didn't know just how sick and simply hoped that she would get better. Honestly, I don't think it ever occurred to me that she wouldn't get better. I thought that if anyone was going to beat it, she was. But more time passed and she didn't get better.

Last year, I got a phonecall from my best friend with the news that she had passed away.

She was ten years old.

I did not know then, nor do I know now, how to react. This girl is quite possibly the strongest person I have ever had the privilege of knowing. She fought so bravely for so long but somehow it wasn't enough. I question why it happened but I know that I will never get an answer, that there is no answer that will satisfy me. So I will say this:

She lived her life with more courage, conviction and passion than most people do their entire lives. She loved and was loved fiercely by everyone who knew her. I was lucky to be included in that number and I will never forget her.

That New Years thing I used to do

So I used to do these Facebook surveys because I was a super self-obsessed high schooler who thought they were introspective and cool and liked letting people know this fact. (I like to think I've gotten more subtle in my old age). But this seemed like it would be interesting so I pulled the one I did in 2007 transitioning into 2008 because that is exactly 5 years ago from now and put in my new answers as well. The original answers will be in this annoying shade of pink. So without further ado....



1 - Did you kiss anyone?
hm...if I told you, I'd have to kill you
When the occasion called for it

2 - Did you date anyone?
same as number 1
Yes...same person for awhile now...

3 - Are you going to kiss someone when the ball drops?
nope...unless my teddy bear counts
No, I was tired from flying all over the continent but I did manage to stay up so...brownie points?

4 - Did you lose any friends?
I think so...yes
Answer is the same as above

5 - Did you gain any friends?
YES!! and they are beyond awesome!!
Same case with this one

6 - Did you do something new?
sure, yea I think so
Yes; cooked for myself this summer and basically everything we did in lab was new. Also, I sailed in a regatta, went to a concert, went to Mixx froyo, and pulled an all nighter. I also went on my first out of state trip without my parents and got my first adult-ish job.

7 - Had a boyfriend/girlfriend?
same for 1+2
Surprisingly, the answer is the same for this too

8 - Did you change?
yes, very much so, as everyone thinks it fit to tell me.
I feel like that's kind of a hard question to answer about yourself but if I did, I hope it was for the better

9 - Are you happy with the year over all?
no. Actually, it sucked overall
Yeah it was pretty awesome

10 - Whats the best thing that happened to you?
I made a ton of new friends at Longy
Getting a tiara and Game of Thrones for my birthday was pretty sweet.

11 - Did you fall in or out of love?
nope, although I'd like to think I did, it wasn't really love
I don't know.

12 - Are you happy the year's almost over?
YES!!! I've been waiting for this for so long! I'm gonna burn my calendar
I'm kind of indifferent to it...I am glad the -semester- is over though!

13 - Are you going to change something about yourself next year?
we'll see...I don't really think that you can change yourself consciously, it just kinda happens
Still agree with young me

14 - Do you think 2008 will be a better year then 2007?
I really and truly hope so...if not; consider this my death note
On 2013 being better than 2012: I mean, I hope every year gets better but this past year will be hard to top.

20 - Did you go on a summer vacation?
yup
I went to NYC for a weekend, which was pretty baller.

21 - Did you lie to your parents?
um...I probably did, I just can't remember it right now
Agreed.

22 - Did you get into a fight?
a bitchy fight? sure
Probably more than I care to admit which is kind of weird because I don't think of myself as a confrontational person

23 - Did you leave the country?
nope not this time
Yes, to the fair shores of...Canada? 

24 - Did you have a good birthday?
It was ok I guess...
I was working on a lab. It was fun I suppose.

25 - Did anyone in your family get married?
she's not in my family but she's a really good friend
Yup, two cousins! 'Tis the season.

26 - Did you get any taller?
2 inches baby! whoot!
God, I wish.

27 - Did you dye your hair?
nope, but I kinda wish I did. Maybe next year (reddish brown?)
No I didn't but reddish brown is still not too bad of an idea. Maybe I'll use henna...thoughts?

26 - Who did you talk on the phone with most?
I'm a hermit and never talk on the phone...but I would have probably talked to Anna the most
D or my sister probably. 

29 - Did anyone sing to you?
maybe...you'll just have to keep wondering about that, won't you...?
D has tried to...

30 - Did you sing to anyone?
um...maybe. actually yea, probably did. Probably when we were all fooling around in Chorus
I sing to my roommate all the time, it's casual.

31 - Did anyone tell you they loved you?
yup
Yes

32 - Did you ever go to the hospital?
nope. they scare me
Yes but to work not because there was anything wrong with me. Side note: I don't find them scary anymore just a little melancholy.

33 - What did you drink and eat the most?
drink: water/green tea food: canned soup?
Drink: coffee/tea food: salad? Nah it's probably chocolate.

35 - Did you change your profile over 10 times?
psh...hell yea
If this refers to profile picture, then no but I do get bored with my cover photos pretty quickly.

36 - Did you get a tattoo?
nope
I didn't but I'm of legal age to get them now...though I hate pain so I probably won't.

37 - Did you vote?
I can't
HELL YEAH I DID.

38 - Are you going to make New Years resolution?
probably, but I never really bothered with them before, but we'll see.
Why wait until the New Year to make a change? Besides, my fitness schedules kind of go in cycles.

39 - Did you stick to your New Years resolution from last year?
prolly not cuz i dont even remember it... lol
I don't think I made any

40 - Think you'll date someone in 2008?
yea...well, we'll see.
In 2013?: It is highly likely.

41. - Where will you be when the ball drops?
at home, probably finishing up a movie with the fam fam...or else I'll crash over to the Winthrops' place if they're home
Haha I wish I could still just crash over to the Winthrops' place...it's kind of far away now so it would require a lot of premeditation to do that. Ironically enough, I did watch a movie at my house...and then promptly went to bed.

42 - Do you think you will make new friends in 2008?
i hope so, although I must say, the ones I've made this year were pretty friggin brilliant
Isn't that kind of the point of college?

43 - Are you hoping to meet someone special in 2008?
Of course I'm hoping for that, but I can't really control fate.
The jury is out on that one.

44 - How do you feel, another year has passed you by?
I kinda wish I could go back and do some things over again. I mean, it was a pretty yucky year and I didn't really feel like I was in control of my life. It's pretty hard when you had to let some things go forever, but I'm hoping to start again in 2008 and leave that all behind.

Laissez les bons temps rouler. It only gets more awesome.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some final thoughts: It's kind of weird to think about 5 years ago being 5 years ago because I literally felt like being a freshman in high school was like...yesterday. Then again I do remember when I was going through high school, college seemed elusive and unknown which was pretty fantastic: I felt like I could go anywhere I wanted. And while that kind of possibility is exhilarating to some extent, I definitely would not go back to be a high school freshman...ever. From what I remember, getting a boyfriend was my absolute priority(and somehow I thought that Facebook was the best way to pick up guys?) and even though I spent a lot of time doing my extracurriculars I don't think I actually appreciated them the way I do now. I can only imagine what 2018 has in store for me. 

Tiffany's favorite movies EVAR

Seeing highlights from the Golden Globes has made me a little nostalgic so I thought I would compile some of my all time favorite movies EVER for your entertainment. It's worth noting that most of these movies also happen to have great soundtracks(the true way to my heart), which I currently listen to on a fairly regular basis. A lot of these movies have stood the test of time and I still enjoy them now as I did when they first came out.

So without further ado....

1) The Parent Trap(1998) 

This is without a doubt one of my favorite movies of all time and will probably remain on this list until I die. I loved this film so much that I made my best friend make up a handshake up with me. In addition to making me really want to go off to summer camp, it also made me want to go to London really really bad. And not only was this my first introduction to the wonderful Nat King Cole(in addition to the Beatles), it also documents a time before LiLo went off the deep end and was actually kind of good at acting. I was however incredibly confused when first told that there was only one Lindsey Lohan. Mind. Blown.

2) Howl's Moving Castle(2004)
As of right now, this is still my favorite Studio Ghibli film and has been since I first saw it in middle school. A love story, magic and a brooding hero? What's not to love? (side note: it's completely ok plot wise that Sophie has to fix Howl because he is missing his heart. Literally. So don't pull any feminazi jargon on me). I really can't say enough about how beautiful the visuals really are...everything is done by hand so it's really like you're watching a moving painting. Not to mention that the score(compliments of Joe Hisaishi) is absolutely beautiful. Also, Howl may or may not have been my first anime crush.


3) Ever After: A Cinderella Story(1998)

"And while Cinderella and her prince did live happily ever after, the point, gentlemen, is that they lived."

Before Once Upon A Time and every other fairytale re-interpretation, there was Ever After, the re-telling of the Cinderella story where "Cinderella"'s bad ass aristocratic great grand daughter tells off the Grimm Brothers and sets the record straight. Angelica Houston was absolutely brilliant as the evil stepmother and Leonardo DaVinci was freaking hilarious. I still drool over the costumes because not only are they gorgeous, I was also starting to watch the original Disney movies around this time as well. Needless to say this is far superior in every way to the cartoon. Not to mention I also now happen to enjoy the chants of the Fransican monks but that's a post for another day.

4) Uptown Girls(2003)

I was more or less Rae(the little girl)'s age when this movie came out so needless to say I sympathized with her a little more than I did with the wild child, whimsical disorderly "adult". What's interesting though is that this story is kind of a coming of age for both characters: a reminder that being a kid is ok and that you can still be a dreamer when you're supposed to be a responsible adult.

5) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone(2001)

Still my absolute favorite Harry Potter movie to  date. Even though I saw this before I read the books, I still consider it one of the most honest representations of the Harry Potter world. Also, no one that we love dies(Quirrel and Nicholas Flamel don't count) and everything is still new and...well, magical. We were being introduced into magical London at the same time Harry was and even though I love the rich, dark backstory behind the rest of the Harry Potter stories, it's kind of nice to watch this again and really see quidditch and friendships and school without the dark looming cloud of misery that is Voldemort.

6) Shrek(2001) (the rest of the movies are pretty cool too)

Being only 8 when these first came out, the fart and earwax jokes were funny but there are always a lot more subtleties that come through when you rewatch "children's" movies as you age, primarily of the sexual nature but also other pop culture references. As you can see, I clearly have a thing for fairytales but this movie is absolutely hilarious even as it parodies everything about them that I love and it gets funnier every time I watch it.

7) My Big Fat Greek Wedding(2002)

This was when I realized that there are families out there that are crazier than mine. Also, it was the moment I decided that I am absolutely going to be responsible for everyone's dresses on my wedding day lest I become a snow beast. And yes, while the movie's humor is predominantly wedding centric because the cultural clash and fighting about invitations and dietary restrictions is funny, let's not forget that this all came about because Toula decided that she didn't like where her life was at and she decided to do something about it. Talk about Women Who Will.