Playlist: "WIP Summer"

It is currently raining. I have spend the past hour drilling assumption questions for my upcoming LSAT examination. Or, better said, I more or less wasted an hour because I could not be bothered to make sure I was putting my answers in the correct area.

Anyways, this summer has been a surreal and strange experience for me. In the final days of Spring, I was told that I needed to welcome change into my life in order to be a more complete person. So, I have been trying to improve myself. I tell myself to...Be more willing to try new things! Be less egotistical! Be more humble! Be more positive! Do not overthink silly nonsense! Be more present! Do not beat yourself up! Work harder! Do not be apathetic! 

Although this is a well-meaning endeavor, I have had to endure some awkward situations of me leaving my safety net or peer pressure. Which is not necessarily bad but different.

On the other side, I feel like the distinction between the girl I was in my teens and the girl who is currently in her twenties is more apparent. I am less angsty and insecure however, there is more to be done before I am to become a Totally Together Woman. (TTW)

The best way for me to characterize this Summer (2016) is a season where everything is Work in Progress (WIP). Whether it is me bettering myself, or me building the skills to do my best for my LSAT. And, the music that I have been listening to definitely fits into that theme.

Without further ado, I prepared a playlist of songs that I am currently listening to that characterizes my summer. I hope you enjoy!

(Also the artwork's image is open to the public domain. I did this strategically because your homegirl does not want to get sued!)

You can listen to it on Spotify

<3

- Vianey 

Heartbreak-dance Party: A Poem, A Post and A Playlist

Let’s start this shit with a sad poem that I wrote almost 2 weeks ago:

I am not your heart

I am not your breath

But your heart is what I breathe.

In and out and In and out,

I crave you,

You left me, a crushed purple

A bruised blue;

I work tirelessly to make you see me,

To make you breathe me;

In and out and in and out

I leave no trace,

Traces complicate, they activate, they resonate;

And your heart is bound

 To breathe someone else,

And I’m troubled,

I’m achy

I’m tired

I’m faking

I’m wired

I miss you,

And I’m hoping,

I’m wondering

Do you miss me too?

I knowwwwwww: CLICHE, but guess what:

               I wrote this poem at a time that I was sad and feeling horribly out of tune because heartache hit. Often, I find myself thinking that things could have gone a lot better, I could have been a lot better but the fact of the matter is, I did everything I could. I am not going to lie, at 19, I already find myself open to long lasting romantic experiences but like the weather that want changes and sometimes I think maybe I just need to have fun, so I do. I have come to realize that I know nothing of what I want but I know what I’m open to and I at least have an idea. Heartache, each time it comes, makes you learn and realize different shit. Here’s what I learned this time around:

1.      I don’t need to play games, I just need to follow my intuition.

I used to be a person that relied heavily on rules. I liked reading the love columns in magazines or reading and studying books such as He’s Just Not that Into You but to be quite honest, those rules have turned from everything to nothing real fast. I don’t need to wait a certain amount of time to text someone, I don’t care if it makes them think I’m interested in them and eager to talk to them especially if that’s the fucking truth. I don’t need to hear from them first, if I want to talk to someone, then I’m going to talk someone, chances are they’re just as eager to hear from me just like I am from them. It doesn’t matter if you’re a straight girl or the fem gay or the lipstick (STOP THE BINARY), god damn it, if you want to hear from them, do your part. Of course I am not saying that there is not no way he’s just not that into you, sometimes he really isn’t but the fact of the matter is you know yourself, you know your expectations and if that person is not buttering your bread, so to speak, then LET THEM GO. But you don’t need these games to establish whether or not this is the case, all you need is to listen to you. If they want to play games, let them, make your life simple.

2.      I don’t need to hear from him all the time.

I am perfectly fine being patient. I am young and hunty there are other boys that want to talk to me. Sure, I’d prefer to hear from him within a good amount of time that I texted him or that I last saw him but I don’t neeeeeedddd to hear from him all the damn time. There was a point where I felt the need to be clingy but to be quite honest, I don’t know that boy anymore. He ceases to exist. I have realized that people need space just as much as I do and that I have to respect when they do. I’ll wait and I’ll be fine, unless it’s been two weeks…. Bye Felicia.

3.      I LOVE talking on the Phone, it is way better than texting.

I had never had someone call me on the phone before this guy and let me tell you, now I know why it was all the rave when it was. Texting is okay but it is nothing like talking. When someone calls you, it makes everything feel much more real. Calling someone when you’re dating says: “I want to hear your voice,” and not in the creepy way either. It sparks things up and it’s just amazing, definitely I want to date guys who will call me.

4.      You can be friends if it ends up going meh, it’s kind of hard, but you can make it happen.

Being friends is definitely not the same as dating and friending someone you’ve dated is definitely not the same as just being friends but it can work. I won’t tell you it’s easy, because it’s not. You see, the thing with me is, when I care about someone, I care about them and there is no way of letting that go. Things will change though and you have to be ready for that. You won’t hear from them every day like you used to, you won’t get to kiss them or flirt with them… I mean you can but know that it will totally complicate things if you do and there still not wanting what you want. You’ll see there selfies or pictures and it’ll be hard because you know that they might be doing okay without you but you have to realize that you’ll be okay without them in the capacity that they once held in your life. You don’t have to be best friends hanging out the time, but you can be good friends and you can make it work, just breathe and let things happen as they are supposed to. Don’t be unfair to yourself either and be friends with them if all your expecting is for them to change their mind about what they want in the future, that day might not come, so be realistic. Care for them but without expectation.

5.      Heartache is Heartache and it will always SUCK so dance it out!

Listen to this playlist, the lyrics are sad but the tunes are rad so dance on and know my love that you will be just fine and there are other amazing guys/girls out there that will give you maybe not what you want, but what you need just like all the ones before. To the amazing guys I’ve had the opportunity of dating (If you’re reading this), thank you, we may not have made it but I can’t say it wasn’t worth it. Now Listen to your hearts content my pretties!

             

Muah Dah-lings!

-Jacob

Playlist: Sod Off

Sometimes people can really piss me off. (To be completely honest, I'm a little ball of anger.) So whenever I'm feeling angry, I have a select number of songs to play to reflect on the incident while I sing along to these wonderful tunes.

Note: The following songs and artists in this playlist are all considered my faves, so you should feel honored that I'm sharing them.

2nd Note: This playlist may or may not have been inspired by Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Sue me, Whedon!

You can listen to it via Spotify.

<3

- Vianey

Vianey is a nineteen year old self-identified ranter who can be easily wooed by funny three-dimensional TV characters. When she is not watching sitcoms, bugging her pets, or dancing sporadically she posts every now and then on Kaleidehscope.

Playlist: Girl Power in the '90s

Ever since I've been using it, the internet has been very good in inducing nostalgia. As a child of the 1990s, I constantly see posts praising the wonderful shows, music, technology, etc. of my youth. It's wonderful seeing posts like those because I would have never realized the powerful influence these objects would carry throughout my life.

Obviously, I've changed a lot from who I was as a kid. Now, I'm more into girl power and music. Therefore, I decided to compile a playlist of how those attributes evolved in the 1990s. I might have been digging these tunes as a toddler or I might have burly uncovered them as an almost-adult. However it might be, I still enjoy listening to these women with powerful voices in these classic tunes.

You can listen to it on Spotify.

<3

- Vianey 

P.S. Try to figure out which tunes I listened to as a kid. (Hint: I was a little Mexican girl.)

Vianey is a nineteen year old self-identified ranter who can be easily wooed by funny three-dimensional TV characters. When she is not watching sitcoms, bugging her pets, or dancing sporadically she posts every now and then on Kaleid-Eh-Scope.

An Honest Analysis on Crushes, Expectations, and Grand Romantic Gestures

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Even though they tend to crush your soul, crushes are nice. As depicted by this wonderful Buzzfeed video, crushes feel like…

I usually try to be very low key about my crushes since my shyness and awkwardness tends to not be endearing enough to win the affections of those I fancy. However, like most girls, I have spent various hours fantasizing an ideal future with my crushes and/or overanalyzing the most recent interaction that I’ve had with them. 

I’ll be honest, fantasizing and overanalyzing are not cute little harmless tidbits. They’re cruel and unfair thoughts to have because they create unrealistic expectations for others. It is highly unlikely for people to meet the expectations you've set for them. Not everyone is going to wow us the way that we yearn to be wowed. (Stupid ‘80s Coming-of-Age movies! They made me believe so many things. Cute boys don’t always go around making grand romantic gestures, John Hughes! (RIP) Gosh!) Once our crushes disappoint us by being human we will inevitably begin to feel devastated and disillusioned…

#SorryNotSorry Expectations are unfair for everyone. It’s a lose-lose! Take that one scene where Regina Spektor’s song “Hero” plays as Tom Hansen expects he and Summer to get back together in (500) Days of Summer. 

The accuracy in this scene is brutal! Those “secured” expectations that Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character has going into that party ended up making him sad and depressed for a really long time. (I refuse to discuss more about this movie since I love it too much to admit it’s problematic nature.)

—————————————————————Segway—————————————————————

Let’s talk about where my unrealistic expectations of crushes come from: Grand Romantic gestures that hotties from 1980s movies did for their significant others.

I, like a large portion of the internet, love seeing pictures or videos of people doing grand romantic gestures for the ones they love. Things like creative wedding proposals or prom-posals are entertaining to watch. It warms our hearts like videos of puppies taking their first steps. However, we don’t talk much about grand romantic gestures that aren’t reciprocated without making fun of them. 

We are quick to judge and call that girl stuck-up or rude, even though we don’t know her entire situation. Maybe it was too soon for him to be proposing. Or maybe she doesn't like him anymore because he doesn't listen to what she has to say. Whatever the reason she has for turning him down by hitting him with a small guitar please be aware that being turned down is not a bad thing. Sometimes we aren’t attracted to others that might be attracted to us. It happens. Science can better explain this with the Dobler-Dahmer Theory. 

The Dobler-Dahmer Theory from How I Met Your Mother explains the effectiveness of grand romantic gesture by taking into account the most important but sometimes forgotten variable of crushes: How does the other person feels you?

"If both people are into each other, then a big romantic gesture works: Dobler, but if one person isn't into the other, the same gesture comes off serial-killer crazy: Dahmer.”

The Dobler-Dahmer Theory Hypothesis: If romantic interest is high, grand romantic gesture is more likely to be effective. Or if romantic interest is low, grand romantic gesture is more likely to be ineffective. 

(Note: The Dobler portion of the theory comes from the popular 1989 movie “Say Anything” with John Cusack portraying Lloyd Dobler. If you’re not quite sure what movie this is, it’s the movie where John Cusack is holding a boom box up high playing “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel. This is Lloyd Dobler’s grand romantic gesture for his girlfriend Diane Court. It’s all very romantic.

Jeffrey Dammer, on the other hand, was an American serial killer. (Don’t google before going to sleep unless you want to be severely paranoid.))

So, let's say that you decided to take a chance and try out a grand romantic gesture with someone special.

If you took a chance and it worked. Good for you! I wish you well!

If you took a chance and it didn’t work…That sucks! However, please respect the other person’s decision. If they don’t feel the same way that you feel about them, then they don’t feel the same way that you feel about them. Contrary to what movies will tell you to do, there isn’t much you can do to change their mind. Please, don’t be creepy and leave them alone! Even though it didn’t work out, I hope that soon you’ll find someone that loves and appreciates your grand romantic gestures. Until then, I wish you well!

If someone takes a chance with you and you don’t feel the same way about them, then know that you DON’T owe them your affections. It’s flattering that they like you but, don’t feel like you’re stuck having to reciprocate your feelings. Don’t let others manipulate you into being in a relationship that you don’t want to be in! And, don’t lead others on! Be honest, stern, and unapologetic. Remember, you don’t owe anyone your affections!

—————————————————————Segway—————————————————————

Now, I will end this article with a bunch of conundrums because that is what love looks like. A bunch of nonsensical explanations that will make sense to only those that were crazy enough to take a chance and it worked.

Even though crushes are nice, they are soul crushing. It's unfair to have unrealistic expectations of others however, don't let that stop you from expecting good things will happen to you. Screw people that are quick to judge and call stuck up or a head in the clouds for your thoughts on romance. Romantic gestures are only romantic to those that want romance with you. Don't get angry or creepy whenever someone doesn't reciprocate your feelings. 

I wish you well. Now go listen to my "Realistic Crush" playlist on Spotify. This playlist is excellent for when you're crushing on someone or crushing bones. This is perhaps the most versatile playlist we've done yet. 

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<3

-Vianey

Vianey is a nineteen year old self-identified ranter who can be easily wooed by funny three-dimensional TV characters. When she is not watching sitcoms, bugging her pets, or dancing sporadically she posts every now on then, mostly on Friday.

GRRL Gang Playlist

(Image from Laura Callaghan)

Happy International Women's Day!!! In order to celebrate, we decided to compile playlist of rad women that can write, rock, and wail...Take that patriarchy.

We hope you find the time to celebrate the wonderful women in your lives today. We wish that all you lovely women out there feel unstoppable, empowered, and beautiful. You all have something amazing to offer to the world and don't you forget it.

<3
The Kaleidehscope Team

Playlist available on 8tracks

GRRL Gang from Kaleidehscope on 8tracks Radio.

 or Spotify

Uninspired DIY: Writing Letters in 2015

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I realize that many of you know how to write letters and believe that writing letters should be a basic understanding within the world. However, ever since the emergence of the internet, people don’t need to write letters as much as we used to. The internet makes communication with those far from us easy, fast, and free. 

Nevertheless, there is something special and personable about writing letters to someone that you care about. Take Sam Shakusky’s and Suzy Bishop’s love affair in Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom (2012). It was innocent and sweet, and it all started out with correspondence letters between the two. 

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Writing letters is a nice gesture that doesn’t need require romance to be special. They can be send to your friends, parents, enemies…

As of lately, some of my friends have moved away. It’s hard to keep in touch. We all have school. Therefore, I figured that letter writing was a nice sentiment to use as compensation. The letters will remind my pal about the great aspects of our friendship as well as serving as a medium for miscellaneous conversations. (Although, I haven’t really gotten around to writing any, I did buy the materials I needed for writing and I also informed myself on how to mail them.) Therefore, I’d like to share with you the ways to write and send letters in 2015. 

Bonus: I also included a playlist so that you can have fun with this process. (Yes, this playlist totally features the score from Moonrise Kingdom to spike productivity.)

Materials 

• Paper
• Pen
• Envelopes
• Stamp(s)
• Pictures (if applicable)

(There are many ways to get these materials. The simpler solutions would be to just buy a stationery set, or buy a one dollar pack of fifty envelopes, or simply get the paper from the printer. However, since I yearn to be cute and I couldn’t find any inexpensively cute stationery sets, I decided to customize my letters with adorable materials that I found at Office Depot. Which include these cloud-printed envelopes and these pink-colored sheets of paper.)

Instructions

1. Think of something to write and write it.

Thinking of content to have in your letter might be somewhat overwhelming. It’s like, “What aspects of my life do I share with you, friend?” Well, I’ve taken it upon myself to help you ease the brainstorming process with a nice and simple outline. (Do remember that you don’t have to follow this outline because you’re an individual and you can make your own decisions. All of these are just suggestions.)
Don't forget to be as honest and frank with your writing. We all appreciate humblebrags but remember that you're writing to your pal, not your enemy.

a. Introduction

It's up to you to decide the content of the introduction. Fret not guys, you do not require a thesis. Letters can definitely act as “Lonely Scattered Thoughts”. (A word Kristal coined in her article about theses.)  

Maybe start off by reminding the person about your appreciation and love towards them before you get to the nitty gritty.

b. Recall past event that you shared with the one that will receive the letter
This is made so that the other person remembers how much they appreciate and miss hanging out with you.

c. Anecdote(s)
Anecdotes are fun because they create a connection of happiness and nostalgia between you two. 

d. Updates
Share with your friend the new updates of your life. Don’t be afraid of getting deep and real with them.

e. Offer suggestions and ask hypothetical situations
This is all part of the pretty scheme that makes the other person correspond back.

f. Conclude
Say what you must to wrap up your thoughts.

I wrote a sample letter showcasing the usefulness of this outline. You can see it below. (Or if the print is too small for your eyes then you can read the letter and all of its contents here.)

2. (Optional) Include pictures, magazine scraps, newspaper scraps, CD’s, etc..

Envelopes can secure within themselves our letters and whatever images we decide to attach. Just remember that if you do include an attachment please explain it for whoever your writing for. You don’t want the person to end up confused by the image you provide. (Unless you want them to end up confused.) For example, in the sample letter that I provided above, I included a photo that I found of my mom being a fashion blogger before it was cool. I made sure to explain the image within the letter so that my friend doesn't end up confused.

3. Insert the letter and all attachments in the envelope

Basic tip: Fold your letter(s) like you would fold a flyer.

4. Seal it in an envelope

Lick the seal. Or add cool holographic stickers because the glue from the seal tastes gross.

Money Saving Tip: If you’re using the U.S. Postal Service make sure you’re using a rectangular envelopes to mail your letter. Square envelopes, doesn't matter if they're smaller in size than some rectangular envelopes, are more expensive to mail.

5. Add the Addresses

It’s crucial to know the address of the person that you’re sending the letter to. If not then there is no point of writing the letter because they will never get it. 

Their address goes in the middle of the envelope. The format of placing the address goes as follows. (This format is solely used for the correspondence of people living in the United States)

Person’s Name

Address 

(P.O. Box if applicable)

City, State, Zip Code

On the left hand side of the envelope should be the return address. Or were you put your address. This format is the same as the first one.

Your Name

Address

(P.O. Box if applicable)

City, State, Zip Code

6. Stamp it

(This is the most boring and expensive part of letter writing.) Stamps are a fee used by the Postal Service which signifies that your letter is ready for mailing. Each stamp has a specific estimated value and it also serves as a measuring device to see how much weight your letter hold. Letters that are within 1 oz. only require one stamp. If your letter is heavier, you may require additional stamps.

There are different ways in which you can get the stamps. Your local Walgreens probably carries $9.20 stamp booklets that have 20 stamps within them. Or if you go to your local Postal Service they’ll charge you $0.49 per stamp.

(This was so boring to write.)

7. Mail it. 

Place letter(s) in the nearest Blue Mailbox to you.

---

I hope you all have fun writing your letters. If it all fails then that's fine. You can always use social media or email. (However, if you're using email then, you're definitely stuck in the 1990s). 

<3

- Vianey

Vianey is a nineteen year old self-identified ranter who can be easily wooed by funny three-dimensional TV characters. When she is not watching sitcoms, bugging her pets, or dancing sporadically she posts every Friday on Kaleid-Eh-Scope.

A Wish for My Innocence

It's called Crossing Over from JacobHenrie on 8tracks Radio.

Sometimes it's okay to just lie on your kitchen floor and think. I made this playlist for thinkers, for

 lovers of life, for those trying to find a reason. Today is for you, tomorrow is too, do what you love

and love what you do. You is kind, you is smart, you is important.



-Jacob

Playlist: Nostalgic for Yesterday and Tomorrow

As we grow older, no matter what stage of our lives we may be in, time becomes a precious thing. Whether the word 'time' makes you think of your tight schedule, sparks good memories, or drives you to ponder on your future, time makes itself known to us in many ways.

I know that as I get closer to hitting the big 2-0, I feel compelled to hold on as tight as I can to my teen years. I also know not much will change just because I'll soon identify myself by a different number, but I can't help but feel caught between the nostalgic pull of my past and the call of an unfamiliar voice from my future. Being caught in this tug-of-war of time can be hard to put into words. It's a myriad of magical memories, could haves, should haves, what if's, and "what will be's".

The songs I've shared today know how to articulate the bitter and sweet emotions that overwhelm us when we think about time. I hope they help you relish in the moment and pause time only if for a second.

Find some of my fav lines from each song while you listen:

1. We'll laugh until our ribs get tired

2. That we are fucking up our lives

but we are having a good time

3. Tryin' to find the part of me my friends all miss

4. But time betrays me & I get older one more year

5. When I can hardly walk & my hair falling out, we'll still stay up till morning

6. If we're both not married by 25, I hope that there's some childish spark still alive

7. I play the number's game to find a way to say that life has just begun

8. I wanna shine on in the hearts of men, I want a meaning...

Nostalgic For Yesterday and Tomorrrow from Kaleidehscope on 8tracks Radio.

:-)

Kristal

Miscellaneous Saturdays: Feel Good Playlist

(Playlist by Vianey, Kristal, & Jacob)

The beginning of the Spring 2015 term is just around the corner. When school is in process, it's very easy to get overwhelmed and stressed. One way that helps us unwind is listening to music. This never fails to improve our moods! This is our picks for “feel good” songs.

Although these songs are varied in tempo, style, and mood, they make each of us feel good in different ways. We hope of these songs have the same magical effect on your ears while lifting any blues away

(Playlist Available on Spotify)

Hoping that you'll feel all of those good vibes,

- The Kaleid-Eh-Scope Crew