Revolving Doors: The Dizziest Problem In America

Revolving doors are really dangerous. This is just occurring to me. The standard door model that we have today is perfectly fine. Wooden. Sturdy. Standard. A good door. But no. People have to complicate things with glass, metal, and spinning. It's crazy.

First of all, why would we ever want a door made of glass. Is it necessary to see through the door? No, we have windows. Windows are a perfect opportunity to view the outside world through and yet we have implemented glass in our doors. I find this to be an unnecessary danger that puts millions of people at risk for no good reason.

Also, the very basis of a revolving door is that it is revolving. It literally spins around and around. We've all seen small children running around and around inside of these death machines and in several instances that were actually caught on tape, the glass broke. This would never happen in a million years with our standard doors because they are safe and practical. However, the novelty of the revolving door has us all at risk.

Yet another risk of the revolving of revolving doors is what happens when things get caught in them. Sure, things can get caught between regular doors and door frames but revolving doors increase the likelihood of this by a minimum of four times. Because these doors are constantly moving, if you don't get out of the way soon enough you run the risk of getting bumped by the glass pane behind you and thrown into the side of the frame. Oh, and who can forget what happens if you step into the same space of a revolving door as somebody else. They're constantly stepping on your heels and there is no where near enough space for the both of you. You both end up ramming into the front and back glass panes and both come out distraught and confused.

Additionally, although it isn't a terribly great deal, you can't even slam a revolving door. Let's say you have a ferocious argument with the receptionist in the lobby of the headquarters of a large law firm. You end up having to be told to leave and when you walk out, the sound that follows you is the swishing of the rubber or the floor beneath the revolving door panes against the ground. Without the slam, they will never know how truly upset you were and your point is made ever so much weaker.

Basically, we just need to eliminate all revolving doors. First, we can start in our communities. Neighboring towns will catch on and soon enough, the nation, someday the world, will the revolving door free.

Music

I'm incredibly jealous of anybody who can write or play great music. Music is literally on of my favorite things in this world and the people who make it I envy. I so wish that I too could be able to compose a great symphony or at least play the guitar.

Music is one of the most central things to people because it is able to evoke emotions like nothing else. It's strange how something like sounds is able to create such an emotional response from people. Forget lyrics for a second, because instrumentals, too, have a great capacity to change our moods. Take for example movies. Without the background music, who knows if films like Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter would have been as gripping without the great soundtracks to support what was happening on screen. It adds such a powerful element to film that could never be replaced by anything in comparison.

Although lyrics aren't central to the music they do add a nice touch. If the instrumental of a song was the cake, then the lyrics are the frosting and the candles. Sometimes I'm not even listening to the literal meaning of the lyrics so much as I am to the sound of the singers voice. Sometimes the voice just compliments the piece nicely enough and if I don't want to put effort into actually hearing what they have to say I don't really have to. But, when the lyrics are actually very good, it's like the difference between an A and an A+. When I am not only pleased by the song ascetically because it's general sound is nice but when the lyrics have a deeper meaning... it's just great.

But what I feel most strongly about is my desire to be able to create music like this. I'm no great musician myself, although I can play the piano marginally well from my six or so years of lessons. But to be an incredibly talented, creative musician would be amazing, I would imagine anyway. If I get this much joy out of listening to music, imagine what it would be like to play it? I can only speculate that the sense of self-worth and blissfulness would be out of this world. 

That is why I want to be a great musician. Not for the fame or recognition it might bring, but just for the simple face that I had the ability to create great music. Of course, I'm talking about my definition of great music but I know a lot of people that share my tastes so I feel confident that there would be an audience for me if I were good enough. I want to be a great musician so that I could see the reactions of people who heard what I could create and for the feeling of performing a beautiful song on stage. Unfortunately, this dream will never be realized, but its always nice to think "what if?"

To be a Kid

The other night, when I went upstairs for dinner, I saw that my brother and sister were watching The Lion King. When I grabbed my plate, I walked straight over to the couch and watched the last half with them. I was entranced the whole time, in a lighthearted way. The whole time I was watching I couldn't help but feeling like a kid again. And that made me feel happy.

It's funny how one movie or TV show or memory of childhood can bring you back to those days and make you feel young again (not that I'm not young but let's just go with it for lack of a better phrase). It's like those Saturday mornings when I wake up, grab a bowl of cereal and watch an hour of Spongebob. Now, granted Spongebob has definitely began to decline, but it still nonetheless brings me back to a simpler time. I believe that many of us have such fond memories of childhood because we were so care-free. As a kid, we had no responsibilities. The closest thing to an obligation that I had was one to have fun and play all day long because that seems to be what I did everyday. Some might say that we had school, but school was hardly school. It was more or less on big play date five days of the week where we met new friends. Back then, I looked forward to school.

When I reflect on my elementary school days with friends, we always have a great, happy nostalgic conversation. All of the antics that we had keep us entertained still, today. We have so many stories from our childhood that I always look forward to anytime that we may spring up a conversation about Mrs. Colliers music class or the gym city game we played in P.E. But, as I've already said, we were only able to have all this fun because we had nothing else to do. No hours of homework when we got home or grueling tests when we were at school, just fun. 

Any time that I can remind myself of those care-free days is a good time. I can always hold on to a memory and let it take me to a less stressful time where I can enjoy remembering what it was like to not have any restrictions or responsibilities. Unfortunately, I have to come back down to reality at some point and when I do, well, it sucks. I hope that someday I can attain that sort of freedom that I had when I was a child because there is nothing like the feeling of not caring. Not in a cruel sense, but in the sense that all I worried about was what was happening in the moment, and really nothing else.  

Those Meddling Kids

High schoolers smoke pot. There. I said it. I have come to learn that there is a widespread use of marijuana accross our student body and have been somewhat surpised by just how many kids do it. I'm not going to make this a political debate about the legalization of marijuana or the ethical question of whether or not teenagers should be smoking but rather a criticism of the pothead culture.

*I should add that by this point in my blogging I must sound like a cynical asshole but I only do this because it helps me write more fluently when I'm attacking something:)

Let's start with the pothead stories. Surely you must know what I'm talking about; the crazy tales of weekends past where everybody was "baked" and of all of the mischeif that they got into. I can honestly guarantee that if you stand near the junior corner of our foyer you will overhear one of these douchebag storytelling sessions a majority of the time. I'm not saying that it's bad to reminisce but when you talk about what happened when you smoked last night every day at school it's just plain excessive. At this point, I feel like when I'm talking to these kids I can't get two words in without them interjecting about

The worst part about the pothead culture is that they think that it's such an edgy and cool thing to do that it eventually defines them. They buy Bob Marley shirts and ear buds (hahaha buds...get it?) and tweet Wiz Khalifa lyrics constantly. Every faction of their life revolves around pot. And if they are ever criticized about it they immediately jump to how such and such a study has proven that cannabis is a harmless substance. If anything, that just supports my argument. They can't blame weed for being addicting, otherwise they'd be shooting themselves in the foot, and so they have only themselves to blame for this overdone pothead lifestyle. They chose this, and for that I can't stand them.

One more quick thing I'd like to cover that directly relates that last sentiment is about the PUFF PUFF PASS shirts. I understand that this is old news and even Mrs. Asmussen has covered the topic but my opinion is so pertinent I feel that the world needs to know. Aaaaaaaanywho, what the hell were they thinking. I had to be the responsible adult but honestly that shit was just stupid. It definitely directly violates school dress code policy so they can't even argue against that. Also, what message were they trying to send with this shirt? "We're seniors, we smoke pot because we just don't give a f*ck and we're so hardcore." Great. I immediatly think less of you.

Well it seems as though that is all I have to say on the matter. And for all of you kids out there, just remember what happened to all of the cocky high schoolers that got carried away and smoked way too much pot; they all turned out to be giant douches. The end.

The Procrastinator

This past week we have been talking a lot about education in AP Lang. We've read essays, posted on forums, and have had in class discussions where we analyzed the readings and came up with possible solutions for our current system. While we were having one of our in class discussions the point was brought up that sometimes kids put off homework or don't do it all together because of all the distractions they are presented with. Between T.V. and texting, why would kids ever want to do homework?

Personally, I have much experience with this dilema, as I attempt to finish all of my blogs while watching Zombieland. There is so much going on anymore outside of school that kids, with their limited attention spans as it is, have trouble staying focused on homework. I constantly see tweets about procrastinating and not wanting to do homework and sometimes I'm the one tweeting. 

My suggestion is that our schools start assigning far less homework and, to balance that, implement more in class learning, even if it takes lengthening the school day. We may not even have to make the day that much longer if our teachers can more effectively use time in class. I'm not saying that all of my teachers constantly waste time in class but I'm also not saying that every minute is used to it's fullest. With more effective time use in school and more learning taking place in the classroom I believe that not only will teachers be able to assign less homework but that the students will learn the material better. If there are no extraneous to divert the students' attention they should be much better able to focus on the material being taught.

Of course, this is only a concept and there are still a lot of kinks to be worked out. Even if this isn't the perfect solution, I still firmly believe that if we can somehow eliminate distractions in the learning environment, our education system would benefit greatly.

Super Awesome Crazy Amazing Title because I'm tired and lazy

The culture of this new digital age sucks. I’m willing to just flat out say it: I HATE MY GENERATION. It’s not to say that there aren’t people I enjoy such as the friends that I have chosen but the mainstream pop culture of this time is just plain irritating.

I don’t mean to come of as some kind of cool, hipster, “don’t-care-attitude,” douche but it is certainly going to sound that way. I also understand that I have somewhat mentioned this subject already in a previous post but I’ve decided to elaborate on it. Mainly because I have a terrible case of writer’s block at the moment :D. Aaaanywho, it’s not just one particular thing about this time that we live in that upsets me, but more of a conglomerate. A conglomerate of everything that defines it.

To begin, I should first discuss technology. We all know that technology has allowed our species to make great strides in the last century, making more progress than ever. It’s not that I am against the change that has taken place. I totally support the interconnectedness that has resulted from the media and the internet, but the things that are in the media and on the internet are what upset me. It’s not so much the technology that has done the wrong doing, but what fills the technology.

Our culture today is engulfed by the “music” of pop stars, the greed and weed of young rappers who are still hung up on the prospect of “money and hoes,” and the glamorous party lifestyle that of our beloved celebs. Even worse are the people that follow this in the media and try to live this way themselves. Now, not only is all of this blasphemy all over the web, but it follows me into the real world. This is not okay. I know that I really don’t have anywhere to go with any of this but sometimes it just feels good to put down your thoughts and vent a little.

Since I’ve started writing, I’ve cooled down some and I can truthfully say that I don’t exactly hate EVERYTHING about this generation. There are still plenty of movies, shows, and music that I enjoy, but the poor taste of the masses always shines through. It’s just disappointing to me, how people could like such stupid things.

I know it’s hopeless, but I sometimes wonder what it would be like to live in a different period. No, not like medieval times, but back in, let’s say, the 60’s when life was simpler and you could just be a happy little hippie with your peace medallion and VW Vanagon. I probably sound like an unthankful brat, but it’s true. Life today is filled with so many distractions I wouldn’t mind a break from my iPod, my Android, my MacBook, and all of those other material things. Sometimes I wish I could live…. IN ANOTHER GENERATION. *screen fades to black

The Purple Terror

This past week we had picture day at Kennedy High School and it was on track to be like every other picture day I had had before, except this would be my last. Not to say that picture day has always been some monumental event for me each year, but nevertheless I felt the need to make my last one special and create a memory that I could carry with me. Innocently enough, a friend and I decided we would buy a purple sweater, a turtleneck, to wear in our photos. We thought that this would be a simple way to remember our final photo day and how we were wrong.

As I said, this all began with only a friend and myself buying a sweater but we decided that it would be even better if more people wore it throughout the day. What ended up taking place was that somebody would take the sweater to the 1st hour pictures, pass it around, then during passing time someone that had 2nd hour pictures would do the same and so on and so forth. Easy enough, right? Well, apparently as the day wore on the beautiful picture people became more and more agitated with our "shenanigans" and told each person with the sweater to take it off. Eventually our administration became involved with the sweater censorship and it was all made out to be a much bigger ordeal that it really was.

Honestly, I wasn't surprised. I kind of figured that somebody wouldn't be too happy with our little game but they really didn't have much ground to stand on. We were wearing a SWEATER so it's not as if the clothing article was revealing in any way, shape or form. There was no provocative phrase or explicit message on the sweater. Perhaps the photo people felt disrespected because they are professionals and we were making fun of their position. But, even if that's the case, you can't come into a high school expecting total maturity. I don't care if it's expected because in reality teenagers are infamous their stunning lack of judgement and poor decision making skills.

This post is a message for all of the fun-killing adults out there who live their lives solely for the prospect of ruining any fun situation that the youth may be engaging in. Sometimes, you just need to let some things go. Where a spaghetti strap tube top that reveals six inches of cleavage and a pair of ass-less chaps may not be acceptable for a school picture, a purple sweater is. Maybe I'm not being clear... All that I am saying is that you, the fun-killers, need to learn is to pick your battles. Try to understand what is and is not a cause for panic and some overboard reaction. It seems as though this year the fun-killers won, but we will have to wait and see what happens next year, when senior pictures are added to the yearbook by submission...0.o 

No Bumpers Attatched

Today was the Christmas party for my mom's work. It was very nice and very organized with a buffet and even Santa was there. This whole thing was held at a bowling alley and the lanes were divided between bumper lanes and regular lanes where the bumpers were down and the gutters were exposed. Naturally, the younger kids were the ones who filled the bumper lanes, throwing balls that would bounce from one side to the other until they would eventually hit the pins. Now, my brother and sister are 7 and 9, both old enough to not need bumpers and yet they were throwing a tantrum the entire time because we had gotten a lane without them. Both of them rolled multiple gutter balls and by the end of the game we were all at ends and decided to head home.

On the ride home I was thinking about how ridiculous it was that my siblings were so upset about not being able to have bumpers. They really didn't need them and their last few sets/rounds/turns, or whatever the hell term it is in bowling, were actually pretty good. From there I got to thinking about how coddled our kids are 'these days.' It feels anymore that there are so many things set up in place to shelter our youth from the dangers of the outside world that they're never going to grow up. I know this may seem a little extreme, saying as bumpers at a bowling alley is what triggered this whole thought process, but I firmly believe that we need to gradually corrupt our children, rather than throw them blindly into the real world.

While my thoughts are already wandering, I'd like to tie something else into my whole theme of corruption and evils of the world. Just as something to think about, if our founding fathers that built this country knew what free speech would evolve into and how people would use it to spread sex, drugs, and alcohol into and throughout pop culture, do you think they would have approved of this? Do you think they would have maybe made any stipulations that restricted some of these negative messages? I'm not saying that I think that we shouldn't have absolute free speech but with that hypothetical in mind, what is your opinion? Should there be at least SOME rules? Unfortunately this is just the way that our culture has turned out so I'm stuck hating the mainstream and trying to avoid becoming a hipster doofus.

What's on Your Noggin'?

It's that time of year again. People have had their lights up for weeks and it is finally appropriate. Personally, I love Christmas time. I won't pretend to be incredibly religious but there's just something about the Christmas spirit that brightens my mood. Carolers, family time, the whole lot is just great. Of course we enjoy the presents and the cheer, but let's get down to what makes this season great. That beverage that we wait the other eleven months of the year for: eggnog.

When I was young, rather than spending my afternoons at a school daycare, I would stay at my aunt and uncles house until my parents got off work. There I would do my homework, play with legos, and help my uncle with things out in the yard. While I was there, I also gained significant influence from them as well. My uncle would always tell me his war stories from Korea and my aunt would teach my good manners and they greatly helped me become who I am today. It was also with my aunt Melinda and uncle Mike that I grew to love eggnog. Specifically, it was my uncles adoration of eggnog that originally sparked my interest in it.

What I first drank at my aunt and uncles that Christmas season was traditional, non-alcoholic A&E eggnog. Since then that is the only way I can stand to have it. It's not even that I'm close-minded because  I have tried it all. From low-fat to no-fat and I've even experimented between brands but nothing is the same. I guess it's just the fond childhood memories that I can "relive" through drinking good old-fashioned, classic A&E eggnog and why change something that has been successful, yet pricey, in years past.

Every holiday season since I have discovered it, I have always made a point to drink as much eggnog as I can until the stores take it off the shelves. Not only does it taste great and ranks as one of my favorite drinks of all, but it has a kind of sentimental value that completes my holiday season. I hope that the masses of you that are reading this blog have a wonderful, safe holiday season and drink plenty of nog. God bless us, every one!

Grebin' Out

Made up words have historically always been the best words. Their origins come from all kinds of places whether it be pop culture, the current slang of a generation, or just a word that you thought sounded funny. Regardless, made up words are a great way to spice up your conversations and have fun while you talk! The best part is, these new words never stop coming and on that note I would like to introduce the world of blogger to the latest and greatest imaginary word: grebe.

Grebe, not to be confused with the waterfowl, came about when some of my friends were brainstorming new words to act as insults. Several others came up aswell, lugman, magoomba, jagaloon, and each with their own infliction but grebe stood out by far as the best. Our band of extraordinary word-makers has revolutionized slang with grebe and I would like to keep you ahead of the curve. You're welcome.

At this point, you may be asking yourself, "If this is the next big thing, how can I stay hip if I don't know how to use 'grebe' appropriately in context?" Don't fret audience, for I have all of the answers. Grebe is not nearly as complex or overwhelming of a term as it seems, in fact it's fairly easy to use. As I have mentioned previously, grebe originated when my pals were attempting to come up with new insults, therefore grebe came about to be a derogetory term. Although it can be used as just a general insult, there are several key behaviors the invoke the use of "grebe."

The first and, in my opinion, most fitting behavior that is deserving of grebe is when somebody is overreacting or freaking out. Let's say, hypothetically, that you're riding in a friends car and you change the radio station. For whatever reason, this invokes a reaction from the friend and they throw a tantrum about how they liked the song that was playing. In circumstances such as these, it is completely acceptable to say that your friend is a grebe or that s/he is "grebing out."

Other situations in which the use of grebe is a fitting are the following:

• when a person is being obnoxious or annoying
• when somebody is acting strange or weird
• if somebody dresses in an unusual manner ("He looks like a grebe in those slacks")
• a substitute for an actual profanity, assuming that the profane word was used as a noun to label the individual (What a jack@$$ -> What a grebe)

With the history and context explained, you are now ready to effectively use grebe. Not only is it a fun word to say but grebe will more than likely throw off your opponent as many do not know what it means   at this point. Feel free to use it in your everyday speech and don't be afraid to make up words and insults of your own. Thanks for listening, grebes.