That would me. And that would be my boss-man face.

MY FIRST ONLINE EVENT COVERAGE PIECE!

READ IT HERE:http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/news/recreation-and-wellness-center-hosts-celebration-of-new-facility-1.2821879 

READ IT HERE:http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/opinion/teen-victim-ignored-in-steubenville-rape-case-1.2819637 

We’re either your long lost family or members of an Aryan race cult.

I have gotten on the most bizarre sleeping schedule of all time. It’s 4:20, and I might not be smoking hash (do you smoke hash?) but I am wide awake. Yesterday I slept until five in the afternoon, then stayed up ‘till noon this morning, until passing out until nine tonight. And the cycle begins again.

I don’t mind this new outlook on life, it seems to be the rest of the world that does. When you sleep during the day and do everything else at night, you establish a bit of a loner rep. Now I’m not running out to buy a trench coat and duffel bag, but I have felt the sudden sting of loneliness from time to time. Let’s move on before this turns into a porno about a lonely housewife and the plumber/pool boy/milk man.

But I have made some new and interesting friends since becoming a woman of the night-DAMN, I’m a natural for the porno biz..sad. Last night, I heard an actual owl “hooting” outside my dorm window. I like how I say “actual owl” as if I’m afraid people won’t believe me. So while you little gungans were all nestled in your beds, spooning with a pillow, I was having an intellectual conversation with AN ACTUAL LIVE OWL!!! 

And by bitch, I mean me. 

Remember when I used to post something everyday? Neither do I. Well I’m changing that right here, right now. Got your white tee-shirt on nice and snug? Good, because I’m about to hose you down with quite possibly some empty promises. 

I was just reading through some of my old review posts, and just couldn’t stop thinking to myself, “Damn, I’m funny.” Too conceited? Okay, “Damn, I’m hideous.” Too pitiful? Sorry I don’t know how to work this metaphorical self esteem switch.

I have no clue what I’m going to post, when I’m going to post it, how I’m going to post it-wait, I’m going to use Tumblr, the site I’m using to post right now. I got caught up in the 5 W’s. Well actually “how” isn’t a -FOCUS Caroline. 

Sometimes this thing takes control of my hands and brain and makes me type whatever I’m thinking about. Just kidding, I do it on purpose for comic effect. 

What is this post about? See what I did there… Any-twizzlers, no longer will this be the blog you debate whether or not to unfollow because there’s never anything new. To my credit, I have been posting links to my CFF articles-INSERT SHAMELESS PLUG, GO READ MY ARTICLES ASSHOLES.

Bottom line. Don’t read this blog while drinking milk because I cannot be held legally accountable for any damage to you personal computer…or nose.

This is the face of a serious journalist…

CLICK THE PHOTO TO READ MY ARTICLE!

Read it HERE!

My name is Caroline Glenn, and it’s pronounced Care-oh-line. You would think that’s self explanatory, but apparently not. I am a second semester freshman here at UCF. I am planning to major in Journalism with a minor in digital media. If you had asked me 4 years ago what I wanted to be when I “grew up”, I would have replied, a teacher. But when I realized I’d have to wake up at 6:00 AM for the rest of my God forsaken life, let’s just say, that ship sailed itself.

For a few years I was in future-career-limbo. And then one day it hit me, like a snobby popular girl telling me my drugstore coverup was doing a slack job to hide my “zitty” exterior. Literally. I did what any 16 year old would do. I wrote about it on my blog. It got a lot of attention at my high school, probably because I “forgot” to replace my peers’ actual names with pseudo names. Whoops. After a few passive aggressive pieces about my fellow classmates and overall dissatisfaction with the world, I realized I could use my powers for good instead of evil. I devoted my blog to the art of writing. Everyday I wrote a sassy new review, whether it covered The Hunger Games movie, the 2012 Presidential Election, or my new fake tanner. I also discovered my love for writing short stories, and by that I mean, discovered that, thanks to video games, most people only have an attention span of about five minutes.

About a year later, I took the next step in my internet adventures. Video blogging, also known as “vlogging” which is annoying word because computers always try to auto-correct it to “blogging”. I started a YouTube channel almost a year ago, and it has reached almost 700 subscribers who tune in for comedy, tutorials, stories, or whatever I decide to vomit out in front of the camera that day. I film in my dorm room, which was a little awkward at first with a random roommate, and edit the footage myself. It has really become an amazing passion. One of my 2013 resolutions is to reach 1500 subscribers. 

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” 
― Confucius 

I wait for sleep but it will not come, it’s forgotten me again.

When it makes its rounds from room to room, my eyes are spared of sand.

Yet every night I lay myself down; the thirst for sleep remains unquenched.

And when it comes, I spit it up, unable to stomach the rest.

……………………………………………………….…………………………….

My eyelids are all aflutter, levitating above my eyes.

The long lashes tickles my face, like sweet kisses full of goodbyes.

Alas, my eyes peel back to reveal fat pupils dilated in full.

Then the morning bright pours in the brilliant light, and quickly burns them dull.

……………………………………………………………………………………….

Nights are not for sleeping, and mornings not for waking.

These hours are meant for living, not for dreaming of dream living.

It spoke to me; the ceiling did. The slanderous lie of white slab hanging above me. No matter how many summers of eggshell white paint they caked on, the gross impurities of its past could not be erased. Sloppy brush marks and dried bubbles further insulted the vain attempt. 

Soon the room began to melt. The white washed walls crumbled around me, while the terrible wax of deceit dripped onto my face. It got in my eyes and mouth until I could hardly see my way out. I laid in bed and let the paint crust over until I was helplessly glued to the bed. 

Thick clay bled into the carpet, and revealed a monstrosity above me. I heard the roof give, and the walls started closing in. The unmasked sin sank lower and lower until the tip of my nose touched the icy concrete. 

My only chance was to pry myself from the pastey bed. My back arched in a manner inhuman until my skin began to rip from the cotton sheets. I scraped my legs off of the sticky slate, first starting at the knee and slowly moving down to my toes. Right before     my lips nearly kissed the ceiling, I ripped my head from the gooey pillow, not leaving too many hairs behind, and flung my body onto the floor. 

My hands sunk into the wet rug, fully immersed in the pool of lies. I crawled over to the vanity, treading water. When I made it there I was waist deep.

With shaky arms I grasped onto the countertop, and pulled my heavy carcass up, muscles spasming. Soaked, I stared into the mirror, only to see a pruney face staring back. Straw like hair, bleached dry. I opened up the door in the mirror, and found my answer. Found my escape. A path which would lead me away from the truth painted up on the ceiling. One that would make the walls stop, and lift the roof up into the heavens.

Going through the doorway only hurt a little. Like that of a quick sting from a bee. The room was filled with warm blankets that engulfed me, wrapped their arms around me into a snug embrace. But then it turned cold. 

I went back the way I came. Jumped through the reflected opening, dove off the countertop into the dirty ocean, and swam to my bed. My arms were very tired when I made it there. I laid them down, palms toward the sky, by my hips. And then ever so sweetly, I tumbled into sleep.

And just like I’d hoped, the walls receded back to their home, and the angels themselves seemed to lift the ceiling from my body. Then they came back, to lift me as well.

          The current buzz on every news station, in every magazine, and all over the web is the release of the offensive viral video “Innocence of Muslims”. This video, which depicts the prophet Mohammed as a womanizing and violent sexual deviant, was put up on the popular website YouTube by an American citizen from Egypt. But the real story is what followed.

            Several days later, the nation of Pakistan was up in arms. Muslim citizens vandalized local buildings and threw rocks at police officials. Protest turned to chaos, when the police forces of Pakistan fired tear gas and live ammunition into the crowd of demonstrators, leaving seventeen dead. Government officials have demanded that the United States remove the insulting video from YouTube completely, but this has yet to be done. Deaths linked to the hatred sparked by this film have continued over the past several weeks.

            Although I understand how hurtful and insensitive this video is to those who practice Islam, and see the violence from which ensued, I do not believe the producer of said film intended the result of his actions. The film has already been taken down from YouTube in several countries, excluding the United States. I support the decision of U.S. government officials, for the video neither violates the terms and conditions of YouTube nor those of any current legislation.

            I am familiar with the policies of YouTube, for I myself am a content creator for this website and take part in video blogging. The regulations laid out by YouTube prohibit any publishing which include copyrighted material or inappropriate images such as pornography. While this video was a hateful attack on the Islam faith, it did not breach the policies of YouTube.

            While of course I’m in support of religious harmony and tolerance, I can understand the opinion non-Muslims may have toward those who practice Islam, for it is one of the few faiths that does not uphold the golden rule, do unto those what you would want done unto you. Instead, it limits this staple of morality to only Muslims. On top of that, the Qur’an, the doctrine and basis of Islam, instructs its followers to kill all those who do not follow the words of Mohammed. Yes, this video sparked a surge of violence, but perhaps the film itself was the spawn of motivation to reveal the unethical teachings of Islam.

            The topic of discussion in class has been on the interpretation of the constitution and bill of rights. The U.S. government officials, who are currently trying to deal with the issue in Pakistan, are faced with this same topic. The first amendment upholds a person’s freedom of speech and freedom of expression. There are two different types of offensive speech, hate speech and fighting words. Hate speech is defined as hostile but nonviolent speech aimed at a group of people based on race, religion, ethnicity, sex, or sexual orientation. Whereas fighting words are direct personal insults made against a specific person or persons, which inflict injury or incite a breach of the peace. This specific case is an example of hate speech, so the producer of the film, technically, has done nothing wrong. 

            While other countries consider blasphemy an illegal act, America promotes freedom of religion, which is complemented by the freedom of not practicing a religion. Pakistani leaders have not only called for the removal of this video from the Internet, but also the execution of its creator. But to carry out their wishes would be an unconstitutional decision. This person had the right to negatively speak of Islam and Mohammed, and also has the right to practice or not practice any religion he so chooses.

            All in all, this occurrence is directly connected to the issue of freedom of expression. The answer is not in black in white, because different countries have different opinions on what its citizens should be able to freely say. Pakistan and the United states have opposing ideas regarding how to handle this situation, because one is a militaristic dictatorship and the other a federal republic, respectively. Personally, I think those involved in cooling down the matter have made wise decisions in dealing with the video according to the laws of each country involved.

Me. All day.

MY SUPERNOTE FOR #TEAMDAILYGRACISTS

“It’s hard to find people who will love you no matter what. I was lucky enough to find one of them.” -Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City

This girl, this blazing spirit. A beautiful mess of blonde curls and freckles. A masterpiece of translucent skin and baby blue eyes. A lightning bolt of intensity, and gentle wave of kindness. 

This friend, this life form of awesomeness. A jar of giggles always at my disposal. Years of memories, put neatly away in a filing cabinet, only to be flung into the air. A thing of beauty, that nearly takes my breath away. 

This sister, this dazzling array of light. I am left speechless by the way she moves, in awe at the words she speaks. To catch her eye for even a moment, warms my heart near bursting. To hold her hand in mine, turns everything to gold.

This soul mate, this sweet angel. From heaven’s gates you came to me, and I thank God everyday. A ball of raw energy, and display of flawless grace. However, I became so lucky, I suspect I’ll never know. But through the years, of this I’m sure, our love with continue to grow.

My dearest Emma, my girl, my sister, my friend, my soul mate, stay with me forever.