Who Needs Summer Assignments?

I mean, really. Whoever came up with the idea of assigning kids homework over the summer had a pretty warped idea of what summer was supposed to be like. Summer is supposed to be lazy, fun, memorable, mostly carefree... the last thing any kid needs is required work that's "due" at the beginning of the next school year. I hate that feeling of having that assignment just hang over your head all summer, just dreading the day when you finally have to start working on it.

And whether you're the type who works on it a bit at a time or finishes it all in one go the week before school, it's not like the assignment benefits you that much. All that about "keeping your mind sharp" and "preparing you for the workload" doesn't really make sense, especially with the summer assignments I've gotten. Some teachers claim they without the summer assignment they won't be able to get through the curriculum, but I would rather have a relaxing summer and a slightly sped up school year than have to do curriculum work when I'm not motivated at all.

So yeah, some assignments aren't bad and I'm exaggerating how time-consuming they are, but it's the thought that counts. I just want to have a care-free summer, period. Summer's the time to enjoy yourself and your hobbies. It's the time to get a job, work an internship, or do something else creative or interesting. Or at least something that's worthwhile and memorable, rather than drudge-work in the form of a summer assignment. Keep that kind of stuff for the school year, please.

Parody Trailers

These are really well done, haha all credit to the original makers. Make sure you watch the first trailer first to understand what the parody is about.

Cicadas

It's that distinct continuous buzz that can be heard almost everywhere come summer. Rarely do you see these insects in trees, but their sound can always be heard, swelling and ebbing in an almost harsh tone. I've only recently began to hear the cicadas around my neighborhood and elsewhere when I go on a run- they seem to be most pronounced around noon and late evening, but that has no scientific basing whatsoever.

The cicadas have kind of snuck up on me this summer. It's a sure sign that summer has arrived, but I can never pinpoint the first day that I hear them. It's one of those things that stay in the background and you never notice until you pay close attention, like the humming of your fridge or computer. Your brain is so used to it that it almost blocks it out, until the moment where you're suddenly like "What's that buzzing? Wow, those cicadas are really loud!" I guess the same thing happens with leaves changing color come autumn, and flowers bloom in spring. It takes an observant eye to notice the changes right off the bat. But then again, it's nice to be surprised by nature once in a while.

Scabs

I'm not going to try to make this my most insightful post, but I couldn't help writing about scabs when I have one on my left knee. Well, had one. So what is it with scabs and picking them off?

When you have one I think it's pretty cool. Annoying sometimes when you bump into it, but I guess it's something akin to a battle scar. This current one on my knee is pretty small as far as scabs go, but it's noticeable. So whenever someone asks me about it I can proudly say that I got it diving for a save during a game of World Cup. Other than that I think you only notice scabs when you're bored. It's not the best thing you can do (especially if you want it to heal quickly) but why not? It's itchy and interesting to see how far you can pick at it.

So I guess I'm a scab-picker. I don't think I've left scabs on for more than a few days. The larger ones will re-scab and then the fun just starts all over again.

PK Shootout- The Ultimate Test

There's not a lot of things that I can imagine being more stressful than taking a penalty kick in a shootout after two overtimes... in a World Cup Quarter-Final. Ok fine, maybe taking a PK in a World Cup Final.

But wow, I watched the USA Women's Team really step up in their match against Brazil today in the Women's World Cup. I'm sad to say that I missed the match, but I heard it was sensational... some poor officiating and a baloney call to allow Brazil to retake a PK that Hope Solo brilliantly saved. And talk about dramatic... taking it into the dreaded penalty kick shootout. I commend each and every player that stepped up to the line to take a penalty kick for their respective countries. With so much at stake and all those fans watching, not to mention teammates and coaches and family and friends, it's a wonder how they keep their cool.

I gotta hand it to the US though for beating Brazil 5-3 in the shootout. 5/5 is impressive. I went back to watch footage of the shootout and all of them were well placed. Kudos to Solo again for a great save on a decent PK. The fact that the USA triumphed without missing a single penalty kick, after being emotionally shaken up during the game for the bad officiating and being behind, really goes to show the extent of their training.

It's like anything else in life that deals with pressure. Musical performances and auditions, for example. You just have to practice enough so that you can calmly perform even under pressure. The hardest thing to do is t to not psych yourself out. You have to drown out any doubts that you have and have confidence. After all, trusting yourself in such dramatic moments is the test between victors and losers.

Tell Me Baby- RHCP

There's so much auto-tune and special effects and "processed" music out there today that sometimes it's refreshing to listen to your favorite bands live. In some cases, I think it's even better than their album versions.

KIWI!!!!.... and other fruit too

Kiwis are absolutely delicious. Who's with me?

Actually all fruit, when perfectly ripe, are perfectly delectable. I'm getting hungry imagining it all right now... that crisp, crunchy, sweet first bite of an apple, the summer, nectar-like flavor of peaches, the unmistakable aroma of ripe cantaloupe... I could go on and on describing my favorite fruits.

But I found out something cool just a few minutes when I ate that luscious kiwi. I found out that you get different experiences when you eat fruit in different ways. Sliced, whole, skinned, not skinned, on or off the rind (I much prefer holding onto a slice of watermelon and eating all the way to the rind, rather than eat pre-cut chunks).

Take kiwi as an example. That fuzzy brown covering presents a problem, as it's hard to get off using a normal apple or potato peeler. So normally our family serves kiwis sliced in half with a spoon. In this way you can gently scoop out spoonfuls of green flesh, savoring the taste and licking up any juice that drips down the spoon onto your hand. It's much different than eating those chunks of kiwi that come in a fruit bowl or in a fruit salad.

So today I took a different approach and spent that extra 5 minutes carefully using a knife to peel away the skin. I cut off the stubby end and marveled at the juicy green oval-orb in my hand. And then biting in... mmm the texture was so different from those chunks in fruit salad that I'm used to picking out and eating, and the taste- it was like a burst of pure kiwiness that surpassed any spoonful I've had using the cut-in-half method. I noticed there were sweet and tangy spots in the whole fruit. The seeds in the middle were slightly tangier but still sweet.

The entire fruit was pretty filling, and I felt I was eating some exotic fruit like they describe in those stories where an explorer picks a fruit off a tree and just bites in like they would an apple. But trust me, it's so much different from the scoop method of eating kiwis, and doesn't require too much extra effort. I bet you're thinking about going to a supermarket and getting some kiwis right now. Make sure they're ripe and try eating  one whole, after skinning it. Then come back and tell me what you think. =)

I'm Blue- Eiffel 65

I'm going to start sharing music and cool Youtube videos I come across, so stay tuned! I mean, they're such a big part of my life, so why wouldn't I include them as part of the teenage experience? This song has a special meaning to me, it's a song that kind of implies "feeling blue" but it doesn't sound that way at all =] Awesome song. I'll tag future songs with the tag "music."

Almost losing a friend... the numbing sorrow

There are midsummer nights, and then there are nights of utter immoblization. 

I experienced one the other day after receiving a phone call from a very dear friend, realizing that everything between us could be over. I ended the call and just stared out the porch window, watching the trees in my backyard, the red sparrow that flew across my line of sight, the rippling grass, the clouds. And just not… appreciating any of it. My heart rate was steady and I was taking measured breaths, but my mind was struggling over the consequences of what had just happened. It was a moment of dread, fear, regret, and all those other emotions that come with misunderstanding and conflict: emotions we’ve all experienced before. 

My mind was just processing everything that had happened, and for a few minutes as I was sitting there, I felt numb to the rest of the world. Ever get that feeling where nothing else in the world matters for a few seconds and you’re just… thinking? And then struggling to get back into your daily life, to get your mind off things, to get back to whatever you were doing before that phone call, but just can’t?

I guess life needs both joy and sorrow. If your life was a movie, something like “How to Save a Life” by the Fray would be playing in the background. Life isn’t perfect, but sometimes that pain and sadness is hard to overcome in just one night. 

Summer: Lazy But Good

Hasn't the phrase "midsummer night" always been something like a cliche? I don't know about you guys, but I hear that phrase and automatically think of Robert Frost and his poems about living in nature or something. It's kind of a funny thing with cliches though- they seem boring until you experience them for yourself. Let me give you an example: "his heart beat like a drum, and he wondered why no one else seemed to hear the thumping in his ribcage." It used to be another cliche for me, a trite expression to throw in when writing when I had no better words to use. But I vividly that one moment in my life, maybe before a big test or a performance in front of a lot of people (I don't remember), that my heart was just POUNDING. And I realized that moment why expressions become cliches- because they are great and descriptive the FIRST time it's used.

So. Midsummer nights. What are you thinking of right now? A night in the middle of summer? Ok ok, so it isn’t the MIDDLE of summer yet, but I think July 4th is close enough. To me, midsummer nights just mean warm, breezy, peaceful, relaxing evenings out on your porch or in the middle of a park or just walking along the sidewalk, a night where you look out and just feel soothed by the slowly setting sun and gentle skies. A night where you feel completely carefree and it's just awesome to sit and enjoy the night for what it is. That's today. I didn't go out tonight for any 4th of July fireworks, but I had an awesome time playing some pick-up soccer with a bunch of friends. I hear the crackle and pops of fireworks from the open window beside me, and I'm just leaning back in this comfy chair and typing. 

This is what summer nights are supposed to feel like. Granted, I don't have to wake up early tomorrow morning to work or anything, but every now and then that lazy, relaxing summer night comes along for everyone. So I'm gonna sign off and get back to that right now. Happy 4th of July everyone!

Wait....what do people in the Southern Hemisphere think when they hear “midsummer nights?” O.o