The Future

It's hard to try and think of the future. When you think of past time periods, what typically comes to mind? First, there's the cavemen. You think of dirty people wearing cloths and drawing on stone walls. Then you think of the people that have cities, in pueblos. Then there are the kings and queens when men wore hats and bow ties. When women wore long dresses and took great care of their hair. Then there are the people with really long hair, who wore tie dye and talked of peace. I know, I know, this is all very stereotypical stuff, but there was always something that defined that era. What will ours be, when people of the future look back on the 2000's?

Everyone says that we are in the technology era, everything is changing and it's now considered weird when you don't have a smart phone. But that will just become more and more advanced, and people will laugh when they see pictures of us with our smart phones and think "aaahh the old days"

It's just weird.What will people think of when they see old pictures of the people of today? What will they think when they learn about the natural disasters in other countries? Or about the first African American president of the United States? About the attack on 9/11? Even about the release of the first iPod, and learning about Steve Jobs and Michael Jackson?

What is going on today will be what kids of the future will learn about in their history books. The people we see in the news every day will be the people they see in pictures with a name and description written beside it. (285)

Sledding and Sliding

It is soon going to be officially the winter season. What will you do during snow days? This is such a big question. Some people like to spend their snow days sleeping in, or catching up on work they need to get done. Others though, like to spend it in some other ways.

One fun way to spend a snow day is Truth or Dare. This game is about ten times more entertaining when the weather is bad. I personally can say that I have done the chicken dance in the freezing cold outside, in a tank top and shorts. I can also say I have played a whole song on the piano whilst being soaked from sleet (this is when we set our piano outside for free, because we no longer needed it in our house). I have also once spent fifteen minutes in a hot tub, then five minutes rolling in snow, one right after the other. It was crazy, but hilarious.

Another way to spend snow days is by finding any way you can to spend your day sliding around, rather than walking. Outside of course is one way to do this. It is always fun to traditionally get out some sleds, go out with friends and slide down hills. Maybe make a fort, and a snowman friend. Another way to do this though, is to get water and pour it on the snow, which can make it more like ice if the conditions are right. This makes sledding in your yard more dangerous, but also more slippery and fun.Then there is simply trying to walk around on your driveway when it is covered in a thick sheet of ice without falling; almost impossible.

Although it is always fun to go outside and do all that, there are ways you can do it inside too, if going outside isn't an option. One way is to find a good pair of socks and a hardwood floor. Run and slide across the room... just make sure not to break anything. It's hilarious. Or if you want to get even crazier, find a good sleeping bag and a flight of stairs. This takes some practice, because if you slip off the sleeping bag you will probably end up falling down the stairs and getting rug burns on your knees and hands. Rug burns hurt, but sometimes they are worth it.

There are many other ways to slide around too, like getting a blanket and using the hardwood floors to pull a friend around the house. With doing all this though, its best to be as careful as possible while still having fun, because chances are something will end up broken and you will have bruises and rug burns all over yourself... but a smile on your face!(468)

Kids

Kids are adorable. They really are. They are so smart and funny when you have real conversations with them, and they try to have good intentions. They also voice their opinions openly. Just today I had a 7 year old cousin tell me that my room is disgusting because of its pink-and-purple-ness. After he said that, I agreed and told him that soon I was going to paint it, probably a green color. His smile got huge when I said green. He then told me that he thinks I should paint my ceiling red, because it would look really cool. I couldn't help but laugh.

I have always been surrounded by kids. Growing up, my mom ran a daycare business out of our house, and soon after she quit is when I grew old enough for her adult friends to ask me to help take care of their kids when they weren't home. I loved it.

At work, I see kids come through all the time. Some ask for suckers, but I have to watch their face contort into disappointment when I tell them sorry, but our Hy-Vee doesn't have suckers. Some are sweet, and try to help their parents by putting the groceries in the cart onto the belt, standing on their toes to do so. Some ask for a candy bar, and yell when they don't get one. Some say "Of course mom" when she tells them that they can have a candy bar, but they have to wait until after dinner to eat it.

I once babysat a kid that was obsessed with dinosaurs. I asked him to tell me about some of them, and he started showing me pictures of them and telling me about them with a look of concentration on his face. I actually learned a lot about dinosaurs that night.

Some people don't give kids much of a chance. They find them gross or annoying or dumb. I personally know people who wanted to adopt kids, went through the whole process to get a license, but now don't keep the foster kids for very long, because they just find them to be too much. I find those people to be a bit ridiculous. I understand some people can't get along with kids well, or are even intimidated by them. Some people though, just don't even give them enough of their attention to even see what the kid wants them to. (410)

Swimming

So this year I was faced with a decision: do swimming as I had the past two years, or not do it this year to instead try and work more hours, thus raising more money for college. I chose the latter. In hindsight it was a great idea; I always sort of enjoyed my job, and this way I could manage my own schedule a little easier and be more productive and responsible, all the while making more money.

Boy was I wrong.

For one, I miss swimming... a lot. Yes, I admit it. A lot of my friends told me I would regret this decision, but I didn't listen. I am so stubborn sometimes. Another way I was wrong is that even though I could now manage my schedule, it didn't make me any less busy. I missed out on a lot of friend and family outings, and instead spent it with customers. Don't get me wrong, as I've said before in this blog I find my job interesting sometimes, just seeing the people I see. It doesn't match my love for swimming though. Third reason is the whole reason I did it was to save money. Well yes, because I worked a lot more hours I made more money. But I also spent it a lot.

And then I had a "what if"  moment:

What if I had just kept swimming? What if I had just worked weekends like I had originally planned? I could have just made sure to save my money better, to not go out to eat as much, and to watch my paychecks.

Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda.

Now though, I think about swimming all the time. I miss the ability to be alone, yet somehow still be with my teammates swimming in the lane with me. I miss the sound of the water in my ears. I miss the usual routine of asking people, "Will you help me put my cap on?" and "Will you please stretch my shoulders?" I miss spending the first lap of a 500 thinking of a good song, then spending the rest of the set singing the lyrics to that song in my head over and over again until I realized I was almost done, and that the song that was in my head seemingly a minute ago, was long gone and replaced by my thoughts. Yes, fellow swimmers, I may sound crazy, but I even miss when I swam freestyle and every time I turned my head to breathe I could see my coach holding a strawberry milkshake mouthing to me and cupping his hands a certain way until I changed my arm position to his liking.

I probably sound like I'm ranting right now, and maybe I am. But what I am trying to say is don't stop something you love for something that you think may help. Without the thing you look forward to, you will feel less motivated, and without that the thing you are working toward won't seem as big.

Unless it is truly needed, or something completely worth it, don't give up on something and end up getting really excited whenever the smell of chlorine comes into contact with you. Okay, now I definitely sound crazy. Really though, stay with what you want before doing what you think will be better for you. Sometimes you need to, but right now you've got some time to enjoy the little things, like the funny way goggles make red circles around your friend's eyes, or the way the water makes their eyebrows look funny.(598)

What is the True Meaning?

So begins the holiday season. Now is when everything seems to transform into a blur of presents, cookies, warm smells and cold weather. Everyone is busy trying to plan for holiday parties, for what they will buy their friends and family, and even what shapes of cookies they want to make. But what are holidays really about

The parties of July 4th are to celebrate American's freedom. Valentines day is about showing someone you love them. Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for the things you would normally take for granted. Some people really get into all that; they celebrate what the holiday really is by praying, or planning something special, or sitting around a table while each person takes their turn saying what they are thankful for.

Although some people really do all that, some people just find holidays to be an annoyance. They are something you have to take away from your normal routine to do, to pay for, and to attend to.I thought it was a little funny all of the times I saw people write on the internet something like "It's ironic how we would spend a dinner for giving thanks only to spend the next morning beating up on each other for something materialistic," referring to the tradition of Black Friday. Well, that's America for you.

Growing up, whenever Father's Day or Mother's Day came around, my parents never got offended if one of us kids forgot to do something special. "I don't see the point of this holiday," they would say "Shouldn't it be every day that you guys do something special for us?" Of course, it was halfway a joke because they wanted us to behave, but they also truly didn't see the point of it.

I dont know about that. Of course every day should be spent like what the holidays tell us to do; we should always be thankful, and always show respect for our parents, and for veterans, and for our significant others. But being realistic, people get caught up in their busy lives and it doesnt always happen. So one day a year that "kind" of person gets recognition. Holidays were made to honor and celebrate something deserving of it. (363)

Growing up

                So begins the second trimester of junior year of high school. It’s so weird to say that; it feel s like yesterday I was twelve, wondering what high school would be like. I still remember walking into Kennedy on the first day of school freshman year. Because I knew literally about as many people as I can count on my hands, I was nervous. Although it was a huge change coming to this school, it has been amazing. But now that we’ve all settled, mostly found our friend group, gone through a lot of things we never would have imagined when we were little, it’s time to start thinking about the future.

                A lot of people I’ve talked to have a pretty good idea of what their future looks like; what they want to be, what college they want to go to, some even know where they want to live. Of course, we still have a lot of time, and the future is almost never what you expect it to be, but they have a lot of it figured out. Other people that I’ve talked to though, have no idea. They might know what they think they want to do for a living when they get older, but they still aren’t completely sure.

                There is also a big variety in how people view the future. Some are excited; they have been ready to start being more independent, and they can’t wait to be able to grow up and finally make their own decisions. Some are scared out of their minds. They look around and see people that seemingly have it all figured out and wonder how? How can they know so much, they’re still in high school! It’s completely different depending on the person, and how much they are ready for.

                Although the future seems so far away… it’s not. It is in some aspects; we still have some high school left and there is room for change if the decision that was made is different than the one a person realizes they actually want. But if you think about it, when you were younger you thought you were soo old. Remember the first time you rode a bike? Or drove a car? What about the first time you were out past 10 without a parent? Or even when you finally truly understood that saying your grandpa always said to you? I know I always thought that it was such a big trademark, that I knew a lot more than I actually did. And now, you’re going to start turning into that waitress that hands you food, or the parent you see at their kid’s soccer game, or even that old guy with a cane you always thought was adorable. Growing up can be scary, but I always like to think that things will eventually work themselves out. The decisions made now will affect your entire life… no pressure (488)

Family

                They say that “Friends may come and go, but family stays forever.” In a sense this is true, because no matter where you go or who you meet you are always a part of where you came from, who your parents are, and who taught you the essentials of what you know today. Although you are largely shaped from your ancestors and biological family, that doesn’t necessarily mean they will always be around. Who are “they” to have the right to say ‘You Can’t Choose Your Family’ or that they will always be there? Of course family is typically defined as who you grew up with and who raised you and your siblings but after you grow up and become who you are, your family is who you want your family to be.

                With this post I am nowhere near saying that if your family annoys you or they haven’t always been good to you that you should ditch them. Your family, no matter how close you are to them, is your family and has to at least be acknowledged, and hopefully respected. Besides that though, I like to define family as whoever you are meant to be with. Of course everyone has their friends, but the ones that are there for you all the time, the ones that may annoy you like no one else can, the ones that are almost always either around too much or around not enough, are the ones that I call family. These are the people that you would call when you are in trouble, or you would get up at one o’clock in the morning to help, no matter what the circumstances.

                Okay, that was really wordy and maybe even confusing, but what I am trying to say is basically that I believe they were right when they said that home is where the heart is. The heart is wherever you are the happiest. You are happiest wherever your family is, either the family you grew up with or the family that you were drawn to. Everyone should have at least one person in their life that they deserve, someone that they can count on, and someone that is seemingly impossible to replace. (377)

Lazy Days

Everyone has those days that all day they think "I have this to do" and "Oh, I'll start that soon." What ends up actually happening though, is that they get to about 7:00 and realize that they have not done anything productive, in fact, they may have even backtracked on their progress. Today has definitely been one of those days for me.
    Today was the first Sunday in a long time that I had no obligations; I didn't have to work, I didn't have to babysit or go anywhere at all. I woke up and thought wow, today I will get things done I haven't had time to do like finish blogging, clean my room, fold my laundry, and thoroughly do all of my homework. To be completely honest, I then convinced myself that I wouldn't be able to concentrate until I ate anyway, so might as well sit and do nothing until lunch. Lunch came around and I ate a little bit of mashed potatoes because I realized I wasn't even hungry in the first place. But after I ate I still was not motivated. So I took a shower... a thirty minute shower. After I was done I figured I should start my homework but after finishing the four questions I had left on my U.S. History study guide, I layed on my bed for about ten minutes thinking "I should get the other homework out of my backpack now" until that thought turned into "I should clean first, my room's a mess" until that thought turned into "I'm thirsty. I need water." After that my thoughts included about everything except for what I should have been thinking about.
    These kind of days some people just love; you haven't worried about anything and you got to spend the day lazing away and feeling comfy. Others hate these kind of days because after you realize you didn't finish what you should have, you regret it because after doing nothing all day you either feel really groggy and want to just sleep, or really hyper and  need to actually get up and do something active, something active that doesn't include your work. I personally sort of regret not doing anything because now I'm going to have to make up for it. I cant lie though; it did feel a little good to just lay on my bed feeling incredibly warm considering the current weather because of the warmth of the sun streaming in. It was ridiculously calming.
    Although it felt really good to sit and do nothing for a little while, it only caused more stress because now I'll need to make it all up inconveniently. These days are sometimes needed because some people need to take a break sometimes, but it also can feel like the day just went by wasted without getting anything real done. (485)

Smiles

Everybody has something they notice first when they look at people, whether it be their clothes, eyes, hair or shoes. For me, it is their smile. A smile can change everything; it can make people in a better mood because it’s so contagious. I love when you see someone and they look just normal, maybe even grumpy, but when they smile and their eyes light up it just gives them a whole new look and makes them seem so much more personable and happy. Smiles can also give hope; in times of trouble when someone can make you smile, even if for a stupid reason, it can show you that the future will be better. No one wants to be around people that are always frowning.

                Smiles are so important, and there are all different kinds of smiles. Smiles can be hopeful, they can show love, exude pride or they can simply prove happiness. Smiles can hide a lot of pain, but if you look closely enough, you can tell when a smile is genuine or not. People smile for others and for themselves, and the best is when they smile because they can’t not smile. There are moments that come up that just make your heart flutter, the weight on your shoulders lift, and a smile show up on your face before you even realize it’s coming.

                Smiles at strangers can make their day, or when people smile at you it can show you a little bit more of their personality. Smiles and their voices and laughter are what I remember most about people when they aren’t around. They are what I think of when I miss them, and what I want to see and hear when they are down. Smiles of friends and family are what make memories of them so great. (305)

Hy-Vee Customers

                Because I work at a grocery store, I see a big variety in people; happy people, sad people, grumpy, judgmental, genuine and funny. This is one of the reasons that I do enjoy working, because it can be interesting simply to watch people. You may think that sounds really creepy and maybe it is, but I find it fascinating to watch different people and their habits and behaviors. Some people are very easy to read; with one look you can tell what they are thinking. Of course you can’t know for sure, but their facial expressions and body language show plainly their mood whether excited or calm or stressed. 

Once while I was working a girl came through and when she saw me waiting for a customer, she looked at me with a big smile on her face. She put her groceries down beside the register and said “Hi! How are you today?” Most people that come through my line aren’t talkative and don’t ask me the question first so it took me a little off guard, but after I answered with a “Good, how are you?” she smiled and told me about her great day and how earlier she was pressured by her friends to go sky diving. She told me how it was exhilarating to free fall and then watch as the ground got closer, how she was so scared, and how she would never do it again but didn’t regret doing it at all. She was so fun to talk to, this stranger, and I wished she’d had more groceries so I could learn more about her experience.

                One person that came through my line was quite different than the girl that went sky diving. She came up to my coworker Kyle’s line right after he had told me a joke. I was laughing at the joke when I looked over at her, and was just about to ask her about her day when she started yelling. “What are you laughing at?” I told her that he had told me a joke, and offered to tell the joke to her. “No,” she said louder, “You’re laughing at me don’t lie! Have you never seen a big lady before?!” She was so mad right away for something she had thought I had done, and I felt horrible for making her think I would even do something like that. As she went through Kyle’s line though, she grew angrier because he “wasn’t bagging her groceries right.” She became more obnoxious until Kyle called over our manager who tried to explain to her that we didn’t have anything against her, offered her drive-up, and told her we were just trying to help. She seemingly didn’t believe it though, because she then put all her groceries in her cart, mumbling as she walked out the automatic doors.

                Others are much more subtle, and when I ask them how their day was they reply with the typical “Good, yours?” and are quiet until the end of their order when they tell me thank you as I tell them to have a great night. Everyone that I come into contact with at work are all so different and it is what makes it all the more interesting. (544)

Halloween

                Halloween is a holiday very unique from the others. For this day, you can dress up and become something you usually are not. It gives you an excuse to eat a lot of candy, and can bring a lot of excitement. Most kids love to go trick-or-treating. This consists of dressing up as what you would like and going around from door to door for candy. It is interesting to see how into it people get. Some people don’t do anything; they turn off their porch light and hide from the trick-or-treaters, not even passing out candy. Some only give out candy, or maybe even cans of pop, pencils, or other small items they may have. Others though get really into this holiday, and will decorate the entirety of their front yard with blow-up spiders and fake stone heads that screech when you walk by.

Once while I was out with a friend, a house had two zombie looking creatures sitting in chairs in front of the house that you had to walk by to be able to get to the door. We weren’t sure if they were real, but they were sitting quite still so we went ahead. We got our candy and to our relief weren’t scared at all, but then when we least expected it one of the figures stood up and groaned then started running towards us. It took a few minutes to calm down, but at least we had gotten our candy.

Another great thing about Halloween is that for the whole month of October, scary movies seem to be everywhere. Some may not see this as great, but scary movies are fun to watch when with the right people.  There are also a lot of haunted houses to go to. Most are just walking through a path while people dressed as clowns, zombies, monsters, and more, jump out at you from behind conveniently places tables and shadows. Some though, are much more intense. I know of one that is fifty floors and the higher you get the scarier it becomes. Starting on one of the floors, the workers are allowed to touch the people walking through. The whole point of Halloween is fright and madness, which some people love and others hate. It is a time to get together with family and friends and do your best to scare them the best you can for fun. (402)

Stories

                 Stories are all different. The relevance of stories varies significantly. Some stories are true, some nonfiction, and some are a little of both. Some stories make a lot of sense, and some are very hard to decipher with a lot of underlying meanings and facts. Stories are told by everyone, whether you would necessarily call them “stories” or not. Stories can be short, like what you saw when you looked out the window this morning, or stories can be long, which require time and a lot of background information.

                One type of story is nonfiction. There are many different things that branch off of this category, one being books. Nonfiction books often times have the reputation of either being boring, or interesting depending on the way you look at it. Some automatically just assume that because a book is nonfiction, it will be full of facts and other unimportant things. Although this is sometimes true, narrative nonfiction books can be very interesting. It is different to know in the back of your mind that what you are reading actually happened, and that it isn’t just something someone made up. Movies are another thing that change when it is known that what you are about to see is true. Heartfelt movies can become that much more emotional and scary movies become a bit scarier when you see the words “Based off a true story.”

                Another type of nonfiction is by word. People tell these stories all the time, and they can be sad like when you had to say goodbye to a dear relative or friend, or they can be funny like the time you fell down a few stairs. Stories can also be inspirational, like when people tell of a hardship they had to go through, giving you hope and motivation to get through something you may be going through.

                The other kind of story is fiction. Fiction books and movies can be very interesting because they are open to an infinite amount of plots and characters that all are different from the perspectives of others. Fiction can also be stories told by others, like rumors or sometimes gossip.  Stories are very important for learning and they can be influential. Stories can make you feel sympathy, or cheer you up depending on the story told. No matter what kind of story it is, it always has a purpose, whether it be to explain something, or simply because you just want it to be heard. (414)

Footwear

                Footwear is very important to have. It protects your feet from sharp and potentially harmful things. It also keeps your feet from getting dirty or wet. It is useful when running or walking long distances, and is very helpful when it comes to playing sports.
                There are many different kinds of shoes; flip flops, flats, tennis shoes, cleats, sandals, heels, and more. All of these have a specific purpose, as it wouldn’t be a very good idea to wear tennis shoes to a fancy party, or heels while playing soccer. This is because you want the shoes that are the most appropriate for what you are doing. Things like tap dancing and swimming with flippers just wouldn’t be possible without the right kind of footwear. When out in snow, it is important to wear boots, and I’m sure it would become extremely uncomfortable if you were to walk out in the cold rain wearing sandals.
                Socks are also very important things to have. Without socks while wearing shoes, it can cause blisters or your shoes to smell horribly. Socks also can keep your feet warm when wearing shoes is uncomfortable or while indoors. There are a lot of different kinds of socks, and the kind worn depends on the person’s preference and what kind of shoe is being worn. There are toe socks, ankle socks, knee-high socks, socks that barely show, and socks that are fuzzy. There are sometimes when you don’t wear socks with shoes though, like if you are wearing sandals, because it just doesn’t look very good. One good thing about socks is that if you wear them while on a wood floor, you can utilize the socks to slide across it. This may be somewhat dangerous if you fall or don’t know how to stop, but it can also be very fun.
                Although all of this is true, sometimes it is more fun to go barefoot. The more you don’t wear shoes, the more resistance you have to your feet hurting. Being barefoot can feel more free and you don’t have to worry about damaging your shoes for when you do need them. It is nice to be able to feel sand or soft grass on your feet, and it is much easier to clean off your feet than to clean off a pair of shoes. What you wear on your feet is important, and even if you don’t realize it, footwear is one of the first things you notice on people. Whether it is for a specific purpose, or just to match an outfit, wearing certain types of shoes can affect your whole day. (439)

Spring

                Just as I have said with all seasons, Spring has good and bad aspects. Along with the changing weather and the annual advertisements claiming “Spring has Sprung!” comes rainy days, plants, and animals.

One good thing about Spring is that once you start to get tired of the snow, it starts to melt. The grass becomes greener and flowers start to grow. Everything goes from gray and gloomy to much more colorful and bright.

Although things are usually brighter, there are the times when it seems to rain for days, or even weeks. It can be annoying, because it may ruin your want to go outside if you don’t enjoy rain. If you do though, it can be very fun to go outside and jump around in puddles or just run around until you are soaked.  Many people don’t like rainy days because it is too dark and gloomy. Those times are needed though, because without them things wouldn’t grow as well.

Another bad thing about spring is if you have allergies. Spring is when grass, ragweed, pollen and many other things come about. Bad allergies are horrible when the pollen count is high, and it can be hard to breathe or cause you to sneeze a lot. This is another time when rainy days can be a good thing as they help with allergies.

Spring, like Fall, is a season of change. The weather and the whole environment become completely different than how it had been a few months prior. These changes can be good or bad, depending on how you see it. (264)

Winter

                Winter is a season that like fall, can sometimes seem to be magical. Winter is a great season for many reasons that can be argued whether they are good or bad; snow is on the ground, the temperature is low, and everything seems so bright white.

                The snow is what I think makes the cold temperature all worth it. One of the best things to do in the winter months is go sledding. It can be fun trying new things while sledding and getting that feeling of excitement as you slide down a hill. There’s also snowboarding and skiing, which I’ve heard can be very fun too. It’s always a great feeling to come inside after a long time of sledding to drink hot chocolate and snuggle up under a warm blanket with friends or family. Winter temperature gives you an excuse to eat a lot of soup too. Soup is delicious and will warm you up fast.

                A bad thing about winter is the ice. It can be very dangerous for everyone, especially while driving. Things get slippery and cars may crash or people may simply slip and fall while walking. Now sometimes this is very entertaining to watch when it’s your friends, but only if they don’t get hurt too badly. It also becomes a nuisance when you want to go somewhere, but instead of just taking a walk there like you usually would, you usually drive. One of the worst things is when you get all of your stuff on to go outside like gloves, a hat, a coat, boots, and a scarf, only to realize that you have to pee.

                Another big thing that annoys a lot of people is shoveling. It sucks to wake up in the morning to look out at the beautiful snow on the ground and feel content, and then realizing that the only way you are going to be able to leave your house is if you shovel. There are also laws that you must shovel a path for your mailman to walk through, and if you have elderly neighbors, you also have the responsibility of shoveling their driveways too. The temperatures also can be bad for your car and especially if you have an old one, it can hinder its working abilities.

                Ending on a good note though, Winter holds many holidays. It is fun to drive around at night and be able to see all of the houses that have put up lights in the yard and on their trees. It also is interesting to see all of the snowmen people create, and of course it can be fun to make a snow figure yourself. (447)

Fall

                I know I said in an earlier post that I don’t have a favorite season, but I decided to write a follow up blog post on each season and its pros and cons. First I will talk about the season we are currently in, which is Fall. Fall can seem magical, with its browns and auburns and oranges as the leaves are falling and the weather turns chilly. Fall has an effect on people that puts a warm fuzzy feeling inside their tummy.

                One great thing about fall is the food it brings. The things you can do with pumpkins, apples, brown sugar and more are seemingly endless. Pumpkin bars, apple pies, warm drinks and the beginnings of wearing warm clothing are just as inviting as the thought of cuddling up and sitting by a fire or watching movies while drinking hot chocolate. The weather changes from a hot temperature to one much cooler, and football season excites a lot of people. These things are what make Fall such a great season.

                Another big thing about Fall is the holiday it contains; Halloween. Halloween can be so fun, whether you go trick-or-treating, go to a haunted house, or even just stay home and help pass out candy to the kids that come to your house. It can be interesting to see all of the costumes, and the funny ones some people can think of when they are being creative.

Although for many people, fall is a favorite, a lot of people dislike Fall. Fall indicates the transition from summer, warm weather and shorts to winter, cold weather, and layers. A lot of people also the shock of one day it being a nice medium outside, the next day it being cold enough to need a coat and some gloves.

The need to mow the lawn is lessened, there is a new need; raking. There are those who love raking; it doesn’t involve too much physical labor and it is always entertaining to jump into a big pile of leaves after raking, even if it means having to rake again. Others though hate raking, hate having to be outside to comb the grass of its leaves, and hate getting cold fingers from holding the rake. Raking can also be a time- consuming task depending on the number of leaves there are in the yard, how windy it is, and how many leaves are still falling. One of the most frustrating things is raking up a big pile of leaves and feeling that sense of pride as you look down at your big pile when a huge gust of wind comes from nowhere and ruins it all as the leaves fly and spread across the yard again. Although it has its pros and cons, fall is overall a good season to be in. (472)

The House that Built Me

                The song “The House that Built Me” by Miranda Lambert used to be one of my favorite songs. It has such a calming tone to it that drew me in. Although I loved it, I had never really listened to what they lyrics were saying until a few days ago when it came on the radio in my car. To see these lyrics you can go to http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/mirandalambert/thehousethatbuiltme.html or just Youtube the name of the song.

                The song is something that I feel a lot of people can relate to, because it really is talking about losing yourself, realizing it, and wanting to find you again. In the first few lines, she talks as if she is saying all of this to the current owner of her old house, whom she doesn’t know but wants to make her understand that the place she is living in is where she grew up in. In the chorus she goes on to say that she just wants to look around the house, remember all of the times she had there. She promises she won’t take anything, just a memory. With all of this, you can imagine her walking into the house and seeing with her memories not her eyes; seeing things that used to be there, not what is there now. This is what is helping her remember who she used to be and what she used to do and how it all made her into the person she wishes she still was.

                One of the lines in this song says, “You leave home, you move on and you do the best you can.
I got lost in this whole world and forgot who I am.” This sentence is what portrays her motivation for the whole thing. That she grew up, moved out, and all of what surrounded her is what changed her. She may have been trying her hardest to stay true to herself, but she got lost in her attempts to do other things.

                This song is a good one in my opinion, and if you listen to it deeply enough you can feel the emotion in it and it can cause you to think of what made you into the person you are. The world today can be so busy, and although it isn’t always fair to blame other things, it can make you change, sometimes for the better, but sometimes for the worse. What matters is that in the end you realize who you are and find what works for you and what makes you happiest. (402)

Silence

               

Silence can be one of the loudest things. Silence is an indicator; it only really occurs when something is awkward, when everyone is deep in thought or working, or when you are completely alone.

Some people love silence; it can give you room to think without being interrupted by external sounds. There are many people out there who truly value their ‘me time’ and silence and thinking is their way to have it. Silence can be good for many reasons; it can help you concentrate, it can help when you have a headache and when you’re trying to sleep, and it can cause a sense of relaxation. Silence is sometimes needed, like during serious moments of careful contemplation or to show respect for someone or something.

Other people hate silence, and will go out of their way to keep it from lingering for too long. They do this by being loud themselves, putting on some music, or turning on the T.V. for some background dialogue. This is okay too, because it can take your mind off things during a time of stress or can get you in a certain mood.

Whether you like silence or not, it is needed. If you listen closely, silence can contain a lot of unspoken words that sometimes just cannot or will not be said. When something tragic happens, people give a moment of silence for that memory, which shows it respect and reverence. People use silence when someone is in need of a listener, or just for someone to be there beside them. Silence usually occurs during important moments in our lives. (268)

Productive Procrastination

                Procrastination is a horrible habit that almost everyone has had at least once. One thing that I’m sure most people can relate to is homework related procrastination. When you’ve just got finished with about six hours of school, in most cases, the last thing you want to do is more school work. I know when I get done with school I would much rather spend my time with my friends or maybe even just relaxing and eating fruit.

            This feeling of wanting to procrastinate is usually what gives us motivation for other things you wouldn’t normally want to do. Things like cleaning, people watching, taking your dog on a walk, counting all the coins in your purse, brushing your teeth, practicing your cartwheeling skills, and even observing the abstract bumps on a nearby wall or carpet can become much more interesting than what you should be doing at that moment. Giving into these random and inconsequential urges will just lead you to more random and inconsequential urges. Even if you end up finishing cleaning your room, or finally perfect your cartwheels, it might not be worth it when you realize you don’t have time to do what you were supposed to be doing.

            If I were to give advice on this, I would say that if you must procrastinate on one thing find something that can later benefit you that you are in the mood to do. For example, I have a project in my history class due on Friday. We received the requirements for this assignment on the first day of school, and were given five weeks to do it. Although this is true, all I’ve gotten done is written down ideas for about sixteen of about twenty requirements. I regret not getting it done, and I know I will regret not doing it now later, but at least I am being productive. I am writing this blog post, even though I have a week to do it. But right now I am in the mood to write, and now I won’t have to worry about doing it later.

            The best way to procrastinate on something is to find something else productive to do instead. It is never good to ignore all of the things you should be doing, because then there is the potential of becoming very behind and wishing you had started it at an earlier time. (400)

Blindness vs. Glasses vs. Contacts

                When it comes to vision, everyone is different; some people are near sighted, some people far sighted, and others have astigmatism. Then of course, the people that have perfect vision. If you don’t have perfect vision though, which is more common than not, there are three choices you have to pick from as to what you will do about your vision impairments.

                The first choice would be to do nothing. Deal with the fact you can’t see as well as you possibly could and just have the need to squint all the time. The bad thing about this is that it’s dangerous, and I really wouldn’t recommend it. It is important to be able to see clearly with everything you do, including driving, learning in school, and even just walking around. Without clear vision, depending on how bad your vision is,  everything will be blurry and your depth perception could be off causing you to run into things easier and not be able to know exactly who or what is in your surrounding area.

                Another choice you have is to wear glasses. Glasses can be very annoying, and some people look completely different in their glasses than without them. It can also get annoying if you are outside when it rains and your glasses get covered in water droplets.  During these times I wish there was such a thing as windshield wipers for your glasses. It also sucks when you are microwaving something, because once you open that microwave and release the hot air, your glasses will most likely fog up, leaving you disoriented. Even though this is true, they can be worth it. One of the best feelings is when you put on your glasses and it all of the sudden seems like everything is in HD. Some people love glasses, and will even wear fake ones as a fashion statement.

                The last choice is contacts. Contacts aren’t for everyone; some people can’t stand the thought of having to shove something in your eye and then later having to pinch it out. There are other cons to contacts too, such as if you rub your eye in the wrong way the contact could wrinkle or fold over whilst in your eye. This can be painful and will make your eye start to water until you take it out, fix it, and put it back in. Contacts can also be very useful though. You don’t have to worry about breaking them when running around and they aren’t always falling off like glasses. They are way better than going naturally because, as stated before, it is much safer and easier to be able to see better than to stay with the blurry alternative.

                Having imperfect vision can be a hassle, but once you get used to it it’s just another part of your routine. I would definitely recommend contacts, and if those don’t work out then glasses are just as good. (491)

Politics and Respect

                So this year is the year of the election for the new president of the United States. Don’t get me wrong, of course I am thankful for my country and for who has, for lack of a better word, ‘ruled’ it. I am glad I am lucky enough to have been born into it and everything, but I feel people can sometimes get way caught up into politics.

Maybe I am biased because growing up my dad always tried to get me to watch debates with him and I got sick of it pretty fast, but I just don’t understand why it is such a big deal. Well, no, I mean of course it’s a big deal but there would be so much less controversy if people just agreed to disagree about a few things. Some things are definitely worth fighting for, and I have respect for the people that do fight for it because it is important. Some things though are just unnecessary. I mean the whole point of the Constitution and winning our independence was for our freedom. We are America, we have freedom. So why then, are people fighting people’s rights?

We in America make a point not to discriminate against religion; we let you believe what you want to believe, as long as it is not harmful to other human beings or animals. If this is true, then why do some argue that gay marriage should be against the law because God said man should marry woman? You can’t fight with a religious argument and not expect people to disagree. It isn’t fair.

Now some people argue for reasons beyond religious aspects of their beliefs and values, and that makes sense. But if you are arguing against something just because “it doesn’t feel right” or “what would my friends think?” it isn’t your place to argue. If things like that are not directly harming or bothering you, you have no right to impose your opinion.

Some of you readers may disagree with me on this subject. I understand that some people fight with their friends over politics just because it is fun or because they want their opinion voiced and that’s fine, go ahead. I just cannot stand when people try and change other people’s values; it’s their own opinion, leave them to their right to think what they want to. If you don’t agree with someone, there really isn’t much you can do about it as most people are pretty stubborn. I apologize if this is sort of ranting, or if it angers any of you, but this is what I believe. (437)

Seasons

               

Every place you go to, you will find a change in the weather depending on what time of the year it is. I am lucky enough to live in a place where this change can be very drastic; from 90 degree days in the summers to -4 degrees in the winter. Most people have a favorite season, whether it is winter for the snow, or the summer solely because there is no school. As for me, I don’t have a favorite season. I love the fact that the weather is always changing. Not everyone would say its lucky that we live in a place of such diverse weather (we are literally called the city of 5 seasons) but I find it perfect.

First, there is spring. Now I have allergies that always get bad this time of the year, yet it’s still an enjoyable season. The weather is turning warmer and the grass is getting greener and the flowers start to bloom. During this time of the year, everything seems so lively. Its also soccer season, which is a big plus. Some days are rainy, but those days can be the most fun. Going outside and getting soaking wet to find a rainbow is always an interesting experience.

After spring comes summer, and this season holds many memories for everyone. When people think summer they usually think of all the things they are able to do because the school year has come to an end and they are able to stay out later more often. Summer can be loads of fun; walks in the park, four square in the driveway and late night movies or bonfires. Summer weather all depends on the year; sometimes it is a hot summer and others it is a cool one. Some summers it rains a ton and others, like this year, there is barely any rain at all. This time of the year is largely associated with freedom and warm weather, shorts, t-shirts and water fights.

Then there is fall, although some may say the word autumn better depicts the imagery of the brown and orange beauty of the season. Either way, this season can be just as fun as the other ones. Fall includes more bonfires, pumpkin carving, jumping in leaves and watching as the surrounding plants change.  This season also includes Halloween, and although many think teenagers shouldn’t, Trick-or-Treating is usually fun, and even when it’s not, you get candy which makes it worth it in my book.

Lastly, there is winter. Winter can have a magical effect if you look at it in the right way; waking up early and looking outside at the newly fallen, sparkling snow before anyone has stepped in it can be beautiful. Sledding is also a very fun passing time and the bigger the hill the better. Even if some people just see it as work, walking up the hill can be just as fun as sliding down it. I’ve never been skiing so I can’t say for sure, but I’ve heard that is very fun too. There is something about going inside to cuddle under blankets and drink hot chocolate with friends that makes the fact your face and hands are pink from the cold worth it.

The seasons are a wonderful thing. Not everybody likes every season; some hate spring and fall months because of allergies, some hate summers that are too hot, and some hate winter for the cold and will even cringe at the word ‘snow’. Although this is true, things just wouldn’t be the same if the weather stayed constant. (590)

Dinner Debates

                Growing up, I learned pretty early that if you want food, you must claim it and fast. Especially now that I am living with two guys half the time, I know that when the bell dings indicating that it’s ready, you get up and you go. This is due to the fact that if I didn’t, it would be gone in a matter of minutes. Also, if you want something, you fight for it.

                One way I’ve learned this is through pizza. I like thick crust; deep dish pepperoni pizza is disgustingly fatty but ridiculously satisfying. My dad on the other hand likes thin crust with a lot of toppings, and so the debate would start; which one to choose? I’ve tried everything; sucking up, getting into an argument, and even saying ‘daddy please?’ in my sweet “I’m your baby girl” voice. It never works. If he’s the one paying for it, he’s the one picking it.

                Another way I learned this is with my brother. There would be days when we were younger my mom would make something and there would be just one left and too much pride in both of us to split it. On the good days we would just rock paper scissors for it, but then there were days that things got heated and we would have pinching fights that ended with bruises and my sister winning the food whether she wanted it or not.

                Although we would get into fights over food sometimes, there were many nights where there would be no fight at all, just calling over to the dog hoping he would come steal your food. Not everything that my parents made growing up was good tasting, mostly because my mother would get these kicks where she would cook something completely new that she heard about at work and never seemed to work the way she wanted it to. On those nights we enjoyed cheese and crackers and grapes for dinner. Dinner at my house is entertaining and likely to include fighting, but usually ends up in laughter and eating food that was always prepared last minute, but it is one of my favorite memories. (363)

Homecoming

                It’s that time of the year again, and almost everyone is excited; the homecoming dance.  With the dance comes a lot of preparation, or in many cases, procrastination for said preparation. For girls, we must find a dress, find shoes to match, find jewelry to match, figure out how to do our hair and makeup, figure out who will do said hair and makeup if you’re like me and would end up looking somewhat clownish in an attempt to put on eye shadow. Although it may take a lot of work, it usually ends up being worth it.

                Before the dance, you go to dinner either with your date or with a group of friends. This can sometimes be the best part of the night, because with my friends this means shoving a big group of people into a small space and being inappropriately loud for how fancy the restaurant is. My advice for you for this part would be to order something that wouldn’t stain your nice clothes if you spill, or at least to wear a napkin. I would also recommend not ordering something that you would feel uncomfortable eating in front of a lot of people, and I will say this; there is very few ways to eat noodles in an attractive way.

                After dinner, you go to the dance.  Some people actually do dance, and the best part is when everyone circles around one kid who is busting out moves like it’s his job. Then there are the people who feel that dancing in a big crowd can be awkward and end up jumping. But when those people let loose they start to do dance moves that are just envying such as the light bulb, the shopping cart, and of course the classic sprinkler. I can’t lie; I have ended up being one of those people on more than one occasion.

                After the dance ends, or maybe even during the dance depending on how long you desire to stay, you go to a friend’s house or you may have people come over to your house. Everyone changes into comfier clothes, the girls complain about how their hair has deflated and may end up tying it up, and usually, people become more hyper than they were when they were at the dance.

                Although the dance can be a lot of work to prepare for and organize, it can be a lot of fun. There is sometimes drama and anger during the night, but overall the night makes great memories for later. It is part of the high school experience and is something that you will remember forever. (440)

The Sky's the Limit

When you wake up in the morning and walk outside, what is the first thing you look at? Do you notice the trees or the grass? Do you look at the flowers or your neighbors houses? All these things are what you look at, but they can all look completely different depending on the lighting and the weather. All of it is dependent on one thing; the sky.

The sky during the day can vary greatly. Some days there is not a cloud in sight, and when you look up all you see is a dome of bright baby blue all around you. Other days, are the complete opposite, when it turns all dark and cloudy sometimes to the point where you’re not even really sure where the sun is. Then there are the days in the middle, which are my favorite, when there are puffs of white mixed in with all that blue. During these days you can stare at the clouds and, if you have a big imagination, find different shapes of random things that you may see.

The sky at night is a completely different scene that also depends on where you are. If you live in a city with a lot of light pollution, the sky might be a little boring; just black, with a few stars here and there. If you are in more rural areas though, you can see an infinite amount of stars upon stars. If you look for them, you can find different constellations such as the big dipper, and if you watch carefully, you could even make a wish on a shooting star. The moon is also something interesting to look at; you can see when it is full or when it is just a tiny crescent. Some nights the moon may even change its color.

The sky is an amazing thing, and it often times can even influence how your day goes. Naturally, people are usually not as outgoing when it is gloomy out than when it is bright outside. Some people even may become slightly depressed during the winter months when everything turns all grey and brown outside. On the other side, during the summer while there is so much color, people are most likely happier and more willing to go outside and do more things. Everything that you see can change images completely depending on what is going on in the sky. (404)

Music

Music is one of the most important things in the world. Everyone listens to music, and everyone has their own opinion of what ‘good music’ is. There are so many different varieties, too; Pop, Rap, Country, R&B, and more. Some people stick to their genre, while some enjoy listening to many different types of music, music that suits them.

Not very many people like country music. In fact, a lot of people hate it. The radio in my car is usually set to country music, and on the days I take two classmates home from school, the one that sits in the passenger seat changes it from country to pop. I don’t mind as I like both, but there is something about country music that I cannot get enough of. My dad is one of those people that don’t like country music at all. All he hears when he listens to it is a “hick singing about his dog and his truck and a girl.” Although with some songs that statement is very true, I always seem to find a little more. Country music calms me.

Whenever I am trying to sleep or reduce my over thinking or simply relax, music is what I go to. I can spend hours just laying down listening to the lyrics of song after song, dissecting them, relating to them, and painting a picture in my head of what my own interpretation of the song is. Music can influence you; if you allow it, it can change your mood completely. Sad songs will make you sad and lazy. Happy songs can make you want to dance. Romantic songs can make you want to be with your loved one.              

Then there are the songs that influence your mood because of the memory with which you attach the song. There may be a song that reminds you of a great time you had with your friends or family, and will cause you to smile and want to go back to that time, even for just the duration of that song. There may be songs that you relate to something sad happening, which can leave you breathless and teary-eyed. Either way, it affects you. Music is so powerful when you let it be, and I hope that people see the beauty of it. (378)

A True Sense of Belonging

Personally, I tend to pride myself on being independent. Having a job and earning my own money, having a car and driving myself and others to wherever is needed for me and those others to go, and  being fine with finding ways to stay busy even while alone. Having this mindset can become difficult though, and although I do my best to maintain it, I’m only human, and so it can only go so far. My friends are the ones who keep me grounded, and are always there for me when I lose track of where I am and what is really needed.

This past weekend, I have fully realized just how lucky I am. I also realized never to leave my house barefoot and with no keys assuming my brother would stay home for the night. I was locked out and stressed. My friends helped me through it though; one gave me a ride home, another insisted I wear his shoes, even if they were bigger, to the point where my toes touched wear the balls of his feet would be. One even waited outside with me until my mom finally came home to let me in.

The next day proved even worse. As I was driving around with some of my friends, my car started smoking and leaking some sort of yellow substance. We had no idea what was wrong or if it was still save enough to drive, and there were some other girls waiting at another friend’s house for us to come back. Just as last time, I was stressed, and it was cold outside. I texted someone what was wrong and without me even having to ask three friends showed up at my car to help. The girls at the other house came and joined us as we all huddled around my car. One made sure I was warm enough by sharing her sweatshirt, and I mean sharing; we both were inside one big sweatshirt and weird as it may sound, it was very comfortable. The three friends that had come to rescue us offered to even take my car back to my place, telling me I should go have fun with the girls. That one of them would be sure to take me to work in the morning as my car definitely was not safe enough to drive. That another would come by the house to make sure he was awake to take me.

The friends I have now I can honestly say are amazing people. It may seem we are too close sometimes, or that we may get into fights at times, but we are all always here for each other if one needs it. They are the people I feel most comfortable and content around, the people that sometimes I think may know me better than I even know myself. Even though I like to pride myself on being so independent, I don’t know what I would do without my friends. Forever thanks. (501)

My Pets

Growing up, I have personally had a lot of different adventures with pets. I love animals, and so I would always beg my parents for a pet during the small time increments between my pets. First, when I was really young, we had a pet bunny named Sniffles. Sniffles was a different kind of bunny; when you let him out, he would run around the house crazily, leaving his black and white hair all over. That isn’t even the bad part though… I swear almost every time he jumped, he would have some sort of accident on our carpet that my mom would have to clean up. Sniffles didn’t last long in our house, as I was too young to clean up after him, my parents weren’t going to do it, and my sister didn’t have the guts to, so we had to get rid of Sniffles the bunny.

                After Sniffles, we got a yellow lab named Raja, like from Aladdin. She was such an adorable and friendly dog. She didn’t know how big she was though; always knocking over my little brother and the small kids my mom babysat. Then my brother started to get horrible allergic reactions to her fur, so we had to get rid of Raja too.

            One year for our birthdays, my uncle gave me and my sister both hermit crabs. I never actually came up with a name for my crab; the name changed almost daily, but I loved playing with it. Both our hermit crabs had horrible luck though. My sister’s got squished whilst trying to switch shells. Mine got dropped by one of my friends at the time. It was quite tragic.

            After that I had a hamster, and the hamster never really had a set name either. I think I called her Daisy most of the duration of her short life. Daisy was a dwarf hamster who lived in a cage with bars far enough apart that she could escape and go on adventures. There were many times when I would go to school so worried because she wasn’t in her cage that morning, and then we would eventually find her somewhere wandering in the house and have to put her back in her cage. I enjoyed having her around, until one day I had a friend over and she asked to play with my hamster, I said sure, just poke her to wake her up. This time though, Daisy didn’t wake up.

            Once in the summer my sister, brother and I got really bored and decided to go to Petco, and while there, we fell in love with mice. After a long time of convincing, our parents let us buy them as long as we kept them in a cage in my room. I named mine Hercules, and I was so excited to have him. The mice only lasted about a week though, as my brothers had been apparently sick. My brother’s mouse died and the other two caught his sickness through cannibalism. Gross, I know, but they’re mice. Soon after that Hercules and Oreo died.

            I’ve also had a variety of fish; one because when I was out one night with friends, one of them decided it would be fun to surprise-buy me a fish. I put the fish in a bowl and we named him Olly. Then we got the bright idea to put a toy Patrick in the bowl along with a rock. A big rock. A rock that we didn’t clean well enough. That fish lasted for only a few days.

            As you now know, I never have a lot of luck with pets, except for my current dog, Brodie. He is seven years old and although sometimes sick and usually a little aggressive, he is still quite lovable. He is a very interesting dog; he is very lazy, but never too lazy to run throughout the entire house whenever the mailman comes by. He loves bread and to be pet, but only on his time. He loves to lie out in the sun, and his random barking while I stand by him never fails to scare me. Animals are one of my favorite things in life, and so I plan to have a lot of pets when I am older, pets that I would make sure to actually properly take care of. (727)

Labor Day

                There is a tradition in my family, and that is Labor Day. Every year, we gather some of the people on my dad’s side of the family and eat breakfast at the same park in the same pavilion. Everyone brings food… everyone brings the same food. There is always chocolate milk, orange juice, eggs, little smokeys, my aunt’s egg and cheese and bread creation, and whatever my mom decides to make last minute that morning as she says, “I swear I woke up early enough to get this done before breakfast this year!” Of course, every year we get there just in time and her dish is always a hit.

Everyone begins by sitting in their own immediate family circle at different picnic tables, but then we all end up getting up and moving around until everything is mixed and everyone is in conversation. I can always count on my great aunt Kay to say something sarcastic and laugh at her own joke as I walk up to them with my hands full of food. I always know that sometime during the picnic, my grandma will give one of the family members a newspaper clipping about something that she deems completely interesting and relevant to the person she gives it to. I am always ready to be excited about what new family drama is going on (my family is huge) and to hear about stories of my little cousins that I don’t see very often. I even know exactly where to look in the pond to find a branch sticking out, a branch I once convinced my brother to be an alligator.

Although I always know exactly who will be there, what we will eat, and that following breakfast we are all expected to go down and feed the ducks no matter how old, I always look forward to it. We all may complain that it is too early in the morning for this, or that there are too many mosquitoes or that the park may be boring for the younger kids, but we are all always happy to be there. (351)

My Job

When I turned 16, I started my job search. I decided to go the same path as my older sister, and I now work at a grocery store. My job can be fickle; there are days when I have nothing but fun, not only with my coworkers but with the customers that come through my line. But then there are days when I dread going to work all day and while I am there I want nothing more than to go home. This just depends on my mood and the mood of the people who are around me.

            On the days that are bad, they are bad for many reasons. For one, my coworkers can be grumpy. Another reason is that I am so clumsy sometimes, and I just have days where I seem to drop everything; from quarters to even groceries. Also, customers can be incredibly rude. Some come through talking on their phones, and just completely ignore you. Some come through already mad at some sort of indecent event that occurred in the store, and so they automatically will make faces and have a snotty tone of voice towards you. Then there are the customers that will blame you for anything that goes wrong, including a coupon that just won’t work the way that they want it to. Although these are bad, they aren’t even the worst. Some customers will get angry enough to even yell at you for simply trying to help.

            Although some days can be just awful, there can be days that I honestly enjoy working. My coworkers can sometimes be the highlight of my day; joking around with each other, playing rock paper scissors for who has to clean the break room, or even playing eye spy when it gets really slow and the managers aren’t around. Customers aren’t always so bad either; I love having a good conversation with them about anything and everything that may pop up. I also enjoy the optimism some people have when I ask them if they are having a good day, and they respond with “I’m having a good every day!”

            Some people may find it crazy because working can be stressful and takes away a lot of time from other things I could be doing, but overall, I enjoy having a job. Not only do I receive money, but also a lot of good stories I wouldn’t otherwise have. (403)

Who Am I?

Who am I?

…

This question takes me back, mostly to middle school, when during the first week of school we all had to go through the name game. You know, where everyone sits in a circle and takes turns saying their name and something interesting about themselves. Let me tell you this; I was horrible at that game. I was always the kid who would say so very proudly “My name is Katy!” but then, when reminded of course, I would have to say a random fact about me. I always drew a blank when this came. What is interesting about me? Of course afterwards, I would always find something better to say than what I did. Once I got nervous and said, with my face bright red, “Well, my favorite fruit is bananas.” Bananas? Who says that?! But now, I am thankful this is a blog, so I can think about my answers.

I am a relatively quiet person. When you first meet me, you may think I am awkward and shy, but once you get to know me you will find I am full of stupid jokes and laughter. I mean, I’m still awkward and shy, but at least not as much. I have a job that can sometimes be the worst part of my day, and other times can be one of my favorites. My coworkers are what keep me there, sometimes grumpy, usually smiling, and always entertaining. You can usually find me either at school, work, or with friends. If not, I am at home finding random things to do such as playing with my guitar, writing, or just laying in my backyard enjoying the weather.

My friends are the most important people in my life, they challenge me and accept me and are always here for me, just as I will always be there for them. I love to swim and play soccer, but I don’t like to watch sports, or really, much TV at all. I can’t lie though; it has become hard to resist watching an episode of How I Met Your Mother or New Girl instead of concentrating on my homework. My favorite colors are purple and sea foam green. I don’t have a favorite animal (I love them all), but I must say lately I have been favoring turtles. I always try my best to find the good things in life, and right now I am proud to say that there are so many that I am grateful for.

I am a lot of things. I live in a fairly well populated city, but am always wishing I could live in a small town. I am barefoot, almost always. I am my love for chocolate milk and noodles. Not at the same time of course, that would be disgusting. I am indecisive. I am different. I am me. (478)