12- Antonio L: A Downward Spiral In The Wake of Knowledge

 A Downward Spiral In The Wake of Knowledge

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”

I can get the general gist of this quote. I believe it means that there can be no returning to a normal cycle once introduced to a new way of living. 

It’s like life itself. Some moments of your life are so important that they can shape you forever, one example being growing up.

You learn so much from others as you grow up, and sometimes you wish you didn’t have to or want to know all about what you’re told. You wish to return when you were naive about the real world, not being self-aware of the challenges you’ll have to overcome to reach dreams you had as a child and the risks you’ll have to take.

That’s not possible, that’s just a dream, something that can’t come true, even though it’s very desired amongst people. Desire is just a feeling however, feelings that can’t bring back the state of mind you used to have when you were younger.

I can personally relate to this quote as well. I’ve felt like I've begun my fall into a downward spiral of my own. I look at my older blogs from earlier in the year, and I see change.

Not all of this change is good however. I noticed I’ve begun to get off topic more or don’t connect good topics in relation to my blog. I allowed criticism to shape how I write, but I feel I make more mistakes in my writing now than I did before.

And though I want to write how I used to, it’s just not possible because that same feeling of nostalgia people get from reliving a golden era in their life in the future always leaves that “on edge” feeling, that something’s missing. 

What I’m getting to is that there is always going to be change in life that you’ll have to adapt to, and there’s no getting comfortable for too long. Wanting to forget about the doubts in your mind about the world around you is just a far-fetched dream, because once those thoughts are in your head, they stay there forever. 

A quote I can relate this to is from George Horace Lorimer, and said that “If there’s anything worse than knowing too little, it’s knowing too much.” Knowledge you gain can be both a blessing and a curse. Children can be forgiven because they don’t possess the awareness or knowledge of what kind of world we all have to live in.

Imagine a car without brakes or a steering wheel to help understand this more. You have the gas pedal, representing you moving forward in life, and the road with all of the sights for you to see. These sights are very life-changing for you, in both good and bad ways, but you can’t turn back to see them again, and you can’t stop unless you choose to by releasing your foot off the gas. 

Now imagine you had to drive other people in that car you’re in, waiting to get to that end of the road. Those people represent your own goals in life, telling you to keep driving, to keep going, no matter how bad the sights you drive by become. 

I myself wish I wasn’t as smart as people believe me to be, but I don’t want to remain oblivious either, so that builds conflict. Whatever choice involving this decision can’t benefit you in any way if you think deeply of it. 

Every day that passes is a day you can’t relive anymore, but the new experiences you gain can also help you come to terms with the way life is. Though new information can sometimes be hard to accept at times, or make you feel out of touch, it’s better than not knowing what to expect.

Word Count: 647

12 - Lucas V: This Chicken Fast Food Restaurant Beats The Rest

 

    This fast-food restaurant is pretty top tier amongst Americans nowadays. It is very unique other than your regular Burger King or McDonald’s. This restaurant that I believe is pretty good is Chick-fil-la. The way their chicken sandwiches are cooked is amazing. It literally blows your head off because of how good it tastes. Unlike the school's chicken sandwich, this company makes their chicken taste juicy as well as crunchy. Their house sauce is also another thing that I like. It’s sweet and tangy. Plus it’s so popular that they made 8 fluid ounces of the sauce that you can buy in your local supermarket.

    What is even better is the cups that they use for their drinks. It’s very unique as it’s not the same as other competitors. Other fast food places would use paper cups but Chick-fil-la uses foam which is a better insulator for keeping your drinks cold. The ice that they put into those cups are pretty good quality and are shapes that are not traditional like a cube. I don’t know how they make the ice but its sort of in a circular shape in a smaller form taking less volume in the cup.

    The thing that I kinda hate is that sometimes when I buy food from there, the lines are really long. Plus they aren’t open on Sundays because of religious reasons which I understand. I have some solutions in which they can make sure that the space isn’t as packed as it is at the moment. They can move their location to find a bigger location with more space for the drive-thru and also find better alternatives for traffic control in that subdivision.

Word Count: 280

12 - Alejandro M: Mysterious But Calm

 

The sounds of waves. The calmness a beach can bring. The mystery of what is out there beyond the beach and inside the oceans. Calm and a place that brings happiness. This is the beach. This is the ocean. And if you know me, then you can associate all that with my personality.

My personality is very unique, thankfully. I rarely start a conversation, nor do I ever enter and continue a conversation. I tend to just sit there quietly and listen to what’s going on around me. Most people who don’t know me and see how I act can think that I’m a very mysterious person, and they obviously have a great point. How can a person be that quiet, even in a place that can be very loud and/or festive? How can a person not be interested in anything going on around them? There could be a large dance, there could be a large debate around me. This is what can make me be seen as mysterious.

But to the people who know me well and those who I talk to a lot, they view me as a person who is very calm, and that is needed at times. Sometimes there are times where they just need to remove themselves from the noise outside and just turn to a quieter environment. This is where my personality can bring them some calmness from everything and help them just be with a person that they know won’t be causing too much noise or trouble.

There are waves to my personality. Most of the time there are waves, me being antisocial. But there are few instances where there are no waves at all, times where I can be social to those close to me and bring calmness and happiness to them. I sometimes think to myself on how to become a more social person, but I then remember and tell myself that the way I am now is the reason why people like me. Because of my personality.

Word Count: 338

12-Krishna Clay: Drake

         What current musician do you think will stand the test of time? There are multiple artists that I believe are able to stand the tests of time the same way 2-Pac and Dr. Dre did, but I think there is one glaring answer that many people might not like, and that person is Drake. By no means is Drake my favorite rap artist right now but he creates music that has already stood the test of time.

 

With multiple throwbacks from when he first started his career like Look What You’ve Done, Forever, and Headlines, all songs that are over a decade old and are still relevant. I believe he will only get better and create more timeless songs. His ability to change his style of music between songs has only gotten better. From songs that have rhyme and rhythm similar to poetry like Chicago
Freestyle and Champagne Poetry, to hype songs that you can play before a game like Back to Back and Wants and Needs , he even has made songs that have an early 2000’s flow to them like 4 pm in Calabasas and Energy. 

Drake is not an artist that is amazing at one style or has his own signature style. Instead he is the type of artist that is good at everything. He is also able to adapt with time and create new music throughout any generation, always keeping his name relevant. It is his ability to stay ahead and adapt that makes me believe that he will be timeless. 

WC-253

11 - Grace B. Bumblebee

 Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays of the year. I loved the spirit, the costumes, the parties, the tricks, but most importantly the treats. Growing up in a Christian household my mom never wanted us to be anything remotely scary, so any ghosts, vampires, or zombies were all ruled out. So one year when I was 4 years old I decided to be a bumblebee.

I’m not sure why I decided to do that, but I did and it was the most iconic decision I’ve ever made. I had these antenna headbands and to a four year old me, that really played a part into making me appear as a real bumblebee. I had worn huge yellow wings that were literally bigger than my whole body, and my body suit was of course black and yellow. I genuinely believed at the time that I looked so good that I was making other kids jealous. Looking back now they definitely weren’t jealous of a small, Christian girl running house to house and grabbing handfuls of candy when the sign only said “Please Take One.” But I still convince myself to this day that they were.

Being a bumblebee was the only costume I was truly passionate about. I wore the same costume for 3 years in a row because I loved it so much. By the time I was through with it, you couldn’t even tell what it was and even its colors started to fade out. Had that costume still been okay to wear, I can guarantee it would’ve been worn for more years to come. 

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11- Tyler B. Be Your Worst Self

“Be your worst self” this is the motto of Spooky High, the location where the game Monster Prom takes place, Monster Prom is a comedy dating game where you play as one of 4 monsters trying to take one of your eight most charismatic classmates, who are also monsters. Though the game seems like it would just be a silly dating game to play with friends, but it actually shows how life continues even when things don’t go your way, and how all these classmates are more than just datable monsters. Starting with my first statement, if you don’t end the game with the right standings with the monster you ask to prom, you will get rejected, and though the ending says that your life gets worse after that, the end credits say different. While the credits roll we see polaroids of all the characters having fun together, regardless of who you chose to play or date. The end credits are telling a story of how even though the game treats prom like the biggest event of your life, it is really only just a small blip in your life, and how even the people you get rejected by are still your friends regardless of what happens. The game is telling us that high school is just the beginning and end of a chapter in life.

Besides taking one of the monsters to prom, there are many different endings you can get, some are funny, like helping someone punch the sun, yes, the literal sun (he does it too), or helping a ghost girl create the perfect party. But there is at least one ending for each character that helps them become a better person, and it addresses a multitude of real problems people have, i will now provide some examples. Damien LaVey, a arson loving Demon whose dads are the kings of the 8th circle of hell, and want him to become the general of their armies, but Damien doesn’t want that, you discover that is aggressive and arson-prone boy is actually soft on the inside who has a dream of becoming a hair and makeup artist/stylist. And if you choose to follow this story you help him stand up to his parents and discover in the end that his dads just want him to be happy, making him the stylist for their armies instead. You help him be honest with himself and give him the courage to admit to his parents his true feelings. 

Monster Prom is a great game for so many reason I can’t list them all, with many great characters that I can’t list all of them either. But maybe you’ll see a character analysis on some of them in the near future, maybe, who knows?

Word Count: 462

11 - Lilly T.: Crease, Fold, Repeat

 

People use sticky notes for all sorts of things. Some people use them to write down reminders, while others use them as bookmarks for books or as a placeholder in a textbook. I use sticky notes as a way to set reminders for myself, but I use them more often for folding origami. I know it sounds like a waste of paper, but it’s what I enjoy doing.

Usually, I would have to cut up larger pieces of paper into somewhat even squares to be able to make some origami. With sticky notes, I’m able to get perfect squares without any effort needed. I usually strive for the closest I can get to perfection when it comes to folding origami, and the perfect squares sticky notes give me contribute to this goal. There’s also something satisfying about the sticky part of the sticky note keeping the paper together when I fold it. 

The origami I make from sticky notes remind me of all the origami I’ve made for friends and teachers these past few years. I know of some teachers who have kept my origami taped to their monitor, or friends who just keep it in their instrument case or on top of their desk. I enjoy what I do because of these people, and I will continue to do so. I don’t fold as much origami now compared to how much I used to, but I still do some in my free time.

Sometimes, something as ordinary as a sticky note or another everyday object can become something that shapes you in any way.

Word Count: 265