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.