Month: April 2011

Driving: I can drive.

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Thumbs Up

So far I have gradually been progressing through the processes of learning to drive. Ok I may have been a bit slow but I really am starting to get there and accomplish something.

The last few times I haven’t even stalled, and using the clutch has become second nature to me. Don’t get me wrong I still make mistakes but that’s only natural, I mean my Mum is 43 and she still makes mistakes on a weekly basis.

Seeing my improvement my dad gave me the task of driving to LAX to greet my Sister and Nan at the airport. Little did he know what he had let himself in for.

No I was not a dreadful driver, in fact I did pretty well. Apart from stalling twice at the end of my road I successfully completed the journey in one piece.

Ok I must admit that I did struggle with staying in a straight line a couple of times, but thankfully under the watchful gaze of my father I managed to master the steering.

After completing the journey to LAX successfully, I now believe I am entitled to say, I can drive.

Red Over Blue

therightliberal1 Comment

In the “blind draw,” Manchester united selected Chelsea as their opponents in the Champions League. Today was the first of two games for a place in the semi finals.

Manchester United got off to a great start with a beautiful goal from Wayne Rooney. Carrick hit a great ball to Giggs who took a great touch and hit it to Rooney who finished it nicely.

Wayne Rooney scores the opening goal against Chelsea

That goal gave United a 1-0 victory. The game was at Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea, so winning the game for United was a big deal.

In the Champions League, an away goal counts as two goals if the team to advance has to be decided by number of goals. Not only is that a factor, but for United, playing at home is easier than having to travel in to the den of their enemies (shocking).

United have a very tough schedule ahead of them due to the fact that they are still in three tournaments. They have to play games for the FA Cup, the Premier League and the Champions League.

The face Manchester City in the FA Cup and Chelsea one more time next week for the Champions League. Adding to that are games every weekend against strong opponents who look to keep United from winning their 19th League title.

I look forward to the rest of the (so far very good) season.

Prom

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Tomorrow night I will be somewhere in Ventura living out the last hurrah of my senior year.

I honestly cannot wait. We’ve waited four years to finally have a dance dedicated to us and not have to ride on the bus to the site and back.

The juniors have spent weeks planning this event for us and have really tried to make us happy. I can’t see a reason why it wouldn’t be enjoyable.

It has all built up till the final moment. As seniors, it is out opportunity to enjoy what has been planned for us and to share the experience with others. We should honestly just have a good time and forget that some of us don’t get along.

I propose that tomorrow, we leave all of our preconceived assumption about prom and all our negativity behind. Let’s enjoy our last prom with class, please. It’d be lovely to thoroughly enjoy this moment.

I went on an adventure which took me from Ojai to Topanga and everywhere between. One of my best friends prom dress never came in the mail, so with my aunts help, we spent seven and a half hours in search of the perfect dress. It’s people like us that actually care about prom, where as most don’t. It’s supposed to be a memorable experience that is shared between classmates, and our adventure today really reminded me of that.

We are one class, sharing one experience that will forever be remembered. Let’s make it the best we can.

Nerd Rant.

theycallmedame1 Comment

I’m totally bias.
100% bias.
For realz, yo.

Before I start this, I must let something out to some of those curious readers out there: I am a nerd. But no! Not just any nerd. I am the worst type of nerd.

I am a Harry Potter nerd.

NOW THAT THAT’S OUT OF THE WAY!
*ahem*

Dear Stephanie Meyer,

He’ll always be Cedric Diggory to me.

You may have created Edward Cullen with his sparkly sparkles of sparkliness and his lurking on a girl way to young for him (pedophilia, much?) and I KNOW you didn’t specifically ask for Robert Pattinson to play Edward Cullen, but really.

I mean, he went from “Hey Harry, I know we’re totally supposed to be rivals ’cause we’re in this life-threatening tournament of doom and evil-doers but I still think you’re pretty great so I’m gonna let you in on some secrets and totally save your life so you can be at least somewhat prepared for the tasks ahead of as, and hey, you know what? Let’s just win this tournament together, I mean we’re from the same school we could totally just do this for Hogwarts and be the BEST THINGS EVER! And, oh wait, I’m just gonna go die, but don’t worry, I’ll become a ghost for a couple of seconds, and I forgive you for surviving and letting me die and all that jazz, just take me back to my dad, it’s chill.”

TO

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Glenn Beck, the Anti-Elitist.

smackyjackjack1 Comment

America, we will remember this day. Write it down, Wednesday, April 6th, 2011. This is the day that America’s greatest idiot finally got his  show taken off the air. Glenn Beck has finally been removed from television.

Let’s look back at one of Beck’s blunders.

Glenn Beck is the moronic dunce that cries at the drop of a hat. Beck once cried when he was grossly misinformed about the happenings at the Boston harbor on December 16th, 1773. Beck was under the impression that the “patriotic” American colonists were symbolically  protesting the “elitist” British Government’s rise on taxes. Beck also believed that the British were comparable to the modern day Liberals.

Ok, where to begin? First of all, Mr. Beck, the colonists were not protesting the British taxes as much as they were protesting the monopoly the British had given to the East India Trading Company. Secondly, the Liberals of today are raising taxes to lift the USofA out of it’s trillions of dollars of debt (thank you Reagan). The British were heavily taxing paper, and other miniscule things. For you, Mr. Beck, to even attempt to compare the poor governing of the British in the 18th century to Obama and those Liberal elitists, is so ridiculous, that it baffles me to think that you have your own show. Oh, I’m sorry, HAD your own show. Even the corporate giant FOX News has realized how stupid you are.

Finally, I would just like to point out the irony that you are being fired for not knowing how to perform your job well enough, when you constantly call out elitists.  An elitist is not a bad thing, Mr. Beck. Hell, you don’t even have to be an elitist to have your own show. Just show some intelligence.  However, if you were an elitist, then you would still have a job. Isn’t life funny?

Roadkill

vabenissimoLeave a comment

For my second driving experience, I was scared to drive from LA to Ojai.

My fear was not within the moment I entered seemingly endless and bloody competitive 101 freeway near Hollywood on Sunday, but with the thought of roadkill.

Neither words nor pictures can vividly describe my abhorrence and regret for the sights of remaining parts of helpless and lifeless animals on the roads.

During my first experience of driving, I had almost crashed my car against a mountainside due to two squirrels popping out of who-knows-where.

I know their lives are important. But please, my life is important too.

As much as I could, I want to save them and avoid harming them.

Thank Buddha, Allah, God, Jesus, and all other supernatural forces.

I did not end any innocent life, but just observed many. I mean six, all in one trip.

After my successful drive for two hours, I now lay with unavoidable exhaustion. But, my fingers and some parts of my brain remain active enough to google “how to avoid roadkill.”

And here is what I have found.

Reduce the speed and drive less.

These solutions being great help, I now lay not only weary but also hopeless.

Definitely, Maybe

Paloma SpencerLeave a comment

Ever since my junior year I have been absolutely in love with one movie in particular: Definitely, Maybe.

Not only is Ryan Reynolds extremely good-looking, but the story line itself consists of a mixture of classic love stories and utter reality.

It begins with a man whose current divorce leads his daughter to question his past love lovers. He begins with his college sweetheart and ends with discovering the love of his life in the one that was right under his nose.

I think I love it so much because it is so relatable. Mostly everyone will have numerous loves in our life time. We may discover them in close friends, reignite old flames, and find out that we can love someone even more than we imagined.

I am definitely a hopeless romantic, and I do hope that just like the main character I will be able to discover love through different scenery, different experiences, and the inevitable trial-and-error.

Playoffs

smackyjackjackLeave a comment

With the Nuggets snapping the Lakers’ win streak, and the Spurs breaking their losing streak in today’s game against the Suns, the next few games will be very important to the Western Conference.

The Lakers are currently 2.5 games behind the Spurs. Coincidentally, that is the same number of games that the Celtics are trailing behind the Bulls in the East. The next games will decide which teams will be in first place in both of the conferences.

But do the Lakers really want to be in first? If they were to clinch the first place seat in the West, then in the finals they most likely would have to play the  Thunder in a playoff round. I’m not sure whether or not the Lakers could pull that off. Last year they were very close to eliminating us in the first round. They are too fast and too good of shooters to play against. I would rather stay in second place and play the Mavericks.

Moving to the East, I think that the Bulls have a very good chance of making it to the finals. They have the potential to beat the Celtics and advance. The Bulls play a very team oriented game. They do not reply on one player to win all of their games. One player with a lot of potential is Omar Asik. The bench center from Turkey may become a very good player.

The final question is who will play in the finals. In the west in will definitely be the Lakers. But in the East, it could be either the Bulls or Celtics. We will soon see, as the season is coming to an end.

I HATE THE SAT!

yrreskrap2 Comments

Yesterday was the big huzzah. It was the day that would determine the fate of my summer. Yesterday, Thursday, March 31st, 2011, was the day I had been waiting for. And it was nothing short of disappointing.

I was home sick yesterday, but I still remembered, the moment I woke up from my slumber, to check my SAT scores. It only made my condition worse.

The screen read 650-reading, 670-math, and 620-writing. Goodness, it seemed as if my previous summer had been a waste. I had spent two months of pure studying for this one test and I had gotten a 1940. The colleges that I am hoping to get into require over a 2000.

I did remind myself, however, that I was sick that Saturday I took the test and the week following up to it. But a 1940? That is no exception.

I haven’t told my mom my score yet because I am afraid for her reaction. This summer, before taking my first SAT prep class, my diagnostic grade had been in the low 1900’s. My mom was very disappointed in me and I know that she will still be disappointed in my score if I tell her that after two months of sending me to classes, I have arrived at a almost identical score.

My goal for the SAT’s is a 2100. A 700 in critical reading, a 700 in math, and a 700 in writing. I know this is attainable because my scores (650, 670, 620) are not too far from my goal. But sadly, I will have to spend my summer not at the beach and having fun, but in a cold, isolated classroom, shoving hundreds of vocabulary words into my head in SAT classes. Oh goody, I just CAN’T WAIT!

My Day at the Aquarium of the Pacific

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Today, I, along with 8 other students, ventured out (Haha get it? Ventured out as in…venture van?) to Long Beach and visited the Aquarium of the Pacific.

It was a long and tiring van ride. For almost 3 hours, I was dealing with the bumps and turns of the 101 until, finally, we filed out of the white container on wheels and breathed fresh air.

It wasn’t my first time at the Aquarium of the Pacific-I had been there a few years ago. However, it was Kai’s first time there. Together, we looked through tanks full of leafy seahorses and venomous stonefish as well as the egg cases of bamboo shark and clown fish (better known as the “Nemo” fish).

At first, I did not expect to have such a fun time. I had forgotten how fun aquariums could be. It had been almost 2 years since I have been to one, when I had taken oceanology class in Carlsbad for a month at the Academy by the Sea.

Anyhow, the day turned out to be one of the best in a while. Kai bought me a souvenir stuffed seahorse although I’m pretty sure that there are no such pink and orange striped seahorses that live in the ocean.

Overall, the day was great but I had this strange feeling that hovered over me since last Wednesday. I have been feeling very light headed lately, like I have been blowing a billion balloons. Oh well.