Right now, Somewhere in the universe.....

Right now, somewhere in the universe aliens are living their lives. No, they are not planning an attack on Earth. They do not even know that Earth exists. They are just living their daily lives like we are. As a matter of fact, there is some 17 (Earth year) girl on this alien planet typing a paper like I am now. She is writing her's about aliens actually attacking her planet and how she fears that day for she is sure it will be in her life time. These aliens do not die at 100 (Earth years.) They die at maybe 300 (Earth years.) Fascinating isn't it. While she writes this paper she thinks about what other forms of life look like. Maybe they have 20 eyes, 9 arms, 1 leg and 3 mouths. They may have rainbow colored skin. Or maybe they look just like her. Just like us here on Earth we do not know what aliens look like. But, this girl has the idea that there are some aliens that look very similar to her and other aliens that look like the aliens in the scary videos she does not much like to watch. This is happening right now in the universe. As well as so many other things. Billions of humans are talking, listening to music, typing, walking, sleeping, and so on. Right now, at this very moment, the universe is alive and an alien girl is typing a paper about aliens.

The Present

What all is happening right now? Well, aside from typing on my phone and listening to Relient K, I'm wondering how I can differentiate my blog post from everyone else's. All of the others made me think about all of the countless things occurring right as I'm typing on this post. I kind of feel obligated to say something about seizing the day and recognizing the good that's going on the world and in our lives, but that doesn't really feel right to me. I think what's really getting me is that so many people say that they feel guilty for being upset about problems that they have while others are suffering around the world. I do this a lot, and I know that other people do too. And that really bothers me.

I don't know if this makes sense. What I'm trying to say is that if someone has a problem that feels big to them but might seem petty to someone else, that's OKAY. If a problem feels big to someone, it's okay to acknowledge that. Right now, trillions of things are happening, and if I, for example, have a problem, that's just it. I have a problem. And maybe it wouldn't seem like anything to someone else, but it's mine to deal with, and being upset about it is more than okay.

This really turned into some sort of sermon, didn't it? I don't even know who I'm talking to. Maybe it's myself. Either way, right now, right this second, there are brilliant and beautiful things happening, and there are terrible things happening too. I guess it's up to us to accept it all.

Right Now

When I think about what is happening right now across the globe, it makes me realize how lucky I am. My problems are insignificant. Currently, I am sitting in my room in my warm house and listening to music on my iPhone while blogging on my laptop. I may complain that I had to walk home from school or how I have yet another Biology test tomorrow, but I have very few real problems in my life.  Right now, children in Africa are starving, a homeless man is freezing on the streets, a father is dying, a loyal wife just found out she is being cheated on, a young child was diagnosed with cancer, a student is depressed and killing himself. We have so much to be thankful for and must give back to those who are not as fortunate as us. Although money can be a solution to many problems, we must also be compassionate to everyone in need. However, there are also great things happening right now. A man just won the lottery, a teacher just got engaged, a wife had her first baby, and a girlfriend is being proposed to. The are highs and lows of a lifetime can fluctuate, and we always need to remain optimistic about the present and future.

Right now

This very instant somewhere in the universe someone is having the revelation that this blog post is in fact not due for another week. In unrelated news there is a band of wild chimpanzees roaming through the jungles of Africa attacking unsuspecting anteaters. The anteaters who are lonely creatures are unable to defend themselves and fall prey to the powerful group of chimpanzees. Tomorrow the anteater elder council will discuss wether or not to declare ware on the prime evil primate enemies or seek a treaty. Realizing their physical short comings the anteaters are seeking an alliance with a more powerful animal such as the great lion pride or the lounge of powerful lizards. Either option would greatly benefit the anteaters, but it will take intense negotiation to actually form an effective alliance. Without the aid of another group the anteaters will undoubtedly die out and their empire will be laid to waste like the zengors who are now a forgotten part of the African history do to the relentless violence of the chimpanzees. Someone must rise to stop this reign of terror before there is no one left to rise.

Right now

Right now I am sitting on my couch watching the Oscars and typing away at my computer. Right now across the world people are being born and are dying and living. Some people are sleeping and some are at work. Some are starving and suffering while others are living life to its fullest and having the best time. Across the world people are doing all kinds of different things at all times. No one has the same exact interests and this is represented by all the different kinds of things that are happening right now. Right now I am admiring all the people on the Oscars and all their accomplishments and especially all of the women's extravagant dresses. While many other people in the world don't enjoy watching awards shows and admiring outrageously expensive dresses. Everyone has different interests and that is why right now across the world people are doing millions of different things.

Right Now

Right now I am debating about what I am going to write about. Should I write about me, typing at the computer listening to music? Or should I write about the adventures numerous people across the globe are experiencing at this very moment? By the time it would have taken you to read this unusually long sentence, at least one gay baby was born. Right now, thousands of people are telling themselves, "I will never drink again," but less than 1% of those people will actually follow through with their promise. Since the universe is infinite, there is most likely somebody that looks exactly like me living on a distant planet. He is probably doing fun alien things, such as hover-boarding or maybe clipping his toenails. Honestly, any situation you can imagine is probably occurring at this moment. The universe goes on forever, and the amount of planets that are supporting self-aware organisms like us is infinite. A man with three toes wearing a purple top-hat is punching a wall right now. Maybe not on Earth, but in a different galaxy this is for sure.

Right Now....

Right now at 7:25 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, it is 1:25 a.m. in Paris, 4:26 p.m. in San Francisco, and 11:26 a.m. in Sydney. Right now while I am sitting at my computer someone is being born, someone is dying from AIDS, someone is finding out that they have a terminal illness with three months left to live, and some child just got hit by a car. The sky's the limit when it comes to possibilities about what is happening right now considering that there are almost 7 billion humans on the planet. Isn't it fascinating to imagine what those other almost 7 billion are doing at this very moment? Maybe someone just got hired, someone just got married, or someone just ended their marriage.  For all I know, maybe someone I care about is experiencing one of these activities but I am sitting at home working on my computer instead of experiencing life which I realize I should do a lot more of.

Every second that passes by is a second that counts in the giant clock of life and if your life is spent doing something that you don’t want to be doing then there is no point in that type of life at all. This prompt reminded me of what I hear quite often among successful students…

“So, what do you want to be when you grow up?”

“Oh, how about medicine or law, those pay a lot, don’t they?”

Yet, what astounds me the most is that students who are either not talented at either of these subjects or do not enjoy them in the least typically pursue them the most making for a very unhappy world. Not to go off on a tangent, but I saw a map yesterday that was astonishing. It depicts the happiness level in each US state measured by happy or sad tweets.

http://bangordailynews.com/2013/02/20/news/maine-among-happiest-states-your-tweets-say/?ref=latest

Anyway, it reminded me that every minute counts and saddened me that Kentucky has a very poor quality-of-life. So next time you consider your future, ensure that you know that every minute counts.

Right Now

Right now, I’m sitting in my kitchen listening to Coldplay on shuffle, watching my two new puppies play with each other. Somewhere else my brother is playing at band. My mom’s at the store and my dad’s at work. But other people? Right now, a little kid in Europe is having a nightmare. Someone’s being killed right now and someone’s being born. Someone’s at war while I’m sitting here in my kitchen. I’m eating dinner and someone else is eating breakfast.

The thing is, probably no one else is doing exactly what I am right now. And I think that’s insane. When you really start to think about it, the amount of people on this planet doing their own thing at the same time is ridiculous. Everything that could happen is probably happening right now. And the universe could be so much bigger than we know, there could be other planets, other people, all doing something else right now. And these are all people I’ll never meet and never see, but we’re all alive together right now, doing something at this very second.

Lucket Bist

Ive had a pretty exciting life so far, ive been to the colusseum in rome, swam with sharks in hawaii, and even been to south dakota, because theres SO much to do in south dakota. But i still have many things i intend on doing before i die.

Before i leave high school
- Get accepted to college.
- Get accepted to a college i would want to go to.
- Have a general idea of what path i want to go in college
- Maximize my musical ability

Before I Leave College
- Have enough experience to get a decent job
- Enjoy what i am learning
- get bachelors in music/music education/whatever im studying at that point in time

Before I Die
- Skydive
- Ride an elephant
- Party with Bill Murray
- Meet a person of royalty
- Go to china
- Skydive on an elephant with Bill Murray into China
- Walk the whole great wall

Blog Post #20--The Scale of the Universe

So, I automatically thought of something as soon as I read the prompt for this blog post:
I strongly urge you to check out this website. It is truly amazing. (Well, in my opinion, it is. You go decide for yourself.)

It's crazy to imagine that the universe can even be so big, filled with so many lives trying to endure.  There's so much hardship, so much joy, so much emotion.  Right now, people I haven't met yet are roaming the earth, living their lives to the best of their abilities.  Some time in the future, I will impact them for better or worse, but right now, we're both doing our own things.  It's just mind-boggling to me.

Right now, I'm listening to the West Side Story soundtrack ("You wanna live in this lousy world? You play it cool."), and right now I know that soon I'll be leaving to go tap dance for an hour straight, listening to, well, not West Side Story.  Woah.  Right now, I know the future.  What?

I realize that I'm not really sticking to one topic.  Sort of.  I suppose I am, but right now is such a huge category, it's hard to pick one thing to stick with.

Right now, my friend in France--Lia--is sleeping in her purple-y room.  Right now, my dog is begging for food from my parents as they eat dinner.  Right now, some man in Michigan is wishing the weather was warmer.  Right now, an ant is getting squashed by a woman who hates bugs.  Right now, someone is trying to decide what to name his/her newborn child.  Right now, Rita Moreno could be reminiscing about the good ol' days when she was in the West Side Story cast... Sorry.  Got a bit off topic.  Anyway, right now, it's impossible to list everything that's happening, or to what degree these happenings will impact the future.  However, as we all know, even the seemingly tiniest choices we make right now can change what the future will be.

To end this post, here's an interesting quote for you to--hopefully--enjoy about the future:

“The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.”
-C.S. Lewis

Right Now: Rocks

There is a rock belt in a distant part of the universe. And in this rock belt there is a certain group of rocks. An in this certain group of rocks there is a town. And in this rock town there is a school. And in this rock school there are little rock kids who go to school. And they have a rock teacher. And each day they have rock homework that they take home to their rock houses. And in these rock houses their rock parents have come home from their rock jobs in their rock cars. And these rock parents work at rock factories that specialize in making rocks. And every so often a rock in town reaches its passing time. And when this happens the rock goes to magical rock pile in the sky. And the other rocks in the town use the dust to make new rocks. And these rocks go to school. And these rocks have rock homework to give to a rock teacher. And eventually they become rock adults and drive rock cars to rock jobs and have rock babies. And this all happens in a rock town in a certain group of rocks in a rock belt in a distant part of the universe.

how to

How to have a good time at the beach.

1) Get up early. It is always tempting to sleep in on vacation because well after all you're on vacation, but the best time to get out to the beach, go run, take a walk, is during a sunrise. If you're into surfing or swimming, the morning is the best time for waves (as long as you don't mind sharks).

2) My own personal sunscreen recipe for success for maximum confort and maximum tan. Spray your legs and arms with spray on at least SPF 35 (during summer). have someone put SPF 50 on your back and shoulders, put SPF 35 lotion on your front and finally SPF 50 on your face. If you stay out long reapply suncreen every two hours especially if you swim.

3) If you do get burned,k make sure you find an aloe plant (not storebout lotion) and apply; it feels amazing.

4) Bring an umbrella and several chairs as your personal oasis from the hot sun.

5) Bring some shovels. Dig a hole.

6) Finally pack a picnic if you can. Beachisde lunches are relaxing.

7) THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS TO BRING A GOOD NOVEL. I probably don't have to say that but beachside reading can be the best part of vacation.

Follow these steps to have your best day at the beach

How to paint your nails....????

Yes. I could not think of a strong topic... So I looked down, saw my painted nails and decided that would be fine.
1) First, pick a color that you like. There are reds, blues, blacks, shiny colors, sparkly colors, and so much more.
2) Make sure your nails are perfectly clean. Remove all excess nail polish from the last time you got that manicure with your best friend. Then wash your hands with soap and water. Any lotion or nail polish remover on your nails will cause they polish to not stay.
3) Once your nails are perfectly clean, unscrew the lid and wipe the brush against the side of the bottle (you do not want an excess amount of polish it will make the process more challenging.) Slowly wipe the brush from your cuticle to the tip of your nail. REPEAT this process untill all nails are entirely covered.
4) When all ten nails are painted with the initial coat go back and paint a second coat on the make the color more distint.
5) Now you have an options. You can either stop now and wait for yoour nails to dry (skip to step ) or you can paint a clear coat on top. There are different types of clear coats. Some are for fast drying, others are protectice and so on. Paint this coat on just like you did with the colored coat.
6) Once all 5 nails are painted exactly the way you want them it is time to dry them. You can dry them in front of a fan or you can simply sit and wait for them to dry. WAIT untill the nails are entirely dry until you do any activities you do not want to mess up your newly painted nails by pushing up on the polish. Wrinkled polish on nails does not look as good as perfect polish. Of course.
Thanks.

Bucket List

I have a huge bucket list, so it's hard to pick my number one.
I'd have to say, thought, that by the end of high school, I want to have realized that it's okay to change. I want to have accepted that change does happen, and no matter how much one tries to change it, it's inevitable. I know that a ton of people will probably say that they want to get a thirty something on the ACT or to raise their GPA, but I think in the long run, I'm going to look back on how happy I was and how I changed throughout the years to better myself and my education.
By the time I leave college, I WILL have studied abroad. There is no way I will wiggle out of this commitment to myself. I AM going to study abroad, preferably in a Spanish speaking country. That is happening. It just is. I think maybe this is so important to me because I want to be a Spanish teacher, so hopefully this will give me some experience or... Something...?
By the time I die, I will have gone up in the air and jumped out of a plane. That's just happening.
Evidently everything is just happening.
But anyway. I think that maybe I want to do this because I'm really fascinated by being that high up, and to jump down would be... Incredible. I can't explain it but.
Is happening. It is ALL happening.
If only I could find some way to prepare.

right this very second

Alrighty, this is a game I play all the time, and especially with my family.

Right this very second, my future husband is out there walking the earth (hopefully- I mean, I wouldn't want to marry someone 17 years younger than me, right?). Isn't that the craziest thing to imagine? He may be in Europe or in California or or in Hawaii or in Philadelphia or in Charleston, SC, or he may even (Lord help him) be at Henry Clay (who knows????). But regardless of where he is, he's out there. I mean, maybe I've met him when I was little or maybe I won't meet him until I'm 25. He's probably in high school worrying about the same little things I am, like whether or not his English teacher probably thinks he's an idiot and how he's going to manage all of his homework tonight and wondering where he's going to college and how he still needs to get his ACT score up and how much he loves yogurt. And then again, maybe he's not. But right in this very second, he's out there.

Right this very second, there are two people having the happiest day of their lives. Their life together started today. Another couple out there is getting divorced and crying and wishing it was still the happiest day of their lives. There's someone being murdered right now and someone that's actually freezing to death, but there's also someone wishing that they just wanted fat-free, not low-fat, and someone complaining that they're too cold to get out of their luxurious bed into a warm, free school. It's all about perspective.

Right this very second, there's someone who's having the most fun day of their lives. Maybe they're paintballing or on a beach or just inside reading all day, but whatever they're doing, they're having SO MUCH FUN.

Right this very second, there's someone thinking about what someone else out there is doing and they're just as curious as me as to where everyone in the world is and there's someone out there who still doesn't know how to finish this blog (me).

I'm feeling sentimental so let's see where this goes, shall we?

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe...a baby has been born and a senior is being put to rest. A child outgrows his mother's kisses and a girl develops "cooties." A teenager has disappointed his parents and a mediocre business man is making his old man proud. Right now, somewhere, someone is having their first kiss, experiencing the rushing wave of emotion that come with the infamous "teenage love." Someone is loving and hating the war between the head and the heart, the want and the need, and the should do and can't do. Somewhere, someone is debating whether or not to text their lover and another person has just ended a failing relationship. Someone is breathing their last breath with a teary goodbye to loved ones while someone has committed suicide due to the pitch black winter of their reticent life. Someone has been diagnosed with cancer and someone has been told they are in remission. Someone has signed a DNR and someone is having their last shot at a heart transplant. Someone is getting the plug pulled, while someone else is emerging from a coma. Someone is living their dream and someone lost everything they ever worked for. 

Right now, everything and anything you can think of is going on. 

I am writing this blog post while you are doing other homework, possibly your notebook check for APUSH? My sister is probably cooped up in a UChicago library, publicly declaring that she hates it there and is one step away from dying. (it's amazing how many times she's managed to die by now.) My dad is sighing loudly (and pissing my mom off at that) over financial shenanigans with college, and my mom is looking over my essay to a summer program I'm applying to.

Oh no. I mentioned it. The summer program. Everyone that's close enough to me knows exactly what I'm talking about. I won't mention it by its name in fear that someone will steal my precious program, but right now, along with typing this plausibly incoherent blog post, I am thinking about the lovely summer program that I have about a 10% chance of getting into, but a 174107401747024702347024709234702947029470297024702947023470237403% chance of being in love with for the rest of my youth.

How to Procrastinate

Do it tomorrow

How to Dougie

There was a very popular song that came out in 2010 by Cali Swag District entitled "Teach me how to Dougie" and since its release the song has reinvigorated the "dougie" craze.
1. First you need a good base, feet shoulder-width apart. and knees bent ~130-150 degrees
2. Put your arms straight out in front of you, you can bend your elbows if you want to.
3. Rock your body from side to side, like dip your shoulders from side to side.
4. Once you have that down, you can now start to make the dance more locomotor.
5. Go back to position 3 and then as you are rocking from side to side act like you are driving a car. your hands are on the steering wheel and you are going through a very curvy obstacle course but don't overdo it.
6. Once you got your license in "dougie" driving you can add in the wrist movements, which is just pretending to flip pancakes.
7. You put all of that together and either move your whole body up and down or in a circle or side to side.
Good luck in impressing your peers with your new-found dancing skills.

Alyssa's Ramblings

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe something is being born and something has died. Someone is saving a life while someone is committing a crime. A family is being created and another is being destroyed. It’s crazy to think that as I sit here in my pajamas typing out a blog post munching on pistachios somewhere someone is freezing and starving or partying in the Bahamas with no care in the world.

The other night I was talking to my friends about at that very moment, what my future significant other may be doing. As I was sitting on a couch talking to my friends watching the Bachelor and full from a Chinese New Year’s feast, he was bopping around doing something or another at the same time. At this very moment he might be doing the exact same thing as I am: procrastinating on homework by doing other homework. Or he might be off killing somebody (hopefully not that. That wouldn’t be very good at all) or playing a video game. Who knows.

But what I do know is that at this very moment I am in charge of what I’m doing and I have the ability to change it. I can choose not to submit this blog post at 3:16 on Monday, February 18, 2013 or wait and change it later. I can choose to run a flailing outside or stay here, comfortably cross legged in my chair. It’s amazing that at this moment where I have so many choices, the choice I make is irreversible. If I go get a glass of water, those minutes are a few that I can’t go back and change. I could’ve written more here or watched a Youtube video or just sat. This sounds butterfly effect-esque but at this very moment, with every small decision I make, I am changing my life and I might be changing someone else’s too.

Is the end a bit tangential? Probably.

But I wonder, what exactly were you doing at 3:24 Monday, February 18, 2013 and what exactly you are doing now, other than reading this fantabulous blog post of course.

Side note: Fantabulous doesn’t have a red squiggle in Microsoft Word. I always thought it was made up. Oops.

How to forget to do a blog post

How to forget to do a blog post
Never have I once forgotten to do a blog post on a Sunday until now. But it is actually quite simple and easy. Everyones lifes are hectic and sometimes they are forgetful. Many things can cause one to forget to do a blog post such as no computer access, having a long weekend (my excuse), just being plain lazy. The rest of the steps are quite easy. First, you pick an excuse listed above. Then you completely avoid your computer and Merediths weekly reminders to do the blog post. Last but not least, you sit back and enjoy your procrastination and laziness to it's fullest, you lazy rebel you. And vuala, you have successfully forgotten to do your blog post. Warning: can cause your grade in English to plummet.

How to ask for forgiveness

Often times as imperfect human beings we make mistakes, be it leaving up the toilet seat or say forgetting about a blog post. After making a mistake no mater how grievous or common place we must either seek forgiveness or simply act as we've done nothing wrong. The morally high road which often involves some embarrassment and humbling it to seek forgiveness, but one can not simply say, "hey we cool?" To make amends one must first accept guilt. To receive forgiveness you have to accept and acknowledge the fact that you have done wrong no matter how painful or embarrassing it may be. After declaring your short comings for the world to hear you must apologize. The apology is one of the most important and difficult parts of seeking forgiveness because you may not necessarily feel that you did anything wrong or worse yet the mistakes were made mutually and you feel as deserving of an apology as them. No matter the circumstance it's better to be the "bigger person" and apologies, but be sincere and personal. Make eye contact and use a tone that conveys true remorse for mistakes and a desire to solve the problem. The final step is fairly simple, you wait. It may take seconds, days, or decades, but you have to wait it out until the offendee is prepared to forgive the offender.

How to tie your shoe

1. First you need to have long shoelaces.
2. Be imaginative.
3. With your two laces make two bunny ears.
4. One bunny (it doesn't matter which one) runs around the tree. Wrap one bunny around the other.
5. Then that same bunny runs into the hole. Push the bunny through the hole made from going around the tree.
6.All done!
 Here's a song to help-
To the tune of row your boat
One, two bunnies that's all.
One runs around the hole.
Through the hole, through the hole, through the hole, through the hole
Now your shoe is tied.

Assignment 20: Right Now

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe...

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, March 3rd at 11:59 pm

How to procrastinate homework.

The first step of successfully procrastinating is picking up a sport. A sport is the best way to procrastinate all of your daily to-do’s because they easily take up hours of your day. (A good one is one that has multiple practices a day it’s not a necessity.) Next, you want to find a a good meal for dinner. Preferably don’t plan it out beforehand so that you can enjoy all time picking it out. I know for me if I really want to I can easily spend an hour in the kitchen planning, prepping and eating my dinner. (It also helps if you watch TV while eating dinner to slow down the process.) Finally, you want to find a show that you love, really you only have to like it, on Netflix and watch it all the way from the first episode to the very last. I know I can always find shows I haven’t watch on Netflix. And if you follow these three simple steps you’ll be on your way to procrastinating homework like a champ in no time.

How to Throw a Proper Fit

Having just finished watching the season finale of Downton Abbey, this seemed the most logical choice for a how to blog.
Step One: Find a movie/tv show/book/etc. in which to become extremely emotionally invested. This will make you attached to the characters and storyline to the point where you feel as if you are a part of it.
Step Two: Make sure you are completely unprepared for what is about to happen in your show/book/etc. This is crucial for your fit-throwing experience because if you are blind-sided by whatever horrible thing takes place, then your fit will increase in magnitude immensely by making you that much angrier/miserable/whatever emotion you have just experienced.
Step Three: Experience your extremely unexpected event in your show/book/movie.
Step Four: become aware of your surroundings, making sure you have a relatively soft surface or maybe some pillows around you.
Step Five: Now feel free to fling yourself to the ground and roll around in agony and fury. You may also feel free to scream in rage at the television/book to vent your anger at the bloody writers of the show. I would also suggest throwing some things around the room, preferably the aforementioned pillows, as they tend to not cause too much damage. Also, kick your feet on the ground like a three-year-old. Maybe throw in a few tears.

And voila! There you have a proper fit.

Maybe this should have just been "How to Be Annie"

How to Be a Vegetarian:
1) Do not eat meat.
Congratulations! You are successful.

let's try this again.

How to Become a Proper Harry Potter Fan:
1) READ THE BOOKS. the movies are lovely, of course! But the books explain things that are never mentioned in the movies and they simply make everything 24601% more magical.
2) Watch the movies after you've read the books. Of course, there are many Harry Potter fans who saw the movies first, and that's fine; if you have the chance though, the books are better and should be read first!
3) Dedicate yourself! unfortunately, there are no more movie premieres (*sobs loudly*) but there are plenty of opportunities to proudly sport your Hufflepuff scarf or your nifty Ravenclaw tie! Harry Potter conventions are the best. if nothing else, have a party with your friends!
4) If you have made it this far and are genuinely enjoying yourself (which I very much hope you are) then YOU ARE a Harry Potter fan! And if you just want to be one but aren't THAT dedicated, consider yourself initiated.
And now, congratulations! Either you are successful because you really like it all, or you are successful because you want to be a fan, or you are unsuccessful. which I suppose is not cause for congratulations. (so maybe congratulations in your other endeavors, whatever they may be?)

homework pretenders

How to convince your parents you've been doing homework (if you really haven't):

What's funny about this topic is that I thought my skills and techniques were just little quirks that I did myself, but I realized that my siblings do the exact same things. So maybe that means they're efficient?
1. Literally always have a textbook open on your desk or in your room. If I'm in my room doing something else and they come to my room, I just sit down with that textbook and pretend that I'm reading! They love that I 'study' all the time.
2. If you're working on the computer, it's crucial to have two WINDOWS open, not multiple tabs. Because if they come up right behind you, sure, they can see that the tab you have open is on Google, but all the other tabs are Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, etc. If you have two different windows, one can be the fun websites, and the other can have 'school stuff'. That way, when they come up behind you, you can just switch windows quickly.
3. A trick to the computer aspect is that you never want to switch to a Microsoft Word document. Most likely, you still won't have started whatever you need to have typed, and an empty doc isn't going to convince your parents that you were actually working on it.
4. If you're on the computer and you really don't have any homework on the computer, just tell them you're 'blogging' for English or that you're 'checking Infinite Campus'. (The IC excuse is fab because you just look like an overachiever)
5. Maybe this rule just applies for my house and this trick can't be used anywhere else but: my parents normally don't let us watch TV during the week, unless we're eating dinner in our family room or it's a family show (aka Survivor). BUT, we can only watch Survivor unless we have all our homework done. So what works is taking your homework into the TV room and pretending to do it while you're watching TV.
6. If you know you're going to be out, take your books with them so it looks like you're trying.
7. As soon as you get home, take your backpack inside, open it, and scatter your things across your desk. Because if not, when your backpack hasn't been touched but you say that you've been doing your homework, they may be a little skeptical.

After writing out all these stupid little tricks, I've realized that I'm probably the only one that would do this. It's just that my parents always want me to 'go to bed at a good time' (ugh, what BS, sleep is stupid, right?) but sometimes, waiting until the last minute is the best policy.

How To Perform Modular Synthesis

Soundtrack: "East River Dawn" - Laurie Spiegel - The Expanding Universe (Philo - 1980)

Are you tired of the sort of synthesis essays which dominate the classroom as of late? Well, I am offering some respite from this form so that you might learn about "modular synthesis." Modular synthesis involves the creation of a unique sound or "patch" by using hardware called modules which can be connected and then played according to some input. These modules offer different ways to transform the sound being created, and the parameters can be altered to alter the results. This is no method of essay writing; it is the classic creation of electronic music in its most pure form.

You must first acquire the means to synthesize. Actual modular synthesizers are hard to find and often expensive, but there do exist digital versions and even software emulators.

The sound of a synthesizer does not simply materialize from nothing; it must be produced. An "oscillator" must be triggered. This oscillator is the basis of all that is to follow. It simply produces a "waveform." A waveform is a sound wave of a particular shape, there being four basic waveforms: the sine-wave, the square-wave, the triangle-wave, and the sawtooth-wave. Each synthesizer has at least one oscillator and hopefully as many as two or three. Simply turn one on and choose a waveform. The sine-wave looks like a sine graph and is the smoothest sounding of all. The square-wave is like a rigid sine-wave, and consequently, it sounds more distorted and rougher. Many classic video-games use square-waves liberally. The triangle wave is a sine-wave that comes to points instead of curves and is somewhere in between the sine and square. Finally, the sawtooth-wave looks exactly like a sawblade and has a grainy quality to it. It is a very common waveform in music, especially since it can be used to reproduce physical instruments.

After choosing a waveform, you can detune the oscillator if you wish for it to sound more natural and dissonant. You can set the octave of the wave, and even change the wave's particular stereo position. Many modular synths include noise generators, and you can use these to add more grain and, well, noise to the sound.

At this point, it is most common to run the waves through a filter. Filters do just as advertised; they filter particular frequencies and output the remaining. The most common type is a LPF or low-pass filter meaning the low frequencies are allowed through. Others include high-pass filters (opposite of low-pass) and band-pass filters which allow a defined range to pass through. The low-pass filter is often used to soften the sound by removing the harsher, higher frequencies. Once a filter is chose, you can set the amount to be filtered.

The sound then passes through the amplifier which boosts the signal allowing for an appropriate volume. This amplifier has an adjustable gain giving the user the opportunity to make the sound even louder.

There are other modules which can be utilized to further alter a sound which is still simple. First is the LFO or low-frequency oscillator. This oscillator does not generate an audible wave; it generates a wave which can alter other parameters. By directing the LFO at a parameter such as the amplifier's pan, one can alter the stereo position of the sound according to the position of the wave. The frequency and shape of the LFO can be set as well as the strength with which it alters the directed parameter.

The other most common modules are "envelopes." These are not paper pockets which can contain letters; the word is meant in the wave science sense of the word where this envelope is used to define the magnitude of the wave at any given time. These envelopes appear in the form of an amplifier envelope and a filter envelope. The envelope has four main parameters: attack, decay, sustain, and release. The attack on an amp envelope sets the amount of time it will take for the sound to reach its maximum volume; the decay sets the amount of time it will take for the sound to reach its final velocity; the sustain decides the volume of the sound once the decay period has finished; the release decides how long it will take for the volume to return to zero after the note has finished triggering. These same functions can be translated to the filter.

After these modules are utilized, you are free to play with any available effects like delay or chorus. Some synths allow for pitch glide or portamento which allows the synth to slide between notes instead of simply triggering the separate notes. Outside of any effects, you are done constructing a simple patch. Go forth and take hold of modular synthesis with your new-found knowledge.

Blog #19

How to read a book in just a few easy steps!!!
Have you ever wanted to read a book but just can't seem to find the time or patience? Never fear, for I (an expertise in the beautiful art of reading a book) am here for you!
Step 1: Acquire book. There is a sea of books out there waiting to be sorted through, so choose one. Any one. It really doesn't matter, just pick a freakin' book.
Step 2: Neglect all other duties. Homework can wait. Sleep can wait. That marathon on TV that you've been wanting to watch forever can wait. Your social life can wait. You just got a book, you need to read it now!!!
Step 3: Attempt to find a comfortable reading position. Most people will start out with the simple sitting in a chair and reading. However, you will find that over time this becomes uncomfortable. Proceed to adjust by the tiniest bit, whether it be moving your leg to the side a little or putting your hand behind your neck. Continue to adjust how you are sitting until you find yourself in a completely abnormal position where you're falling off the chair you were sitting in.
Step 4: Read. Really, just read. Don't worry about checking your twitter or facebook every 5 seconds because it can wait. You are immersed in a world entirely different from your own for a small amount of time, so don't waste it by coming back to reality every minute.
Step 5: Repeat steps 2-4 until you finish current book. If you enjoyed that experience, repeat steps 1-5 for the remainder of ever.
Boom! You just read a book. It's that easy. You're welcome.

How to Listen to Music

I'm not talking about turn on the music or  plugging in whatever object you are going to listen to it on or hitting play or anything like that. I'm talking about really listening to music. You should try it sometime. Any type of music can be "critically" listened to afterwards producing comments like she sucks or he isn't all that bad. But have you ever noticed that in most pop songs under the singer's voice, there is another lower voice? Have you ever noticed that they sound exactly the same just different octaves? I bet you haven't. Listen for it next time. Something else you should try out is that when you listen to a song, try and focus on just one instrument. If you are really good at this, you can switch from one instrument to another easily. This selective listening allows you to explore aspects of which you haven't ever heard before, noticed before, or paid attention to before. Another way to listen to music is with your eyes closed. It is scientifically proven that when one of the five senses is unable to be used, other senses are heightened. So, if you listen to music with your eyes closed for a bit, then the music will sound different adding a different perspective. To really listen to music you should try: listening for an undervoice for pop songs, listen for specific instruments, and close you eyes! There are many other methods for the How To Listen To Music so come up with some on your own and share them!

How to Succeed in English Class

English Class: a highly subjective course designed to stimulate the young mind by delving deep into literary works in order to come up with an often BS explanation to why an author made a certain choice; often brings up shaded and jaded analysis.

This definition is not, alas, a Dictionary.com find, but is derived from my own brain. What can you tell from this definition? Does Andrew hate English? If he hates English, he must hate Mr. Logsdon, right? Does his hatred of English class stem from a horrible childhood experience in which he was forced to analyze readings to come up with a possible answer while being fed rotten broccoli? If your mind went to any of these places after reading the above definition, you analyze too much.

English class is wonderful to some people, and that is great. Many people love arguing and debating about stylistic choices and the meaning of sentence structure. Some despise it. That is why, after my many years of watching English classes first hand, I have compiled this list of How to Succeed in English Class:

1. Always come prepared. You need paper and a pen, but not just any pen. You need a pen that will describe you. Something slender and sleek, or bright and shiny, a pen that you could explain to your English teacher as "one that writes from the caverns of my soul".
2. Read the text. Whatever your teacher assigns you to read, make sure you do it. If you don't, you will be forced to give and answer that is more outlandish than the one you would have gotten even if you had read it.
3. Have 12 opinions. After reading the text, make sure you think about what was written and form multiple opinions based on it. It doesn't matter how crazy they are, if you can point to one word in the reading your teacher will most likely accept it.
4. If you get stuck, piggyback off someone else's answer. Say things like "I agree with what he said" and repeat the idea, making sure to add an example from the text so you look better than your classmate who had the original thought.
5. If you have nothing to say, there are two places to look. Either look down at the text, looking like you are doing some fact-checking or scouring the document for even deeper analysis. OR look off in to the distance with half-squinted eyes. This will make you appear as if you are in deep thought, contemplating the opinions being thrown around. Add a well-placed finger to the temple to add to this look.
6. Use words like "juxtaposition", "syntax", and "diction". You will seem smart and your classmates will be confused with your jargon.
7. Do not ever talk about sports. English teachers hate sports.
8. When reading an essay, always say this sentence: "I don't see how this argument relates back to the thesis". Your classmates will agree with you immediately and the teacher will be forced to find a minuscule hole in the thesis. You can never go wrong with this statement.
9. NEVER take something at face value. You will always be wrong because remember, there is a hidden meaning behind EVERYTHING.

With these simple tips, you are ready to succeed in your English class and blow the other students away with your intelligence.

How To Survive Without Being Able to Drive

So since I am only 15 and I have 4 more months until I am eligible for my permit, I figured I could share my opinions on how to get around without being able to drive. So first off, get a phonebook and find people who live nearby you that aren't too weird and then become their best friend. Don't ask for rides until you know them well and they trust you and consider you a decent friend. Once you've reached a friendship you can slowly start asking for rides, but dont ask for huge favors at first. Eventually they will just start assuming that you a need a ride everywhere and youre problem is solved! Now every once in a while you may have to ride the dreaded bus, but you will survive. Atleast I have, so far.

How to Make Ice Cubes

Materials needed:

An ice cube tray (found at any grocery store)

Water

A working freezer

Directions:

First, clear out a flat space in your freezer for the tray. This will prevent your water from spilling and freezing onto other items in your freezer.

Next, and fill each square of your ice cube tray with water.

Carefully bring your water filled ice cube tray to the freezer and place the tray on the flat space you created.

Once you have placed your tray in the freezer, close the door.

After two hours in the freezer your ice cubes should be frozen and ready to be popped out and served.

A twist: 

These steps can also be used to make ice pops for those hot summer days by using your favorite juice or drink instead of water. After about one hour in the freezer, remove the tray and put toothpicks in the semi-frozen cubes in order to make serving these delicious treats easier. Then place the tray back in the freezer for another hour in order for the cubes to fully solidify. Remove the treats from the tray and serve. 

How To

The first step to making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is making sure you have everything necessary. This includes bread, peanut butter, jelly, a knife or spoon, a plate, and a toaster. After you have gathered all of this, pop two slices of bread into the toaster and wait for them to miraculously turn golden and crisp. Once this step has been completed, place the warm slices onto a plate and with a firm knife or spoon, spread creamy layers of peanut butter onto the first slice. The warm toast slightly melts the peanut butter making it silky and smooth on the tongue, much easier to swallow than the thick and sticky peanut butter from the jar. Then using the clean side of your knife or spoon (or a second knife/spoon if you prefer), slather the jelly onto your second slice of toast until it evenly covers the face of the bread. Now, with your two perfect halves, place them one on top of the other so that they mirror each other and witness how the rich peanut butter serves as a glue in cementing your sandwich into a delicious final product. Now for the taste test, enjoy!

How To....

How to Stay HEALTHY during Flu Season

1) Wash hands at every interval possible in the nearest restroom.While washing your hands make sure sure that you use soap every time to kill bacteria.

2) Buy a package of hand sanitizer! Even though it gets a bad reputation for not being effective and exaggerating its effects, hand sanitizer can be a good alternative to washing hands if a restroom is not readily available and can be put in a pouch of a backpack.

3) Stay away from people who are already sick! The flu is very contagious and can be spread through the coughing and touching so it is always best to avoid those who are confirmed to have the flu or are exhibiting symptoms.

4) If you do indeed get the flu, go immediately to the doctor/hospital! The flu is a serious illness and can be fatal in some cases while 2012-2013 has been the worst flu season in several years. The doctor will confirm the flu with a simple, quick test and prescribe medication like Tamiflu. Symptoms of the flu include coughing, sneezing, high fever, ear ache, exhaustion, body aches, and possible vomiting.

5) While the doctor may prescribe medication for the flu, it will only check its spread to other people so it's important to note that over-the-counter medications like Tylenol Cold/Flu, Advil, and DayQuil/ NyQuil are key in helping symptoms.

6) Follow a healthy diet! Make sure to consume a good amount of Vitamin C while foods like milk, citrus fruits, and nuts can all help strengthen the immune system.

7) Lower your stress level! Relaxation can be key in preventing either the spread of the flu and/or keeping yourself from getting it.

8) Make sure to clean all shared items within the family! Common-use items like telephones, computers, TV remotes, and doorknobs serve as breeding grounds for bacteria.

9) Finally, shield your cough or sneeze from the direction of others to prevent the spread of germs!

How to make a new york cheesecake

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

ingredients

• 2 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 5 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 5 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel

tips

• Use a springform pan to make it easier to remove your cheesecake after baking.
• Keep your oven moist to prevent your cheesecake from cracking. Just put a shallow pan of water beneath the cheesecake during baking.
• You'll know the cheesecake is done when it's puffy around the edges and jiggles a bit in the center when shaken.

directions

1. For crust, combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Stir until well combined. Press onto bottom and about 2-1/2 inches up the sides of a 9x3-inch springform pan.
2. Mix cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and egg yolks, beating on low speed just until combined. Stir in whipping cream and lemon peel. Pour into pan.
3. Place pan in a shallow baking pan in the oven. Bake in a 325 degree F oven about 1-1/2 hours or until center appears nearly set when shaken. Cool 15 minutes. Loosen crust from sides of pan. Cool 30 minutes more; remove sides of pan. Cool completely. Chill 4 to 24 hours. If desired, garnish with fresh berries. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Bibliography: recipe.com 

How to Complete a Writing assignment

Do you dread writing that 2 page essay for U.S History? What about that paragraph for Psychology? Or that blog post for English? While these tasks may seem difficult and annoying, and you might be a person that likes to know exactly what needs to be done to receive full credit, writing assignments can quickly change into your favorite type of assignments, but only if you change your way of looking at them.

Step 1: Write an intro: An intro is a great way to get your ideas together for what you're actually going to write. As soon as you're ready to start your assignment, just start writing about the first thing that pops into your head and pretty soon, you'll have a clear idea about what you want the rest of your paper to look like.

Step 2: Expand on your ideas: If you are hitting a major point in your essay, do not merely mention it and go on. Go in depth about your point. Doing this will not only increase the word count of your paper, paragraph, or blog, but it will also paint a clearer picture for your audience and will most likely allow yourself to know what else you will want to write about in your assignment. For example, if you are writing a paper about abuse and you are talking about animal abuse, if you go more in depth into your writing you may be able to find out that animal abusers were once abused, and have another topic to write about later in your essay.

Step 3: Enjoy your writing: The more fun you have while writing something, the easier it is to write. It may be hard to become enthusiastic about something like writing a how-to blog. But once you embrace what you need to accomplish, you will be more successful.

Blog Post #19--How to, er, um, be... well, I'm not exactly sure?

The first thing that came to my mind when I saw this prompt for this post was this image:

This image was a response to the question, "How do I draw like you?" made by an artist on her blog (http://burdge.tumblr.com/ if you're interested).  Though I can't really draw one bit, this is sort of where I'll be coming from in this blog post.

Truth be told, I don't really know exactly what I'm explaining how to do.  I tried to think of some clever thing to post like, "How to be Superman!" or "How to successfully procrastinate!" (See, I can't even think of clever fake ideas), but that really wasn't going to work out.  So, I'm going to try to explain to you how to... well... how to... We'll see if I can figure out what exactly I'm explaining by the end of this post.

So, step one:  There is no step one.  There is no order, or process for doing or being... what it is I'm trying to explain.  You don't have to do things in a perfect order or in a perfect way.  Sure, there are plenty of people who try to be perfect, or attain perfection (in fact, several of my fellow classmates come to mind!), but really, you gotta loosen up a bit (myself included).  Take some time to stop worrying about what's coming next. We're all still just kids.  We need some time off from college planners, and sports, and after school clubs, and church, and every other thing that takes up our time currently.  Stop thinking about being perfect for a few minutes every day, and just take some time for yourself.  We all need it, trust me.
For example, last night I took some time to read a few chapters in my book amidst all of the homework that was (and still is) piling up around me.  If you don't like reading, you could try doing something outside like walking.  Whatever it is you do, make sure it's solitary, and don't think about all of the things you need to do to be perfect. Just relax.

Next, or at some point, whenever, find something that you can enjoy.  Discover something new that you can appreciate, and really try to savor it!  I realize that most of us already have something or some activity that we enjoy, but try to put some emphasis on it, really focus on it.  I feel like most of us are so worried about college, or the ACTs or SATs, or community service, or whatever else is out there, that we don't get to enjoy what we really want to.  Pick something that you can be passionate about, and just do it.  Don't worry about what your parents want or what your college planner says you have to do, because guess what:  in about a year and a half, you won't have either of them.  We're all going to college, and we're all going to need to have something to want to do when we get there!  I know so many of you who don't focus your energy on anything but college, and I honestly worry for you!  I truly enjoy theatre, and reading, and foreign languages, so I'm honestly not worried about being able to do what I love in college!  But I know there are many who are pretty clueless about participating in something enjoyable.  Anyway, just find what you enjoy, and enjoy it!  Sounds pretty simple, right?

Okay, I've written a lot, so I'll try to see if I can figure out what I was trying to explain.  At first I thought I would explain how to be a nerd.  But that seemed too predictable, so I went in a slightly different direction.  Okay, so when I started writing "step one," I thought that maybe I was explaining how to be average.  Just plain old average.  Not perfect, not awful.  But I still think that might be the wrong word.  The word I'm looking for is probably closer to free.
In fact, I think that's it.
Free.
Letting yourself go, enjoying your life.
We all have "tragic" teenage lives or whatever.  That's what we really need to know how to be, free.  And I hope that's what I've at least partially explained how to do.

How to entertain yourself when you're home alone

Nights when your family and friends leave you home alone can be some of the worst nights (I am currently home alone). Thankfully I have learned some ways to entertain myself.
1) Blog (not really just tonight)
2) Listen to really loud music because no one else is in the house
3) Watch your favorite TV shows and or movies.
4) Cook interesting foods especially when you have to make your own dinner. For example, I made quesadillas which aren't really interesting, but they are relatively easy to make and taste good.
5) See how many grapes you can fit in your mouth at once. I have eaten a whole bag of grapes and fit 11 in my mouth.
6) Read a good book. I am currently reading Wonder  as it is the book for the Henry Clay Book Club.
7) Exercise
8) Watch Youtube videos or play online games. Personally I think videos of people falling and doing stupid things are hysterical and I often cry from laughing so hard.
9) Sleep
10) Possibly start homework, but probably not
11) Invite friends over (If you're allowed of course)
12) Text and call your friends to see what they are doing.

How to combat an ear infection the right way

Well, once again I'm stuck at home with an ear infection and a subsequently ruptured ear drum. These things suck big time, especially when you have ear drums that struggle to heal on their own. Hears (pun very much intended) how to make sure they don't get out of hand.

First thing you need to do is see your doctor. It's best to make sure that there is nothing more serious. Better to be safe then sorry

Next, make sure the doctor prescribes the right antibiotic. My drug of choice (not to sound like an addict or anything) is Augmentin. This can also be substituted by Amoxicillin for more mild cases.

Always finish out the antibiotic. The last thing you want is to have the pain linger even after the infection has started to improve.

And don't you dare try to clean out the infected ear with a cotton swab. This hurts more than you may expect and can poke or irritate the ear drum itself. I recommend using tissues or a slightly damp wash cloth to clean out excess wax and drainage.

With any other common illness, it helps to stay hydrated, so chug that Gatorade.

My last important tip is to stay home. While an ear infection isn't contagious, you're likely to have other cold-like symptoms so it's best to stay home and get well before returning to school or work.

Cheese Omelets

How to make cheese omelets

I have an obsession with eggs; Scrambled, fried, boiled, or incorporated into a delectable dish, i don't care. But my all time favorite has always been cheese omelets. Why? They just happen to be the tastiest and the funnest to make. So here's how ya do it:

1) Based on how many people you will be serving, select the number of eggs to use. For 1 person, use two eggs. For 3 people, use five. Use your best judgement.

2) Crack the eggs and place both the egg whites and the yolk into a bowl. Mix thoroughly, making sure to stir through the clumps.

3) Add salt and pepper.

4) Locate the fry pan, heat it, and add vegetable oil onto it. Set it on a medium temperature to let it warm up.

5) Get out green onions, mozzarella and sharp cheese, tomatoes, and anything else you might want in your omelet.

6) Wash the green onions and tomatoes and cut them into bits. Everything is now ready to be put on the frying pan.

7) Slowly spread the mixed eggs onto the frying pan. 

8) Sprinkle in the green onions and tomatoes, and apply a thin (or thick if you're a cheese lover) layer of cheese on top of it all.

9) When the edges of the egg are cooked well enough to lift up with a spatula, fold the egg into thirds.

10) Flip a few times and serve!

How To

How To Do Professional Makeup

Some people may not realize it (especially guys), but applying quality makeup is a distinct process. Makeup artistry is one of my favorite hobbies and something I would consider doing on the side of whatever my job is in the future. Here’s a step by step of how you apply makeup to the best effect (because I’m sure you care so much):

1. Apply primer to your face and eyelids. Once this dries, it will help the rest of your makeup stay on all day and stay shine-free. 
2. Apply foundation to your face, starting at your nose and moving outwards. You want to do this in circular motions to create a smooth look.
3. Apply concealer to any specific spots you want extra coverage on. Using your finger creates the most coverage.
4. Apply powder to your face. This will set your makeup and help prevent shine. You can use either a skin colored powder or a translucent.
5. Apply blush to your cheeks. This will give your face a nice colored and rosy look.
6. On your eyelids, apply whatever eyeshadow you want. Pick a light color to put all over your lid, a slightly darker color to put in the crease on your eye, and a darker/black color to put on the outer corner of your eye. Blend these colors in.
7. Apply eyeliner to your waterline on the bottom of your eye, and then close your eye and draw a thin line close to your eyelashes.
8. Choose your favorite mascara and apply a couple coats to avoid clumping. Don’t neglect your lower lashes.
9. Apply your favorite color lipstick to your lips, and cover it with lipgloss.
10. If you’re not happy with your eyebrows, take an eyeshadow several shades lighter than your brows and fill them in, and set this with a clear mascara. 

Assignment 19: How to...

Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?
--Benjamin Franklin

Ben makes a good point. For this week, put your gifts and skills on display by developing a "how-to."Choose something that you have a level of expertise in and explain step by step how it is done.

No repeats though! If two people are both really talented at making ice and one beats the other to the post on "How to make ice..." then, second person - you need to reflect upon your other talents.

So, stop standing in the shade and astound us!

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, February 17th at 11:59 pm

Advice Blog

I think the best piece of advice I've ever been given is to be genuine and honest in everything that you do and not to worry about what everyone else is doing. I've always seen people try and lie or cheat their way through everything. In the short term, it feels as if they're being rewarded for their character or lack thereof. They may get an extra point or two here and there. They might even get a higher grade. I've always been held to high academic standards, but my parents have made it perfectly clear that it's much worse to take a lower grade then cheat your way through a test, a class, or life.

This is the same thing emphasized in Legendary UCLA Basketball Coach John Wooden's Pyramid of Success. Here he gives a specific definition to success with transcends much farther than a basketball court in Westwood.

"Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable" -John Wooden

If I can look back at my life and know that I achieved such success, then I will have lived an exciting and rewarding life.

Something that matters

Live like you're doing something worth while. It may seem insignificant, but it's a good rule to live by. If you don't invest yourself in what you're doing you won't really get much of a result out of it. You reap what you sow in this life and to get back quality you have to put out quality. Life is often a struggle full of difficult tasks that seem a little pointless sometimes, but regardless they have to be done so it makes sense to do them to the best of your ability and put forth the maximum amount of effort. Often times I become worn out or disheartened and those words spur me on no matter how ridiculous or Herculean the task may seem I'm given greater resolve to push on until my work pays off and I can reap the valuable harvest. So if you're looking for a life motto or you feel like what you're doing is insignificant live like you're doing something important.

Advice blog

It’s easy to get caught up in high school and just want to fit in, but high school should be more about finding out who you are rather than making sure you have the latest, hottest pair of jeans. The best piece of advice that I ever got was to be yourself in the midst of high school craziness. I got this advice from my sister before freshmen year and really didn’t sink in ‘til sophomore year. Freshman year I just wanted to meet, and become friends with as many people as I could, have the high school experience you see on tv. Even if that meant being someone different around everyone I met. But in sophomore year after taking a step back and realizing I really didn’t know who I was or what my true interests were or even why I put up with certain people I didn’t even like for so and so reason I realized how truly important this piece of advice really was.

YOLO

just kidding im not actually going to do my post about that ridiculous song and even more more ridiculous phrase.
But i believe it was two summers ago i was in a research camp (cause that's what all the cool kids do for their summer). I had gotten into trouble (cause im such a bamf) and the director was reprimanding me, "blah blah blah!" but then she hit me with this line that has stuck with me ever since. "James, you might not see this [or you might not know this] but me and the other counselors do. You have a certain power, influence, over the other kids. and it's up to you to decide if you want to use that influence [over your peers] for good or for evil... your choice!" Of course me being a 14 or 15 year old kid i didnt believe her. But i started to look out for it, and sure enough i saw a direct relation between the way i reacted to something or what kind of mood i was in to how peers around me reacted to something. So now i always try to keep an optimistic outlook on things and i am always cautious of someone watching me, because you never know how much influence you are having on someone's life.

Some advice

Some advice I have for any person is mainly to keep your priorities in order. Vague advice I know but i think this advice is the key to how we all should live our lives. We should all at some point or another decide what matters to us most and decide what we need to do to complete our goals. I usually order mine in a list of importance and I know this can seem daunting. With so many things to choose from like family, God, school, athletics, etc, it can be difficult to straighten out what matters most. I only suggest this because after what you establish what matters most in your life, you can begin to base your lifestyle around those goals. If God is first, which is what I attempt to adhere to, build your lifestyle around it. If school is most important, build off that. It doesn't matter at all what you base your life around as long as you have organization and a plan. A method to the madness of life is the only way that we can possibly hope to get by with as little pain as possible. THis doesn't mean however that you have to have an organized, neat life however. Only that you keep your priorities in place and know what they are at all times. With this in mind you can succeed in almost anything you attempt.

Never join the Marine Corps

The first piece of advice that comes to mind is something that my brother told me a few years ago, so I suppose I'll just run with that. It doesn't feel that long ago but it's been more than four years now that Stewart first went into the Marine Corps. The first three months were spent in boot camp at Parris Island, where the only communication they were allowed was letters. At the time, those three months felt like an eternity and they made me realize that I could actually miss my older brother. It seems like nothing now compared to his two seven-month deployments in Afghanistan. Anyway, in the span of his three months in boot camp, he sent us about ten letters, and one addressed specifically to me. In the midst of his chit chat and talk about boot camp, he firmly advised me to "never join the Marine Corps, Paige." Not like I was planning on it. This "gem" of advice is really more important to me because of the context and not because of the actual meaning.   It was mostly a shock to me that Stewart actually liked me enough to write me my own letter when he had much bigger things to worry about. It was also a great comfort because of those bigger things. Because the truth was: I was worried about my big brother whom I had previously loathed with a passion. And his little humorous advice made me feel reassured that he was alright. And if I ever have the urge to enlist, I'll just remember his letter and run away at top speed from the recruitment office. 

Advice

"Expect nothing". These two words resonated with my group and me once our coordinator told us this on the first day of orientation before going to Tajikistan. She encouraged us to leave our assumptions behind, allowing for a trip filled with memories and not expectations. This mentality allows for crap happen and an easier way to get over it. You’re not tied down to an idealistic idea of what should happen and you’re not mortified by what doesn’t happen. You deal with what does, whether it is good or bad. What I find the most beneficial of this idea is the appreciation of the good that happens. It makes an amazing experience even more memorable because you didn’t expect it to happen, but it still did. This mentality allows for something spectacular to happen, and for you to fully appreciate the magnitude of the amazingness and not measure it up to expectations. 

Try Hard? Pshhh...

I don't quite remember who told me this, but it for sure was not my parents. I do know I heard this around the seventh grade and the suggestion has stuck with me, inseperable, ever since. That advice was: "Only put in as much as you need to.", and believe me, this phrase speaks volumes to me. While my peers will spend hours and hours doing things that are NOT due the next day, I do basically everything the night previous, and put in substantionally less work. Unlike some unlucky friends of mine, I am a HUGE clutch player, doing what needs to be done just in the nick of time. The thing is I can pull this off because I am a really effective worker, I understand what I need to do, how to do it, or if I don't, how to FIND OUT how to do it. Resourceful might as well be tattooed on my back as my take on "THUGLIFE". A prime example of this is in this English class, namely on the vocabulary quizzes. I scoff inside whenever I walk in and my classmates uncover last minute study sheets of the words on the quiz, after studying all week prior; because I ALWAYS write down the words on a sheet of paper, transcribing the definitions from my iPhone, IN ENGLISH CLASS! I don't really know if this counts as putting in less work, rather than proscrastination, but whatever.

The Over-Used Advice

When I was younger, my parents said to me "Never give up." This over-used, generic, run-of-the-mill piece of advice inspired me to become who I am today (well mostly). Since I was a young'n, I have tried many many different activities form singing (chorus), sports (dance, tennis, softball, gold, soccer, and volleyball), music (recorder, flute, and clarinet), and many other things. Most of those have since been left to gather cobwebs, but throughout my participation, my parents pushed me to never give up making me successful. I continue to strive for excellence never giving up when I have a bad match or day in volleyball, a bad audition, or an impossible invention idea. My grades have also had this effect slipping by with very very close A's in a few classes at the end of the semister. Those classes started out with a bad test grade or some bad assignments. I had to work hard to bring that average up from as low as a 76% to a 91.53% studying had for the final and putting a great amount of time into the assignments. This really over-used advice, though, has stuck with me and will continue to stick with me throughout my life. "Never give up!"

Blog #18

To be honest, I can hardly think of any piece of advice I've gotten that sticks out to me. I've always been the advice-giver really, and since I was the one giving advice, I wouldn't take any advice from anyone. I prefer to listen to what I think because I am always right! (ha.)
But in all honesty, some really great advice I've been given is "be yourself." *cue groaning from everyone* I know it's cliche, but it's a piece of advice I deeply appreciate. I'm a self-proclaimed try-hard, and I especially try hard to be myself. It's probably the one thing I pride myself on the most. Those two words are always lurking in my mind and reminding me to follow them. I'm not going to go into the specifics of this advice because it is quite vague and subjective, but I suppose all advice is meant to be that way. It's all about how you interpret it.

Good Advice

My middle school teachers used to always tell me to set goals for myself but I never bothered thinking about it. Most of the time I just daydreamed about the ways my life could be better. But, in high school, when I started actually thinking about the many things I could work at to achieve, setting goals helped to provide structure to everything I wanted to accomplish. I finished my homework every day not just because my teachers told me to, but because I wanted to maintain a decent GPA. I started being more productive in practicing not just because my teacher wanted me to, but because I wanted to go to All State and NSO-SMI. Setting goals made accomplishments much more rewarding and also easier. Having goals meant that I had to come up with a plan for how I would achieve whatever it was that I wanted to work towards. Although many of us unconsciously set goals for ourselves, it helped me to realize the purpose behind everything I do. 

lets have a toast for the mean people

The best advice I have ever received was "Don't let mean people live rent free in your brain." And yes, of course my mother told me this one. I know it may seem like i have everything together, but you see, sometimes i let the littlest things bother me. If someone says a mean little comment towards me, i will think about it for a really long time and get even more upset. Last year, i had a little bit of a rough patch and some people weren't very nice to me. Whether they called me stupid, made fun of me, or ditched me, i would always seem to be really upset. That's when my mom told me this little gem "don't let mean people live rent free in your brain," and every time i even think about letting someones rude comment get in my head and bother me, i picture her saying this and usually it works!

Advice

Soundtrack: "The X-Files" - Mark Snow

The best advice I can remember was a few months back when Clay recommended that I watch the seminal science-fiction television series The X-Files. Naturally, I had heard of the show; the names Scully and Mulder sounded familiar to me, but I had no context for this, no experience with the series. I was aware that the all nine seasons (200 one-hour freaking episodes) were on Netflix instant streaming, so I added it to my queue and figured I would get to it eventually. However, I soon found my blood riddled with salmonella and was forced into a sickly state of television watching for two weeks. I quickly burned through any movies that I needed to see, and the first season of Sherlock, so I finally decided to start The X-Files. I am unsure of whether it was the fact that I was horribly ill and fevered or that it was near Halloween or that the show itself is somewhat disturbing, but the watching experience had me terrified and glued to the screen. I finished the first season rather quickly and could not figure out exactly what it was that had me returning - and what keeps me returning even now - but I love it. I am currently in the middle of the fourth season, and I am loving it.

Advice

A piece of advice that has stuck with me throughout the years, is my father telling me never to assume anything. It is important to not assume things because that leaves things to chance and errors will occur. He told a story about how one of his co-workers assumed that an order had already been sent. The order was in fact not sent and cost the company thousands of dollars. This advice stuck with me because of an acronym he taught me. Assuming something is bad for all parties involved, so the acronym is ASS to U and ME. Although this is very rudimentary, it gets the message across; assuming things is a bad idea. This may seem very skeptical because it is usually okay to assume that things will be done, but I believe it is important to be sure and leave nothing to chance. This lesson has taught me to be more independent because I rarely rely on others unless I trust them a lot. I prefer to do things myself, take my time, and make sure nothing is wrong rather than simply assuming someone else will do it correctly.

Advice

The best advice I have ever received was from my dad. He told me, "Be yourself, be proud of who you are and don't let anyone bring you down." This advice has significantly impacted my life because it has encouraged me to live for myself rather than to impress other people. Ever since my dad has given me this advice, I have been living out the way I want to, I say stupid things a lot, embarrass myself, but at the end of the day it's better to be surrounded by people that accept you for the way you are. Adding on to the rest of the advice my dad gave me, if anyone ever insults or makes fun of me (not that it happens often), I don't let it bother me because I know that I am the person I want to be, and that the jeers of others should make an insignificant impact on me and my life.