April's Theme: Breaks and Bids

<-|April 2009|->

..Breaks and Bids..

This was one small month, alright. Two articles...that's a record! *heh*

And, presenting the super small summary...

Shivers and Silence - Do you fear public speaking over death?

Feelings of Charity - Forgetting that we're supposed to do things for their own sake.

Let's get on to the next month already (May): Quoted Inspirations

-the clam.

March's Theme: The Greener Side

Is the greener side always better? Eh, there are diverse opinions discussed in the articles in this past month, and we more or less agreed on some ideas. But hey, going green is always good...I think.

And without further green discussion, here's the summary:

colors in the dark: karma police - Fourth in the Colors in the Dark series, about what else but green, of course.
A tendency to expect a favorable outcome or to dwell on hopeful aspects. - The pessimists and the optimists...which are you?
question: - A random post to wonder why no A.M. has posted anything. Yes, indeed.
Pink's on Us - Are teachers really deserving of the wicked pink slip?
Poster of a Girl - Is being special and original truly important?...
One in Millions. - Feeling "one in a million" makes it all the better.
Politically-Challenged - If you think Condoleeza Rice is a side-dish...don't worry, you're not alone.
A.M. Votes for EARTH HOUR 2009 - Being 'lights out' for an hour is nothing, compared to what we can change.
Cash Cow - Oh, the grandeurs of $$$. But oh, the evils.

So how's that for a month of green, green...and more green? You'll be puking out gree--I mean, you'll be thinking of green in a brand new way after reading March's articles...*heh*.

Next month (April's) theme: Breaks and Bids.

-the clam.

February's Theme: Heartful Desire

A month February has been... Our first anniversary whizzed by like it never came. But that's alright. That just shows that we somehow have lives. *cough*

I'll cut straight to it:

yippee - Random blurb on Tegan & Sara, 2010 Olympics, and our so-called lives.
Due to copyright laws, I am unable to show the title of this post. - The pirating of music on the internet.
Bitter and just a little sweeter - Some [fun] facts about Valentine's.
Distinctive, Not Separated - A point of view on The Last Airbender casting decisions.
I Shouldn't Have Said That - Inappropriate things that are said, due to our race.
Let's Get to It - Love is only describable by those that are loved or loving.
Routine. - Is everyday a schedule?

Colors in the Dark series:

the clam - Feeling cold?...or maybe blue?
digital delay - Gray but never dull.
my.great.ESCAPE - Why choose a color when you can have all colors?

Put into March:
karma police - Green is limitless in all the mediums we do.

There you have it. Let's get to next month, March, already (:P): The Greener Side.

-the clam.

January's Theme: Another View

We’re already one month into 2009. 2010 is “only” 11 months away…

Fortunately, we all have lives, and that is why the blog has been lonelier than it was a year ago *hintanniversarycominguphint*. But miraculously, we still made the ten-article mark. The only month we didn’t reach at least two digits was September, but that’s okay. We’ll just make sure it’s above that, at least :).

Here we go:

Every Now and Then – Ways in which we view ourselves.
Yea…and?.... – What ‘glorification’ is.
Give Me A[nother] Break – Our consequences are our own faults.
Perspective. – Ever thought how someone else sees the world?
“Sometimes I wonder how…” – Your feelings aren’t the only feelings.
but it’s better if you do – Being bipolar isn’t half bad.
You’re the Former, Now. – How important is the U.S. Presidential Inauguration?
A Few Letters…3 To Be Exact – A collection of self-written and self-sent letters.
You’re a Fox – Genes determine our look…and some other things too.
What to Believe? – Religion is an ever-debatable subject.

Congratulations if you’ve carried out your New Year’s resolution (if you had one). If you failed…well, I told you so.

Here comes February: Heartful Desire.

-the clam.

December's Theme: 365 Days

Yet another Christmas has passed, along with another year (11 months for A.M. though...our first anniversary is coming up). We hope you received some nice presents...and if you didn’t, you’re probably not the only one, if that makes you feel better. :o) <-- What a funny face. Haha...ha.

Here’s December’s summary:

May I Please Have Some More? – It’s the same things all over again.
All the Possibilities. – Do you think you have a twin somewhere in the world?
The Murky Road – Maybe history repeats itself...who knows.
looking backwards – A lot can change in a few weeks.
Merry Christmas Eve 2008 – A holiday message for 2008.
Too tired (lazy/unimaginative) for a title – What happens when a person suffers the “blue screen of doom”, daydreams, and reads Oscar Wilde? This.
A Proper Title Should Be Here – The first of a series of articles in an attempt to crack it to 10 articles. Talk about “creative”.
All-Over-Again-Year’s – Attempt article #2. All about New Year’s resolutions and a Big Foot love story.
paint a portrait of a mirror – Attempt article #3. A thorough examination into Dorian Gray.
Where art thou? – Attempt article #4 (I know, I know, it’s the last one). A random blurb to end the year. It’s pretty spot on, since that’s exactly what we do 99.9% of the time in our articles anyway—BLURB!

Ah, and we round up 2008 with a total of 155 articles (you might wanna browse our archives and bathe in the glory of blurbiness). *high-fives an imaginary DD* Hey, your 10-article goal for this month was reached. You were the one who encouraged us--don't deny it!

Happy 2009 everyone! Well, it might not necessarily be happy, but Happy New Year’s anyway. Here’s to next month’s (January’s) theme: Another View.

-the clam.

P.S. The January header banner will come later on.

November's Theme: Slipping Hourglass

Things are picking up slow at the end of November and the start of December. Sorry, but apparently we have lives... (haha). We hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving!

Let’s start, shall we?

What About What? – Who said being selfish was a bad thing?
at the speed of BLANK – Life’s empty times.
Sift Through the Hourglass – Time goes by ever so slowly...and ever so quickly.
Stumble here, Stumble There – When will you 'stumble' on the perfect situation?
Ode To The Nice Guys – A special ode to all those nice(r) guys in the world [credits to Wharton Undergraduate Journal].
Smiles Spungold Wine – The unnoticed influence of the winding world.
To our heroes. – To those over the seas, and to those at home, and to any who served so valiantly, we honor you.
...PROPS..... – Whose side are you on?
. – Endless questions abound.
Let It Snow(: - The holiday season is a present full of joy.
Been There, Done That – When do we ever have enough time?

Honestly, “.” has got to be the most epic article name ever (well, next to [Untitled] of course). Although it makes it really hard to click the article to read it...maybe that was the point? -shrug- That's just DD I guess.

Hoorah! We made it to month of giving and joy. Cheers to December’s theme: 365 Days.

-the clam.

October's Theme: Lost in Mind

Life flies by, doesn’t it?

From some nudges by some certain-certain people, we’re going to keep the black for just a bit longer...until we finalize on whether we want to keep it black. It would be a nice change, wouldn’t it?

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. We mounted a total of 11 articles (plus this one) for October. It’s not the least amount (nor lower than that), and that’s what matters! Here’s the summary:

Will You – Similar things are similar...or are they?
A Moment Changed – So quickly can something spread.
Absorbed in Your Thoughts? – The mazes of the mind.
EPICAC – A Kurt Vonnegut classic.
Dark Blue – A spontaneous favorite song of KP’s.
I Hope This Rains on Your Parade – Our first ever conversation-styled article.
Draw a Blank. – Is that child really different from that man over there?
Now or Later – The inevitable nostalgia found in most of all things.
A.M. Halloween 2008 + ampleness! – An announcement post for Halloween and ampleness.
Indecision: The New Black – How do you make a decision?

That wraps up this month. We hope you had a great October, and a greater Halloween. Cheers to next month’s (November’s) theme: Slipping Hourglass.

-the clam.

September's Theme: Hiding Beneath

Still as busy as usual, I’m going to type up this summary article very sloppily (if you’d consider it that way). It seems, though, that the Acquired Minds really were "hiding beneath" this month...
Without further interruptions...

Dragging Along – An update article, along with some talk about Political Conventions.
To work up a smile. – Dodging realities and the hidden truth.
Radio Waves of the Heart (or maybe just the head) – The never-ending issues of opposing genders.
underground or above? – Are you truly ‘legal’ at 18?
State of MIND. – The indefinite feelings of emotions.
Glass Against My Face – Simple may not be as ‘simple’ as you may think.
I A.M. a Follower – Become Acquired Minds’ follower if you’re a reader!

As I sit here and stare at my computer screen...looking at this article that I’m typing...well, it just looks so forlorn. Eight articles! Just eight. *sigh* Oh well...Septembers are never really good.
Cheers to next month’s (October's) theme: Lost in Mind.

-the clam.

August's Theme: Impressions

Finally, the month of smoldering heat (in most countries) has ended. After July, August became another drought month. An article pops up every now and then…it seems like everyone is starting to get busy around the late-summer and early-fall season.

Now, the summary:

Long Lasting – Everything will last…even if you might not know it.
100th Article Awards – Awards that celebrate our 100th milestone.
and he asked ‘how do you think of me?’ – Opinions of the other person.
Staring at Headlights – Going against your conscience.
Joy and Thunder – The greatest naturally invented exercise: laughter.
fiction is a form of symbolism, I believe – Anticipating the moment to come.
Blind Pursuance – Chasing after fantasized goals.
A Small Analysis – The many other definitions of ‘impressions’.
And you are…? – The glance you receive when you shake the first hand…
Right from Wrong – Separating what’s fair, and what’s unjust.
Broken Hinges – Metaphoric glory.
Locked Outside – Shutting out the reasonable.
Two-Week Unity – The glorious 2008 Olympics.
A Matter of Style – Impressing by dressing.

Since it’s already midnight while I am typing this, I’ll skip right to the conclusion.

Here’s to next month’s (September’s) theme: Hiding Beneath.

-the clam.

P.S. The September header banner won’t go up until later…sorry for the delay.

July's Theme: Expectations

July has been quite an amazing month. We have ended up with 21 articles, rivaling March's 25 articles. We were really close...but no worries, we can try again next month!

Many debuts and changes were shown on the blog these past weeks. Sendak posted his very first article. The Info-Center (along with the graphics page) had its grand opening. Small graphical changes around the blog were made as well. Along with the changes, we have a couple new readers—and we really enjoy hearing their opinions!

Okay, okay. My rambling is done. Here's the summary for July!

What happens next? – Living up to your life's expectations.
The Unplanned – The joy of having the opposite take place.
House of Mirrors – Introvert? Or extrovert? You decide.
Acquired Minds: Info-Center! – Grand opening of our new informational branch.
Harry Potter: Shortened Down – Harry Potter book one...very much shortened.
Expectations—The Absurd and the Feasible – Common feelings of expectations.
The Day Before Today...Yesterday! – The second entertainment article.
Midnight. – The Twilight movie anxiousness.
A.M. Changes – July 16, 2008 – A few changes that were made to A.M.
The Edge of Safe – Guilty decisions may come your way.
A.M. Graphics Page! – Grand opening of the A.M. Graphics page.
Moving in Circles – Not ever knowing how to get there.
I Hold – Keeping it all bottled up.
A "Tire" Situation – A commonly over-looked epidemic.
A "GAS-ly" Disaster – Gas prices are not going to improve if we don't improve ourselves.
What You'll Be Looking For – A.M.'s most 'controversial' article to date.
housten, please don't have a problem – Darn you, airports.
personally, I find this personal – Some fans just don't know when to stop.
Fam[ily] – Your parents' overwhelming expectations.
Shallow Depth – Are celebrities really super-human?

What a month it has been. So many different topics, so many different opinions, and so many different problems. One way or another, we're going to have to solve it.

Thanks to a tie-breaker vote from Nathaniel, next month's (August's) theme will be: Impressions.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

-the clam.

~~...the hundredth article is coming...~~

June's Theme: Letting Go

I hope you've had a good time with all of the "Letting Go" articles this month (just don't 'let go' of our blog...please!). June is an extremely busy month. But hey, we still managed 13 articles (including this one) this month. Not bad...at least we beat last month (12 articles).

Okay, I'm done with my intro. Let's get straight to the summary:

This Is My Mind – Acceptance comes to you, whether you like it or not.
Words Left Unsaid – What you say can be more important than you think.
Wonder How A.M. Got Started? – The history of Acquired Minds (link given).
Forgive or Forget? – The past may not have let you go yet, but you will.
A Cycle, A Lifestyle – Letting go is just a natural feeling.
Sweetness Follows – The term 'mixed emotions'—literally.
Hysterical Deliria – What IS going on right now in the world?
Faded Buttons – Insecurities will hold you back.
perhaps with the light off, too – Feelings shouldn't be bottled.
Erringly Straying – Dreams and expectations collide.
A.M. Logo Selection! – Our selection of A.M.'s logo.
Back and Forth – When you have great friends...hold on.

There you have it. This month has gotten its fair share of 'letting go' articles, 'holding on' articles, and just plain ol' random articles.

I apologize for the Theme poll. Apparently, the poll has been malfunctioning the past week, and therefore, I don't have complete results. But, I have decided next month's (July's) theme to be: Expectations.

-the clam.

P.S. We're really glad you enjoy A.M., Melody!

March's Theme: Stereotypes and Living

Wow, March is already done! It's been pretty fast (at least, to me).

This month, we newly introduced themes, and March's theme was Stereotypes and Living. In only a matter of 31 days, the Acquired Minds yearned out 24 articles (not including this one) all about stereotypes and living your life.

Earlier this month, we had a poll that asked "Have you ever used a stereotype on someone?". The results were not surprising. Only one person responded "Not directly", while everyone else answered "Yes". This just goes to show that everyone, no matter where or when, has used a stereotype. Stereotypes are a very strong epidemic that's spreading like wildfire, and it'll probably never be stopped.

Okay, moving on. From musical stereotypes to a 'guide on how to pick up a chick', we have it all. The following is a summary of all the articles this month. To take a look at them, just go to the 'Archives' to the right and find the name of the article under 'March'.

Teacher Codes: Ever wondered what your teacher really meant?
Don't Make Me a Target: The fantastic world of labels.
Un-Mistakenly: Making mistakes isn't the end of the world.
Airbag: Your own life's safety net is always there.
POSTSECRET: A truly eye-opening blog.
There only exists one Hawk...: It's a bird. It's a plane. It's Lady Hawk!
Security—Gone Wild?: The many things threatening your sense of security.
Finer Feelings: The magic of appreciation.
A Tribute to the Greatest Names in Music: A recollection of exactly what the title says.
music and the world of stereotypes: Being provoked because of your musical tastes.
Mistaken For Strangers: Time is running out.
Time: More discussion on 'time'.
Pre-Life Lottery: Did YOU Win?: How you ended up where you are now.
Fear: Being afraid of what life has got to give.
"They're after me lucky charms!": Info on where St. Patrick's derived from.
A Guide On: How to Pick Up a Chick: Our first duo-article. –burp- Excuse me.
Burn Your Life Down: Being lazy is just one problem.
Feedbacks can now be Acquired: Yay! We have a new feedback email account!
Brighter Than Sunshine: Reality at its best.
But, Honestly: Contentment and happy—two very different things.
Painting a Life Canvas: Choosing the career that you want.
Stressing out about out stressing: I still can't stress that enough.
YOUnique: The things that make your own life uniquely yours.
Wonder here Wander there: Too many questions, too little time.

WHEW! That was one heck of a list. I hope you had a great March with us. Our polls have closed, and our official theme for next month (April) is: Pride and Prejudice. Ooh, this is going to be good...

-the clam.

February's Theme: "Introduction"

Whether it be an introduction to a book, an introduction to your life's purpose, or an introduction to a plain ol' blog like this, every 'intro' is the beginning of an adventure to come.

The Acquired Minds is part of that adventure.

From the very first real topic ("Peers: The Pressure is ON!") to the very last topic ("Greed and Need (AKA Money)"), this entire month has been a surreal adventure through what every human being is likely to be going through (or rather, will be going through).

Here's a review of all the major articles this month:

- Have a secret talent? Show it ("'I don't care about my Guilty Pleasure...' Oh, yeah RIGHT!")!

- There's a new fashion trend going around--wearing your shirt backwards ("Huh?").

- Don't know where your mother, sister, wife, etc. have gone? No need to starve--"Mother, where'd you put the prime steak?" has arrived!

- Ever wondered how to start a topic when you're hanging out with a special someone? Try "topic starters (& a bit of other things)".

- Who came up with the 'leap year' anyhow? Check out "I'd rather not leap, Julius."

- Last but not least--what in the world does the literal term Acquired Minds mean? Go to "Great Minds Think Alike?!"

That's about it. We hope you enjoyed February's collection of articles and posts. Cheers to many more uber articles to come (haha)!

-the clam.