WEEKLY CHALLENGE #9

After all those wonderful days of summer being able to post every day, school is exhausting when it comes to managing time well. So instead of giving you a regular weekly challenge, I'm going request for tips about high school. What's a good trick to make sure you don't fall asleep before you homework gets done? Best food to eat after a soccer game? How does a person stay on top of college applications? Time management and waking up early? What's a good way to clear your mind?

WEEKLY CHALLENGE #9
-What are some good tips relating to high school?
-Share below in the comments or email to tomilkyway4@yahoo.com!
-I appreciate the extra effort for commenting/replying. So why not, throw in another blog topic you want me to write about and I'll find time later in the year =]

Stereo Hearts- Gym Class Heroes

It's been a while since I've posted. School's taking more out of me than I expected, so expect less frequent posting for a month or two. Enjoy a great song while you're at it though. =D

The Lion King- 3D in Theaters

Disney certainly knew what they were doing when they decided to bring back The Lion King to theaters, this time boasting 3D animation for a limited 2 weeks. It was a smart move- I just came back from watching it tonight and the theater was packed, most of whom were teenagers. I mean, the original one came out in 1994. But having it brought back to us made it that much more exciting and epic to go see. The movie was GOOD. Better than I remembered from last watching it five or six years ago, though part of it is the retouched animation and high quality resolution. It's such a classic. All of it- the epic story, the music, the characters... they were brought back with just the added touch of being in 3D. It wasn't eye popping, but it fit nicely and was comfortable to watch. I think most of the awesomeness came from just the movie itself, which is a fantastic movie for all ages.

I'm hard pressed to think of a movie with more vivid and alluring characters. The grandeur of seeing Mufasa on the big screen, the antics of Rafiki, the sheer hilarity that naturally comes with Pumbaa and Timon, the chilling wickedness of Scar... I mean, the stampede scene and Mufasa's fall was just epic. Heart-wrenching, but epic. And just revisiting everything else and enjoying the movie with friends made it special to watch again. I was particularly moved by the songs- partly because my friends were singing along and reciting lines by heart throughout the entire movie, and partly because they were just awesome. The voices are so charismatic. Rafiki and Scar are my two most favorite characters, hands down. Scar's cruelty makes me hate him to death, but I love him as a character and the embodiment of evil. A lot of movies and books are defined by how well the bad guy is portrayed. And Scar's "Be Prepared" song in the movie gave me chills because I always hated that part when I was watching the Lion King as a kid.

Hans Zimmer and Elton John, I applaud thee. The music and voices in the movie are the absolute best. Listening to the soundtrack makes me want to go trek trough the African savanna, find a pomegranate, smear it on a lion cub's forehead and just hold it aloft a giant rock in triumph. Absolutely legendary.

Thought of You- (Film/Animation by Ryan Woodward)

I think this captures human expression beautifully.

Giving things a second chance

What what YOU do for a Klondike bar.... the second time around?

Let me tell you, I used to not like Klondikes at all. I was more of a vanilla ice cream type of person- the ratio of chocolate shell to actual ice cream in a Klondike was too much for me. The chocolate came across as an annoyance rather than a bonus, hindering the taste of the ice cream. I would always try to eat the chocolate shell first, which wasn't that good to begin with because the shards of chocolate in your mouth took forever to melt and were overly sweet. They just weren't as enjoyable as ice cream sandwiches for example, which were moist and chewy and more balanced than a Klondike bar, not to mention a lot less messy. Klondikes came across as just an all-around 2nd choice ice cream dessert... I would never reach for one if I had a choice, but I would occasionally eat one if there was nothing better.

The other day, however, I came home to find a big pack of Klondikes in the freezer, which my mom had apparently gotten at the local wholesale club without asking me. So I decided to give Klondikes another chance, figuring that it was better to eat them rather than let them go to waste. The first one was pretty mediocre. I wasn't too excited about having them, but having some ice cream is better than no ice cream after all. And so I came back for seconds and then thirds. And the interesting part was that as I had more, I started to look forward to eating Klondikes after mowing the lawn or finishing my homework or while I was watching TV. I don't know if I finally "acquired" the taste, or if I simply discovered a better way to eat Klondike bars.

You see, I always used to eat the Klondikes the same way: pick off the chocolate shell first, then try to enjoy the goopy ice cream mess inside without distraction. I was getting tired of that method, so I decided to try something new- I straight up bit into a Klondike bar and chomped my way through. And then I realized, that was the way it was supposed to be eaten- chocolate shards and vanilla ice cream together in one bite, not eaten separately. Each bite had a creamy but crunchy texture to it. You would chew into the shards of chocolate while savoring the vanilla tones as the ice cream melted first, leaving the chocolate on the top of your tongue, slowing melting away and leaving a nice aftertaste. That delayed melting of chocolate is a nice contrast to the ice cream and really allows you to enjoy each bite. The cold introduction of the ice cream, the combination of chocolate and vanilla at the same time, and finally the chocolate finish before you start over with a fresh bite.

So you never really know about the foods and desserts that you dislike. Perhaps you haven't given it enough of a chance, or the problem lies in the way you think and perceive the food rather than how it tastes. I know Klondikes have won me back over. But that got me thinking, if I can give ice cream bars a second chance, I most certainly can give people second chances as well. That initial negative impression I might of had with someone might be totally false now. Or I haven't yet discovered a truly admirable characteristic of a person. Friends, family, or strangers... second chances can sometimes lead to awesome things. But it's important that you give them that chance to begin with. (Broccoli and brussels sprouts remain as exceptions, but I'm working on it.)

VERSE- Pattern of the world

Romans 12:2
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will."

It is often too easy for us to fall into the patterns of this world. We live our lives in such predetermined routine that we lose sight of the most important things in life. We forget the bigger picture and focus on matters that really are of trivial importance but end up holding a big part in our hearts and minds. As a teen, school is the dominating force that most of our lives are based around, whether we're conscious of it or not. Many people are working hard and striving to earn good grades for their future. Sports and music and clubs all tie in to school, as well as other extracurricular activities. The people we go to class with and the people we are friends with, all these relationships hold a big part of our lives that we interact with on a daily basis. School and friends and clubs certainly are not bad, but in my life I find that they often take the place of God or reading the Bible. I get caught up in excelling in school and applying to colleges and practicing for soccer, things that this world values, but forget the simple act of doing devotions or talking with Jesus, the very savior of my life!

When you think about it, there are a lot things that people aspire to have in this world- good grades, friendship, athleticism, comfort, a job, an interesting hobby... but none of them can truly take the place of God. As a busy teen about to apply to college, I find that I often have to have "renewings of my mind" on a daily basis. Here I am, a top student, all happy because I'm doing well in school and soccer and clubs, but I forget that I'm not the one who can ultimately live my life alone. Take away all my activities and hobbies and successes, and what do I have? Nothing but Jesus. And that's the way I should strive to live- to do these things, to go to school and play a sport and play a musical instrument, but according to God's good, pleasing, and perfect will. To live my life for and through Him, and not controlled by the patterns of this world. Because we already live in the routines of this world, it is especially hard to break free of a certain mindset that earthly things are more important than a spiritual connection with God. We may know that deep inside, but we must try to act that way every day. Only then will you be "transformed" by this renewing of your mind.

WEEKLY CHALLENGE #8

If you're a teen or just enjoy reading this blog, submit a blog topic for me to write about! Fall's coming- you can feel it in the air. Before you know it the leaves will be covering the sidewalks in red, orange, and gold, delightfully crunchy underneath your feet.

WEEKLY CHALLENGE #8
-When is the first official day of autumn?
-Email or comment me the answer, along with a blog topic! If it's correct it'll be a done deal.
-The "Leave a Comment" link is right below, my email is tomilkyway4@yahoo.com =D

Escape- Mt Eden (Dubstep)

A lot of songs sound a lot more epic when they include a choir part. It resounds more deeply and carries more emotion behind it- useful in fight scenes, film conclusions, or movie trailers. (Harry Potter 7 part 2 trailer anyone?)

Escape- Mt Eden:

Heart of Courage- Two Steps from Hell:

I rest my case.

Admiration vs. Jealousy

Isn't it funny how certain qualities have only a fine line distinguishing them from another quality? Take confidence vs cockiness, for example. What comes across as confidence to one person might seem like overconfidence and arrogance to someone else. A person who does not know them personally might have a hard time deciding which it really is, confidence or cockiness. The same holds true for ingenuity vs insanity... what might come across as an act of madness at the time might later be revealed to be an act of brilliance. Inventors, trend-setters, and scientists often have to deal with this initial misunderstanding.

There are plenty of others...  I can think of independence vs alienation and courageous vs reckless right now. Or how about admiration vs jealousy? That's something I find that as teens we may deal with a lot, whether we're conscious of it or not. There's a lot of competition in a typical high school student's life. Grades, for one, are always a source of contest. "Hey, what did so-and-so get on that last math test? 87? *fist pump* I got two points higher!" Or SATs and standardized tests, for example. And that's just academics. Competition gets fierce when it comes to high school sports or even music ensembles, where not everyone can participate so some sort of selection process is required. Sport try-outs can sometimes be difficult when it comes to making the cut for the team and then seeing who gets the most playing time. I'm lucky to go to a high school where our sports teams are really team-spirited and encouraging rather than cut-throat when it comes to practices and games, but I'm sure this is not the case in other schools.

The same goes for musical ensembles and auditioning for chair seating, auditions for a school musical or drama production, and even club competitions. All of these are opportunities for a student to compare himself or herself to all the others. And when one student rises above the rest, does that inspire admiration or jealousy? I find it difficult to gauge my own reaction sometimes... on one hand, I have admiration and respect for anyone that can achieve such success. But if that person is someone I know as a friend, sometimes the feeling of "why not me" (in other words, jealousy) masks the admiration and turns my feelings into resentment.
This is especially hard for friends in a competitive setting, where both are trying out for a team or auditioning for a part in a play. One makes it to the top, the other falls. What's the result?

It's so hard to be able to say "I'm happy for you" honestly. Disappointment often gets in the way of true and selfless joy for a friend. The line between admiration (even if reluctant) and jealousy is important to distinguish in order to better understand your own emotions. Jealousy has negative connotations and usually feels bad and self-destructive, whereas learning to admire and respect a friend (or stranger) for what they do is much more inspiring and positive.

Fans are awesome

Someone in the crowd brought a vuvuzela to our soccer match today. It was awesome. 

Fans are truly awesome. And by that I mean team supporters, not the electric ones you turn on when it's hot. Why do they call them "fans" anyways? For any sports team out there, it's always 100 times better when fans came to watch and support you. The feeling of being on the field or court or track and hearing familiar voices shout out encouragement while you compete has got to be the best feeling in the world for any athlete. And spectators- don't forget that your presence is always appreciated! It may not seem like people notice you out of the crowd, but the teams do. It's so encouraging when other classmates have school spirit and take time out of their day to watch a game or match. I had that honor this evening to have a sizable crowd at our soccer match. So you know what, fan-with-the-vuvuzela? You just made my day.