FREE WRITE: Um

HEY LOOK LAST BLOG OF THE YEAR.
As much as I would love to spend my last remaining brain cells on writing about the meaning of life in this blog, I would much rather take a nap. Ew I work all of next week. Ew.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

My greatest/worst memory

My greatest memories include times that I laughed the hardest, and that's sappy, so I'll get to the interesting stuff.

Ok, there are a few things I have fears of (rational or otherwise): clowns, dolls, evil clowns, evil dolls, evil clown dolls, regular clown dolls, ketchup and mayonnaise (not the condiments themselves but just the thought of/actually consuming or touching it). All of these come from various traumatic childhood memories. Because I've already listed all of them, I'm not going to go through each individual memory, because now I've lost the willpower to do so. Anyway, just know that these were my worst memories. Not fun. They haunt me to this day. 

Anti-bullying legislation

The angle of the story focused on the plight of the boy, who is a victim of bullying (because of his sexuality?). I think that the reporter was leaning more towards the boy's cause, because he or she only used quotes and evidence that victimized the boy that was bullied. I think that school definitely don't do enough to control bullying (the least that that school could have done was keep its word and suspend those kids) despite the fact that there are so many anti-bullying things at school these days. I think bullying will never go away, because it's just in human nature to shy away from things that are different from us.

If I could be any literary character, who would it be?

As much as I would love to be Katniss Everdeen or Hazel from "The Fault in Our Stars," I'd rather not suffer from PTSD or stage-four lung cancer. I would have to say I want to be Lizzie Bennett from "Pride and Prejudice," because duh. She's awesome, and she reminds me a lot of myself.

Would I rather have no school on Friday or in the Spring?

I would rather have no school on Friday, because I believe in the benefits of immediate gratification. Either way, this is a moot point, considering the fact that I have no control of the weather. Can I please go home?

How do you make others feel appreciated?

Hugs. Hugs always cure everything. Hugs make you feel special. So yeah I hug people.

What am I looking forward to next week?

I'm certainly not looking forward to working from 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Black Friday or working in general.
Not looking forward to doing all of my college apps, either.
Nor am I particularly enthused about doing homework, practicing for UIL and studying for two tests.
Basically, this is the busiest holiday week of my life.
I loathe everything.

Reading Partners

Of course students--who could be struggling in anything, not just reading--could use extra help! Should this even be a question? In the case of reading, I do think that it is an EXTREMELY important skill to know, especially because I know people who are my age that can't even pronounce basic words correctly. Honestly, I think that if we can fix this problem early, the world would be a much better, less annoying place. If people can communicate correctly, we can facilitate more intelligent conversations, and maybe even LIFE.

FREE WRITE: Busy, busy, busy me

Oh my goodness. I have never been so busy in my life! Instead of wanting to fling myself off of a ravine, though, I am strangely happy to be so needed 24/7. BUT. I have all of these people depending on me now, and I can get all of my work done IF ONLY SLEEP WASN'T NECESSARY. I keep randomly falling asleep all the time, and sometimes I sleep through my alarm (let me tell you this. It is not a fun experience). I randomly fell asleep in my math class, prompting a concerned Coach Byrd to ask if I was OK. I think he's used to me taking my "pre-homework" naps now, but this time, it was in the middle of a lesson. I only fall asleep during times that I need to pay attention. Ugh.
Anyway, I'm really happy with the success of my fundraiser/charity thing. We've raised more than $400 dollars in TWO DAYS! I say more than because I haven't asked for an update from the other contributors. It makes me so happy that so many people were immediately willing to help, and that counterbalances the few people who just sit there and say nothing (um, no Jesus points for them).
Apparently, I can't sell brownies to students anymore, you know, in case there are drugs in it (good thing my brownies are only 60% drugs) unless the fundraiser is sponsored by an organization. WHICH I am really iffy about, because I have to relinquish a little bit of control of the operation, and I want to personally oversee everything. We'll see if getting it campus-wide is going to be worth it.
I work in two hours. I also close. Poop.
YAY FOR SAVING LIVES! <3 p="">

What influences my music selections?

I would say that my mood influences my music selections the most. I usually switch between indie and mainstream pop music, depending on how mellow I'm feeling.

Why is it important to recognize holidays such as Veteran's Day?

It's important to recognize holidays with historical significance, because we have to honor the reason why they are there in the first place. For Veteran's Day, Americans definitely have to recognize the importance of those serving the country in the military.

What makes me...me?

I'm literally the most awkward person on earth, so I'm pretty sure I can claim that. My weirdness separates me from all of the other people on the planet, so there's that, too. That's pretty much it.

If I can be in any TV show, what would it be?

THE WALKING DEAD THE WALKING DEAD THE WALKING DEAD.
OH MY GOSH IF I WAS IN THE WALKING DEAD I WOULD BE THE HAPPIEST PERSON ALIVE.
I know the being chased by walkers and dying stuff would probably suck, but, you know, I'd be happy.
Ugh. I just want to know what it feels like to kill zombies. I think everyone has that dream, and if not, then everyone should.

Free Write: #teamtatted

OH MY GOD. I am turning 18 next Sunday, and I've set a tattoo appointment on the same day. I am literally dying of excitement. Clearly my life is boring if this is that life-changing for me. FOR REAL THOUGH IT'S GONNA BE SO GREAT OMG I CAN'T WAIT.

Do I prefer a routine or spontaneity?

I am definitely someone who prefers structure. It's not that I can't handle a bunch of change--I'm pretty flexible when it comes to that kind of stuff--but I would prefer that I know what's going to happen. When it comes to life in general, though, I like to go with the flow. I don't like planning every second of every day. That would freak me out even more.

What's the boldest thing I've ever done?

I went into the boys' bathroom once. And not just passing out Potty Press. It was legit at a sweet sixteen in a fancy venue. I think I was chasing someone who took my phone. He went into the bathroom, and I just ran after him and took my phone. Good thing no one else was in there. That would've been awkward.

What's the best way to cope with stress?

SLEEPING. When you're asleep, you have no conscious idea what's going on around you. I love it. I love sleeping. I wish I was asleep.

Why is bullying such a problem in today's society?

You know, is it really today's society that has the problem, or has bullying already been a thing? I think the latter. I saw this episode of "Little House on the Prairie" once, and this guy was bullying the teacher to the point where she cried and had to dismiss the class. I know. It was pretty dramatic. Bullying is a way for certain people to feel empowered and more important. They get a sick satisfaction from putting others down, but that's not something that's a product of our age; it's something rooted in the human psyche. People blame the Internet, but it doesn't cause bullying, it merely facilitates it.

What's the greatest rock band of all time?

Hello, I am not that musically aware, so how the heck am I supposed to answer this? Mr. McLellan asked me and Kaitlin the same question, and as he and Kaitlin engaged in an intense debate on musical perspectives, I was like, derrrrr I listen to indie music. I pick the Red Hot Chili Peppers because I have the song "Otherside" stuck in my head. K.

Free write

So I'm excited for this Pink Out game! Mostly because I don't need to pay for it (perks of being a media person), and also because I don't have to watch us play (and lose). I love Pink Out because I get to go all out in pink. Swag.

What makes my heart smile?

Food.
You know what doesn't make my heart smile, though? People who don't know how to shut up. HOLY CRAP. Why am I always stuck with these people in my classes? I think there's an inverse relationship with the size of their mouths and the size of their brains. OH MY GOD. On both A and B days there's a dumb white girl who spouts idiot comments out of her mouth and doesn't know when to shut up AND has the MOST annoying voice ever that just makes me want to kill myself. Can I just put them all on a floating island somewhere in the middle of a volcano? GOD. I am so annoyed.
Leave it to me to turn a cute blog into something negative.

Write "a nice note to a friend or parent"

OK. For future reference, these letter things are my least favorite blogs in the world. Just saying. Here goes nothing.
Dear Mom, please cook something delicious for dinner tonight because I am so hungry. And please buy some more almond milk. We're out, and I can't live without that stuff. Almond milk is so good. Kay bye.

FREE WRITE

Soooo life is pretty chill right now. I have a lot of stuff going on, but I feel strangely relaxed about everything. It's odd. I have a similar workload to last year, and Newspaper and Yearboook and a job and extra curricular activities on top of that, but meh. I'm doing pretty well. OK. I'm done with my blog.

Government shutting it down

Government shutdown. It was inevitable. This is the stupidest thing ever, and it is completely a partisan issue, so Americans do not deserve to feel the effects of it at all. It's frustrating to know that the country is run by people who essentially act like five year olds. I think that the only way to end the shutdown is for Republicans to back the poop down and let the bill pass. They need to know when to lose.

Would I rather be feared or respected?

Well, considering I'm not Adolf Hitler or the illuminati, I'd much rather be respected than feared. Who wants to be feared? Isn't the goal to have people not hate you? Anyway, I don't think anyone would fear me anyway, considering my size and personality. Respect? Eh. I try to give people the respect that I want in return. It usually works out.

What do I like most about myself?

I like my sense of morality. I have a really strong sense of what's right and what's wrong (especially my versions of right and wrong), and I always stick to what I believe in. Sticking to your values is the most important practice if you want to amount to anything in life.

Creationism conflict response

I think that the reporter took a very strange (at least to me) and ineffective approach in covering the story. I found it exceptionally hard to follow, as the majority of the story consisted of quotes and descriptions of what each person said and how they said it. The lede was just ridiculous and inappropriately flippant compared to the seriousness of the topic. "Big Tex" and "Tyrannosaurus Rex"? Really? At that point, I just wanted to stop reading. The writer could have also gotten the side people who were pro-creationism (if that was in there, I probably didn't notice due to the excessive ratchetness around it). The topic is pretty important, and Mark Wiggins just confused all of his readers, if he has any left after this article.

If I could wear one outfit for the rest of my life...

I would wear a strapless sweetheart dress, flats and a cardigan. This is my usual outfit anyway, and it's what I'm most comfortable wearing. I can wear it out, to school, to work, and I can just take off the cardigan for dressier occasions. It's literally perfect. I freaking love flats and strapless dresses so much, they make everything more fun. Pants are kind of constricting, so I don't like them that much. Skirts are kind annoying too because you always have to adjust them. I would be completely content with wearing my go-to outfit for the rest of my life.

Remembering 9/11

I'm really afraid of expressing my opinions about patriotism-related things because, in addition to me being extremely distrusting of the government, I'm not really from here, so I really don't know how to react when people get all gung-ho about America. And then there's 9/11. Should we remember it? Sure. We remember the Holocaust and pre-Civil War slavery all the time (i.e. 3/4 of all of my summer reading books ever). People died during 9/11, so I completely recognize that this is a deeply personal event for a lot of Americans.
But.
I have a little bit of suspicion that there was some kind of government involvement in the event. I mean, after that day, there was a face to the name of terrorism: Al Qaeda, and more specifically, Saddam Hussein. I don't mean to be all conspiracist-y and stuff, but there was some evidence that showed that some parts of the story didn't add up, like the hole in the Pentagon being too small for the plane they said crashed into, and the plane completely missing.
In a completely and unequivocally unbiased and probably extremely un-American way of thinking, wasn't the US bombing the Middle East too? I mean, they're pretty much terrorizing those people too. At the very least, it gave Al Qaeda another motive for committing that act.
So yes, we have to remember 9/11, I mean we're forced to, anyway, so we might as well think about why we remember it. To commemorate the people who died? Well yes, but people died from Hurricane Katrina, and we don't have a huge TV specials to remember that (there are some, but it's not as prevalent as 9/11). So what is it? Personally, I think it's to keep the fear of terrorism alive. Why? To make the government look good? To prepare us for some sort of bigger plan in the future? I don't know. I've definitely noticed people's diminishing emotional investment in remembering 9/11 over the years, but at the same time, there's an omnipresent atmosphere of "you better feel super patriotic on 9/11 or else you suck as an American," so no one dares says anything against it (this is why I usually stay quiet). What I can say is, 9/11 is definitely one of the main defining factors of American identity.

Who would sing my life ballad?

Adam Levine would sing my life story and express my infinite splendor in a detailed, lyrical fashion. He would then end the ballad with a touching marriage proposal in which he would go on about his burning, unending love for me. I would feign shock and then reluctantly accept his hand in marriage so that we live happily ever after and he can prove his love to me through music until the end of time. The end.

What is the most interesting thing in the news currently?

Honestly? I don't mean to sound like an ignorant consumer, but I don't think that a political rant would be very fun right now. In light of superhero day, let me just put this out into the universe: Ben Affleck CANNOT be Batman. I SHAN'T ALLOW IT. *Sigh* I can't even imagine what compelled the directors to pick Ben Affleck over Christian Bale. Christian Bale is like, half of the reason I am obsessed with Batman. This just really upsets me. Ben Affleck wishes he could pull off a toenail's amount of Christian Bale's swag. This is really annoying. I make a better Batman than Ben Affleck. My costume is awesome. I'm going to be crying on the inside when Man of Steel 2 comes out and Christian Bale's beautiful face doesn't grace the screen.

MY DREAM HOMECOMING DATE

OK. Let me just take a moment right now to appreciate the absolute perfection and magnificence of this one human being... Dave. Franco.

OH. MY. GOODNESS. I can't even begin to fathom how such a perfect male specimen can exist in the world. I would consider the entire human race to be blessed by his mere presence. 

He is just so beautiful and adorable and so perfect... I can't. 

So yes, Dave Franco would be my dream homecoming date, prom date, banquet date and just my dream lifelong partner. He can just be in the same room as me and with that one moment, I'd be set for life. 

Actually yesterday my Instagram post for #mancrushmonday was a collage of three pictures of Dave with my face photoshopped over the head of whichever girl was standing next to him. It was pretty hilarious. 

As for my realistic homecoming experience, I did get asked, but my friends and I are going to Six Flags instead because we can. 

FREE WRITE: Last blog of the year!

This is the last blog of the YEAR??? How am I going to ever live with myself? Boohoohoo.
I think this has been a really great year for me. I finally feel like I've settled well into this whole high school routine. I love all (well, most) of the classes I am in this year, I have the best set of teachers I've ever had in my young life, and I feel like I've done good this year. It wasn't anything out of the park, but I feel like it's been a peaceful journey. No important life lessons learned, no crazy memories. It was just a wonderful year to look back on and think, "Hey, I was really happy my junior year." I'm thankful for all of my teachers and friends this year, and as I prepare to become a senior, I'll definitely have to live up to what an awesome year 2012-13 has been. Peace out till next year.

Nicest thing I've ever done for someone

I don't really know. I try to be nice in general, and I hope that's enough. I like helping people in little ways, like picking up things their kids dropped to opening doors for people. I think that small stuff like that matters.

What are my thoughts on the Golden Rule?

"Treat others how you want to be treated."
I think this is absolutely true. I think that what goes around comes around, so you better put good stuff out so that good stuff will come back in.

What kind of charity would I create?

I would create a charity that helps save the rainforest because there isn't enough of those out there. I would go and educate people about easy steps to help conserve the environment. And then I would party with pandas and quokkas because that's just how we roll.

How are you going to make today a good day?

I don't know. You know what? I have an exam tomorrow morning. I'm going to get home, review, and go to sleep. Yup. For the rest of the day, I will chant "FIVE FIVE FIVE" my head.

What are some flaws in our education system?

The flaws in our education system includes the reality that the kind of learning we do at school isn't the best for everyone. I know we don't always do one method, and teachers try and do projects or watch videos and stuff, but that doesn't apply to everyone.

OK. The thing that REALLY REALLY annoys me is that teachers don't give us all the tools we need to succeed. As if it would be "too easy" for us. Isn't the point of school to LEARN things that we will need in the outside world? And less broadly, TO PASS TESTS. 

It really freaking pisses me off how my AP teachers give me all of these charts and cheat sheets at the END of the year when we're about to need it the most, and NOT when it was the middle of the year and I was struggling with the exact same thing on tests as we were learning them. WHAT THE FRICK. And I asked one of my teachers "Wow. Where were these when I was failing those daily grades?" I MEAN WE NEVER LEARNED THEM AND NOW WE GET THIS MAGICAL LIST. She just said that we would depend on that list and not really learn on our own. 

So she's afraid of us gaining knowledge in a short amount of time? Wow. That would be awful if students gained knowledge and got 100s on all of their tests. IT'S NOT LIKE THAT'S WHAT THE SCHOOL WANTS FOR THEIR STUDENTS OR ANYTHING.

And I don't freaking understand why I need to be at school for at least 12 years of my life. Back in the Philippines, my cousins that are 2 years younger than I am are already in college. And they are geniuses. OK AMERICA, KEEPING YOUR CHILDREN IN SCHOOL FOR A LONG TIME TAKING EASY CLASSES AREN'T GOING TO MAKE THEM ANY SMARTER. If anything, it'll make them dumber and lazy. Is that what this country wants? 

Honestly, in some of the classes I'm in, I just feel stupid. Throughout my high school life, I've had some really crappy teachers who are just there for God knows what reason, who do not help their students in any way either because they're too arrogant or don't know anything. 

I know there are always going to be teachers that you don't like, and that's something that you just have to deal with, but does it HAVE to be that way? Can't schools--schools that have reputations and morals to uphold and want their students to succeed--I don't know, HIRE DECENT TEACHERS? Not just decent teachers, but GOOD teachers. Teachers that will motivate students and teach them the subject WELL. 

Now we move on to the actual teaching process. Let me explain this very clearly.

YOU CANNOT JUST GIVE A STUDENT A TEXTBOOK AND NOTES, MAKE THEM MEMORIZE AND KNOW THINGS, AND TEST THEM ON CONCEPTUAL USAGES. IF YOU'RE GOING TO HARDWIRE STUDENTS' BRAINS TO MEMORIZE TERMS, YOU CAN'T JUST SPRING UP "HOW DO YOU USE THIS IN A REAL LIFE SITUATION"; WE DO NOT WORK THAT WAY. 

And isn't that the point of school anyway? To teach young minds the skills that they're going to need in real life? I mean, give students a little help here! It's like, giving Bear Grylls a knife and dropping him in the middle of nowhere and expect him to survive. Sure, there are those Bear Gryllses that will survive in this type of environment, but you know what? AMERICA ISN'T MADE UP OF FREAKING BEAR GRYLLS. IT'S MADE OF STUPID PEOPLE AND AVERAGE PEOPLE AND RELATIVELY SMART PEOPLE. AND THEN THERE ARE THE BEAR GRYLLSES. AND MOST OF THEM ARE ASIAN AND INDIAN, AKA NOT BORN IN THE USA. 

And this is why China beats us every time.

I'm freaking pissed off now, so I'm going to end here.

City or country life?

I'm all about that city life. I like how people think in the city, but I like how they live in the country. But if I really had to choose, I'd live in the city, because I'm Asian, and they probably wouldn't accept me in the country. And I like humans as opposed to no humans.

Miranda rights

I have to say, this is a tough one. As important as it is to be consistent with the law, this bomber just might be notorious enough to be an exception.
I think they should be allowed to use what he said -- maybe just this once -- but then that brings up the question of how far does one have to go to have their Miranda rights postponed?
I find this all very confusing, and the conspiracy theories are not helping me at all, but I think that the evidence should be enough to prove that this guy is really the bomber (at least, I hope it is).

Would I rather fight one horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?

FREE WRITE: Sad things are happening in the world

I really don't understand WHY ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. It makes me so upset to think that people in this world could harbor enough hate within themselves to take the lives of innocent people. It is the most despicable thing in the world, to take a life. It requires someone to be so far gone from humanity to take the life of another. And why are all of these incidents happening at the same time? First there were the shootings. The theater shooter and the Sandy Hook tragedy AND amid the chaos, there was that gun scare in Frisco. Now there are the explosions, intended or unintended. The Boston bombing... How? Why? WHYYY? An innocent child was killed! People literally had their limbs blown off! UGGHH. Some people are really cruel and heartless. I don't even know... And, like, ONE day later, a fertilizer plant blows up. Poor people... I don't know if these events are coincidentally similar and close in proximity, or if the Universe is trying to send us some kind of message...

Define peace

Peace is an acquisition of balance and a contentment with what is. I think that this definition applies to more than one entity being in peace with each other as well as being in peace with oneself. Things don't always have to be resolved for one to have peace. There can be issues, differences and imbalance - things that occur beyond out control - but it takes one's own willpower to find peace, I think. Peace is living in a state of acceptance of and contentment with what was, what is and what is to come.

Why are some stories in the media more exploited than others?

The government is trying to sway the population's opinion in a certain way, that's why. Like the flu. Remember how when the flu came around, it was like, the biggest deal ever? They talked about all of these statistics, like how many people died of the flu. I mean, it's awful that someone lost their life, but seriously? What kind of person dies from the FLU? I even remember that my priest mentioned it before mass started. He said it was OK if we were uncomfortable with shaking hands because the flu was coming around. So when that got everyone in a panic, the news was like, "Never fear! The flu vaccines are here!" And everyone was all lined up at CVS to get their arms impaled with needles. The point is, pharmaceutical companies thrive that time of the year. They feed off of peoples fears and make those fears up in the first place. Nobody needs freaking antibiotics to combat the flu. If you're not dumb enough to die from it, it will go away naturally as long as you take care of yourself. Those huge pharmaceutical companies basically run America, and they use the media to take people's money.
Another example is the whole gun control issue. I think that the school shootings just happened a little too conveniently timed. This was, in my opinion, covered more extensively because of the Democratic gun control policy. I'm not saying that they faked the entire Sandy Hook incident - although that theory is certainly out there - but there's something to be said about the sudden appearances of other shooting incidences that happened around the tragedy.
In conclusion, the government and large companies have the power to sway the media in their favor. They cover up certain things and blow other things out of proportion to hide the truth from people and get people talking about other things.

If I audition for "The Voice" what would I sing and why?

I would never, ever, ever subject myself to that kind of torture/humiliation in the first place, so idea of this question is invalid. My voice sucks booties. Anyway, I would sing "Stay" by Rihanna because  looooove that song so much. Have you seen the music video for that song? She's in a bathtub, like, 95% of the entire video. And the other guy just stands around the bathtub the other 5% of the time. Don't worry, she's not in the tub anymore when he's there. BUT WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN???

What would I do if I could spend a day with my favorite celebrity?

OMG PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET ME SPEND EVEN ONE SECOND WITH NORMAN REEDUS. He plays Daryl Dixon on The Walking Dead, the most awesome, amazing fantastic character ever to exist in the entire universe. I WOULD LITERALLY DIE. UGH UGH UGH. The season finale just premiered a few weeks back, and season 4 won't be on until October... I have no idea how I'm going to spend the rest of my Sunday nights until then. DUUUUUDE. Norman is the coolest, most hipster guy ever. You know he's one of those cool hipster types because he doesn't call himself or anything else "hipster", he just is. Anyway, this blog makes no sense to anyone who doesn't watch TWD, but for real, if they ever kill off Daryl in the show, I will cry until the end of time.
LOL I never answered the question because I was busy expressing my love. Yeah, we would definitely go crossbow target shooting for hours and then eat some gelato and then buy a cat together and name it "Lil' A**kicker" (TWD reference). And then we'd get a dog and name it T-Dog (another one). He'd sign all of my pieces of paper and follow me on Instagram and take many, many pictures with me. AND THEN WE'D BE BEST FRIENDS AND WE'LL END UP HANGING OUT ON THE WEEKENDS. OMG I LOVE HIM SO MUCH I CAN'T EVEN...

FREE WRITE: What if technology went away

What if, right now, technology just went away? I would love to see what would happen. There would be no more texting, social media or anything. Just life. Oh my goodness. I know I'n in Newspaper and I own a phone, but I would not mind having a day to just enjoy the world around me. I do that anyway with technology, but the people around me always seem to constantly be on their phones, checking what's going on in other people's lives. Do you know what happens when you're on your phone? Life happens. I find it so rude when people are on their phones while I'm talking to them, or when we're in the middle of something or hanging out. Does life not offer enough satisfaction anymore? Do we constantly have to be checking updates of other people's lives? Is the only way to partake in the human experience through a tiny screen? There are three dimensions of experience waiting to happen, and we have five senses to experience them. Technology satiates the visual appetite but makes the soul grow cold. We will eventually grow numb to the visual appeals, which constantly try and become bigger and better, and hopefully then, people will look for something more substantial, something technology cannot offer.

Do you consider yourself a non-confrontational person?

I am a non-conflict kind of person, and I really don't want people to have a reason to not like me for something I do wrong... Unless they don't like me for me, then they really suck as human beings and they're going to have to live without my glorious presence for the rest of their lives. I feel sorry for them. If someone is hurting my feelings, I'll stop and think a second, do some research to make sure he or she is not just having a bad day, and if things are still blah after a while, I will probably enter confrontation mode. By that, I don't mean like b-slapping someone silly, but just like stern talk. This is a very mundane blog post that probably applies to everyone besides those people who actually like b-slapping people silly. I'm out.

Write a thank you note to someone who has impacted my life

Dear Carlos,
Thank you for sharing a blanket with me on Saturday night when it was really cold at Sky Ranch. I really don't know why it was 30 degrees in late March. I only knew you for about 3 hours, but when we rapped "Thrift Shop" together while shivering in that fuzzy blanket, I knew we would be best friends for the rest of our lives. Or maybe not, because I don't even know how to contact you. You're funny, though. You should keep making jokes. Alright.

Love, Bianca (AKA "Blanket Buddy")

If today was my last day on earth, how would I spend it?

If today was my last day, I would have a party with my best friends, and then we would probably cry. THIS IS LIKE THE MOST DEPRESSING BLOG EVER. I really don't know what I would do. OK now I'm sad.

What will the world be like in 100 years?

In 100 years, the world will really, really suck. I'm not really the glass-half-empty kind of girl, but the way things are going right now, I think the world is going to get SO much worse in every aspect. Environmentally, we all know that's going to crap. People are going to have their petty wars with big guns, and a bunch of people are going to die, and it's going to suck. Nuclear wars, nuclear waste, consumerism, all of that... it's going to consume the world. We will be the cause of our own destruction.

The last thing I enjoyed learning in school

I liked learning photography techniques in PJI because while I don't remember what "aperture" is, I do remember a lot of photography techniques that will help me for the rest of my photography "career". I've been able to take one really cool photos because of that class, so thank you, Ms. B, for the gift of camera knowledge.

HAIKU (Bless you)

Monday is like death.

Silent. Slow. Immutable.

Just kidding; It's fine.

What shoe describes me?

Ballet flats, period. I wear them all the time, and I feel like they conform to my feet the best compared to other shoes. And plus, ballet flats have the cutest name. OH, and you can have different designs and bows and stuff. I can't believe I'm analyzing a shoe right now. So anyway, ballet flats. Cool.

What role should the government play in people's lives?

Well. Clearly this is the question which answer is open to discussion, to put it lightly. Generally, Republicans are for little government interference while the Democrats are all about federal intervention. In short, the government is supposed to do whatever it takes to keep its people safe. It's a good idea, but if you think about it (which is the government's job), what does that even mean? Safe from terrorist attacks? OK, that makes sense, but how? By amping up national security? By waging war there before it happens here? Or should the people not even know about any threat going on? What even defines "safe"?
I personally do not know the answer to this blog question, because it's all indefinite. If you're asking me if I think the government is doing a good job protecting its people, I'll give you my definition of "safety" and give you a definite "no."

FREE WRITE: I'm on my bed

So I'm starting early on my blog today, because one, I grasp the concept of Free Write Fridays, and two, I'm going to be pretty busy with my stuff tomorrow.
Alas, here I am, on my fluffy pink bed, waiting for inspiration to hit me.
Ouch. I think that was inspiration.
So for the past couple of weeks, I have been really struggling to get my act together (as it sometimes happens to happen), and I think it's because I am experiencing a dearth of... self satisfaction, I guess.
I just have this feeling that I am so inadequate all the time like I'm never going to amount to anything and I will always be average. I know how depressing this sounds (my reality is pretty depressing), but I feel like I fail to achieve anything I try. As a result, I am afraid to try new things or give something my all for fear of rejection and failure. What a sucky attitude I have, huh? You'd think that this would make me reach higher and try harder for my goals, but...
Wait. That actually sounds like a good plan. Why am I not doing that?
If I think about this logically...
1.) It boosts morale and self-confidence to have a positive attitude.
2.) It will strengthen my character in the long run.
3.) I might actually succeed if I keep trying.
4.) The worst that can happen is that I fail. Haven't I already been there before? Better to fail with a good attitude.
I think I just gave myself a way out of this slump (this needs to stop happening for real). I think the butt-shaped dent on my bed just deepened. Maybe I'm gaining weight.

Anyone reading would have just witnessed a lonely conversation I just had with myself. To me, it's just another day in my brain. Complicated. Unedited. Random as $#!*% (pancakes).

FREE WRITE: Zombie apocalypse

I DON'T MEAN TO BE A FEAR MONGERER BY TYPING IN ALL CAPS, BUT I THINK THAT THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE IS A PLAUSIBLE FATE FOR THE WORLD. I'm literally obsessed with "The Walking Dead" (even though I've only seen an episode, but I know the whole story), and ever since that life-changing day, I've had the most irrational fear of zombies. I used to think that there was absolutely no way that zombies could exist, but now that I think about it, is it really that improbable? Cell regeneration? They could use that on dead people's brains and the next thing you know, we'll have brainless corpses running all over the world... For real, that is the scariest way to die ever. Getting bitten by a zombie is not something I will be looking forward to. For now, I will just be content with being safe behind the glass wall that separates me from the walker extras on "The Walking Dead".

What is the purpose of government?

The purpose of the government is to serve and protect the people by any means necessary. That's where the specificity stops. The means of carrying out that first sentence is up for interpretation. Should the federal government be involved in people's lives? To what degree should they be involved? How much should they leave us alone? What is considered immoral? Not only does the government have the duty to serve and protect the people, it also has to answer all of those questions and act in a way that best serves the people. The government has a very taxing, complicated job.

What color describes my life?

I would describe my life as rainbow colored because I'm colorful and unique like that. I mean rainbow as in different colors separated into equal segments. I like a balanced life, but that doesn't always happen. I think everyone is equal. I think everyone should let their true colors shine, saturated and unadulterated. So rainbows.

An anchor introduction for my life

"Hello everyone, my name is Bianca. You might know me for saving the rainforest and single-handedly solving the global warming issue." So that was my introduction.

My favorite thing about life

The thing I love most about life is not knowing. I like not knowing what I don't know. Mystery keeps life interesting, and when I do know what I don't know, I like speculating about the truth. You know what else I don't know? I don't know what to say next.

How important is winning in life?

WINNING IS EVERYTHING.
I'm just kidding.
It's a perk that comes with being amazing like I am.
Winning isn't the important part - it's getting what you deserve for the work that you put in. That's why you do your best so that you see where you stand. If you win, that's great. If you don't, then whatever.

Why do people care about the Super Bowl commercials?

I think the Super Bowl viewers that aren't die hard football fans are probably watching for the commercials. If the "entertainment" they attain from watching sweaty athletes run into each other doesn't satisfy, then the commercials will probably make up for it. They're pretty funny.

FREE WRITE: Yeah

Hi. I really don't have anything to say right now. There is nothing going on in my brain that is worthy to blog about. OH. I got a Ruzzle! It's this word search app that is extremely addicting. So far, I have played like 100 games and I have only been beaten once. It was by 16 points, OK? I'm done.

What's your biggest comfort in life?

My biggest comfort in life is when I have no grades below an 85. Also I am comforted when my friends and I are on good terms. The same goes with my parents. So yes, my comforts relate to my school performance and relations to people I think are important.

How does advertisement affect my daily life?

Every day I am bombarded with advertisements telling me what to wear, what to eat, and basically how to live my life. I, personally, acknowledge ads for their creativity and entertainment value rather than the product they are selling. I'll buy what I want when I need it. OK? They need to pipe the heck down. Unless Ellen is advertising it. Then I'll get it in a heartbeat.

Movie Title

If my life needed a movie title, I would call it "Death by Degrees" because I am dying incrementally. I hate school, and I'm failing life. My life is a struggle.

Has my opinion of Lance Armstrong changed?

My opinion has definitely changed; I feel cheated. Well, I'm not very emotionally attached to this guy or his accomplishments, but I'm sure many Americans are upset by this turnout because a lot of people saw him as this heroic figure. It really is upsetting to be disillusioned about something like that - something people take so personally like overcoming hardship. Especially something as impactful as cancer. People are very moved by this subject and have looked up to Armstrong for that kind of strength. It's just such a shame.

If I could give one gift to the world, what would it be and why?

UM, I AM A GIFT TO THE WORLD.
Just kidding.
For real though, I would save the rainforest OK.

Talent show!

OK OK OK OK OK OK I'm really excited for the Talent Show. Forreal.
We're doing this song, and it's really awesome, and it sounds really cool, and I'm excited.
OMGGG. We were just rehearsing in Choir last period, and we worked out this thing, and I don't really want to say yet because I think it's a surprise, but whatever it sounds really cool and the arrangement is cool.
No diggity.

If I was a professional wrestler, what would my ring name be and why?

If I was a professional wrestler, I would quit my job because that's dangerous. My ring name would be the "The Ghostly Galloper" because I would never show up to any matches. And I'd ride horses. I really do not like this blog topic. Wrestling is fake anyway.

Do I make New Year's resolutions?

I guess, in a way, everyone does. I mean, it's a new year! Everyone has to think something along the lines of "This year is going to be better than last year."I make personal resolutions pretty much all the time, but that doesn't mean I follow them. The reason I make them, no matter how pointless they might seem, is that they keep me optimistic. When I make resolutions, I acknowledge the fact that I am not perfect and that there is always room for improvement within any area of myself. This fact keeps me going because I know that things are always going to get better.
For 2013 in particular, I want to try and eliminate desire from my heart, because when you want nothing, you always get more than what you ask for, and then everything good becomes a blessing.