Jersey Shore = horrible representation of humanity

So recently, I have heard people saying, "This is a situation" and "Its T-shirt time" everywhere I go. I was so confused. When I asked Nerissa why they were saying such things she explained that they repeating lines from this new reality show called Jersey Shore. I then asked what it was about and she said the entire show was about people getting drunk, doing not-so-appropriate things and looking like fools in the process. She said some episodes were funny at times but others went too far. I was curious so the next night it was on, I decided to see for myself what everyone liked about it (I do not like judging people, shows, etc. based on what other people tell me; I like to form my own opinion). I literally turned it off within the first five minutes. I was completely appalled at their behavior and crude jokes in that short time span. I could not imagine watching a whole hour of the same nonsense. First of all, that is not even close to what reality is. Second, why in the world is it a TV show? And third, who in their right mind decided to pay them millions of dollars for continuing to participate in such scandalous and immoral activities.
Personally, I am beyond disappointed of the fact that people are insecure and immature enough to look toward this show for entertainment. They are corrupting our youth by creating an unrealistic image of what is "cool". Adolescents are still becoming comfortable in their own skin and just want to be accepted by their peers. They do not need to witness such trashy behavior and think this is a way of "fitting in". Preserve our innocent youth, protest Jersey Shore!

Miracles can happen

I'm sure everyone has heard of the relatively recent rescue of the 33 Chilean miners that were trapped underground for 68 days. Personally, I don't think I would have been able to handle such small living quarters but I admire their faith in the Lord to bring them safely home. Events such as this remind me that miracles really can happen. When we are determined to do something, solve a problem, improve the situation, etc. anything is possible. This was the mindset I had when I was trying to figure out a way to save Antonio. I stayed calm, considered everything I knew about the situation and then it clicked. If I hadn't, he would have died due to the massive amount of blood loss. The rescue team for the miners shared a similar ultimatum: help or watch them die. The most brilliant men and women from around the world put their heads together to propose several rescue plans in the effort of determining which one would have the highest chance of success. There were some serious risks involved but that was a chance they were willing to take. The masterminds behind the mission did not, would not, just stand by and wait for someone else to do the dirty work for them. If they had relied on someone else to figure out a logical plan of attack, more than likely, the miners would have been stuck in that cave even longer and potentially resulting in death. This rescue has truly inspired me.

favorite tunes aka best songs ever

Pyramid: When I listen to this song, I always think that they are singing about the developing love Bassanio and I share. How the first time we met, I immediately started falling for him (the base/start of our relationship) and now look at us. We are engaged and have reached the peak of our pyramid of love. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband who loves me for who I am.
Charice, feat. Iyaz. "Pyramid." Reprise Records, 2010. Metro Lyrics. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. 
        <http://www.metrolyrics.com/pyramid-lyrics-charice.html>.

Cleaning This Gun (Come on in Boy): This song never fails to fill me with mixed emotions. On one end of the spectrum, it makes me laugh because my dad would be doing the exact same thing as the father in the song, cleaning his gun (or sword I should say). On the other hand, it reminds me of dad's intentions behind his riddle. How even though he would not be able to approve of my husband, he could still be involved in the process. Thanks to my clever father, his plan was successful in intimidating the greedy men who asked for my hand simply for my wealth by giving them an ultimatum: love me or be forbidden to love any other woman. The test was set up to look out for my best interest, just as the dad in the song is protecting his little girl from all the crazy boys out there. I miss my daddy so much. :(
Atkins, Rodney. "Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)." Curb Records, 2006. A-Z Lyrics Universe. Web. 12 Feb. 2011.
        <http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/rodneyatkins/cleaningthisguncomeoninboy.html>.

Stuck like glue: The upbeat rhythm and relatable lyrics that refer to the ups and downs of a relationship remind me of when Bassanio gave away my ring. Initially I was upset, but when everything was all said and done, we worked it out and are enjoying every day of our lives together. We are virtually inseparable and will remain this way as long as we are together. I don't know what I would do without him. :)
Sugarland. "Stuck Like Glue." Mercury Records, 2010. Metro Lyrics. Web. 12 Feb. 2011.
          <http://www.metrolyrics.com/stuck-like-glue-lyrics-sugarland.html>.

Today was a Fairytale: Whenever I listen to this song the image that comes to mind is the moment Bassanio pulled my picture out of the lead box. That was one of the best moments of my life and I felt as if I were a princess in a fairytale book. Taylor Swift's voice is so calming and melodic; I always seem to be in a better mood when the song ends than I was before it played.
Swift, Taylor. "Today Was a Fairytale." Watertower Music, 2010. Country Lyrics, Tabs, Chords @ Cowboy Lyrics, Music.
        Web. 12 Feb. 2011. <http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/swift-taylor/today-was-a-fairytale-29231.html>.

Why Not: The catchy tune and lyrics of this song are simple yet meaningful. They remind me to not take the small things in life for granted. That I should stay open-minded and live every day to its fullest. Another concept this song refers to is taking chances, and not necessarily worrying about the risks involved; just being spontaneous (within reason of course). I hope to venture beyond the sheltered environment I've grown up in, and explore the other cultures of the world.
Duff, Hilary. "Why Not." Hollywood Records, 2004. LYRICS007. Web. 13 Feb. 2011.
         <http://www.lyrics007.com/Hilary%20Duff%20Lyrics/Why%20Not%20Lyrics.html>.

King of Anything: I absolutely love the lyrics of this song. Women of all ages can easily relate to them because sometimes the important men in our lives can be a little controlling. They subconsciously forget to take into consideration our thoughts and feelings and only look out for themselves. This should not be the case. They do not rule our lives. Men cannot tell me who I can or can't be. Only I have control over that. If they do not like me for me or what I stand for, then that is their problem. I am happy with myself and the life I have been blessed with and that is all that matters.
Bareilles, Sara. "King Of Anything." Sony Music Entertainment, 2010. Direct Lyrics. Web. 12 Feb. 2011.
         <http://www.directlyrics.com/sara-bareilles-king-of-anything-lyrics.html>.

counting down to the big day :)

Preparations are being finalized! This is all so exciting! Bassanio and I have decided that we are going to keep the wedding party limited to only our closest friends and family. Confession: while making the list of people to invite, I got a bit emotional when I accidentally included my father on the guest list. This was when I realized my father would not be able to walk me down the aisle; the cliche father-daughter moment that every little girl dreams of was no longer an option. For me, this realization was heart-wrenching. :( After a few tears and comfort from Bassanio, I continued on with my task and came up with a list of 60 people to invite. The ceremony is to take place on August 19th in the old church down the street from my house. The reception is going to be held at my estate. The servants have already out-done themselves with the decorations around the house and the wedding is still days away! I cannot even imagine what the house will look like when everything is finished. To be honest, they relieved so much stress off my shoulders that I am genuinely enjoying the anticipation to the big day. I simply could not have done it without them. I have a feeling that the wedding (or weddings I should say since Nerissa and Gratiano are to be wed at the same time as Bassanio and I) is going to be perfect. For the floral arrangements, I decided to have them centered around my all-time favorite flower, the cyclamen. They would be the dominant flower in the bouquet with accents of white Italian plum and bright green evergreens.
As for my dress, I have yet to pick one out! I invision myself wearing a dress with intricate beading and lace on the bodess with a dramatic train. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them. :)

P.S. If you don't know what cyclamen look like, here is a picture.

CC image posted at Flikr by Kain Kalju

Why hello there!

Hello fellow bloggers!

I just wanted to introduce myself to you all so here I go.

First off, my name is Portia and I surrently reside in Belmont, Italy. I am a strong, independent, Christian woman with high aspirations and goals. I am a loving person and truly enjoy caring for my friends whenever they need a helping hand. I like to think that I'm a pretty funny person (I have a fairly witty sense of humor), but some might not agree. As I always say, everything is a matter of perspective.
I recently lost my father which was heartbreaking. Even though I was not prepared to live without my father at my side, I know he would not want me to mourn over his passing; so I continue to take each day at a time and thank God for everything he has blessed me with.
I am currently single but definitely in the market to find a husband. To all you young men out there, here is my wish list of criteria I look for in a man: funny, caring, respectable, handsome and a good listener. If you meet these requirements, then send me a message so we can get to know each other a little better. :) But beware. You’re going to have to solve my father’s tricky riddle before I can become your wife.
Basically, this blog is going to be all about me. Now don't freak out. I am far from being conceited. I use this blog as a diary to write about various events and emotions that I experience. This way, I can learn from my mistakes and laugh about all the crazy memories when I'm older. I also plan on using the entries to reflect on what I went through and offer my future kids advice if they are put in a similar situation. Good plan right? I think so too.

confessions

Bassanio and Gratiano returned home with Antonio tonight. They told us of the trial in Venice and how a lawyer had come to realize that there was a loop hole in the contract which prevented Antonio's life from being put at stake. They were in such joyous moods that Nerissa and I couldn't resist. We asked our fiancés where their rings were and why they were not wearing them. They confessed that they had given them away as tokens of their gratitude toward the lawyer and his assistant for saving their friend's life. After Nerissa and I did a fantastic job of guilt-tripping our grooms-to-be, we let them off the hook and told them the whole story. We explained how I, Portia, had come up with the idea to save Antonio and that in order to successfully do so, we disguised ourselves as men. How I dressed as Balthazar, the lawyer, and Nerissa dressed as the lawyer’s assistant involved in making a verdict in Antonio’s contract. We explained how we figured this was the only way of presenting ourselves with a sense of authority, not as the preconceived notion of woman not knowing anything about matters of business (which is totally not true), because our discovery was worthy of consideration before the verdict was made. Then we told them how we purposely tested their commitment and loyalty to us by asking for their rings. Although some of you might think this test of devotion to be unfair, Nerissa and I thought it was necessary. We had not known these men for very long (we had only spoken briefly a few times before) and we were already engaged. They apologized for disappointing us and promised to never do such a thing again. They seemed sincere so we returned their rings to them. All is well again and as far as I can tell, Bassanio has learned his lesson and will stay faithful to me until the day I die; as I will to him. :)

betrayal? :(

So while I was still disguised as the lawyer, I decided to test Bassanio's devotion by asking him for his ring (the one I gave him before he set off for Venice) as a token of his gratitude for my assistance in saving his dear friend Antonio's life. When I left the trial, he was still in possession of the ring. I was quite proud that he kept his word to me. I had sopke too soon. Right as this thought entered my mind, Gratiano came running to catch up to me before I made my departure from Venice. He handed me the ring and expressed Bassanio's sincere apology for his stubborness. That he was pleased to bestow me with his precious ring. Gratiano then invited Nerissa and I to dinner at the Duke's which I had to decline (we had to get back to my estate before the men did so they have no reason to suspect we had ever left). Soon after, Gratiano departed to return to the company of his friends. I stood there, staring after him in utter shock of what had just happened. At first I thought it was a joke. That they had figured out that the lawyer was actually me and this was their way of getting my back. But Gratiano continued walking. Then reality hit. How could Bassanio give this ring, the ring that signified our eternal love, away so easily? I had only given it to him the day before. Does my beloved fiance not love me as much as I think he does? Does this mean the wedding is canceled? So many questions and I have no way of receiving answers without revealing my disguise. I will not stand to be embarrassed in this manner. In the meantime, there is no time for negative thoughts. Nerissa and I have a long journey home ahead of us.

success!

HA! Take that Shylock! You can't out-smart me, the brilliant Portia!

The loop hole I found in Antonio and Shylock's contract was indeed a flaw. I, a mere woman, have spared Antonio's life; an act that was previously believed to be impossible. Thanks to my keen eye for attention to detail, everyone has returned to high spirits and preparations are being made to celebrate later today at the Duke’s estate.

As a result of violating the contract (he did not attempt to cut Antonio but there was no way he could extract the flesh without causing Antonio to bleed, therefore causing the violation), Shylock is required by the law to forfeit his entire fortune to the State. However, before Shylock was taken away, Antonio made a noble request. Knowing full well what would create further pain to the Jew, he asked the Duke to grant him with half of the fortune to give to his friend Lorenzo (the Christian man who Shylock's daughter, Jessica, ran off with). Two other conditions of his request were: for Shylock be baptized as a Christian and to sign a will granting everything under his name to his daughter and her fiancé in the event of his death. The Duke believed these terms were fair, and agreed to grant his requests. In my opinion, Shylock was rightfully punished for his cruel and heartless actions. If he had not been so ignorant and greedy for vengeance, all of this drama would have been avoided and he would have retained his high status, but no. He persisted with his stubbornness and ended up losing everything he had taken such pride in earning. Men can be blinded so easily by their egos.

P.S. The men don't know I was actually the young lawyer, Balthazar. I wonder if they suspect anything of the sort...

bad news :(

We have just received dreadful news from Venice. Antonio sent a letter informing Bassanio of all how all his business ventures failed miserably and therefore is unable to repay Shylock. The deal was if Antonio did not pay Shylock back within three months, his debt would be repaid by sacrificing a pound of his own flesh. Any day now, Antonio will be brought to trial and placed at the mercy of the malevolent Jew.  

Immediately after he finished reading the letter, my betrothed left to go back home and console his dear friend for possibly the last time. As a result, the wedding has been postponed. :( Right when something finally goes my way, it is gone in a blink of an eye... Wait a second! I know how I can save Antonio! The contract only specifies one pound of Antonio's flesh. There is nothing mentioned about blood being lost in the process of attaining the flesh. This could be the answer to our problem! But wait. They will not take this discovery seriously. I am a woman. They would laugh in my face. Hmm... This is going to call for a serious man-make-over. Mannerisms, voice, clothing, everything is going to have to be changed. I am going to need someone to assist me in this effort. I will not be able to pull it off alone. I am sure Nerissa would be happy to help. Hopefully I can find her fast, time is short. If everything goes accordingly, Bassanio will be back in my arms in no time and Antonio's life will be spared. There is not much time and plenty of kinks to work out. First I must send a letter to my cousin, Bellario, Doctor of Law, and ask him to properly introduce me as a legal expert to the court proceedings for Antonio's case. Stay tuned for later details! Wish us luck!

YAY!

A few days ago, the dull, ill-mannered suitors finally left my estate, thank goodness. None of them met my standards. They were all drunkards and unworthy for a proper lady as myself to be their wife. After giving them the cold shoulder and avoiding any form of social interaction, not one of them attempted to solve my father's riddle. Good thing too because I would have protested such nonsense.
Yesterday, a promising man came to my door and explained how he wished for us to be married. He introduced himself as the Prince of Morocco. He was handsome and I could see us getting along very well; but before he began telling me of his life accomplishments, I informed him of the box test and its guidelines. He accepted the challenge so I led him to the chamber containing the mystery boxes. Sadly, I was not graced with his presence for much longer because he picked the wrong box.
Wait a second. Have I mentioned the guidelines of the riddle? That might be helpful to be informed of so you now what I'm talking about. Silly me. So basically, there are three caskets to choose from. One is gold, another silver and the last is made of lead. Each has an inscription on top; a clue to help guide them in the right direction and assist in their process of elimination. However, only one contains my picture which gives them the key to my heart. But there is a catch. Before the men can see what the riddle entails, they must make a promise. If they choose incorrectly, they must never talk of marriage with another woman. My father's goal for adding this detail was that only the truly committed men would be willing to take this risk at my expense. Therefore determining who is worthy of my bountiful love and who is not.
Anyways, back to my story. Another man came by later that day in the hope of making me his wife. He introduced himself as the Prince of Aragon. He was up for the challenge but like the first wooer, the box he chose did not contain my picture.
But today my luck turned around. My days of longing for a husband are over! My beloved Bassanio traveled all the way from Venice to ask for my hand in marriage. He was aware of the riddle and immediately requested to be led to where the boxes were kept. I insisted that he stay a few days before attempting the riddle but he refused. He said, and I quote, "Let me chose, for as I am, I live upon the rack". I showed him to the boxes and reminded him of what was at stake. Bassanio seemed confident and began pondering over each of the caskets. He decided to choose the lead box and by Jove, my picture was inside! I then presented him with a ring to signify our love. We are thrilled and plan to be wed as soon as the preparations are made. There is so much to do in so little time! This has been the best day I've had in a long time. :)
Here is a picture of the ring I gave him; simple, but meaningful.


CC image posted at Flickr by praptak