Category: friends

A Relay Lost

yourgingerkidLeave a comment

Next month, OVS will be participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life at Buena High School in Ventura. I, for one, am very excited to see our school be so involved in something that could quite possibly change one in five of our lives in the future. I cannot wait to see people of all different worlds join together to fight one of the biggest killers today and have fun while doing it. To top it all off, this will be the first cancer-related cause I have attended, and I’m quite nervous. I’ve always avoided them because I have a problem confronting what has thoroughly turned my life upside down more than once and stolen the one person who, above all, meant the world to me.

My mom was a remarkable woman. Standing at 5’10 with tight curls the color of embers she wasn’t a woman you could easily forget. She fought for what she believed in and would seldom take no for an answer, which only made her all the more admirable to all that met her. We were all shocked when the news finally reached us. My mom had ovarian cancer and had up to two years to live.

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(My mom second from the right)

How could someone so strong let cancer take a hold of her?

For three months her body deteriorated from a combination of chemotherapy and the cancer itself to a frail shell of a woman with only one spot of her once fiery hair barely holding on. A woman who had once stood so tall and who was so outspoken was confined to a wheelchair and an oxygen mask at all times. It was at that time I was taken to go live with my dad after living practically my whole childhood with my mom.

No more than four months after her diagnosis I was called into the hospital to see my mom propped up onto a hospital bed unconscious and on a morphine drip. My heart must had fallen through the floor and my stack through the roof. This was my mother. A once divine and beautiful woman was spending the last few moments of life in a lifeless shell. How could something do this to her?

This disease, this cancer had taken everything from her. It had taken everything from me. A perfectly good woman was drained of everything and left to suffer, and left those around her to suffer. No one meant as much to me as my mom did. She was my only friend and the only person I could talk to, that I can still talk to. For ten years she served as my idol, now seven years later she serves as my inspiration.

Cancer isn’t just a disease that affects one person, it affects everyone around that person. It’s ruthless and merciless and won’t stop at anything once it grabs a strong enough hold of you. If there’s any way to help those who suffer from it, or have been closely affected by someone who suffers from it, it’s to get the word out. Cancer kills. Help others, help yourself.

Family’s Fallen Soldier

sennymcfly1 Comment

Dear Aunt Lela,

We didn’t know each other for very long. It was only recently that I got to experience the joy of being in your company. Every time we met you greeted me with a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. You were always so loving. It didn’t matter who I was or who anybody was for that matter, you loved them and welcomed them into your home. Your humor made everyone smile. Your children loved you dearly. Spending time with you and Uncle Nick showed me what having a big family was like and I loved it.

And who can forget your cooking? Soul food! Talk about your typical black family, getting together after months and sometimes years of not seeing each other and enjoying yummy food and family time. Delicious collard greens, mouthwatering macaroni, Dominoes and cigars in the back yard, Al Green playing on the stereo. Even after such a long period of being apart it was like we had never left. You brought the family together. You raised the family. It’s true I wasn’t there for most the family’s relationship, but since the few times that we have met, I’ve come to the conclusion that you are most definitely very important to me. I didn’t realize how much losing you would make me cry. We didn’t see it coming, or at least I didn’t. So, I guess my point is, if you are in Heaven or Paradise or wherever else we go when we die, know that I am sending you my love and prayers every day. If only we could have just one more day to spend together. The last family gathering. But, you are supposed to be there aren’t you? Love you Aunt Lela.

Your Great Niece,

Madisen

❤

Aunt Lela

R.I.P. Lela Norris

Boys Don’t Cry

yourgingerkid1 Comment

According to studies, men are turned off by women who are crying.

I’m pretty sure that this information was common knowledge before this research but it’s still something to be reminded of.

The article directly states “Women’s Tears Reduce Sex Drive in Men.” How more direct can they be? I just find it fascinating that there is now scientific proof to back that statement up.

I’m not going to lie, I’ve cried in front of a lot of guys lately for multiple reasons, but does that mean that their “turned off” by that? I think that guys are attracted to tears sometimes because they pretty much signify a weak girl and therefore they can make an epic entrance into their lives and maybe win them over.

The study also stated that tears actually have a pheromone that can lower testosterone which would then decrease their sex drive although men could not tell the difference between simple saline drops and actual tears. Who would’ve thought!

Honor’s Ski TRIP

yrreskrapLeave a comment


UGH! My mittens were filled with snow…again. I dusted my jacket off as I strained and struggled to get on my two feet. My poles dug deep into the white, icy powder and my body pushed itself up. Finally, I was standing and all I could think was “I need to get back to the cabin.”

Cross country skiing was not what I thought it would be. I jumped at the opportunity of going on the Honor’s Ski Trip, thinking it would be a breeze, especially because of my love for downhill skiing. Little did I know that cross country skiing had nothing in common with downhill skiing…except for maybe the poles.

I struggled to keep up with the rest of the group my first day. I was falling here and there, into deep pits of powdery snow. Even when I was standing up, I would somehow manage to fall over.

However, I had a lot of time to contemplate life, just as a I do every camping trip. It’s something about being isolated from technology and being beset in nature that makes the mind flow so clearly. Letting the mind flow was very refreshing and well needed, although now quite the opposite is happening with all of the backed up school work that is calling me. Regardless, for the time being, the trip allowed me to unwind and have some quality thinking time.

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You Could Be Happy And I Won’t Know

Paloma Spencer1 Comment

As we travel through life, through different adventures and different scenery, through the lives and impressions of others, we sometimes seem to forget our past in order to allow room for the present, as well as our future.

We recount past moments at the most random of times, as a glimpse of something causes us to recount a childhood memory or a time of laughter or love, heartbreak or sadness.

There are things we never forget: close friendships, successes, love, and regrets.

Lately I have wondered what a regret truly entails.

Of course I have made mistakes, and have wished I had said things differently, or maybe not at all. But what if I had switched “I hate you” with “I love you” or “no” to “yes” or “go” to “wait.” What if the one tiny moment was supposed to happen? What if that one little word changed everything? And without it, I would never be where I am now.

Maybe it is just an excuse in order to rid myself of the idea of what could have happened. But one thing I know for sure, I do truly miss you.

I miss your funny haircut, and your stupid smile, and the way you would make fun of how slow I would run compared to you. I miss your dimples, and your laughter, and your old, run down truck.

And if I had said something different that day, and didn’t let you go, then our lives would be completely different. Different friends, different school, different life, and I don’t know if I would ever be as happy as I am right now.

I know that we all have loved and lost, whether it be a loved one, friend or family member. And its normal to miss, but maybe if we do have regrets, we should look back and realize that each little moment truly counts, and even the bad ones are necessary in order to add up to something great.

Life may be full of uncertainty, but happiness is happiness, and all I can do now is wish you happiness too, wherever you are.

You have made me realize that I should never regret. And although I may have to let go, I won’t forget.

Promise.

Links

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/16/the-price-of-regret/?scp=1&sq=regret&st=cse

http://www.1888articles.com/how-heavy-is-regret-08ey7c8h84.html

My Two Cents

sennymcfly1 Comment

So many writers have blogged about image and the pressures to have the “perfect body” and how you should love yourself for who you are and how the world’s opinion doesn’t matter. All of this is true, but for some reason no matter how times we say it, we just don’t seem to get it.

As children we are usually raised under the impression that image doesn’t matter. Our parents always tell us not to judge others by the way they look, but how they act. “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, right?

We say that, but do we really mean it? You can tell a girl struggling with anorexia that she is perfect the way she is and then go to the bathroom, stare at yourself in the mirror and question your own perfection. We are all hypocritical and we all know it, but we don’t say it.

It has been brought to my attention that body image is a real problem. One thing that is clear is that it is a big problem here in Southern California.

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The Old Times.

Yourcupatea2 Comments

Love
I miss the old times, I miss my friends and most importantly I miss the life I used to lead. Don’t get me wrong. After reluctantly immigrating to the United States I have become a better person. But I still can’t fight the yearning feeling that greets me everyday to return home.

At first I refused to move to the U.S but after realizing the only option was to live with my restrictive grandparents I decided to move to California on a trial basis. I wanted my friends, I wanted my family but I also wanted a life.

“Do you know your making my life hell, why do you want to ruin everything?” These were accusations I threw at my parents on a daily basis after they told me I had to join them in the move. Believing I needed parental figures and boundaries they refused to leave me thinking that I would “spiral out of control,” consequently getting no where with my life. The concept was unbearable to me, why did everything have to change?

Repeatedly my parents would say “we’re doing what we think is best for you” but to me that was no consolation. I was leaving school, I could now decide what college I wanted to go to, and what subjects I wanted to do,  yet there was one thing I couldn’t change. Moving to America.

I can’t even begin to describe my last summer with my friends. Our time spent together was some of the best moments in my life and will always be ingrained in my memory.

Listening to the radio this morning I heard Two Door Cinema “What you know” an anthem me and my best friend shared.  I couldn’t help but wonder where I’d be now if I had stayed and who I’d be.

Valentines Day!

yourgingerkid1 Comment

To be honest, out of all the Hallmark holidays this is my favorite. I mean what girl doesn’t want to get chocolate and flowers on any given day? But Valentines day isn’t just Valentines day, it’s actually national Condom Day, the start of WA Sexual Health Awareness Week, and a very likely day for a couple to break up.

What a crazy holiday! I’m watching four girls make hearts for the game we have at Upper, and they’re all talking about how awful it is to be single on Valentines day.

But at least we girls don’t have to talk to guys!

My senior friend Madisen, theotherblackgirl, and I are taking a vow of silence for the whole day in order to keep our hearts. I mean, why not? We’re taking part in a school activity and just being silly.

And for the breaking up part, I hope all of those who are currently in relationships watch out. I will be. The statistics apparently say that most partners second guess each other on Valentines day. The statistic seems realistic, but hopefully not for the people here!

Overall, good luck tomorrow WordPress world!

My information is from here by the way.

Awkward News

sennymcfly1 Comment

This blog is a place where news can be shared between the loving and word-savy students of the fourth period journalism class as well as any outside source who stumbles upon our cozy little news corner known as OVS Journalism Blog. In the short time that we have been here, we have had many outsiders come in and comment on our opinionated posts. Some are quite intriguing. Others are not very important, but at the same time still very entertaining. But, others are…awkward.

OVS news reporter Emma Zornes, who is also a Ginger by the way, recently posted a blog concerning social appearances and how people should keep their opinions of to themselves if they don’t like the way someone acts, thinks, dresses, or presents themselves sexually. It was a well written article that got people’s attention and yes, there were comments. Fellow OVS news reporter Madisen Schay, who is black by the way, left comments followed by an outside blogger who left a HUGE impression on Zornes’ post.

mehhh

Now, due to the inappropriate content on this poster’s blog page, I won’t go into detail about his…interests. Also, I’m pretty sure that this is the reason why Mr. Alvarez refuses to make the comment public. What I will say though, is that the comment he left was one that was so “effective” that I really felt the need to write a post dedicated to the very comment.

So, questionable blog poster, a wherever you are, keep on keepin’ on. Oh, and bee tee dubs, you made things pretty awkward, not gonna lie.

awkward

P.S. How many times can you say awkward in one sentence? Let’s see if we can turn this into a competition.

The Pretenses of Valentines Day.

YourcupateaLeave a comment

Love
Oh Valentine’s Day you have once again returned,
Stealing the hearts and money of those in love,
Have you not had your fair share of fun?
Watching and laughing from above.

In my eyes Valentines Day is one big pretense. It is an excuse for shops to raise prices, sales to begin and people to empty their pockets. In many cases it is no longer a day to share affection or celebrate love.

Valentines Day has become a field day for mockery and competition. Who can buy the best gifts? Who can fool someone they dislike? And who can break someone’s heart?

In many cases Valentines Day lacks the key ingredient, love.

In my opinion love is a precious thing and should be celebrated everyday. Cook a special meal, tell someone you love them or even pick a fresh bouquet of flowers. If you love someone why not do this daily?

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