SB Adventures

I seriously have been to some beautiful places these past few years for spring break. I found these while looking through some old picture folders. These are pictures from my trip to New Mexico two years ago as well as my trip to Long Boat Key, Florida this year.

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The Calm Before the Storm

Everyone has a different idea of what the most beautiful sight in the world is. For some it’s a field of wild flowers under a crystal clear blue sky, a view of the city from the top of a parking garage, or maybe it’s the sight of their children smiling with glee or their wife or husband on their wedding day.

However, to me the most beautiful sight is a little bit odd. It’s the ocean. Okay, so yes, the ocean itself is a favorite for many but I don’t love it on the typical sunny day and endless sky. I absolutely love the way the ocean looks right before a huge storm hits. The water and the beach seem to be completely transformed. In this period of time the waves almost seem to dull down which is where the phrase ’the calm before the storm’ comes from. Everything looks so different. The sky’s light blue is suddenly flooded with clouds that spill over dark shades of gray and dark blue. The sky takes on a deep navy itself and the waves seem to lose the bright washed out blue they once were and adopt a strange deep teal color that looks almost fake. The sand on the beach seems completely changed as well as it goes from that perfect soft light tan to the rough gravely shadows. This change is so abrupt yet so dramatic. I love the colors and the sudden calm. It’s a complete metamorphasis in a matter of minutes. And then as the clouds roll in over the water another change occurs and the first  bolt of lightning stretches it’s hand down into the water and splashes it towards the shore. The wind picks up, the thunder begins to rumble and the rain begins to beat down making the once loose sand form a firm terrain.

This spring break I went to Long Boat Key, Florida. While walking along the shore the sun suddenly disappeard and the clouds began to roll in. Luckily, I had enough time to rush back and grab my camera to get some shots of my favorite sight before an insane storm swept over the Keys. Getting to witness the sea before a storm was honestly the highlight of my vacation because trust me, it is quite a sight to behold.

A Million Little Pieces

I recently finished reading the book A Million Little Pieces by James Frey, yes, instead of doing homework. Anyways! You may have heard about this book considering Oprah added it as a Book Club book. However, shortly afterwards the true scandal behind the story was revealed! Oprah had the author James Frey on her show to  talk about his book, published as a non-fiction novel. Turns out the events, people, and locations were largely fabricated by Frey to gain further recognition for his story.

Upon hearing this from a friend who had recently finished the novel herself, I decided to divulge in this book that had caused such a ruckus. Now, I understand that some of the story may have been lies, to what extent the deceit reached I am unsure, however the book is phenomenal. I absolutely loved it. A  Million Little Pieces takes you inside of a drug rehabilitation center and through the long journey of recovery James Frey endured… or didn’t… whatever. The point is, it is written in such a way that you feel the pain he suffers through and you root for him in moments of success. You meet characters dealing with all sorts of addictions to various substances and they turn out to not be your typical druggies. One is a well-known judge, another a boxer, people who to most would assume would never get involved in the dark world of alcohol and drug abuse.

The author’s personality is an unusual type as well that was truly fascinating to me. He was so self-reliant and refused to accept any other cause for his addiction but his own mistakes and bad decisions. He also talks frequently of a book his brother gave to him about Tao. This book provides these rules to life that James throughout the book begins to accept and live up to these standards in his own life. The rules or lessons are incredible though. They talk about methods of dealing with situations that will ultimately help you through life in the end. My favorite part of the novel was probably when James would describe excerpts from the book of Tao.

For example, one part of the book read:

“There is no fear. Absolutely no fear. When one lives without fear, one cannot be broken. When one lives with fear one is broken before one begins to live.”

The lessons are bold and at first thought extremely difficult to live by. However after considering them, they all ring true. I don’t really know why, they just kind of stuck with me.

I would definitely recommend this book. Non fiction, fiction, whatever! It’s still a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Haven’t done one of these in a while…

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10 Day Death

I hate the cold. I hate snow. I hate winter. Nothing good happens during this season, let’s be honest. And one of the perks of winter? Everyone gets the flu. I got to be one of those lucky people.

I have now been sick for ten days. I was told that I would be  completely recovered in a matter of ten days…. why do I still feel miserable?

At first I thought I lucked out when I first got sick on a snow day. I was extremely relieved I would not be missing school because of this but then Friday came and guess who was still unable to get out of bed. IT WAS AWFUL! And with this flu it’s the kind of thing where you literally can’t do anything. I couldn’t watch tv, couldn’t get on the computer, couldn’t read. Everything made my head hurt! But it wasn’t just my head, it was everything! It felt like all the bones in my body were twisting themselves trying to find a way to break through my skin. Gruesome picture I know but imagine actually feeling like that!

I was taking medicine regularly and doing everything the doctor tells you to do with the flu. But recovering seemed completely out of my hands. I literally had to just wait it out. I spent my weekend not moving from my bed and went to school on Monday only to make myself feel even worse and have to stay home on Tuesday.

Anyways, I guess the point of my rant is that this has officially proved to me that winter is the worse thing to ever happen to me and ALWAYS get a flu shot whether you think they work or not. Better safe than sorry.

For my fellow haters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opVllU9Zn0c. Enjoy!

Texting is Ruining the World.

Technology is ruining the world. There, I said it. And yes, people very strongly disagree with me on this but let me explain.

When you get in a fight with your best friend do you

a) Give them the silent treatment (your maturity is astounding!)

b) Talk it out face to face

or

c) Text each other ridiculously awful comments that you would never say to them in person.

How many chose choice c? Hands up? That’s what I thought.

Everything is so impersonal these days because of all of these advancements in technology. There are people who have over 800 + friends on Facebook and yet they’ve never met half of them. Does that bug anyone else? Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying I don’t do this personally. I definitely understand the appeal in adding someone who you may have some mutual friends with to add to your potential stalking list. Let’s be honest, we all do it. But the other day I got to thinking and I realized that it could be argued that majority of the populations social interactions are gradually starting to occur mainly over some form of technology, be it texting or social networking.

What happens to those people who live on the computer when they go out in public? How will they interact in the real world? You can be whoever you want through a screen but when you see someone face to face who’s to say these people won’t be socially awkward because they aren’t around people in person often enough?

Experiences that typically in the past were done in person are also becoming only communicated through technology. I mean, how many times have you heard about someone getting dumped over texting? That’s true class right there.

I fear for today’s youth and for the way people younger than me are going to develop because of this recent switch. I definitely am not diminishing the many good things that the internet and cell phones have allowed but I’m just realizing that I really don’t like that a lot of my most meaningful conversations with my friends have occurred over texting. Personally, I’ve decided to cut back. Limit my time on Facebook definitely and limit my texting to only when necessary. I just can’t live with the idea of growing up and not being able to express myself when in the presence of the person I need to express myself to. But who knows. Maybe I’m just being dramatic!

Mommy Mayhem

First of all read this blog post:

http://nerdyapplebottom.com/2010/11/02/my-son-is-gay/

Now listen to my rant. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I sat there, reading this post, and literally found myself restraining my fist from punching the computer screen in retaliation against the way those Mom’s treated that boy….. not that me attacking my computer would’ve have done much but we’re focusing on the emotions here!

I”m so tired of hearing stories like this. Better yet, I’m so tired of witnessing stories like this! As a high school student I’m well aware that bullying takes place on a daily basis but sometimes it’s not always by students. No one ever takes a closer look at what’s occurring behind the scenes.

I would argue that at least in my town, mom’s are the most destructive forces around. I’ve listened to moms sit around and gossip, ridicule and verbally tear down not people their own age but people MY age! I’m seventeen. Do you see a problem here?

Also, for whatever reason, if you are in any way shape or form different, you’re walking trouble. Let me give you an example of different;

Not from around here? Probably moved here because you got kicked out of your old school.

Hang out from kids at another school? Hardcore party girl/boy.

Don’t play a sport? Well all that free time’s definitely not going towards something productive, that’s for sure.

Piercings? Satanist.

Tattoos? Satanist.

Not attending the Dave Matthew’s concert this year? MENACE TO SOCIETY.

Okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating slightly but still! The point is, that rather than accepting diversity within the community these parents frown upon it and I’ve even seen them say verbatim, “I do not want you associating with this kid”. Honestly. It’s incredible to me. They don’t even know the kids they have already refused to let their child hang out with! But just because of what they’ve heard and the slight difference between their kid and this one they will never allow this contact to occur.

My advice to these moms: Stop living in the past! Times are changing! Change with the time or be left behind! Embrace things that are different and unique because they are the driving force in this world. And just stop being so awful! I can’t stand it!