Is It Worth It?

Is it all worth it?
       The time, the loss, the stress, the anxiety, the grade, the isolation, the new relationships, the work, the sacrifice, the mind, the strive for perfection, the regret, the hope, the failure, the success...

Is it all worth it?
         Well, is it worth it to give up?
Is it worth it to stop trying?
          To end the challenge before the glory?
To forever not know what could have been?
           What could be.

Is it all worth it?
         - every second, of every day is

My Young Hero

          The weather has been a little cold outside, so I've been bundled up inside watching the Discovery Channel, naturally. On the Discovery Channel, I watched a documentary about a man's struggle to conquer Mount Everest. It was exciting to see the experience and sacrifice these men and women have on the mountain from start to finish. Only the strong can conquer the mountain, and it amazes me to know that the youngest person to climb Mount Everest was only thirteen years old. His name is Jordan Romero, and he is one of my hero's.

           Jordan Romero's story starts after school one day when he was nine years old. He told his father in the car that he wanted to climb the seven summits, and his father believed that he could do it. This year on May 22, 2010, Jordan has conquered all seven summits at the age of thirteen. His father and other close relatives and friends make up Jordan's climbing team. Together, they have done the unthinkable and inspired people around the to dream big because anything is possible with the will to do so. Jordan's parents have had to deal with many opinions of how they are raising their son. Many voice out that it is irresponsible for them to let their son risk his life at such a young age. Jordan's father responds, "I think it's responsible parenting; taking my son around the world, trying to give him the best education and life experiences that I possibly can. ... So much has been placed on this 13, this number. It doesn't mean much to us. The experience, the background he has may be more than half the people climbing this mountain right now." The next chapter in Jordan's life is to travel to Antarctica, the coldest place on earth, to climb Mt. Vinson Massif. An incredible life, I must say.

           Jordan Romero is not my hero because he had sacrificed his life for something or because he preformed a miracle and saved hundreds of lives. Jordan Romero is a hero of mine because of his determination and success of dreaming big and putting your dreams into action. He inspires me to believe that even if you complete your one main dream in life, it does not mean that the adventure ends; rather, never stop dreaming and keep striving for the next accomplishment. I love his life story and it sounds funny saying that because he is only thirteen years old! He makes me want to go and train so I can climb these mountains, too, but then I step outside of my house and realize how cold it is. Maybe climbing Mount Everest is not on my to do list anytime soon, but Jordan definitely inspires me to follow my wildest dreams and not to let anyone tell you no.

Here's The Facts

Here I listed some interesting facts that you may or may not know.

  Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand.

  Earth is the only planet not named after a god.

  A duck's quack doesn't echo. No one knows why.

  On the average, 12 newborns will be given to the wrong parents daily.

  Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.

  Laughing lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system. Six-year-olds laugh an average of 300 times a day. Adults only laugh 15 to 100 times a day.

  The owl is the only bird to drop its upper eyelid to wink. All other birds raise their lower eyelids.

  The reason honey is so easy to digest is that it’s already been digested by a bee.

  Roosters cannot crow if they cannot extend their necks.

  The lion that roars in the MGM logo is named Volney.

  Google is actually the common name for a number with a million zeros.

  The attachment of the human skin to muscles is what causes dimples.

  Human hair and fingernails continue to grow after death.

  The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called aglets.

  Most soccer players run 6 miles in a game.

  The only part of the body that has no blood supply is the cornea in the eye. It takes in oxygen directly from the air.

  Colgate faced big obstacle marketing toothpaste in Spanish speaking countries. Colgate translates into the command “go hang yourself.”

  Large kangaroos cover more than 30 feet with each jump.

If you read all of them, why do think you couldn't stop?

No I Don't Have My Phone With Me, I Never Do.

           I would like to apologize to all the people who try to communicate with me through technology -  technology which is as simple as a phone, Face Book, email, and Skype.

Why am I apologizing for this you ask? I bet most of you think of me as someone who is texting and on Face Book all the time. Well, you are wrong because 80% of the time I don't know where my phone is, I text my mom most of the time, and my friends for homework problems I forgot to write down in class. I don't have an email, if I need to send something I use my parents, and Face Book I usually go on once every two weeks. I feel bad because people don't understand how independent I am from technology. I don't like using it. So, don't think I'm not replying because i don't like you, I DO!

I think that people waste their lives away being so focused on technology. I mean honestly, how many hours have you wasted staring at your computer monitor, or ignoring everything around you because you're staring at your phone waiting for the next text message to arrive. I personally don't enjoy that. Life is too short and exciting to waste it away staring at computer, phone, and television screens. Sometimes it's hard to hang out with people because they get distracted so easily in another conversation on their phone. Really? Why do need to be in another conversation or talk to that person simultaneously while talking to me? (and no, I was not being boring... I know when I am boring someone.)

Is it wrong for me to not use technology like society uses it today? I honestly have no idea what the answer to that is, but I'm not going to change my habits. I like doing my own thing and not having to be attached to what others are doing at all times. If it's wrong, than I don't know what to say to you.

Mail Time!

          When was the last time you mailed a letter to someone just to ask them how they were doing? Most people today would probably say never or at least it was too long ago to remember. Some people today are saying that if technology keeps improving (which it obviously will) then the United States Post Office will go out of business and close. To send packages you will do what you mostly do anyway, ship through UPS or FedEx. As technology becomes more advanced, more people will turn to do all their transactions and billing online; a lot of people do it already. Initially, I thought it was sad that people don't communicate like they used to and support the post offices anymore. After thinking it through, I see that it really wouldn't be a big difference if the post office closed. Think about it, email covers the junk mail, important reminders for anything and everything, all communication, and people are now sending e-greeting cards instead of holiday or birthday cards. Face Book and Twitter lead in the instant messaging which is much faster than mailing a letter; banking websites and other websites allow you to control your money and all transactions online now. As I said above, UPS and FedEx take care of all packages. Lastly, magazines are sold in stores or you can look at stores websites online for free to view products. Clearly, it can be done with the technology and lifestyle we live with today. I will certainly miss receiving letters in the mail even though I only get my report cards sent to me! The use of technology truly shapes our world.

Does Wisdom Only Come With Age?

      Yesterday, I was wasting an hour of my life (which I will never get back) reading the pointless comments people leave for the world to see on Face Book. I think it's funny how people try to be so deep with what they post and try to make it seem like it's coming from their heart when in reality most just look up quotes online and pick a random one. Of course this does NOT apply to all postings. I like when people quote songs they can't get out of their head or ones they feel really inspired by. Okay, I need to get to my point... sorry I get off subject easily. So after I log off Face Book, I log on to our TOK blog and start reading some of the comments and opinions. It was a drastic change in diction, self reflection, and topic choice that it made me smile. It was funny how different people of the same age are who also live in the same area.

      I realize these blogs are for a grade, but it shouldn't matter because both are used for reflection and the majority of people try not to sound stupid on their personal accounts. I also realized that almost all of the blogs being posted not only were well written, but surprisingly in depth about life and common situations people face. Is it a coincidence that people who challenge themselves (a.k.a. IB kids) are much wiser than average person even though they are still in high school? I learned that wisdom does not come from age, but from personal life experiences and challenges. Elderly people are classified as wise because they had a longer chance to live through different experiences. We all know that IB is stressful and ever challenging, but we are becoming wiser and more experienced because of it. The proof is in these blogs. From the first blog posted to the most current blog, there is an impressive change in reflection of life and current news for such a short time period. Also, because of the differences between our fellow peers on Face Book and these blogs. I have concluded that wisdom does not only come with age, but experiences and reflections upon life situations.

Put On Your Sunglasses Miners, You're Coming Up!

                 All over the world, the Chilean miners rescue was broadcasted. Thirty-three miners were trapped underground for a total of seventy days. Finally just this past week, all thirty-three miners were rescued safely. I think it’s inspiring to see these men who work long hours every day, risking their lives to support their family and themselves.  A fact I recently learned was that miners only get paid equal to minimum wage in America; that’s the  same amount someone gets paid for working at McDonald’s and they don’t risk their lives for it. (Well, if they don’t only eat the food they make every day.)  Also, in China, miners have been killed from the ground collapsing upon them. Miners have a very challenging, dangerous job which is a reminder about how education can change your life. Most of the miners have no education because they started working young to support their families. Miners usually live very short lives, also, because they develop lung cancer from working in the mines. I hope that other people watching the rescue learn more than just the basic information on the surface. I hope that they understand how much more at stake these men are risking than in the average job. Lastly, I hope inventors are creating new ways to mine, so it is less dangerous for the workers. I am glad that all thirty-three men were rescued and reunited with their families.

Where Are All The People?

                  Why are there so few IB diploma students? Well, I know that the rumors everyone talks about scares people away, and that a lot of the students in IB don’t recommend it, but still! Today, I think that kids and even young adults don’t apply themselves to challenges and working hard for self accomplishment anymore; they take the easy way out. Of course, this blog post is not directed toward anyone reading this because we’re all in IB for goodness sakes! Nothing worth doing is ever easy, so I don’t understand why people don’t challenge themselves to be great. Even if you fail, you still learned something from your journey throughout. I think that people are too afraid to fail, so they stay in a safe zone where they know nothing can challenge them in any aspect. How will these people ever grow? I just have to say congratulations to everyone who is challenging themselves and know that it all pays off in the end. (That’s what I’ve been telling myself every day at least.J)

That's a Baby?

                  For many years abortion has been a very controversial subject in society. One side believes that once a woman becomes pregnant, there is life and that should not be taken away. On the other side, many think that ­it should be the mother’s choice and the state should not interfere. Personally, I am against abortion because I believe that the once there is a sign of development, the baby would be considered alive. Studies have shown that in the United States alone, about 1.6 million pregnancies end in abortion. I believe that the majority of these abortions are of teenage girls who make irresponsible decisions and get pregnant. It is sad to think that many children would have the chance to live, but irresponsible women ended their chance. I believe that people shouldn’t have the right to decide if one should live or not; it’s not their choice for something with such a large importance. Unless there is a medical reason as to why you should consider abortion, I am pro-life.

STOP FAKE TANNING

                  Tanning beds seems to be a norm in today’s society. I try to be as polite as possible when I say that tanning beds are quite bad for one’s health. All of my friends go tanning and I try to tell them that they don’t need to and that they are just increasing their chances of skin cancer. Many say that going a few times a week won’t do anything, but that’s not true. The American Academy of Dermatology researched that indoor tanning exposes skin to 15 times stronger UV radiation levels than natural sunlight. Also, women who use tanning beds even once a month are 55 percent more likely to develop malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. The statistics against tanning beds or indoor tanning can be endless. I just want to say that everyone should be happy in their own skin, and not feel the need to change themselves to feel good. 

The Harry Potter Countdown

                 The countdown to the showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I in theatres started with one hundred days before the opening day. It is now down to twenty-eight days and I am extremely excited for it! Since I am devoted fan, I can’t wait to see the movie and I know I will love it no matter what; even if the movie isn’t as good as the book like it has been for the last couple of movies. I don’t think that a lot of the younger audience will like the seventh movie because of the violence and the fighting. A lot of beloved characters start to die throughout the book and a lot of fighting between Harry, Ron, and Hermione start. I don’t think that the younger children who have recently followed Harry Potter movies will like the violence, mostly because their parents might disapprove. I do think that a lot of older kids will find it very interesting and full of suspense when they see it. I predict that this Harry Potter will be the top of the box office this year. I hope to see everyone in their costumes for the premiere at midnight like me!

The News On Bullying

                 Bullying has always been a problem throughout generations. I am bringing up this issue because of the recent news I discovered about one specific case of bullying which led to suicide. At Rutgers University, a college student leaped to his death off of a bridge because he was secretly taped having sex with another man in the privacy of his dorm room. I think it is sickening to hear that people are so immature as to invade someone’s personal life and humiliate them to the extent of death. It was reported that the suicide victim was a quiet student who kept to himself and worked hard to become a great musician. Why do people think they have the right the right to take advantage of someone who is different from them? People need to understand the basic principle of manners even in their adult years. These acts of bullying are childish; they need to realize that they are no better than the person standing next to them, so don’t think that you can intrude in someone’s life and harass them. Bullying is a childish lifestyle which benefits no one.

Zinn!

                  An interesting man came into my life as I started my junior year in high school. This man is Zinn. So far we have read a few pieces of Zinn’s work and I’m on the fence if I like his opinions or not. I like the fact that Zinn questions who we praise in history and why. Also, I am impressed with the fact that he states good counter arguments and really persuades me as a reader to consider the other side of history. Some negatives about Zinn are how he writes in detail about the Declaration and other documents credibility. I think that he tries to uncover the truth too far and loses his credibility in my own opinion. I know that others will disagree with me and I’m fine with that. The majority of my junior IB History class have voiced that they don’t like Zinn, but the IB class above me couldn’t get enough of him. Whether liked or disliked, Zinn was an interesting man whose opinions should be analyzed to get a more worldly view.

The "Beauty" of Reality TV

                 On reality TV, all the people that are being televised are good looking, no matter what show you watch. Since this is true, why is it called reality TV? This fact is not just on MTV, but also on The Apprentice. It was stated that all the contestants being chosen had to not only be intelligent, but also attractive. I know that more attractive people make rating go up, but I think that discrimination is wrong. I would feel devastated if I applied to be on The Apprentice because I had lost my job and had a chance to work for Trump, but was denied because wasn’t attractive enough. Even though it’s the business of TV, I think that they should change the shows objective if they are denying people on their looks and not their qualities.

Attitudes of Life

               The Aurora girls’ soccer team was off to a great start with a record of 7-1-2. It all changed when we played against West Geauga for the CVC’s. It was a tough game and in the end we were crushed with a final score of 4-0. After the game, we were heart –broken and our attitudes for the rest of the season changed. Our final record for the season was a disappointing 7-7-2. I think we were stuck in a negative slump and lost many games we should have won. It shows how one event can change a person’s outlook on the rest of the year. It’s a lesson learned to never let a negative event control your life. Learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward. I will take this experience and apply it to my everyday life including all the IB homework, projects, essays, and tests. Now I know from before that you shouldn’t become depressed over an event before the season, but when you’re actually in that situation it’s hard to rise above it. Wrapping up this insight, this year’s soccer season has impacted me on and off the field.

Are Girl's Too Inappropriate?

              In present American society, women’s dress attire has changed dramatically since past generations. I really understood the impact of how girls view what’s beautiful in their preparation for the homecoming dance. Homecoming is a formal dance, so the attire should directly correlate that. The boys usually wear a suit and tie, or a dress shirt and tie; while the girls wear appropriate dresses that were not provocative. In recent years, the way people view beauty is how suggestive or sexy their clothes are. Many girl’s, including freshman had very revealing clothes that were inappropriate for their age. I think there’s a fine line between dressing to accentuate your figure and dressing inappropriate. I think that girls in high school need to respect themselves more and not worry about growing up to fast. Also, it gives guys the wrong impression about who they may be, thus ending in a dangerous situation. In conclusion, I think in today’s society, girls are viewing how they should be, act, and dress in a negative aspect.

A Hero On a Bike

                 As I walked through the aisles of Dick’s Sporting Goods, I noticed that the Live Strong by Lance Armstrong section has been up for a long time. It made me think about how inspiring Lance Armstrong is to world, and that he’s not just a celebrity who had his ten minutes of fame in the world. I never thought that Lance was a celebrity, but actually a hero. I was just surprised at how people all over the country still followed and respected him. Posted on Lance’s website, this year he ended on a high note, making a comeback from being in seventh place, working his way up to second and finishing. Lance gives hope to everyone that wants to live life to the fullest, but has serious challenges along the way. Don’t forget to never let obstacles control your life and just live strong!

Q-Tips: A deadly Weapon to the Ear

                 This might seem like a random blog post, but I feel that this issue is important to all Q-Tips users and it’s interesting. Did you know that Q-Tips can damage your ears significantly by constantly using them inside the ear? By the word Q-Tip, I don’t specifically mean the brand name. It’s just easier to use a well know brand name than the word “cotton tipped applicators”.  Using Q-Tips inside the ear canal can cause a buildup of ear wax and a loss of hearing, sometimes permanently. It is okay to use the product for the outside of your ears, but inside can cause damages. I advise everyone to be more cautious when it comes to cleaning your ears because it can do more damage than you think. Hopefully, no one has any experience with this as some of my friends and family have. I hope that you don’t think this information is completely disturbing, but actually beneficial.

Horror Movies Are Horrid!

                   Horror movies have been one of the most popular movie genres lately. I don’t understand why people like them, other than the fact that they like to get scared. I personally don’t like to watch something that will give me nightmares and disturbing thoughts about my life for weeks, but that’s just me. It’s not that the movies are too scary for me; it’s the fact that almost all horror movies are just about people being tortured to death. I don’t understand why people like watching other people being tortured, even if it’s just acting. The scariest things I like to watch are the Twilight Zone and Goosebumps which are more funny than scary. I guess I just like comedies better than horror films.

Father Joe

                  The church I go to has announced that the priest of the church is retiring and wishes everyone the best. It was surprising too hear this because I never really thought about another priest in my church. He said he was very fortunate to be retiring at his age because he is not as old as many of the priests who retire. I didn’t understand why he made this comment, so I researched it online. I learned that many priests don’t get retire until they physically cannot complete mass anymore. This is because the income for a priest is very low, causing it to take longer to save for a retirement fund. Also, there is a small amount of employees who want to become priests, so they can’t abandon the church. I think it would be hard to live as priest because the amount of time you work is constant; it’s almost the equivalent as a doctors. I wish Father Joe the best and hope that the new priest is just as nice.

It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month

                  It’s breast cancer awareness month, so I thought it was fitting to write a blog about this topic! The point of announcing October as breast cancer awareness month is to inform society (mainly women) to get checked for any signs of breast cancer, to talk with your doctors and to raise money for further research. I think it’s great that people are so willing to help out the cause, especially the players in the NFL. It’s funny to watch the big game and see the tough players wearing bright pink gloves and shoes. To help out, my mother and I have been saving the pink tops of yogurt and sending them in for donations to breast cancer research. I hope everyone will support finding a cure for breast cancer and donate whatever you can for the cause!

Music Makes the World Go 'Round

               “Music makes the world go ‘round” as my mom always says to me and in many respects she’s completely right. Have you ever met or heard of someone who didn’t listen to or like ANY kind of music? I personally have not. So I ask myself, why is music so important in human culture? I think it is because since the human mind has the capacity to think, love, and express emotions our mind also needs a relatable subject to stimulate each of these areas. Music affects our emotions; whether it is when we hear a sad, happy, or angry song our emotions are usually parallel to it. It is the same with love; music is connected through a couple’s song they share together or a song written about a loved one. All cultures around the world affected in the same way by music, but with different types. Thus, music really does make the world go ‘round.

Help Out Your Furry Friends

             I considered volunteering at an animal shelter this past summer, but the drive was too far from my home and it wouldn’t have worked out. I hope that everyone who owns a pet has rescued it or adopted it from an animal shelter because there are rewards that come with it. To make it clear, no shelter pays you to adopt these animals, but they do have very reasonable prices for them. I adopted my dog for one hundred dollars and that included all shots and neutering costs. He’s a one year old border collie and the smartest dog I’ve owned. My dad opposed the idea that I adopted a dog through an animal shelter because he thought that all animals there were mutts who wouldn’t benefit the family. He was wrong and we saved a lot more money rather than buying a purebred for much more money. Some rewards are saving money, being responsible, and giving back to your community who find and take care of these animals at the shelters. The next time you’re looking for a new pet, consider adopting one from internet shelters or at your local one!