Boredom; Stupid Kids

Since I have nothing better to do, I'm going to blog. I know, I'm lame for blogging on a Friday night, but I really don't care.

So I have nothing to really rant about besides how I have no faith in the future generation of kids. I mean, they are so retarded these days. Trying to be gangsters, they dress themselves in super baggy clothes. Not that this is super bad because I like baggy clothes, but god, these kids are like 8. Seriously, just wear normal clothes.

They also say they have weed. Do they really have nothing better to do? These kids really are annoying, and what's worse is that they know that they piss you off, so they keep freaking coming back and making stupid remarks, and yes, I get pissed off at this, mainly because kids hate me and I certainly hate them (most of them, but not all).

Ugh, and what's up with them cussing? It's worse than most people I know, and that says something. Seriously kids, keep your mouth shut you freaking pretend gangsters with your bad mouths. Meh, how I wish I could just smack them...and I'm not a horrible person for saying that because if you saw and heard what I did, then you'd understand.

My cave...

So I'm blogging from Mr. Werner's room right now during lunch.

I am one of the few seniors who has a seventh class and who has to stay during plus/lunch, so that means all my friends leave and I'm by myself. And I feel like a loner. Yay...

You are probably thinking to yourself, "Why don't you just go out and make new friends??"

And you know what, I agree that that's a really good idea except that I'm extremely awkward and incapable of making new friends without making a fool of myself first.

I'm so strange... you have no idea.

So if you wonder where I am during lunch, I just hide out in here. In my cave (a.k.a Mr. Werner's room). F2 Plus and lunch on blue days. You should come visit me sometime!!

Basketball

This is the dopest poem ever about i feel about the game i love;
"Basketball is a way of life.

Eat, sleep, breath, basketball.
Go out there, play your very hardest.
Play harder next time.
We are untouchable, immortal-- high above the clouds.
As long as we give it our all nothing can go wrong.
Moving in ways we didn't know we could, straining to reach the net just out of our grasp.
As we play we are in our own little world, invincible, untouchable.
Nothing can bring us down.
We command the court, everything is as we want it to be."

                                                      -Thailor, Parker

Dead Poets

Usually watching movies in English class ends up being hella boring and a waste of time, but this week we watched, Dead Poets Society and it was actually a really good movie. Carpe Diem or, sieze the day, was the theme of the movie and it left a strong impression of the idea throughout. Definitely a movie i wouldn't mind watching again, i can't believe i'd never really heard much about it or seen it playing on tv or anything. Has anybody else seen this movie in English? And if so how did you feel about it? Did anyone else think it was as good as i did?

Freaking Volleyball Players

So for my club, Mock Trial, we have had to fundraise for the past week with cookie dough. Because the volleyball players (who I could swear is funded by the school, yet we aren't) got the fundraiser first (which makes no sense, I mean, we need the money more than they do), all the customers and friends I had on mind to buy already purchased. You can see how annoying this could become if all you hear is the response "Sorry, I just bought from volleyball players."

Seriously, I mean, BACK OFF VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS >:D. I'm just frustrated that the team can't sell as much because I swear, VB players all go to the neighborhood I plan on going to sell to, and get their money first. RAWR. I'm not saying it's just the volleyball players' faults (maybe I am, but that's not the point), but seriously, get outta my neighborhood!

Oh, and if any of you who are reading this and someone like me goes to your door, don't tell me to come inside because I won't. I won't even make a move to go inside your house because you know what? People can be creepy, and I sure as heck don't want to go inside a stranger's house. If I know you, it's a different story, but for now, trust me, I'd rather wait outside.

A Haiku

Sore, tired, muscles
In my head they are pounding
This is Junior Year

-Amanda

Leaving

My grandparents are leaving tomorrow after a few weeks of visiting. It will be very sad to see them go.

I feel a little bad because I have been so busy that I haven't spent that much time with them. Hopefully, I'll go to England in the next few years, and I'll get to see them again.

Both of my grandparents have cancer, so I hope that I get that chance.

It was so much fun having them here. They tell both funny stories about my mom when she was my age, as well as their memories of World War 2, which I find fascinating.

Hopefully I will get more time to spend with them in the next two days before they leave.

Origin

So, I have just started working at Origin Coffee and Tea, over by Safeway and Big Spoon. It is so much fun; everyone is so friendly, welcoming, and open.

All of the workers are volunteers because Origin is a non-profit, for girls affected by sex-trafficking.

In a quote from their website, "2.4 million young girls every day are enslaved, raped, dehumanized for pleasure. This is the nightmarish reality which is shocking to us, having triumphed over legalized slavery in the U.S. But the dark and hidden practice of sex trafficking not only exists, it is thriving. This theif of childhood innocence is now the third largest and fastest growing criminal industry in the world. At Orign Coffee and Tea, we simply can't go another day without waking up to the cries of these girls for rescue. We must fight for them, as they cannot fight for themselves. This is not just another cause, this is an emergency. Tell them we're coming."

Origin has had all of their appliances donated, the art on the walls is on display for local artists, merchandise on display belongs to local artists, as well as selling mugs and t-shirts for their charity.

When I went for the orientation a few weeks ago, they were telling us about their shop. There isn't a door on the office, because the owners want to the workers to be able to poke their head in to ask a question, or just to see what's going on.

It's a fantastic coffee shop, with a much better purpose than Starbucks.

And an even bigger plus, is that the coffee tastes so good!

If you ever have time, I would definitely check it out.

Cat Has Dogness Within

Okay, so I got my kitty when she was 6 months old. She had the appearance of a cute kitten, but come play time, it was like she had some part of a dog in her. In her early years, for exercise, we would throw her toy down the hall and make her run for it and attack it; and no matter how many times we showed her what to do, she would always run down the hall, get to the toy and bring it back in her mouth like a dog!!!! Strange huh?

Yeah, we thought so too. And we would always throw it down the hall for her to run and attack, yet she always kept coming back with it in her mouth and acted as though she were a dog. We seriously don't know why this happened, but were glad that as she grew older, she stopped being a dog and acted more like a cat. Though, now fully a grown cat, I regret wishing her to be like a cat because I want a pet that will play fetch..... to bad she's a nap-time-all-the-time kitty(:

Homecoming

Homecoming was last Saturday and it was so fun. I almost didn't go because everything was so stressful but I'm glad I just pulled through and went. Getting ready with my group of friends and taking pictures was probably the best part, but the dance all together was really fun too. I was really worried because my last 2 homecomings were a complete disaster so I was so sure that this one was going to be the same or even worse. I really just felt like staying home and not setting my self up for another horrible night. But I took a last minute chance because I didn't want to just sit at home and wonder what could have been.

I'm really glad I took that chance because it ended up being a great night! I try to learn a lesson from every situation that I go through in life and on Saturday I learned that you can't give up on something because your last experiences of it was not enjoyable. You can either sit around and complain about how much your life sucks because homecoming is never fun for you or you can not give up and take a chance with a mind set that maybe things will be different this time and have a determined, positive attitude that you will make it fun no matter what. So that is what I did, it was a very successful night and definitely didn't repeat the last 2 years. I hope everyone had a great time also!

Ninja Cats

I own two adorable cats of fluffiness. One of them, Cleo, is a genius cat, and the other, Cupcake, is rather simple. Cleo can push or pull open doors with her paws. Cupcake tries to stuff her face through the tiny crack in the door. Cleo can grab onto the top of cabinet doors and walk backward to open them. Cupcake just scratches at them in naive hopes that they will magically open. Cleo can climb the glass of our china cabinet to sit on top and oversee the happenings of the dining room. Cupcake stares up at her, pawing at the cabinet, wishing to know the secrets of ninjitsu.

The other day, Cupcake was staring at our hallway cupboard, willing the portal of Narnia to open, when Cleo came walking up to her. They made eye contact, clearly making a silent agreement. Cleo reached up and grabbed onto the cupboard door with her paws, and walked backwards, stepping over Cupcake. Cupcake jumped into the cupboard with gratitude as Cleo strolled away to use the litter box.

I have found a case in which Cupcake outwits Cleo however. Cleo opened the cabinet where we keep the cat treats and cunningly pushed the ziploc bag to the floor. Then, lamenting over her lack of thumbs, she stared at the bag and mewed at us humans, pleading with us to open the bag. Eventually giving up, she walked away from this pickle. Cupcake came into the kitchen, spotting the bag on the floor. With a flash of insight, she teared at the bag with her teeth, steadying it with her paw. We eventually gave both kitties treats after watching this incident. I guess everyone, even cats, have their own unique talents.

Blogging about blogging

I was just sitting here thinking about what to blog about until my mind wandered to thinking about what makes a good blog post.

So, like I do with most things I don't know, I googled it. And I came across the following website that I thought was interesting. Most of the time when I blog I want to complain about something about my life or tell of something exciting that I did, but there are a lot of other things that people would probably rather read.

If your life just isn't exciting enough to blog about like mine is or you are just looking for some ideas for what to blog about maybe this website will be of some help.

http://www.jimvesting.com/blog-post-ideas/

Homecoming theme

This years homecoming week was fun but it could have been better. The theme this year was really lack luster, there was only one day this week themed around Tim Burton. As well as, the day wasn't even that creative, "wear a Tim Burton themed outfit or waer all baclk or just wear your homecoming shirt." The longer i go to RHS the more it seems ASB loses some of their creativity. Hopefully next year will be better.

Homecoming!

As a senior, this is my last homecoming. ever.
And I'm not too thrilled about it.
To be honest, it's kind of sad. I remember being a freshman and not really caring about the whole homecoming ordeal. Sophomore year had no interest for me either.
But these last two years have really been good to me and, now that its my senior year, it's really hitting me that this is my last homecoming.

I hope to make it a good one.
And seniors will win the float competition.

"Rabbiting" Races

Yesterday Granite Oaks Middle School hosted their annual cross country invitational for fourth through eighth graders. In order to give back to the younger cross country programs we, the RHS Cross Country team, volunteered at the event. As part of our workout we rabbited between two to four races depending on our assigned workout. Rabbiting a race means that you start ahead of the runners and lead the race so that those racing know where to go and don’t get lost. The race is a mile long, spanning the Granite Oaks campus. When we are not rabbiting we help direct runners, keep the course clear, control the finish area, and hand out medals. It’s really fun to go and help out the programs of schools that we went to and, to help promote the sport in hopes more kids will continue cross country through high school. While many of the runners complete the race by a combination of walking and sprinting, several of them are surprisingly fast for their age. It seems as though the younger generations are becoming faster and faster at such an early age, a promising sign for the RHS cross country team. Whether or not these little runners continue their cross country career, I hope that they always have a love for exercise.

The Future

"What do you want to do Alina?"
long pause
"I'm not sure maybe like something with like law or writing..."
"Writing? so like books or newpaper?"
"I'm not sure really..."

The typical conversation I have with anyone who asks me what I want to do when I grow up. I really wish that I was one of those people who had there eyes set on there dream and knew what they wanted from an early age. Reality is that my interests vary so much and I don't know what I will really do after college. When I talk to my dad about getting my license and a job he disagrees with me. He says I could use that time and money to apply for scholarships instead. He read an article about how this guy wrote 4 essays that took him a few hours each. When he was done with them he altered them a little taking 30 min each for each scholarship application. The time he would be at a job or practicing driving to get his license he was spending applying for scholarships. After applying to 80, he made 22,000 dollars in scholarships. It really makes you think, stay well rounded, use your time wisely, and you can avoid the stress of job and car insurance. That is until you go off to college, where you could be 18 and it is easier to get your licsence. Then after my first two years at college, I will probably figure out what I want to do with my life. Success is my occupation.

Cancer: Won't back down

On my past blog for journalism 1 I mentioned my neighbor who was diagnosed with stage four metastatic cancer. Put in other terms, a very serious form of breast cancer. My neighbor is only 39 and has already battled cancer before. However it has come back and this time even stronger. However, she has remained strong and is constantly posting on her facebook and blog about the obstacles she has over come and how she has stayed positive. With four kids, and a baby that is not even a year old, I guess she feels like she has to. Her posts constantly remind that when things like homework seem to ruin my day, there are people out there with more severe problems, sometimes life-threatening. Showing that she won't back down gives us the ability to always look at the glass half full.

Racist People : A Response to Juli's Blog

(The identity of the below bigot has been hidden)

"You know, all you asian people look alike! I bet we could replace you would other asians and no one would notice!"

I couldn't believe that someone had actually said that to my face.

I am part of a very tight-knit club. We consider ourselves a family, work as a family, and love each other as much as a family does. But of course, with every new year, n00bs have to come join our family and we have to get used to them. And don't get me wrong, it's great getting new members....But...

There is a new girl who is very racist and attached to her religion, to the point where it is no longer a good thing. She does not see that religion (most of the time) promotes tolerance and kindness for everyone, not just one race.

And now we have to adopt her in our club.

She has been ridiculously blatant about her views, to the point where she has asked me if I'm "one of those gay people" and "like...oh-my-goodness, are you not [insert religion here]? Hell burns for those who don't believe". (WTH? People actually say that kind of stuff in the 21st century?!?)

Good god, lady. Get off my case.

I hate racism and I hate predjudice. But most of all, I hate people who blatantly show me their racism, with no regard for manners.

So next time, n00b, you say that I look the same as all other asians, and that we are replaceable...Well, I think all of you [insert race here] look the same too!

So bite me.

Racist People

Lately, there has been one girl in particular that has continually irked me. I cannot post her name, but I really wish I could. Her comments about Asians just make me want to slap her. I'm not a vicious person, but I'm sure any person would have the passionate hatred that I have if they heard of the horrible comments made.

This all started a couple of weeks ago when the club that I am in had a get-together at Mels, which I couldn't attend. Since we are all really close, we feel like a family. And being a family means that we all know what is going on with each other. The next day I heard of fun times, moments of laughter, and also, racism.

My first thought was "Oh Jesus, who could it be?" because last year, there was no problems. I soon found out that it was a new member. And I'm sitting there, in shock, thinking "REALLY? Your first impression to the team is that you have to make comments about Asians?!" I mean, I understand that yes, there are quite a few of us Asian people on the team, but that does not mean that she has to go and rant about how we all look the same, and that we could be replaced.

Seriously, a high school student should act more appropriately, and what's worse is that she said this TO an Asian. Ugh, why do people have to say these things? It's not going to make her experience in the club fun at all. I'm not saying that I'll ruin her days, but I will absolutely not tolerate that sort of crap, especially if that was said to me. She has two options though: get out or shut up.

I Love The Human Race, It's People I Can't Stand (Part III)

I can't imagine how teenage girls wake up so early in the morning and spend an hour or more getting ready; straightening their bleach blonde hair, dousing their clear skin in concealer and foundation, and scraping their eyes with black pencils and powder. You can literally walk down the halls and count the girls who care far too much about what people think of them, and it's really quite sad. In a matter of time, reality will hit them, and so will fried hair and oily skin. As I observe my fellow female students, I notice that some of them even wear concealer on their lips, making them disappear into the cake of makeup. This is not, I repeat, NOT the circus. With all the makeup I see shielding the faces of Rocklin High girls, the only thing missing is a red nose and handful of colorful balloons. In my day, I have asked a handful of my male peers if they think that "look" is attractive, and all of them said no. They also agreed that fake tans, when done to the point that the skin turns orange, is horrific. All I'm saying, is that I can't see why girls do that...who are you trying to impress looking like that? If people like you, they like you for what your personality has to offer. If they're only interested in what balloon animals you can create, they're obviously not worth your time.

NBA Lockout

The potential for a lost NBA season is far more likely than the NFL. People like me are already curious as to what will happend to the NBA in the future. A shortened 50-game season, delay or even possible loss of the season to a league that has spent so much time building its brand would be very damaging. Training Camps have already been delayed and rumors on a new Preseason schedule have also been cycling through the web. Basketball being my favorite sport, a loss of a season would probably be the most devasting change I could ever imagine.

Presentations

"Oh great..... a presentation....", is the normal thing people would say when they hear this word. And I completely agree. Who seriously wants to go up to the front of the class for 5 or 10 minutes and talk about something nobody else in the room cares about except the teacher? Well, the idea may immediatly put some into their zoning out stage; but for me, it makes me excited. The whole idea that gets me excited; seeing how creative I can be. There are a million possiblities that can come about trying to prepare for a presentation. "Should I get dressed up and play the part?" "Should I start out with describing something and then go into it?" "Should I just lead it off and bring in creative props that help support my idea and get the audience involved and active?"These questions make my head spin when I am getting ready because they make me overwhelmed, but they also get me excited because I get to show myself what I cam capable of and how interesting I can get the subject to be. So while some say that presentations can be a bore, just remember, it's only as boring as you make it be. The more creative you make it, the more interesting it will turn out to be!

Bucket List

So, I own the movie The Bucket List, with Morgan Freeman in it, and I think that it's a pretty good movie.

I think it's a morbid idea to form a list of what you want to accomplish before you die. I know that I have lots of ideas of things I would want to do, but I don't want to do them just to cross them off of my bucket list before I kick the bucket, I want to do them spontaneously, and when the opportunity presents itself to me.

For example, my grandmother said that she wants to do the clay pigeon shooting thing, and my parents asked if I wanted to go, if they actually went. I had never thought about it before, but maybe it would be kind of fun if you went with family and friends.

Ouch.

There are no words to describe how sore my body is right now.
I played the most brutal soccer game on saturday against a North Highlands team. I can't even count how many bruises I have. It hurts to move.
With that said, today and tomorrow will probably be exhausting.
That is all.

Injury Depression

Stress fractures are a horrible injury, especially at the beginning of cross country season. I was looking forward to having the best season ever this year. I was going to be top seven, go to Woodbridge, and do awesome at sections. One bone scan changed all of my goals.

Now my goals are to "rehab" and "focus on your long term career". But honestly, I've gone from a varsity runner to a cheerleader on the sidelines. I even missed out on the best trip ever to Irvine because I cannot run.

There is nothing I can do but rest. There's no cast, no medication, nothing external that even shows I have an injury which makes it even worse. *Sigh* there goes my season.

All Shall Be Revealed...

The unveiling of Two and a Half Men is tonight people. I was never a big fan of Charlie Sheen's womanizing antics or Jon Cryer's insecurities as a man but I do enjoy Ashton Kutcher.

Honestly, I think Kutcher will add another flavor of humor to the show. In a good way. Something that borderlines Sheen's philanderer ways and Kutcher's own take on comedy. Kind of a mix between Kelso and Fez from that 70's show... kind of.

It's going to be interesting how the writers have inconspicuously "axe" Sheen in the show and thus implant Kutcher into the storylines. Who will he portray? A friend from work? A new neighbor? Alan's long lost brother? Who knows. But anything is better than keeping Sheen on the cast. He is a disgrace. Truly. I don't think anyone can quite explain what caused Sheen to spiral downwards so fast... he needs therapy. Desperately.

Anyways, tonight. 9pm. CBS. All will be revealed... :)

Homecoming: Exciting or Stressful?

Homecoming. The week of dressing up for spirit days, float construction and nominations for the Royal Court, fun right? Well, that's debatable. I think I can speak for almost every other high school girl when I say that Homecoming is straight up stressful. With each and every day that goes by, I realize that the dance is one day closer, and panic starts to set in. Unless you have a boyfriend, finding a date is hard enough. But once you conquer that obstacle, you have only just begun. It's followed by the frantic search for the perfect dress, trying to find something that looks fantastic, but something you know absolutely nobody else will have. Showing up to a dance with three girls wearing the same thing? Major fashion faux pa. Let's not forget to mention the shoes, the nails, the jewelry and the hair. And let's not lie, every girl is beyond worried that her date will show up wearing a royal blue tie when you specifically said navy. By the end of October, all these girls will have gray hair and wrinkles. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm the only one who stresses out about all of this. I'm just thankful that somebody else in my "group" is planning out picture locations and dinner reservations. Now I just need to show up.

Fox didn't hear Broncos fans' wishes, so maybe he'll see them

In Denver, Colorado John Fox, head coach of the Denver Broncos, started QB Kyle Orton in the monday night loss vs the Raiders. during this miserable loss, the fans in the crowd were cheering TEBOW!TEBOW! in hopes for the head coach to put in backup QB Time Tebow, who was drafted a year ago.

So the coach doesn't put him in so now Broncos fans have came up with an idea to change the coach's mind and put Tebow on the field. 8 Bronco's fans have decided to pool their money and rent 2 billboards in order to change the coach's mind. Of course these 2 billboards will be in favor of Tebow.

To tell you the truth, I'm behind these fans. Its a good idea and shows that these people are football fans! Also Kyle Orton's time is up, he hasn't proved himself well while Tebow has. Time Tebow is young and snagged a couple wins last year and needs to make the most of his career. He can probably lead them to the playoffs. Tim Tebow has the talent and needs to develop and I think he's ready to start.

Overall it was a good article because its not the same overused recycled stories from week 1 of the NFL season. Maybe a little short, but its one that catches your attention. Good article overall.

Football IS BACK

So like me and the rest of football fans all over America, we're all totally stoked that football is back! After months of a lockout, and the near loss of a NFL season, it only seems fitting that we'ld be looking forward to this. Me being a Greenbay Packers fan, I'm most excited because this team is gonna repeat haha. Best part about this season though is that every team has a chance to win the big game (Superbowl) this season. It's pretty exciting actually. Even though its only the beginning of the season, a lot of teams are looking hot already. And week 1 had a bunch of record breakers-its good to be back, and its gonna be an awesome football season

Kate Plus 8 is Over

The final episode of "Kate Plus 8" aired last night on TLC. For five years, I have gotten to know the Gosselin Family through their TV show. I remember my sisters and I would just watch the show in awe of the six little boy and girl sextuplets. We thought having three sisters was a lot, but after seeing how many siblings one of the Gosselin kid had we didn't think so any more. We were all just so fasciniated by their lives. Having eight children, with 6 of them being the same age, and the others being twins was a lot. We just thought that was crazy.
The more we watched the show, the more we got to know each child. We all soon had a favorite Gosselin. Mine was Joel. He was one of the sextuplet boys. Joel was just so cute and had such a personality.
Also as we began to become regular viewers we noticed how in control Kate was. Although it is understandable how stressed out a mother of 8 can get, Kate was harsh. She constanly yelled at her children, and her spouse Jon who is now her ex. Kate also has been complaining that they won't have any money, because the show has been cancled. However they made an average of about 75,000 per each epiosde. They had multiple episodes for each season. It doesn't appear that they should have any finiancial difficulties. I just hope for her kids sake that Kate doesn't expose her children to the camera any more. They are only children and they don't need to have a camera in their face 24/7.

Fantasy Football

It's that time of year again! Football is back and better than ever. For the next five months I, along with almost every other American in the country, will spend my Sundays with my butt planted on the couch and yelling pointlessly at the TV. Not so much because the games are THAT intense, or I'm really THAT mad at the clueless referees. I will be yelling simply for the reason of Fantasy Football.

Fantasy Football is hard. One week you will dominate, one week you will fail miserably. When picking your team you have to learn to pick with your head, not your heart. Sorry 49er fans, picking Alex Smith and Frank Gore (the most overrated player, in my opinion) won't win you the league. This past Sunday was a rough start for me. Not only for the reason that every single one of my bench players had a phenomenal day, but my dumba** kicker thought he was much stronger than he is, and tried to truck a big, strong, fast running back. Bad idea. By the end of Sunday night, I was down 50 points against my opponent, no thanks to Ahmad Bradshaw and Anotonio Gates who did absolutely nothing.

But then rolled around Monday Night Football, and there was a glimmer of hope. Tom Brady. There really isn't much I need to say except for the fact that he threw for over 500 yards. Thank God for Brady's talent, and his looks ;-)

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

When I first heard about this movie, it didn't seem intriguing. It seemed like all the other movies that are about relationships falling apart and crazy stupid stuff that happens in between the good parts. But after I saw this, I immideiatly took back my original thinking. It had some VERY well written twists, laughter, and complications that made you say "oooooohhhhhhhhh" then immediatly want to laugh out loud. Sure, the movie is somewhat slow in the beginning, like most movies. But as the story unravels around the plot, you can see what a wild ride the characters have been through.
This may not have been better than "The Help", but it will definetly have you laughing and reliving all of the funny parts as you leave the theatre. For those who love comedy mixed in with complicated relationships, counterparted by undying love, then this movie is for you.

(Never thought I would write another review but I guess I have to take back that thought as well)

Grandparents

So, my grandparents arrive today. I haven't seen them in two years, so it will be nice to see them. They live in England, and are taking a side trip to Oregon before they see us. Every time they come to America, they always take a side trip, and visit a different country or state. For example, the last time they came, they went to Canada.

My grandparents are very British; they are big on manners, and my grandfather even carries a hanky. My mom calls them mother and father.

Before I was born, my grandfather met the King of Jordan at a tree-planting ceremony I think. He has a picture of them shaking hands in his office.

They don't really like the heat, so I wonder how they'll survive Rocklin?

My grandmother and I have the same birthday, this Saturday, which is why they're coming out to visit now. It's my fifteenth, and my grandmother's seventieth.

When I was born, my grandmother was visiting my parents, and that day she woke up to a cake and a note, saying that my parents were at the hospital. What an interesting birthday that would have been.

They'll be here at six pm!

Spain vs. Serbia

My love for tennis is a quite recent occurrence. It was not until I started high school here at Rocklin that I took notice to the sport. Once I understood the rules of tennis and was aware of the prominent players, I began to really enjoy watching the dedicated athletes compete for titles and rankings.

After two weeks of competition being constantly interrupted and delayed by rain, the last US Open match was finally played today. The Women's singles finals took place Sunday afternoon, but I was more interested in watching the men's singles final which took place today. Coming home to watch the match between Spain's Rafael Nadal and Serbia's Novak Djokovic was the only thing on my mind all day.

I was rooting for Novak Djokovic to win his third Grand Slam title of the year. The great and rapid improvement seen in his game was a leading factor for my favoritism but the fact that he is known for doing some very convincing imitations of other tennis players (his favorite imitation being of Maria Sharapova) is an additional entertaining thought. Djokovic also has a specific tennis grunt that makes me laugh. It reminds me very much of the "AAARG!" yell the Legend of Zelda character, Gandalf, is known to make in the Gamecube game of Super Smash Bros. Nadal seemed like a very formidable opponent but with the way Djokovic blew through the competition at the US Open, I felt that he would succeed in achieving the championship.

The match from start to finish was very exciting. Nadal seemed like the crowd favorite when he quickly won the first two games in the first set. Djokovic was able to swing the crowd to back him as he broke Nadal's service multiple times to gain the first two sets, putting him one set away from winning the championship. My mom and I would yelp in excitement when a point was made in favor of our favorite and mope in disappointment when Nadal gained points. Though I wanted Djokovic to win, I could not help rooting for the excellently executed strokes both players displayed. Nadal showed off his expertise volleying at the net while Djokovic showed off his drop shots. In the end, after 4 sets and a little over 4 hours later, the game was won by Djokovic, who kept his ranking of number one tennis player in the world.

Princess Bride

So I just finished watching the movie, Princess Bride, for the first time ever with my boyfriend, Chris Duncan. Let's just say that movie is the most cheesiest movie ever. Seriously. It's from the 80's I believe and it has A LOT of room for improvement. Basically, this girl named Buttercup (what the hell type of name is that anyways for the main character?) is in love with this one guy whom she addresses as freaking "poor boy." How freaking messed up is that? Honestly, if you are loving someone, then don't freaking call them and make them feel horrible by calling them "POOR BOY." And then the guy leaves, and supposedly dies. Then a prince chooses to marry the stuck-up chick. And then she meets the guy that died, and yea...it's really freaking complicated, buy anyways. Yea, so when she sees the guy after he kidnaps her after she already got kidnapped. And then she pushed the guy down a steep mofo-ing hill, and while he's going down, he says something to spark her memory. Then all of a sudden, she's like "Holy crap! It's that one man I loved!" which then leads her to throw her own ass down the hill. And I'm sitting there saying "WTF" and laughing. She literally just threw her body over like a freaking cliff and then when she reaches the bottom, she just gets up and the two make out. It's as if the guy didn't remember that he was thrown down by her. I just don't understand this movie, and yes, I do know it's just a movie, but they could've tried to make it a little better, but whatever.

All for show...

Facebook is so misleading. I think people just use it to hide the imperfections in their lives.

Or maybe it's just me wishing their lives aren't as perfect as they seem.

Facebook is unhealthy for me. It makes me feel like crap when I look at your profile and you're always smiling, and you always look perfect, you're always doing something exciting with your life. And it just makes me wonder...

Do you ever get upset at your parents?
Do you ever fight with your boyfriend?
Do your parents ever argue in front of you?
Do you ever cry because you feel alone and misunderstood?
Do you ever need something but can't afford it?
Do you ever just want to runaway from here?
Do you ever feel hatred towards someone?
Do you ever get angry with God?

Or are you just an optimistic, happy-go-lucky person that only sees the sun, even when there's a massive rain cloud looming over us in the sky? Or maybe it's just looming over me...

If so, I envy you. If not, quit hiding. No one is going to judge you because your life isn't as perfect as Facebook makes it out to be. Because no one's life is perfect.

Excitment!

the first cross country meet of the season is tommorow at the Hornet Jamboree, near Sac State. It should be a fun race and it will be my first time running varsity. I'm hoping to run a good time because this course is flat and only has one hill on it. I have a good feeling the team this year will do pretty well, were all coming together as a team and improving a lot. I can't wait!

Journalism: Sport's Writing

I just finished writing a feature on freshman football and the preview for tonights game and i just realized something....I like journalism, but i love sports writing! I'm not sure why, but something about it gets me fueled to write. i feel like i can write a good peice on other topics, but i think my best work comes when i'm sports writing.

Even a few times i've written about sports i've never played, but i'm happy to learn new rules and use what i know about sports in general to write a good piece. My two favorite sports to write about would definitely have to be basketball and football, but tennis rounds up at a close third.

Hopefully i can continue to write more sports features in the future!

America is like a Salad

This is an excerpt from my oratory competition piece, which I wrote on racial stereotypes.

"At the beginning of my speech, I told you I was going to explain why America is like a salad. Salad is one of the most versatile dishes on our planet. You can add anything you want to it, and the flavors will complement. Caesar dressing, on top of crunchy crutons, with some spicy black pepper. Separate pieces that work together to complement each other. It’s just like our country.

The enscription of the Statue of Liberty sums the philosophy up entirely. (quote) ““Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” (endquote).

Give me your steak-and-potatos, your challah, your okra and your gyros. Give me Chinatown and Little Italy and Suburbia.

America is one big salad. We may be different races, but we can work to complement each other."

That's all....

Miami Heat: Dolphin's Head coach Changes Offense to Keep Job

Miami Dolphins head coach, Tony Sparano, has had to switch to a more conservative offensive scheme in order to keep his job. Him like few head coaches in the NFL are on the hotseat, and one bad move can end their time with the team. Though the wildcat offense is nice to see,coming from the team that created it, it should be interesting this football season to see what new offense this team will be using.Coming from a football fan, I really wanna see how far this team can go. Now I'm no Dolphins fan, but seeing them have sucess would be nice, rather than seeing rival Patriots automaticaly win their division and lose in the playoffs. The article is a pretty good one for any sports fan, especially one of football and the Maimi Dolphins, but at the same time its no real interesting topic. So that makes the article kinda boring.

Homecoming Madness

It is starting to be that time of year again. The time of seeing girls walk around the campus with roses, holding balloons, expecting some sort of surprise in a number of classes, and huge posters displayed across the school. But why do we do this? Why do guys spend hours preparing to ask a girl to a dance. It is simply tradition. But this took an unexpected turn this week with a sign that simply said, " Homecoming Anyone?". This sign took the pressure off of guys to think of a creative way to ask someone. Students would walk out to the middle of the amphitheatre, hold up the sign, and wait for someone to come down and say they want to go to the dance with them. Seems easy and harmless, but administration felt that this was not allowed. So now it goes back to tradition, the roses, the balloons, and creative gestures.

life

so last week was a horrible week. i lost my friend who ive known all of my life from cancer. she had been battling it since November and the whole time she wasnt able to eat drink talk or even swallow her own spit for that matter. it was really hard watching her go through it but she was so strong and selfless that i couldnt help but feel proud of her. i honestly have never been as close to some one as her. i knew her favorite food, her goals, dreams, hopes. and to see it all taken away from someone like her breaks my heart but she in a better place no matter how selfish i want to be and keep her here. The hardest thing about her funeral was watching the pictures of us when we where little and knowing we will never be able to make any other memories and all of our promises shall for ever remain broken. Her, her twin sister, and i where always making promises like going on a road trip this summer but we couldnt because she was to sick and having our kids all grow up together and be best friends and go on all family vacations together like we did but now thats never going to happen. and its sad. she lives wow that's going to be hard to get use to... she lived an hour away from here so i went up and spent a lot of time with her this summer just watching movies and texting which i will always cherish but when ever she would begging to feel better some thing horrible would happen like needing an emergency breathing tube. no treatments ever worked. she couldnt get anymore radiation in march because it would kill her. no chemo treatment worked and the experimental treatments made her feel better but the cancer continued to progress. and no doctors would sign off on a comfort care treatment for her which just (excuse my language) pisses me off. how can they worry about being sued when she is dying and her family says the wont sue and are willing to sign papers. we spend every Christmas eve together so this year we surprised her at Stanford while she was getting her treatment with a Christmas tree and presents and to see her face light up makes me so happy but when we where leaving she began to cry and it made me feel awful... sadly that is something else i will never for get. her family would always say how much it meant to them that i would come and visit and my parents would tell me that they where proud of me for going because my brother and sister couldnt handle it my dad wouldnt go and when ever my mom would she would get teary eyed. when i said good bye to her on Sunday and she was unconscious i was the only one to acknowledge her like she was still here. my parents didnt and i was really disappointed with them. i never understood how much it meant to them when i would come over until this weekend. im really going to miss her and im happy that shes no longer suffering but that doesnt mean its any worse. i love her and her family because they are like a part of mine. cancer is a bitch. so please take a word of advice go for your goals and dont cause any drama and fighting because life is honestly to short.

Almost Hit

So the other day I was driving down the street and going through the gate and it all of a sudden it started to close in on my car. It was super scary and I thought the car was going to be smashed by the gate. I didnt type in a code or push a button beacuse a car already gone through right before me, and I thought the sensor would pick up that a car was going through the gate. It was about eight o'clock and was with my cousins, and one of them said they "saw their life flash before them." After that indident, I proceeded to drive down the street only to almost hit a deer that ran right in front of the car. Ugh, I'm never driving down my Aunt's street again.

Procrastinating

I am a procrastinator. everyone always say that the first step is admitting but that hasn't worked. I know I'm a procrastinator but i keep procrastinating on my homework. so i just wanted to say that putting things off is bad and i need to stop. so that has become my goal for this year to not procrastinate. wish me luck!

Rocklin Rivalry

Today is the day of the Rocklin vs. Whitney football game hosted at Whitney high school. This rivalry began last year when we found out we would be playing the Whitney wildcats during out football preseason and last year we won the game. Now whitney is determined to beat Rocklin and Rocklin is ready to defend their title. Whitney high had a rally this morning at 6 am for all wanting to participate and get ready to beat Rocklin. Not only are the football teams going against each other this evening but the cheer and dance team at both schools will be performing and are determined to show the other team up. Whitney cheer has been working on their routine for a total of 2 months while Rocklin started this week. So tonight will prove to be an eventful evening and an exciting game.

Facebook

So I just got a Facebook last April, its not that recent but although its still slightly new for me, I am already addicted...

When I first made one I promised my self that I would not waste too much time on it and focus on my homework before logging on. Well that promise has been broken, which is not acceptable its pretty bad actually. I feel like the first thing I do when I get home from school is check my Facebook, the first thing I do in the morning... check my Facebook on my phone while I'm eating breakfast, what do I do throughout the day? I'm constantly checking my Facebook. And what I mean by "checking" I guess, to me, would be to see if someone messaged me, or if someone posted on my wall, commented on my pictures, and I think most importantly seeing if anyone posted anything exciting. Which most of the time it's just people complaining about their "horrible lives" which gets really annoying especially because there are people all over the world that have it 1,000 times worse, so I honestly think they should get over it.

Anyway back to my problem, I really don't understand why I'm so addicted to it, its not really that great, I like the social aspect of it. Where you can talk to people you don't always see at school so its another form of communication but what makes me feel the need to hit the refresh button every 30 seconds I don't think I will ever truly understand. In fact while writing this I have another window opened and I have stopped writing to check my profile multiple times. I know I'm not the only one who puts their life on hold to devote their time where they could be doing better, more important things to Facebook, I pretty sure everyone who has one has my same exact problem. It gets super exciting when you see the red little number pop up and telling you that you have a notification. So maybe that's what were all looking for the excitement of a new friend request, new message, new wall post. Either way, I'm going to start trying not to waste so much of my time on Facebook.

Sacramento Kings

October 9th marks the NBA's first preseason game and I can hardly wait for that day to arrive! What I am probably most excited about with the 2011-2012 season is if the Kings can make a comeback with their 10th Draft Pick Jimmer Fredette. I cannot wait to see his performance and style of play out on the court. I feel like Lakers and Kings might again become the great rivals they once were back in the days. I am also excited about the overall Kings roster for this year. I think Evans and Fredette will make a great combination and rack up some wins during the new season. I am beginning to think the Kings might actually have a really good shot at making the playoffs this year.

Happy Birthday To Me

I used to believe that there was no such thing as too many people saying "happy birthday" to you, or someone saying it too much. And at end the day, I can happily say, that there IS no such thing as too many people saying "Happy Birthday" to you.

Yes, it CAN get a bit tiring after the first 50-100 "Happy Birthday" 's but really, it makes you feel special inside knowing someone cares about the day of your birth and that you're still alive today. Wow, that was somewhat deep..... but anyway, Birthday's are for the celebrating! So instead of being embarressed when your friend starts randomly yelling the Happy Birthday Song at the top of their longs, be thankful that instead of dying yesturday, or the day before, that you're still alive and healthy.

And since I got about 100-250 Happy Birthday's today, I can safely say that no matter the outcome of tomorrow, or the next day, or the day following that, I am happy that I am surrounded by friends who care that much to say it that many times, and I am also glad to have- as my friend says:

"Completed another year of life! :D".

Yoyos

I have always thought yoyos were a stange toy. First of all, I don't have any idea how the yoyo manages to snape back up, once you let it down its string. Whenever I play with a yoyo, it just falls to the ground, hanging by the end of its string. I think that yoyos can be used to perform amazing tricks, but I found it challenging trying to put my finger in the loop to hold the string. In my mind, I always picture a yoyo in the color yellow. Why yellow? It's so random, why can't I picture yoyos in other colors? My brother loves yoyos, but they irritate me.

Taylor Swift...

So, who listens to Taylor Swift? I'm guessing that at least 50% of you reading this enjoy her music. I know that at least 80% of mine do.

But for those who don't, she's basically a country-gal turned pop-princess. Sounds like a teenage-chick-flick plot, huh?

But the weird thing, and I think this is the thing that makes her so popular, is that her songs are very relatable. In fact, there is a well-like Facebook page called "there's a taylor swift song for everything <3" or something like that.

Whether you're sad, angry, happy, vengeful, in love, in love with a stranger, out of love, nostalgic, ecstatic, feeling like a fairy princess, nerdy, or plain-old-Normal, there's a song for you.

Personally, I don't hate her music, nor do I love it. I'm just confused on how she manages to relate to everyone, no matter their age, race, personality, or passions. She touches upon so many relatable topics, which makes her songs mean something to everyone...Whether it's first love, growing up, being angry...

I wonder how she does that?

I bet she'd be a great columnist.

US Open

So i guess everybody at school that knows me thinks of me as the basketball guy. Well, lately that's not been the case, for the past year and a half, i've been following ATP Tennis even more. Im not sure why to be honest, there isn't much correlatioon rules-wise between basketball and tennis other than it's on a court, but something draws me to it. Maybe it's the respect for the players and the tip-top shape they have to be in like basketball players. Maybe it's the ease with which they glide around the court. Or maybe, it's the breathtaking, jaw-dropping no look threw the legs hit to save point on a 12 shot rally and go deuce for the 6th time in a game that get's me going. Yea that might be it. Whatever it is though i have been following the U.S. Open with gusto since its inception this year, last week. Whoever wins, (My picks are Serena for the women's draw and Tsonga for the Men's) doesn't really matter although it would be nice too see Serena overcome her year of difficulties and see an American man on top a Grand Slam for the first time since Roddick in '03, it's really just about watching some good tennis.

The Bickering of 40 year old Men

They say we mature as we grow older. We learn to contain our emotions, act in a civilized manner, and become a respectable person.

In a perfect world, yes, we would all evolve into grown ups between the ages of our 20's and 30's, but reality is quite different. We never seem to ever grow out of that whiney baby phase. Especially those complaining, tantrum-having, immature suits up at the White House. With those type of people running our country, how can we possibly get anything done?

Now my family is full of republicans who devote themselves to the tea party movement. Because of their beliefs, they swayed me to follow with them. Listening to Michael Savage, watching FOX, and reading about the indignities of leftist politicians. But now, I'm simply tired. Both sides feel they must express their arguments without even listening to what the other has to offer. They have lost sight of why they truly took an oath to serve. They serve this country for the PEOPLE. Not to benefit their party and proclaim their views as being the only way to run this country. They chose to take office for US. Hearing these two sides bicker and yell and scream and fight has put the entire country in a doozy. When will it ever end? When will the dust settle and allow for the people who deserve to serve this country courageously step up and serve?

Jersey Shore

Jersey Shore. Everybody seems to obsess over it. I just don't see why. After my peers constantly told me how entertaining and great the show was, I decided to watch it. I was not impressed. I had to turn the TV off twelve minutes into it. I remember sitting down on my couch feeling like I had just lost 20 IQ points. Almost every other word was bleeped out, and the people on the show were just so overdramatic. I was disgusted. Their behavior on the show is not admirable at all. I'm sure young tenns have or will try to imitate the casts actions of drinking and smoking just because "if Jersey Shore does it, than I can too". Be smart people. However, I will admit at time it can be entertaining, but why would you want to watch a show about overtanned oompa lumpas who don't have the best morals and are constantly partying ? There are other ways to be entertained. I just don't see the point. There are so many things you could be doing better with the time you spend watching Jersey Shore. Time is precious, spend it wisely.

Doctors

I hate the doctor with a passion, nothing against doctors themselves most of them are nice people, however they always giveme bad news. The waiting room is awkward and full of outdated parenting magaizines and it is quiet. Silent almost, except for the occassional screaming child. Plus they give you forms to fill out; the same forms everytime you go. No, my anwers to these generic questions have not changed since the five months you last asked me. Then they procede to give cookie-cutter information.

"Oh youre leg hurts? Then you should rest and ice." I know, I know, that's the same information you've been giving me for the past five months. Care to give me more useful information, like maybe what is actually wrong with it? You went through years of medical school and all you cant tell me is rest and ice? Well, after months of pain they finally decide it is okay to give me a bone scan,the result? A stress fracture, right at the beginning of my cross country season. Thank you doctor for delaying my treatment for five months, you have been very helpful.

Managing Cross Country:D

Pereira asked me to manage for the Cross Country team and without thinking twice, I accepted the offer. I love the people who are on the team and managing will also get me TONS of community servic hours. The only thing that sucks is that it's always freaking hot outside, and I know I shouldn't be complaining because I'm not even running, but...EW.
I don't like the heat. I'ma be all sweaty (the runners will definitely be more sweaty though.) In an example of the journalistic style that Nichols is trying to teach us....

"That is so nasty," said Amanda Wong.

Camp Winthers!

Today by one o’clock this afternoon I, along with the majority of the Cross Country team, will be on a bus headed to Camp Winthers near Lake Tahoe. Every year a group of about 35 runners who dedicated themselves during the summer months are invited to spend the weekend at camp. Contrary to what others might believe, we do a lot of other activities besides run. We hike, swim, play games, perform skits/cheers, roast marshmallows, and simply just hang out with each other. Camp Winthers not only gives us a change of scenery and temperature, but also provides an opportunity to become better friends with our teammates. The camp is run by the San Juan Unified School District and is equipped to feed and house large groups of people. We stay in cabins that have about ten beds inside, but because the girl’s team refuses to be separated we usually add about four cots and all cram into one cabin. I’m really looking forward to this weekend but am sad this is my last year to go. I am really going to miss camping with the team.

Crisis Averted

After having a tiresome day that consisted of learning that my stock investments in AP Econ were plummeting mercilessly, having the first AP Bio test of the year, getting up in front of the class in AP Stats only to have done the requested homework problem completely wrong, and accepting the consequences for not taking P.E. my sophomore year by spending a class period out in the sun swimming laps, I was in the mood for a big, filling meal. To take my mind off of the horrid day, my mom and I took a trip to Safeway in order to get the ingredients for a dinner that partially got inspiration from Italian cooking with the odd pairing of very un-Italian potato salad. With our hands full of a large loaf of fresh baked bread for bruschetta, garlic bread, pasta, and potato salad, we left the grocery store thinking we had a can of Hunts pasta sauce at home. But we thought wrong. Upon assembling the meal, the absence of pasta sauce that should have topped off my mound of spaghetti finally came to my notice. Thankfully, my mother, the great improviser of cooking, whipped up an impeccable homemade pasta sauce from a can of tomato sauce, fresh basil and tomatoes from our backyard, garlic, onions, and black pepper. And velato! The crisis was averted and I was able to enjoy the hearty meal I desired.

Portraits

Grow Up.

I never thought the time would come when I would reach the end of the K-12 spectrum. Childhood has passed so quickly, and now I find myself in my last year of high school, taking four AP classes and leaving campus everyday at 12:15. With seniority there arises a mass consensus among RHS staff, parents, and fellow students that we should lead by example, and the Class of 2012 does not disappoint. I now find myself in charge of a few clubs I was once just a member in, peer teaching a class I was once just a student in, and instructing karate classes I was once just a pupil in. It's strange to see the tables turned, to attempt to share the experience I have amassed in the past few years.

Despite this noticeable increase in responsibility, I still feel like a kid mostly. The prospect of having a Disney movie marathon excites me to no end. I'm dying to watch the new Winnie the Pooh Bear movie. I poke, prod, and bother my cats. Words like 'sardoodledom' make me giggle. Sky Zone is a magical place whose wonder may only be matched by that of Narnia or Hogwarts. Receiving a mini panda Pillowpet and naming it Mochi is likely to be the highlight of my year.

I don't think I ever went through the moody, 'the world is stupid', teenager stage. And honestly, I hope that I never grow out of my hobbies, interests, and quirks. It seems that some of our generation, at least in Rocklin anyway, appreciate the little things in life, which will make for an interesting adult community and workforce in the future. I don't think I'll ever truly grow up, but I'm eager to find out what destiny has in store for me.

I'm obsessed

And no, I'm not obsessed with some trashy reality show or the next fashion trend. It's the stock market that I've been preoccupying my time with. Nerdy, right? In AP Econ we are using a Virtual Stock Exchange to invest 100,000 fake dollars in the stock market for an assignment. We also do it as a competition within each period in which the winner is inducted into Hardy's investment Hall of Fame and wins "oodles of fantabulous prizes" as Mr. Hardy would say. So back to my obsession, majority of the words that have come out of my mouth in the past week relate to my ranking in the competition, trash talking/bragging to my opponents, or telling everyone what the stocks I've purchased are. I'll sit at the computer and keep refreshing the page hoping to see my name higher than everyone else's. Yesterday, I reached number one and all I wanted to do was tell the world. I've also come to realize that whatever my mood is for the day almost completely relies on what my ranking is, so basically yesterday was one of the best days ever. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit but one thing is for sure that I should never ever ever be allowed to invest in stocks in real life because I am way too addicted and would probably lose all of my money.