Pirates Ahoy!

Mood: Train

Quote: "Battles about water in the West are always about something more. At their most elemental they are about survival." -Bettina Boxol

A pirate must be:

Blog: Today marks day two of the "slump", and the day of Mark's birthday (no pun intended, if it was it would be more horrible than it is). Today actually went suprisingly well because I didn't have much time to think. For mutual we did an awesome thing, we went rafting downt the Provo River.

Of course when one brings 13 boys age 12-17 and five adult advisers, things are going to get crazy. In this case, I started out as the Captain of our vessel, much like this dude:

Of course, I was much better looking. As I attempted to steer my crew through the treaches of the River, I became a participant in a mutiny. Unfortunately, I was the mutinee. My motley crew would not listen to my commands, and lost all faith in my ability to lead. This ended horribley with me being pushed off the raft. My crew, being the just men they are, did rescue me, and pull me back into the raft. However, I was totally 'moted by a much less good looking pirate named Captain Francis. So, being the 'moted, and unloved captain, I tried my hand at motivating them. This involved sayings such as, "You are weak, but I will make you strong." "Today we do not die in vain," and the wonderful, "My brothers, we may be outnumbered, but we are faster, and in our numbers we are stronger!!! So pull with all your might, and ONWARD HO! We are few but we are strong!"

Oh the days of being a pirate. I was granted my captain spot back, but then usurped once again, but this time by a better looking pirate captain. I was also taken advantage when my defenses were down, and consequently, pushed into the River by an old man who pirates part time. Normally he's a gastrointestinologist, but we just say he is a but doctor. He is Bro. D. I got taken advantage of so badly, I fell in because of a gastrointestinologist who pirates part-time! Of course I am stil alive, and making plans for another voyage. PIRATES, CHARGE!

Exceptional

Mood: Matisyahu

Quote: "The human spirit needs to accomplish, to achieve, and to triumph to be happy." -Ben Stein (American Actor, Lawyer and Economist)

Note: On my last post I forgot one goal of the psychologist. The step is predict. So, my post should have ready: ...observe, describe, explain, predict, control...

If Life were Easy:

1. You only had to take the classes you wanted to
2. School started at 9:00 a.m.
3. All homework would be a labor of love (much like AP Psychology)
4. Your parents could actually help you on your homework, and be there to make dinner
5. One would simply wish it, and it would be set in place (most handy when dealing with the female sex)

Blog: This week was good, just plain old good. Much along the lines of "Okey dokey" "Pretty good" "Fine" "A-O.K." or just plain, "O.K." Nothing exceptional has happened, and it doesn't seem like anything exceptional is going to happen. It's just been, "O.K." and I'm not quite sure why. I just can't figure out what I need to happen, I mean I have a few things I would like to happen, a few things I want to happen, but nothing I need to happen for those want to's and like to's to become real. I just can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. It seems, with all of this going on, I must be entering into my monthly slump.

For those of you who are either unaware, or uneducated in the manner, I tend to go through what I like to call the "monthly slump". Think of it as a mini-depression. The one time a month where I temporarily let down my care-free facade, and become overwhelmed by one thing or another. In this case, its my failure to achieve what I would call the "exceptional life." My failure to live a life, or be the person that is considered exceptional. I consider this life to be:

• One that is enjoyed
• One that is capable of teaching others
• One that is lived to its fullest potential
• One that doesn't need anything else

An exceptional person is:

• One who is truly himself
• One who is comfortable with who he is
• One who is confident
• One who can learn
• One who loves (Romantically and otherwise)
• One who is loved (Romantically and otherwise)

How do I acheive this? What am I missing. Well, I can tell you somethings, but how do I achieve the things I'm missing? There are a lot more than just the fairly obvious ones, what is the the path to being exceptional.

This, is of course what I thought about today as I layed on my trampoline. This is, of course, what I couldn't tell my mom when she asked me what I was thinking about. How could I?

If I Were Me (Which Fortunately I am)

Mood: Death Cab for Cutie

Quote: "It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time." -Winston Churchill (if you don't know who he is you're sad)

What to do When a Friend Irritates You:

• Keep a comfortable distance
• Listen to whatever ignorant argument may be going on
• Sit silently knowing you are right
• Be friendly
• Encourage a comfortable distance to continue

Blog: It seems as though sometimes things changed unexpectedly. Friends come and go, people move, and others simply don't change.

I had some friendly chats with various people today, and was suprised to see how much things have/have not changed. Everything is different, it is a truly wonderful and exciting experience. I don't see the same people I saw "all the time" last year, and I keep bumping into people I hardly knew last year. Mostly I think this is a change for the good. Certain people move on, others simply won't, I continue onward. Some people change their lives fast, others slow, others never.

Here is what I would do if I were me:

First and foremost I would go with the flow. I simply need to observe and adapt, this brings into the four goals of a psychologist: observe, descirbe, explain, control. I bolded the last one because I find it particularly frightening when you think of it out of context. If I learn about what is going on I can control it, if not, oh well.

Secondly, I would enjoy. A great example of this would be my wonderful fall during English today. I leaned a little too far in my chair and made a slow, five second descent into the person behind me. It was absolutely wonderful, embarrassing, but wonderful. I would enjoy every good thing that came to me, and enjoy some of the negative things that were closer to being good also. I would just need to enjoy the moment (and all past moments, and hopefully all future moments as well).

Thirdly, I would most definitely let majorly fine chicks come to me. This semi-ties in with the first thing I would do if I were me. I find letting them come to me a much better alternative than for me coming to them like a dog, crawling, drooling, completely submissive, and without any common sense, not to mention the urge be pet. Now one must remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder (which, in this case, is me). Majorly fine chicks can be fine on the inside, although the outside is nice. This hopefully, would prevent myself from looking like more of an idiot than I already am, of which I nearly did 5 times today.

Fourthly, I will do what I can. There is only so much time in a day, an attention span, and waking hours to do everything that "everyone" wants me to do. If I were me (which I am) I would simply do all I can, and leave the rest up to chance. Although it seems that there is a certain expectation of perfection, this is entirely impossible. One can only do so much and stay sane. Everyone has a different sanity-work-tolerance level, of course one needs to figure out what that is first. If I were me I would make a habit of only doing what I can and not worrying about the rest. Perfection comes with luck, which sometimes I am lucky enough to have.

If I were me, I would definitely follow this advice. It seems that Me has some trouble following it, and I definitely wants Me to do so. As for chicas (and potential chica-friend people) that will have to be for some other time. I and Me will have to argue about it...

Life in the Fast Lane

Mood: Linkin Park

Quote: "Doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing." -Lao Tzu (Founder of Taoism)

Class Summary:

1. Seminary-its seminary, although Brother Little is cool. 3/5
2. Basketball-Volleyball- Pretty awesome people, not to mention all the crude violence of a male-dominated P.E. class. 3/5
3. Physiology-Hard but interesting 4/5
4. AP Calc BC-Math, the class is small but so far its cool-4/5
5. AP English-Mrs. V is awesome. 5/5
6. Financial Lit-Why does this even exist? Still an awesome class of people. 4/5
7. AP Spanish-Senior Eskyles es back! I guess he hasn't made an appearance on this blog but he will. 4/5
8. AP Psychology-Freakin' amazing and so interesting. A super diverse class. 5/5

Total score: 33/70

Blog: School began with full force, and as the projected workload continues to expand I had to do something very hard. I had to entire into a semi-retirement. I pretty much had to stop working because I couldn't handle it. I would come home from school, do homework, go to work, and do homework during work. It was crazy. I was already getting behind so I had to tell my manager, it was sad, but she was ok with it.

Other than my tremendous workload I really enjoy my classes. All of the subjects are totally worth the homework, especially AP Psychology. In another week or so, when I finally figure out who is in my class I will do a HLA ("hott"ness level assesment). I guess "hott" girls aren't really what school is about, but it helps (a little). School is great and I'm really looking forward to this year.

A little update on my job, my manager got a boyfriend. Its really funny because she is 5 feet tall and he is a little over 6 feet. We had a funny conversation about him because when I saw him and her in the store I wanted to sing "Girlfriend" by Avril Lavigne. According to my manager he is, "Hott on soo many levels." This of course is absolutely hysterical when you repeat it to yourself and say, " [Guy's name] you are hott on so many levels." What isn't there to love.

Life has been hectic, but it will get better. Except of course, we aren't good enough for him. Not sure why? We must be too original or something. Oh well, he can be a clone and have a heterosexual high school partner that is, in reality, just a collective conscious of various individuals sectioned into one body. At least my thoughts only belong to me (but then again, who would want them?).

On the Eve of Education

Mood: Matchbox 20

Quote: "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." Alvin Toffler (American futurist author)

Things NOT to do during school year:

1. Fail classes
2. Procrastinate
3. Get overwhelmed
4. Get in long arguments
5. Make stupid mistakes

Things to do during the school year:

1. Meet new people
2. Get 4.0 GPA
3. Observe and council various people through drama
4. Be an individual
5. Enjoy every moment

Blog: Here I sit. The summer has been long, interesting, boring and fun. Unfortunately, the time I was relegated for freedom is almost out. At 7:00 in the morning I will drive up to my wonderful High School and once again enter a very regimented enviroment. Thanks to the newly instated block schedule at my school, tomorrow is going to be complete chaos, as swarms of students fly frantically through the halls going to incorrect classes. I will once again do work, talk to people, and see people who I have not seen since the end of school.

Fortunately for me, this means that I will be able to get to know people who I did not have the opportunity to hang out with. New friends? Quite possibly. A few more friends never hurt anyone. The reason why I am so confident I will have to get to know different people, is because I do not have any classes with anyone I have contacted. This is sort of exciting as I venture into the unknown, the new frontier.

One problem does arise, and school has not even started yet. A friend of mine has been very different lately. He's always wanted something, something more, and I think he sees us as a limiting factor. He won't talk to me much, he won't talk to any of us. He wants something that we can't provide, he wants the women we don't even know. Its not just her, he wants all of them, and we are holding him back. We aren't smooth, or good looking, or "normal" enough for him. And in his view, only people who are just like him, smooth, good-looking and "normal" can do what he wants to, can hang with them.

If thats what it take for them, I think I'd rather not. I would rather stay an individual in the tide of similarity and sameness. A brilliant green or a crimson red in the sea of drab grey. Being the same is too boring, but it does have benefits. The see of grey houses them, and others, many others like them. Dull, similar, those who hide their individuality to fit in, to attract the other grey ones. I would rather be a different color, and attract other individuals, and together, we will form a brilliant rainbow. A brilliant lake of color in the sea of drab grey.

Farewell to a Friend

Mood: "Quiet Night" Playlist





Quote: "Remember me and smile, for its better to forget me than remember me and cry." -Anonymous


Countdown until School: 3 days (2 if you count freshman academy)


Movie Reviews:

• High School Musical 2- I've never seen the first one, but still. Did there really have to be a second? Honestly. 1.5/5 stars

Songs to Remember Me By:

1. Confines of Gravity- Playradioplay!


2. Relax (Take it Easy)-Mika


3. Bed of Lies-Matchbox 20


4. Superman-Five for Fighting


5. Into the Sun-Joseph Arthur


6. Unwell-Matchbox 20


7. Waiting on the World to Change-John Mayer


8. Danger List-John Mellencamp


9. I Walk the Line-Johnny Cash
10. Pieces-Sum 41


11. Its My Life-Bon Jovi

Blog: My friend left this morning, and I know he's not coming back. This post is dedicated to him. To that reddish, and curly haired kid driving out of Utah, across the country and into Massachussetts. To the kid who drove me insane in Bolivia, but who I had an awesome time with. To the kid who has an awesome Mom (of whom I love to the:

, if I could find an equation I could understand less I would put it). To the kid who invited me to go to Bolivia. To the kid who has an awesome familiy in general (with the possible exception of Ben...). To the kid who listens to some of the best and crappiest music, at the same time. To the kid who always does what he's supposed to do, even if his friends don't. To the kid who gets 20-year-old Bolivian chicks that only speak spanish. To the kid that actually understood what was going on in spanish. To the kid who was, despite all of our differences and arguments, still my friend.

Thats the person I lost. The guy that helped me in Spanish, and is letting me fly solo in AP this year. The guy that saved me in math when I was sick. The guy who, for some reason, never let her go. The guy who is and forever will be, Sam, my friend.

Remember me by these songs:

Confines of Gravity-Because, "I just want to be free/from the confines of gravity" Relax (Take It Easy)-The title should give it away. Bed of Lies-Because I don't fake it, "I would not sleep in this bed of lies/So toss me out, and turn in". Superman- "I'm just out to find/The better part of me/I'm more than a bird/More than a plane/More than some pretty face beside a train" "I'm not crazy/Or anything". Into the Sun- First off, the only song that kept me sane (and drove Ben crazy) in Bolivia, and should remind you of me if only for that reason, "Cause if I find/If I find/If I find my way/How much will I find?" "I've been caught inbetween all I wish for/And all I need". Unwell-Watch the music video, "All day/Making friends with shadows on my wall". Waitn' on the World to Change- "Its not that we don't care/We just know that nobady's fair" Danger List- "They don't know my name/Put me on the Danger List" "Good boys go to heaven/Good girls say their prayers/Me I don't say anything at all/Hope the good master cares". I Walk the Line-Who walks the line better than I do? Pieces-"I tried to be perfect/It just wasn't worth it/I don't think it makes me real". It's My Life-"It's my life/and its now or never/I ain't gonna live forever".

Farewell friend. May all your dreams come true. May god forever watch over you.

Prom in Da Hood?

Mood: Matisyahu

Countdown until school: 6 (5 if you count freshman academy)

Weirdest things I've seen:

• Gay people in New York





• Asian people with English accents





• That she-man (or he-woman) thing on American Idol





• People taking a crap in the middle of the street





• Prom in Da Hood

Blog: I got this as an e-mail from my mummy, and I have to post it. These pictures are from a prom:

And my school is worried about spaghettie straps?

A Night of Silence

Mood: Calm (see playlist below)







Quote: "There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in a storm" -Willa Sibert Cather (Author of My Antonia)







Movie Review:

• The Perfect Score-A modern day version of Breakfast Club, about six different people who conspire to steal the SAT answers in order to get into college. A really funny movie, and a suprisingly good moral. 4/5 stars.

Songs in order to achieve calm:

1. Happy Ending-Mika (Life in a Cartoon Motion)




2. Hands Held High-Linkin Park (Minutes to Midnight)




3. Marching Bands of Manhattan-Death Cab for Cutie (Plans)




4. Any Other World-Mika (Life in a Cartoon Motion)




5. Pieces-Sum 41 (Chuck)




6. Girl America-Mat Kearney (Nothing Left to Loose)




7. Hopeless-Train (Drops of Jupiter)




8. When I Get Where I'm Going-Brad Paisley Feat. Dolly Parton (Time Well Wasted)




9. I Will Follow You Into the Dark-Death Cab for Cutie (Plans)




10. Goodnight Goodnight-Maroon 5 (It Wont Be Soon Before Too Long)




11. You and Me-Lifehouse (Lifehouse)



12. Soul Meets Body-Death Cab for Cutie (Plans

Blog: People were supposed to come over at 7:30, currently it is 8:37. So now that I'm currently alone, away from friends, I've decided to take the time to post.

Alone. According to dictionary.com, alone has many meanings, here are a few:

• (adj) Separate, apart, or isolated




• (adj) Unique, unequaled, unexcelled




• (adv) Solitarily, Solely




• (adv) Only, exclusively

Currently, I think I embody all four of these definitions. I am isolated, and apart from all of my friends and other people. I am unique (in a heck of a lot of ways). I am currently writing solitarily, and I am currently solitary (for an unforseen period of time). I am the only person in the room.

What is the magic and mystery behind being alone? Being completely isolated, away from everything? What is it, about just being, being different, and in four different ways, being alone? What is it that drives us to be alone, and fear it at the same time? Is it that we are afraid of ourselves? Afraid of what we might see when we can only focus on ourselves instead of others? We must be afraid, why else would we seek to be constantly away from ourselves?

Being alone doesn't scare me. But realizing how many different ways I can be alone does. I guess reading Eclipse sort of does that to you. I realized that I can barely get girls that I like to talk to me, let alone want to turn into a monster for me! I can't even comprehend it. Its so completely foreign to me, to have someone (that isn't related to me) say, "I love you," and actually mean it! How strange and awesome that would be, a completely foreign experience.

The idea of being alone also meaning unique, is fitting. I'll be the first to say that I'm weird, which, implies some degree of unique-ness. The sad thing of being unique, is there is no one to share your unique little world with. No one who can understand. One day there may not be a need for explaining everything you see. Its incredible how a million people could look at the same rock and 99.9% of those people would see it completely different. Everything means something different, even as something simple as a song line or a book. The author or writer may not even have thought that something could mean a certain thing, but people go through and see it completely different. In both cases, the author and the reader or the songwriter and listener, both people are right. They simply see things differently. Some see things more similar to the "average" person than others. Those people are not alone, at least in someways, in fact, they are not alone at all. They are joined by other "clones" who do not seek to be original, who force themselves into a mold. I know, that I am different, that I see things different than everyone. In my mind, in the same world everyone inhabits, I am still alone. Even if everyone were to look at the same thing I was, I would be alone.

I am alone, physically, and mentally. Figuratively, and literally. I am alone, am I afraid of being alone? Sometimes. Do I understand that is impossible not to be alone, no matter how hard I try? Yes. So world, life, bring on the loneliness, wave after wave. Because the more the sea of different things wash over me, the more chance there is to finding someone similar, someone, who is also alone. Someone who rejoices in finding someone in which they no longer have to be alone. Someone to share their world with. Someone who can accompany them in the see of loneliness, where they will never feel lonely, because there is someone always there. Someone watching, and wishing.

Did You See This Coming?

Mood: Relax

Quote: You know, the courts may not be working any more, but as long as everyone is videotaping everyone else, justice will be done.
Matt Groening (1954 - ), The Simpsons

Things to do before school starts:

• Work
• Finish English
• Enjoy the remaining 10 days of summer
• Go school shopping
• Go swimming at least one more time

Movie Reviews:

• Hot Rod-A comedy along the lines of Napoleon Dynamite (except incredibly worse). The movie was funny at some parts, but most of the time it was pretty stupid. 3/5 stars
• The Bourne Ultimatum- The freakin' coolest movie ever! Way better than the second one, and just awesome. The filming is cool, the fight scenes rock, and lots of cars crash. Not to mention they set it up for a fourth one. Pure awesome: 5/5 stars

Blog: F.Y.I. my sister took eclipse to girls camp, which doesn't make me happy.

Click on the Video (either top or bottom, both are the same) on your right.

Need I say more?

P.S. I find this to be the grandtepulous video ever.

Miskates

Mud: Trane

Qote: "its A damnn por mnd thet ken tinc ov olny won wae too spel a wurd!" -Endraw Jaksen

Mewvy Reveus:

• Tha Sympsens Muvy- Wat es betr tan e haf our ofv teh Sipmsons? En howr and a haf ov de Simpcens. Ned eye sae mor? 8/5 stares
• Shreck III- Reely funy, probbly de fooniest Shrek en de suries. Shrekc nedes tu gow tow e hi skool too pic upp de footre keng. Joost rally foonnnie. 4/5 strs
• Thhe Gardyun- I pursonally enjoid tihs felm. Et iss wone ef dose feal gud philms. The karactr devlopment esnot tat gude. 3/5 starres
• Eye Know Pronownse U Chukk End Larrey- Der r tow kins ev pepel inn dis wurld. Tohse whoo leke Adem Sadler phimls, aned toseh whoo dunt. Ey heppan t bee wun ef dose. Crud and enfuoney at prts, boot ah goud massage, ie injod et. 2/5 stahrs

Kancunn bye teh noombrs:

1. Phunniey tann lin
2. tyms oie swem wit wall sharckes
3. restrawnts ete ate
4. dais in mexcoh wiht bouel ishus
5. see trtles sene
6. hour waight onn e bech wehn kar brok doun
7. knites ine kankoon
8. daeys een cankoun

Blogg: Et seemms iy grw stupder ery dae eye emnt wit dose ohv ah grter intlect. Oy ned dem to hellp mee beh smatrer. ih dink its loik en Flours fore Elgernonn (butt dat surt stury wood bea two smert far mea). Mebe eyll haf tu dropp owt oef deh klases ime tekyng beekaws deh wehll bee to hared. I kknoeh eyem knott vury smrt. Oi dunt knw wat toh doe. Dee ofis ladey waz soh nies do. Boot her es moi schedl:

1. semenarry/sermics 2
2. baceketbal-voliebal/dijitle foto
3. fiseeologee
4. Ay Pee Kalcoolus BeeC
5. Ape Lancomp (uhowh, Ie dunt tink i kan du et bekas oi kant spele)
6. fienanshal litterasie (ih dhink oi neede to hav eh redding litterasi mur)/semnary
7. ahpe espanich
8. Apey sykolojy

Mebee i shud goe gert smrt wit thos pepl whoo r raly smrt nd du kul tings n stoof.

Sammooel komes bac dis tursday from bolvia wech es ckul, he brught mee beck mre stoughf ie culdnt foind. den sem mooovs towh botson, wich well bee purty sahd. But wehn hee levs oi ken hahng owht wit dos smrt poepel is was telkyng ahbowt.

Ohter dan mie dorp ov smaretnes, lief es gud. Skuhl staerts en lyke too weks, engish soomer stuph es elmots dune.

I stel resrv de roight too spele hou oi whant.

Anger de Cancun,Quitana Roo, Mexico

Mood-Anything that expresses the frustration I feel

Quote-
“Our frustration is greater when we have much and want more than when we have nothing and want some. We are less dissatisfied when we lack many things than when we seem to lack but one thing.”
Eric Hoffer quotes (American Writer, 1902-1983)

Things one does while in Mexico:

• Swim with whale sharks
• Swim in ocean/snorkel
• Swim in swimming pool
• Eat
• Yell at retarded school schedule

Blog: I am currently in Cancun,Mexico (good thing), however, classe schedules have just come out (potentially good thing) and for some retarded reason, my once 3rd period AP Calculus class has been removed, and not replaced (really bad thing). I will not under any circumstance take AP Calculus AB. I want to take BC, where I can pretend to be smart, and flaunt my imaginary-smartness in front of everyone I know. On top of all that, I have a Spanish keyboard (not bad, I used them in Bolivia, and quite enjoy them) that thinks it is an English keyboard (horrible thing, at least for me). Thats correct I have a confused keyboard. A translingual keyboard. Why? Because currently the God of education has decided that I should not be able to put together my over-taxing schedule, and be happy for the rest of my brain-deadening schedule year. Life (with the exception that I'm in Mexico) is horribly frustrating.

Whoever invented the computer system on which my class schedule is created should be shot. Also, the person with the genius idea of switching over an entire school to block schedule with a crappy computer system that can't run on the schedule the school has been using for thirty years, should be horribly horribly beaten, and left on the side of the road somewhere. The cruel unfairity of the world.

When I get back I am going to have to talk to a counselor (or should I say yell), get my schedule changed, and then probably go to work. I hate the world, or at least a vast minority of it. I hate that minority so much, it would equate out to me hating the whole world.

Question of the day- Why does a Calculus BC class have 0 spots open 2nd period, but have 23 available seats in the 4th period class?