Monday, December 22, 2008
Making the Holidays Happy
In my opinion, the good old "Happy Holidays" is the way to go when you are in public. I think that using the phrase "Merry Christmas" is completely appropriate in the right setting, such as a Christmas Party or Church. But if your on the clock and checking someone at a retail store, using the phrase "Happy Holidays" is most appropriate. I agree with Rabbi Hillel Green when he said to the Sioux City Journal that "All of these festivals should be joyous for everyone and all-inclusive, for a Hindu, for a Buddhist, for a Jew, for a Baha'i, any of these people would kind of give them a second look because how would they know what religious tradition they followed." Personally, when someone throws out the seemingly innocent phrase of "Merry Christmas" to me, I always feel a bit of resentment and bitterness. When i hear this phrase, i feel as if the speaker thinks they're religion is the most important. Thus, on the other hand, when i hear the simple five syllable phrase of "Happy Holidays" my heart is truly warmed. When I hear this statement, I feel as if my religion, of Judaism, is actually acknowledged in the modern world and the people genuinely care. Putting it together, being a active Jew in todays society, I think it is much more appropriate to wish another "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas," or even "Happy Hanukah" for that matter.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Shut Up and Be Merry
This topic humors me. The fact that people have to always find something to complain about even during a time where all should be well and joyful, really says something about our society. Personally working in retail, I can say that for about a week and a half now after I give the customer his or her reciept and they are about to leave, I have changed my closing greeting from, "have a nice day" to "have a nice holiday." Why do I say this? Because I truely hope that this person does have a pleasant and happy holiday. Whether that holiday is Christmas, Hannukka, Kwanza, or a combination. People who boycott and protest against what is the proper greeting is just childish. Columnist Charles Krauthammer explained it well when he talked of how America is the place where we are supposed to have an open heart and mind to the faiths and beliefs of everyone. There is nothing wrong with wishing someone a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. They are both correct. My personal favorite saying would have to be Season's Greetings. I think that says it well without feeling like you are neglecting any one specific holiday or religion. The fact of the matter is that all of these holidays happen to be celebrated around about the same time. Just yesterday at work I had a customer ask me if I celebrated Christmas and I responded that I indeed do. She then proceeded to tell me to have a Merry Christmas and I wished the same for her. As nice and poliet as that was, I can't help but think that it was a bit stupid that she felt the need to gently check and make sure I celebrated the holiday before she wished me a happy one.
No matter what you celebrate, it is a season that is going to be observed everywhere around you. People are just wishing you the best during this time. Why are we complaining about the overflow of generosity and warmth from people going out of their way to be kind? This is one of the aspects of the season that make it so extraordinary. The time of year where all people come together in spirt to me merry and wish that for their friends, neighbors, and strangers.
The article "Is Merry Christmas Wrong?" basically defines how the holidays each year are turning more and more into retail frenzie of bullcrap and less and less of the true meaning for Christmas and the rest of the holidays. I say we all should just put our swords away and enjoy the time of the happy season to eat, drink, and be merry and not fight about who we are offending. Let's just be happy that for about a month or so we all actually go out of our way to wish one another a joyous, safe, and wonderful Chrismahanukwanza. There how is that for ya? I think Mike Straka hit the nail on the head and said it best, "We need to lighten up a bit and have some holiday cheer!"
No matter what you celebrate, it is a season that is going to be observed everywhere around you. People are just wishing you the best during this time. Why are we complaining about the overflow of generosity and warmth from people going out of their way to be kind? This is one of the aspects of the season that make it so extraordinary. The time of year where all people come together in spirt to me merry and wish that for their friends, neighbors, and strangers.
The article "Is Merry Christmas Wrong?" basically defines how the holidays each year are turning more and more into retail frenzie of bullcrap and less and less of the true meaning for Christmas and the rest of the holidays. I say we all should just put our swords away and enjoy the time of the happy season to eat, drink, and be merry and not fight about who we are offending. Let's just be happy that for about a month or so we all actually go out of our way to wish one another a joyous, safe, and wonderful Chrismahanukwanza. There how is that for ya? I think Mike Straka hit the nail on the head and said it best, "We need to lighten up a bit and have some holiday cheer!"
Oh the Holiday Season!
Have you ever caught yourself saying "Have a Merry Christmas" to a stranger, and then later question whether or not he/she celebrated Christmas? Well, I have done that many times to people in the mall, cashiers, waiters, waitresses etc. However, is it really politically incorrect to say Merry Christmas to someone who does not celebrate the holiday? Well, saying "Merry Christmas" to someone is simply a kind gesture, and should not be thought of any further.
Many stores have thought long and hard on whether or not to include Christmas in their store's advertising. According to article three, Sears and Target previously did not allow the word Christmas in their store, but "the AFA recently agreed to drop its boycott against Sears and Target, after the corporations agreed to include Christmas in their advertising." Because the majority celebrates Christmas, it is simple that it should be allowed to be said and used in advertising. According to article two, schools in Florida have even been ban from singing Christmas carols. I believe that is taking it a little bit too far. Not everyone celebrates new years, but it is allowed to be said. So, to put it simply, life is way to short to looks this far into things. If offended by a "Merry Christmas" carol or comment, simply forget about it, because it is only coming from the goodness of someone else's heart.
Many stores have thought long and hard on whether or not to include Christmas in their store's advertising. According to article three, Sears and Target previously did not allow the word Christmas in their store, but "the AFA recently agreed to drop its boycott against Sears and Target, after the corporations agreed to include Christmas in their advertising." Because the majority celebrates Christmas, it is simple that it should be allowed to be said and used in advertising. According to article two, schools in Florida have even been ban from singing Christmas carols. I believe that is taking it a little bit too far. Not everyone celebrates new years, but it is allowed to be said. So, to put it simply, life is way to short to looks this far into things. If offended by a "Merry Christmas" carol or comment, simply forget about it, because it is only coming from the goodness of someone else's heart.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Winter wishes, snowball fights, family shopping sprees, and ice skating with friends are all events that lead up to Christmas, the day that comes only once a year. However there is more behind Christmas than just those aspects of it, Christmas is the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Going shopping and out to dinner is a little bit more special this time of year because you receive more than just a “goodbye,” when you leave, most commonly you will get a “Happy Holidays,” or “Merry Christmas.”
One thing I do not understand is why it upsets those who do not celebrate Christmas when they are told “Merry Christmas.” I feel that they should be appreciated for those telling them even care enough to put forth the extra effort in wishing them well. Of course “Happy Holidays,” is the safe way to go when talking to someone who you do not know but whatever you are told should not offend you.
Thinking about the topic that Charles Krauthammer brought up how parties are no longer called Christmas parties, but can be called holiday parties is strange to me. As well as the fact that many people are trying to band Christmas carol’s being sang in schools, is unnecessary. Maybe if the population of Americans that were Christian was not over 80 percent it would be different. However since there are probably 95 percent of Americans that celebrate Christmas those who do not are going to have understand. (From article three) There is so much meaning behind the term, “Merry Christmas,” much more that will ever come out of “Happy Holidays.”
From the perspective of someone who celebrates Christmas, if I was told “Happy Hanukah,” I would not be angered but maybe reply, “Merry Christmas,” or “Happy Holidays,” therefore those who are in the opposite position have to be prepared to reply serenely and not get upset because just looking at someone you cannot tell what religion they are so there is no reason to get upset over. In the end I think we should just leave Christmas alone!
One thing I do not understand is why it upsets those who do not celebrate Christmas when they are told “Merry Christmas.” I feel that they should be appreciated for those telling them even care enough to put forth the extra effort in wishing them well. Of course “Happy Holidays,” is the safe way to go when talking to someone who you do not know but whatever you are told should not offend you.
Thinking about the topic that Charles Krauthammer brought up how parties are no longer called Christmas parties, but can be called holiday parties is strange to me. As well as the fact that many people are trying to band Christmas carol’s being sang in schools, is unnecessary. Maybe if the population of Americans that were Christian was not over 80 percent it would be different. However since there are probably 95 percent of Americans that celebrate Christmas those who do not are going to have understand. (From article three) There is so much meaning behind the term, “Merry Christmas,” much more that will ever come out of “Happy Holidays.”
From the perspective of someone who celebrates Christmas, if I was told “Happy Hanukah,” I would not be angered but maybe reply, “Merry Christmas,” or “Happy Holidays,” therefore those who are in the opposite position have to be prepared to reply serenely and not get upset because just looking at someone you cannot tell what religion they are so there is no reason to get upset over. In the end I think we should just leave Christmas alone!
Christmas Time Drama
Christmas is a time to celebrate with family and friends everything that Jesus Christ has given us to live for. Gift giving is just something that goes along with the holiday to show your feelings with others. Whether or not someone says "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" is their own decision. It should not be forced upon anyone to say something specific around this time of year. People of other religions use those phrases as a way to receive attention because they say it "offends" them. Well I think it is generous and kind to wish someone a Merry Christmas because they are wishing good things upon your holiday season. As Mike Straka says, " think it's safe to say that the person saying "Happy Holidays" simply wants to include everybody in the sentiment. Not just Christians" -- it shouldn't matter the religion you are because that phrase is in no means meant to offend someone. The holiday season is meant to bring people together to celebrate all the good things we have. Almost everyone still buys gifts at the holiday season so I do not see the harm in wishing them a wonderful holiday.
It is someones personal right to say whatever they may please. If someone is offended by it I believe they have a right to say something. But the problems that are made because of that simple sentence is outrageous. There is no need to determine hatred upon someone who is just trying to be nice and lift the spirits of those around Christmas. It is hard to always satisfy everyone around you. Regardless of what you say, someone is always going to think twice or not like what they hear. It is not worth it to argue over something so microscopic that should not even be much of a controversial issue. If someone can sacrifice their life for our well being, it is in our best interest to respect that and for the pain he suffered. No one should ever use him in vain and should always be grateful for the obstacle he endured. So let Christmas be Christmas and let everyone say what they want to say during the holiday season. Don't take offense to it because how is someone just supposed to know your not Christian just by looking at you? Just move one a live your life. LEAVE CHRISTMAS ALONE!!
It is someones personal right to say whatever they may please. If someone is offended by it I believe they have a right to say something. But the problems that are made because of that simple sentence is outrageous. There is no need to determine hatred upon someone who is just trying to be nice and lift the spirits of those around Christmas. It is hard to always satisfy everyone around you. Regardless of what you say, someone is always going to think twice or not like what they hear. It is not worth it to argue over something so microscopic that should not even be much of a controversial issue. If someone can sacrifice their life for our well being, it is in our best interest to respect that and for the pain he suffered. No one should ever use him in vain and should always be grateful for the obstacle he endured. So let Christmas be Christmas and let everyone say what they want to say during the holiday season. Don't take offense to it because how is someone just supposed to know your not Christian just by looking at you? Just move one a live your life. LEAVE CHRISTMAS ALONE!!
Merry Christmas AND Happy Holidays
Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. I honestly believe either phrase says the same exact thing to someone from any religion. While some think saying, "Merry Christmas" to someone who does not celebrate Christmas or is not Catholic is ignorant, I believe the message is all that counts. It seems to me that people are just looking for something to argue over, and the "holidays" are supposed to be joyful times, not a topic for debate. In a Fox News article, the author expresses his views that show how people can quickly change their outlook when it is upon the good things Christmas has to offer. "I have to tell you something, though. You won't see the guy fostering the Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays debate turning down free eggnog at the company holiday party. And indeed, he shouldn't. He needs to lighten up a bit. Have a little holiday cheer!" This clearly shows that the debate is simply something to argue over and not a sincere cry from different religions. I believe that if you are offended by the phrase, "Merry Christmas," then you should simply return greeting pertaining to your religion. For example, if you are Jewish and someone says, "Merry Christmas," to you, and you become infuriated, then you should calmly reply, "Happy Hanukkah." This should not even be a debate due to the fact that over eighty percent of Americans are Christian, and over ninety-five percent of Americans celebrate Christmas. Lastly, it can become extremely annoying when people go out of their was to stress the "Happy Holidays," instead of "Merry Christmas." I have one teacher who constantly acts as if he has committed a crime if he uses the word Christmas, and then goes on a twenty minute rant about the debate. Saying one or the other is only a way to spread cheer, and people need to stop looking for reasons to fight.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
I think the debate over "Happy Holidays" and "Merry Christmas" is just a way for people who are miserable during this season to start arguments with anyone who will listen. I also think it is just a way for a group of people to shove their religion down other people's throats. The American Family Association (AFA) boycotted Target and Sears for not saying "Merry Christmas" on advertisements. What about those who do not celebrate Christmas? This shows the selfishness of the people in the organization, as well as the other groups that participated in such boycotts. Christmas is supposed to be a happy, giving time and the people who celebrate it turn it into, as Dolly A. Butz of the Soiux City Journal says, a "war on Christmas." The fact of the matter is there is no way of pleasing everyone.
Honestly this "war" gets a little annoying. Mike Straka of Fox News agrees, "No matter how seriously you take Christmas, you're still buying gifts and wrapping paper and cards and fruitcake." This shows that no matter which phrase you say and no matter how much you argue it, you are still celebrating the holidays, whichever one that may be. Schools banning any specific holiday is somewhat understandable, yet Christmas is a federal holiday, and if the schools did not want to recognize any specific religious holiday, they should not be giving students two weeks off a school for "Christmas Break," not that I would rather be in school during this time.
Basically Charles Krauthammer of the Washington Post said it best, "Just leave Christmas Alone."
Honestly this "war" gets a little annoying. Mike Straka of Fox News agrees, "No matter how seriously you take Christmas, you're still buying gifts and wrapping paper and cards and fruitcake." This shows that no matter which phrase you say and no matter how much you argue it, you are still celebrating the holidays, whichever one that may be. Schools banning any specific holiday is somewhat understandable, yet Christmas is a federal holiday, and if the schools did not want to recognize any specific religious holiday, they should not be giving students two weeks off a school for "Christmas Break," not that I would rather be in school during this time.
Basically Charles Krauthammer of the Washington Post said it best, "Just leave Christmas Alone."
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year
I believe that everyone blows this discussion of "Merry Christmas" versus "Happy Holidays" way out of proportion. Who cares. It should be personal preference on which one to say. It is not worth giving somebody a hard time for wanting to say one or the other. Many people will anticipate the day of Christmas to go receive and give gifts, but they won't say Merry Christmas. Well if it is a happy (merry) day, and it happens to be Christmas, why can't you say Merry Christmas. Nothing is wrong with Happy Holidays either. People are different sizes, shapes, and colors with their own unique religions and beliefs. If a person does or doesn't want to say Merry Christmas, they should do what is comfortable. Disliking a person for a two word sentence sounds ridiculous, especially since the two words being said are "Happy" and "Merry." The last time I checked, these words are said out of kindness.
Mike Straka from article one puts my opinion into perspective when he says, "No matter how seriously you take Christmas, you're still buying gifts and wrapping paper and cards and fruitcake — so let's not take ourselves all that seriously now, OK?" Exactly. If you Celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, or just the fact that it is December, enjoy yourself. If everything is taken so literally, why celebrate anything? "The United States today is the most tolerant and diverse society in history. It celebrates all faiths with an open heart and open-mindedness that, compared to even the most advanced countries in Europe, are unique." (Charles Krauthammer, Article 2) If this is the case, lets show open-mindedness to whatever someone says. If you don't agree, ignore them. You know what the say; ignorance is bliss. The Sioux City Journal mentions about Walmart employees and states, "They can say whatever they'd rather ... 'Happy Holidays' ... 'Merry Christmas.''' Some people are getting the idea. It should not matter what is said as long as it as meant as a friendly greeting to a customer. The Sioux City Journal also says that JC Pennys stores do not force the employees to say a greeting at all. There was that little amendment of the Constitution that allows 'Freedom of Speech.' These reasons are why it shouldn't matter if one says 'Merry Christmas', 'Happy Holidays', or 'Happy December.' Good spirit should come out of any of these greetings. So to everyone, "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy December."
Mike Straka from article one puts my opinion into perspective when he says, "No matter how seriously you take Christmas, you're still buying gifts and wrapping paper and cards and fruitcake — so let's not take ourselves all that seriously now, OK?" Exactly. If you Celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, or just the fact that it is December, enjoy yourself. If everything is taken so literally, why celebrate anything? "The United States today is the most tolerant and diverse society in history. It celebrates all faiths with an open heart and open-mindedness that, compared to even the most advanced countries in Europe, are unique." (Charles Krauthammer, Article 2) If this is the case, lets show open-mindedness to whatever someone says. If you don't agree, ignore them. You know what the say; ignorance is bliss. The Sioux City Journal mentions about Walmart employees and states, "They can say whatever they'd rather ... 'Happy Holidays' ... 'Merry Christmas.''' Some people are getting the idea. It should not matter what is said as long as it as meant as a friendly greeting to a customer. The Sioux City Journal also says that JC Pennys stores do not force the employees to say a greeting at all. There was that little amendment of the Constitution that allows 'Freedom of Speech.' These reasons are why it shouldn't matter if one says 'Merry Christmas', 'Happy Holidays', or 'Happy December.' Good spirit should come out of any of these greetings. So to everyone, "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy December."
Monday, December 15, 2008
Chill Out
Although I myself am what most would call an “agnostic,” I celebrate Christmas, respect many of Christ’s teachings, and see nothing wrong with wishing someone a merry Christmas instead of clinging to the more politically correct “Happy Holidays” for fear of insulting some oversensitive (or “petty” – from Article 2) weakling. Mike Straka (Article 1) is right in saying that “Xmas” is no big deal, and Jesus probably “wouldn’t care.” It’s also true that not all those who say “Happy Holidays” intend any offense toward Christians. But then, you have to wonder what is the point of greeting anyone at all if the focus is more on whether the phrase is “inclusive” of other religions (or lack thereof) than on spreading the holiday cheer regardless of religion. When you wish someone “Happy Holidays,” do you do it to make him smile, or to make a political statement and challenge that horrid tolerance of his? Those of us who have any shred of genuine compassion in us would say the former. And if your purpose is to make someone happy, “Merry Christmas” works just as well. Just as Straka says, Christmas is about “celebrating life and family and being together” (of course, it can be about many other things as well, depending on whom you’re talking to, but this is the general consensus). I agree that we should not “take ourselves all that seriously” in the sense of our prejudices and politically-correct tendencies. What we should take seriously about ourselves is what we believe the meaning of Christmas really is, and whether or not our actions reflect that belief.
This comment (“Holiday cheer is non-denominational (although if you believe the marketing, ‘holiday cheer’ is synonymous with booze).”) reminds me of something my pastor said. Last Sunday, he mentioned a news article he had read recently in which the author argued that people shouldn’t say “Merry Christmas” (“Happy Christmas,” apparently, is more suitable) because the term “merriment” is associated with drunkenness. How silly! Suppose you walk down the street and pass two people in succession. The first tells you, “I wish you a merry Christmas,” and the second says, “I wish you an inebriated Christmas.” Would they mean even remotely the same thing to you? Of course not. When we hear, “Merry Christmas,” we don’t automatically think of alcohol (except for those hostile few who enjoy making mountains out of molehills), and therefore it is still appropriate to say “merry.”
From Article 2: “The attempts to de-Christianize Christmas are as absurd as they are relentless.” This is absolutely true, and terribly sad. If a person wants to celebrate Christmas and call it what it is, he can shout it from a rooftop. If a person does not want to celebrate Christmas, all right, but he shouldn’t assign himself the role of killjoy and try to destroy the merriment of those who do celebrate it. While Christmas fans are busy having themselves a merry little Christmas, he can have himself a merry little holiday. No big deal. It is absurd to think that we should all be forced to call it the same thing. It is equally absurd that this issue comes up year after year, and many of us have still failed to realize that, regardless of what we call it, it is what it is. Whether we call it “Christmas” or merely a “holiday,” it is still Christmas and a holiday.
I will note, however, that most people are happier to hear “Merry Christmas” than “Happy Holidays.” Using my pastor’s experience again as an example: he was standing outside a grocery store ringing a bell and collecting money for the Salvation Army. He decided to do a little experiment. He would tell some people “Merry Christmas,” and others “Happy Holidays,” and see which one most people preferred. He discovered that when he said, “Merry Christmas,” he not only noticed a visible brightening of the supermarket-goers’ features, but also a greater willingness to donate money. Those who received the blander “Happy Holidays” had no strong visible reaction, and fewer of them donated.
Krauthammer is right in saying, “[The United States] celebrates all faiths with an open heart and open-mindedness that, compared to even the most advanced countries in Europe, are unique.” Do we want to destroy our openness and resultant uniqueness by making a big deal out of nothing?
Another good point: “What kind of fragile religious identity have they [the parents who are worried that their children will have a bad, possibly traumatic, experience with Christmas carols] bequeathed their children that it should be threatened by exposure to carols?” Joyful holiday songs can do nothing to harm a child; only his or her parents’ misleading prejudice and enmity toward healthy exposure to culture can do that.
The whole debate is “anything but merry” (quote from Article 3). Roger J. Augustine, Catholic Diocese administrator (also mentioned in Article 3), has the right idea: “[T]he greeting ‘Merry Christmas’ should not be offensive.” We are merely offending ourselves with our own ignorance if we fight any greeting that is backed with good intentions. Therefore, this year, as in past years, I will wish others a hearty “Merry Christmas!”
P.S. I beat you this time, Dan. :-)
This comment (“Holiday cheer is non-denominational (although if you believe the marketing, ‘holiday cheer’ is synonymous with booze).”) reminds me of something my pastor said. Last Sunday, he mentioned a news article he had read recently in which the author argued that people shouldn’t say “Merry Christmas” (“Happy Christmas,” apparently, is more suitable) because the term “merriment” is associated with drunkenness. How silly! Suppose you walk down the street and pass two people in succession. The first tells you, “I wish you a merry Christmas,” and the second says, “I wish you an inebriated Christmas.” Would they mean even remotely the same thing to you? Of course not. When we hear, “Merry Christmas,” we don’t automatically think of alcohol (except for those hostile few who enjoy making mountains out of molehills), and therefore it is still appropriate to say “merry.”
From Article 2: “The attempts to de-Christianize Christmas are as absurd as they are relentless.” This is absolutely true, and terribly sad. If a person wants to celebrate Christmas and call it what it is, he can shout it from a rooftop. If a person does not want to celebrate Christmas, all right, but he shouldn’t assign himself the role of killjoy and try to destroy the merriment of those who do celebrate it. While Christmas fans are busy having themselves a merry little Christmas, he can have himself a merry little holiday. No big deal. It is absurd to think that we should all be forced to call it the same thing. It is equally absurd that this issue comes up year after year, and many of us have still failed to realize that, regardless of what we call it, it is what it is. Whether we call it “Christmas” or merely a “holiday,” it is still Christmas and a holiday.
I will note, however, that most people are happier to hear “Merry Christmas” than “Happy Holidays.” Using my pastor’s experience again as an example: he was standing outside a grocery store ringing a bell and collecting money for the Salvation Army. He decided to do a little experiment. He would tell some people “Merry Christmas,” and others “Happy Holidays,” and see which one most people preferred. He discovered that when he said, “Merry Christmas,” he not only noticed a visible brightening of the supermarket-goers’ features, but also a greater willingness to donate money. Those who received the blander “Happy Holidays” had no strong visible reaction, and fewer of them donated.
Krauthammer is right in saying, “[The United States] celebrates all faiths with an open heart and open-mindedness that, compared to even the most advanced countries in Europe, are unique.” Do we want to destroy our openness and resultant uniqueness by making a big deal out of nothing?
Another good point: “What kind of fragile religious identity have they [the parents who are worried that their children will have a bad, possibly traumatic, experience with Christmas carols] bequeathed their children that it should be threatened by exposure to carols?” Joyful holiday songs can do nothing to harm a child; only his or her parents’ misleading prejudice and enmity toward healthy exposure to culture can do that.
The whole debate is “anything but merry” (quote from Article 3). Roger J. Augustine, Catholic Diocese administrator (also mentioned in Article 3), has the right idea: “[T]he greeting ‘Merry Christmas’ should not be offensive.” We are merely offending ourselves with our own ignorance if we fight any greeting that is backed with good intentions. Therefore, this year, as in past years, I will wish others a hearty “Merry Christmas!”
P.S. I beat you this time, Dan. :-)
Articles
Article 1: (Position: "Happy Holidays" works for everyone) http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178037,00.html
Article 2: (Position: Leave CHRISTmas alone) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6396-2004Dec16.html
Article 3: (Position: neutral: discusses reasons for and against)
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2005/12/17/news/local/c7e7fb9c53710df4862570da001859db.txt
Article 2: (Position: Leave CHRISTmas alone) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6396-2004Dec16.html
Article 3: (Position: neutral: discusses reasons for and against)
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2005/12/17/news/local/c7e7fb9c53710df4862570da001859db.txt
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Top Ten Songs
1. Rascal Flatts- My Life is Highway
I haven’t always been a country fan but over the past couple years I have really started to like it. This song just really reminds me and should remind all people that life should be exciting and crazy. I think that a lot of people forget that and by listening to this song it just reminds you to have fun.
2. T.I. and Rihanna- Live Your Life
When I first listened to this song I didn’t really pay attention to the words. After I kept listening to it a couple times I started to realize that the song was telling you to live your life how you want it don’t listen to other people and don’t let them bring you down. This song has great meaning to life it isn’t just another plain rap song.
3. Brad Paisley- I’m Still A Guy
This song talks about how no matter what a girl sees and says he will still think of something else. Its saying you can say something to make her happy but no matter what you’re still a guy thinking of something different. This song is really inspiring if you listen to it.
4. Kid Rock- All Summer Long
This song talks about how you should never forget about your past and your close times with your friends. This song really inspired me the first time I listened to it. It really made me think about how many great times you actually really have with your friends and how important they are to you and how much you don’t want to forget them.
5. Kanye West- Stronger
In this song it talks about how no matter what happens it makes you stronger and it shouldn’t get to you. “That that don’t kill me only makes me stronger” is a perfect verse in this song that pretty much explains it all and how not to give up.
6. Jordan Sparks- No Air
This song is talking about how it is hard for them to breathe with out each other. What this means is that if you have someone who means so much to you and you let them go you are going to regret it and its going to be very hard to get over it.
7. This is the Way I Live- Baby Boy
Aside from all of my other "chill" songs, this one is upbeat. Basically, this song just can be seen as an autobiography, somewhat, of "Baby Boy's" life. For this song, its for the most part the tune that has caused it to be in my top ten.
8. So you had a bad day- Daniel Powder
I almost always listen to this song when I am having a bad day. It can help someone if they are having a bad day. The song makes me feel as though everyone has bad days, and I will get through it.
9. My Wish-Rascal Flatts
Not only does this song have amazing life lessons in the lyrics, but it was also the prom song of my junior year. Because that was one of the most amazing nights of my life, I would want this song to remind me of all the amazing memories I had at my prom. The lessons in the song really spoke to me the first time I heard them, so this is definitely a song I would not be able to live without.
10. Chris Brown – Forever
I like this song because I love the beat that song has and if you just listen to the words it actually explains a lot. Chris Brown is one of my favorite people to listen to.
I haven’t always been a country fan but over the past couple years I have really started to like it. This song just really reminds me and should remind all people that life should be exciting and crazy. I think that a lot of people forget that and by listening to this song it just reminds you to have fun.
2. T.I. and Rihanna- Live Your Life
When I first listened to this song I didn’t really pay attention to the words. After I kept listening to it a couple times I started to realize that the song was telling you to live your life how you want it don’t listen to other people and don’t let them bring you down. This song has great meaning to life it isn’t just another plain rap song.
3. Brad Paisley- I’m Still A Guy
This song talks about how no matter what a girl sees and says he will still think of something else. Its saying you can say something to make her happy but no matter what you’re still a guy thinking of something different. This song is really inspiring if you listen to it.
4. Kid Rock- All Summer Long
This song talks about how you should never forget about your past and your close times with your friends. This song really inspired me the first time I listened to it. It really made me think about how many great times you actually really have with your friends and how important they are to you and how much you don’t want to forget them.
5. Kanye West- Stronger
In this song it talks about how no matter what happens it makes you stronger and it shouldn’t get to you. “That that don’t kill me only makes me stronger” is a perfect verse in this song that pretty much explains it all and how not to give up.
6. Jordan Sparks- No Air
This song is talking about how it is hard for them to breathe with out each other. What this means is that if you have someone who means so much to you and you let them go you are going to regret it and its going to be very hard to get over it.
7. This is the Way I Live- Baby Boy
Aside from all of my other "chill" songs, this one is upbeat. Basically, this song just can be seen as an autobiography, somewhat, of "Baby Boy's" life. For this song, its for the most part the tune that has caused it to be in my top ten.
8. So you had a bad day- Daniel Powder
I almost always listen to this song when I am having a bad day. It can help someone if they are having a bad day. The song makes me feel as though everyone has bad days, and I will get through it.
9. My Wish-Rascal Flatts
Not only does this song have amazing life lessons in the lyrics, but it was also the prom song of my junior year. Because that was one of the most amazing nights of my life, I would want this song to remind me of all the amazing memories I had at my prom. The lessons in the song really spoke to me the first time I heard them, so this is definitely a song I would not be able to live without.
10. Chris Brown – Forever
I like this song because I love the beat that song has and if you just listen to the words it actually explains a lot. Chris Brown is one of my favorite people to listen to.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
The Weekend that Changed my Life
Halfway through Kennywood Day -- the day filled with many roller coasters, water rides, and food some wait all year to pig out on -- the downpour caused out early dismissal from the park. Little did I know that this would be the best part of my day.
Back at home, my mother called me into the living room. I knew something was up when I saw my brother, red-eyed and quiet, waiting with her to share the news. "Grandma Anne passed away tonight and we will be going to Michigan this week" Those words hit me like a bullet to the chest. "How is this happening?" I questioned myself as hot tears streamed down my face like razor blades.
For quite some time, my grandmother had been ill with a minor case of Alzheimer's, a disease that causes one to lose his/her memory of people and events. It had been four years singe I had last seen her and I knew she wasn't doing well. My dad had gone up to visit her and take care of my grandfather that whole previous week only to recieve the news of her death before he set out to leave. I suffered most from not seeing my dad during this tragic event. My oldest brother and his wife were coming home to surprise my mom for Mother's Day and had to be welcomed with the news of their grandmother dying. All I wanted now more than ever, was for my family to be together again and help each other through this situation.
"She was getting better but then her body just gave up on her," my mother said while trying to explain her death.
"It's just not fair. This can't be happening," I shouted as I buried my head within her comforting chest.
Two days had passed and things still seemed sulky around the house. No one seemed the same with the thought of a family death on everyone's mind. Tears and sorrow filled our house like a flood as we all remembered and reminisced about the good days with her in our lives. Ths funeral was the Thursday of the following week. My two brothers and sister-in-law were heading out with us for two days. No one wants to look forward to a funeral but ig was also a way for our whole family to be together.
It was a monday night and my mother and my two friends, Jess and Dan, were going out to dinner to get our minds off of the subject. So, after dinner, Dan tood Jess and me to Rita's Italian Ice to get some ice cream. When we arrived home, my mother ran out of the house with tears streaming down her face.
"I think Allie is dead!" she yelled to my neighbor who was coming over to fix our car's headlight.
Those words were the worst possible thing that I could have heard after and eventful weekend that no one should have to suffer from. My dog, my childhood best friend of thirteen years was now gone. I did not want to believe it and all I could do was scream and cry and wish that this nightmare wouldn't be true. I ran inside and covered my dog wishing she would just start breathing again. "Don't do this to me girl," I whispered to her as I stared at her motionless body, one that had once comforted me through all of my wondrous encounters. At thirteen years old, she had suffered two surgeries to remove tumors with another one growing on her belly that couldn't be removed. Her heart was wearing out and her other organs were forced to work extra hard to keep her alive. She was going deaf and had trouble walking up and down stairs, but she never showed and close encounters of death. She lived one year longer than expected but it was years too soon for her to leave me. She was the most perfect dog who was well behaved and super sweet. The most unbearable pain I suffered that night was when I had to leave her at the vet's office to be creamated. All i wanted was for her to come back, but I knew that I didn't want her to suffer any longer.
The weekend of May 9, 2008 was one that I will never forget. The death of two very close family members was something no one should ever have to endure. Never had I imagined that I would experience something to brutle in such short time. But I do know that I had my family and friends to help me through the situation at hand and it definitely made me a much stronger person today. This tragic weekend made me realize something; that I should never take anything for granted and always live my life to the fullest.
Back at home, my mother called me into the living room. I knew something was up when I saw my brother, red-eyed and quiet, waiting with her to share the news. "Grandma Anne passed away tonight and we will be going to Michigan this week" Those words hit me like a bullet to the chest. "How is this happening?" I questioned myself as hot tears streamed down my face like razor blades.
For quite some time, my grandmother had been ill with a minor case of Alzheimer's, a disease that causes one to lose his/her memory of people and events. It had been four years singe I had last seen her and I knew she wasn't doing well. My dad had gone up to visit her and take care of my grandfather that whole previous week only to recieve the news of her death before he set out to leave. I suffered most from not seeing my dad during this tragic event. My oldest brother and his wife were coming home to surprise my mom for Mother's Day and had to be welcomed with the news of their grandmother dying. All I wanted now more than ever, was for my family to be together again and help each other through this situation.
"She was getting better but then her body just gave up on her," my mother said while trying to explain her death.
"It's just not fair. This can't be happening," I shouted as I buried my head within her comforting chest.
Two days had passed and things still seemed sulky around the house. No one seemed the same with the thought of a family death on everyone's mind. Tears and sorrow filled our house like a flood as we all remembered and reminisced about the good days with her in our lives. Ths funeral was the Thursday of the following week. My two brothers and sister-in-law were heading out with us for two days. No one wants to look forward to a funeral but ig was also a way for our whole family to be together.
It was a monday night and my mother and my two friends, Jess and Dan, were going out to dinner to get our minds off of the subject. So, after dinner, Dan tood Jess and me to Rita's Italian Ice to get some ice cream. When we arrived home, my mother ran out of the house with tears streaming down her face.
"I think Allie is dead!" she yelled to my neighbor who was coming over to fix our car's headlight.
Those words were the worst possible thing that I could have heard after and eventful weekend that no one should have to suffer from. My dog, my childhood best friend of thirteen years was now gone. I did not want to believe it and all I could do was scream and cry and wish that this nightmare wouldn't be true. I ran inside and covered my dog wishing she would just start breathing again. "Don't do this to me girl," I whispered to her as I stared at her motionless body, one that had once comforted me through all of my wondrous encounters. At thirteen years old, she had suffered two surgeries to remove tumors with another one growing on her belly that couldn't be removed. Her heart was wearing out and her other organs were forced to work extra hard to keep her alive. She was going deaf and had trouble walking up and down stairs, but she never showed and close encounters of death. She lived one year longer than expected but it was years too soon for her to leave me. She was the most perfect dog who was well behaved and super sweet. The most unbearable pain I suffered that night was when I had to leave her at the vet's office to be creamated. All i wanted was for her to come back, but I knew that I didn't want her to suffer any longer.
The weekend of May 9, 2008 was one that I will never forget. The death of two very close family members was something no one should ever have to endure. Never had I imagined that I would experience something to brutle in such short time. But I do know that I had my family and friends to help me through the situation at hand and it definitely made me a much stronger person today. This tragic weekend made me realize something; that I should never take anything for granted and always live my life to the fullest.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Too Much to Handle
It was the first time I had ever seen my dad cry. The sound of his cries drew me into the living room, upon where I saw my mom crying too. Because of my innocence, tears began to fall from my baby blue eyes. Held in my mother’s arms, all I could ask myself was, “What is happening?”
I was in the fourth grade and loving life. My mom was my best friend, I was still Daddy’s little girl, and I had the two best big brothers in the whole entire world. Looking out for me, my brother Ryan always wanted what was best for me. Although he was my brother, he was also my best friend. Then there was Tommy, my half brother. Because he was fifteen years older than me, I wasn’t as close with him, but I looked at him like a superhero. I only saw him on weekends, but I loved every second of it. Sadly, I was too young to realize the illness he was facing.
My mom asked me, “Do you know what drugs are?” Gently she wiped the tears off of her face with a soft pink Kleenex.
“Yes mama,” I said innocently. “We learned about them in school.”
“Well what did you learn about them?”
“I learned that they are bad and something I should never try.”
In a frustrated yet curious tone, I asked, “What’s going on and why isn’t anybody telling me anything?” There was instant silence.
My mom began to continue on and tried explaining to me the harms of drugs and what happens to people who are involved with them. However, I was not listening. Staring at my dad, I could not concentrate on my mom over his sobs. All of the sudden, I heard her say the word Tommy and Heroine; caught off guard, I began to listen. Tears were pouring down my face before I knew it. How could my big brother be doing something so stupid? I ran out of the room in anger and disbelief.
Following me was my dad. I felt like a little girl lost in a big world. Security is what my father gave me when he picked me up. Suddenly, I realized I wasn’t going to have to go through this alone.
“We’re all in this together,” he reassured me. “We’ll get through this like a family.” After my father’s words of wisdom, Ryan came upstairs. Knowing he would be honest with me, I told my brother to elaborate on the situation. He summed it up by telling me Tommy stole our mom’s jewelry and turned into a pawnshop for drug money.
We were in the brightest room in our house when Ryan told me this; we were in my bright sky blue bedroom. Despite the bright colors, right at that moment everything seemed so dark. I stared out the window and I swear the bright blue sky turned instantly to gray. Taking it all in, I told my brother to leave and I began wondering how I didn’t know this was happening. How could I be so naive? How could he do this to me?
Three days had passed, and I had not seen or spoken to Tommy, nor had I talked much about the situation with my family. Despite my young age, I knew I needed to talk to someone. Nervously, I decided to ask my mom if I could see the school’s social worker. With her gentle and loving nature, she told me it was a great idea and she would call the social worker.
I talked to the social worker at least once a week for my fourth and almost entire fifth grade year. However, halfway through my fifth grade year, she transferred to a different school. Heartbroken and disappointed, I said a sad goodbye to my social worker. On the other hand, she left me with great tips and techniques of expressing my sad and angry feelings towards Tommy. It was then that I put a wall up about the situation. I heard less and less about Tommy, and it was as though I avoided the topic.
Six years had passed. Nana, my dad’s mother, had sadly passed from the heartbreaking Alzheimer’s disease. My dad informed me about an hour before the funeral that Tommy may be coming. Shocked, I said okay with a smile and ran up to my bedroom and cried. A million and one things were running through my head. Was I ready for this?
Walking into the second day of the viewing was Ryan and me; there he was. He was unbelievably skinny and about my height. It was the first time I had seen my brother in seven years; imagine that. Trying to hold in my tears, I ran outside. Following me was Ryan, and just after him came my mom. Ryan and I held each other crying. Suddenly, we saw Tommy walk outside. Although it looked quite obvious, I tried to walk away discretely. I stood outside from a distance watching as Ryan and Tommy talked. Due to my curiosity, I stared at them for about twenty minutes wondering how Ryan was having a conversation with Tommy after not seeing him for seven years.
He was walking towards me. My heart began to beat faster and faster. Wanting to escape, I knew I was going to need to talk to him eventually. During the tense moments he was walking towards me, I thought about the anger I had inside of me. I thought about the countless nights I cried myself to sleep wondering if he still even remembered me. He tapped me on the shoulder. Despite the previous feelings I was having, I turned around face to face with him while tears were running down my rosy cheeks. Not a second went by when he held me in his skinny arms and all I could hear were his heartbreaking cries continuously saying, “I’m sorry.”
I was in the fourth grade and loving life. My mom was my best friend, I was still Daddy’s little girl, and I had the two best big brothers in the whole entire world. Looking out for me, my brother Ryan always wanted what was best for me. Although he was my brother, he was also my best friend. Then there was Tommy, my half brother. Because he was fifteen years older than me, I wasn’t as close with him, but I looked at him like a superhero. I only saw him on weekends, but I loved every second of it. Sadly, I was too young to realize the illness he was facing.
My mom asked me, “Do you know what drugs are?” Gently she wiped the tears off of her face with a soft pink Kleenex.
“Yes mama,” I said innocently. “We learned about them in school.”
“Well what did you learn about them?”
“I learned that they are bad and something I should never try.”
In a frustrated yet curious tone, I asked, “What’s going on and why isn’t anybody telling me anything?” There was instant silence.
My mom began to continue on and tried explaining to me the harms of drugs and what happens to people who are involved with them. However, I was not listening. Staring at my dad, I could not concentrate on my mom over his sobs. All of the sudden, I heard her say the word Tommy and Heroine; caught off guard, I began to listen. Tears were pouring down my face before I knew it. How could my big brother be doing something so stupid? I ran out of the room in anger and disbelief.
Following me was my dad. I felt like a little girl lost in a big world. Security is what my father gave me when he picked me up. Suddenly, I realized I wasn’t going to have to go through this alone.
“We’re all in this together,” he reassured me. “We’ll get through this like a family.” After my father’s words of wisdom, Ryan came upstairs. Knowing he would be honest with me, I told my brother to elaborate on the situation. He summed it up by telling me Tommy stole our mom’s jewelry and turned into a pawnshop for drug money.
We were in the brightest room in our house when Ryan told me this; we were in my bright sky blue bedroom. Despite the bright colors, right at that moment everything seemed so dark. I stared out the window and I swear the bright blue sky turned instantly to gray. Taking it all in, I told my brother to leave and I began wondering how I didn’t know this was happening. How could I be so naive? How could he do this to me?
Three days had passed, and I had not seen or spoken to Tommy, nor had I talked much about the situation with my family. Despite my young age, I knew I needed to talk to someone. Nervously, I decided to ask my mom if I could see the school’s social worker. With her gentle and loving nature, she told me it was a great idea and she would call the social worker.
I talked to the social worker at least once a week for my fourth and almost entire fifth grade year. However, halfway through my fifth grade year, she transferred to a different school. Heartbroken and disappointed, I said a sad goodbye to my social worker. On the other hand, she left me with great tips and techniques of expressing my sad and angry feelings towards Tommy. It was then that I put a wall up about the situation. I heard less and less about Tommy, and it was as though I avoided the topic.
Six years had passed. Nana, my dad’s mother, had sadly passed from the heartbreaking Alzheimer’s disease. My dad informed me about an hour before the funeral that Tommy may be coming. Shocked, I said okay with a smile and ran up to my bedroom and cried. A million and one things were running through my head. Was I ready for this?
Walking into the second day of the viewing was Ryan and me; there he was. He was unbelievably skinny and about my height. It was the first time I had seen my brother in seven years; imagine that. Trying to hold in my tears, I ran outside. Following me was Ryan, and just after him came my mom. Ryan and I held each other crying. Suddenly, we saw Tommy walk outside. Although it looked quite obvious, I tried to walk away discretely. I stood outside from a distance watching as Ryan and Tommy talked. Due to my curiosity, I stared at them for about twenty minutes wondering how Ryan was having a conversation with Tommy after not seeing him for seven years.
He was walking towards me. My heart began to beat faster and faster. Wanting to escape, I knew I was going to need to talk to him eventually. During the tense moments he was walking towards me, I thought about the anger I had inside of me. I thought about the countless nights I cried myself to sleep wondering if he still even remembered me. He tapped me on the shoulder. Despite the previous feelings I was having, I turned around face to face with him while tears were running down my rosy cheeks. Not a second went by when he held me in his skinny arms and all I could hear were his heartbreaking cries continuously saying, “I’m sorry.”
Reading has a Impact
When someone starts talking about books one word comes to mind, boring. I grew up being forced to read books. It was and is still not on my list of favorite things to do. The Bible is one of those books, which can change the views of many people. Reading can broaden outlooks on life, and change opinions about everything.
Reading has the power to shape someone. The Bible can take a person who is depressed and turn the persons life around completely. The Bible tells a story. It has about every example of what you can think of such as; being depressed, feeling unloved, being demanding and much more. If you are having an issue, you can pick up the Bible and start reading about someone who had the same issue as you have. For example, I was told I was too young to do a certain thing. However, in the book of Jeremiah verse 29, it says, “You are never too young to do anything.” Also in 1Timothy verse 4:11 it says “Don’t let anyone put you down because you’re too young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity.” I love those verses. It honestly helps me in so many ways, in that if someone tells me that I’m too young to change the world, they’re wrong. I know people think that kids are over looked on the level of things they can do. When reading the Bible, it makes me feel invincible. Being too young is never an issue for something that you want to do.
Another example of how the Bible can change someone’s life is how God’s love will never fail, no matter what you do. The book of Romans describes how His love will never fail. St. Paul, in Romans verse 8.38-39 writes:
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow---not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below ---indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
He is willing to love us no matter how bad we mess up, don’t obey, and sin, we should embrace His love. His love should not be taken for granted. We have to want His love. It should not be handed down to us. We have to read the Bible, pray and be faithful to ensure our everlasting future in God. The Bible is a very important tool to ensure that we want to know God.
Francis Chan, a pastor from southern California, wrote a book called Crazy Love. Crazy Love talks about how being a Christian should not be a challenge. Most Christians are “lukewarm” according to Chan. The book lists situations that “lukewarm” Christians go through. The “lukewarm” Christians go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss just because they think that is the right way to God. Crazy Love challenges us, as Christians, to do more than the bare minimum. When we make the decision that we want to follow God; which is one of the biggest decisions we can make, it can determine the course of our lives. Chan describes how he fell in love with God and how great it changed his life. The book is very powerful in such a way that the reader wants more than what is written. The reader wants to know that feelings for them. This book changed my views of how I face things. Ever since reading this book, it has made my walk even better and less bumpy. If you were someone who considers him or her a Christian, I would recommend this book to you.
All in all the Bible and Crazy Love are two fantastic books to read. Both books make a strong point that we need to have God in our lives. God will control your path, and if you have faith in Jesus Christ, you will succeed. These books can honestly make a huge impact on our lives, even if we don’t recognize it.
Reading has the power to shape someone. The Bible can take a person who is depressed and turn the persons life around completely. The Bible tells a story. It has about every example of what you can think of such as; being depressed, feeling unloved, being demanding and much more. If you are having an issue, you can pick up the Bible and start reading about someone who had the same issue as you have. For example, I was told I was too young to do a certain thing. However, in the book of Jeremiah verse 29, it says, “You are never too young to do anything.” Also in 1Timothy verse 4:11 it says “Don’t let anyone put you down because you’re too young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity.” I love those verses. It honestly helps me in so many ways, in that if someone tells me that I’m too young to change the world, they’re wrong. I know people think that kids are over looked on the level of things they can do. When reading the Bible, it makes me feel invincible. Being too young is never an issue for something that you want to do.
Another example of how the Bible can change someone’s life is how God’s love will never fail, no matter what you do. The book of Romans describes how His love will never fail. St. Paul, in Romans verse 8.38-39 writes:
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow---not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below ---indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
He is willing to love us no matter how bad we mess up, don’t obey, and sin, we should embrace His love. His love should not be taken for granted. We have to want His love. It should not be handed down to us. We have to read the Bible, pray and be faithful to ensure our everlasting future in God. The Bible is a very important tool to ensure that we want to know God.
Francis Chan, a pastor from southern California, wrote a book called Crazy Love. Crazy Love talks about how being a Christian should not be a challenge. Most Christians are “lukewarm” according to Chan. The book lists situations that “lukewarm” Christians go through. The “lukewarm” Christians go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss just because they think that is the right way to God. Crazy Love challenges us, as Christians, to do more than the bare minimum. When we make the decision that we want to follow God; which is one of the biggest decisions we can make, it can determine the course of our lives. Chan describes how he fell in love with God and how great it changed his life. The book is very powerful in such a way that the reader wants more than what is written. The reader wants to know that feelings for them. This book changed my views of how I face things. Ever since reading this book, it has made my walk even better and less bumpy. If you were someone who considers him or her a Christian, I would recommend this book to you.
All in all the Bible and Crazy Love are two fantastic books to read. Both books make a strong point that we need to have God in our lives. God will control your path, and if you have faith in Jesus Christ, you will succeed. These books can honestly make a huge impact on our lives, even if we don’t recognize it.
Silent Inspiration
It is a crime to say you hate to read. Many people however probably would respond that way when they are told to read a book. Books are the key that open the door to a greater knowledge and whole new world of adventure. Some books are written to change our opinions by simply telling a story and some show us the simple things in life that we may be missing. While different books send strong messages and are filled with page turning drama and thrilling events, some are light and comical to make us feel good. Regardless of the point the author is trying to prove, books brighten our minds, shape our views on subjects, get us to learn to like and dislike new things, and definitely change our lives.
This past summer I had the privilege of reading Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. Originally I was just in search of a book to read while I was in the pool and my sister recommended it. She said it was really good and it looked short enough for me to get through in about two days. The story was about two people, a student and his professor. This student finds out years after graduation that his professor has become fatally ill with Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS). By visiting his professor week after week, Mitch learns more about appreciating life and how to live it to the fullest, by your own standards, through his sick and dying professor, Morrie. Morrie is living life one day at a time and doing as much as he can even though his body gets weaker and weaker. The professor has completely come to terms with understanding the intensity of his disease and is even making fun of it. This is just another stage in his life that he has to take how it comes and experience it the best way he can. He is enjoying all of the time he has left to the greatest of his ability. After only a little while of time, Mitch is depending on these visits with Morrie to inspire the direction that he takes with his own life. The entire story was so light, entertaining, inspiring, and actually really humorous. I never once, for anything put the book down and continued to turn page after page for about two hours, and then the book was done. I finished it without even paying any attention to the time. It inspired me to live life to the absolute fullest, because you never know how much time you have. Granted, I’ve heard that same phrase before but, this book honestly helped for me to make sense of that phrase and now I truly believe it. I have already recommended for several people to read this book because it is so enjoyable and inspires you to change your outlook on life. Secondly, Maya Angelou is one of my most favorite authors and poets. Everything she writes expresses a simple, true, and uplifting meaning that makes you want to read anything with her name on it. The autobiography of Angelou is titled I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Her lifelong struggles as a young African American girl living in poverty and discrimination illustrate the kind of person she had to be to overcome the several obstacles in her life. Starting with Angelou’s early childhood, we travel with her during her journey and get to know her as if we are there with her every step of the way. The audience feels her pain, experiences her troubles, laughs at some of the crazy things she experiences, and reaches for the tissues at her spirit and love of literature that keeps her going to face every obstacle. She ended up doing pretty well for herself considering now she is one of the most popular and respectable authors and poets of our time. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings at first was just a book that I was interested in because of my love for Maya Angelou’s work and something I had to do for a school book report. It became a story that I ended up reading it again after I was done with the report and now I treasure it immensely. This book shaped my opinion about so many controversial issues such as racism, poverty, sexuality, and violence. It too was very hard to put this book down, but when I had to I was always left with fulfillment and amazement at so many of the different issues and circumstances I was reading about. I absolutely loved everything about it.
As a result of reading the books Tuesdays with Morrie and I know Why the Caged Bird Sings I strongly agree and support the statement that books change our lives. Certainly there are more books than these two that have left an impacting impression on my opinions and outlooks on life, but both of these stories have made me feel differently about how to live my life and taught me of how others struggle to live it best. I have recommended and will continue to recommend both of these books to anyone. They are two of my favorite books that have become my inspirations, shaped my values, and changed my life.
This past summer I had the privilege of reading Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. Originally I was just in search of a book to read while I was in the pool and my sister recommended it. She said it was really good and it looked short enough for me to get through in about two days. The story was about two people, a student and his professor. This student finds out years after graduation that his professor has become fatally ill with Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS). By visiting his professor week after week, Mitch learns more about appreciating life and how to live it to the fullest, by your own standards, through his sick and dying professor, Morrie. Morrie is living life one day at a time and doing as much as he can even though his body gets weaker and weaker. The professor has completely come to terms with understanding the intensity of his disease and is even making fun of it. This is just another stage in his life that he has to take how it comes and experience it the best way he can. He is enjoying all of the time he has left to the greatest of his ability. After only a little while of time, Mitch is depending on these visits with Morrie to inspire the direction that he takes with his own life. The entire story was so light, entertaining, inspiring, and actually really humorous. I never once, for anything put the book down and continued to turn page after page for about two hours, and then the book was done. I finished it without even paying any attention to the time. It inspired me to live life to the absolute fullest, because you never know how much time you have. Granted, I’ve heard that same phrase before but, this book honestly helped for me to make sense of that phrase and now I truly believe it. I have already recommended for several people to read this book because it is so enjoyable and inspires you to change your outlook on life. Secondly, Maya Angelou is one of my most favorite authors and poets. Everything she writes expresses a simple, true, and uplifting meaning that makes you want to read anything with her name on it. The autobiography of Angelou is titled I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Her lifelong struggles as a young African American girl living in poverty and discrimination illustrate the kind of person she had to be to overcome the several obstacles in her life. Starting with Angelou’s early childhood, we travel with her during her journey and get to know her as if we are there with her every step of the way. The audience feels her pain, experiences her troubles, laughs at some of the crazy things she experiences, and reaches for the tissues at her spirit and love of literature that keeps her going to face every obstacle. She ended up doing pretty well for herself considering now she is one of the most popular and respectable authors and poets of our time. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings at first was just a book that I was interested in because of my love for Maya Angelou’s work and something I had to do for a school book report. It became a story that I ended up reading it again after I was done with the report and now I treasure it immensely. This book shaped my opinion about so many controversial issues such as racism, poverty, sexuality, and violence. It too was very hard to put this book down, but when I had to I was always left with fulfillment and amazement at so many of the different issues and circumstances I was reading about. I absolutely loved everything about it.
As a result of reading the books Tuesdays with Morrie and I know Why the Caged Bird Sings I strongly agree and support the statement that books change our lives. Certainly there are more books than these two that have left an impacting impression on my opinions and outlooks on life, but both of these stories have made me feel differently about how to live my life and taught me of how others struggle to live it best. I have recommended and will continue to recommend both of these books to anyone. They are two of my favorite books that have become my inspirations, shaped my values, and changed my life.
Sad, but my favorite.
A Holiday to Forget
There we were, sitting in room 326 of St. Margaret’s Hospital. The strongest man I had ever known was at his weakest, lying on a hospital bed. I skipped school to spend the day with my grandfather, “Pap pap” as we called him. Family members and friends came in and out of the room all day visiting him, but looking back on it their faces are a blur.
Right before Thanksgiving my parents sat my brother Ben and me down in the family room and told us the news, “Pap pap has cancer,” my mother sobbed. My brother broke down and cried like I have seen him do only once before, when our other grandfather died. This time we had somewhat of a warning, but that did not make things any easier. With my whole family upset, I did not want to cry, I wanted to be strong for them. I went straight to my room and sat, staring into the darkness. In attempt to comfort me, my Dad followed me to my room, although nothing he said could change anything. I wanted to know what kind of cancer and how long Pap pap had. As gently as he could put it my dad whispered, “He has pancreatic cancer. The doctor said he has about six or seven months.” The next day I spent at the hospital with my grandfather. It was a school day, but my mother knew it was important I visited him, and she let me skip. I spent the day helping him take little walks down the hall when he got too stiff, getting him water, and just keeping him company. He never liked to appear weak to his grandchildren, and it was hard for him to let me help.
The following month around Christmas time the weather and my Pap pap’s health took a turn for the worst. On Christmas Day my mom, dad, brother, and I along with my aunt, uncle, and four cousins went to my grandparents’ house for dinner and presents. Pap pap looked worse then he did while he was in the hospital. I have never seen my Pap pap not be able to do something, especially something as simple as walking around. The entire night he sat in chair looking as frail and fragile as glass. It was strange to see him that way, and I knew time was running out. My cousin, who is four years younger than me, looked at me with a look of concern and fear that no eleven year old should ever have to experience. She has always looked up to me and I know she wanted me to tell her, “Is Pap pap going to be okay?” she asked me with hope for a reassuring answer.
“I really don’t think so, Kaleen,” I regrettably answered her. I wanted to be able to tell her everything would turn out how we wanted, but I knew in my heart that it was not going to.
Two days after the feeble Christmas Day, I decided to try to give myself a break from all of the sadness and worrying and spend the night at my good friend Courtney’s house. Courtney always knew how to have fun and laugh, and she made me forget about everything for a few hours. Around one o’clock in the morning my phone rang. I looked at my caller ID and saw that it was my dad. Something was wrong. My dad never called me that late. I answered my phone already knowing what my dad was going to say, but it did not make it hurt any less. “Ash, I’m coming to get you,” he said sternly, “things aren’t looking good.”
The dark, dreary ride to my grandparents’ house was endless. After what seemed like hours we arrived to a house full of all of our family members and close friends. Pap pap was lying on his bed, his breathing shallow. I held my cousin Kaleen’s hand and we went to say goodbye. We told him through teary eyes how much we loved and appreciated him. My aunt from Georgia was flying in on a red eye, it happened to be her birthday. Some birthday. She finally arrived and got to see her dad in his final moments. It was after midnight when he died, peacefully, in the comfort of his home with his family by his side. Our family likes to think he did not want to die on his daughter’s birthday, and that is why he hung on until after midnight.
The funeral was a few days later. The next couple of days were filled with people talking about all of the good times they had with my grandfather. The funeral home was five minutes away from my house so everyone came over to take a break from all of the crying, and to eat. My uncle and three cousins drove up from Georgia the day after Pap pap died. It was so good to see them, but it was not worth the price we had to pay. I was amazed at the number of people at the funeral home. Pap pap was loved by so many people, and it meant so much to have them there. People drove from miles and miles away to pay their respects. Even several of my friends came; most of them had met him at least two or three times and were grieving as well. That meant the most to me.
Although my other grandfather died first, his was unexpected and he was cremated therefore, there was no viewing. It was a hard two days at the funeral home, and the actual burial was even harder. The frigid December air was biting at our noses and fingers, but no one noticed, or cared. Our immediate family stood huddled together as we said our final goodbyes to the man who had done so much for us and who we were dearly going to miss.
There we were, sitting in room 326 of St. Margaret’s Hospital. The strongest man I had ever known was at his weakest, lying on a hospital bed. I skipped school to spend the day with my grandfather, “Pap pap” as we called him. Family members and friends came in and out of the room all day visiting him, but looking back on it their faces are a blur.
Right before Thanksgiving my parents sat my brother Ben and me down in the family room and told us the news, “Pap pap has cancer,” my mother sobbed. My brother broke down and cried like I have seen him do only once before, when our other grandfather died. This time we had somewhat of a warning, but that did not make things any easier. With my whole family upset, I did not want to cry, I wanted to be strong for them. I went straight to my room and sat, staring into the darkness. In attempt to comfort me, my Dad followed me to my room, although nothing he said could change anything. I wanted to know what kind of cancer and how long Pap pap had. As gently as he could put it my dad whispered, “He has pancreatic cancer. The doctor said he has about six or seven months.” The next day I spent at the hospital with my grandfather. It was a school day, but my mother knew it was important I visited him, and she let me skip. I spent the day helping him take little walks down the hall when he got too stiff, getting him water, and just keeping him company. He never liked to appear weak to his grandchildren, and it was hard for him to let me help.
The following month around Christmas time the weather and my Pap pap’s health took a turn for the worst. On Christmas Day my mom, dad, brother, and I along with my aunt, uncle, and four cousins went to my grandparents’ house for dinner and presents. Pap pap looked worse then he did while he was in the hospital. I have never seen my Pap pap not be able to do something, especially something as simple as walking around. The entire night he sat in chair looking as frail and fragile as glass. It was strange to see him that way, and I knew time was running out. My cousin, who is four years younger than me, looked at me with a look of concern and fear that no eleven year old should ever have to experience. She has always looked up to me and I know she wanted me to tell her, “Is Pap pap going to be okay?” she asked me with hope for a reassuring answer.
“I really don’t think so, Kaleen,” I regrettably answered her. I wanted to be able to tell her everything would turn out how we wanted, but I knew in my heart that it was not going to.
Two days after the feeble Christmas Day, I decided to try to give myself a break from all of the sadness and worrying and spend the night at my good friend Courtney’s house. Courtney always knew how to have fun and laugh, and she made me forget about everything for a few hours. Around one o’clock in the morning my phone rang. I looked at my caller ID and saw that it was my dad. Something was wrong. My dad never called me that late. I answered my phone already knowing what my dad was going to say, but it did not make it hurt any less. “Ash, I’m coming to get you,” he said sternly, “things aren’t looking good.”
The dark, dreary ride to my grandparents’ house was endless. After what seemed like hours we arrived to a house full of all of our family members and close friends. Pap pap was lying on his bed, his breathing shallow. I held my cousin Kaleen’s hand and we went to say goodbye. We told him through teary eyes how much we loved and appreciated him. My aunt from Georgia was flying in on a red eye, it happened to be her birthday. Some birthday. She finally arrived and got to see her dad in his final moments. It was after midnight when he died, peacefully, in the comfort of his home with his family by his side. Our family likes to think he did not want to die on his daughter’s birthday, and that is why he hung on until after midnight.
The funeral was a few days later. The next couple of days were filled with people talking about all of the good times they had with my grandfather. The funeral home was five minutes away from my house so everyone came over to take a break from all of the crying, and to eat. My uncle and three cousins drove up from Georgia the day after Pap pap died. It was so good to see them, but it was not worth the price we had to pay. I was amazed at the number of people at the funeral home. Pap pap was loved by so many people, and it meant so much to have them there. People drove from miles and miles away to pay their respects. Even several of my friends came; most of them had met him at least two or three times and were grieving as well. That meant the most to me.
Although my other grandfather died first, his was unexpected and he was cremated therefore, there was no viewing. It was a hard two days at the funeral home, and the actual burial was even harder. The frigid December air was biting at our noses and fingers, but no one noticed, or cared. Our immediate family stood huddled together as we said our final goodbyes to the man who had done so much for us and who we were dearly going to miss.
How to Get Anything You Want From Your Parents
As a teenager in the 21st Century, life is far from easy. Considering everything you have to fret about, like completing endless hours of homework, guiding your best friend through her traumatic breakup, and dealing with those old folks in your house whom you call your parents, these could easily be the hardest years of your life. Although the solutions for avoiding homework and being a good friend have yet to be truly discovered, you can use this method to get anything you want from your parents, and still get along with them. By following the few easy steps below, you will quickly be on your way to the head of the household.
The first step is simple. Pick something you want. Don’t complicate this step because only one thing has to be chosen; it’s important to stay on task. Even if your parents do not consider this item or privilege a necessity, you know it is. So, when the decision is made, stick to it, and focus every ounce of energy available to obtaining this item.
Next, key your parents in to the thing you want without actually speaking to them. To do this, leave hints anywhere and everywhere around the house. For example, say you want a brand new Rock Band set for your Wii that you have been longing for since it came out. It is necessary to find an advertisement for Rock Band in the Sunday Ads (on sale is even better!). Flip to the page and leave it open on the kitchen table, or some other common area in your house. When your parents decide to flip through the rest of the catalogue, always return to the page containing the ad for the desired item. If you happen to be with them when they are doing this, act like you are intrigued by other things on Rock Band’s page, but never refer to Rock Band itself. But this ad happens to be from Sunday, January 7th and the current month is March, look for a new ad and/or sale for Rock Band. If this hunt failed, salvage the ad. Be patient. This step is very successful if performed the correct way. Don’t make it too obvious.
Chores. Even if you wouldn’t know where to look to find the switch for the garbage disposal, the visual attempt at chores will be a big payoff and most likely result in reward. If you really dread the fact of putting a hand in around the house, just act as if you are. Putting a dish or two away when your mother walks into the kitchen would be just right. At first she may be in the denial stage, and possibly question your intentions. At that point, reassure her you just want to help out a little and it’s really not a big deal. If you get tears on her behalf, you have been successful.
The next step is to act like a rock star. Bang on pots and pans with wooden spoons and sing even louder in the shower. Show your parents how much you deserve and are deprived of the item, again without verbally telling them. Making quick side comments—for example, mentioning that the quality of your life would be increased by 14% if you received something to put all of your striving musical talents to good use—is completely acceptable.
When you feel as if you’ve done everything you can do to prep your parents for the “big question,” then you are ready. If you’re not feeling so hot about this yet, go back to step number two. Before you ask, you must make sure you are on good terms with your parents. If they are mad at you for coming home too late last night or having a room that looks as if it has been through a tornado, asking now is not a good idea. In this situation, do everything in your power to get back over to their good side, and then continue here. When you are almost positive they will hug you with open arms as soon as you ask them, then you are ready. Make this step casual. Do not make it a huge deal to your parents that you’re finally asking for something that you deserve. In an informal way, catch them at their best time of day. For example, maybe your mother is not a morning person, but she is a wide-eyed and cheerful owl at night. Evening would be the best time to ask in this situation. So when a decision in regards to timing is made, ask then. To start conversation, a compliment beforehand always works well, as in a quick: “Hey mom, that new hairdo you’ve got, it’s really a hit!” By this point, you should be able to tell what her answer will be, so if you’re feeling good karma, pop the question. If not, wait till a better time or repeat a few previous steps.
With your fingers crossed and everything, now is the time to ask the question. And if your parentals reply with a simple “Why wouldn’t we get that for you!” or “We’ve been waiting for you to ask!” then you know you’re still floating above the water. If you don’t quite get this kind of response, repetition is your friend. By continually asking them the same question, maybe phrased in a different way each time, the chances of them changing their mind is very likely. Also by re-asking for a day or two days, you can see if they will budge on their decision.
If it has been a few days and those crabby parents of yours don’t seem to be budging, don’t lose hope! The next step is to mope around the house as if your life is completely over. Don’t tell them anymore, but show how your life is truly horrible now that you can’t put your musical talent to good use with a Rock Band set. Although you do want to make them feel guilty, don’t go overboard by letting them know they should feel guilty. This guilt will soon cause them to pity you and hopefully give in and make the big purchase.
At this point, if your parents are just being flat-out stubborn, you have two choices. You can either attempt to go through this entire process again or you can get a job to pay for it yourself. Statistics show that most choose the first option, considering working as a teenager is just plain lame. If the first is chosen, then, again, don’t lose hope. Your parents will have to give in sooner or later. After all, what’s better than spending your time getting something you want from your parents by beating the system and proactively working your butt off for it?
The first step is simple. Pick something you want. Don’t complicate this step because only one thing has to be chosen; it’s important to stay on task. Even if your parents do not consider this item or privilege a necessity, you know it is. So, when the decision is made, stick to it, and focus every ounce of energy available to obtaining this item.
Next, key your parents in to the thing you want without actually speaking to them. To do this, leave hints anywhere and everywhere around the house. For example, say you want a brand new Rock Band set for your Wii that you have been longing for since it came out. It is necessary to find an advertisement for Rock Band in the Sunday Ads (on sale is even better!). Flip to the page and leave it open on the kitchen table, or some other common area in your house. When your parents decide to flip through the rest of the catalogue, always return to the page containing the ad for the desired item. If you happen to be with them when they are doing this, act like you are intrigued by other things on Rock Band’s page, but never refer to Rock Band itself. But this ad happens to be from Sunday, January 7th and the current month is March, look for a new ad and/or sale for Rock Band. If this hunt failed, salvage the ad. Be patient. This step is very successful if performed the correct way. Don’t make it too obvious.
Chores. Even if you wouldn’t know where to look to find the switch for the garbage disposal, the visual attempt at chores will be a big payoff and most likely result in reward. If you really dread the fact of putting a hand in around the house, just act as if you are. Putting a dish or two away when your mother walks into the kitchen would be just right. At first she may be in the denial stage, and possibly question your intentions. At that point, reassure her you just want to help out a little and it’s really not a big deal. If you get tears on her behalf, you have been successful.
The next step is to act like a rock star. Bang on pots and pans with wooden spoons and sing even louder in the shower. Show your parents how much you deserve and are deprived of the item, again without verbally telling them. Making quick side comments—for example, mentioning that the quality of your life would be increased by 14% if you received something to put all of your striving musical talents to good use—is completely acceptable.
When you feel as if you’ve done everything you can do to prep your parents for the “big question,” then you are ready. If you’re not feeling so hot about this yet, go back to step number two. Before you ask, you must make sure you are on good terms with your parents. If they are mad at you for coming home too late last night or having a room that looks as if it has been through a tornado, asking now is not a good idea. In this situation, do everything in your power to get back over to their good side, and then continue here. When you are almost positive they will hug you with open arms as soon as you ask them, then you are ready. Make this step casual. Do not make it a huge deal to your parents that you’re finally asking for something that you deserve. In an informal way, catch them at their best time of day. For example, maybe your mother is not a morning person, but she is a wide-eyed and cheerful owl at night. Evening would be the best time to ask in this situation. So when a decision in regards to timing is made, ask then. To start conversation, a compliment beforehand always works well, as in a quick: “Hey mom, that new hairdo you’ve got, it’s really a hit!” By this point, you should be able to tell what her answer will be, so if you’re feeling good karma, pop the question. If not, wait till a better time or repeat a few previous steps.
With your fingers crossed and everything, now is the time to ask the question. And if your parentals reply with a simple “Why wouldn’t we get that for you!” or “We’ve been waiting for you to ask!” then you know you’re still floating above the water. If you don’t quite get this kind of response, repetition is your friend. By continually asking them the same question, maybe phrased in a different way each time, the chances of them changing their mind is very likely. Also by re-asking for a day or two days, you can see if they will budge on their decision.
If it has been a few days and those crabby parents of yours don’t seem to be budging, don’t lose hope! The next step is to mope around the house as if your life is completely over. Don’t tell them anymore, but show how your life is truly horrible now that you can’t put your musical talent to good use with a Rock Band set. Although you do want to make them feel guilty, don’t go overboard by letting them know they should feel guilty. This guilt will soon cause them to pity you and hopefully give in and make the big purchase.
At this point, if your parents are just being flat-out stubborn, you have two choices. You can either attempt to go through this entire process again or you can get a job to pay for it yourself. Statistics show that most choose the first option, considering working as a teenager is just plain lame. If the first is chosen, then, again, don’t lose hope. Your parents will have to give in sooner or later. After all, what’s better than spending your time getting something you want from your parents by beating the system and proactively working your butt off for it?
Monday, December 1, 2008
Shrout 101
Short blonde hair stuck in position with hairspray. A tight fitting shirt that shows off every curve of her mature body. Fair skin, lightly browned from being in the hot sun all day. The swoosh of her pink windbreaker pants as she flies through the gym. Endless wrinkles on her face that give her the look of sternness, yet elegance. The protruding bulge below her belt line which could only be her lower abdominals. She runs her gym class like Joseph Stalin in the Cold War. Her name is Mrs. Shrout and she’ll give you a 0 out of 10 for the day in a heartbeat unless you know how to outsmart her. Follow these simple steps and you will survive Mrs. Shrout’s class.
Step one: start off on her good side. To do this, one first has to be a good suck up. If you get her to like you early in the year then you do not have to try as hard as the year progresses. Try and dress in your uniform every day for the first couple gym classes. This will put you on her good student list, which will in turn mean she won’t watch you as closely during class. If you do not dress for the first couple gym classes, she will start to get a very short temper with you, and that short temper will carry on throughout the year, so make sure you make an effort to do this.
Step two: Shrout takes stretching very seriously, so even though it is just stretching make it look like you are taking it seriously too. She will fly through countless stretches every day at the start of gym so make sure you have your game face on for her. The trick to her stretches is to sit in the positions while doing the littlest amount of actual stretching possible. This part is key. While stretching, she tends to asks the class random questions such as, “What is the abdominal muscle on the side of your body?”, but you will be fine as long as you always respond with a confident “glutiousmaximus!”
Step three: How to survive actual Mrs. Shrout-made-games played in gym class. These games are different than games played in other gym classes; they are made by Shrout and controlled by Shrout. She tends to make up games that are pretty ridiculous so make sure you are on your toes. A good example of one of her games is “speed away.” It involves kicking/throwing the ball towards the goal/end zone, and that’s about all anyone will ever know about it. After that you basically just run around after the ball and if Mrs. Shrout doesn’t approve of something she will blow the whistle and give the ball to the other team. You can expect this all year while playing games so just go with the flow of Shrout’s whistle and gym class will be a breeze.
Step four: The fitness center. This is by far the roughest part of the year. She expects her students to lift weights, run on treadmills, keep a log of everything they do while in the fitness center, follow an even more vigorous stretching regimen, and the worst of all, take a 20 point test on the muscles of the human body. This may seem way too ridiculous for just a high school gym class, and believe me it is, but I have come up with a couple rules of thumb to make sure even the most un-athletic student can tame the wild beast that is Shrout. First is the stretching. The only thing you need to know is that if she is not looking, she can not see you, so take advantage of that. Next is completing the actual workout logs, which should not take more than three minutes. As soon as you get in the fitness center, go and sit on one of the workout bikes. Once you have gotten a bike, fill in random weights and sets on the chart next to all the different machines. In doing this, once you fill out your cardio part of the chart, you guarantee yourself an A for the day within the first five minutes of class. For the rest of the period now you can devote to floating from station to station pretending to workout and talking to your friends about what you’re doing that night. The final tip for the fitness center has to do with the muscles test Shrout makes her kids take. Whatever you do, do not study for this test! That’s what she wants you to do, but there is no way anyone should ever take/study for a test in gym class. The only thing you can do for this test is sit next to a smart kid and cheat.
Taking Mrs. Shrout’s gym class may seem like too much hassle for you, and you may be discouraged when you get your schedule in the summer and her name next to gym. But it is not as bad as it seems. The worst that can happen to you is having her use you in one of her examples in a new unit, or maybe getting splashed by the spit of her flailing tongue as she demonstrating the proper way to rebound. As long as you follow the steps above exactly as they are written, Shrout’s class will be as easy as a study hall. And just think, when your kids are going through school and complain about their gym teachers, you can sit them down and tell them the story about how you survived The Shrout.
Step one: start off on her good side. To do this, one first has to be a good suck up. If you get her to like you early in the year then you do not have to try as hard as the year progresses. Try and dress in your uniform every day for the first couple gym classes. This will put you on her good student list, which will in turn mean she won’t watch you as closely during class. If you do not dress for the first couple gym classes, she will start to get a very short temper with you, and that short temper will carry on throughout the year, so make sure you make an effort to do this.
Step two: Shrout takes stretching very seriously, so even though it is just stretching make it look like you are taking it seriously too. She will fly through countless stretches every day at the start of gym so make sure you have your game face on for her. The trick to her stretches is to sit in the positions while doing the littlest amount of actual stretching possible. This part is key. While stretching, she tends to asks the class random questions such as, “What is the abdominal muscle on the side of your body?”, but you will be fine as long as you always respond with a confident “glutiousmaximus!”
Step three: How to survive actual Mrs. Shrout-made-games played in gym class. These games are different than games played in other gym classes; they are made by Shrout and controlled by Shrout. She tends to make up games that are pretty ridiculous so make sure you are on your toes. A good example of one of her games is “speed away.” It involves kicking/throwing the ball towards the goal/end zone, and that’s about all anyone will ever know about it. After that you basically just run around after the ball and if Mrs. Shrout doesn’t approve of something she will blow the whistle and give the ball to the other team. You can expect this all year while playing games so just go with the flow of Shrout’s whistle and gym class will be a breeze.
Step four: The fitness center. This is by far the roughest part of the year. She expects her students to lift weights, run on treadmills, keep a log of everything they do while in the fitness center, follow an even more vigorous stretching regimen, and the worst of all, take a 20 point test on the muscles of the human body. This may seem way too ridiculous for just a high school gym class, and believe me it is, but I have come up with a couple rules of thumb to make sure even the most un-athletic student can tame the wild beast that is Shrout. First is the stretching. The only thing you need to know is that if she is not looking, she can not see you, so take advantage of that. Next is completing the actual workout logs, which should not take more than three minutes. As soon as you get in the fitness center, go and sit on one of the workout bikes. Once you have gotten a bike, fill in random weights and sets on the chart next to all the different machines. In doing this, once you fill out your cardio part of the chart, you guarantee yourself an A for the day within the first five minutes of class. For the rest of the period now you can devote to floating from station to station pretending to workout and talking to your friends about what you’re doing that night. The final tip for the fitness center has to do with the muscles test Shrout makes her kids take. Whatever you do, do not study for this test! That’s what she wants you to do, but there is no way anyone should ever take/study for a test in gym class. The only thing you can do for this test is sit next to a smart kid and cheat.
Taking Mrs. Shrout’s gym class may seem like too much hassle for you, and you may be discouraged when you get your schedule in the summer and her name next to gym. But it is not as bad as it seems. The worst that can happen to you is having her use you in one of her examples in a new unit, or maybe getting splashed by the spit of her flailing tongue as she demonstrating the proper way to rebound. As long as you follow the steps above exactly as they are written, Shrout’s class will be as easy as a study hall. And just think, when your kids are going through school and complain about their gym teachers, you can sit them down and tell them the story about how you survived The Shrout.
Essay Corrections
How Not to Write a College Writing Paper
I trot into the computer lab in the middle of the Pledge of Allegiance, flinging eye boogers from the harsh morning battle against my eyelids and alarm clock. The sight of an essay topic on our monitors would have made me vomit, had I taken the time to nourish my growling stomach. The teacher and I are in a staring contest over my tardiness, in which I quickly decline because I could not even keep my eyes open long enough to see the police behind me at the stop sign I ran on the way to school. After logging in, I swiftly draw attention to myself by defying the minesweeper game multiple times with the cheat code “x,y,z,z,y,[Shift],[Enter],[Enter].” The teacher immediately puts an end to my skill show and gives me a, “you better get started on your essay” death stare. “Yea…about this paper I’m not really feelin’ it,” I thought. Now, take a step back from the writing process and clear your mind to ensure you go about not writing a college writing paper properly.
First of all, the writing process takes a long time and you have several days to complete the assignment. So be honest with yourself, you have so much time and so little to do. Start off by picking a small blemish on a wall and gluing your eyes to it. This will make it appear to the teacher that you in fact are pondering an idea. After about half of the class, the teacher may become suspicious of your progress. It is time to move on in the slow motion writing progress.
Now just before any questions are asked, think of something interesting and write it down as a title. For example, I am thinking of my cold car this morning so I may write “Cold Leather.” Now that progress has been made, it is time to take a break while still appearing busy. A great way to do this while socializing is to speak with others around you, only pertaining to topic when the teacher is in range. You are now successfully on your way to not writing a college writing paper.
The next step can be tricky and takes complete and total concentration. If the teacher really starts to press for progress, copy a paragraph or two from an old paper underneath your spectacular title. Next, use the find and replace feature in Microsoft Word to quickly and efficiently add words and phrases pertaining to your topic. For example, replace all the “the” words with your topic “how not to write a college writing paper,” because “the” is commonly an overused word. This will make your progress appear as a reality and the title, “how not to write a college writing paper,” will jump out at the teacher in a quick scan. Below is what your progress should look like so far. DO NOT BE ALARMED. THE FOLLOWING WILL CONFUSE YOU. It will also confuse your teacher enough to walk away contemplating a mid-life crisis.
How Not to Write a College Writing Paper
You dribble down how not to write a college writing paper court with three seconds left in how not to write a college writing paper game, and throw up a desperate last attempt at victory. How not to write a college writing paper buzzer sounds and how not to write a college writing paper crowd goes wild after realizing you won how not to write a college writing paper game for how not to write a college writing paper with your three point basket. At practice how not to write a college writing paper next day, how not to write a college writing paper shot replays in your head and practice becomes a second priority to fame.
So, you did not understand that one bit? Good. After this step, your progress appears to be ninety-nine percent greater and you are almost finished.
While you have been working very hard to delay the paper, obviously you do not want to fail the course, so in the end some form of a paper must be submitted. But if you are new at this, you may want to make an attempt at claiming insanity from a mental break down and pleading for exemption. When the teacher tries to comfort you, propose that he/she averages your next two essays to make up for this road block. If the teacher will not hear of this, then it is time to get writing. Write something. Anything. Tell a story from your past summer. Use many words to make a sentence like “The dog ate.” to “The little, smelly, black and grey, smart dog ate all the kibbles and bits in its gigantic, red, plastic food apparatus.” In the end, a page or two full of words must be turned in. This should earn you at least a “C”, and hold off the excruciating pain of writing yet another essay in about two weeks.
You are now an expert on how to not write a college writing paper and while it may be a helpful skill, it may only be a short term fix to laziness. Hopefully the directions are clear and specific because, not only will your next college writing paper grade count on them but mine will also.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Summit of Humanity
As human beings, we strive toward happiness more than anything else, seeking the ideal way of life. Many methods have been devised, and many have failed. One might, for example, use the process of elimination; perhaps, if the acquisition of material things does not yield perfect contentment, physical health will; and perhaps, if physical health is not enough, spiritual development is required. Regardless of the method by which we seek happiness, however, it has become clear that it is cultivated internally, within one’s self, and cannot be obtained or purchased from an external source. Happiness lies in good character, and good character is comprised not of rare acts of self— or other-directed goodwill, nor of beliefs unacted upon, but of deep-rooted and abiding values that manifest in the majority of one’s actual conduct and self-control. These values, thus rooted, become virtues. Underlying pretense, coincidence, and cliché, rising above the commonplace, these virtues – seven of them, interwoven yet each unique – serve as the pinnacles of human behavior. What are they, and how can one achieve them?
1. Be honest
“The trite saying that honesty is the best policy has met with the just criticism
that honesty is not policy. The real honest man is honest from conviction of what is right,
not from policy.” --Robert E. Lee, American Civil War general
1. Be honest
“The trite saying that honesty is the best policy has met with the just criticism
that honesty is not policy. The real honest man is honest from conviction of what is right,
not from policy.” --Robert E. Lee, American Civil War general
Truth is the highest of all things, so man can never be so uplifted as when he acts as a channel through which the truth may progress – not only out of the mouth, but through every action of the body and of the soul. To say that “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” is to succumb to misconception. The flesh is in the most essential respects, if not in all respects, a reflection of the spirit. If one has an honest soul, it follows that one also has an honest eye and ear and tongue.
Speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Partial truth can be as devastating as full-fledged deception, for in both cases the reality and context of an idea are misplaced.
Dishonesty may be the more realistic approach if your or another’s life or physical well-being is endangered, but usually not in less dire circumstances. Follow your conscience. Offer untruths only when it is truly for the best. Careful judgment and a true sense of justice are essential here.
The truth will set you free. Your conscience will be at ease, for you have expressed the truth as well as you have grasped it, and verified the reliability of your senses. Rather than being demoralized and downtrodden by guilt, you will rise to a fuller sense of being and authenticity. Rather than struggling to retain memories of lies (so that you will not inadvertently contradict yourself and expose inconsistencies), and rather than conforming to an anxious and guarded lifestyle in order to deceive others, your mind will be at peace and free to focus on the simple pleasures of life. Once fears of change, rejection, and revealing one’s true, unique self to the world are released, and the carefully constructed fortress of deceit is escaped, a pure and uncomplicated joy is born upon the fortress’ deathbed, overflowing, transforming the rubble and ash into clean air and fields thick with all imaginable forms of flora.
2. Love life
“Life is a festival only to the wise.” --Ralph Waldo
Emerson, American writer and transcendentalist
Take pleasure in the fact of your existence. Life is growth, not regression. As the body develops, so should the mind and the spirit. Observe the unceasing flow of a river, the shifting of weather and seasons, and the infinite progression of time. Our inherent purpose is to become better than ourselves, not to destroy and disintegrate.
Derive enormous pleasure from the simple joys, like thinking, eating, listening to music, and feeling a light breeze rush past you. Be like a child in this regard. True maturity is achieved through carrying innocence and the purest of the emotions of childhood with you into adulthood, and shedding only dependence and arrogance.
3. Feel deeply and passionately
“Rest in reason; move in passion.”
--Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese-American artist and writer
Apathy is the enemy of life. There is far too much to see and to ponder for boredom ever to be a justifiable sentiment (if it can rightfully be called a sentiment, rather than a lack thereof). When you feel deeply, life gains purpose and takes on new meaning.
Passion is the mother of all creativity. To create a brilliant work of art, one must first feel passionately about the subject of the art and the art itself. This is because, if you are passionate about something, you will unleash upon it the full power of your unique vision of reality. Ideas do not move lifelessly or half-heartedly through you; they are altered as they pass through the filter of your creative eye, metamorphosing into meaningful art that reflects the true nature of your individuality.
4. Have patience
“The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by
hatching the egg, not by smashing it.” --Arnold H. Glasgow, American humorist
All things must come in their own time, regardless of the strength of desire. If the object of your desire is worth waiting for, then wait. Do what you can to allow it into your life, but do not force it. In the meantime, find other occupations; when there is nothing you can do to support your cause, there is no point wasting time by wishing. The purpose of pursuing other goals is not to distract yourself from your original goal (so that the pain of not having reached it will not be so intense), but to find meaning and fulfillment in your life (so that the pain will not exist at all).
Trying to take control only ever results in suffering and tragedy, for the universe is not in your control any more than you are in its. There must be an agreeable correlation between the actor and the thing being acted upon. Else, one or both will be driven away from the other, like two repellent magnetic forces. Even if you never get what you want, that is better than getting the polar opposite of what you want in its place.
5. Search for meaning and beauty in the mundane
“If you want a butterfly, you got to be a butterfly.” --India Arie, “Butterfly”
Realize the lighter side of every set of circumstances. See the glass half-full. Beauty, after all, is in the eye of the beholder, so if you want the world to appear beautiful, you must first make yourself internally beautiful. If you search incessantly for flaws, you will find flaws. Likewise, if you devote your time to a quest for and exploration of truth and joy, you will unearth exactly what you seek.
Everything in existence is interesting in some sense, even the most mundane objects and ideas. Maybe they are not so familiar as they seem. Perhaps their true nature remains to be discovered, and their apparent function in your daily life is actually an illusion, or merely one segment of a much larger picture. Take the time to become fully aware of what is around you, not only to look at it. Do not just notice reality; feel it in its purest essence and with every ounce of your being.
6. Forgive everyone and everything
“To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love.
In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness.” --Robert Muller,
Assistant Secretary General and “Philosopher” of the United Nations
Revenge, as any action resulting from a desire for revenge, hurts him who harbors it more than anyone else. Let it go, and be free! Unravel all knots of the past, dissolve ill intent toward anyone and anything that has hurt you, and resolve to overcome future resentment as soon as it arises.
This is not to suggest that those who commit acts of injustice should go unpunished. They ought to be forgiven, but must also take responsibility and face the consequences of their actions. Those who mete out these consequences to those who deserve them (but will not pursue them willingly) should not take pleasure or pains in the exercise of retribution, but merely acknowledge the necessity.
7. Find good opportunities in everyday life – and seize them
“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised
as impossible situations.” --Charles R. Swindoll, American writer and clergyman
Make opportunities; don’t wait for them. Every second is a great chance; you may do anything you please with it. Why not make this day different from every other day you have ever known? Why not make it momentous and memorable? Not only will you make history and open new doors for the future, you will give yourself pleasure and build integrity in the present moment. It may be difficult at times, but it’s worth it. Take advantage when the moment is right, and don’t give up even when you’re afraid.
As a bearer of unique insight and genuine creative genius, your fate, dreams, and abilities are in your own hands. Do with them what you will, and always remember the greater purpose you have designed – or will design – for yourself. All things in life blend into it somehow, and even when you cannot see any meaning or balance, you need only seek it out before it will flow into you as naturally as a stream into an ocean. Honesty and freedom are all you need to form a perfect life, and love only to enjoy it. You were born of love, and, self willing, you will die in it as well.
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