The Death of Me

Around the holidays, families come together more than anytime of the year. And for a lot of families, that means getting in the car and traveling to a different city or even state. Every year, my family packs up and drives to Missouri where most of my mom’s family lives. Which really means, not just one, but TWO family car rides: the death of me.

          The car ride starts out the same every time. All four of us (me, my sister, and my parents) are rushing to finish packing and leave on time. My mom and sister are always the first ones ready and in the car. Then my dad starts yelling for me to hurry up, thinking that he is finished and ready to go. Only a little bit after that, I am in the car and what do you know? My dad is STILL not ready. He usually has to go back into the house two or three times before he remembers everything. But shortly after, we are on the road.

          Usually, as the journey begins, the car is silent. But it sure doesn’t last long. Soon enough my dad starts talking. At first, it is tolerable. Until he starts asking a million questions, some being asked more than once, and talking about random things that no one in the car has any interest in. That’s when I ask to turn the radio on, getting the same “I don’t want to talk over the radio,” response every time. Like that’s the point. Even though, I always end up listening to my iPod instead because the volume doesn’t get turned up enough.

          Once we all settle in and do our own thing, we have nothing but a three hour car ride ahead of us. Occasionally we stop to use the restroom or get something to eat or drink. I try to sleep for most of the trip, but it’s hard to get comfortable in a car. There isn’t really a great place to put a pillow and I can only stretch my legs out so far in certain directions. And I can’t put them on my sister because she will freak out or complain about it until I move.

          Everything about a family car ride is pretty much a lose/lose situation. It is impossible to get comfortable, my dad never stops talking, and it takes a lot of time out of your day. They will be the death me.

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Snow Days

The time has finally come. The first big snow fall of the year was Wednesday and Thursday. And along with the inches of snow, we got our first snow day and 2-hour delay of the school year. Unfortunately, missing a day of school means we have to make it up later in the year. But usually there are a couple of built in make-up days which is good so then the school year doesn’t go any longer than it needs to.

          This week was the last week before Christmas break. And the snow storm came on Wednesday; giving us a snow day on Thursday and a 2-hour delay on Friday. This basically made Friday the most pointless day of school ever. Since Friday was the day before break, classes were already planning on doing nothing. So with no school on Thursday, leaving only one day left of school, it was pointless to go back on Friday.

          On snow days, we all have this high expectation to have a ton of fun, but most of the time that’s not how it really goes.

Expectation:

·         Sleep in really late

·         Go to a friend’s house

·         Go sledding in all the new snow

·         Party because you don’t have to go to school

·         Basically pretend that it’s the weekend for a day

Reality:

·         Sit at home

·         Watch TV or movies all day long

·         Drink hot chocolate

·         Pretend that you are having fun by yourself

Most of the reason the reality is the way it is, is because our parent won’t let us drive anywhere. And obviously the excuse they are going to use is “If the roads are bad enough that you can’t go to school, then they are too bad for you to drive anywhere else.” AKA the most annoying excuse ever, well right after “because I said so.” But that’s a different topic.

          So really, snow days are good for sleeping in, catching up on TV shows, and finishing homework you didn’t do the night before. Other than that, they can be pretty unproductive. But I’m not going to lie, it is always nice to have a day off and just relax at home.

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'Tis the Season

Now that Thanksgiving has passed, Christmas is almost here. And the first thing that comes to my mind when I hear Christmas is presents! This holiday season, families are going out to stores and buying presents for each other and companies are sending out more and more ads with more and more Christmas deals/specials. Every year the presents we buy get more elaborate and usually more expensive. And every year stores, it seems as if stores are advertising for Christmas products earlier and earlier.

          This year, as I was walking through Target, and noticed that they already had Christmas displays out. It was around Halloween. Two months before Christmas. They ALREADY had certain Christmas candy on the shelves. To me, that’s just a little bit ridiculous. Christmas has become such a commercial holiday. All we ever think about between Thanksgiving and Christmas is buying presents. While I don’t disagree with giving presents, I do disagree with how Thanksgiving and Christmas have become all about spending money.

          Thanksgiving is a time that we are supposed to be thankful for what we have. I will be the first to admit that I take a lot of things in my life for granted. And I do go Black Friday shopping. But it, honestly, is getting a bit out of control. Half the stores opened on Thanksgiving, not Black Friday. Like, let’s just take it back a notch real quick. Can we not just wait a few more hours?

          I think that the subject of taking things for granted has really been taken to a whole new level for me lately with Drew Wall’s passing and the shooting in Connecticut. It has showed me how much I have to be thankful for. I think that all of us take the fact that we wake up every day for granted until something like those things happen. It obviously isn’t something that is talked or thought about much because it is such a simple little thing, yet so important.

          But ‘tis the season ladies and gents. We all have to continue on with our lives even after tragedy. I’m not saying it’s wrong to buy presents or spend a lot on the people we care about. But we should all take some time this holiday season to think about what we have and be thankful for it. Let’s make this holiday a little less commercial and a little more content.

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Not Just another Day

Every day we wake up and go through our daily routine. We complain about having to get up early and either go to work or school. Every day we take for granted the fact that we are alive. For most of us, Friday morning was just another day. But for families in Connecticut, it wasn’t just another day. It was a tragedy that no one should have to go through.

          Friday morning 27 people died. Friday morning 20 children and 6 adults at an elementary school were shot and killed. Friday morning a 24 year old man caused a tragedy and then committed suicide.

          It doesn’t make sense. How does someone take so many lives and then take their own? How does someone murder innocent children on a Friday morning just weeks before Christmas?  It doesn’t make sense.

          I’m sure officials will conclude that he had mental issues. But is that really enough? Is that going to make those 20 sets of parents feel any better about losing their children? NO. The answer is no. It’s not going to make them feel better or understand why this happened to their children. It doesn’t explain his reasoning behind it.

          Because an event like this is so unheard of and tragic, people throughout the nation have heard about it and have been affected by the story. Although, most not directly affected, they take it to heart. Everyone can relate and be sympathetic to a story like this in some way. After hearing something like this, parents definitely have the right to worry about their children going to school next week, especially the families that have kids enrolled at the school in Connecticut.

          The person that did this took not only lives, but people’s sense of safeness and security at school. School is supposed to be a safe environment, especially an elementary school. But now, for these kids, it is going to be a place where their friends or teachers were killed. It is where they were forced to leave in a single file line with their eyes closed. It is their worst nightmare playing over and over again in their head.

          It doesn’t make sense. How does someone shoot that many people and then themselves? How does someone take such innocent lives? Can someone’s life really be that bad? Because of this one person, December 14^th will never be just another day.

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All I Want For Christmas...

As crazy as it sounds, Christmas is almost here and it’s time for parents to make final decisions on what to get their kids. I usually don’t make Christmas lists for what I want because whenever I sit down and think of everything I would like to have, my mind goes blank. It’s as if I’ve never asked for a single present my entire life. And I’ll be the first to admit that that isn’t true. But this year, I finally sat down and made a list of some things that I would like to have.

          All I want for Christmas… the first thing I wrote down was a puppy; more specifically, a silver lab. I have been pushing my parents to let us get a puppy for quite some time now and although I am pretty confident I won’t get one, it’s definitely worth writing down just in case they change their minds!

Reasons why I want a puppy:

1.     They are adorable! How can you say no to a face like that?

2.    You have something to entertain you when you get bored! Your friends can’t always hang out and if you had a puppy you would never be lonely.

3.    Why not get a puppy? Did I mention how cute they are? Why would you not want one?

Reasons my parents won’t let me get a puppy:

1.     Who is going to take care of it? They think that we are never home and wouldn’t have time to take care of it. I say make time! They made time to take care of me and my sister, what’s one more thing?

2.    Who is going to walk it and take it outside to go to the bathroom in the winter?  They know me too well. I’m not a huge fan of the cold. My solution: make my sister or dad do it. And you can always just put it on a leash to go to the bathroom so you don’t have to wait outside.

3.    They are expensive. Food and toys and visits to the vet can get expensive. But whatever. Worth it.

 

So my parents definitely have some solid points. But I don’t care. I still want a puppy for Christmas.

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Meet Me in St. Louis

For my family, it is a tradition to go to a play every year around Christmas time. Today we went to Theater Cedar Rapids and saw a production of “Meet Me in St. Louis.” Before today I had no knowledge of what this play was about, except that it was a movie first and had something to do with Christmas.

          To me, the play was very confusing. From the moment it started I was confused as to what was going on. But I was patient; trying to understand the plot. Then all of a sudden intermission was here and I was still confused. By that time, I was just bored because I had no idea what was actually happening.

          After it was over, I was talking to my mom about what she thought of it. To my surprise, she said that she liked it and thought it was very good. I explained how confused I was and didn’t really get the significance of anything that happened. She then said that she had seen the movie before and that was why should understood it. She explained how if one hadn’t seen the movie prior to seeing the play, they wouldn’t have understood it. This made me feel a little bit better. But also made me wonder how many other people didn’t enjoy it because they didn’t understand it. To me that is a huge downfall in the organization of the play.

          Although, I didn’t understand much of it, I thought that the acting and singing was very good. I am always impressed by the talent of the singers and today wasn’t any different. Most of the main characters were younger and to see that much talent those people was kind of awesome.

          I enjoy going to plays and Theater Cedar Rapids every year. There have been a couple times where I didn’t exactly enjoy the plot of the plays, but that doesn’t change the amount of talent these people have. It’s like not enjoying a movie, but still liking a certain actor or actress in the movie. You are still going to give them the credit, even though the story line didn’t catch your eye this time around.

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Santa Claus is Coming to Town

It’s that time of the year again. Christmas is right around the corner. And that can only mean one thing: time to buy presents for your friends and family. This can be one of the hardest things to do. Whenever I ask anybody what they want for Christmas the response I always get is, “I don’t know…” NO. Not okay. That doesn’t help me at all. Everyone wants something, yet no one can seem to tell me what that is.

          This causes a dilemma. I obviously want to buy something that the other person wants, but how I am supposed to know when they don’t tell me? A good route to take for parents is something practical. They aren’t going to want something that is just going to take up more space and collect dust. So get something that you know will be put to good use, such as, cook ware, office supplies, tools, etc. Homemade presents are also great for parents because they like to know that you put some thought and effort into it.

          Siblings are the hardest for me. My sister and I are complete opposites. And while I try to get her to be more like me, she isn’t. If you are like this with your siblings you might also know how hard it is to find something they like. I guess my advice for buying a present for someone like this would be to find something that they enjoy doing and look into what items can go along with that. I’ve done the whole buy something you like so you can keep it if they don’t want it. But honestly, I don’t like knowing they didn’t like my present; especially if I liked the one they got me.

          Now on to friends. We spend most of our time with our friends. We are supposed to know them better than anyone. And then when it comes to present buying time, I seem to forget everything I know about them. This year I probably spent at least three weeks thinking about what to get my best friends. I didn’t want to buy them something cheesy or lame that would be completely useless.  I shopped online, at stores, and even looked up ideas on Pinterest. I finally ended up getting items online that were things that they could use/wear almost every day. My final decision on these presents was mostly based on what we laugh about on a regular basis.

          Buying a gift for someone can be hard. Especially when they don’t give you any ideas about what they want. My overall advice for buying presents would to get something personal and practical. Personal gifts show the person you care and practical items are sure to be put to good use. So there you go. That’s all I’ve got. Know it’s time for you to go to the store or get online and start shopping!

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It's December

Now that it’s finally December, we all expect Iowa to be cold and snowy for the rest of the year. But when I walked outside today, I was shocked to find that it wasn’t too cold; it was actually pretty nice out.

          Usually, this time of the year in Iowa, I would be bundling up to go outside and expecting it to snow any day if it hadn’t already. I would also be complaining about how it’s too cold and how snow is annoying to drive in.

          Don’t get me wrong, I love waking up to snow on Christmas! It doesn’t seem like Christmas without it. But it is just one of those things that I am always changing my mind about.

          Now that it’s December and I am really getting into the Christmas spirit, I would love for it to snow! We are missing out on all the outdoor activities that you can only do at this time of the year, such as sledding and building snowmen. Having a snowball fight sounds like a lot of fun right about now.

          Now here’s the downside- I don’t like driving in the snow or when it gets icy out; it can get scary out there. Although, driving in poor conditions is a good skill to have, it’s really not something I want to have to do for the rest of my life.

          A good and bad thing is having snow days. They are great because you don’t have to go to school. But you have to make that day up at the end of the year, therefore making your summer shorter. And no one wants that!

          I guess what I’m trying to say is that there are ups and downs to everything in life. And we are all probably going to complain about snow whether we have it or not. But it’s December and we live in Iowa; bring on the snow!

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Just Drew It

On Tuesday the world lost a truly inspirational person to cancer. His story has impacted thousands of people’s lives and continues to. His name is Drew Wall.

          Drew went to Kennedy. He was a sophomore. Unfortunately, I never really got the chance to get to know him that well. But I have known about him since his struggle with cancer began because he was the Kennedy volleyball coach’s nephew and she was my coach when it all began. I wish I had gotten to know him, though, because he sounded like someone you could learn a lot from. Just hearing his story makes me realize how good my life actually is.

          His visitation was today at Kennedy. There were tons of people there. I got there around one o’clock (the time it was supposed to start). When I walked inside there was already a long line waiting to walk through and when I left it was longer. I also noticed that there were a few of golfers from an Iowa City school in the line.

          Even though, a lot of people didn’t really know him that well at school, they all support him and his family. Tons of people are buying purple t shirts that say “Just Drew It.” Not only people at Kennedy, but from other schools, as well. I know that Kennedy is planning on having a purple out for Drew in a couple of weeks. Also I saw, via instagram, that Linn-mar did the same thing last night at their basketball game. I think it’s awesome that a bunch of the schools are all coming together to support this one family that they may or may not even know.

          Since the beginning of Drew’s battle, he has had a caring bridge website where he and his family can tell his story. Anyone can visit the website and leave comments on the visitor’s page. The day that Drew passed away, his mom wrote about how he had passed away earlier that day and the events that led up to his final moments. The first thing written was this:

“Drew is home and HOME! Drew is giving Jesus a really HIGH five tonight! All the angels are rejoicing because our sweet sweet boy is HOME in heaven tonight!”

When I first read this passage, tears filled my eyes. I encourage everyone to read the rest of what she wrote and to read his entire story. It’s truly amazing.

#justdrewit          http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/drewwall

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AP Napping

As little kids we hated the words “nap time” and would do anything to get out of the treacherous time we had to spend being quiet. But as we are getting older, we look back on those days and wish they were still here. Being a student at Kennedy High School is no breeze. The days are long and exhausting. And we are always being pushed to take more AP classes by our teachers and, of course, Dr. W. I strongly believe that there should be a class for AP Napping. And here’s why.

          We need more opportunities to sleep now, than we did when we were younger. Now that we are in high school, the day starts an hour earlier than it did in elementary. We are used to this from middle school, but what we aren’t used to is the amount of homework. With more homework being given out, we have to stay up later to get it all done. This is that bad if you go home right after school and start it. But let’s be honest, how many people do you know that actually do that.

          One main reason most of us can’t go home and start our homework right away is because of sports and other activities. Practices usually start right after school and last two to three hours. Then when we get home, we are worn out from the practice and just want to relax for a little bit. But there really is no time for that because the later we put off our homework, the later we have to stay up.

          Because we are all being pushed to take harder classes, we deserve a break in the middle of the day. Though, going to lunch helps break up the day and is a nice pause in between classes, it’s definitely not long enough. But if we added a napping class into our fourth hour (where lunch falls) then it would be perfect! It would break up the day very nicely and it would give us students the extra boost of energy we need to finish out our afternoon classes.

          I don’t know a single student that would oppose to the idea of AP Napping. I could see everyone wanting to take it. It would be beneficial to the students and teachers. Creating this class is probably the best idea anybody has ever had!

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Sunday Funday?

For as long as I’ve known, Sundays are the days that my family just sits at home and relaxes. They are the movie marathon, do-nothing lazy days that everyone loves. Well until I got to high school, of course…

          I can’t remember the last peaceful Sunday I’ve had. Since the first week of high school freshman year, all of my Sundays have been filled with something to do. Most of the time, my Sundays are filled with homework. It’s the word that every student dreads hearing. Homework on the weekends kills the mood of every Sunday. Now, all the teachers would ask why we wait to start until Sunday. To me, it’s really the only logical day to do it. On Fridays there are usually sporting events going on and by the time we get home from them, it’s too late to start any homework. Then on Saturdays we wake up late because we were up so late the night before from the game (and hopefully celebrating a win after). By the time we wake up, it’s the middle of the day and it’s time to start hanging out with our friends or get things done that we can’t do in the middle of the week. Like go shopping. And really, even if we did wake up at a normal time on Saturday, that’s the only day we don’t have to think about anything school related. In the end, all we are left with is Sunday.

          I would love to have my free Sunday afternoons back to just sit around and do nothing. They used to be my favorite day of the week. And they still could be if I didn’t have to do so much homework every week. So teachers, I’m begging you, please don’t give so much homework out and let Sundays make a comeback.

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Rumors

Last night I went to the play Rumors at school. I had heard that it was going to be very funny, which gave me high expectations. Then when I went to the play preview in the middle of the week, I was already cracking up at the little bit I had seen. So when I was sitting there with my friends, I couldn’t wait for it to start.

          Throughout the entire play, laughter filled the theater. The expectations I had set for the humor was definitely reached. It’s not like there were a lot of jokes in the dialogue, but there was a ton of sarcasm. The way that the characters talked to each other was very funny. Though, sometimes mean, it was funny!

          I really liked the plot of the play. It was kind of a mystery as to what happened to some of the characters. Yet it was also a comedy in the sense of how the characters acted.

          Going to plays at school is much more enjoyable when you know the people in it. Being a junior now, I know more of the upperclassmen. This is nice because it is fun watching your friends perform. Especially when they are in funny things like this!

          Overall I really liked this play and thought it was hysterical. I would definitely recommend anyone to go see this play. You will have a great time!

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Birthday Cards

Birthday cards are a signature part of a birthday. Hallmark basically created an entire store for them. They are good for people that want to send something to a relative or friend that lives far away. But lately I’ve noticed that there are some downsides to them.

          If you think about it, buying birthday cards are kind of a waste of money. When you get a birthday card, how long do you keep it? I throw mine away after a week or 2, unless they are funny or from my parents. If you ask me, sending someone a generic birthday card that they aren’t going to keep is a waste. I would rather spend my money on something extra that they could actually use.

          I personally like homemade birthday cards better because you can decorate them however you want. You can also write whatever you want in there. That makes it special for the person receiving it because it lets them know that you actually put time and thought into it. When you buy a generic one, it’s not very personal. Even though there are some funny ones worth reading!

          I think that birthday cards are still an important of birthdays. But instead of generic ones from the Hallmark store, make your own. It’s much more personal and everyone deserves a little something special on their birthday!

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Start Decorating

Everyone deserves a little space to themselves in their homes. For most people this space is their bedrooms. If you are like me, you spend most of your free time in your bedroom. Because I spend so much time here, I think it’s very important to personalize it and make it your own.

          There are many different elements into making your room your own. One of them is painting. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve wanted to paint my room with my favorite color. But since I shared a room with my sister, my parents wouldn’t let me. Once I had my own room for a while, I got to pick out a color and a design to paint my room. I picked my favorite colors—blue and purple. This was just the beginning of personalizing my room.

          Another element is bedding. When it came to bedding, I wanted something that would match my wall colors and also something that was warm and comfortable. There are lots of different designs of bedspreads. Once you choose one, you have to get sheets that match—regular ones for the summer and flannel ones for the winter. For me, I really like pillows. They make it seem much more comfortable.

          As I have mentioned before in a previous post, I love pictures. I have always had an enormous amount of pictures hanging up in my room. Recently, I have been trying to use some ideas off of Pinterest (also previously mentioned). One idea that I found and really liked was to hang up Christmas lights and then take some type of clip—such as clothes pins—and clip the pictures to them. I like this idea because it is really different and not something that you see very often. If you aren’t feeling the Christmas lights, there are tons of cute picture frames out there too! I have a ton in my room. There are even some pretty cool DIY ones that are easy to make!

          There are lots of little details that can go into making your bedroom personalized and all about you. You just have to find your style and what you like to accomplish it. But in the end it is definitely worth it. So go for it. Make it your own. You deserve it.

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Picture Perfect

They always say “A picture is worth a thousand words.” And to me it truly is. Pictures are what capture the best and worst of times. Though they only capture a single moment in time, the story behind it has a much bigger meaning.

          Pictures are everywhere in our everyday life. And without them I think life would be pretty boring. They tell stories, good and bad, and help us learn new things. When babies are born, parents, friends and family members take thousands of pictures. This is because they don’t want to forget a single moment of their life. My parents still have my baby pictures and to this day we still pull them out every once in a while. Even though, I can’t remember what was happening, my parents can and I think it’s important to them.

          I broke my leg in third grade. It was a long process in the hospital and physical therapy to get back to normal. Along the way, my mom took tons of pictures trying to capture those significant moments. Even though, they weren’t the happiest or most fun times, they are a big part of my life. And when I look at them, they remind me of the wonderful people that helped me get through it and made it just a little bit better.

          You could say I have a passion for taking and looking at pictures. In my room I like to surround myself with them. There are at least 10 picture frames in my room already. Not only do I like to just have pictures up, I like to put them up in creative ways that are somewhat out of the ordinary. For instance, I bought some Christmas lights to hang up on the wall and when they are up I’m going to hang pictures from them in between the lights. I also bought a picture frame that isn’t your usual square/rectangular frame. This one is a bunch of oversized paper clips put together. Pictures are a one of a kind piece of work. And I like to display them like that.

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Pinterested?

Pinterest is a website that is basically a bunch of pictures that usually link to websites where you can find out how to make it or buy it. It pretty much has everything you can think of. To sign up, you have to be invited to join by a friend or by the site itself (you can ask to join). When you are invited, then you begin creating your account. A lot of people like to sync it to Facebook so they can find their friends easier. Once you create the account you are free to browse through all the pictures and ideas. On your page you can make boards for different categories, such as clothes or food, so that when you are browsing and you find something you like you can ‘repin’ it on a board to look at in the future.

          This site is one of my favorite things to do when I’m on the computer. It has tons of great ideas that you probably wouldn’t think of on your own. There are different ways you can look through all the pins (ideas/pictures) as well. First, you have your own personal page with all the things you have repined, categorized by your boards. There is a page to see the pins of the people you follow. Then there is a page to see the pins of everybody on Pinterest. Lastly, you can select a category, from the ones that are preset on the website. I like to look at all the different pages to get a variety of different things.

          The pages separated by categories are really helpful when you are trying to look for something more specific to one topic. For example, I was trying to find ideas/inspiration on how to do my hair for homecoming. So I picked the Hair & Beauty category. I also looked at my board that I created only for hairstyles. This cut down on time spent looking at other pins I didn’t necessarily want to see at that time.

          You can use this site on the computer or your phone because they have recently come out with an app for it! I have the app and sometimes I find myself slightly addicted. It’s just one of those things I go to when I’m bored and there is nothing else to do. It’s not a good situation for my phone battery, but it’s whatever. I’d recommend this site to anyone!

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Netflix Addiction

I have had Netflix for almost a year now and ever since I’ve gotten it, I have been pretty much addicted. When I first got it, I had recently had surgery, so I was thankful that I had something new to keep me occupied for the next couple of days. Little did I know that it would keep me busy for the next couple of months!

          When I first started using Netflix, I was just watching random movies that looked interesting and trying to find classic ones that I loved. I didn’t have much intent for it being what I relied on in later months. Then one of my friends told me about this show that was really good called Gossip Girl and said I would love it. So I started watching it and it became addictive. The story line was interesting and you never knew what was coming next. I would keep telling myself that I would just watch “one more episode.” But then the end of the “last” episode would have a huge cliff-hanger and I would just have to watch the next one! This is just the beginning of my addiction to Netflix.

          The next show that got me hooked was One Tree Hill. It only took me two days to watch the 21 episodes in the first season. I realized that it was even better than Gossip Girl, even though it was still one of my favorite shows. I continued to watch it and around three months later, I was finished with all eight seasons. Whoops. I guess time flies when you are having fun… I know what everyone is thinking, you must’ve done nothing but stay home and watch it all the time. But nope, I still hung out with my friends and went to a ton of school activities. But two of my friends are the ones that got me hooked, so whenever I hung out with them, we would always watch a couple of episodes. And then whenever I went home from friends’ houses or school events, I would watch a couple more episodes. It sounds crazy, but it was definitely worth it.

          When I finished both of those shows, I started watching two more shows. Although, they aren’t as good as my other two, they were still interesting and full of drama. Recently, Netflix updated their shows and added the newest seasons of my three favorite ones. Of course I was ecstatic when this happened and just had to rush to my laptop to watch them! So here I am today, still addicted to watching all of my favorite shows. But I’m finally coming clean about my addiction to Netflix.

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F is for Fall

F is for fall. Now that it is finally fall, it is weather is getting cooler and it’s time for bonfires, haunted houses, and carving pumpkins! Fall is my favorite season of the year. It isn’t too warm and it isn’t too cold…well, yet. The past couple have days have been a little colder than my liking. But that’s not the point. I love going to haunted houses and having bonfires with friends. And of course the season favorite is carving pumpkins. We have all done it since we were little kids and the creativity gets better and better every year!

            F is for football. Friday nights: high school football. Saturday nights: College football. Sunday nights: professional football. Once football starts for the season, it seems like it doesn’t end for a long time. The weekends are full of it. For most students the biggest night is Friday because they know the people playing and they can go all out for the theme of that night. Even though, it gets ridiculously cold at night, no one seems to care when they are surrounded by friends and fun!

            F is for falling leaves. During the fall the scenery gets so pretty. I love when the leaves start changing colors. Driving down a street with trees lining it all the way down is the best feeling ever. It’s also a nice Kodak moment.

            F is for flannel sheets. It’s getting cold outside and that only means one thing; time to break out the flannel sheets! I’m not going to lie; I broke them out about two weeks ago. But more people are doing it now that it is getting even colder. Flannel sheets are a definite feeling of fall.

            F is for fun cooking. Pumpkins are a staple of October and Halloween. There are tons of fun pumpkin recipes to make; especially with family members. One of my favorites is pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting. They’re so good and pretty easy to make. Even food places are getting into the pumpkin mood. Starbucks has a pumpkin spice flavored coffee drink.

            F is for fall. Fall is finally here and I’m so excited. All of the reasons above are examples of why I love this season so much! Fall is here ladies and gentlemen, fall is here!

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For The Girls

October is breast cancer awareness month. The chances are very high that you will know someone who has or had breast cancer during your life time. It’s very sad to think about how many women are diagnosed with it and even worse, die from it. Today was the breast cancer walk in downtown Cedar Rapids. Hundreds of people pay to walk/run a 5k to raise money for breast cancer research. A lot of businesses and schools get people to sign up as part of their group. There are also people that make their own groups in honor of someone that have fought or died of breast cancer.

            Last week I was watching an episode of Ellen before I had to go to volleyball practice. In honor of breast cancer month, she had a guest on her show that fought and beat breast cancer. Her and her sister talked about her story and what she went through. They talked about how one of the hardest parts was how she couldn’t play with her kids as much as she used to. The woman who had it was really grateful that her sister was always there to help out with anything she needed. While I was listening to this story, it brought me to tears. It was very inspiring. It makes me see how good most of our lives actually are. I can’t imagine going through that or having my sister go through that.

            Having to go through an experience like cancer would probably be the hardest thing you would ever have to do. Most people that beat cancer are really strong people after. Personally, I think that is a trait you gain while going through that experience. I can’t imagine someone being very strong at the moment they are diagnosed. But during later stages of the experience you have to enough strength to beat the cancer. Whether that strength comes from you are your family, it is a very important part of beating it.

            Cancer stories are some of the hardest things to hear or read about. They are also some of the most inspiring. And I will always have a ton of respect for anyone who has battled cancer.

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Nice Try

Last week I wrote about the new rules we had at our school dances. And yesterday at Homecoming was the first dance that the rules were being used. As far I knew, none of the students were taking it very seriously. A lot of them even making jokes and finding ways to get around the rules while still dancing how they have in the past. But apparently the teachers were taking it very seriously.

          I got to the dance about an hour after it started. Most of the students were still just standing around instead of dancing. Some of my friends were even getting ready to leave. About five minutes after arriving, one of the administrators made an announcement. He was giving all the students a warning for inappropriate dancing. There was to be no bumping and grinding and we had to face each other.

          The main reason for making these rules was to get rid of any dancing that simulated sex acts. But what I don’t understand is how two people facing each other and grinding is any better than not facing each other. One of my friends said that his freshman year there was a couple that got kicked out for dancing facing each other because they were actually having sex. First off that’s really disgusting and not classy at all. And second shouldn’t the teachers be more worried about this happening again?

          I noticed that there was a lot more teacher supervision than usual. This was most likely to enforce the rules better. While students were dancing, some of the teachers walked through them and tried to tell them to stop dancing inappropriately. If it was me, I would not want to be the teacher to have to walk through sweaty students and tell them not to dance in a certain way. I didn’t even like being the student hearing the teachers say it.

          Nice try faculty. Trying to enforce these rules was a good attempt, but none of the students took it seriously. I get why the faculty was trying to enforce these rules, but they should’ve gone about them in a different way and been more prepared for students not following them. All around it was a nice try, but better luck next time.

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Brace Face

Most kids get braces in elementary or middle school. Middle school is the perfect time to get them because it’s in your “awkward middle school days.” Once you get into high school you want them off SO badly. By the end of sophomore year pretty much everyone has gotten them off. And then there is me.

          I got my braces ON towards the end of sophomore year. The reason I got mine on so late is because in middle school, my dentist didn’t think I needed them. My teeth weren’t perfect then, but braces were not necessary. As time went on my teeth started moving. Then in the middle of sophomore year, I went to an orthodontist and they said that I should get them. And now I’m a junior with braces.

          Having braces can be really annoying at times. Not being able to eat whatever you want can be frustrating. But the big troubles are right after you get them tightened. Usually when you get them tightened, you don’t realize you can’t eat for a couple of hours. On the plus side, you can still eat ice cream.

          When you first get them on, it takes a while to get used to the way you look and the way they feel. I’ve realized that certain colors of rubber bands can affect the way they look. I think, for me, that blues and darker colors look better. In general, staying away from white is a better idea so the color of what you are going to eat doesn’t end up on the rubber bands.

          Even though I got my braces on later than all my friends and they are annoying at times, I am glad I got them. The end product of them is definitely going to be worth it. I can’t wait to have perfectly straight teeth!

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The Job Hunt

As juniors and seniors in high school more and more people are deciding they need to get a job. We want to go out more and do things with our friends, but our parents are cracking down on how much money they are giving us. The only option left is to get a job.

          When I hear the word “job” it makes me cringe a little bit. I really don’t like the thought of growing up and have to pay for everything that I want. But on the other hand, sometimes I realize that I really should get a job so I don’t have to rely on my parents for money and I can get whatever I want.

          Finding the right job for you is important. You don’t want to have to work somewhere you hate. A lot of students work at Hy-Vee. There are a couple different things you could do when you work there. I know a couple people that work in Chinese. I also know someone who used to work in the bakery area. I think that would pretty fun. Then there are the cashiers and baggers. I think this would get boring really fast. But someone as to do it and some people enjoy it.

          Restaurants and clothing stores are good places to work, as well. If you are a good sales person, getting a job a store might be a good place for you. But if you don’t like interacting with people, then I wouldn’t get a job at any of these places.

          When I first started thinking about getting a job, I was talking to my mom about where to get one. I suggested a clothing store because I really like clothes. But she denied that option right away because she thought I would spend my entire paycheck on the clothes at the store (especially since I would get a discount). If this is you, I would not recommend a job like this for you.

          Your first job is a big step in your life. It means you are growing up and starting to do things for yourself. So finding one that you enjoy and are good at is very important. If you know what you want to go to college for, try finding a job that relates to a future career. That way you can get a feel for what you are getting yourself into. Put yourself out there and try new things.

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School Dances Gone Wrong

Recently, expectations at school dances have distributed to all high school members. They have also been read aloud on the announcements for the past couple of days. You would think that high school students didn’t need to be read basic rules for school functions. Apparently, they do. The rules read as the following:

 

1.     It is expected that all students will wear clothing appropriate for a school event.

2.    It is expected that clothing will be worn as intended at all times. Boys are expected to keep their shirts on. Girls are expected to keep their dresses and skirts at the intended length. Pulling skirts/dresses up is unacceptable.

3.    It is expected that all students will dance appropriately. Simulating sex acts, dancing with hands on the ground, etc. are inappropriate.

School staff and administration will enforce the expectations. Students who do not follow the expectations will be asked to leave the dance.

 

          To most of us, these rules seem pretty obvious. A lot of us are probably thinking Why do they need to tell students not to lift their dresses up? Good question. For some reason some students think that is okay to do these things.

          Most high school students grind when they are at dances. This would probably be considered as a “sex act.” I don’t know how the administration is going to stop students from grinding. I definitely would not want to be the person to tell every student to stop grinding. Especially because when they walk away, they will probably do it again. I honestly think that if students won’t be allowed to dance as they normally do, then they will probably just leave.

          What is appropriate? Students and teachers have a different standard for what is appropriate and what is not. On the announcements, they were saying how if you wouldn’t do it in front of your grandparents, then don’t do it here. But I don’t think that students will be analyzing what they would and wouldn’t do in front of their grandparents when they are trying to have fun at a dance with all of their friends.  

I get why the administration wants these rules to be enforced. But I honestly do not think that it will change much. Then again, what do I know? It’s just my opinion.
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How to Ask Someone to Homecoming

Homecoming is an exciting and fun part of high school for everyone. Part of the fun and excitement is the creative ways guys ask the girls to go. There are always guys that put a lot of thought in it and come up with really creative ideas. Then there are some that aren’t very creative and struggle with ways to ask. Here are some tips to help those guys out:

1.     Be confident. Don’t worry whether or not the girl will say yes. If you are confident and creative, chances are she won’t say no.

2.    Talk it over. Ask your friends if they think it would be a good idea to ask the girl you have in mind. It’s always good to have a second opinion on big decisions. Also you can ask them if they have any creative ideas for ways to ask.

3.    Google it. If neither you nor your friends can think of any good ways to ask, Google it. There are tons of ideas that come up that way. It will at least get your creative juices flowing.

4.    Be original. There are some ideas that are creative, but are kind of a “been there, done that” kind of thing. You don’t want to be the boring person that uses someone else’s idea. If you really like an idea like this, you can always just put your own little twist on it.

5.    Talk to her friends. Once you decide how to ask your date, get a couple of her friends to help. It doesn’t hurt to have a couple extra creative hands on the project. And the more brains, the better.

6.    Keep it a secret. It is more exciting if you ask the people helping to keep the idea and girl a secret. It’s more fun the girl to be completely surprised, too.

7.    Get to know the girl. If you ask a girl that you don’t know very well, make sure you get to know her better by the time of the dance. Going with a friend that you know pretty well is more fun than going with someone you don’t know very well.

8.    Have fun. The most important thing to do is to just have fun and let loose. Being a little crazy will make it more fun for you, your date, and everyone else around you!

If you remember all of these things, you are sure to have a great time at homecoming! Remember to be yourself and just have fun with it!

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