Hipsters and Brits

I love tea. I almost always drink at least a cup a day. There are just so many flavors, there's a flavor for everyone. Currently I'm obsessed with Tazo Zen tea, which is a mint green tea. It's phenomenal.
I've gotten into the habit of judging teas based on their appearance. I'm the kind of person that usually likes things neat, simple, and clean, so Tazo tea is just more appealing to my eyes. It just looks so neat and hipster.

Maybe it's just the color green. I like that too. This has been my nail color this week (not my nails):

For some reason, people who drink tea regularly are usually put into one of two stereotypical groups: Hipsters or British people. I understand how tea is stereotypically a British thing (I mean, that's basically the base of the British stereotype), but why drinking tea is a hipster thing, I really just don't understand. Tumblr is just full of tea drinkers. Who knew.

The reason I decided to write about tea today is because I got this beauty for Christmas.

Yeah, that's right. Six different kinds of Tazo tea. I freaked a little bit. I'll probably have a mug full of one of these in my hand when I come to school on Tuesday. Oh, it's just gorgeous.

Risky Business

I was slightly afraid that my post about risk would be quite embarrassing, because I figured I'd be about the only one who isn't quite as risky as they could be. Then I looked through the posts that were already up, and basically I don't feel quite as embarrassed now.

That being said, as far as risks go, I don't take a lot. The biggest risk I've taken in the past few months is probably going on stage for Brigadoon performances. If someone would've told me 5 years ago that I would've been performing in fall musical at the high school, my face probably would've turned a shade of pink and I would've told you about how I could never do that. I would be too scared. My idea of risk in 6th grade was wearing my hair down (which I did maybe twice that year). So at least I've gained some amount of confidence in 5 or so years. I actually performed with the cast of Hello Dolly onstage at the Orpheum last year, in from of who knows how many people I didn't know. Basically that's what I consider a risk. I've never bungee-jumped or sky-dived (dove?) or anything cray like that. So that's my lack of experience with risk.

But Mrs. Cardona didn't ask about our risks in her blog she asked about more than that. So now I shall answer that.

I think it's good to risk something when the consequences if you don't "succeed" are something you can live with. If you are risking your life or multiple years in jail, I certainly would not take that risk. When you risk something, you can have a lot of different things at risk. It all depends on the situation. When I'm onstage, I risk forgetting my choreography, which could obviously lead to me looking like an idiot, but if someone saw me doing different choreography, it could also lead to them starting a cue at the wrong time, or if a spotlight judge was in the audience (depending on how badly I messed up, and how many people messed up because of me) it could be detrimental to our performance score (it probably wouldn't lead to the loss of an award or anything, but it wouldn't be helpful, that's for sure). Sometimes, though, risk feels great. Every performance, when I saw the fog start rolling onto the stage, and everyone began the first chorus of "Brigadoon", sure I got scared, but every single night, I couldn't help but let a smile creep across my face.

So yea, risk is scary, but if it's the right about of risk, it can be fun and enthralling, and absolutely worth it.

Pigfarts

Ok, well when Mrs. Cardona started describing "parody"today, two things popped into my head: SNL and AVPM.

Everyone's heard of SNL, but for those of you deprived children who haven't experienced A Very Potter Musical, it's basically a musical about the Harry Potter series, with many hilarious quirks thrown in. For example, Draco Malfoy, who is played by a girl, tends to roll on the ground when he talks and aspires to go to an intergalactic school for witchcraft and wizardry, Pigfarts. ( -1:45)

This musical doesn't seek to criticize society, as it's about a book series, but it does make some arguments about the books and movies. In one of their musical numbers, "Harry Freaking Potter", they mock the fame that Harry received once he found out he was a wizard and returned to the wizarding world.

(4:58)

p.s. Yes, I did have to find some way to work my Darren Criss obsession into at least one assignment in this class.

But in case this isn't a "suitable argument", there's also this comic that I found on theoatmeal.com comparing Thanksgiving as a child and adult. The argument is that there are very defined roles that ages play in holidays and that there are social expectations that go along with holidays. Boy, that's a great website. Here's part of it:

Online.

I honestly could not figure out what to write about for the longest time. I've been sitting at my computer for quite some time finding plenty of ways to amuse myself while trying to write this post. So I figured, why not just write about the internet? Thus, I will be writing about the internet.

I'm not implying that I spend a lot of time on the internet and am completely antisocial... that's only partly true. I kid.

Anyway, I spend the majority of my time online in 3 places: Facebook, blogs, and YouTube. 

Facebook is really not that interesting, so I really don't know why I check it as much as I do, let alone at all. I guess it's sometimes difficult to see your friends a lot during the school year, so if I want to know what they've been doing lately, I can just quickly look at their Facebook page. Of course I could (and do) text them, but then it takes a while for them to reply (I'm guilty of this) and you can't see their face when your texting them, and this is starting to sound creepy, but you know what I'm talking about, right? No? Then clearly you have a life and don't spend enough time on your computer.

Blogs. I love blogs. I don't read many blogspot blogs, unless I know the blogger personally, because I find that unless they are a big-shot-internet-famous phenomenon, then they write about things that are happening to them or that I just can't always relate to. But I do really enjoy reading my friend's blogs (and Mrs. Cardona's, of course)! Some people take on an entirely different voice on their blogs and write about things they're sometimes too afraid to say in person. That's one thing I find so interesting about the internet. It gives a lot of people a feeling of confidence.  I've seen plenty of blog posts (and Facebook and  Twitter posts, for that matter) that just really exposed people's feelings in a way I really doubt they would have done in person. I really respect people who do that, because I don't think I ever could. Even though no one really reads this blog, or my other blogspot, or my Tumblr, or probably my Facebook, I would just be so insanely afraid to put myself out there. Even if you just explore some of our class' blogs, you can find people doing this. Caroline C. had a really awesome post like that about a week ago that was really, REALLY well written, as well as open and brave. 

So blogs hold a lot of my attention. Tumblr holds most of mine, because I'm more of a visual person. If you have never been on Tumblr, A) you don't know what you're missing, and B) go look at it right now. If want a tumblog to start exploring through, oh look! Here's a convenient link to mine! Tumblr's so kewl.

Lastly, YouTube. I spend far too much time on YouTube. I don't actually have an account, so I'm not subscribed to any channels, but these are the channels I watch/check regularly: JennaMarbles, NigaHiga, Charlieissocoollike, EpicMealTime (I'm such a bro), Smosh (and their second channel, Ianh), Kingsley and plenty of others. I also listen to plenty of music on YouTube. I discovered my love for Florence and the Machine on YouTube, where I found two of my favorite songs. I also discovered my very favorite artist, Ellie Goulding, on YouTube, then went to see her in concert about a month after I heard her music for the first time. I watch my friend Alex's brilliant musical talent on YouTube as well (I think Max was in one of her videos). 

But most importantly, I watched Starkid's video's on YouTube. That is where I basically fell in love with Darren Criss. The theatre company he is a part of has four full-length, original musicals uploaded to YouTube in segments: A Very Potter Musical, A Very Potter Sequel, MAMD, and Starship. When you find time, you should MUST watch them. If you don't you will never truly experience life to the fullest.

So sometimes, just sometimes, there's more than just cat videos on the internet. 

P.S. Who watched this week's episode of Glee? Can I just say Darren is a hobbit compared to Cory Monteith, as show in that scene where Blaine was all "menacing" and "tough". Also, the song they sang at the end? "We Are Young" by Fun.? I'm obsessed.

Through the Eyes of a Nervous Mother.

      I saw him the second he stepped into the road, his unkempt slacks sweeping the ground as he crossed slowly. It was easy to tell he didn’t fit in with the rest of the impatient individuals that huddled at the street corners of Manhattan, waiting to cross the road; even if it weren’t for his disheveled appearance—his shirt sleeve torn off, and hair hanging in ratted dreadlocks around is face—it was obvious by his leisurely jaunt that he was not rushed.  He advanced comfortably until he stopped, right by me. Right in front of my daughter’s stroller.  I don’t like to assume the worst, but having grown up in Manhattan, and having run into plenty of people who shared his look, I got nervous. I glanced at the light, hoping maybe it would change, and whatever would happen could be avoided. But color remained the same so I looked back, my hands nervously wringing the soft handle. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the others standing with me looking anywhere but at the neglected man. One checked her phone, another played with his toe within his shining shoe. 

      The man remained stoic, and my nerves rose. I lifted my purse from my shoulder and jumbled through the mess until I found a neatly folded dollar. I extended it to the man, but there he rested, frozen, not even glancing at the pressed, green note. My daughter stirred in her stroller; she could feel the man’s gaze. It was unusual for someone like that to refuse money, so I moved forward, thrusting the bill closer to him, until finally, he reached very deliberately and lifted it from my hand.

P.S. This doesn't relate exactly to the story, but It relates to general compassion, so I figured maybe someone could find it interesting. I was bell-ringing for Y.E.S. with two friends at Byerly's yesterday, and about 45 minutes into it, we decided to go inside and buy something from Caribou to warm us up, so two of us went inside while the other stayed to ring the bell (there needs to be one person there at all times). So we were waiting at the counter, looking at the menu trying to decide what to drink, when a woman came up next to us. I told her she could go ahead because we were still deciding, but she said she was just waiting for her drink to be made. Then she asked us if we were the ones outside ringing the bell, and we told her yes, we just wanted a quick drink. She the said "Well, them I'm buying your drinks." We said it was okay, she didn't have to do that, but she insisted. She bought all three of us drinks, two hot chocolates and a latte. That is compassion. 

Positive Energy

1. Process analysis
2. Classification/division
3. Narration
4. Description
5. Definition
6. Comparison/Contrast  

You guys are so smart...

(I can definitely see how #1 could be description. I was a little broad with that one...)

Energy (or lack thereof)

Hopefully most of this makes sense, I'm running on a lack of energy right now from having so much fun at the football game last night. I'm using more of the superficial definition of energy for these, like having a lot of energy and being energized, as opposed to cosmic energy or more of the supernatural type of energy.

1. When someone needs energy, and they don't have time to sleep, they usually resort to consuming a lot of sugar and energy drinks. This usually starts when someone begins to get tired and lack energy, but must stay awake because they need to get something done (i.e. they need to finish a project or do a performance of a show) so they get an energy drink or candy bar, eat it, and then, depending on the amount, go a certain amount of crazy until they crash when the artificial energy wears off.

2. I find that while there are many ways to get energy, people usually go about it in two main ways. I like to call these ways "naturally" and "artificially". Naturally gaining energy involves recharging your body by getting a good amount of sleep every night, and giving your body the nutrients it needs by eating healthy food. Artificial energy is gained when one can't or simply doesn't sleep. One must then rely on manufactured foods such as sugar and energy supplements.

3. At 4 in the morning, most normal people just want to sleep. However, when you have a dozen 13-year-old girls at a sleepover in the middle of August, in a house without air conditioning, sleep doesn't happen. I think we went through a stage of exhaustion that night, but when we just COULD NOT sleep, we just stopped trying and woke ourselves up more. We were all but bouncing off the walls, playing truth or dare, shoving ice cubes down each other's pajamas to cool each other off. That was the only night I've pulled an "all-nighter".

4. When you feel energized, you know it. Your eyes are open wide, you're alert, and you don't feel that need to put your head down on the nearest soft surface and sleep for all eternity. You can actually comprehend what your teacher is saying, unlike those days where you get two hours of sleep and you're physically in class, but your brain is back home tucked in under your favorite blanket. 

5. Most people know of Einsteins famous equation "e=mc^2" (sorry, I'm in a bit of a rush, and I can't figure out how to get the squared symbol) which means "energy equals mass times the speed of light, squared". That is how science calculates energy. They say energy is "the ability to do work", which is very true outside of the science community as well. No energy usually means no work done. 

6. Energy can sometimes be similar to spirit. If you want to think a little more "out-there" and paranormal, a spirit and energy can be very similar ideas. But pertaining more to the everyday definition of energy, spirit is much different. If a person seems to have spirit they usually seem very peppy, and excited, often towards a specific event or idea. Such as spirit days or week at Wayzata, when everyone is so excited for Homecoming that they dress up in different, ridiculous ways everyday (guilty...). Energy is more of an overall feeling, like you can feel energized in general, but not really towards a certain event, person, idea, etc.