What's that?

I have never the Star Wars. I have never seen Star Trek. I have never seen The Lord of the Rings. I have seen Harry Potter... once... in Guatemala.... and I fell asleep. To all you Harry Potter fans, I am so very sorry if I insulted you by falling asleep during the premiere of the last movie. We had been working long hours building houses, so I was exhausted, and I had no idea what was going on anyway because I hadn't seen any of the movie before it. Clearly, I am not prepared to answer this prompt. I can, however, try to tell you why I am so unprepared. I get asked frequently why I have never seen any of these popular series. It isn't that I don't like to watch movie, I like them a lot. I just haven't seen these. I think, honestly, the reason I never watched any of them is because my brother loved them. I love my brother, but there is just something in every sibling that makes them want to be as little like their brother or sister as possible. In the persuit of this goal, I never watched any of those movies, as to not be like him.

You're a wizard, Harry

Well this is going to be difficult for me, since I've only seen one of the four. But I'll take a swing at it.
Star Wars vs. Star Trek. Hmm. I guess you could say I've seen Star Trek because I've seen the newest movie, but I dunno if that counts. But I'm gonna have to go with Star Wars, even though I'm probably one of the only people that hasn't seen any of them. It's just more classic than Star Trek. Lots more people haven't seen Star Trek. But it's not a landslide; they're pretty similar (as far as I know).
Now for Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings...Well, as an avid Harry Potter fan, I'm gonna have to go with Harry. Honestly, every time I've tried to watch LOTR (4 times or so), I've fallen asleep halfway through the first movie every time. I've never made it past where they're at the gate thingy by the lake. Maybe I'll try again after some Red Bulls or Five Hour Energies. But Harry Potter is classic, if I may say so. I still remember seeing the second movie in theaters. From gasping in that theater when I saw the basilisk to crying in the theater when Dobby died and feeling the relief in the grown up scenes, Harry Potter has never ceased to amaze me.

Fantastical Fights

Star Wars trumps every bit of the collective Star Trek, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Ring series. First of all, it is much more elaborate and creative than any of its competitors. Star Trek and Star Wars both deal with space travel and aliens, but Star Wars has more prominent alien characters such as Jabba the Hutt, Darth Maul, R2-D2, and Chewbacca. Harry Potter and Lord of the Ring both find concepts in unoriginal and overused themes. Witches, wizards, wands, dragons, orcs, goblins, really? Granted, LotR has "hobbits," but they are basically just short white people with harry feet. Star Wars brings the excitement of lightsabers and the "force" to the table. Not to mention countless themes throughout the movie series including family relationships, good and evil,  racing, beating impossible odds, and making certain that the girl you like isn't your sister. Honestly, how many times have you heard someone speak in a Yoda voice, do a Chewbacca call, make the Darth Vader breathing noises or uttered the famous words "May the force be with you." Compare that to how often you hear someone speaking "parseltongue," and you have your winner.

Fantastical Flights

Growing up, I saw every Lord of the Rings movie in theaters, so I DID see the movies. I didn't, however, love them enough to watch them again when I got older. I don't even remember much now, except that creepy Golem and his love for the ring. I could imitate him perfectly as a child... I also remember watching the first and second Harry Potter movies when I was very young. Those movies, I DID love. And I started reading the books in second grade. I felt like a pretty accomplished 2nd grader to be reading such thick books. Anyways, I literally grew up with Harry Potter, and I feel quite a lot towards HP and Hogwarts, and all of the Wizarding World. So, Harry Potter trumps the Lord of the Rings for me. When it comes to Star Trek v. Star Wars though, that's not quite so easy. I never watched Star Wars. The closest I've ever come to watching the movies was this summer at Victoria's family reunion. Apparently there was a Star Wars marathon that weekend. I have seen a few episodes of Star Trek though as I watched it with my parents growing up sometimes. But , after having Mr. Lentz, it's awfully hard for me to choose Star Trek over Star Wars. So, in honor of our freshman English teacher, I'll choose Star Wars.

Star Wars vs. Star Trek

In the debate between star wars in star trek, i find it hard to believe that one would think star trek is the better of the two. I do understand that there are hundreds of star trek television shows, and even a few movies, but it still doesn't stand up to the excitement of star wars. The ideas and concepts in star wars are much better, and the story is much better developed. Maybe i'm just biased because i don't watch that much star trek. In fact, I believe I saw star wars before ever sitting down and watching some star trek episodes, so at that point it felt to me like a lot of the ideas in star trek were copying those of star wars. The two certainly aren't the same though, and i find the idea of the prophecy story in star wars much more concentrated and developed, and overall better.

Fantastical Fights- Silly?

As hard as it is to believe, the only movies out of the options presented that I’ve actually seen is the Harry Potter series. Personally, I find it hard to watch something that I know could never happen. It’s not that I wouldn’t watch them if they were the only options available. It’s just that I would prefer to not watch them if I could do something else. I don’t believe that they’re stupid. They’re just not my cup of tea. I prefer older movies such as “Gone with the Wind” or “It’s A Wonderful Life” or most historical fiction movies to action-packed movies (generally). I guess you could say I’m picky with the movies I allow myself to watch, but I would have to say that we’re all entitled to our own opinions. The fantastical and the out of the ordinary are not the things that draw me to a movie or to a plot line. The variations in plot line, and the realistic events and characters are much better. With every action movie I’ve seen, I’ve been annoyed by the surface level characters. There’s nothing more to them than their motivation. Seeing a change in the character as the movie progresses is much more important than a pointless fight. I would rather be amazed by the characters than by the special effects.

Star Wars vs. Star Trek

Unlike majority of my close friends, I was never interested in Star Trek. Granted, I saw newly released live action film and enjoyed it very much, I know to little about the series as a whole to have a developed opinion about it. That being said, my father exposed my brother and I to Star Wars from an early age, and to this day we watch the series fairly regularly. While I'm certainly by no means a "Star-Wars" junkie, and watch the films solely for entertainment value, I still consider myself a fan. I recall numerous occasions lying around the living room, mindlessly staring at brilliantly colored lightsabers, flashing lazer beams, and adorable space creatures. All of these things sparked my current interest in science fiction, and more importantly, provided me with a strong basis to imagine. Without movies such as Star Wars and Jurassic Park, I would lack any creativity or artistic passion whatsoever, and for that, I am grateful.

Hrary Pteotr vs. Lrod of the Rgins

Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? Easily Harry Potter. Lord of the Rings isn't that great, not to mention the movies are really long and I hate Froto and Sam. They're just not great characters. Now I'm not saying Harry and Ron are the best characters of all time. A lot of the time I can hate them just as much but Harry Potter's just a lot easier to watch. The Harry Potter books are so much better too, I think. It's not like I read so I wouldn't really know. They seem a lot more friendlier and they don't make up random words for midgets unlike Lord of the Rings. Star Wars is better than Star Trek for a lot of reasons. For one, I've never seen Star Trek so I can't really say it's better. I was also named after Han Solo's actor which is pretty cool I guess. And I think I have enough words so I'm just gonna spell my way outta here. Poof.

[Insert Title Here]

In short, Star Wars.

In long, Star Wars is the superior of the two series, when the series in question consist of The Star Wars Saga and Star Trek. When I say Star Wars, I mean the first trio (so 4-6), because Jar-Jar single-handedly murdered to franchise to some people. When I say Star Trek, I mean the old TV show, not the movie. The superiority of Star Wars is due to three things. 1. Better Plot. 2. More advanced special effects relative to the release date of the item in question. 3. I've never seen Star Trek.

I like Star Wars more because I've never watched what most Trekkies consider the good Star Trek. I've only seen the new movie.

Also, In Harry Potter v. Lord of the Rings, HP wins for the same reasoning. I've never seen the Lord of the Rings franchise, In fact I never even finished the books.

I don't watch movies.

HP vs LOT

Is this even a question? how can you question the absolute dominance of middle earth and the lord of the rings? the actual Lords of the Rings could annihilate any character from Harry Potter. The fellowship of the ring is a much more effective and potent than the Order of the Phoenix or even Dumbledores Army. If you look at actual fighting power, the massive armies in LOT could destroy both forces of light and dark involved with the battle at Hogswarts. Luckily I have read all seven Harry Potter books multiple times each as well as all of the LOTs as well as the Hobbit and the Silmarillion, so I would consider myself an expert on these matters. Ian McKellan is a much more effect force as Gandalf than he is as Dumbledore. The magic system isnt as advanced in LOT, but the mere amount of forces would overwhelm the isolated wizards in ahrry potter. If you look at either the cave trolls, goblins, wargs, orcs, or other various monsters or the elves, dwarves, humans, ents, or various heros, they have the numbers and power to beat the few wizards.

Fantastical Fights

Between Star Wars and Star Trek, I have only seen Star Wars, so naturally, I will vote for it as the winner. Likewise, I haven't watched the Lord of the Rings movies nor have I read the books, so the Harry Potter universe trumps. I would have a much more knowledgeable and unbiased opinion if I had immersed myself in Star Trek and the Lord of the Rings as well. The idea of comparing franchises is not at all silly in the any way. It allows us to compare their success through the box office, run time, and records set. The fact that they have similar characteristics allows us to compare characters, conflicts, plotlines, and relationships to determine which was better crafted. This is the real world, economic fight between major franchises. But the the hardcore dedicated fans, it allows them another point of nerdy but great and meaningful discussion. Crossing over universes allows for much more debate and controversy as a signal universe may easily be exhausted of good ideas. A well developed universe will have plenty of depth, but eventually one can only go so far before everything becomse unsupportable speculation. And this is the real fight between fantasies.

"We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust."

Dumbledore famously proclaimed repeatedly the value of friendship in self-actualization and success.  In my decade as an HP super-fan, the boy wizard that defined my childhood conjured myraid friends and transfigured casual relationships into long-lasting companionships.

But I think Dumbledore probably also said something about the horros of lying, given his moral uprightness.  And lying about Harry Potter granted me one of the best friendships of my life.

In fifth grade, none of my fourth grade pals had the same teacher that I did, so I sought new friends.  One girl, Alice, competed in Battle of the Books with me, but I knew her only casually.  At some point our highly nerdy conversation shifted to one regarding the Number #1 Harry Potter Fansite, Mugglenet, of which I am a total fan.  She threw in some fancy lingo, something about Mugglecast, Rowling like Bowling, and a guy named Andrew.  I figured that was some fancy post on Mugglenet, and my pride made me respond as if I knew exactly what she was talking about, smiling, laughing, and agreeing at the opportune moments.  My reputation as a true fan lay on the line. 

So often those lessons that your mom teaches you never have relevance in your life.  Like the always wear clean underwear in case a bus hits you one.  But the one about spiraling lies?  First hand experience.  For the next days...weeks...months Alice continued to engage me in conversation? monologues? about Mugglecast.  We grew closer through our mutual? love of the thing.  Finally, I knew that I had to figure out what in the world she was talking about.

A couple of years later, that guy Andrew (the head host of the podcast) answered my live call on a show regarding the first Harry Potter HBP trailer.  May have been a highlight of my young life.  The conversations of Andrew, Matt, Eric, Micah, Mikey, Laura, Elysa, Nick, and Jamie were a total sanity lifeline for most of middle school.  My addiction to Mugglecast extended to Twilight Source then to SmartMouths. 

Alice and I are still besties.  Madalyn Collins and I also formed our relationship off of Mugglecast.  That Andrew fellow met his partner, Matt, at a Harry Potter convention.  Because Harry Potter shaped my life and the lives of so many others, I'm a lifetime member of DA. 

Craziness

Having generally stayed away from all of these movies/books/craziness, I honestly cannot give a good opinion on one versus the other. I have seen and read some of the Harry Potters, and the same for Star Wars. I am generally unimpressed. On the same token, I am not team Jacob or team Edward.*gag.* I did read the Hunger Games and really liked them, however I do not think I will enjoy the movie as much –  even if it does have Josh Hutcherson. More power to those people who are obsessed with these sci-fi adventures, but I could care less. For some reason, I just do not enjoy fantasy. I like to read/watch things that I can envision happening in real life. I like feeling that connection of my life and the characters’. Reading has the ability to take you into fantastical worlds and stellar situations. However I am pretty happy here on Earth.  

Assignment 24: Fantastical Fights

Star Wars v. Star Trek
Harry Potter v. Lord of the Rings

Or do you think all of these are silly? Why?


Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, April 29 at 11:59 pm

Assignment 26: The Future

Your done.
Your Junior year OVER.
Tell us about it.
Successes? Failures? Lessons Learned? Risks taken? Mistakes made? What will you do in the Summer?  What do you want for your Senior year? How do you plan to reach your goals?

Minimum of 150 words - due on Sunday, May 13 at 11:59 pm

Things I Carry

Things I carry at various times:

Phone - My iPhone is what I carry most often and I feel naked without it. With it, I can stay in touch with my friends and family. Since it is a smartphone, I can also use it to look up anything at any given time, as well as pass time with games and such.

Wallet - My wallet is a money clip that I take everywhere I go. What is interesting about it is that, since it is a money clip, it contains a set of magnets that have their advantages and disadvantages in everyday situations. For example, I can't put a laptop on my lap without taking out my money clip because the magnets will mess up the computer. On the other hand, it is fun to throw my wallet at refrigerators and watch it stick when I get bored.

Keys - All of my keys are on a needlepoint key chain of a lacrosse stick. As of now, I have a key to both of my parents' cars, as well as a key to my locker. Hopefully I will have a new car key in the near future.

Backpack - Besides simply carrying my books and folders around, my backpack holds my lunch, as well as water on its side so I can easily eat and drink during my classes.

Lacrosse Bag - I also carry around my lacrosse bag and stick every day after school to lacrosse practice. Besides holding all of my gear, my bag serves as another backpack to me, holding anything at a given time from pencils to my homework. You can also find various articles of clothing and lacrosse pinnies in there.

Gum - Whenever I get my hands on a pack of gum, I keep it in my left pocket with my keys and wallet until it runs out. Gum is essential to staying fresh after lunch and getting rid of coffee-breath in the mornings.

Carrying things...

I tangibly carry way too much stuff around with me every day. On pretty typical school day, I tend to lug around my backpack with every school book inside, a lunch box, my camera case, a purse, and a jacket. That's just the big stuff though. Inside of my purse I carry quite a bit of random stuff: a wallet, lots of change, at least ten receipts, a pen or pencil, a phone, keys, a half finished hemp bracelet, a pair of earrings, roll on perfume, gum, an ipod, lip gloss.... A whole lot. The reason I carry all of this stuff is that I just like being prepared. I hate not having something that I need, so I take everything I can think of with me. My soccer bag is an even better example of that maybe. Besides my cleats and soccer ball, I carry one or two extra pairs of socks, shin guards, extra shin guards, an extra shirt, hair bands, band aids, pre wrap, an extra soccer ball, occasionally an extra pair of cleats, cones, ibuprophin, lip balm, cough drops, gloves, and multiple waterbottles. Obviously, I try to be prepared for everything. Unfortunately I'm one of the most unorganized people in the world so even though I usually have EVERYTHING, I can't find it half the time.
Metaphorically, I'd say I carry around a million memories. I try not to live in the past and all, but I can't help remembering everything that happens in my life... I hate forgetting things, and even the idea of forgetting things makes me sad. So, I write in journals a lot. Ever since 7th grade I've tried to keep up with a journal as much as possible. I have five now and they're filled with thoughts and memories... Unfortunately, I tend to remember things my friends said to me when I was five and not the important school related things like, well, this blog post!

National Debt (LATE PASS)

I have little knowledge on how to remedy the ongoing economic situation. That being said, the most obvious solution appears to be an increase in taxation and lowering government spending. More specifically, cut spending on military affairs and increase taxation on the population. The combination of these two practices should yield a succesful renovation of the American economy. In addition, emphasizing American products on the international market and attemtping to import and export greater amounts should help stimulate the economy.

somewhere there is swag

plants are begining to blossom, children are smiling, and new life is coming into the world. somewhere else, feilds of food are burning, children are starving, and people are dying before their time. thats just the world we live in. it manages to be horrible, while being utterly beautiful. its filled with a million facets, all different colors, all reflecting light. and thats what makes the universe as beautiful as it is. not the individual beauties, but the overwhelming variety that encompasses the infinites of life on our planet and the rest of the universe. somewhere, not on our planet, new life isdeveloping, and even more distant there is another nollie, on another planet, on a computer in the back of class, typing the same words, hoping someone understands this post

blogging from class for swag

first off, the generic answer. my ipod is in my pocket always, as is my phone when im not grounded. these just make life easier. i also always have a hat, typically some cash and other stuff filling my pockets. but the important thing is my swag. it's easier for me to carry large quantities of swag than the average person. people often marvel at the rate i consume food without gaining weight. the reasoning for my miraculous metabolism is that my stomach pumps the food straight to my swagular gland, creating an excess of this healing substance

Carrying

I could go ahead and say the obvious things I carry, like my wallet and phone, but you could have figured that out. So I'll tell you what I will be carrying in the future. For the next month of my life, I will be carrying with me my AP United States History and Ap Chemistry review books. Like for real, I haven't even started studying yet. Until like last night, my review books had just been sitting in the same Joseph Beth bag I bought them in for a month or so. I keep telling myself that I'll start studying, but that just has not happened yet. I've come close, but that doesn't cut it. So hopefully they will be my new most prized possessions starting now. I will guard them with my life. If I forgot my wallet or phone at home I wouldn't even be mad as long as I have my review books. For the miracles these things work, they really don't get enough credit.

What I carry.

I carry three things every day, I have never forgotten to carry these three things for the past two years. The first, and most important of these things is my iPod. For those who are close to me, they know that music is the biggest part of my life and one day I aspire to be performing for a full arena. Although that might never happen, I can still listen to music and learn what I can from the artists that are available. It is for this reason that whenever I have free time, whether it is at school or at home, I am listening to my iPod, learning about the music that exists and how I am able to take what has already been developed and create something better. In addition to my iPod, I always carry lotion. Strange item for a guy, right? Well not when you're Indian. It appears that majority of people in my family are just extremely ashy, having skin that is similar to that of a komodo dragon.Its a result of this peculiar skin condition that my third and final item is nonother that Chapstick. Whether it's the summer, or middle of winter, my lips are cracked. Nothing heals this health ailment more than a liberal dose of waxy goodness. Without these three things, I would be extremely lost and very dry...

Normally I just pick up whatever is next to my phone whenever I go anywhere. But normally I carry around

1. Phone-The iPhone is a great invention (or innovation if you think that way). It plays all my music, gives me access to the internet wherever I want go. It also has an iPod, which greatly eases the stress of my day whenever I need music.

2. Silly Putty-The greatest invention ever. It stretches, bends, and copies newsprint. It can bounce like a ball, and it’s just really fun to mess around with.

3. Pen/Pencil-teachers tend to yell at you if you don’t have a writing utensil in school. I’m not a big fan of being yelled at.

4. Pack of Gum-I enjoy chewing gum. It really entertains me when I get a bit too bored. It also tastes good sometimes.

5. Money-In the words of AC/DC Moneytalks (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmyzFsYEdco). It is also the only way to get food.

6. Water-hydration is essential

what I carry around...

I used to carry a purse to school everyday but that became a burden. I left my purse behind and moved on to carrying a clutch. My clutch is full of many things, most of them useless but not completely. One thing I always carry with me is my cell phone. Without my cell phone I don't know what I would do. One things for sure, my day would be a lot less cheery without my One Direction pictures and facts that Hannah texts me throughout the day, it keeps me going. Within my clutch you can always find chap stick as well. I despise having chapped lips and they can strike at any time so it is necessary to carry chap stick. I also always have my parents debit card in my clutch. They don't like to continually give me money so they resulted to just letting me have a card. Within my purse you can also find many little random things that clue you in to what I've been doing with my life. There are many ticket stubs and receipts throughout my clutch. And my clutch is also very heavy due to all the change that has accumulated in the bottom... I really should go clean it out.

I always carry...

Since I'm a girl, I usually have my purse with me. So I get to carry a bunch of awesome different things with me. (Although I don't usually bring my purse with me to school).

Like Macy, I carry around Play-doh. It's fun to be creative with it, plus it's always nice to have something to do during my down time.

Speaking of which, it's a total crime to let a good bubble-blowing day go by without taking advantage of it. So I carry around a container of bubbles, waiting for the ideal opportunity. You never know when you need a little bit of outdoor fun.

Someone else talked about carrying around stuff that they're sentimental about. While it's not like I have a scrapbook in my purse, you could usually dig around and find a ticket stub from something I've been to, usually a movie. I probably still have my Beauty and the Beast ticket.

Speaking of Disney Princesses, as a dancer I get blisters like nobody's business, so I keep Band-Aids on hand. But what fun is a BandAid if I don't make it creative? In honor of my love of princesses and other cartoon characters, if you get a cut/scrape/blister, hit me up and you'll get a super-awesome character BandAid.

Carry

What stuff do I carry around most of the time? Well first, let's talk about what I carry my stuff around in. For my 14th birthday, my parents gifted me this beautiful, vintage satchel from the 70s. It is GOR-GEOUS. It has that shade of tan that's more caramel, it's perfect. So what do I put in this awesome satchel? First, I always carry my strawberry bubblegum flavored chap stick. No one enjoys chapped lips, especially not me. Second, I carry my pager, in case I'm needed at work. I don't really believe in cell phones, you may laugh at me now, but those things can cause ear cancer, I think. The third most important thing I carry is a bottle of bubbles and a star wand to blow them out of. You never know when a hooligan is going to come up to you and challenge you to a biggest bubble competition, so you better be safe than sorry. The last but certainly not least you will find in my satchel is an abundance of salt water taffy for when I get hungry, or bored. If you ever get bred, start munching on some taffy and you'll understand where I'm coming from. I'll tell ya, it's gotta be one of the best things made since sliced bread. And that's what you'll find in my satchel.

Stuff i Carry

theres a lot of different things that i carry with me, but there are three i cant bear to be without...or at least, they're nice to have with me.
One: i definitely carry the cell phone. mostly because i feel like if i dont have it and something important happens, i cant text someone like, "OMG can you believe that? lmfao bro jk," or something else insanely girly.
Two: Ipod. there is nothing worse than having a day off in class, wanting to listen to music, and then not having it with you. its also the one device that if i lost it i would be genuinly sad: thats like the stuff of nightmares for me.
Three: i need my pants. if i didnt carry pants around on me all the time, id get into some very awkward situations. for example, if i was to go up to someone and say "nice shorts," then they would have real trouble trying to give me the same type of compliment, as they would be too busy noticing that my pants appear to be missing. worse yet, if i needed to put something in my pocket, i couldnt, because boxers dont have pockets. or at least mine dont.

I carry around too much stuff....

Unfortunately, most of those things that I do carry around aren't very sentimental. My purse is always stuffed with just about anything that could be stuffed inside a purse. I ALWAYS carry around hand sanitizer. Always. And usually way too many bottles of it, in almost every scent imaginable. I do carry around some sort of perfume. I'm just a little obsessed with scents. I usually have some sort of water bottle, for obvious reasons. Without my phone, I'm lost. It's always in my pocket (unless, for some weird reason, I don't have any pockets to use). I generally have something to pull my hair back with, but I occasionally forget it. I carry around multiple packs of gum at all times, because... sometimes it is pretty necessary, and it's easier to concentrate while chewing on mint gum. Although those things are just for general purposes, I do carry around memories with me. Notebooks filled with quotes, doodles from class, and other things that just bring a smile to my face. Those might be just material possessions with some meaning behind them, but we all carry around the things that can't be seen, probably the most important things we could carry- all of the events that have made us who we are today.

What's in my bag?

Every day I carry with me a purse that many of you may recognize. This year I've been carrying a purple Longchamp bag, but in previous years I've carried numerous other purses - certain ones that friends from middle school would remember. My point, though, is that no matter what type of purse I carry, the contents will always be the same:

1. My cell phone - If I don't have my cell phone, then I basically don't have my head.

2. A book/Kindle - Only recently have I purchased a Kindle (which Ian says does not really count as a book), but I always have some sort of reading material in my purse.

3. An Orange Leaf spoon - Why do you keep an Orange Leaf spoon in your purse, Hannah? I have no clue. I just like it.

4. Chapstick - A life without Chapstick is like a life without air.

5. Gum - Somehow word has spread that I'm nice and will give people gum, so I keep a nice stock of gum in my purse at all times.

Carry On My Wayward Son

When my great-grandfather was fighting in World War II, he carried with him my great grandmother's letters (until the humidity of the Pacific theatre soaked them illegible).  I think a fella carries with him what he really values, things that uplift him.  The kooky items that I always have on my person fall into two groups: 1. Items that keep me focused.  2. Objects that keep me sane.

1. Items that keep me focued.
     I like to do stuff with my hands, which is why I have a habit of dropping things like pencil caps at inopportune times (like during church this morning, just ask Logan Gross's mother).  So I keep stuff in my purse so I don't become that annoying tapping girl.

• Play-doh.  I recently discovered that loads of girls do this.  Which is awesome.  You go girl.  Kneeding a mound of Play-doh=delightful physical occupation.
• World-in-my-hands stress ball.  Sort of falls into the other category, because it was a gift from one of my closest pals, this global stress reliever is perfect for tossing, squeezing, and bouncing and is handy for atlas reference.  Such a blast.

2. Items that keep me sane.
    Unlike someone who posted in first hour's blog, I am EXTREMELY sentimental.  I will trash insane numbers of knick-knacks, but I still have this pair of jeans that I wore during every important event of my middle school life.  I will not through those away.  Ever.  In fact, until 9th grade, they went on every vacation with me, just so I could have them close to me. Such items that I keep on my person include:

• Y-Notes.  These delightful inventions are heartfelt notes from my dearest non-biological family members.  I absolutely love them to death and think of them all of the time.  It means the world to have their chicken-scratch in my purse.
• Planner.  Thought I lost it last year.  Almost cried.  Found it! :)
• Macy's Inspiration Book from Sylvan Claire Ryder.  Happy pictures.  Pesto recipes.  A gift from my girl.  What could be better?
• Cross necklace.  I take it off only in dire situations (like XC meets).

My purse could seriously provide hours of entertainment and incite threat-level-orange sorts of fears.  While I wouldn't consider myself materialistic, I'm clingy.  I value antiques.  Heirlooms are the jam. 

things i carry

1. I have my cell phone with me at nearly all times. It allows me to communicate with friends, parents, and relatives with the push of a button through either text or calling (i'm not cool enough to have internet and email). It is also my main time keeping device as a watch, stop watch, and alarm. Even if I don't have to wake up early, I still have to keep my phone within arm's reach when I sleep. It is also conveniently takes low quality photos and videos so I can have proof of neat quirky things I find.

2. My keys are super important. Held on a solid black lanyard, it sports a little solar powered sign that flashes "tough guy." I've had a house key for a few years now, since I leave the house often to hang out with my neighborhood friends. I added the basement key also so can now open any door in the house. But the latest addition to my key chain is my very own car key. It's my ticket to Independence and freedom.

3. My wallet just recently became part of the essential objects I carry. I started using it because I need to carry my driver's license with me whenever I go. The money-holding function of the wallet is just an added bonus.

Crap you may or may not find on my body at any given point in time

I have a nice list of a few things I carry with me on a daily basis. So let's get down to it!

1 - iPhone ; I carry this not only for phone call purposes, but also for texting purposes. It also provides musical entertainment on demand. It's like having my life in my pocket!

2- Wallet ; I carry this as a utensil for which to carry money. It also holds my driver's permit/license/piece of plastic with an orange sticker on it. That's pretty darn important too.

3- Gum ; I have a bad habit of chewing on things. When I had braces I was told not to chew gum, so I started chewing on other things, like ice. Now I can chew gum without fear of destroying an expensive metal apparatus demon in my teeth. So I do. All the time.

4- Keys ; Used to provide access to my house, car, mom's car, and also contains decorative items for entertainment.

5- Pencils/Pens ; Used for writing documents. And signing stuff.

6- Watch ; Although now obsolete via my iPhone, I still carry my watch because it makes me feel cool. And it was a hand me down from my grandfather who died of a rare cancer normal only found in children. That too.

7- Class Ring ; Carried because it cost about 420$. I am wearing this thing for the rest of forever for that price.

8- Sunglasses ; Used to shield my eyes from the sun. I hate that thing.

And that's it!

To Carry

Assignment 23: To Carry
“They carried all they could bear, and then some, including a silent awe for the terrible power of the things they carried.” - Tim O' Brien.

1. Backpack - I need my backpack to carry my books and my pencils and other utensils for school. Although I could do without a backpack, it makes my life much easier by helping me carry books both to school and to class.

2. My books - Inside my backpacks are my books. I carry books for all of my classes, but generally only carry around the ones that I actually need to use in class daily. I carry around my books in the first and second halves of the day. 

3. My shoes - I may not carry around my shoes, but I wear them on my feet and in essence "carry" them around. They are important because they protect my feet and help me walk around.

4. My clothes - I have to wear clothes because it is the law to wear clothes and otherwise, I will be arrested.

5. My lacrosse bag - I don't carry this around with me at school like some people, but I have to carry it to and from practice, which feels like all day to me, because it is so heavy. This is essential to me because it has all of my gear in it and I need it to be able to play everyday.

6. My lunch - I pack my own lunch everyday and I carry it around with me until I eat it at lunch time. 

7. My phone - I need my phone with me in cases of communication or if i get bored in school.

8. My keys - I need my keys to be able to drive my car, which is how I get to school everyday because I live out of district.

9. My wallet - I need my wallet to be able to drive legally and also to be able to have money to pay for things, such as gas.

My Junk

So I do not really have a set amount of stuff that I carry around with me, so I figured I would search my purse, and here’s everything in it:

1. My phone: Maybe its #richkidprobs – well, I definitely know it is – but I have my iPhone at all times. Its uses are endless and I can always check my calendar, phone a friend, listen to some music, send a picture, or surf the net.

2. My agenda: I am a freak, but my most prized possession would have to be my agenda. I have an awful memory – and a full schedule – so knowing what I need to do when is absolutely priceless.

3. Disney Uno cards: You never know when you are with a group of people and nothing to do. Well, I have a solution – Disney Uno! These cards have come in so handy and they are so fun.

4. Mints:  Once again, I am a freak. There are a certain kind of mints I like, no love, no worship. These particular kind are served at many restaurants around town, but are often hard to identify from the outside due to branding and what not on the package. The solution is to check the flap, if they are manufactured in Boone, North Carolina – they are my mints.

5. Disney Stickers: So you see a pattern here? Well anyway, stickers are so useful from writing an impromptu letter to giving one to a screaming little girl behind you on the plane. True story.

6. Cards: You never know when you’re going to need to write a quick thank you note or give someone a gift. People really enjoy getting cards and appreciate them a lot.

7. Junk: I’m pretty sure everyone carries pretty much the same odd assortment of EOS chapstick, pencils, high lighters, pens, lip gloss, ear buds, eye drops, Tylenol, old movie tickets, tissues, gummies, cough drops, etc. plus keys and stuff too.

P.S. And because it is in my head - and it is kinda on topic - here's good music! My Junk from Spring Awakening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SuNIiPXEM8

National debt (late)

(Can I use a late pass on this?)

I'm not a big political guy and I'm no expert on the economy but this is just what makes sense to me. Now, the two main approaches to this, raising taxes and cutting spending, are sort of polar opposites. So why not take a bit of both? Raising taxes at least a little bit would definitely help. In fact, taxing new things wouldn't be such a bad idea either. At least a couple of drugs - marijuana comes to mind - could be legalized and taxed (some should not be legalized obviously). Now on the other side, some particular groups would love to have mass cutting of spending. While it would work in theory, I don't think it'd the best idea. We could cut spending a bit, because I'm sure there are some things we could do without. But at the same time, if we cut too much, problems we had in the past could arise again. If that makes sense. Don't just take my word for it.

At this moment...

At this moment, kids are splashing in the waves of a sandy beach.
At this moment, birds are chirping a joyful tune.
At this moment, a couple of 80-year-olds are reminiscing the good ole days.
At this moment, a mother is enjoying a well deserved spa package
At this moment, a class of middleschoolers are minutes away from the end of school.
At this moment, a man savors his favorite kind of mint chocolate chip ice cream.
At this moment, a boy is overwhelmed by his first baseball game.
At this moment, a talented young actress is experiencing the rush of an opening on Broadway.
At this moment, a kid has finally gathered enough spare change for a piece of gum and a bouncy ball.
At this moment, a 16-year-old unwraps the keys to a brand new car.
At this moment, a little girl is taking in the sights of her first trip to the American Girl Place in Chicago.
At this moment, a baby boy takes his first breaths as his family anxiously looks on.
At this moment, an inventor perfects his latest discovery.
At this moment, a family finds out they won a trip to Disney World.

At this moment, I am growing more and more aware that spring break is over...

In 100 Years

I am all messed up on which blog to do.  But I think after doing this one, I'll have done them all.

I like to move and go and do and explore and see, so I don't want to live longer than I can do that.  So...

I imagine my celestial life to be something like the ancestors in Mulan.  With a smidge more freedom.  Someone told me once that Heaven is so sublime the colors that color it are so brilliant that we can't even imagine them.  So I want Heavenly me to wander around in awe.  I hope there are waterfalls of color that I can dive into.  I hope the air or surrounding atmosphere or encompasing stuff smells nice, like a spring day or a fall day in alternating excellence, so you never get used to it.  I hope I never get used to anything up there, because familiarity spawns complacency, complacency spawns sloth, and I've never met a satisfied sloth.

I hope the ghost stories are right, and I can romp around down here a bit, too, because, while I plan to do all I can in the next several decades, I won't be able to do it all here.  In 100 years, I'll still be exploring.  Even the places I couldn't while limited by my Earthly body.  Titanic road trip, y'all. 

It's Easter weekend, which 1. means this blog post is late and 2. means that I'm reflecting on the amazing love that my Creator has for me.  And that's pretty cool.  My question of the week while we were at the beach was whether a fella could get a sun tan from the moon if he sat there in front of it his entire life.  In 100 years, I want to get sunburned by the warmth of love in such close proximity.  My mom doesn't want me to backpack Europe until I have some adult male to do it with me.  Talk about a traveling companion!  To get to climb Everest with the one who created Everest?  I cannot imagine a better place to be in 100 years.

Somewhere

Somewhere in the world right now, someone is spending an afternoon at the beach in South Carolina, and finding an expensive pair of Ray Ban sunglasses. Those sunglasses were once mine, but were stolen by the ocean today to hopefully end up in the hands of someone who will respect them and treat them as they should be treated. Somewhere in the world right now, someone is looking up a new pair of Costa 580's to buy. That someone is me; I feel naked without my sunglasses in the sun and need some new ones. That's my story, thanks for stopping by. RIP

Whats goin on???

Alright since ive already done all the blogs that have been suggested, and i dont want to take the chance of not getting credit, im making up my own blog. This is so confusing because the original prompt is not posted in our class causing bedlam in the Junior Academy class. No one knows what theyre doing and its madness. And not the good madness like in March with 15 seeds beating 2 seeds (oh yeah!). Im talking about crazy bad madness where people are dying, or just doing different posts. Theyre pretty similar in my eyes because im confused either way. If youre reading this and saying, "Matthew, this is what someone else is doing right now, or what would happen if you froze and thawed 100 years later..." Look further down the blog page. This is why im confused and not writing something intelligent (yes thats my excuse). I hope you enjoyed my confusion, and try to fix this please. :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(:( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(

Somewhere in the universe right now...

Somewhere in the universe right now someone is on a cruise ship sailing across the ocean blue. Somewhere in the universe right now someone is gazing at the shore from the porch of a cute little beach house. Somewhere in the universe right now someone is on an international flight on their way to a dream vacation. Somewhere in the universe right now there is a girl sitting at home in Lexington awaiting her super exciting spring break in this wonderful town. Somewhere in the universe right now there is a girl who could be worrying about what everyone else in the universe are doing, but is instead worrying about how she is going to make the next week absolutely fantastic even though she may not be going on some crazy expensive vacation half way across the world. Too bad I'm not that girl. Somewhere in the universe right now there is a girl named Victoria Salsman who really wants to be in Disney World.

At this moment in time...

At this moment in time, someone is writing their blog post, last minute of course, while listening to her family watch tv in the other room. Right now someone is texting her many friends on vacation due to the fact that it is Spring Break. Right now someone is wishing they were at the beach too. Right now someone is waking up to a sunrise on the beach while someone is going to bed in a snowy place. At this moment in time someone is working night shift while others get ready for their shift the next day. Right now someone is playing Call of Duty while someone is fighting a real war. At this moment in time someone is sleeping cozily in their bed while others search for a place to stay. At this moment in time someone is meeting the love of their life while someone else is crushed over a break up. Someone is watching a romantic movie while others are experiencing those movie like moments in real life. Someone out there is listening to One Direction while others are meeting them. At this moment in time millions of people are being affected in a million different ways. At this moment in time there is more going on than you can imagine.

At this moment

At this very moment, someone just realized she completely forgot about the blog post, and she is frantically trying to think of things to say. Someone out there is confused beyond belief about where they are, and that person only wants to go home. That person doesn’t even remember where that home is. Another person is caring for that person who has lost all her memories. Her family is beating themselves up about not being able to keep her at home longer. They feel as if they have given up on her. At this moment, the student writing the blog post is thinking about anything she could have done to prolong her stay at home, but she knows that nothing will keep her from going to the nursing home tomorrow. Now, the student has really thought the situation through. Although she feels incredibly awful about not being able to take care of her for another year, she has finally realized that this situation is completely out of her hands.

this moment

at this moment in time, in the universe, a star is creating more energy in one second than humans have made in their existence. at this moment, there are acadamy students trying desperately to create a blog. at this moment, there are billions of people around the world waking up to go to work, while here in America we are going to bed. at this moment, life is exploding around us, bringing new light to the world, while at the same time death is an ever present inescapabke shadow. also at this moment someone probably lost their job while someone else made millions. i think that right now, im wondering if i even care about this blog. then again in this moment i realize its a grade and i need to do it. theres a lot that goes on in the course of a moment. some things are just more prominent than others.