Category: feelings

Sports I Don’t Like To Watch

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I don’t mean this post to be controversial, but it probably will be. Oh well.

Baseball

I’m so sorry to every baseball fan. I despise watching baseball. It goes on for so long, and it’s honestly not entertaining to me. Even when I watch my own school playing, I get bored and distracted like 10 minutes in. It’s just not my thing.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/24/sports/baseball/Dodgers-halfway-season.html

Football (American)

Same complaint as baseball that it goes on forever. Literally, there will be ten minutes left in a quarter and the game will go on for forty. It just feels so anticlimactic too. Like, everybody cheers when someone’s running, then they get tackled and have to start all over again. Plus, the fanbase can be a little insane sometimes, but that can be said about almost every sport.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/02/sports/football/nfl-covid-ravens-steelers.html

Track Meets

This one is mostly just a noise complaint. I’m super sensitive to loud noises, so I hate that they fire a blank to signify the start of the race. Like, they couldn’t just blow a horn or something? Do they think they’re so cool that they need to shoot a gun? Hate it.

https://gomatadors.com/news/2018/4/18/mens-track-and-field-csun-travels-to-long-beach-for-2-track-meets.aspx?mobile=skip

Water Polo

This explanation is going to sound so stupid. I’m acknowledging it in advance. Since it’s in a pool, water polo is almost always played in the sun. I HATE sitting in the sun. You have to sit on hot bleachers with the sun on you while praying that somebody splashes you and cools you down. Not my thing. I think I’d enjoy it more if I actually knew the rules, which I probably should know since my cousin is an Olympic water polo player. Let’s pray he never finds this blog post.

https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2021/07/02/usa-mens-water-polo-olympic-team-tokyo/

Horse Racing

I love watching any other style of riding. Horse racing just is the worst. It’s basically a sport invented for gambling and materialism. Watching horses run as fast as they can isn’t even enjoyable. Especially when you know the way they treat the horses behind the scenes. And if you argue that not all racing stables abuse the horses, they still start the horses when they’re way too young to have riders on them and before they’ve even stopped growing or fully developed their bones. It’s literally just the money that people like about it.

https://www.britannica.com/sports/horse-racing

Men’s Gymnastics

Sure, it’s cool-looking. There just aren’t enough events and not enough variety in the routines to make it interesting to watch for longer than an hour. Let’s let the men compete in cooler events and have nicer routines so that watching them is actually enjoyable.

https://www.teamusa.org/News/2021/July/26/In-FifthPlace-Finish-The-US-Mens-Gymnastics-Team-Finds-Satisfaction-Hope

I hope you enjoyed 400 words of me complaining about watching sports that nobody forces me to watch. See you later.

My Top Five Fall Out Boy Albums

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Fall Out Boy is one of my all-time favorite artists. I had a huge pop-punk phase that’s not completely over, and they were my top artist for a few years. Here are my favorite five albums, and as a bonus, my favorite songs from each one.

5. Infinity On High

https://www.amazon.com/Infinity-High-Fall-Out-Boy/dp/B000LC4ZIK

This album is a classic, and it would probably be higher up if I had listened to it before I listened to some of Fall Out Boy’s other stuff. My favorite song from Infinity On High is “The Take Over, The Breaks Over.”

4. American Beauty/American Psycho

https://www.mtv.com/news/2055608/facepaint-fall-out-boy-cover-model/

This one’s probably the most popular Fall Out Boy album, just since so many of the songs ended up on the radio. It was the first album I listened to, and it got me into Fall Out Boy. The songs all kind of have the same feel about them, which I like. I really can’t choose between Favorite Record and The Kids Aren’t Alright, so I’m gonna say they’re tied for my favorite song.

3. MANIA

https://www.muziker.com/fall-out-boy-mania-vinyl-lp

MANIA is incredible. It would probably be in my top two if I didn’t love the next two albums so much. It’s a bit more modern, but still, distinctly Fall Out Boy, and Patrick Stump really shows off his vocal range in this album. My favorite song is Bishop’s Knife Trick, but Church is a very close second.

2. Save Rock And Roll

https://www.amazon.in/Save-Rock-Roll-Fall-Out/dp/B00BAVCD8A

Not exactly old enough to be a classic, but that’s the best word I can come up with to describe the feel of it. Fall Out Boy sings with icons like Courtney Love and Elton John on this album, and all the songs have amazing drum lines. My favorite song from here is Miss Missing You.

1. Folie à Deux

https://www.amazon.in/Folie-Deux-Colored-Vinyl-2LP/dp/B001HRJG2S

If you haven’t heard this album, you need to. It’s literally their best album. The lyrics are good, the song titles are cool, and the music is addicting. Patrick Stump has an insane voice that he shows off in every song. Plus, the album cover is cute. All the songs are super good, but my favorite is She’s My Winona. For real though, listen to this album.

So yeah, those are my favorite Fall Out Boy albums and songs from them. Definitely go listen to these albums, especially the top three. They’re amazing.

House Plants That I’ve Accidentally Killed

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So I’m bad with plants. I feel like it’s not that surprising of detail to know once you know me since I’m not exactly good with responsibility, but I’m impressively bad with plants. Here are some house plant species that I’ve tried to keep and ended up killing somehow.

https://www.almanac.com/plant/aloe-vera

Aloe Vera

Starting off strong with the plant that house plant connoisseurs like to claim as the “unkillable plant.” I managed to kill two of these guys somehow. I’m really not sure what happened. I think they just wanted more sun or more affection or something. I felt really bad when they died since I was trying to rescue them because one of them was browning. Instead, I murdered them.

https://www.sfgate.com/shopping/article/best-air-purifying-plants-16288121.php

Ivy

I really thought I’d be able to take care of this guy. They’re supposed to have indirect light, which is exactly how my room is set up, but my plant ended up in the kitchen somehow. I did my best to keep it nicely watered, and I really don’t know what happened. Probably that’s why I keep killing plants– I have no idea what to do with them. Anyways, flies started to hang out around it, and a week or two later it was fully brown. I was really sad.

https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/g29132632/indoor-blooming-plants/

Kalanchoe

This guy was almost a lost cause from the start. It came home with me from Lowe’s in perfect condition and decided it hated me and my family and died like a week later. I really have no idea what happened.

http://www.home-designing.com/best-low-light-indoor-house-plants-for-sale

Lemon Button Fern

I gotta be honest, I killed this plant so long ago that I don’t even know if it was this species. It kinda looked like this one, though, so let’s pretend it was this one. I rescued it from my aunt throwing it away while cleaning out her room, and it actually lived for pretty long before deciding that it didn’t like my house anymore. My aunt got her to wish of throwing it away eventually.

And now, to change things up, a plant I have so far kept living

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracaena_sanderiana

Bamboo

I have a little bamboo plant that’s been living with me for a few months now. It stays in my room, and it lives in a little dinosaur pot. It’s very cute. I’m hoping this guy will stay with me until at least college.

So, I’m not good with plants. But there might be a bright future for my little bamboo plant and me. We’re just gonna have to see what happens.

My 5 Favorite Fidget Toys

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Fidget toys can be really hit-or-miss. For me especially, since my tactile sensory issues can quickly make something that once seemed fun into my personal sensory hell. Here are the ones I’ve found that have worked for me.

https://bitzngiggles.com/water-bead-stress-ball/

These squishy ball things

I really like these stress balls that have Orbeez-like things in them. They’re not too difficult to squeeze, so they aren’t great for coping with anger since you might break it, but the little balls inside are really satisfying to feel and squish. Great for distracting yourself during tough conversations or to absentmindedly hold while doing work.

https://www.fivebelow.com/categories/toys-and-games

These guys

I call them my worms. I like to whip them around. They’re squishy and all have different textures, which is nice for variety. Having them inspired a friend to get their own. 10/10 recommend.

https://www.faire.com/discover/donut-toy

Pop-it donut

You literally don’t understand how satisfying these things are. The noise they make is indescribable. It stimulates some part of my brain that I didn’t even know existed. I want one of these so bad.

https://kineticsand.com/products/beach-sand-kingdom-playset-6044142

Kinetic sand

Kinetic sand – especially this color and texture – is amazing. It kind of sticks together with glue-like strands separating it, and I love it so much. I like letting it stretch out than grabbing the glue strands. It’s super nice to feel and play with.

https://www.artnews.com/art-news/product-recommendations/best-loom-bands-kits-1202693623/

Rainbow Loom

I’ve totally gotten back into rainbow loom bracelet making in the past two weeks. I’ve made over 10 bracelets so far. It’s not exactly a traditional fidget, but it really works for me. I’ve used it as a coping skill for breakdowns, too, and it works pretty well, especially if you make it on your fingers instead of a loom. Plus, you have something tangible to keep with you when you’re done!

Anyways, those are my favorite fidgets right now. I’ve been using them almost every day to get through the difficult stuff. I definitely recommend getting fidgets if they sound interesting. Most are pretty low-budget, but they work super well. I, for one, have used them much more than their low prices suggest they should be used.

I Saw An Opossum The Other Day

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There I was, a passenger in my mom’s car at night, on my way to my grandparents’ house, when I saw him.

I noticed a shape out of the corner of my eye, but I hardly thought anything of it. I’m a naturally curious person, though, so I turned my head to look at it from a better angle after a moment.

At first I thought it was a cat. However, if it were a cat, it’d be a very short one, and it had toes that were unlike any cat I’d ever seen. My next thought was that it might be a huge rat.

And then it hit me.

I quickly exclaimed to my mom, “We have to turn around! I think I just saw a possum!”

My mom whipped a three-point-turn in the middle of the road and stopped just in front of the driveway of the stranger’s house. In the illumination of the KIA’s headlights, I saw him.

It was an opossum.

Over my mom’s warnings of, “Don’t you dare get out of the car and chase him!” I whipped out my phone and started taking pictures of the beautiful little guy. A second later, he heard our engine (for opossums have bad eyesight and the lights didn’t bother him) and scurried away. And he was fast!

See, most opossums are pretty slow. They meander at their own pace through yards and forests, and when confronted, they aren’t fast enough to run away from predators like mountain lions or bears, so they have a freeze reaction and play dead.

But this little guy went running like he had been training for this moment his whole life. In the blink of an eye, his short little legs went flying and he sprinted up the driveway at the fastest trot I’ve ever seen and proceeded to climb the outdoor stairs into the person’s yard.

He was out of sight – but certainly not out of mind – in just seconds. And then my mom, my grandparents, and later my aunt had to listen to my happy cries of, “A possum!! Oh, a possum!!” for the rest of the night.

I named him Bruce Banner.

Photo Credit: me (treefroggy)

Sorry for the wonky quality– the best quality picture I got showed too much of the street around the house for me to comfortably post it. Privacy, and all that. You can still see Bruce’s beauty and his speedy legs.

So I’ve Been Reading Books Lately

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(Spoiler warning for Song of Achilles)

So I’ve been reading books for fun for the first time in about 4 years now, and I just finished Song of Achilles.

One word: devastating.

That’s not to say it’s bad- in fact, it was one of the best books I’ve ever read. However, it was horribly sad, which is expected with Greek myths and renditions of them, since everybody dies in most myths.

A quick synopsis of the book would be “two boys fall in love then go to war and die,” but there’s so much more to the story than that. It’s exciting, sweet, sad, and heartbreaking. There’s a ton of angst in it, especially during wartime, which is honestly my favorite part. It does end with a bittersweet happy ending, though, so it’s not just emotional torment to read.

If you read the Percy Jackson books, you’ll probably love this book. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes Greek mythology, gay love, and angst. It’s got a ton of all three.

http://www.amazon.com%2FSong-Achilles-Bloomsbury-Modern-Classics%2Fdp%2F1408891387&psig=AOvVaw29CFHCo4eSGdPCIhGvhDZY&ust=1649951931864000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAoQjRxqFwoTCICRxo20kfcCFQAAAAAdAAAAABBT

Unique Anime that I Recommend

jared315Leave a comment

Devil Man Crybaby

Devil Man Crybaby is an anime that is not only incredibly intriguing to look at but also explores values of anti-war, puberty, and LGBTQ values. The anime follows a boy, Akira Fudo, who once was small, scrawny, and empathetic, but soon has the power of satan bestowed upon him. The anime deals with his coming to power as well as him having to deal with others who have been given similar powers. The anime also explores nihilistic values and the absurdity of religion. I really enjoyed watching this anime, and it’s only 10 episodes so I think it should definitely be an anime added to your watchlist.

8.8/10

Photo Cred: IMDB

MEGALOBOX

Boxing is filled with, speeding gloves whizzing past one face, enough power to concuss a person; Megalo boxing is the same, only with advanced machinery to make people hit harder and move faster. MEGALOBOX documents the underground life of Junk Dog, and the professional life of Joe, the same man. He’s truly an enigma, only being allowed to compete in the Megalo boxing championship when he forges an id. This anime has fast-paced action, as well as people getting the shit beaten out of them, and not to mention the animation, but it is absolutely fantastic (on the same level as Cowboy Bebop). It’s quite an invigorating anime to watch.

8.9/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/12/Megalo_Box_poster.jpg

Kakegurui

Kakegurui is an anime about a school of gambling, where people can even gamble off their human rights. It has many scenes of complex and entertaining games, and with the tension of betting lives, it combines to create an electrifying viewing experience. The show documents the gambling of multiple students, the most notable being Yumeko Jabami. Yumeko Jabami is a compulsive gambler to the most extreme degree, constantly and consistently making irresponsible and potentially detrimental bets. The anime is intellectual and entertaining, with the games persistently being complex.

8.8/10

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMmRhZDI4ODItYTAzMC00NWQ1LTk1MTctZWYyMDY3ZTU3NWFiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMzgxODM4NjM@.V1.jpg

Chip Review

jared315Leave a comment

Kettle: Sea Salt and Vinegar

Sitting here in Journalism, eating some Salt and Vinegar chips and writing a blog, so you know I gotta do a chip review. Kettle chips are known to be the best, their immaculate crunch and their explosive flavors. Sea salt and Vinegar is the best of Kettle. The sweet vinegar taste on the chips perfectly contrasts the saltiness, accompanied by the crisp, this chip has reached the utmost peak of all snacks. The texture and sediment on the chip is a small con, as one needs a napkin or a sink nearby to clean their hands, however, it doesn’t put a dent in the pros of flavor and texture. Kettle: Sea Salt and Vinegar chips are the best chips known to man, and nobody can make me think different.

9.8/10

photo credit: Amazon

My Daily Motivation

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Every day when I woke up I look at those quotes and tell myself that I will get stronger and better than yesterday. I must keep going because I almost achieved my dream. If you are lost, and the quotes below that motivate you; I recommend you to write them down, and look at them every day. Tell yourself you are not weak or stupid. You are good enough, but enough is not enough; become someone you wanted to be.

  1. I know you’re tired, I know you’ve been hurt, I know you’re alone, but You’re making it, keep working on yourself.

2. Aye it’s all good bro. You just forgot who you were for a second. No worries. Welcome back, focus up and stay locked in. We got dreams to achieve.

3. Your next chapter is going to cause people to wish they treated you better.

4. Thanks for taking that extra rest day bro, I thought you were catching up for a second.

5. It doesn’t get easier bro. Growth is painful, but nothing is as painful as staying in the same place

6. Maybe right now your journey isn’t about love, maybe right now your journey is about you.

7. I know you’re tired but get up. We got people to prove wrong.

Photo Credit: arnold schwarzenegger

My Safe Place is the Gym. You?

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Recently, all I can say for this week is stress. Although I got into the college I want, there is still a lot of stuff bothers me. In this case, I started to ghosting my friends and just wanted to be alone. Every day, I can hear people laughing and smiling. I started to wonder, are they faking it? or are they really happy? I began to hate a feelings of me staying in my room getting sad, at the same time, I hear people outside screaming and busy having fun.

I’ve been alone for a while, staying away from my friends. I have found my favorite time of each day is when I go to the gym. Of course, I felt more lonely at first, then I began to get used to it. Gym is the only place I feel like home right now. It’s the only place I’m really by myself, be myself, and just put all of my stress on the weights. When I’m in my dorms, my roomate always being loud and his friends come to our room all the time. When I’m at the gym, there is only me, and I can put on my airpods listen to music , and really focus on myself. At the same time, the break time between every set, gives me more thoughts of things that bothers me; which I started to feel a lot better beacuse I can deep into those problems. I don’t know why, but there is some magic in those dumbells.

Photo Credit: Pull-up