Georgia.
This is my topic for my informational speech for Oral Communications. And not the state. Or the country. This Georgia happens to be one of the most awesome, most amazing, best friends in the entire history of the UNIVERSE!
Good thing I know a whole stupid bunch about her. This should be easy. And what's better, she is writing her speech about a topic almost as wonderful: me! We are going to have a lot of fun interviewing each other for this.
She is sitting beside me, currently reading what I am typing, but about thirty seconds ago she was working diligently, writing down random tidbits of information about yours truly. I have been doing nothing. She is very clearly a better student than I am.
Also, never google my name, because if you do, you will find out that I am dead, and I very clearly am not.
It's only first period, but this day is already looking to be better than the last!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Packing Tips from Tosh
1. Pack lightly.
You may think this is a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many people think they need eight outfits to choose from on every day of the trip. Take only what's necessary, people!
2. If you're flying, take only carry-ons.
If you can manage it, only pack a carry-on bag. It's so much easier. You don't have to worry about locating your luggage, or it getting stolen or lost. Also, it's usually cheaper!
3. Use a rolling bag.
If it's heavy and you're going to have to walk a lot, you definitely want wheels. Otherwise, you'll be cursing everyone and everything, and you'll have to get a massage and some Icy Hot for your shoulders when you get home.
4. Pack smaller items in larger items.
Small things like underwear, toothpaste, etc... Stuff them in your shoes! If your size 13 boots are taking up half of your suitcase, at least use the gigantic space inside for something!
5. Pack by size.
Put the biggest things in first, and work your way to the smallest. It's a lot easier to stuff in a few pairs of socks at the end, than a pair of pants with a 40 inch inseam. (Ryan)
6. Fold everything.
Once again, it sounds like a no-brainer, but some people actually do just throw everything in a bag and hit the road. Fold it, it saves space!
7. Organize.
Group everything together. Pants, shirts, toiletries, etc. It's easier to find things when you need them, and it uses space more efficiently than just stuffing things any and everywhere.
8. Pack one random item.
This doesn't do anything to help save space, or create organization or efficiency, but I always do this for fun. I like to have something odd with me everywhere I go. You never know when you'll need a cowbell/picture of you and your friends dressed like the Mystery Gang/bag of origami paper! (Yes, these are actual items I have packed before.)
Using all of these packing tips, you're almost guaranteed to have a better trip than the last!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Anger is Danger
So I'm a little angry. SOMEONE is ticking me off, because SOMEONE refuses to communicate with me, and I have no idea what is going on with SOMEONE. (Someone, who shall, of course, remain nameless. Calling people out, especially in blog world, is just plain rude.)
So anyway, adding to my anger are a myriad of other small things, but I realize that when a lot of little things cause slight anger at the same time... It makes your anger get bigger. I secretly get mad in band because people don't want to work. They want to be great and win lots of prizes when we go to contest, but they don't want to put in the work now, and it's irritating. Some of us really love band and want to be there. Some of us work our tails off every time we step onto the field. Some of us get passionate when we see lazy people just moaning around on the field because they're "tired' or their "arms hurt." Well I have some words of encouragement for you: Get over it.
Then when we go inside to play I get mad because it's like people went home and forgot everything we worked on in the music the day before. Really people, retain knowledge. It's not that hard. Then I get a little more mad because people can't stinking count and keep time, so we get to play with Dr. Beat the whole time. For those of you who don't know who Dr. Beat it... Count your lucky stars.
Anyway, thinking about all this anger affecting me made me think about our children's Bible Hour at my church. My brother and I, every week at Bible Hour, put on a puppet show for the kiddos, and lately we've been talking about the Sermon on the Mount. Last week's particular lesson was about when Jesus talked about anger. The teacher Ms. Kay Ann taught the little ones about how anger can be very dangerous. Sometimes when we're mad, we do or say mean things, things we wouldn't normally do. We might curse, or insult someone, even hit them. And that's where the danger comes in.
She then went on to give a visual example about how "anger" is actually contained within the word "danger" then told a story about Sally and how one day she got angry and just bubbled up and exploded (Visually explained by mixing up baking soda and vinegar in poor little Sally).
Anyway, I thought about this and I realized that if I'm going to be angry, I'm going to have to control it. Sure anger isn't bad, but if we're going to be angry, it needs to be for the right reasons. Not over stupid, petty things, or misguided madness. But control is of the utmost importance.
I realize that if I yell at my fellow band mates, they won't respect me and take my leadership position seriously. I have to be nice, kind, and gentle, and use my teenage-ness (real word?) to encourage them in a way that I know would work with me. That's the thing about teens. We're all hard-headed little buggers. I know by experience that yelling, insulting, and anger does not make teens want to work harder, it usually makes them rebel more, so I know that I am going to try to have patience with my fellow band geeks, so that hopefully we will all work hard and have a magnificent competition season!
As a little challenge, I would like to encourage anyone who happens to see this post to do the same. It's not easy, but hey, when is anything ever easy? It'll take work, but at least people will respect you more!
Ephesians 4:26 - In your anger, do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.
So anyway, adding to my anger are a myriad of other small things, but I realize that when a lot of little things cause slight anger at the same time... It makes your anger get bigger. I secretly get mad in band because people don't want to work. They want to be great and win lots of prizes when we go to contest, but they don't want to put in the work now, and it's irritating. Some of us really love band and want to be there. Some of us work our tails off every time we step onto the field. Some of us get passionate when we see lazy people just moaning around on the field because they're "tired' or their "arms hurt." Well I have some words of encouragement for you: Get over it.
Then when we go inside to play I get mad because it's like people went home and forgot everything we worked on in the music the day before. Really people, retain knowledge. It's not that hard. Then I get a little more mad because people can't stinking count and keep time, so we get to play with Dr. Beat the whole time. For those of you who don't know who Dr. Beat it... Count your lucky stars.
Anyway, thinking about all this anger affecting me made me think about our children's Bible Hour at my church. My brother and I, every week at Bible Hour, put on a puppet show for the kiddos, and lately we've been talking about the Sermon on the Mount. Last week's particular lesson was about when Jesus talked about anger. The teacher Ms. Kay Ann taught the little ones about how anger can be very dangerous. Sometimes when we're mad, we do or say mean things, things we wouldn't normally do. We might curse, or insult someone, even hit them. And that's where the danger comes in.
She then went on to give a visual example about how "anger" is actually contained within the word "danger" then told a story about Sally and how one day she got angry and just bubbled up and exploded (Visually explained by mixing up baking soda and vinegar in poor little Sally).
Anyway, I thought about this and I realized that if I'm going to be angry, I'm going to have to control it. Sure anger isn't bad, but if we're going to be angry, it needs to be for the right reasons. Not over stupid, petty things, or misguided madness. But control is of the utmost importance.
I realize that if I yell at my fellow band mates, they won't respect me and take my leadership position seriously. I have to be nice, kind, and gentle, and use my teenage-ness (real word?) to encourage them in a way that I know would work with me. That's the thing about teens. We're all hard-headed little buggers. I know by experience that yelling, insulting, and anger does not make teens want to work harder, it usually makes them rebel more, so I know that I am going to try to have patience with my fellow band geeks, so that hopefully we will all work hard and have a magnificent competition season!
As a little challenge, I would like to encourage anyone who happens to see this post to do the same. It's not easy, but hey, when is anything ever easy? It'll take work, but at least people will respect you more!
Ephesians 4:26 - In your anger, do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Struck Down, But Not Destroyed
Today I sit here, knowing that in a week I will be going to bed to rest well before the first day of my senior year of high school. And I'm terrified.
Today I sit here, knowing that in a little under two weeks, I will be watching my sister going to college, moving out of the house, away from me. And I'm crushed.
Today I sit here, knowing that in a mere year, I will be the one moving into the dorm room, registering for my first semester of classes, living on my own, responsible for myself. And I panic. My heart races, and I'm more scared than I have ever been of anything in my entire life.
Most teenagers enter their senior year unable to wait for the last bell on their last day of school. I will enter dreading the passing of each week, each day that pushes me closer to that pivotal moment in my life where I will begin to decide upon a future for myself, what will define me for the rest of my life. I will become an adult, will take on responsibility for all aspects of my life, will graduate college, get a job, get married, have children, have grandchildren. Each of these things excites me beyond belief, but equal to the excitement is a terror that freezes me on the spot, that haunts me at night, and pushes me often to tears.
In all honesty, I don't know if I can adequately put into words how I fell right about now. If you've ever heard the song O Magnum Mysterium... You know the biggest part, where it gets loud and just...amazing? It's beautiful, yet one of the saddest things I've ever heard. Well that's how I feel.
As I sat here thinking about all of this tonight and freaking out, my best friend was confiding to me about his fears as well. I tried to be as encouraging as I could, tried to hide at least the worst of my fear, for his sake. At the moment, it wasn't about me. It was about helping a friend find comfort when he didn't know where to look for it. But silently, I felt all that he was feeling. I felt worried for my friends that are leaving, scared that we would lose communication. I felt scared most of all for my sister, who I have never been apart from for more than a few days. She is the one who knows me best, who has always been a constant in my life, and now she'll just cease to be down the hall whenever I need her. I hyperventilate a little every time I think about it.
Yet as I sat here in my despair, the same friend who I originally tried to comfort became my comfort, though he probably didn't realize it. He wanted me to read a post on his new blog, and reading it... I felt a strange sense of calm. Sure I'm still deathly terrified, but I understood my future in a way I'd never looked at it well enough before.
I will not only enter my future will courage, I will charge into it with inexpressible zeal. I will learn and love and live with absolutely no regrets, because everything happens for a reason, and regrets are a waste of time. They don't strength, they don't change the past, they only look down on a time when you were living life. And isn't that the point of this journey anyway? To live life, live it for the good, and live it to get to the real Life waiting for you at the end of the journey?
And that's what I found comfort in tonight as I sat reading my best friend's post. That no matter what is thrown at me, or those around me, in this helter skelter world, the Supreme One, the Father of us all, the one whose love for us fills the sky, is watching over me and guiding my every footstep. He truly is giving me a future. And what a wonderful future it is.
So was today better than the last? You better believe it.
Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made. Were every stalk on Earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade. To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry. Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.
Today I sit here, knowing that in a little under two weeks, I will be watching my sister going to college, moving out of the house, away from me. And I'm crushed.
Today I sit here, knowing that in a mere year, I will be the one moving into the dorm room, registering for my first semester of classes, living on my own, responsible for myself. And I panic. My heart races, and I'm more scared than I have ever been of anything in my entire life.
Most teenagers enter their senior year unable to wait for the last bell on their last day of school. I will enter dreading the passing of each week, each day that pushes me closer to that pivotal moment in my life where I will begin to decide upon a future for myself, what will define me for the rest of my life. I will become an adult, will take on responsibility for all aspects of my life, will graduate college, get a job, get married, have children, have grandchildren. Each of these things excites me beyond belief, but equal to the excitement is a terror that freezes me on the spot, that haunts me at night, and pushes me often to tears.
In all honesty, I don't know if I can adequately put into words how I fell right about now. If you've ever heard the song O Magnum Mysterium... You know the biggest part, where it gets loud and just...amazing? It's beautiful, yet one of the saddest things I've ever heard. Well that's how I feel.
As I sat here thinking about all of this tonight and freaking out, my best friend was confiding to me about his fears as well. I tried to be as encouraging as I could, tried to hide at least the worst of my fear, for his sake. At the moment, it wasn't about me. It was about helping a friend find comfort when he didn't know where to look for it. But silently, I felt all that he was feeling. I felt worried for my friends that are leaving, scared that we would lose communication. I felt scared most of all for my sister, who I have never been apart from for more than a few days. She is the one who knows me best, who has always been a constant in my life, and now she'll just cease to be down the hall whenever I need her. I hyperventilate a little every time I think about it.
Yet as I sat here in my despair, the same friend who I originally tried to comfort became my comfort, though he probably didn't realize it. He wanted me to read a post on his new blog, and reading it... I felt a strange sense of calm. Sure I'm still deathly terrified, but I understood my future in a way I'd never looked at it well enough before.
I will not only enter my future will courage, I will charge into it with inexpressible zeal. I will learn and love and live with absolutely no regrets, because everything happens for a reason, and regrets are a waste of time. They don't strength, they don't change the past, they only look down on a time when you were living life. And isn't that the point of this journey anyway? To live life, live it for the good, and live it to get to the real Life waiting for you at the end of the journey?
And that's what I found comfort in tonight as I sat reading my best friend's post. That no matter what is thrown at me, or those around me, in this helter skelter world, the Supreme One, the Father of us all, the one whose love for us fills the sky, is watching over me and guiding my every footstep. He truly is giving me a future. And what a wonderful future it is.
So was today better than the last? You better believe it.
Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made. Were every stalk on Earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade. To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry. Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.
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