99 Random Questions Tag

Here are my answers to the 99 random questions tag. I just wanted you all to be able to get to know me better. Some of the questions were changed to be more appropriate.

QUESTIONS: 

1:Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? Closed
2:Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel? No
3:Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? I never sleep tucked in
4:Have you ever stolen a street sign before? Um...no
5:Do you like to use post-it notes? Occasionally 
6:Do you cut out coupons but then never use them? I don't cut them out to begin with. 
7:Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees? a bear, bees are vicious
8:Do you have freckles? no
9:Do you always smile for pictures? No. 
10:What is your biggest pet peeve? when people are conceited
11:Do you ever count your steps when you walk? Sometimes
12:Have you ever peed in the woods? yes
13:What about pooped in the woods? Can't say I have. 
14:Do you ever dance even if there's no music playing? I don't dance even if there is music playing
15:Do you chew your pens and pencils? Nope 
16:How many times have you lied this week? I hope I haven't.
17:What size is your bed? a lousy small one
18:What is your Song of the week? "Same Love" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
19:Is it okay for guys to wear pink? Absolutely
20:Do you still watch cartoons? Of course. 
21:Whats your least favorite movie? I hate Star Wars movies. 
22:Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some? In a cemetery.  
23:What do you drink with dinner? Water
24:What do you dip a chicken nugget in? sweet and sour 
25:What is your favorite food? I love pizza and wings
26:What movies could you watch over and over and still love? Lifted, the best movie EVER!
27:Last person you texted? My friend Paige
28:Were you ever a boy/girl scout? Proud to say not.
29:Would you ever take on an embarrassing dare. I like to take an occasional risk. 
30:When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper? In like 3rd grade.
31:Can you change the oil on a car? It might take me a while, but yes.
32:Ever gotten a speeding ticket? Maybe once I get my license.
33:Ever ran out of gas? Nope
34:Favorite kind of sandwich? PB&J all the way!
35:Best thing to eat for breakfast? Breakfast pizza 
36:What is your usual bedtime? 3:00 AM 
37:Are you lazy? Extremely
38:When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween? I always dressed up as a serial killer 
39:What is your Chinese astrological sign? I'm a rabbit. 
40:How many languages can you speak? 4 I speak English, Je parle francais, Hablo espanol, Parlo poco italiano
41:Do you have any magazine subscriptions? No, But I want one for Country Weekly.
42:Which are better legos or lincoln logs? Legos.
43:Are you stubborn? Very
44:Who is better...Leno or Letterman? Kimmel beats them both!
45:Ever watch soap operas? Never
46:Are you afraid of heights? No
47:Do you sing in the car? No
48:Do you sing in the shower? All the time!
49:Do you dance in the car? Nope
50:Ever used a gun? No, and I don't plan on it. 
51:Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? School picture day? 
52:Do you think musicals are cheesy? They are cheesy, but that doesn't mean I can't like them...
53:Is Christmas stressful? Not for me
54:Ever eat a pierogi? Who hasn't?
55:Favorite type of fruit pie? I'm caught between apple and blueberry. 
56:Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? a teacher 
57:Do you believe in ghosts? I don't necessarily believe in them, but I do think it is possible
58:Ever have a Deja-vu feeling? I get them all the time
59:Take a vitamin daily? I used to take Flintstones Gummies, when I was like 6.  
60:Wear slippers? No
61:Wear a bath robe? No
62:What do you wear to bed? Shorts and a t-shirt
63:First concert? Thriving Ivory at Darien Lake
64:Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart? Target
65:Nike or Adidas? Nike
66:Cheetos Or Fritos? Cheetos
67:Peanuts or Sunflower seeds? Ranch flavored sunflower seeds
68:Ever hear of the group Tres Bien? Very good, but no! 
69:Ever take dance lessons? No 
70:Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing? Maybe a doctor, idk... 
71:Can you curl your tongue? Nope
72:Ever won a spelling bee? Sadly, no. 
73:Have you ever cried because you were so happy? Yes, but I most of the time when I cry I am sad.
74:Own any record albums? No
75:Own a record player? Nope
76:Regularly burn incense? No
77:Ever been in love? I have loved somebody, and I still kinda do
78:What concerts do you want to see? Taylor Swift or The Band Perry (who are 30 minutes away from my house)
79:What was the last concert you saw? Thriving Ivory...my first and last unfortunately 
80:Hot tea or cold tea? Hot
81:Tea or coffee? Coffee 
82:Sugar or snickerdoodles? Snickerdoodles. 
83:Can you swim well? I can doggy paddle pretty good.....
84:Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? No
85:Are you patient? Recently, not so much
86:DJ or band, at a wedding? A band
87:Ever won a contest? Yes, I won a signed Mitch Albom book and a signed Henningsen's t-shirt.
88:Ever have plastic surgery? No, and I don't plan on it. 
89:Which are better black or green olives? Neither
90:Can you knit or crochet? Crochet, No way! 
91:Best room for a fireplace? A fireplace makes any room better 
92:Do you want to get married? Yes
93:If married, how long have you been married? I'm not married. 
94:Who was your HS crush? Do I really have to answer this...
95:Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way? Usually not
96:Do you have kids? Nope
97:Do you want kids? Yes, I want to be just like Angelina Jolie
98:Whats your favorite color? My favorite is blue, but recently I have started liking pink, purple, green, and yellow.
99:Do you miss anyone right now? Sadly, yes.

Singing Social Commentary

For an English blog, we were asked to find a song that demonstrated social commentary and write a little bit about it. I chose the song "Whiskey Lullaby" by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss. You can check out my English blog post here:
http://brandonblogsyou.edublogs.org/2013/09/28/authors-purpose/

This English assignment has inspired me to do a blog post with my own little twist. I wanted to share 10 songs that address social commentary, explain what is being addressed and why, and share the actual song. This will let you know what kind of music I like, and allow you to create your own opinions of these songs.

1. "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People- This song is about a kid who finds a gun in his dad's closet and decides to turn into a rebel. He wants to shoot anybody he finds with nice shoes. This could address the fact that kid are becoming violent. It could also imply that the kid is poor, considering he wants to shoot anyone who has nice shoes.

2."Where Were You" by Alan Jackson- This song is meant to remind people about the tragedy of 9/11. The fact that people aren't acknowledging that 9/11 happened is almost as bad as the events that occurred on that day. Alan Jackson is taking a numb topic and making it easier to talk about. He is also trying to make the world a better place by spreading a peaceful message.

3. "Bleed Red" by Ronnie Dunn- This song has a great meaning behind it. It is opening us up to the idea that people are people. We should not judge people because of who they are, because at the end of the day, we all bleed red. We have to live in this world together, so we might as well just get along.

4. "Home" by Dierks Bentley- This song brings to your attention the fact that most people don't appreciate where they come from. America is one of the greatest countries in the world. Yes we have our problems, but we have more freedom than most other countries. The fact that America has been forged into one of the world's greatest nations in about 200 years is something that people need to respect. 

5. "Lips of an Angel" by Hinder- This song is about how marriage and love are not taken seriously anymore. It's mainly about men who have a hard time being faithful to their wives. This is a big problem in today's society, considering all of the people who are getting divorces.

6. "I'm Gonna Love You Through It" by Martina McBride  

7. "Skin" by Rascal Flatts- Both of these songs are about how cancer is effecting our society. The song "Skin" is about a young girl who develops cancer. The song goes through her radiation treatments and about her hair falling out. The Martina McBride song is about a mom who develops breast cancer, and how her family is always going to be there for her. Both if these songs show the struggle that cancer can truly cause.

8. "Alyssa Lies" by Jason Michael Carroll  

9. "Concrete Angel" by Martina McBride- Both of these songs are about how child abuse is effecting our society in an extremely negative way. In "Alyssa Lies", a girl becomes friends with a little girl named Alyssa who gets beaten at home. When the girl tries to tell her dad, he kind of brushes it off. By the time that he reports it, it is too late. Alyssa "lies" with Jesus. In  "Concrete Angel", a cherub comes to console a young girl who gets beaten by her alcoholic mother. At the end, the girl ends up dying and goes to play with the other kids who died from child abuse. The video really brings your attention to how big of an issue this really is.

10. "Same Love" by Macklemore- This song is about how human right's need to be given in this country, more specifically gay rights. This is a major issue that keeps coming up in the news. And basically, homosexuals do not have any rights because all of the conservative Christians have a problem with it. Gays can argue that this is unconstitutional, Christians argue it is immoral. The fact that it is even an issue bothers me. This song is used in an attempt to wake people up from all of the brainwashing that Christians have caused. It's 2013, this should not be an issue anymore!

I hope you enjoyed what I had to say. I had originally chosen around fifty songs, but these ten made the cut. It was really hard to choose, because there are just so many songs with social commentary. My teacher Mrs. Jenkins has really opened up my eyes with this assignment, and I have seen so many problems in society. It is sad that we have these problems, but I am thankful for a teacher who has inspired me to look deeper into such a vague topic. It is amazing how much your opinions can change when you have a deeper understanding about things.

God Hates the Westboro Baptist Church

I really wanted to save this topic for a segment of "Outrage", but that one word does not even begin to compare to some of the other words that come to mind when I think Westboro Baptist. For those of you who don't know, The Westboro Baptist "Church" is a hate cult that has been a problem in our society for decades. They pray for more dead soldiers, picket soldier funerals, say that "faggots" are going to hell, and picket concerts. They spread their hate everyday, and nobody can stop them. I guess people are going to have to die before the government does anything about it. In my opinion, the KKK are ten times more peaceful than the WBC. The WBC suggests that the death penalty should be in place for anybody who does not believe that homosexuality is an abomination. They have made their way into two aspects of my life; my love for country music, and my belief in human rights. They have called my favorite singer, Taylor Swift, "the whoreish face of this doomed nation." They have even picketed a Vince Gill concert, and are planning to picket a Blake Shelton concert on October 3rd. Below are some pictures of their "kind" words!

These are just small examples of their hateful messages. It would not surprise me if people committed suicide over these harsh words. And insulting my role models is just one thing. They said that the Sandy Hook victims were proof of God's wrath. When children die, yes I have a problem with these hateful messages. And saying that soldiers die for gay marriage, they are full of "bull" for a more appropriate term. Human rights are human rights, and people do not need to die for them. I can honestly say that I HATE these people. I could care less if their church got bombed with all of them in it. I would probably sleep better at night knowing that things can get better.The only good thing that has come out of this so far is the Equality House.

The Equality house was purchased and painted this color to support equality for gay people. I know that homosexuality has been in a lot of my more recent blogs, but I am a huge human rights activist. Seeing people like WBC makes me want to put more good in the world, even if that means them being put out of the world. I can say that one of my biggest goals in life is to be able to picket Fred Phelps funeral. 

Outrage 1- War on Gay Teens

I have decided to add a new segment to my blog in which I talk about an issue in the news that simply infuriates me. This segment will be called Outrage, and I hope to do it every Tuesday.

"In Michele Bachmann's home district, evangelicals have created an extreme anti-gay climate. After a rash of suicides, the kids are fighting back"

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/one-towns-war-on-gay-teens-20120202#ixzz2fqfwbO1m 

If you didn't read the article, it is about yet another teen suicide caused by bullying for being gay. This suicide really gets to me, because there were many opportunities to prevent it. The school district refused to discuss the issue due to the school's decision to remain neutral on any discussions about homosexuality. Conservative Christians in the area, who believe homosexuality is an "abomination" have protested any gay discussions in schools. They have even gone as far as to protest any gay on campus groups for being "sex clubs". Two teen girls, Sam and Brittany, get called "fat dykes" and "whores" and the school does absolutely nothing about it. Not showing any signs of depression, Sam was never expected to be suicidal. Brittany heard news of Sam contemplating suicide, but brushed it off. After realizing that it could be serious, she told her mom. But it was too late. Sam had shot herself in the bathtub with a hunting rifle. Stories like this absolutely infuriate me. It is sickening that these so-called "Christians" would go so low as to promote an anti-gay culture. These people are almost as bad as the Westboro Baptist Church. It makes me furious that the school district was too scared to do anything about it. A two page anti-bully policy that they were too afraid to follow. And the fact that the bullies get absolutely nothing. You can see why I hate religion. When you are causing people to die, you are not a religion, you are a cult. Events like this just make you wish that everyone could just get along. Christians say they want this more than anyone, but yet they make it so difficult to achieve. I am a very accepting person, and proud to say so. People are people, and yet we are all different. Uniqueness isn't a bad thing. If we could all just learn to accept everyone, and give everyone a hug, a high five, or a compliment, this world would be such a better place!  

Some of My Favorite Movies

After posting my favorite TV shows, I felt like another good post would be about my favorite movies. I will try to include a summary, a brief explanation of why I like them, and a movie trailer.

Lifted- The movie Lifted has to be my number one favorite movie of all time. Lifted is about the life of a talented young singer, Henry Matthews, whose dad (a mechanic named William Matthews) was deployed to Afghanistan after being in the Reserves. His mother (Lisa Matthews) was a recovering drug addict, and Henry has to deal with bullying at school because of this. Henry becomes friends with a pastor of a local Baptist church who persuades him to enter an Alabama singing contest. William made a promise to his son that he would be at his competition, a promise that would not be broken. I love this movie because of how uplifting it is. It gives me a truly new perspective on life. I have seen it at least 20 times in the past year. I would recommend this movie to anybody. I don't care who you are, anybody with compassion is going to cry after seeing this movie. 

The Laramie Project- On October 6, 1998, in Laramie, Wyoming, Matthew Shepard, a gay 21 year-old, was tied to a fence on the outskirts of town and beaten savagely. Left to die by the two men who kidnapped him and also robbed him. Matthew died six days later in a coma in a hospital surrounded by family and friends. During the time while in coma and months following his death, a massive uprising for gay rights and non-discrimination acts rose in Matthew’s name. The gay community rose up to make this accident known to all of us. As some chose to protest and others chose publicly speak of their view on Matthew’s death, a theater project decided to delve in a little deeper and chose to spread their view with actions rather than words. I like this movie because of the fact that it is nonfiction. After watching this movie on a friend's recommendation, I have changed all my views on being judgmental. This movie as sad as it may be, has made me face reality and learn to respect other people no matter what kind of life they lead. 

Little Nicky- When somebody's mother is an angel and his father is the devil, life can be really confusing. For a sweet boy like Little Nicky, it just got a whole lot worse. His two evil brothers Adrian and Cassius have just escaped from Hell and are wreaking havoc on an unsuspecting earth. His dad is disintegrating and it's up to Nicky to save him and all of a humanity by midnight before one of his brothers becomes the new Satan. Little Nicky has to be one of my favorite comedies. The fun play that it presents between Heaven and Hell makes the plot pure genius. Overall, even though it is an older movie, it will still make you laugh your socks off.

Bridegroom- The movie Bridegroom has to be my favorite documentary that I have ever seen. The story is unfortunately based on a true story, a tragic love story in which a man has a horrific fall from a four story building, leaving his boyfriend of six years to fend for himself. The man who died is portrayed as a guardian over his boyfriend, and it shows the struggles that were faced after his death. The story line goes back and forth between the two families, adding to the effect of the story. Definitely a tearjerker, but it also portrays a sense of hope for the LGBT community. 

Prayers for Bobby- This movie has to be my favorite LGBT movie, based on a true story. It is about a young boy who faces the challenges of coming out and being accepted by a Conservative Christian family. His family thinks that his "sin" is a "disease" that only God can cure. Many of the ideas expressed by the family will make you angry at what some people think is acceptable. Many times I wanted to punch the TV, I was getting so angry. The real uplifting part of the movie is towards the ending when the mother realizes that she was wrong, but she can't change what she has done. The only thing she can do is help anyone else who is struggling, in memory of her son. Tissues are recommended if you plan on watching this movie. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower-As I mentioned, Lifted being my favorite movie, this movie has to be my second favorite. This movie shows the benefits of being different. It is really a coming of age movie, which reminds me of the book Catcher in the Rye. This movie is drama filled for anyone who is interested in that sort of movie, but the message is very uplifting. One of my favorite quotes from this movies is "We accept the love we think we deserve." Showing the ups and downs of high school, it shows the common cliche that love conquers all things. And that individuality is a key element of success. Honestly, words don't do the movie justice, you have to watch it for yourself to reap the reward of inspiration. Again, you might need to have tissues handy when you watch this movie. 

More Sad News

Last week, I found out that one of my best friends could be moving to Louisiana. Being "only" 1300 miles away from Pennsylvania, they only way to talk is through social media, or Skype. This whole experience is making me realize how much I take for granted. Just a few days earlier, I was being pretty rude to this friend. Now I might not be able to see him again. He has a month left to find out for sure, and you better believe I am going to spend as much time with him as I can. Time flies by, and I want to make it count. Although I can't take back some of the things I said, I can always apologize and make the most of this whole experience. I have never had a problem where my best friend has moved away, and I am not sure how to deal with it. I can only hope that things work out, and worst case scenario, I at least get to say what I want before it is too late.

Hall Decorating

For the past few days, I have been staying after school to decorate the hallways for Spirit Week, and Homecoming. Our theme is Sweet 16, which is a great play on words considering we are the Class of 2016. Plus, we are all celebrating our 16th birthdays this year. Anyhow, our hallway was filled with sweet things. We had Candy Cane Lane, Chocolate Avenue, and Sweet Street. Chocolate Avenue included some of our best decorations including a chocolate fountain and a giant Hershey bar. There was also a tin foil Hershey Kiss for each student. The only competition we have are the Seniors, who did an alley way theme. Their hallway was good, but I really think we are going to win. We all did an amazing job.

My Religion

My religion is a topic I don't like to discuss in great detail, because of all the controversy it can cause. But today I decided that I need to explain to people why I feel the way that I do. I challenge Christians to read what I have to say, but don't leave any harsh comments. I am going to try to keep things peaceful. To start off, I am an Atheist. I used to go to church every Sunday from 5-13 years old, and during that time, I never even looked in a Bible. At 13, I stopped going to church after I realized that I am an atheist and don't believe in god. Today, at 15 years old, for the past week, I couldn't take my face out of the Bible. I know it sounds weird, but I am trying to find as many of the mistakes in it as I can. In Bible times, people believed that the Earth was flat, that the Earth was created before the Sun, and that the Moon is a source of light. Today, science has proved that none of these are true. Still, these views are more logical than what Christians today believe. Christians today believe in talking animals, a boat big enough to hold 2 of every animal, magical trees, water turned to wine, water being walked on, and 5000 people being fed by five loaves of bread and two fish. You can see why I have my doubts. But now, to get to the fun part of my rant. Let's start by talking about prayer. Why do people pray? God has a plan for all of us, so why ask more of him. Is God's divine plan not good enough for you? And why aren't you going out and actually doing something good for the world? Kids are starving in Africa, and you are praying because you think you have it so rough. Next point, the Bible. As I mentioned, it is full of flaws. If it is the "word of God" than why is it limited to what people knew 2000 years ago. You wouldn't expect God's "Holy Word" to have these limits. My next point is heaven. In heaven, there is no sin, no lust, only love for God. Who really wants to go? I like to swear, and I like to find people attractive. Why would I want to spend eternity worshiping someone who has done absolutely nothing for me. And Hell, was designed by God to punish his children for their sins. So why do we have free will? The only thing we get in return is an eternity in a pit of fire. Next, why does god test us if he is all-knowing? It's pointless to make someone live a life when you know if they are going to succeed or fail, he has a pointless job. Why put your children through a lifetime of misery, for no reason? That doesn't sound like something a loving God would do. Next, let's talk about Christians. A majority of them are the biggest hypocrites you can ever find. When it comes to sins, they never confess them, always commit them, and every Sunday they preach against them. They ignore the Bible entirely. They say to hate the sin, not the sinner, yet they condemn and judge people on a daily basis. Church turned from the house of god, to the house of gossip. People go to church to talk about how everyone else is failing at life, just to make them feel better about themselves. Last point, were we made in God's image? If so, why are there gays, thieves, drug addicts, liars, and murderers? If we were made in the image of a perfect being, then why are we so flawed? In my opinion, god created man, and man created sin, so ultimately, god was the one who created sin. Christians won't agree with this, considering that god is so perfect in their eyes. Truth be told, if god is real, then he is more flawed then any man on earth, because god created man, and all of our imperfections. If god wanted a sin free world, you think his all-powerful hands could zap one into existence, without failing. You can see why I have every reason to question God's existence. The biggest reason I am an atheist is a lack of proof. I will end by saying that I will never believe in god. I will never be satisfied with that sort of lifestyle. As long as I live a rewarding life, then who cares. If there is a god, then he should be proud that in spite of what others say, I stand firm in what I believe in. In my eyes their are good Christians, and even bad atheist, people are people and can be good or bad no matter what they believe. Christians preach their beliefs every Sunday, and I am here to post mine. I am not here to try and convert people to atheism, I can only hope that this will give you something to think about.

Some of My Favorite TV Shows

Bones- My favorite TV series of all time has to be Bones. I watched all seven seasons on Netflix in only a month. I watched all of season 8 on illegal video sharing websites. And now, I am watching season 9 on Fox every Monday.Unlike most shows on TV, Bones has an amazing, well developed story line that goes along with it. I think that this is what makes Bones unique as compared to other shows. And aside from that, the characters are very easy to fall in love with. I can't wait to see what the new season has in store.

The Glades- Another one of my favorite TV shows is The Glades. There is really only one reason I fell in love with this show is, and that is Uriah Shelton. Uriah is an actor who plays in one of my all time favorite movies. When I heard that he was going to play in a new TV crime series, I was very intrigued to check it out. Now, having watched all three seasons of The Glades, I am in complete awe. I am super excited to see what it coming in season 4.

Psych- The reason that I found Psych was a complete accident. I was browsing Netflix simply looking for a new show to watch. Psych looked interesting on the USA commercials, but I never actually watched it. After the first episode, I felt very compelled to keep on watching. Only having watched like 10 episodes, I feel that Psych will give me something to watch for the next few weeks.

Jeopardy- I have loved Jeopardy from a very young age. Game shows in general have made up a huge part of my TV diet considering I live with my grandparents. But Jeopardy has never caused me any agony watching, because I have always loved trivia. Even at a young age, I enjoyed outsmarting everyone in the house.

NCIS- The show NCIS was introduced to me by my grandpa, and there is really one reason that I keep on watching, and that is....Abby! Although everyone on the cast of NCIS really adds to the quality of the show, Pauley Perrette makes an absolutely amazing character. NCIS would not be the same without Abby. She is the main reason I watch the show.

The Finder- Watching The Finder was also no accident. The characters on this show have guest starred in many episodes of Bones. The show overall looked interesting, so I decided to give it a shot. Luckily I did, because this show had some guest appearances from the cast of Bones. Even though there has only been one season, I have no doubt in this show's success, and I am ready to see what else they have to offer.

Knight Rider- Being a popular 80's show doesn't keep this one off my list. Knight Rider was back when David Hasselhoff was a good actor. And the technology for that time period was pretty awesome. The only other show I can think of that is similar is Airwolf. The story lines for Knight Rider are all the same, but still worth watching, thanks to Kitt. Without Kitt, I probably would have given up on the show quite honestly.

Glee- Glee has to be one of my all time favorite TV shows at the moment. After watching all of the episodes released, and downloading all of my favorite soundtracks, I can't emphasize how much I love this show. It has just the right amount of drama, and is kept balanced with all the happy, cheerful songs. It definitely is a way to keep my mind off of things, and just enjoy music.

We Will Never Forget

Twelve years ago today, our nation became the victim of a terroristic attack. September 11, 2011, four planes were hijacked. Two planes hit the World Trade Center, one plane hit the Pentagon, and one plane landed in a field in Pennsylvania. No matter how many years pass, this attack left a huge negative impact on the United States, and we will never forget it. Many people died that day, civilians and rescue workers.

Changes

Recently, I have noticed a bunch of changes I have made in my life. Over the past few years, I have noticed myself converting from Christianity to Atheism. And along with this change, I have seen myself becoming a much better person. I am much nicer to people since I changed. Yeah, granted I joke around with people a lot, I am never really "mean" to them. I have also noticed myself becoming more accepting of people. Black, Chinese, Christian, Muslim, Gay...I don't really care. All of the judgmental things that I used to say about people are ancient history. Along with my better attitude, I am also performing better in school. My grades keep on getting higher as school goes on. My work ethic has increased ten fold. And overall, the nicer I am, the better I feel about myself.

Phone Call for Matt Daly

As I mentioned in my last post, I have a little obsession with Matt Daly. Recently, I got to have a phone conversation with him. He was hosting a radio show for his college in Michigan, and I "happened" to tune in online. Being the determined person that I am, I kept calling for an hour until I actually got to talk to Matt. We talked about a couple rock songs they were playing on the station, and I jokingly asked him if the Arctic Monkeys could beat bipolarbananas in a fight (The Arctic Monkeys are a band and bipolarbananas is Matt's Youtube name). He said that the Arctic Monkeys could use their freezing powers to beat him in a fight. I don't know why but this made me laugh. He thanked me for calling him and did a shout out to me on the radio show. Honestly, this day could not have been any better!

My Youtube Obsession

Something that has come over me recently is my never ending obsession with Youtube. Social media is getting old, and Youtube is a great way for me to keep myself entertained. It has also "answered" a lot of questions I have had about life. Some of my favorite Youtubers are Matt Daly, Alex Daquin, Matthew Lush, Joey Graceffa, Shane Dawson, and Michael Rizzi. Not only do their videos give me a good laugh, but they truly make me feel better when I am in a downer mood. Youtube has become a great part of my life, and I never plan on losing it.

Country Must be Country Wide

Today, I felt like I needed to express my passion for country music. Country music has been in my life even before I was born. My dad used to sing and play guitar to my mom's stomach when she was pregnant with me. I grew up listening to Alan Jackson, George Strait, and Tim McGraw. Then I became a fan of Kenny Chesney, Trace Adkins, Blake Shelton, and Taylor Swift. Today, I enjoy listening to Luke Bryan, Brantley Gilbert, The Band Perry, Carrie Underwood, and many other country artist. Music in general has always been a big part of me. I do like country, but I also like 2000's and pop. Hopefully music will continue to be something I can turn to, when nobody else is there.

Mitch Calling

As I mentioned in my previous post, I recently received a signed copy of Mitch Albom's new book. Not yet having completed the book, I still felt compelled to write about how great of a book it truly is. First of all, Mitch is such a dynamic author. All of his books can be used to relate emotionally to the reader, whether they are fiction or nonfiction. A great nonfiction example being his best-selling book Tuesdays with Morrie. My favorite, most memorable quote up to this point is, "You might think a person who brings proof of heaven would always be embraced. But even in the presence of a miracle, the human heart will say, why not me." This quote really touches me because of how true it really is. You would expect people to be joyous over such a miracle, but no matter what, there is always a person who's jealousy exceeds their joy. The more I read, the more I fall in love with this book!

Luck of the Irish

Although I am not an Irish person, I consider myself rather lucky with certain things. First thing is money. In the last year, I have been able to turn $11 into $550 without any work whatsoever. Second thing is contests. In the past four months, I have won an autographed t-shirt by my favorite band, and the first publicly released copy of "The First Phone Call from Heaven", signed by Mitch Albom. Not to mention how lucky my class was, being able to video chat with Mitch Albom. Even though the events that occur in my life are usually negative, it's the little things that I find myself lucky with. And those little things add up. Sometimes they are the only things that keep me going.

My Worst Day

September 4, 2006- It's the day of my dad's funeral. And I feel like it is the worst day of my life. But really, the worst day of my life is seven years later, September 4, 2013. Granted, seven years ago I had to see and hear things that I was not ready to face. I was legitimately traumatized by some of the things I had to experience. But none of this compares to the news I got on this day, this year. This news is all too common, when it shouldn't be. I got news that yet another student at Sayre High School has lost a parent. To me, any Sayre student, or child for that matter, who loses a parent is forced to face something they simply should not have to live with. I have seen cancer, car accidents, and murders. Truly awful ways for kids to see their parents die. I feel that no child deserves this, and the only thing I can do when I hear these stories is cry. I cry for the people who probably have no clue who I am. But I cry in empathy. I know what they are going through, and I know how bad it is. I will do everything I possibly can to help these people out.

When I Grow Up

When I get older, there is no doubt that I want to be a teacher. Previously I have considered being a 6th grade math teacher, inspired by Mrs. Hall. I have also considered algebra, geometry, biology, chemistry, and English somewhere along the line. No matter how many different positions I consider, the fact that I want to teach has not changed. I have spent most of my life in school, and it is the only place I ever want to be. Being able to enhance someone else's knowledge, as well as help them in any way needed, has always been something I have wanted to do. There is no better job out there for me, and personally, I really don't want any other job!

My Least Favorite Part of High School

My least favorite of school is without a doubt, mornings. Mornings always know how to get the better of me, no matter how much coffee I drink. If school could start at like 10:00, I would feel so much better. To be honest, I am more of a night owl than anything. My "bedtime" on a good night is 2:30 am. Mornings are a never ending battle for me, that I am going to have to conquer eventually.

My Favorite Parts of High School

My favorite parts of school are the freedom, the bonding, and the sociability. The freedom however comes with a price. We are free to make our own decisions, granted we make good choices. These freedoms could just as easily be taken away from us if we make stupid decisions. Next, is the relationships that students form with their teachers. At this point, teacher's aren't just teachers. They are advisers, coaches, and in many cases, your friends. I feel that I could talk to any of my teachers on a personal level without school interfering. Lastly, the sociability in school allows you to make and interact with friends. I honestly would be so lonely if I didn't have my friends from school. Overall, these are the reasons why I actually like going to school.