What it's really about!

By the looks of the title you may have already guessed that I am revisiting a topic I started on earlier on this blogging week about what I wanted for Christmas and wish lists. I'm just going to warn you now: Strap your boots on because we are going deep into this mutiny.

During this month and whole holiday season (right after Thanksgiving) I have been just appalled. Flat out knocked back on my heels- and this isn't the icy, dangerous weather we have been facing. Hard core (and nosed, I might add) little brats in Walmart screaming for toys, fighting with their siblings, and sassing their parents. Uhm... Excuse me, little Miss Sunshine? But when I was your age I would get a big whooping on the butt that day, and coal and switches on "THE" day (pertaining to Christmas morning). This is the kind of shniz that makes me want to drop my Snuggie (that I'm probably getting for my Dad for the second year in a row), march over there, and scold the little punk. Hasn't anyone ever told/scared them with the "Santa's watching" threat? Apparently, that was a fad when I was growing up. Guess so.

Children during this time should be in a following frame of mind. When I say following, I mean that they should try and model themselves after Jesus. Baby Jesus got three gifts when he was born from the Three Kings. Three!!! Can you imagine how much crying, complaining, and whining would be happening right after Mom cleaned up the wrapping paper on Christmas Day? Not to mention how long the lines would be... Full of sweating, nervous parents returning the Polly Pockets and HotWheels that weren't the right colors or models for their little princesses and hams.

This is not what Christmas is all about! I get so offended when parents let their children behave in the fashion they do, especially during a time of generosity, unselfishness, and giving. And right off the heels of Thanksgiving no less!

It's just... NO!

Christ was sent from above by the "Man upstairs" for us. Shouldn't that be all the gift we, as humanity, need? Yes, I know that Saint Nicholas kind of reinvented the wheel and, in a sense, ruined that aspect of it. But the man had good intentions. Both God and Jesus want us to give. They also want us to not expect it in return. This is where people have problems and start to get greedy.

I know one thing! My children will grow up with very few gifts. They will behave during this holiday, and will get small portioned rewards at the end of the month. And for God's sake, (quite literally) they will NOT ask if there are any more gifts for them, fight their siblings for toys (when they have their own), or say that they don't like a gift. Because, as far as I'm concerned, they are dang lucky that they have a bed, shoes, and food. Tis' the season. (505)

#SecretSantaProbs

I'm going to keep this one short and sweet, not to mention painless because I know your little sweet buns need to get your apron back on and keep on keepin' on with the cookie icing, gift wrapping, and money budgeting during this grandiose time of the year.

Let's talk about something quite relevant as we are nearing a very important holiday: Secret Santa Gift Exchanging.

Yes, it's here, ladies and gents. This is where certain groups, teams, and organizations get together for a Christmas party and exchange gifts that they think would be perfect for any random person that happens to show up! How fun.

Not quite. This becomes tricky, and you have to follow some certain rules. Rules like:

1) Never get clothes, shoes, or accessories. Basically nothing involved with clothing and personal style. Not everyone will be the same size, have the same tastes, or, for all you know, have a religion that allows you to where it. Stay with me.

2) Always find out a minimum price range for the gift. Don't want to go overboard trying to impress with your quarter mil Rolex, and then you end up with a $5 Starbucks gift card. Thanks for the frappe, girl!

3) On the other hand, you also want to be weary of underachieving in the "impress that new co-worker hottie" department. I'm talking about being embarrassed when you have the cheapest of the cheap gift at the part: a pair of wool socks... that are used I might add. Just... no!

4) Stay away from colors that pertain to certain genders... (like there is anything but Female and Male...) Unless, of course, it's your men's wrestling team Christmas party or maybe a little holiday whine sipping party with your Se* and the City girlfriends. Have at it with Gucci and Louis, if that's the case!

One last thing. This time on the receiving end of this festive activity:

**Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT get upset if you get something that you are disappointed with. Just remember that it is a gift, it is free, you didn't buy, your wallet isn't hurting. I mean, you wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings would you? That's not "what it's all about." (373)

Christmas Wish Lists

Since Christmas is all about the birth of Christ, our savior sent from the "man upstairs", I've decided to NOT give my parents, sister, or friends any idea as to what I would like to have. (future blog idea?) Don't get me wrong; I think it is great that people get a little something extra during this time of the year where almost all of us should feel especially generous... like more than what we usually should feel.

So, like I said, there was zip on my wish list to "Santa." Nada. Nothing. Yea, right.

Momma always said that when you get older, your gifts become more expensive. Thus you get less gifts. Don't get it? Please. Allow me to explain. When you get older, your interest in toys and nickety-nacks decreases. You go from wishing for a Tickle-Me-Elmo and a tent to sit in the corner of your room to wanting your first cell phone, a laptop for college, some Beats by Dr. Dre headphones (which are outrageously expensive... like to the point where I want to do a blog solely on that topic). When you become a grown-up and start receiving grown-up gifts, you will receive less. Plain and simple. Because toys cost less than electronics, cars, and jewelry. More toys at low prices are the equivalent to extremely high priced goodies for maturing adolescents.

Hopefully I have made myself clear and beaten a dead horse.

I bet you are wondering what little ole' Morgan received for Christmas? (Yes, I know it is the 23rd, but we exchanged a tad bit earlier this year due to schedules.) It wasn't a Bop-It if that's what you were wondering. And no! It was not a Light Bright. It was, in fact, a wireless keyboard made by Apple for my iPad (that I got for my birthday earlier in the year). Must have been some pricey keyboard because the only other thing I received was a pair of diamond stud earrings.

Boy, am I forever grateful for my loving family for giving me these items! I, out of all people, do not deserve them and do not need them, but I also understand why my parents do it.

 1) They love me and care about my happiness.

 2) They, I'm sure, get probably even more enjoyment out of me having the items than I do.

Part of maturing is accepting things that...well, frankly, SUCK! No more opening multiple trinkety stuff and stocking stuffer like calendars, candy canes full of Hershey kisses, or LifeSaver Holiday booklets. I guess I just have to learn to accept the inevitable. (435)

Icing Pains

One of the worst things to do when you are an athlete or anyone rehabbing, for that matter, is ICING! Now I don't mean the frosting type icing.... because compared to swelling control, well... it's cake. (No pun intended.)

What sucks most about icing a knee, back, or forehead is:

1) How cold it is. The initial shock of placing it on the needed body part is jolting. It is seriously uncomfortably cold.

2) The redness and frostbite you get from the fifteen plus minutes you are required to leave it on for. Feel the burn!

3) The loss of feeling you get to that particular body part. You seriously go numb. Say goodbye to figuring out if you still have a headache or not.

4) The way you feel after. You, no matter if you are in a sauna, can not, for the life of you, get warm and back to normal body temperature. Kiss your homeostasis feature goodbye.

Yes, I know that icing is a great medical technique used by trainers, doctors, and anyone with common sense to reduce the blood flow to a certain area. When you injure yourself your body wants to send healing blood cells to that area to heal it immediately. In order to protect it, the body overdoes it in terms of the number of blood cells: thus, the "swelling" and increased size. That being said icing is used to numb the injured body part and decrease swelling. Icing to create numbness decreases pain.

So whether you have a ice gel pack, a lunch box fridge box, or a package of veggies such as: peas, carrots, or corn, icing is the painful price to be beautiful as they say! If you want to heal faster and rehab the correct way, you must ice... Even though you get the chills! :) (306)

Keeping Up with the K̶a̶r̶d̶a̶s̶h̶i̶a̶n̶s Laundry

Many of you look at the title of this blog and write it off as a pointless blog post of absolutely nothing of importance: the Kardashian family. Before I capture you and your fascination... err infatuation, I should say, of the self-made star kin, I should probably tell you that this blog has absolutely zip to do with Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney.

So those of you that despise them and their million dollar christmas gifts that they exchange can keep on reading this! This blog post is about dirty laundry! Though it will be a quicky, it will be a goody!

Dirty laundry is something that we all have and have to work with. We have to clean all of it eventually... unless you are the Kardashians... Then you never have to do any of it because you always have newer and cuter outfits to wear! For those of us that have a closet limit, we buy Tide and fabric softener.

What I tend to do is let it build up for a week, and then do a bunch of batches on the weekends when I am not as busy and have more free time. This system seems to work for me fairly well. You have to remember to do it at the end of the week because then you won't have those pair of dress slacks for your church that Sunday. If you do have more clothes than normal, then you can afford to let the laundry go longer than others.

Doing the laundry is really simple! Just put a batch in to begin with, and by your second batch, you will have something drying in the dryer while you wash another batch! While you are waiting for your batches to wash/dry you can do other chores or activities.

I, personally, do my own laundry be cause it gives me lots of independency. A lot of pride is taken in cleaning my own clothes. Who else should do it? They are your clothes and are worn on your back! So grab some dryer sheets and get poppin'! :) (348)

Lincoln (2012)

The movie Lincoln (2012) is a complete and utter success in the muck of Hollywood mess that is going on in today's world. Anymore you have to be really lucky to run across a quality movie full of a little spice of everything: history, suspense, conflict, AWESOME plot, inspirational acting, and so forth. Lincoln has it all!

The tail of the United States of America's sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln, is an extraordinary story and very intriguing. What is even more interesting is the couple of months leading up to his assassination: what the movie is centered around. The movie follows closely with Bill O'Reilly's "Killing Lincoln."

Being in an Advanced Placement United States History (APUSH) class, I followed the historical facts very closely. To my surprise, they were extremely accurate! (We just happened to be learning about the Civil War and the Reconstruction that followed it with all of the battles, generals, and debates over slavery.)

I saw the movie with my aunt and her history buff husband, my mom, and my dad. My father, personally, thought that there was too much sophisticated dialogue and diction. I tried to explain to him that that was the way they spoke back then, so poetic-like!

The acting, however, was a plus according to my dad. Tony Kushner (the man that played President Lincoln) did a fantastic job, and his makeup team did even better. I felt like I was placed inside a time machine and warped back to the early 19th century!

There was a big inside look into the White House: from Lincoln's wife Mary Todd to the tenseness between him and his son Robert. While you can either infer or do your homework on the subject that the Lincoln family was full of tragedy: from losing a few children to illnesses and miscarriages all the way up till the assassination. His oldest son at the time, Robert, wanted so much to please his parents (mostly his father) by volunteering and enlisting in the Union armed forces during the Civil War. He felt so guilty about other men sacrificing themselves for their country and president... his father. There was a soft side to President Abraham Lincoln that was shown during the film particularly during the sentimental times playing with his youngest boy Todd. Todd had such a fascination with helping the little African American slave boys. He felt that they were just like him. The character in the film perfectly depicted his fatherly and soft side.

Something you can't learn in history books at schools is how soft spoken and heavy hearted Mr. Lincoln was. In the movie, he seemed to be such a wise and philosophical person. What better person to lead our country. You always learn that he was loved so much by all of the people: enough to get him elected and later reelected, but you never learn why.

Not many battles were shown up on the big screen during this movie, but you could see and feel the passion in the members of Congress, Senators, Representatives, and all the other characters on the conflicts at hand: slavery, secession, and war. I could see where one would become extremely emotional at certain moments: where the African Americans enter the Union capital, when Mary Todd gets down on hands and knees and begs her husband to keep their oldest son, Robert, from battle, or when Abraham Lincoln makes his final speech.

The only beef that I have with the movie is that it was a tad bit too long... like... "throw your soda, popcorn, and chocolate covered raisins at the projector screen" long. But I didn't because I remembered what the movie was about. The plot of that movie didn't deserve to be 150 minutes... it deserved to be more! A story as inspirational as that one should have a documentary volume set length.

The story ends in expecting fashion. After a troubled campaign towards the 13th amendment in efforts to end the war, free the slaves, and reconstruct the union back to the way it was pre-war times, Abraham Lincoln was praised by most and hated even more by few. The very few, however, prevailed. Mary Todd, his wife, was so happy with her husband that she wanted him to make an appearance at the local performance center, Ford Theater in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865: a play. The play was called "Our American Cousin."

The play went from an upbeat performance to a quick tragedy in a moment of seconds. John Wilkes Booth, a confederate leader in the Old South that despised Lincoln, shot our president in the back of the head right next to his wife. Luckily Lincoln's youngest son, Todd, was in another theater at another performance.

The movie never showed John Wilkes Booth, the shooting, the escape, the arrest, or the conspiracy aftermath trials, but what they did show was the emotional family and country after his death. The funeral was then showed, and the film faded to the credits with a Lincoln ghost giving the last speech of his presidency... and life.

The director, Steven Spielberg, did a fantastic job with this one. How do I know that? I'll tell you. My mother falls asleep during EVERY movie, at least once or permanently (until the movie ends). Even with the dimmed theater lights and warm popcorn can on her lap, she didn't batt an eyelash or droop one eye. She was wide awake the whole time and on the edge of her seat... right next to my aunt. My aunt that doesn't give two hoots about history or anything political for that matter. She absolutely loved it! In fact she said she might buy it for her husband, who completely and totally adored it! My mother, who never watches a movie more than twice, said she couldn't wait until it came out on DVD so she could rent it!

So needless to say that going to the movies that late Sunday afternoon for the matinee was utter perfection for the whole family: uncle and aunt included. Lincoln will forever be in my list of favorite people and most inspirational people. He will also be my all time favorite president... right next to Kennedy, of course! #biased (1044) :)

Holiday Weight Gain

                This may be a little late, but I am especially prone to this now that I am injured. Gaining weight during the holiday season. When I say the holiday season I am pertaining to Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.

                This is pretty common especially with females; who don’t have as high of metabolisms as males. They tell themselves that their New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier, exercise more, and feel better this upcoming year. That’s extremely easy and becomes easier as the holiday season approaches because the end of the year is coming as well. The end of the year screams for new beginnings and new starts to living a healthier life.

                But once people gorge themselves through the holiday season, they break and cave after the first day… or week. (Sorry, should give you all more credit than that! But I wouldn’t even make it to breakfast!) It becomes easier when you’re on break from school as well. Bored? Just sit around and eat! Then their state of mind changes from starting January 1 to starting at the beginning of Lent, where it’s not so much of you want to give a certain food up, but God wants you to.

                Any way you chose to handle this very personal situation, I wish you good luck. I’ll be thinking about and praying for you during this holiday season. I need all the prayers and thoughts I can get. My knee is keeping me from those in-between meal walks! :) (249)

Rehab

As most of you know by now from a previous blog, I have hurt my knee. The rehab process can be a long and strenuous one if you don’t take it seriously. If you are serious about getting back to your daily activities (like I am), you will flourish in your homework exercises, icing, and taking of ibuprofen or anti-inflammatory.

I go to licensed physical therapy three times a week. On days that I don’t have physical therapy, I do some stuff with Lynn, my trainer. I am so grateful for these people in my life at this time of struggle, negative thoughts, and harsh feelings toward myself and everyone around me. I, as anyone would be, am very disappointed in the whole situation. You think you’re going to have a fun, healthy, successful season, and something like this happens. It isn’t fortunate by any means.

The thing that gets you through all of this is:

1)      God. Without him you are nothing. I have also often heard that if He will lead you to it, He will lead you through it.

2)      Trainers. They are the ones that often more than not see it happen, and when it does, they are there right away to assist you in any way!

3)      He sPhysical Therapists. They are so patient with you throughout the whole process. Careful not to reinjure you or push you too hard but just enough to get you back in speedy fashion!

We should all be thankful for these people in our lives for they are the reason that people are back on their feet. They aid us through our toughest times in rehab. When we are weak, they make us strong. J (284)

Bum Knee

                When I say “bum knee,” I’m talking about my latest injury. Yes, injury! I hurt myself. Surprise, surprise, right? I can’t help but to think that this is just my luck. Second game of the season, and I come down wrong. Out for at least six games… or a century, it would seem.

                While making an aggressive move to the rim, I get clobbered by two defenders on my way up for the shot. I’m thinking to myself, “Ok, great! I’ll sink these two free throws.” Until they hit my left knee cap, forcing my patella to the lateral side of my body. It was almost a dislocation, but it felt equally as painful. As I dropped to the floor, I was careful to land on the right (opposite) side of my body. Thank God for that soft landing.

                Immediately when I hit, I started rolling around on my back as if that would somehow turn back time or if it was a plea to not be so aggressive towards the bucket. I looked, honestly, looked like the athletes on TV that get hurt and start pounding their fist on the court as if to ask God, “Why? Why me?”

                After my coaches and trainer, Lynn, got me calmed down and off the court, it sunk in… I had probably torn my ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament), which is a death sentence to your athletic life if you’re an athlete. You might as well have a garage sale and donate all of your colorful running shoes, Nike Tempo shorts, and your precious Eastbay subscription. Naturally, I would expect the very worst.

                It was a challenge to hop to the training room two flights of stairs down from the gym. (Nice spot for it, right?) Once I got there, Lynn tried to bend it and feel around to see what she could diagnose. Off the bat, she told me that I had incredibly loose and flexible joints. She couldn’t make it 100% clear, but she told me and my family that she didn’t think it was the ACL based on how I fell and what she felt.

                Some relief came over me after that, and I began to slowly, but hesitantly, accept the fact that I wouldn’t be going back in the game… or the next one. Lynn quickly got her phone out and texted the best orthopedic surgeon in the metro area. He quickly replied back saying that he would see me Monday (It was Friday night.).

                Later, I went back up to the gym to watch the last quarter of the game. I wanted to support my team to victory. It made my injury feel better knowing that we won. Our team deserved that.

Needless to say, I couldn’t sleep due to the trauma from the whole situation… or possibly due to my knee that simply wouldn’t bend. The next couple of days until my appointment were straight he**. I wouldn’t have wished this injury on anyone, worst enemy included. All I could think about was when I could get back on the court, what the results of the appointment would be, how much my diet would change, how my muscle tone would decrease.

Limping on and off of crutches to and through the Emergency Room revolving doors, I had to get in a wheelchair. (How smart, right? This isn’t any New York City Grand Plaza Hotel here… There are disabled people that are going to be having to walk through these doors. This is no time to show elegance and Time Square Christmas wonder with gold-plated revolving doors!) Once I got up to the counter, I told the receptionist who I was and filled out a bunch of meaningless information about how I’m NOT pregnant, NOT a smoker, and NOT an alcoholic. Thanks for asking though. I just want to get my knee fixed.

Once they called my name to get checked out by the doctor and run the tests, they helped me into a much needed wheelchair. The air rushed into me wheeling through the hallways. Shivering while taking my sweatpants off, I hopped onto the X-Ray bed. In a short two minutes, I was able to get up and do the very same thing… only for about forty-five minutes in an MRI doughnut.

So after a whole two hour ordeal, my family and I finally got to speak to the doctor. He came in very professional like and shook all three of ours’ hands. Once he felt around on my patella area and checked for my range of motion and pain tolerance, he said he was probably 80% sure it was NOT, in fact, an ACL injury of any kind; instead, an MPFL injury... Wait, what? What’s an MPFL.

He explained that the MPFL (Medial Petellofemoral Ligament) was a ligament on the inside part of my knee that keeps my knee cap from sliding all over the place. Wow, that makes perfect sense beings that my knee cap exploded to the outside of my knee, stretching that ligament.

I quickly sighed a sigh of relief with my parents and asked him when I would be back in action on the court. He said he didn’t have the MRI results back yet, but when he did he would let us know what the true results were from the lab. He also informed us that an injury like this would be around two weeks until full strength. Woot! Woot! Just in time for our biggest rival game against Washington!

Later that night we received a call from the doctor before dinner. He said I had not injured my ACl and that he was right about the MPFL. Even though he said about two weeks, I did a really big “doozy” on it. I would be out of basketball longer than originally expected. January 1^st was put on the table. (I injured it November 31^st.)

Major physical therapy and training with Lynn everday was prescribed, and I have been doing nothing but icing, biking, walking, and poppin’ ibuprofen and anti-inflammatory pills. Rehabbing is a royal pain, but what other choices do I have? The moral of this extra-long narrative is “Take care of your body! Be safe in your sports! And protect yourself (especially your knee).”

I can’t wait to get back out there on the court with my team! I’m planning on the biggest comeback ever. Wish me luck, and look out! ;) (1,073)

iPad for Birthday= Success!

                While most children in the greedy, pampered United States get their birthday presents on their birthday, I got mine about two and a half months later, but, boy, was it worth the wait!  I knew what I wanted and so did my parents. They got me my “school laptop.” We agreed that it wouldn’t really be a laptop as they are becoming so easily disposable. Plus Apple is more for “learning,” while Microsoft is more for “business.” They got me an iPad, and not just “a” iPad. “THE” iPad. The newest one- the fourth generation.

                With all the hype surrounding the Apple company nowadays, the iPads made by Apple are, infact, the real deal and what people make them out to be. They have unbelievable graphic display and are only getting better and better. Their body shapes speak for themselves; especially when your teacher brings up the “first computer being the size of two classrooms” speech, way back when dinosaurs took Typing 101. WiFi is incredibly fast and faster than ever on the new iPad. This calls for a downgrade on my 4G smart phone and lower phone bills. The apps are FREE and broad in terms of selection. They have learning apps like iAnatomy all the way to time wasters like Angry Birds.

                There are also the music capabilities. You can download Pandora for free or you could upload all of your iTunes songs (previously on an MP3 or your iPod) onto your new device. And how could I forget the ever so helpful Siri! This little lady will help you in any kind of a bind that you may encounter. She is your “secretary.” If you get lost all you have to do is ask her for directions to wherever you are going. Or maybe you can’t decide what to wear. Ask her what the weather is supposed to be like that day! She can also set alarms and reminders!

                I mostly wanted a “laptop” for my birthday so I could do homework on the go or in bed, leaving my mom’s computer and her business alone and virus free.  The great thing about an iPad is that you don’t need a mouse… Everything is touch screen! What would you do if you have to type a report, you ask? There’s an app for that! And you can also buy a wireless keypad, if you don’t like touching all of the letters by finger, and plug it into your device. There’s also a voice recognition capability where you can speak what you want typed on your device whether it’s in the search engine on Safari, in your notes, or in an e-mail. Want to print your report? No problem. Wireless recognition to any nearby printer might help with that!

                We were also looking for something that we could tape my sporting events with. The new iPad (not the ones in the past) have back side AND front side cameras to tape videos and snap photos with an excess amount of storage. How convenient! I’m pretty sure this giant phone/mini laptop has EVERYTHING! I highly recommend it over any laptop or portable device. Now if you’ll excuse me; I have to Snapchat my besties! #iPadflow (536)

Pandora: A Gift from God to us.

Pandora. What more could you ask for in an app or a free, ad profit website that requires no monthly fee or membership? This is a free radio that takes the time to get to know you as a music lover and all of your tastes.

This website was created by Will Glaser, giving the “gift” of music to the United States, New Zealand, and Australia. The “gift” refers to the Greek mythology tale of Pandora’s box. The internet radio is what most people consider one of the greatest gifts because it has a broad selection of music all similar to user chosen genres, styles, artists, songs, and albums.

 For example: I selected Whitney Houston’s radio and got songs ranging anywhere from Whitney Houston (of course) to Mariah Carey to Tina Turner. It’s like a real life radio in a car or on a boom box: you can’t choose what the station plays, you can only choose to listen to it if you like what’s playing!

If you happen to not like a Pandora recommended song in one of your stations, you can give the song a “thumbs up” or a “thumbs down” showing your strong liking or disliking to it relating to your original radio station. If you happen to like the song but just aren’t in the mood to listen to it at the moment, you can skip it to the next recommendation. But you only have a few skips in that particular station per hour. That is a drawback to the internet radio, but, on the other hand, how could you complain?

Outside of being able to rate their suggestions, you can also read and learn about other similar artists. When the song comes up, you see the title, artist, and album. From here you can bookmark the song or artist to listen to later or you can buy or track the song on iTunes. Underneath all of that you can read all about the artist. Where they are from, their story, and all of their successes.

Bottom line: Pandora is the stuff! Nothing better than Pandora in terms of pure music and personal preference for it. I give Pandora a thumbs up all across the board! Now I should probably get back to my ever so personal Lee Ann Womack station. (385)

Jam Sessions with Pandora

After my little Pandora blog post, I deemed it appropriate to give you all a little taste of my personal stations list. Ofcourse there needs to be a method to my madness and… well, a purpose to this post! Here you will find a list (in no particular order) of my stations according to the artist after a week of having a Pandora account and the reason they are on there! Enjoy.

Jordin Sparks- for her American Idol-ness  “No Air” and “Tattoo” are among my favorites

JoJo- just because my sister had her jammin’ in the car when I was a child

One Direction- Harry Styles is so stinkin’ cute

Jesse McCartney- because he was the golden day’s “Justin Bieber”

Jason DeRulo- for his admirable dance moves

Justin Bieber- let’s be honest, here… his hair!

*NSync- so I can listen to the Backstreet Boys

Backstreet Boys- so I can listen to *NSync

Shania Twain- Mother loved her and always had her in the car as a child

Tim McGraw- it’s safe to say I have all of his albums anyway… and he’s married to Faith

Faith Hill- tons of Dixie Chicks on this station along with her songs of course

Lee Ann Womack- lots of LeAnn Rimes and Celine Dion on this station

LeeAnn Rimes- many songs from the millennium change; when I developed my ear for good music

Celine Dion- “nuff” said

Taylor Swift- her new profound style is intriguing

Shakira- her songs shake my hips and ignites my Latino side; Enrique Iglesias is a counterpart

Mariah Carey- voice of a high pitched angel; love it!

Whitney Houston- best female singer ever, in my opinion

Michael Jackson- it brings out my moonwalk and what other station would give me my Jackson 5

Flo Rida- for pre-games

2 Chainz- his lyrics are that of pure wisdom: “She got a big booty, so I call her big booty!”

Ne-Yo- because his softness and suave is that of Michael Jackson

Hopefully, I didn’t bore you guys too much and sparked some ideas for your very own Pandoras! I will try to do some more lists, but with purpose! (356)

Dear Me

I found an idea online and thought I might try it every couple of blogging weeks.  PLEASE comment and let me know what you think.  Good/bad idea? Is it relatable with a purpose?  Etc… THANKS and ENJOY! J (419)

                Dear Me,

I truly admire your hard work and know for a fact that your parents have instilled in you a sense of dedication.  A dedication that will surely carry you through the rest of your life; as there is nothing quite like a hard-nosed, grinding work-ethic that just won’t quit.  Relentless would be a perfect word to describe a specimen such as yourself.  No, you are not a creature or some kind of “freak.”  Let me explain further:

 If I know you like I think I do, you are a left-brained person.  Everything has a logical explanation that is well thought out and based on causes, effects, and details.  Many people refer to you as being anal-retentive about everything- nothing can get past you without you figuring it out!  Don’t worry.  This only assures you of your well-desired thirst for knowledge. 

I also admire your motivation, as you have never expressed any entitlement.  When I say entitlement, I mean “expecting anything to be handed to you.”  I believe that you value working for things and getting them by right and deservedness.  In your future, you will be looked up to as being independent and extremely capable of any task thrown your way. 

I wish you the best and brightest future. I hope and pray that you continue following your well devised plan towards all of your goals. Nothing should get in the way of you and them.  I know that you are strong enough to reject any harmful situation that arises near and walk away.  Don’t compromise what you have worked for or throw it away. 

Admirable qualities such as the ones I described are keys needed to unlock and accomplish all of your wildest dreams and aspirations!  Even though I am praising you for your track record, you are nowhere NEAR being done.  You still have to get up and prove yourself even more every day.  Keep the good work up.  You will be rewarded soon.  I know it!

Good luck, my friend!

Sincerely,

You

P.S. On a lighter note, you must promise me that you will never subject yourself to wearing ANY of the following: Sketcher Shape Ups, Crocs, Vibram FiveFinger Workout Shoes.  Your feet will die of embarrassment!  Trust me… Oh! And, honey, Gaucho/Palazzo pants are a “no-no.” 

Treat but no Trick. #Nasty

                Halloween outfits.  Come on, ladies!  If a guy doesn’t think you’re cute every other day of the year, what makes you think he will like you on Trick-or-Treat night?  Just because you look like an unprofessional nurse, desperate (and I mean… DESPERATE) Girl Scout, or a “BAAAAD” witch.  Like ew?  Not getting any candy from me.  How about putting on a REAL mask like the rest of us “do-gooders” that exemplify good, clean, wholesome fun on a highly decorated holiday? 

                Call me old fashioned, but whatever happened to the homemade costumes?  Like the bed sheet ghost with the cut out eyes or the papier-mâché/cardboard box costumes?  Get with it people!  Seriously.  Nobody gets excited enough about Halloween anymore to make their child’s costume.  They just go out to the nearest K-Mart… or in you ladies’ case… the nearest Victoria Secret or lingerie store.

                It’s just not classy.  Scout is a prime example of how to look classy on Halloween.  Scout from “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee went to her Halloween pageant at school dressed as a “Canned Ham.”  It doesn’t get any more innocent than that! 

                All Hallows’ Eve should be a fun holiday full of parties, bobbing for apples, jack-o’-lantern carving, pumpkin patches, horror films, bonfires, hayrack rides, and haunted houses.  Not girls in bikinis and swimsuits trying to show their Halloween “goodies!”  Think “Day of the Dead,” girls… not “Day of the Desperates”…

                So when picking out your costume this year, go for innovative!  I’m not saying your little petite frame and delicate face needs to be put in a Chucky mask!  But try something original.  For example: a pirate (especially if your name is Jack or Morgan), Raggedy Ann (if your name is Ann), maybe Harry Potter (if your name is Harry). 

**ATTENTION FELLOW LADIES: Take note!

My uncle went as a Popcorn boy.  He took a cardboard box and pinstriped it with white and red duct tape.  On the lids and his red ball cap he glued yellowish-white caulking to represent the overflowing popcorn.  The red, leather, skinny pants and stark white pumas really were the finishing touches though!  He kicked out the bottom of the box and slipped it over his body!  With a stencil he wrote “Fresh Popcorn!”  Needless to say, he won the competition for the best costume at the party as a street vender selling popcorn.  You all could learn something from him.  Job well done, Eric.

As for you promiscuous Trick-or-Treaters… KEEP TRYING!  The sanity of the clowns, bumblebees, and hippies depend on it! J (425)

Foxy Lady from Gangnam

Gangnam style!  The song that is sweeping the nation.  Its catchy club beat is oddly irresistible.  You have to get up on your feet and shake your ung dongee., while shouting random oriental words.  “I don’t know what the lyrics mean… alkdjflakdjlfkjasdk… HEYYYY! FOXXXY LAAADAAAY! …….GANGNAM STYLE!”

How charming.  For those of you that don’t know much about this craze of a song… I’m here to fill you in:

First and foremost the lyrics that you are singing, but have no clue at all what origin they are from, are Korean.  Huh?  When have any songs from Korea, Japan, China, or Asia, for that matter, ever been popular?  Usually we get cute little accents and guitarists from the U.K. (Beatles), Reggae from Jamaica (Bob Marley), and Latin Pop from South America (Shakira). The genre of music is considered K-Pop (Korean Pop).  So this alone makes “Gangnam Style” special in its own right.

                Second, what is the style associated with “Gangnam?”  Gangnam is a district of Seoul (capital of South Korean). Psy (the South Korean rapper) refers to the “Gangnam style” in the song to give reverence his native neighborhood and the prosperity within it. 

                Thirdly, what do the lyrics translate to?  If you are like me you probably asked yourself why the song is so popular if nobody can understand the verses and choruses.   Although, not understanding the foreign jibberish allows you to fully appreciate the beat and the music video.   http://www.kpoplyrics.net/psy-gangnam-style-lyrics-english-romanized.html <<< This link gave me the scoop on what Psy would be saying if he spoke English.  He apparently is talking about his dream girl and how a man should be. 

                Fourth and foremost, the music video!  This is the reason why this song went viral.  Youtube.  It recently won a Guinness World Record for most “liked” video in Youtube history.  The video shows Psy walking around town, singing and dancing amusingly.  Since then “How to” videos have been uploaded on the dance steps involved with the song.  Ellen DeGeneres, being a dancer at heart, invited Psy to her show for an interview and very public dance lesson.  The dance resembles prancing on your legs while waving your crossed arms over each other. 

                While there have been many flash mobs, tweets, parodies/skits, and article reviews, Psy has blown the world’s mind.  Who knew that a song with lyrics roughly 99.28% of the Earth’s population couldn’t understand would excite everyone?  Psy has become a celebrity, not only in Gangnam… but all over the planet!  J (415)

#CerealProbs

            The last thing I want to deal with when I get home and am hungry is going to the store to pick up a gallon of milk or box of cereal.  Invariably we will run out of them at separate times; never at the same time.  I mean… isn’t that the story of everyone’s life? 

Coming home and pouring my cereal into the bowl, I get enraged when I open the fridge and reach for the milk that decided to become invisible.  Who drank the last cup of gold… err… milk!?  I’m not joking when I say this is ridiculous and definitely a pet peeve of mine.  What is a girl with hormonal taste buds to do?  You can “best believe” I won’t eat “water cereal.”  #ewwwy

Another thing that really gets me is when someone thinks they are doing you a favor.  How could I be upset with that?  They are nice enough to do something nice for me!  It’s kind of a “you think that you’re helping me, but you’re actually hurting me” situation.  When someone else takes the initiative to pour my cereal for me… I lose it! 

This makes me think of a Facebook group that I joined a year ago.  It was comically named, “I hate when people pour my cereal. They don’t know the amount of milk that I like.  They don’t know how much cereal I want.  They don’t know me.  They don’t know my life.  They don’t know what I’ve been through!”  J (221)

"Poop Words" in Songs

            Vulgarity in songs is becoming unbelievable.  I mean… I’m not a “Language Prude,” but my lord.  Every other word is an “F-bomb.”  This is a considerable cause of our generation’s lack of respect and class… AT TIMES (before I get bulldozed in my comment box)! 

            These “artists” (mostly rappers… sorry, 2 Chainz) are taking the Freedom of Speech too far in their songs.  There is a thick line between singing your well-written, purposeful song and screaming every four letter obscenity out there.  Come on now!

            This is what our parents and elders talk about.  You know?  When they say our music is trash, and how different it is.  My parents tell me it’s nothing like the music they had.  Their music was REAL music is what they say.  Sometimes I have to agree.  Some of our music is downright trash.  Why is it so addicting though?  Maybe it’s the feeling of “being bad” and feeling “cool” or “gangsta.”  #holla  Maybe it just has a catchy beat. 

            Another thing I can throw in with cuss words in songs is song content.  Songs are supposed to have purpose and meaning, directly or indirectly stated in the lyrics.  The lyrics in today’s “songs” revolve around all the “big booty ho*s” someone can get.  Or how many “diamonds” someone has in their “watch.”  Not only are they all about materialistic objects such as: cars, clothes, money, and girls, but they are consumed with sexuality and sexual acts. 

            My mother has often times been in the car on a trip with me, and invariably the radio will be on.  I get so embarrassed and ashamed of what pop culture has done to music, that I turn it off/down or start up a really LOUD CONVERSATION!  The last thing I want my mother hearing is how trashy (insert famous rap star’s name here) is for putting down women in a degrading way.  You know?  Talking about a female’s thighs, hips, chest, or butt.  Or the horrid names they call them.  Like they are property to be “won.” 

            What we listen to becomes what we think and our views on society.  If young boys grow up referring to women as “b*tches,” they will have a warped view on what a woman should be like: how they should act, what they should do, what they should look like.  What kind of a girl would want to be a man’s b*tch? They should aspire to be respectable wives to their respectful husbands.  Young males should listen to music that would only praise women, lifting them up on a pedestal. 

            Bottom line is MOST (before I get bulldozed… again) of today’s music is offensive to a large portion of the population. “I will admit that I use rap and hip-hop to “pump” me up for a test or game, but I can’t help but wince if there are naughty words sung.  To all the hard working country and indie singers out there… #keeponrockin’  J (493)

A, B, B, B, D, D, A... #whynoC?

                Over the weekend, I woke up bright and early to a 6:00 am alarm clock.  You may ask, “Wow.  That is true dedication. She probably ran three miles or did laundry… you know? Something productive.”  Well… only some of that is true.  I do have pure dedication, and I did something productive… But it wasn’t running or household chores. 

                It was the Preliminary SAT… better known as the “PSAT.”  And it can be a challenging objective test… if you aren’t the greatest at bubble answer sheets.  When I say bubble answer sheets, I mean the ones that are run through machines.  The ones that require you to use a #2 pencil, and if you don’t fill in a circle all the way you get the problem incorrect. 

                While I think that this test is great to prepare you for your ACT or SAT test, I am a little critical.  The reason that these are scheduled exactly one Saturday before the REAL test is to prep the students and give them a sense of the time frames for each of the sections. (The PSAT takes about three hours.) I believe that it should be scheduled to where the students take it and get their results (that take a ridiculously long amount of time to come back in) before the ACT or SAT. 

                The PSATs aren’t beneficial to the students if they have no way of knowing how they did or what they missed right away or at least before the actual test.  This being said, I propose a solution.  I say that SAT employees should go around the country (providing jobs for more Americans… go me!) giving the tests to schools.  As soon as the kids are done with their practice test, the worker can run them through a portable grading machine.  This is so the children can get a good idea of how they will do, or how much they should study before their ACT. 

                Instead of doing this, students get their pre-test results in December… a week before they get their report that will determine their future (ACT score)!  “Wow… I missed almost every question on the Grammar and Writing section…  That really helps my ACT score NOW!” 

At least with the PLAN test I could get my results before I was allowed to take the actual ACT.  The PLAN test is an ACT prep exam taken by Sophomores in high school.  They give kids an idea of what field they should consider for their future, what subjects they know well, and what subjects they need to work on before their ACT test their Junior year. 

                This is possibly the only “beef” I have with the ACT and SAT organization.  After I was done with the PSAT, I went to a prep class offered at my high school for the Mathematics portion of the test.  My school also provided me with additional packets of information about the two tests and gave me two booklets to quiz myself on.  Wish me luck!  J (502)

SAY IT; DON'T WEAR IT!

            Ever heard about dressing to make a statement?  Lady Gaga, famous pop star, is a perfect example of that.  Her full body “meat locker” costume is a flashy wardrobe piece.  Bold, yet classy would be her personality/dress style. 
            Getting to the real part: BILLBOARD T-SHIRTS!  This is what grinds my gears.  They may have been a trend a few years ago, but no one wants to read what you have to say on your garment.  Shirts that state: “Call me…” (on the front) “maybe…” (on the back) make me want to barf just as much as the shirts with litter monsters storming the Empire State building.  #gagme 
            “Here comes the walking billboard” is what I think whenever someone is coming up to me.  And to top it off, you can’t even read everything there is to read on their camisa!  #ikarumba 
            Don’t even bring up the baby bibs… “Like father… Like son!” “If you think I’m cute, you should see my mommy.” Or “Don’t you wish your mom was hot like mine?” 

(Following up my last blog)  Kids should have a right in deciding if they want to wear that crap or not.  They didn’t ask to be used as a pick-up line for their parents!  And who is so physically confident in themselves as to buy their child that bib!  Give me a break! 

People do it for the “shock value,” but what I’m saying is… SAY IT; DON’T WEAR IT!  J (242)

Right to Oxygen - 2012 Campaign

Being an election year, people tend to be very vocal about their opinions and beliefs regarding a wide range of topics.  Topics that vary from healthcare to schooling.  I understand that many have made significant sacrifices for my right to even have my opinions and beliefs; and for that I am forever grateful. It is important to respect that by being tolerant of others and their views. In no way, shape or form, do I want to judge someone for exercising their right to specific lifestyle choices such as smoking.

However, today, as I stopped at a red light near one of the busiest intersections in town, I looked to my right, and what did I see?  A mother lighting up in an enclosed Pontiac with her two precious children in the back, strapped to a car seat.  This sparked some questions in my head: “What about the rights of our youth?”  “Don’t they have a say?” 

The law clearly states that you must be 18 before you can purchase cigarettes or any other tobacco products, and I am assuming it is because the government wants to protect children from the harmful effects of the cleverly hidden nicotine until they are physically and mentally mature enough to decide for their own wellbeing.                        

While the Constitution stresses many rights like “Freedom of Speech.”  Children don’t have a voice solely because they can’t communicate?  Sadly, the little kids in that car had no choice, as the decision was their mother’s.  The guardians or parents should be entitled to the right to decide if they want to harm their body through firsthand smoke… but they should not be entitled the right to just “assume” that secondhand smoke is fine for their offspring to inhale. 

Children are completely dependent on their parents or guardians for their welfare.  Kids rely heavily on their caregivers to make the right decisions for them.  They don’t understand the complications that can come from the recreational activity “smoking” like grownups do nowadays with the enhanced research and technology. 

I am prosing a movement to make smoking while in an enclosed area with present children under 18 ILLEGAL!  The law should consider it child endangerment, if not … child abuse!  Fines should be issued and warrants and arrests should be made.  It is unconstitutional and wrong morally and ethically.  How would you like to be “death sentenced” in a “gas-chamber” on your way to school every day?  J (407)

"Eight cups a day keeps the doctor away!".... Or Something Like That

                Not trying to be all “Mama Bear” on you, but… we all need to consume more water.  It is essential to our health.  I advocate to this.  You will see in a minute what I am talking about.

One of my dearest and truest friends, Jared, had a run-in with the clear substance.  Jared is tall and very thin, and every time he sat up in bed or got off the couch, he would blackout and get dizzy.  You can imagine how worried and upset this made his parents, so they took him to their family doctor.  After the doctor measured his height, weight, and wingspan, also checking for any abnormities, he came to the conclusion that Jared possibly had Marfan syndrome. 

                People that had this syndrome, from what he told me, were tall with long wingspans and had flat feet, superflexible joints, nearsightedness, narrow faces, or a chest that sinks in or sticks out (funnel chest or pectus excavatum).  This was frightening to his mother as well as him because it also meant that he could have a heart defect. 

When they asked the doctor what they should do, he said that he would try St. Louis Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri to check out his heart and to ask an expert on Marfans.  By the time they got home, an appointment was made at the hospital, and in a week they would be off to see the specialists three hours away. 

When they finally got there, the nerves were kicking in.  After an expensive, overpriced lunch in the cafeteria and two hours of waiting, they got in to start their scans of the heart and brain.  More sitting around and waiting for more news followed.  They were finally called back in to wait some more for the cardiologist to give his report. 

                The doctor came in and shook hands with Jared and his family.  Once he explained what Marfan syndrome was and the causes and effects, he revealed to them that Jared did not, in fact, have the syndrome.  A sigh of relief came over him and his parents.  But in Jared’s mom’s mind, she was torn.  She was happy that her son didn’t have this horrible affliction, but she was also livid that the family doctor put the scare into her and her family when it was a “false alarm.” 

What made it even worse was the fact that the doctor’s solution to Jared’s blackouts and dizziness was the result of dehydration or lack of water.  He also needed more table salt in his diet to retain the water he drank (which was preferably two two-liters a day). 

When my friend came home and told me this, I was shocked.  Water and salt?  Is that really all you needed?  After all that money spent to go down to the Children’s Hospital and for what?  To find out that you need to salt your french-fries a little more?  Very nice.  Good to know.

So the moral of the story is that H2O is extremely vital to your well-being.  We all need to drink more.  I can’t say that I know one person that drinks enough or too much.  The reason that we get sick or tired most of the time, is that we are rundown and don’t have proper nutrition.  So drink up! J (556)

Diary of Teenage Mutant Feet

                What I hate about my feet?  Everything!  Usually I’m not the type to complain about what God has given me, but He really messed up on my feet.  He must have, like everything else, had a plan for them.  Maybe I was destined to become a foot model for a shoe brand catering to extra-large women with even bigger feet. 

                Like I said.  My feet!  They are huge.  They are size 11.5 men’s and size 13 women’s!  Very long.  And I am told on a regular basis that they are ugly due to the fact that they look like they belong to a raccoon.  Ouch.  My toes aren’t that bad… are they?  My “tooties” (as my dad used to call them when I was little) are also very wide.  I have a “Tailor’s bunion” or “Bunionette” which is basically a skinny heel with an extremely wide metatarsal bone set (or inflammation of the fifth metatarsal bone).  Just call me duck foot.  Which brings me to how flat they are!  Wow!  I have no bridge at all.  Let’s just say I make the Gateway Arch disappointed. 

                With all of this being said, I have a heck of a time finding shoes to fit properly!  Let’s face it… as much as I would like to, I can’t wear basketball shoes my whole life.  What about my wedding or prom?  This is tricky.  The shoes that are totally adorable are women’s shoes and only come in sizes six through ten.  Or they are men’s shoes, but still aren’t wide enough.  Here comes the “moolah.”  Specialty shoes cost extra wads of cash to buy which is annoying because you can never just walk into a store and buy a cute pair of heels on sale.  Clearance racks suck! 

                When I get older, I am definitely coming up with that extra-long, extra-wide shoe brand.  Female volleyball and basketball players will love me!  I can make a fortune.  I can see it now: “Pumps with Bumps” (referring to my bunions…yuck!)  And no… I will not offer size seven! #getlost  J (343)