Be Jolly!

So sitting here in Economics, I want to write a little bit about the importance of being jolly. :) -Contrary to popular belief, it's ridiculously important. And what has prompted this post? Well, that may be the fact that I go to a highschool in which it seems that just about every human being minus my chosen social group seems to have some sort of drama. Until you listen into a small town highschool conversation, in class, at a lunch table, or just in passing, you have no idea just how overblown and out of proportion a 14-18 year olds life can get. Case in point-recently, I walked into the bathroom and perused one of the most unbelievingly mind-numbing pity rants in the history of the planet. Written on a toilet paper dispenser. "Why does no one love me? My boyfriend is a dousche. Are there really no great guys out there? Why does it seem like every guy I pick ends up misusing me, cheating on me, and treating me like crap?" etc, etc, etc...bla bla bla bla. Well, I thought to myself while attempting not to recognize the handwriting as that of one of my closest friends, maybe you should stop picking them. Because it seems to me that if they're never in your life, you'll never have a problem with them. Now, I know that sounds like a simple and obvious solution, but to too many highschoolers, it never even occurs to them. They just keep going around and around and around the same outrageously dramatic circle until they've convinced themselves that there's something wrong with them, their lives, or the planet in general. And I say-enough! For God sakes, half the population of earth is suffering in Third World poverty and you're worried about whether you'll ever find the right guy? Or whether your best friend thinks you're fat? Get over yourself! You are not the most important thing in the world. That may sound heartless, but really, you should here some of the things that people my age worry about! You can only nod and smile so much before you begin to feel like maybe you're losing all relevant brain power. I'm not saying that I, alone, am immune to these teenage dramas. Believe me, I get them. But it's rare. It's not something I worry about. In fact, I'm pretty sure that that's why my only sibling hates me. Because I really, really, don't care. About anything. I'm perfectly happy letting the world take it's course and bring me along for the ride. So be jolly, people! Contrary to popular belief, it's not just another word for "slacker", "lazy", or "just plain stupid". It's a legitimate strategy. I will not apologize for living outside of everyone elses brain-sucking stress vortex.

What to do, what to do...

Sitting here in Nutrition Ed and wondering what to write about. So much stuff has been going on lately, (nothing bad), but there' s just so many things in my head and I don't know what to put down! My dear friend Kylie is graduating soon, which is rather depressing, and yet it makes me very, very proud of her. Also, it reminds me that I myself only have one more year in this school before I too am out in the world and on my own. What do I want to do? I have no idea. My ideal job would involve writing and the arts. Anyone who knows me also knows that I love the wierdest things. My favorite TV and movie channel is Turner Classic Movies. My taste in books ranges from reference, to greek, to usually published over seventy-five years ago. My dream trip would be to tour all of the greatest art museums in the world, starting with the Louvre and ending in the Guggenheim. If I could, I'd probably visit as may of the oldest houses in the country as I could, just to look at them. I adore Beauty and the Beast and anyone who says that Gene Kelley wasn't a genius deserves to be dipped in a pool of hot wax. If my sister wants to watch Glee, I prefer to watch Deadliest Catch. My favorite band has often been described as "prog rock" and most of American society would probably mistake them for a trio of gay opera singers. Oh, and did I mention that two out of my three favorite magazines are the Smithsonian and The Week? I have a deep wish to go sift through the Historical Room in Otsego Public Library. Yes, you guessed it. I am a GIANT GEEK, and I have no idea how to mash all of these loves into one, specific career. Ghaa. It's very scary, and very exciting, and I hope that when I do eventually decide, I get it right, because my biggest fear in the world is getting it wrong, and being eternally unhappy.

This Is One Battle I Think I'm Losing

Not a lot of people know this, but I've been in a lot of pain this last month or so. I try to keep it under wraps, go to school, do my homework, and not worry my parents, but the truth of the matter is that my body is falling apart. Only a few months ago I seemed to have it under wraps, but lately, with the extensive playing we've been going through in band and the effects of mental exhaustion, my spine and my Raynaud's seem to be rebelling against me. If I try to write, my hands tense up, swell, and send throbbing pains into every joint. If I sit, my back screams in protest and refuses to find a comfortable position. Even just perching myself at a lunch table is sometimes a chore, and sneaking pain killers at school is an act I hate performing. Besides, my body has grown more and more resistant due to continual use. Sometimes, I'm not even sure why I'm even taking them anymore-Maybe I just like to pretend they make me better. So this is what worries me-if this is how I am at sixteen-years-old, how will I be when I'm twenty? Or forty? I used to love shopping, or taking long walks with friends. Now, I tend to refuse such invitations on the grounds that I'm busy, when the fact of the matter is I just can't manage to walk non-stop for such long periods of time, and even if I could, I'd be severely regretting it later. Is this how I'm going to have to live for the rest of my life? Constant pain? It's gotten so bad that most of the time I can't even drive comfortably anymore. I hate what these conditions are doing to my body. I feel like I'm sixty, not sixteen, and although I try to live my life, it's starting to get harder and harder. So I guess my biggest question is-What if I forget what it feels like to live pain-free? It's looking more and more likely that that's going to be a reality. So I'm scared...what can I say.

Song I Woke Up to This Morning

So every morning, without fail, I wake up to a tune playing in my head. I figured it might be a relief if I shared it. Today's soundtrack was "Sing for Absolution", by Muse.

Best Hair Awards: 2010

So I was chatting with a friend last night and it gave me the idea to voice my opinions (both the good and the bad), on the celebrity hair world. I give you, the best hair awards of 2010. Pic's will be on a seperate upload.

Best "Wannabe/We're Just Plain Sick of You" Hair
-Russell Brandt
-The Jonas Brothers
-The Jersey Shore Boys
-Spencer Pratt
-John Goselin
-Levi Johnston

Best "Screams Career Failure" Hair
-Nicholas Cage
-Tom Hanks

-Brad Pitt
-Jesse McCartney
-Clay Aiken

Best Pretty Boy Hair
-Zack Efron
-Nick Jonas
-Justin Bieber

Best(Really Fab!)Gay Hair
-Christian Siriano
-Michael Urie as Mark in Ugly Betty
-Chris Colfer as Kurt in Glee
-Niel Patrick Harris
-Mister Jay of America's Next Top Model

Best "Portrayed an Action Hero" Hair
-Jason Statham
-Sam Worthington
-Matt Damon
-Channing Tatum
-Christian Bale

Best Foreign Hair on American Soil
-Simon Baker
-Alexander Skarsgaard
-Stephen Moyer
-Ed Westwick

Best Brit Hair
-Matt Bellamy
-David Tennant
-Dom Howard
-Bradley James
-Ian Poulter

Best "Geek" Hair
-Chuck on Chuck
-Leonard from The Big Bang Theory
-Henry from Ugly Betty
-Will Schuster from Glee
-Spencer Reid of Criminal Minds

Best "Tool" Hair
-Puck of Glee
-Ronnie of Jersey Shore
-Gaston from Beauty and the Beast
-Brody Jenner

Best Gray Hair
-John Stewart
-George Clooney
-Anderson Cooper
-Clint Eastwood
-Richard Gere

Best "Revived Their Career" Hair
-Robert Downey Jr.
-Colin Farrell
-Justin Timberlake
-Mickey Rourke

Best Player Hair
-Chuck Bass of Gossip Girl
-John Mayer
-Tiger Woods
-Jude Law
-Jesse James

Best Long Hair
-Sawyer from Lost
-Sam of Supernatural
-Alcide from True Blood
-Jason Castro

Best "Defies Gravity" Hair
-Conan O'brien
-David Tennant
-Robert Pattinson
-John Travolta in Grease
-Jay Leno

Best "Bald is Beautiful" Hair
-Nigel Barker
-Jason Statham
-Vin Diesel
-Patrick Stewart
-Michael C. Hall

Best "Portrayed a Murderer" Hair
-Heath Ledger as the Joker
-Anthony Hopkins in Hannibal and Silence of the Lambs
-Damon from Vampire Diaries
-Michael C. Hall as Dexter
-Christian Bale in American Psycho

Best Desperate Rapper Hair
-Kanye West
-T-Pain
-Lil' Wayne

Best "Public Masturbator/Stalker" Hair
-Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day
-Jon Lajoie of the "Show Me Your Genitals" videos
-Jeff from Chuck
-Stanely Tucci in "The Lovely Bones".

AND....

Best Sex/"I Just Wanna Run My Fingers Through It" Hair
-Matthew Bellamy
-Billie Joe Armstrong
-Damon of Vampire Diaries
-Chase Crawford
-Dominic Howard

Montemartre: An Adventure of Rather "Slimy" Proportions

So I find it rather "grande" that I can sit here in the middle of school and write on my blog. We're in Nutrition Ed. and are required to pick out a "Cultural Food", which we will make and then present, along with a PowerPoint and poster, to the class. In the absence of my partner, I have decided to pick Quiche, a rather delicious French breakfast dish which I first tried here in the U.S., but then managed to fall in love with in France.
France, of all the places I went on last years Europe tour, was most definitely the best place for European cuisine, followed in a close second by Germany. I remember my second day in Paris, Justin Mendoza, Julie Campbell, Julie Williams, Lucas and I all headed up to explore Montemartre, the tallest hill in Paris, upon which the "White Church", or Sacre Coeur, is situated.
It truly lived up to its reputation as one of the most beautiful places in the city. Climbing the hill to the top of the numerous stairs, and avoiding being ensnared by bracelet weaving Gypsies intent on cheating us out of our Euros, we looked out over the horizon, before turning and heading into t,the church itself, upon whose doorstep a legless female beggar sat. Although I don't remember much of the inside of Sacre Coeur, for it was later overshadowed for me by the glory of Notre Dame, I will, however, always remember the culture of Montemartre. It was there that I received a small, if not exquisite, oil painting of the Eiffel Tower, as well as ate in a dark, musty, and rather shady cafe which never the less served some of the most fabulous food on the hill. Justin had been intent on sampling a French cuisine must-snails-and, having convinced Lucas to join him, they had searched up and down the streets of Montemartre before a rather bemused if not friendly Frenchmen had directed us to the cafe I have spoken of. Sitting down at a front table rather nervously, (we didn't speak much French and the server was both tall and imposing, with a caveman demeanor to boot), we opened our menues and prepared to order. I had decided on my current cultural food project choice-ham and cheese quiche and their version of an orange Fayo. Justin and Lucas, on the other hand, eagerly picked out the oddest things they could find, Les Escargots (snails), and a raw salmon salad.
Everything was delicious. The snails, I was informed, were chalked full of garlic and butter and cooked to a T, and after a little convincing, I discovered that the salmon, though raw, had all the makings of a slightly muskier, well-preserved tuna. French cuisine, which if often described as a more refined genre of food than that of German and other robust cuisines, lived up to its reputation that day, as did Montmartre. Although for me Paris itself ended up being a downer, that day will still go down in my memory as one of the best of my life. Never before have I enjoyed such an adventure among friends, and what I wouldn't give to experience it again.

Golf. Until recently, I had been under the impression that this was just a sport in which senile old men with intestinal problems got their jollies and Tiger Woods collected STD's like jelly beans...
Oh, how sorely wrong I was...Apparently, not only do my closest friends and family members view this so-called "sport", but even the Brits find cause to attend it! Wearing pants! Not only do I find this fact depressing, but I also feel that this travesty is an insult to the American people. If anyone should be wearing pants, it should be us. We are, after all, the same society which condoned such non-pants wearing behaviour in the smash-hit, "Pants on the Ground".
As for the other fact, that real, sensible people actually view golf, that still apalls me. If I really wanted to go see people hit balls around with metal sticks, I'd just travel the nearest bondage-themed strip club, payed for, courtesy of the Republican National Commitee.
So what is, exactly, the appeal? It's not like baseball, where you might be lucky enough to glimpse Sammy Sosa shooting up in a corner or Kate Hudson and Alex Rodriguez lip-locking in the dug-out. It's not football, where the likes of Jessica Simson and Janet Jackson have graced us with both their breasts and their bad-singing seem to be the highly amusing theme. It's not hockey, where handsome players marry attractive, slightly vapid country stars. And it's not basketball, a sport in which, l0-and-behold, their most beloved player is a man with an incurable STD.
The fact of the matter is, The Masters this year is recieving its highest ratings to date, and even though Tigergate may have something to do with it, I find myself realizing that almost everyone around me watches golf, and it's not because one man decided to "let it all hang out". So here's the conclusion I've come too-it's those bloody Brits. They're just so damn entertaining. And that, is golfs true appeal.