Month: January 2012

Raven Gold, Sapphire Green

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Golden and sapphire

The other,

Raven and green

It was never a choice

A simple mistake

So short and so sweet

The memory is mine

Everlasting

But as fate would have us

The cards frowned upon it

A second chance

Was it real?

Or perhaps an illusion

The sensation may fade

The dreams…

They do not

Talking in silence

Waves on the shore

Seeing chance wither and die

Stinging skin

Salty, cold

Starlight beams down

Another comes, I listen

Wondering what you think now

Sand flies

Words pull me

Tugging me closer to shore

So far from me now

Words flow and I nod

Hearing, not hearing

Gold flashes brightly

But green, it shines brighter

Defeated am I?

Victorious?

Not

The season is over

Long, long overdue

But the feeling remains

And I ask, have you too?

Reichenbach.

theycallmedameLeave a comment

It must be so boring!
So dull. So bleak.
To live in a mind
No more than obsolete.

Does it drive you mad?
No madder than me.
To breathe in their air,
But see more than they see?

I thought you were different:
Extraordinary! Unique!
But you’re just like them:
Boring, labeled, not me.

So take a leap of faith
Off a hospital roof!
With you still alive,
They’ll not yet know truth.

You fraud! You fake!
You waste of a genius!
They’ll never understand
While drowning under brilliance.

So jump! Leap!
Wait! Here! I’ll go first.
Because, as falls go,
Reichenbach is worst.

Car Troubles: Run in With the Gardener.

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Lampost

I’m guessing you read disaster and immediately associate the word with an accident. This is exactly what happened and yes it did involve my car and me. By reading this blog you know that I am still alive and I am not in prison, so surely the accident was not that bad. In fact I wouldn’t even call it an accident, maybe just a bump.

Ok now you’re probably wondering what I may have done. No I did not kill anyone, damage anyone or murder a cat. In fact, I just dented a car. Ok, lets be more specific. A truck. Yes my tiny ford fiesta miraculously managed to dent a truck.

So I reversed around the sharp corner of the driveway, guided by the smiling gardener, following his hand signals. My reverse seemed to be going pretty well at this point. Well for me anyway. This is the first time I’d followed hand signals before so I assume that I just followed his lead. Little did I know glimpsing away for one second would mean reversing into his vehicle. Yes I reversed into the gardener’s truck.

Oops.

You heard me right; I reversed in to a truck while the owner was watching. How embarrassing. And the worst part of it is I see him on a regular basis.

Everyone always seems to be watching the minute I do something wrong. And in this case it was the gardener. As he walked over to his car, the smile now wiped off of his face, I sat dreading the moment he would walk towards me from the accident scene, insurance information in hand. Luckily for me he didn’t.

“Only a little scratch” he said, “Don’t worry about it.”

I may have escaped insurance claims, a dent on my car and death, but I did not escape the shame. These sort of situations always happen to me. At least it wasn’t a lamp post.

Guantanamo’s(eternal)Prison

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September 11 2001, a day that will forever live in infamy, rushed in many changes to America. From the controversial signing of the “Patriot Act” to the even more controversial opening of Guantanamo Prison, America is not the place it once was.

The facility was opened on January 11, 2002 with 20 prisoners suspected of terrorism arriving the same day. These prisoners were described by top US officials  as the “worst of the worst.” Our former President George W. Bush even acknowledges terrible treatment at the facility by stating that detainees are NOT protected by the Geneva Conventions.

President Obama had promised that during his term Guantanamo Prison would be closed. It seems he has ignored this issue even signing the Defense Authorization Bill. This bill contains provisions that make it nearly impossible for Guantanamo to be closed.

It seems that the famous prison will remain open indefinitely but it does seem that the inhumane treatment has stopped.

My Fabulous Christmas Vacation!

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There is only one word that can describe my Christmas vacation.

Fabulous.

 

The foggy sensations of nostalgia that I felt for my home and the people I missed melted in those three weeks and its cavities were filled with warmth of family, friendship, love, and Christmas spirit. Only now, nostalgia has resumed its place in my heart, waiting for its release from my next encounter with my loved ones.

My sister had come home for the first time in over a year. I missed her dearly. Just having her presence in the house changes the entire mood and air of everything. We didn’t do anything extraordinary. We just stayed in the house and talked, did some errands, and ate good food around Los Angeles. Nothing over the top but nonetheless special.

Jin Soo Park. My brother from another mother, so to speak. Although I’ve only known him for a few  years, we have grown so close and always seems to connect on a level that makes me believe that we must be siblings. I saw him for the first time in almost a year and we gorged ourselves on Korean BBQ and shaved ice. We even roamed the local mall to find his secret santa gifts. But seeing him again was wonderful and I hope I could see him again before he heads off to a different state.

Last but not least, I got to spend a good amount of time with Kai. In fact, we spent the New Year’s together in New York City (NYE IN NYC)! I met more of his family, joining them on a day-long trip to Disneyland. I couldn’t have been happier anywhere else.

 

Ultimately, I am so grateful for my Christmas vacation. God brought to me the people I cherish the most, my parents, my sister, my brother, and my boyfriend. Altogether, with the Christmas music that dominated the radios, the lights that hung from the roofs of houses, and the red/green sweaters I saw made my Christmas vacation fabulous and precious.

The cruel reality of soccer

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Last Wednesday I experienced what three weeks of inactivity can do to a student athlete.  We played the Dunn School in soccer and boy was it a wake up call.  We lost if you were wondering, but it was more of the journey than the destination right.

My journey at least was very educational. For one I learned that after spending three weeks of break mostly most running between sofa and kitchen during commercials, I made a scientific discovery about myself. I cannot go and play a 90 minute game after those three weeks.  In fact I can only play about a ten minute game before my vision narrows, I begin to hyperventilate and beg my coach to take me out.

Now that is obviously not a good thing, but I rallied in the second half and played the entire half, albeit I ran much less.

Although I am an athlete, I do believe that running should be a sin.  In conjunction with that I love to play goalie, and defense.

Fast Food, eww

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Fast food — the word that has become synonymous with American culture. Our ever-increasing demand for quick services in our busy lives led to the rise of these establishment. Once hailed as a valuable resource for families who neither have the time nor money to cook a meal, these “restaurants” have come under attack in recent years.

Studies have shown a direct correlation between childhood obesity and fast food restaurants. In areas with fast food restaurants, childhood obesity increased by 5.2 percent. At the urging of the government and concerned parent groups, fast food restaurants have taken initiatives to introduce “healthy” items on their menus.

From Mcdonalds apple bags to BurgerKings apple fries, you see the same trend happening everywhere. Fast food companies are attempting to shed the negative light they have been portrayed in. Despite all these measures this food is still considered to be bad for you. There has been several experiments to show how terrible this food is for you.

One of the most disturbing of these experiments began last year. A woma\en around this time last year purchased a cheeseburger from Mcdonalds with the sole intention of seeing how long it would take to decompose. One year later, nothing has happened to the hamburger, and it looked exactly the same.

If bacteria won’t eat this food then why should we?

Diet while studying?

thehungryrunnergirlLeave a comment

Every night, at around 11PM, I get really hungry. My stomach is craving food. I still manage to focus on my work, but sometimes it churns.

That means I’m burning calories right?

Surprisingly, every hour I study, I burn about 92.4825 calories, which is worth more than a Hershey’s special dark chocolate stick! So maybe I burn about 400 calories every night from studying!

But the thing is, some people can’t focus on their work if they’re too hungry. Your brain needs some sugar. So, it really depends on if you can tolerate hunger and focus on your work while studying!

Here is the equation of how many calories you burn. The calories depend on your gender, weight and age.

1kg of your weight that burns every 1 minute: 0.0295 (kcal)
correction factor =0.95 for woman, 1.00 for men (age range of 20-29)

So, if a woman of 55kg (120pounds) studied for an hour…

55(kg) x 0.0295(kcal) x 60(minutes) x 0.95 = 92.4825 kcal

AWESOME!

So don’t blame yourself for eating while studying.

Now, I’m kind of liking studying…

Just kidding.

Worst Person in Sports #10, 11, and 12-Wait and see

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For our 10th installment in the series of just straight up bad sports figures, I’m coming to you with not one, not two, (starting to sound like LeBron) but THREE athletes/coaches/owners that I just can’t STAND. First I’m going to tell you about a player I can’t stand, then a coach and then owner.

So first, let me introduce you to Michigan State running back and most devoted person in the world Nick Hill.

Yup. That’s him. You can tell by the incredibly unnecessary tattoo. Looks like something right out of “300”, huh? The mascot of Michigan State is indeed a Spartan, so he got that part right. It’s ominous and threatening, as a Spartan should be, so that’s good. So why, readers, do I have a problem with that? I don’t hate him for it. But personally, I’m not a big fan of tattoos. Friends of mine have asked me about ideas for tattoos and I always respond, “How about you don’t get one?” But, what really bugs me about this particular batch of ink is that so many things could happen that could render that tat POINTLESS! For example, let’s say he gets kicked out of Michigan State for whatever happens. What then, Mr. Hill? Gotta go to a surgeon to get it removed or risk looking like an idiot. That’s an unnecessary cost and a painful one at that.

“Backinphilly, leave him alone, he’s just showing school pride.”

I’m sure there are other ways to display pride other than permanently turning yourself into a billboard.

The crappy coach today is new Washington Redskins defensive backs coach…Raheem Morris.

WHAT?!?!?!

Talk about dropping to a new low. About a week ago, former Coach of the Year Raheem Morris was fired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a very disappointing season, where the team was originally slated to make the playoffs. However, thanks to injuries and poor defensive play, the team faltered and failed miserably.

Really Tampa? You fire a guy that has been a solid coach since Day 1 because of things that he couldn’t control?

Ya, Tampa was dumb, but not nearly as dumb as the one they fired. Morris left a head coaching job to become a defensive ASSISTANT! There are so many vacant head coaching positions in the NFL right now, and he only applies for the defensive ASSISTANT? NOT EVEN A COORDINATOR?

Lookin’ good, Raheem. You might be one of the only employed people in the country looking to go DOWN in rank. And seriously? The Redskins? If you couldn’t win in Tampa, what makes you think that Washington gives you a better chance? At least Tampa has a quarterback.

Alright, one more. How ’bout Jets owner Woody Johnson?

This week, Johnson stated that his quarterback, Mark Sanchez is NOT lazy as many analysts have accused him of being. He stated that Mark is in the building first and leaves last everyday, always putting in extra work. He apparently does more work than any other quarterback.

Really?

Then why, might I ask, is he such a terrible quarterback?

The man can’t throw to his own team. I watched the Giants-Jets game. Is he color-blind? Maybe. His throws came closer to blue jerseys than they ever did to green. And what about the fumbles? I mean, dude, taking a snap isn’t as easy as it looks. But, it’s not as hard as you make it look. He’s afraid of pressure from defense, he throws into double and triple coverage far too often, and this franchise and its owner thinks they can build a team around this guy? What is wrong with you, Woody?

I’d make that face and hand motion too if my quarterback didn’t know who his teammates were. Why defend a man when his own offensive line won’t? Something tells me Mark Sanchez won’t be playing for the New York Jets for too much longer. I give him one more year and then he’s finished. Woody, don’t say a player is working hard unless he’s proving it on the field. People either think you’re lying, or crazy.

Alright, guys. That’s three for the price of absolutely nothing ’cause you don’t have to pay to read this. Next week, we go back to one person per article. This was just for the special 10th release. See you next week!

Happy Birthday Nan.

Yourcupatea1 Comment

My Nan is one of the most loving, generous, compassionate women ever known to mankind. She is a woman who will always put others interests before her own, and will always make the time listen to anyone’s woes and counsel them in her own way.

Although she has all these talents and more it is the way that she treats her family that makes her a shining jewel amongst the rubble of society. The time she invests in each and every one of our work and our personal growth. The time she spends reading her sons poetry proudly or reminiscing over the great dance or musical performances starring her grandchildren. The light that glimmers in my Nans eyes as she proudly speaks about her family’s achievements and the wide smile that spreads over her face as she laughs over their stupidity is a sight that will brighten anyone’s day.

Nan you mean the world to me and that is why I dedicate this blog to you.

You are the one who has taught me to pursue my passions and to follow what I believe in. From the days I first watched Holby City with you and decided to become a paramedic to now as I set out to become a journalist you have always been my driving force. In times of trouble you have helped me out and guided me through big decisions like moving to America. If it wasn’t for that chat you gave me one summer evening in 2010 on how I should give California a go and do it for my family, I can honestly say I would have struggled to leave.

It was so lovely when you visited in April 2011. You were the first to come, out of our family, and this took a lot of bravery. Your presence at Meher Mount meant so much to us and we all look forward to you visiting again in the next few years. I’m glad you had the chance to admire our new life and realize you still have a significant place in both our lives and our hearts.

You find so much joy and happiness in life and nature. You aluminate the light in our world throughout the darkness and make everything special in your own description. I love the way you seek so much pleasure in the changing colors of the leaves and the seasonal changes in your surroundings.

As I start to consider my career path and colleges I bear in mind if it would have your approval. Just as Dad said over Christmas that every house your children move to must be approved by you, I feel that often I find myself seeking your approval on big changes in my life. This is because you’re a great guide who speaks truthfully and reasonably and that is why I am going to do my best to make you proud throughout my life.

Happy 80th Birthday Nan, I am sorry I will not be there to celebrate. All my love.

Bex, Georgie and Nan at the beach