“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

Last Saturday, I had my last race of high school. I still can’t believe it’s over.

It wasn’t my best race. I was so overwhelmed with the atmosphere and I lost confidence in myself. I realized that I am still an inexperienced runner.

Afterwards, I was very disappointed in myself for finishing the season like this. I wish I could just rewind time…

But one thing I can say in spite of my performance, is that I made every effort since last summer and I never gave up. I kept my eyes on my goals. I trained and thought about running everyday like I madly fell in love.

So now I want to work to be mentally stronger because long distance running is more than 50% mental.

Running has always been a great teacher in my life and allowed me to grow as a person. I met a lot of people who inspired me. Whether I loose or fail, I get up again, look back at what I could’ve done better and start running again. I gain toughness and guts from tolerating the pain during practices.

This year was very meaningful to me. I am so lucky to have met Mr. Alvarez. I couldn’t have achieved what I did this year without him. He has given me some awesome running experiences.

This is not the end, but just the beginning. I have 4 more years of running in college and right now I don’t see limits.

So I want to say, Mr. Alvarez thank you thank you thank you so much for everything. You are my two third brother hahaha!

I won’t be sad because it’s over, I am happy for what happened and appreciate god and people who supported me.

This is the End

You may see a few other posts from my fellow OVS bloggers regarding our impending graduation.

What a trip it has been. I have been at OVS for six years and they have been fantastic.

Like at any other school, we bitch and moan about the problems, and there have been many. But when I look at the growth I have experienced and seen within my friends I realize what I have been given.

Going to a private boarding school as a day student can be tricky, but I have learned to play the game.

I have dealt with having a relative has my headmaster as well as having family intertwined with the school history.

My first day, the headmaster told me “I failed with your father, I failed with my son and goddammit, I’m not going to fail with you.”

Although I loath to concede anything to him, I will admit he has not failed. He has given me “character”, although the integrity may still need some work.

I should have been kicked out many, many times. I have thought about leaving even more times.

But endings change the picture. They throw out the individual memories and give you and overall feeling. I can say that the feeling I have is a positive one.

Although I am ready to leave, I appreciate what I have been given and greatly value that gift.

Coming to an End.

Bye

Whether it’s trying to escape an awkward conversation, a rambling relative or trying to leave an event, saying goodbye is always hard. The hardest goodbyes are separations, the ones that greet the end. The friends you know you will never see again, the faces you will miss and the smiles you will never share again.

As I am approaching graduation, I can’t help but to feel sad. I have said many goodbyes, through my life, and they never get any easier. In fact they probably get harder. This is because the promises with friends you make are often broken: visits never happen, fate interferes and commonalities change.

It’s just one of those things with friendships, people will always grow apart. Being from such a close-knit graduating class I hope that our relationships will remain. Still, things coming to an end are always sad.

The Avengers: Review

I haven’t written in two weeks because my mind is so completely and utterly BLOWN.

I expected The Avengers to be funny, action-packed and epic.

I was wrong.

So very, very wrong.

I FOUND MY NEW FAVORITE MOVIE!

Three.

I saw it 3 times in 24 hours.

Is that too much?  Probably.

Do I think it’s too much?

OH HECK NO!

I went once with my sisters, once with my friend, theycallmedame,  and once with my parents.

It was HILARIOUS.

EXPLODING with action.

BEYOND epic.

And over all, just MARVELous and absolutely MAGNIFICENT

As each second passed, I died a little with happiness.

I saw it again last Saturday for theycallmedame’s birthday.

Bringing my views up to a grand total of 4.  I’m very proud.

I am exceedingly happy about how well it has done critically and in the box office.

Rotten Tomatoes is famously picky.  Despite the pickiness,The Avengers earned a 93% approval rating from critics and a 96% approval rating from viewers, dubbing the film “fresh.”

The box office reflected its success even better.

The Avengers broke the record for biggest of opening weekend of all time, domestically earning  $207,438,708 million dollars in three days.  The record was previously held last year’s summer blockbuster, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, which earned $169.2 million.

After just 19 days in theaters (only 10 days in the U.S.) it passed the $1 billion dollar mark, making it one of only 12 movies in the history of cinema to reach that enormous sum.

It also claimed the record for biggest opening week ($270,019,373 million) of any film ever and biggest second week ($103,052,274 million), beating Avatar‘s second week ($75.6 million) by a landslide.

I have to admit, I got a Tumblr just so I could look at Avengers-related photosets and gifs.

Bottom line:

GO SEE IT!!!! YOU WON’T BE SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NHL Playoffs-Lots of Drama in the Final Four

Well, when I say drama, I mean in the Eastern Conference. The Los Angeles Kings have looked like an unstoppable force in these playoffs, knocking off the favored Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues. Now, they are two wins away from a Stanley Cup birth.

The only question is, who will the Kings (probably) compete against in the Finals?

Well, let me say this, I am very biased in the Eastern Conference Finals. My favorite team is the New Jersey Devils and they are fighting against the New York Rangers, who are a sworn rival. Do I think the Devils are going to win the series? Yes, but not just because that’s my team.

The New York Rangers faced the number 8 seed Ottawa Senators in the first round and it took them 7 games to finish them off. Next, the Rangers went into 7 games with the Washington Capitals. The Devils, on the other hand, went 7 games (including an incredible double overtime game 7 against the Florida Panthers in the first round) and 5 games against the Philadelphia Flyers, who were HEAVILY favored.

The Devils have a stellar offensive attack, an average defensive unit and the greatest goalie to ever step on the ice.

The Rangers have a decent offense, a nearly perfect defense and the best goalie of the current day (The Devils’ goalie, Martin Brodeur, is 40 freakin’ years old, yet still a top tier goalie but Henrik Lundqvist is insanely talented and is far younger).

This series could go either way. But, if I had to throw down a prediction I’d say Devils in 7 games. And that would take them to the Stanley Cup Finals.

So, if my predictions are correct, the Los Angeles Kings would face the New Jersey Devils in the Finals. Winner take all. Current conference finals show the Kings leading their series 2-0 and the Devils and Rangers tied at 1-1. This is gonna get very exciting.

You can't see it, but the puck is on the other side of the goalie, Henrik Lundqvist, in the net.

Batteries, The”shocking” danger. they bring.

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It seems the children of the world are in constant danger in these modern times. From kidnappers to obesity the world is rife with threats for children.

Some of the biggest dangers however come with toys made for children. Batteries being swallowed are one of the biggest threats to a child’s health.

To often batteries are left lying around. The young child, being curious, will bite and swallow the battery. For one the battery can get stuck inside the child’s windpipe, suffocating the child if the battery is not dislodged. A bigger problem is if the battery is swallowed. The battery can get lodged in the child’s small intestine causing major harm.

Help make the world safer for children and properly dispose of your batteries.

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CIF preliminaries!

Last Saturday was CIF Southern section division 4 preliminaries track meet at Carpinteria high school. It was pretty cold and cloudy, but perfect for running.

I ran the 1600 at 1 O’clock, and the 800 at around 3 O’clock. There were so many schools there which made me nervous. However, in the 1600 I could run my hardest and I was satisfied with what I ran. In the 800, I feel like I should’ve done better, but I think I did my best, so it’s all good.

I’d like to thank (krapyrres) and (r3t5nom) so much for coming and cheering me on. You have no idea how much it helped me and pumped me up.

Thank you so much for (thebrownguy) for taking me there and calming me down.

One more to go!

Photo credit : (r3t5nom)

Mother’s Day

Today is the second Sunday of May.
We all know what that means.
It’s a day filled with flowers and cards and breakfasts in bed and hugs and kisses and long-distance phone calls.


I don’t know what to say except that I love my mom very much.

Of course, like any other teenager, I have had my ups and downs with her, and I still go through phases of conflict with her today.
But it is in these moments of conflict, where I have learned to put down my pride and learn humility and obedience. She teaches me even when I am at my worst.

My mother is a beautiful woman. Without her, I wouldn’t be here on this Earth. She has given me a gift that no other person could have given to me. Her distinct set of chromosomes combined to make a unique me.
Thank you mom.

And I can’t forget the effort and care she put behind raising me. The nine months of carrying me and the 18 years of nurturing me. The schooling and teaching and feeding and holding. The bandaids on the scraps, the porridge when I was ill.

Maybe there weren’t times when she wasn’t at her best, but I know that if we could do it all over again, we would do it perfectly..but then again, you can’t rewrite your past.

I appreciate my mother so much. But I know I won’t be able to appreciate her fully until I become a mother myself.

To all the mothers out there, thank you. There is no other job like being a mother out there.

Reika at CIF Preliminaries!!!

I want to start off by saying this, Reika Kijima who is a student at my school is one of the most amazing athletes I have ever had the chance to meet personally. Aside from being an impressive athlete she is also an amazing person and someone im proud to call my friend.

Saturday May 12th I had the opportunity to tag along to the CIF preliminaries with Reika, our friend Serry, and lets not forget to mention the great track&field coach and history teacher Mr. Alvarez. In my head I never expected to see the level of running that I ended up witnessing throughout the day. I saw a high school runner run the 100 meters in 10.73 seconds… that is insanity.

But truth be told we were there for one person only, we were there to support our runner girl Reika Kijima!!!

Reika left me in awe when I got to watch her drop her personal best time in the 1600M from 5 minutes 20 seconds to 5 minutes 9 seconds. It was amazing to see her do such great work, hard work which played off in the end when she placed second in her heat and earned a spot in CIF finals next coming saturday!!!!!!

Intensity and concentration are always awesome elements to witness in an athlete.

This next image to me captures everything there is between a runner and her coach, a beautiful bond that will last forever.

I’ll be there next Saturday cheering you on runner girl!!

Congrats again on such a great job, YOU’RE AWESOME!!!:)

Best Mom Ever

I can seriously say that I have the best mother ever without a doubt in my mind.

She is the kindest person I have ever known. She is kind to every person she comes across. There is not a mean bone in her body.

She is the most loving, accepting, patient and tolerant person. Which are good qualities for her to have, because I was the most difficult, stubborn, and troublesome child to try to control.

She has been a mother to three kids, and still she manages to keep her patience and kindness. She even acts as a mother to those who aren’t her own. It’s amazing how much unconditional love she has for people.

Like most kids, I went through a phase where I thought my parents were terrible, evil people who were trying to ruin my life. But looking back, they did everything for me that I have ever needed. They are selfless and amazing.

I don’t really know how to put into words how much I love my mom. I trust her more than anyone on this planet. And not just because she is my mother by blood. But because she is the person that she is and has the qualities that she has. And the fact that she makes dorky faces at me, and cries whenever I leave for school. And the fact that she spoils me even when we don’t have enough money. And the fact that gives me what I want even when I deserve it.

But, I love her for the things she does on the contrary as well. I love the fact that she tells me the truth, even when it’s not what I want to hear. And the fact that she is always right, even when I wish she wasn’t. And the fact that she is totally embarrassing. And the fact that she fights with me when I deserve it.

I love everything about this woman and I don’t know how I was ever able to take her for granted. I can say she has without a doubt made me the person that I am toady. She supports me, she encourages me, and she guides me without even knowing it. She is the best role model a girl could wish for.

I hope I have been a daughter she can be proud of. And really, I can only hope that I can become half of the person that she is today.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I hope you realize that you are so much more than the hands that feed me and the house that shelters me. You are my inspiration and my best friend. I love you more than words can describe.