1. An interesting, yet infuriating, seed I saw this week was a tiktok. In the tiktok, it said that the looters officers arrested were affiliated with White Supremacist groups. Of course, you’re thinking “It’s just TikTok, how valid is it?” So I did some research and, shocker, it’s true. I am just utterly mystified as to why these supremacists felt the need to vandalise businesses during the protest. It’s obvious that the public would misunderstand this as something done by the protesters, and maybe that was the goal. However, in a world that already has so much hate, just why was it necessary to add even more?
2. Did I enjoy blogging? Someday’s, yes I did; other day’s, not so much. Whenever I had something fun or interesting to write about I would be happy to blog, other times it felt like a chore. I enjoyed reading my classmates blogs because it gave me ideas about what to blog about and how to differently word my blog. I think it was beneficial during the outbreak to have an outlet to communicate because it gave me a place to vent, share different activities and to see how everyone else was doing.

Yesterday night my friends and I had a netflix party. We used Netflix’s newest feature to watch the same movies while on zoom. I honestly really enjoyed this experience and recommend it to anyone who has Netflix. Even though we weren’t physically together, my friend group was able to talk and enjoy the movie together in real time. It was really fun and probably the most I’ve talked in a while even though we were watching a movie. But Netflix isn’t required to do this, you can also video-call your friends and watch something else together. While social distancing bike rides and walks outside are good, sometimes you just want to talk to your friends and hangout together. I think Netflix Party is a great way to engage with each other and enjoy some of your favorite shows and movies together.

I have officially run out of things to do. I baked, exercised, did schoolwork, binged netflix; I even cleaned! Then I realized, there was one thing I didn’t do…re-organize my room. So, I started cleaning out my closet, then my desk, then the little drawers next to my bed (even though there was nothing in them in the first place). As I was doing this, I thought to myself, “Wow, the way I structured my room makes it look really small.” So I decided, I’m gonna renovate my room, and by renovate I mean move around my furniture. After that, I spent the entire day (until 4 am) moving my bed, desk and little tables around until I liked how they looked. My parents had no idea this was happening until they came to say goodnight, and they were definitely shocked. But, the outcome is very nice! I have a lot more room and I’m planning on making a “chill zone” in the corner where when quarantine ends, my friends and I can hangout in. I definitely recommend this “activity” if you dislike how your room looks and have the muscles to move your furniture : ).

Personally, I love this song. Taylor Swift protests the familiar grievances against double-standards that all women face, knowingly and unknowingly. I remember while listening to this song, I kept thinking, “Wow, that’s so true! Why would a woman be labeled this when a man would be praised as that?”

The NYT article on this song opened up to a series of complex insights on the lyrics and just what they symbolise. For example, the wage gap that Swift has been extremely vocal about, and the references to the #METOO movement. Every lyric in the song holds so much meaning and overall anger at society.

One thing that stood out to me while listening was when she referenced her dating life. I’ve read many articles and seen many posts detailing Taylor Swifts dating life, all poking fun at her for never making a relationship stick and for writing songs about them. But I’ve never seen an article about a man in similar status to her, ridiculing their love life. Why is that?

The message Taylor Swift conveys in The Man will be interpreted differently by different people. Some will say she is exaggerating, while others will agree. In this case, I think this song is poetry because it allows for a broad range of opinions and interpretation. The message in poetry varies from person to person, and new viewpoints arise with every analysis of it. The reason why The Man is so powerful is because it makes us question ourselves about things we knew existed and things that we let happen unconsciously.

Honestly, this photo of protests taking place is frustrating. The entire point of quarantining is to self-isolate and limit our contact with others. By going out and gathering in mobs, these people are blatantly disregarding the isolation and putting many more at risk. Because of their inability to stay at home, these protesters put not only themselves at risk to the virus, but also those they live with. It’s understandable to want to go outside and see people and work, however there is a good reason for us not to! It’s to stay safe and protect our health. The saying is “Better safe than sorry”. So many people are doing their best to flatten the curve and stay isolated, so why can’t they do the same? This situation reminds me of the times when a teacher punishes the entire class for something one person did, because that one person just couldn’t follow the rules.

Well, it’s not entirely new but it is something that I’ve started doing more often. I finally finished a landscape painting that I started last year which I could never find the time to do. Even though quarantine does have me going stir crazy, I have uncovered different ways to fill my time with things other than sleeping and Netflix. I am currently working on a watercolour piece on my iPad using the Procreate app. I like digital art a lot because its so much neater and you can use layers, decreasing the amount of time wasted on waiting for paint to dry. Also, I love that there are many brush options for me to use; allowing me to experiment with different styles. Most importantly, I really love the undo button because I make a lot of mistakes. This rediscovered hobby, thankfully, is also time consuming. It takes a lot of time to think of what you want to draw, searching up reference items and then actually drawing it! However, it is definitely something I recommend doing. Even though I’m not the best artist, I still have fun drawing little pictures and experimenting with different styles and ideas.

Memoirs don’t usually top my list of books to read because I usually find them to be boring and excessively long, however Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan was neither boring or excessively long. I really enjoyed reading her memoir. The memoir focuses on her struggle with her autoimmune disease, the process of diagnosing it and recovery. For those that don’t know, an autoimmune disease is essentially where your body attacks itself; causing immense damage. Detailing her downward spiral with this unknown disease, author Cahalan did a great job describing her symptoms and clarifying any confusing medical jargon. To be honest, I expected the memoir to be saturated with emotion and pathos. But contrary to my expectations, Cahalan wrote directly and kept everything to the point. I am glad that I read this book not only because of all the new things I learned, but also because it has helped me gain a sense of awareness towards the illnesses that patients battle and the ones with with nameless diseases.

To me, personally, the only thing that has really changed is the absence of school and the ability to leave the house. I feel that quarantine has affected my family more so than it has myself. Fore example, my sister is a senior in high school so this quarantine has definitely dampened her senior hype. Spring break trips are canceled, and future event dates remain hazy. My parents are now working from home, constantly in meetings or conference calls. There is a constant hum of people talking droning in the background right now as I type. My family friend who usually goes to a boarding school up north has no choice but to stay with us during this period of confusion because she is an international student and her family is back in China. The effect of coronavirus on people ranges in different sizes and difficulties. The only thing that we can do is practice social distancing and do our best to support the medical staff who are working 24/7 to fight for their patients lives.

I don’t. However many people do, especially senior citizens. Frankly, the virus is horrible. Many people are suffering in hospitals, some dying. Doctors are struggling to save patients, going without sleep and rest. Hundreds of students kicked out of college/boarding schools who don’t have anywhere to go. In fact, a family friend of mine is currently staying with us because the rest of her family is in China and she doesn’t have anyone to stay with but us. As for the people without the virus, we are in a softer version of isolation. School is cancelled, there are almost no cars on the road and everyone is holed up at home. Yesterday I went on a walk around the neighbourhood and it freaked me out. There was no one, I swear I didn’t even see a squirrel. It was like I was the only one left on earth.

One extremely important “seed” or problem brought to light in the midst of this virus outbreak is the underlying racism against Asians. All of a sudden, there has been an increase of violence agains Asians. Attacks against Asians are now a common headline in the media, showcasing (usually) an elderly man or woman of Asian descent being attacked by gangs or even just people on the street. Chinese grocery stores and restaurants are avoided like the plague, and people stay away from anyone even remotely resembling an Asian. Even though Italy has the second highest amount of Coronavirus cases, no one is boycotting Italian food or people of Italian descent. Fun fact: The coronavirus isn’t passed through genes, and it doesn’t justify racism against Asians. If anyone thought otherwise, racism is still very much alive.

In the book “The Feminist Agenda of Jemima Kincaid”, the main character Jemima Kincaid goes through the book trying to figure out what being a feminist means and how to get it right. Her self-identity of a warrior feminist has shaped the way she thinks and acts (tough and unyielding). However, as she grows and matures, she realises she can be a feminist without constantly hating on those around her.

One argument she often came up against was “women already have freedom” and this isn’t true. Jemima says that even though women can work and make money, there is still a significant wage gap and men have the legal protection against gender discrimination at work while women don’t. Furthermore, there is a difference in the way women are treated in society. Jemima sees how the Triumvir leaders (Student council presidents) have always been male; and are expected to be male. Telling us that instinctively, we have grown up believing that men are best suited in positions of power.

Jemima Kincaid is fierce. She’s confident and isn’t ashamed for fighting for what she believes in. This leads her to be known as angry and aggressive. However, when Andy (the triumvir leader) fights for what he believes in, he is praised. Honestly, anyone would be angry if they were in Jemima’s position. Jemima used logic and experience to explain the inequality, and yet she is dismissed as an “angry woman”.

Another point that Jemima often encountered was the claim that “feminism is sexist/oppression against men”. Oppression goes only in one direction. From the privileged oppressor to the oppressed; this is most definitely not what feminism is. The dictionary definition is the theory of the political, economical, and social equality of the sexes. No where in the definition does it mention discriminating against men. Sexism is where a certain gender or sex is discriminated against, to the point where they are seen as less than or inferior to the dominant group. Though controversial, that is the truth. Can women be biased against men? Yes definitely, however, since women are not in a greater position of power socially, it cannot be defined as oppression or sexism. Though everyone is hurt by misogyny and patriarchy (unfair expectations), men are not oppressed by women.

Feminism is the construction of gender equality, nowhere in the definition is there any intent of going against anyone. Jemima slowly learns this lesson throughout the course of the book, and through that process begins to understand herself better as well.