Assignment #25- Ellis Padgett- Mediocre Musician

Sometimes I feel as if I am as bland as white rice. Maybe it's a little true- I have a good family, friends, and social life. They all make up little parts of me. 

But if I had to choose an aspect of myself that I feel is important, I would say it is music. I am by no means a professional- far from it, actually. I think I'm mediocre. But even if it isn't my greatest talent, music still plays an important part of who I am. Sometimes, music is personal, and helps you have a conversation with your inner self. I like that part, and have focused it into many different projects. But music is also a method of sharing. My sister hates me because when she plays the cello, I come stand over her shoulder and want to play with her. I'm always asking her to play duets. On occasion I am sneaky and print off the cello part, sliding it under her door and running. We have yet to play a duet. 

I share music with my quartet. In fact, music is the reason I am friends with those people. One time we recorded a section of the piece we were working on, and man... it was so bad. But you could hear us all collapse laughing at the end. At least we're self aware. I remember seeing the movie Little Women this year with Sarah and Mary, and a movement of our quartet piece was used in the movie! My heart literally skipped a beat and I almost cried. It is an amazing song. 

When I was given the opportunity to help younger students with the violin, I jumped at the chance. More than anything, I wanted to make music fun for them. I think I just came off as crazy. I offered to give free violin lessons via Zoom to an elementary school-er in the middle of this mess... we'll see how it goes. Music won't always be perfect, but it's about picking up your instrument again and giving it another go- even if it means stepping away for a little bit.

I like listening to music in movies, too. One movie score struck me hard recently: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. Now THAT is a good movie. You probably think I'm crazy, but it's the truth. And the music in it is brilliant, how it works with the movie so smoothly. The score for Frozen II was really good too. Music in cinema is truly an amazing art.

There are a lot of parts to my identity that I feel are important- animals, writing- but I chose music for this blog post because I do feel like it is a constant in my life. Or maybe it's because I just got done practicing.

Assignment 24- Junior Year- Sneha Amrit

Since school is cancelled for the rest of the year, Junior year is basically over. Successes: not too many, but one I’m proud of is getting accepted to GSP I worked really hard on the application and I’m really happy I got accepted. Failures: plentiful, but the one I was most bummed about is failing my juvenile moves in the field test for skating, there were quite a few things that bummed me out about this. For starters this is not a hard test so it was disheartening to fail something that’s easy for others. Secondly I worked really hard for it, and I still failed. Now I recognize when I don’t work hard and can accept not succeeding then, but it’s upsetting to work hard and fail something. Thirdly I was supposed to retest in March and it was unfortunately but understandably cancelled o COVID-19, this was a bummer because it was cancelled like a week before the date so I was ready, but alas hopefully I’ll test  later. Lessons Learned: I think this year was the year where I learned how much more important other things are than test score and grades, and one I learned this I’ve been so much happier. Mistakes Made: MANY of these as well, biggest one is leaving the house late because driving up and down the hill and not finding a spot hurts the heart. At this point I’m just hoping that we get a summer, hopefully I’ll be able to sit at the pool and get a summer job. Senior year I’m hoping to just enjoy it and take advantage of experiences and opportunities, quarantine has made me a lot more grateful for everyday things. I plan to do this by living in the moment.

Assignment 23 - Sneha Amrit- playlist

I really miss skating, recently I’ve  found myself listening to my skating playlist on my state mandated walks to remind me of skating. It’s a 2 hour playlist to get through a session so I’ll just highlight some of my favorites.

• Sunflower, Vol. 6 Harry Styles- ugh such a happy song. It has a pretty good tempo and literally everything about it makes me want to smile.
• Waterloo Hugh Skinner, Lily James-  Mama Mia 2 has the same songs as Mama Mia 1, but this version of Waterloo just makes me feel like I’m living on a mountain in Greece and it’s truly magical.
• Material Girl Madonna - I’m basically a broken record at this point, but my car is old as shit, so before I got a cassette aux cord I listened to cassette tapes. Like A Virgin was one of the many cassettes in my parents cassette collection, and I decided to bring it in Lorenzo (my car) when I first listened to this album it was in the summer and I had just watched Season 3 of Stranger Things and listening this made me feel like I was in Stranger Things. Whenever I hear this it makes me think of summer and I love it.
• You Rock My World Michael Jackson- I’m kind of conflicted if it’s okay to listen to Michael Jackson because he was an awful person, however since he’s dead I’ve decided that it’s fine because he is not getting a financial benefit. This song gives me similar vibes to Material Girl, and has a really nice beat. 
• Stockholm Syndrome One Direction- Ahhhhh 1D is coming back together! This song was kind of a cultural reset, it came out in four after Zayn left and it just makes me really nostalgic so I love it.
• The Man Taylor Swift- I’m not going to lie, but I didn’t like this song at first, however after I watched Miss Americana I found a greater appreciation for this song. 
• Sunday Candy Donnie Trumpet and The Social Experiment- This song gives me church choir vibes and it makes me feel happy, this song also has a nice beat and tempo.

Assignment 23- The perfect summer day- Sam Chavez

Oh the perfect summer day. Hopefully we get to have some of these this summer without wearing masks and gloves. But let's make make a playlist for a REAL summer day.

Theres no reason to wake up early during the summer right? So we'll wake up around noon. And start off with the song 8TEEN by Khalid. This all time hit is slow enough to listen to when you're still groggy, but provides a large enough energy kick to encourage you to get ready for the day.

Now, while you're riding to the beach in a topless Jeep, you're going to need a song that can remove all worries from anyone listening. Well I've got just the song. Paradise by Bazzi will always give you a hair raising feeling of youth that you can never forget. This song gives you the excitement for the rest of the day and leads you to feel that you're in "paradise."

When you get to the beach though, you need something to listen to while you tan. Look no further than La La Land by Bryce Vine. This song puts you in a "la la land" when you listen. Its upbeat yet slow melody create a care free sense and makes you want to sit on the beach forever.

It's dinner time now, so it's time to go to a beach side sea food restaurant to watch the sun go down. While you soak the day away in the sunset and basket of crab legs, you're going to want to listen to It's Five O'clock Somewhere by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet. This iconic duet is a memory making tune that anyone could lay the day away listening to.

Oh it's getting dark now, which means summer night songs. Summertime Magic by Childish Gambino is a safe go-to. It isn't late yet, so it's too early to listen to anything that's going to put you asleep, what you do want a laid back beat and "vibe." This song explains the feeling it creates in the title. It really does make a normal summer night feel like magic.

To end off the night, listen to the best summer night hot tub tune of all time. Summer Bummer by Lana Del Ray and A$AP Rocky. Unlike the name of the song, it does NOT make you feel bummed.
This slow song with a good beat is a good song to reminisce on the day to and sit back and not worry to.

Assignment 25: Uniquely You – Mulligan (College)

This is a Makeup Blog Post.  If you have a score that is less than a 30/30, this will replace that grade

When I tell my wife I’ve met someone new (a friend – don’t go there) she always asks, “what’s their story?”  She is keenly interested in the who, the capital WHO, a person is - in that she wants to know their story.  You have a story.  You have a unique background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful you believe you are incomplete without telling it

Inspired by Keanu Gomez
Minimum of 150 words.  Due on May 3 @ 11:59 pm

May 10 is the last day to make up blogs 23-25

Assignment #24- Ellis Padgett- My Year

Junior year offered me a lot of firsts. For the first time, I drove to school. I parked on the hill (poorly) day after day. It was the first time I got the lead in a Henry Clay theater production. When I was Alice in Alice in Wonderland, it was the first time I had to sing on stage for a play (A capella, at that). It was also the first and only time I will get little kids to revere me like a Disney princess. They all wanted hugs, and I got invited to a birthday party! 

It was my first year in chamber orchestra. The first day of class, I purposefully sat in the last chair because that's where I thought I would be placed. Yet I was placed in the first violins, sitting next to amazing violinists that I would never compare myself to. I also joined a mentoring program where I could help middle school violinists, where I met kids with a lot of potential. That reminded me of my middle school years, and how far I've come. 

Yet for all of the firsts, there were many continuities. I can say I worked hard every single day. I once again had amazing teachers that made my time in school worthwhile. I still say hi to Mr. Wise and Mrs. O'Bryan in the hallway, just like last year. And I participated in the orchestra lock-in once more (which once again made me question why I chose to sleep over at school). 

But the biggest continuity of all was my friends. It is hard to spend day after day with people, and we all have our dark moments. Yet I looked over to my couch over winter break, and there my friends were at our annual sleepover. I walk into classrooms, and they are who I sit with. Now that I am unable to see them, they are who I call when I can't stand my family anymore. Junior year brought a lot of firsts for me, but my friends were my biggest continuity. 

This year was really hard. I lost something very, very important to me, and it absolutely ate me alive. But everyday when I walked into school, I found more reasons to smile. 

Junior year has taught me a lot about who I am as a person. Senior year, I hope to figure out what direction I want my life to take. This summer, though, I really want to enjoy my life as it is- family, friends, and the little things I love- because life will never be like this again.  

Blog Post 22: Learning Through My Mom - Annie Bohannon

For most of my childhood my mom stayed at home with me and my siblings. But when I was 11 my mom decided to start her own small business. This meant lots of hard work for her and my family. I remember that I would spend hours at her store everyday after school. I helped her do small things for her store and I watched her work incredibly hard to where she is today. She's put in hours of work and sweat into something she believes in. I was lucky enough to grow up watching someone put everything on the line for something they believe in. I saw how much hard work she put in to achieve her dreams. I think this experience taught me how to work for your dreams. It also showed me how it's not easy because I saw the trials that this journey put my mom through. Knowing this and having the skills to work hard even when it gets tough will help me get through college and help me succeed later in life.

Blog Post 21: Perseverance- Annie Bohannon

From the time I learned to talk until middle school I had a speech impediment. It was difficult because I would consistently go to speech and work on fixing it but it would never get any better. Twice a week I would get taken out of class and would go to speech where I would spend the entire time working on practicing pronouncing letters right. Although I did get my fair share of teasing from this that was never what bothered me. It bothered me that no matter how much I worked at it nothing would ever change. It was incredibly frustrating to never get any better. In speech you get paired up with kids who also have similar problems so you always get taken out of class at the same time. I would watch as kids I had worked with for months graduated from speech while I stayed time and time again. But after 6 years of work I finally got better and graduated from speech. 

Blog Post 20: The Perfect Lunch -Annie Bohannon

All of this time at home has made me realize how little I actually know how to cook. So today I will be telling you how to make one of my new creations for an at home lunch- a cheese quesadilla. Now I know it sounds simple but after many attempts and a lot of fails I have finally perfected it. First you start out with a plain tortilla. Then you get a pan and put a slice of butter on medium heat. Wait for the butter to melt and then place the tortilla on the pan. Next take any kind of shredded cheese (it is also good to mix types) and place a handful on one side of the tortilla. Then fold the tortilla to form a half circle. Wait for the cheese to melt and the tortilla to become golden brown. You can eat it plain or dip it in salsa or sour cream. Also if you are lazy you can just put a tortilla with cheese in the microwave but this way you lose a lot of the crispy texture. 

Assignment 21 - Max Carlson - The Climb

As nerdy as it might sound, I think I have reached my unfortunate current peak in the League of Legends Ranked world. Every game seems like a tossup and i cant seem to win more than I lose or Vice Versa. I am stuck, and have been for the past month or two. The Problem i would like to identify and hopefully solve is what can i do to improve. What can i do to improve my play enough to start climbing again? This problem i'd like to solve is probably terribly small compared to those of my peers, and it won't ever compare to issues with mental health or anything like that. However, the climb resuming would improve my moods and make this quarantine a little less insufferable to deal with. It may not be anything compared to the problems of my classmates or the problems of people dealing with the virus, but its enough for me.

Blog post 22- Big family- Chuck Logsdon

When reading the David Brooks essay about the rise of the nuclear family and the fall of multi generational homes and I realized that a lot of what shaped me is living is a big extended family that I see often. Now my actual home just consists of usually just my immediate family and often an aunt or uncle but I have a large group if cousins that, when all in town, spend the majority of our time together. Actually while writing this I am on my cousins farm with 3 other cousins, back after only about a week removed from another week long stint on the farm. Growing up in this large group has definitely shaped who I am today and has helped me to be better at socializing with different people. I have gained knowledge from people hailing from different cultures and life experiences from an Asian-American Lesbian from New York city to a cousins who grew up on a farm in stamping ground Kentucky and ended up living in Greece.

Blog post 21- Gifted and talented- Chuck Logsdon

Telling a kid that they are gifted from the third grade is a good way to inflate their ego. That's sort of what happened to me ever since I joined the "gifted and talented" program in third grade. Now I never thought I was the smartest kid ever- joining the program actually showed me how many smarter kids there were than me- but I always felt ahead if the curve. I also never really had to put much effort into school throughout elementary and middle school. This all changed freshman year of high school. I found myself completely unprepared, I rarely did my homework at home and I had genuinely never studied for a test. This was a huge setback for me I had to figure out good schooling habits while watching my GPA fall. I eventually put it together and pull out a solid report card by my standards but I definitely credit the shock in change of difficulty to my current management of school work.

Blog post 20- good eggs- chuck logsdon

Cooking scrambled eggs seems easy enough and granted, it is. You just stir them well and put them in a pan and that's about it. But far too often I get over cooked rubbery eggs so I decided to research a better method. That's when I learned the double boiler method. You basically take a pot of water and bring it to a low boil, then put a metal pot/pan over the boiling water and cook the eggs in there. Cook them in butter and stir very gently while cooking. It takes considerably longer but it is definitely worth it the eggs come out much softer and fluffier. Make sure to slightly under cook them they will cook themselves in their own heat on your plate. This doesn't work for making a quick breakfast before school but I have been using this method for around two years now whenever I have the time and in my opinion it is definitely worth it.

Assignment 20 - Max Carlson - Following Instructions

When i spent a couple minutes combing my mind for what specialties i have, I could think of only one thing - Making Fast Dinners at home. So today I'm going to teach you how to make "Knorr's Pasta Sides Cheddar Broccoli Fusilli Pasta with Broccoli in a Cheesy Cheddar Flavored Sauce." If you're preparing this gourmet dish on a stovetop, you want to combine 1 1/2 cups water with 1/2 cup of milk and 1 Tbsp of butter in a medium saucepan. Set it on medium heat until the butter is melted and its boiling. Rip open the package and dump the dry pasta and the cheese flavor dust into the boiling mixture, and then reduce your heat and cook for 10 minutes. Make sure you keep stirring it so it doesn't stick together. When the 10 Minutes have passed, let it sit for a minute or two and then serve. Yum!

assignment #22 - taylor galavotti - this doesn't make a whole lot of sense

this probably isn't unique to me, but i get obsessed pretty easily. let's use one direction as an example again. i know this is the third time but i'm not stopping anytime soon. it all started with harry styles. i listened to fine line then self-titled then the spotify gods played one direction. i fell in love immediately and began the deep dive as i usually do whenever i find something new to fall in love with. i actually wrote a blog post about "how to stan something" which details my process exactly.

i've been a geek/nerd/dork/(insert other term here) for as long as i can remember, always hungry for new content whether that be the newest Magic Tree House book or season 5 of Sherlock (fingers crossed). i watch all the cast interviews after i've seen the movie. i research fan theories to gain a deeper understanding. anything for more time in that world outside my own. i feel a sense of comfort and content in experiencing something bigger than me.

segue: i want to live in new york city and go to nyu. it's been my dream since 7th grade when they sent one of those pamphlets to my house after the ACT we all took. yes, i know everyone gets one if you get above a 20 on the ACT, but i needed validation. i was in 7th grade. everything sucked and i wore black eyeliner in my waterline. i had bigger problems. but it makes sense if you think about it. new york city that is. not black eyeliner in the waterline. it looks good on 2.5 people. fantasy worlds or boybands, they all have a following associated with them; the phenomenon is bigger than the individual members. but there's a comfort in that. not everything you do matters and that's okay. relieving, actually, to me. of course i want some things in my life to matter but if you live in a city of 8.6 million people, no one is going to care that your socks don't match or that you still listen to fall out boy. it doesn't matter and that's okay.

assignment #22 - taylor galavotti - not quite right

when i was quite small, about 5 months, my mom was convinced something was wrong with me. my eyes would dart back and forth and my limbs would shake uncontrollably but only some of the time and never when she brought me to a doctor. so they brushed her off, saying "it was a seizure," or "try this medication, but i don't think this will happen again." no i don't have epilepsy, so this whole situation proved incredibly confusing. after visiting just about every pediatrician in the greater Lexington area, she finally stumbled upon dr. baumann at UK Children's Hospital. he knew what was wrong with me. "opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome (OMS)," he said, "that's what she has. in most cases, it's caused by a neuroblastoma (fancy word for brain tumor), but hers was caused by a virus of some kind. it's been eating her brain."

yes, eating my brain. my immune system got confused fighting that virus and started attacking my brain, specifically my frontal lobe (where emotions, judgement, planning, and lots of other important things are stored). so i was left, 5 months old, without a proper operating system and the worst eyesight EVER. think of your cell phone minus the SIM card. you can't do much. so i was put in therapy. not just normal, talk to karen about your depression and anxiety therapy, but speech therapy, occupational therapy, and talk to karen therapy. so from the time that my immune system was rebooted to now, i've been learning everything that you guys already know how to do. how to use my tongue, how to sit up, what it looks like when people are sad.

see your brain (most likely) sees that someone looks sad and you immediately recognize that because you know what "sadness" as an emotion looks like on a human face. see, i had to learn that when someone has liquid coming out of their eyeballs and their face is squished, it means that they're sad. it used to take me a bit of time to come to that conclusion. and i had to to do that for any and all emotions. don't worry, i'm quicker now. but that wasn't the end of my woes. oh no. not even close.

because of OMS, i have ended up with what i like to call wal-mart brand ADHD and anxiety. the symptoms are the same but caused by something different so the pharmaceuticals on the market don't work for me. believe me, if you can think of it, i've tried it. so i make do with caffeine instead of adderall and scented candles instead of xanax. it's a fun time. those side effects make concentrating on schoolwork hard and going to sleep at night even harder.

i can't really put a finger on what i've learned from this. i guess how to be a human being. or at least act like one.

Assignment #22- Caroline Blitch- Back to My Roots

The day after my parents graduated from Auburn University they began packing for Kentucky. They had both grown up in the deep south of Alabama and do not speak very highly of the culture there. Because of this, I have never had close relationships with any of my relatives. I remember being jealous of my peers in elementary school on Grandparents Day when all my friends were able to invite their grandparents to lunch or when a friend would brag about how they get spoiled whenever they go to their grandma’s house for the weekend. My family takes an annual trip to Alabama as a curtesy and an excuse to go to the beach more than anything else. For many people, family represents their roots and is a large part of who they are. Missing this part of my identity has prompted me to look into going south for college. The University of Alabama has one of the best medical schools in the nation and I hope to discover that my extended family is more than the stories I’ve heard.

Assignment 21-Caroline Blitch- Last Resort is Yoga

I have suffered from migraine headaches for as long as I can remember. I have seen countless neurologists over the past twelve years but have yet to find the magical solution. Drink more water. Eat lots of vegetables and diary. Make sure you keep a regular sleep schedule. Don’t stress out too much. Exercise daily. Don’t eat processed foods. Try the mitochondria diet. Cut out all caffeine. Now that is where I had to draw the line. No way was I giving up coffee or sweet tea. Frustration and self- pity quickly began to consume me after trying so many meds that never seemed to make any difference. This year my migraines have escalated. They are more frequent, last longer, and are more disruptive to my life. I have missed a lot of school because of migraines which only adds to the stress, propelling the endless cycle. I finally realized that there was no quick fix. No magic pill. Thats when I decided to take responsibility for my own health. Little by little I have been changing my diet to be as unprocessed as possible. The hardest loss for me was Nacho Cheese Doritos. I have cut out all fast food (except for Dunkin iced coffees of course). I have even resorted to taking my mom’s yoga classes, something I’ve refused to do for so long despite her constant nagging. The next steps I need to take are establishing a constant sleep schedule and cutting out caffeine. I have already seen an improvement (knock on wood!) but I still have a ways to go and quarantine is definitely not helping my sleep schedule.

Assignment #22- Ezra Mulalic-

The unusual life of Ezra. Coming from a complete Bosnian family, I have grown up with many traditions that probably many of you don't have. The food at our house is quite unique as well. The number one thing always present at any one of our meals is some kind of bread, carbs are literally everything to us. Many people probably get by with barely any type of bread, but it is practically a necessity to us. There might never be a shortage to carbs for us in the next couple of months. Family is always a very important part to us. It seems that we always have some sort of cousin or relative over at our house. There always seems to be this new relative I might, or one of my grandparents stop by our house for their daily greetings. We are always around or supported by family, and while a majority of my family isn't in the same country there is always an effort made to talk with them as often as we can. So if there is any college in mind, there better be carbs and an easy way to keep in touch with my family.

Assignment 22: Emma Lauritzen- the other side

Ive written about this before, but this prompt made me want to write about it again.
Anyone who knew me in middle school or early high school knows part of this story, but not all of it. To them, I am the girl that disappeared for two months in 8th grade and then five months in 9th grade. I dont like telling people about these times, because theyve already made their own assumptions, the craziest being that I was pregnant, dead, or legally insane. None of those are true and those rumors really hurt, but heres the truth:
I was hospitalized for the first time for an attempted suicide in 8th grade. I stayed at the ridge for about 9 days, which was one of the worst experiences of my life because I went through some trauma there that I wont get into. Fast forward a year and I tried again, except this time I went and stayed at a place called Linder for over a month. During these times I wasnt allowed to talk to anyone and I didnt have any friends and I struggled desperately with self harm. This was also the time I was diagnosed with an eating disorder and I had to go through treatment for that. By the end of my stay and countless hours of tests and studies I was also diagnosed with type 2 bipolar disorder. I try to stay clinical when I say all of this because I know as a reader none of this is nice to read, but this is my unusual circumstance of living. Its not a fun one, but its mine.
For some reason people think this is my deep dark secret, but its not. Ive always been open about this because I hope it will help people to better understand me and why I am the way that I am. Living with bipolar disorder as a teenager is especially hard because sometimes I dont know if im going through a manic stage, or if im simply being an eager 17 year old enjoying life as its heights. When im going through my depressive stages I can barely wake up, and when im faced with smiling teachers and classmates I just feel nothing and want to sink into the earth. I alsonow live with the constant struggle of convincing mean people that I am what I am and that Im not crazy. Trying to balance recovery, treatment, medicine, and appointments with therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists all while staying on top of classes feels impossible sometimes. Every month is a new mixture of breakdowns, highs, and coping.
I am not my mental illness, thats not why Im writing this, but to fully understand me, you must understand my circumstances. Its a lot easier to sympathize with the girl randomly crying in class, or having panic attack in the hallway when you understand why its happening. A lot of my classmates just assume im really emotional and moody when the reality is that its out of my control.
Ive learned so much from this though, Ive learned to never judge someone before truly getting to know them. Ive learned how to multi task to the extremes and use my emotions to my own and others betterment. Ive learned emotional regulation and how to help others when theyre struggling. Going through all of this has made me a stronger person and the person I am today. Because of all of this I know exactly what is best for me. Its the reason I love American University because of its size, location, proximity to hospitals and treatment services.
I hope this wasnt painful to read because trust me it was more painful to live, but this is my life and I wouldnt change anything because I am the person I am today because I had to overcome all of this.

assignment 21: emma lauritzen Am I cursed?

A lot of people have bad luck, and I am one of those people. If things can go wrong, THEY WILL, when it comes to me. My parents call it the emma curse. This was really difficult for me to understand growing up and honeslty still is. The following is a list of just some of the incidents:

• roller coasters breaking down as soon as im on them 
• kilns exploding with my art in it 
• flooding of only my room 
• ovens at restaurants breaking with my food in it 
• ALWAYS being served last at restaurants 
• being the only one to get food poisoning from something everyone ate 
• hotels catching on fire during my speech events 
• lights and audio going out as soon as im supposed to present 
• getting 4!!! defective i phones in a row 
• getting stuck at the top of a Ferris wheel 
• falling into the lake three different times during camp kayaking 
• getting stuck in sinking mud four different times 
• going into anaphylaxis from vaccines 
• being allergic to random things 
• being diagnosed with THREE different rare medical conditions that made me the subject of medical research 
• sharks being present during my first surf lesson
• and the list goes on 

It all kinda sucks. Ive had to grow accustomed to weird things happening, which means bringing extra glasses because one pair might fall off the roller coaster (I have really bad luck with roller coasters), always having benedril on me, having my doctors on speed dial, and never taking super big risks. If Ive learned anything from all of this, its that I need to be prepared always. Theres no way to make this curse go away, so ive also learned to live with it. 

Its not always awful because now when I go out to dinner, I can make bets with people that I will be the last served, and I always win. I also get to meet really cool doctors whenever something crazy goes wrong. I will also always have cool stories to tell people, which makes any "story time" easy. 

While this might not be the best thing, I can also help others with this. If they have a product, ill find its error so that others dont have to. 

So, I might be cursed but its ok.

assignment #20: emma lauritzen- how to make a lemon drop mocktail

Ive taken up some new hobbies in isolation-one of them being making alcohol free drinks or "mocktails." I make a new one everyday. So far ive made daiquiris, mojitos, pina coladas, etc, but my favorite has been the lemon drop.
First you will need to gather your ingredients and make a simple syrup. To make a simple syrup you will need a shallow pot on medium heat. Then fill this pot with one cup of water, then slowly mix in one cup of sugar. Stir this mixture until the sugar has dissolved and allow to boil on low heat for a couple minutes. Then, place this mixture in a container and allow to chill in the fridge.

Gather the following ingredients:

• your chilled simple syrup 
• lemon juice 
• ice 
• a shaker 
• an oz pourer 
• sugar 
• club soda/ seltzer water 
• two glasses

1. pour sugar onto a small plate, enough to have an even layer 
2. wet the rim of the glass by dipping it into a shallow plate of water 
3. place the glass slightly in the sugar and twist it so that the entire rim is coated in sugar 
4. in a shaker, add ice 
5. pour in 1.5 oz of lemon juice 
6. pour in 1 oz of simple syrup 
7. pour in 3ish oz of seltzer water 
8. cover your shaker and shake it for the duration of half the intro of the song Hotel California (20 seconds)
9. pour the mixture into your glasses over about three ice cubes and enjoy 

attached is a tik tok I made showing you how to do this 

https://vm.tiktok.com/t4tHSF/ 

Assignment #22 -William Webb

I’ve  been involved in football longer than you can remember. I’ve busted my butt to become as good as I am. Known for my work ethic, consistency and ability to come through in the clutch, I’ve  been the one my team has always been able to depend on in crunch time. I live to practice and perform. I have a passion to compete. 

Then the unthinkable happens. It seems to have slowly snuck up on me. It’s not like there was any major injury or anything. I didn’t really feel anything pull, pop or break. Perhaps it might have been a lot easier and more straightforward to deal with if i had experienced that. No, this was quite a bit more insidious. After a freshman football game I noticed some pain and tenderness in both of my ankles. “No problem,” I thought. I’ve dealt with this stuff before. I try to ignore it and push through the pain. When practice ends my ankles are throbbing. That night, I can barely walk. Although I decided to push through the pain it bit me in the ass. 

Assignment #21 -William Webb

This year as a whole has become very challenging. Sports or school. But this coronavirus epidemic has allowed myself to generate and find new opportunities, as well as find the value in the long hours we dread everyday. While new school days are met with complaints, it is our civic duty as human beings, to be educated. School serves a number of purposes from building confidence to teaching children the importance of teamwork and working with others. School helps guide youngsters through the establishment of a daily routine, which is of utmost importance as we direct them toward the workplace, and as we become productive members of society. Humans are social animals and we need people around us to survive. School, yes even online school, can be an excellent way to build a network of friends and a like-minded community. Friendships aren’t the only important relationships that can be built through school. A school environment offers students the opportunity to learn to work with others, which is a very important “real world” skill.

Assignment #21 - Luke Plummer - Anxiety

I’ve got anxiety. I am literally anxious all the time. I get anxious writing this. I overthink that you read this and think, ugh, this kid is just one of the normal ones. Grasping for things to make him special. Not at all. I am anxious a majority of the time. There are only 2 places I can think of that can quell my anxiety for limited amounts of time. When I am on the lacrosse field or I am in bed asleep. Notice that I have to be asleep. Anxiety has kept me awake for countless nights. I lay in bed thinking about grades that I don’t think are good enough and have to force myself to get up and do homework or study until I feel satisfied. I can’t not do something unless I'm good at it.

This anxiety has had some good impacts on me. I like people to like me, it makes me anxious when they do not like me. So I spend extra time to help people, or learn what makes them happy. I genuinely care about what people think and truly hope to be able to make them happy.

Assignment #20 -William Webb

My how to list will consist of what I’ve learned from my mother as vaccumer.  The procedures I take to make a clean look on any carpet or floor.

1. Make Use of the Vacuum Attachments. Use the crevice attachment (if you have one), and vacuum the edges in each room before you vacuum the entire carpet.

2. Try an Odor Neutralizer. If your carpet needs a little freshening, use an odor neutralizer.  Here's a recipe for my favorite homemade version or you can put a few drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and put it in your vacuum bag. This will freshen the air while your vacuum is running!

3. Vacuum Horizontally. For each area you want to vacuum, start by vacuuming horizontally.

4. Vacuum Vertically. Yes, you are going over the carpet twice, but this technique ensures that the carpet is lifted and any embedded dirt is removed.

5. Have an Exit Strategy. Start at the furthest corner away from the door and vacuum back and forth until you're out of the room.  This will give you those beloved vacuum lines that say, “I just vacuumed” look.

Assignment #21 - Luke Plummer - The Current

One of the largest obstacles that I've ever faced in my life was junior year.  As ironic as it sounds, junior year has been one of the most challenging years in my life. It is one of the first times in my entire life where I have had to set goals for myself. 

This school year was one of the first times where I have felt like I have actually been challenged and had set and pushed myself to meet goals. In classes I find myself being forced to take better notes and pay way more attention than I normally have to. These habits that I seem to be having to force myself into are actually very good for me. I'm getting better at time management and learning to solve problems alone when I am doing homework.

As this year comes to a close I have noticed that I now follow a stricter regime than I have ever in my entire life. I find myself studying more than I have ever in my entire life and paying more attention in all my classes. I just feel more prepared for school than I ever have.

Assignemnt #20 - D1 Prospect - Luke Plummer

My how to list it going to be on how to become a better lacrosse player. While as one could assume there are many different things that go into getting better at lacrosse but I'm going to be making a how to on perhaps the most important, and probably the easiest thing to do.

Wall Balling-

1. Grab your lacrosse stick and as many balls as you want. You can do it with only one but it is nice to have multiple incase you have to chase the ball down.
2. Find a large wall. The wall needs to be at least 6-8 feet tall, but hopefully you can find a taller one. It is just harder for beginners on a smaller wall.
3. Take your ball and throw it against the wall.
4. Once you get good at that you can switch hands, throw behind the backs, and throw one handed against the wall.
5.  Throw against the wall for 30 min to an hour, do this every day.

Assignment 24: The Future

You're done! - well almost Your Junior year (nearly) OVER. Tell us about it. Successes? Failures? Lessons Learned? Risks taken? Mistakes made? What will you do in the Summer? What do you want for your Senior year? How do you plan to reach your goals? Minimum of 150 words - due on Sunday, April 19 at 11:59 pm May 10 is the last day to make up blogs 23-25

Assignment #20- Caroline Blitch- Hauling a Horse

How to load a horse onto a (two-horse) trailer: 

1. This step is optional and up to personal preference but I suggest grooming your horse before loading because it is less stressful to do so in the comfort of your own barn than with your horse tied to the side of the trailer outside.
2. Load all of your needed gear into the tack room of the trailer. 
3. Set up hay net in trailer to keep your horse occupied during the haul.
4. Put shipping boots or bandages on all four legs. Boots are much easier to put on and more protective. 
5. Put the ramp of the trailer down. If you are only trailering one horse, tie the divider to the right side of the trailer so you can load them on the drivers side.
6. Lead your horse in and swing the lead rope over the withers.
7. Exit the trailer through the side door and quickly move to the back of the trailer to untie the divider and put up the butt bar on each side. Be cautious of hind legs and stand to the side of trailer when doing this. 
8. Return to the side door and clip the trailer tie to halter and remove lead rope. Keep lead rope in trailer tack room. 
9. Put the ramp up and make sure it is latched properly. 
10. Double check that trailer tires are not flat and that brake lights/ blinkers are working. 

assignment 22- wanna bet i can make anything about being late?-emanuelle sippy

having moved around quite a bit—7 houses, 4 cities, 3 states—i am not fazed by leaving home. in fact, i'm ready to say bye to lexington, i'm ready to meet new people, and i'm ready for more intellectual rigor. But the question of college becomes much more complicated with the "where?" i won't be writing about one school because as i've stated in numerous blogs, i'm too indecisive for that.  i know i will feel most alive at a place in a city where there are museums and protests and restaurants are open past 10:00 pm. i know i want to be somewhere where activism isn't just allowed but encouraged, where it's embedded in a culture of students learning to question what we're learning, how we're learning it, the world we live in, our past, present, and future. i know i want to be somewhere where professors learn their students' names and TAs aren't the only ones giving feedback. 

a lot of this is because of the way my parents raised me. my mom has taught at some of the best small liberal arts colleges in the country, so i've drunk the cool-aid that "you don't want to be at a place that doesn't prioritize undergraduate education." we also eat late (Jewish and Indian time, doubly stacked against me on both sides of the fam), so that's the restaurant reasoning.

Assignment 22: that one time i was a translator - Hannah Qazi

Interestingly enough, I've found that in the most unusual of times, I've had some of my best experiences. For instance, the happiest I've ever felt was after I attended a funeral. These moments - as bizarre and random as they sound all share similar qualities and feelings that keep me up at night reflecting over. One of the most defining was at an Islamic Convention with my best friend. Although we'd been sent to this camp to expand our knowledge of our religion and culture - I gained something more through it. See, at this camp - despite it being in Washington D.C., the most American part of America - barely anyone spoke english. They spoke my mother tongue of Urdu, which was the one language my best friend was yet to be fluent in. Needless to say, this made things quite difficult for her. She became isolated from her community and couldn't understand the tasks given to her. So, I took it upon myself to act as her guide and translator, despite my painfully American accent. Little by little, she began to add bits to her vocabulary and we managed to get by pretty well. This moment defined the importance of inclusivity and compassion for me. For I had realized the many ways my friend had returned the gesture and acted as a translator for me. Rather than translating language though, she translated life experiences with her three additional years of knowledge. If we didn't have someone to guide and include us, we would be lost. This moment drove my passion for humanitarian work and led me to get involved in organizations like UNICEF. It drove me to strive for a community of learning and fairness marked by mutual respect - one that is critical to a university like UCLA.

Assignment 21: Violet - Hannah Qazi

For a majority of the second grade I did not speak. Over the course of one summer, I had lost all the friends I'd grown up with - and the confidence to make new ones -  because I moved. While this may not appear to be a struggle worthy of sharing, it's a defining aspect of who I am. I've struggled with social anxiety for most of my life and even had my hearing tested because my timidness interfered with my learning. I personally found comfort in being an introvert, but my parents and teachers always tried to push me out of my tiny bubble. Although I'm grateful for their efforts and it was in their best intention to help, it did nothing. It wasn't until I found my people/fellow introverts that I really started to open up. As I've grown, I've taken significant steps past my comfort zone, enough to even join activities like speech and debate. I still struggle to express my opinion at times, but over time I've learned to cope with it and speak. 

Assignment #22 - Megan Ewing - I Toe the Line

I’ve always felt like I’m walking the line between two opposing sides of everything. I am a middle(ish) child (The second out of four) so, according to birth order theory, I am a diplomat. I’ve seen myself fall all too easily into this role for a long time. I rarely have arguments with people, but when I do, they’re pretty tame and end quickly because I can always understand both sides of the argument. I frequently end arguments within my family or between friends. I am an Enneagram type 9, so I guess diplomacy is my personality. But, I also see myself toeing the line between who I am and how I see my experiences. Am I really a caring, giving, altruistic person or am I the most selfish person I know? Are my daily headaches/migraines a symptom of a greater issue I need to get resolved or is that just normal? I don’t know. Maybe I never will, but what I do know is that I have a power that this world desperately needs in this time of polarization and personal feuds made political: diplomacy.

Assignment #20: How to eat biryani - Hannah Qazi

Oof, it took a while for my brain to process enough words to come up with a solid answer to this prompt, so bear with me. I may not have many skills to share, but this is one I'm pretty confident in. Prepare yourself because you're about to get cultured. But before you can dive into the glorious heap of deliciousness in front of you - you first have to educate yourself to truly appreciate the beauty of this dish. This means you need to familiarize yourself with your own spice level. Let me give you some advice, if you think tabasco sauce is spicy, put the spoon down and walk away right now. Save yourself.

Once you've established just how much heat you can handle, it's time to ration how much yogurt and water you need to calm the spice, and accomplish this mighty feat. See, if you put too much yogurt, you get this runny mess of rice and chicken, a rookie mistake that easily could've been avoided. But if you put too little...well, my friend, you've played yourself.

The final step you have to take is to throw out ANY and ALL raisins, carrot bits, egg bits and peppercorns you see, your tongue will thank me because that stuff is nasty. Once you've managed to complete all of these steps, you're as golden the rice on your plate. 

Assignment #23- Ellis Padgett- Perfect Playlist for Comfort

I put this playlist together exactly one week ago, but I couldn't figure out for the life of me what it was "The Perfect Playlist" for. So it sat in my Spotify, simply titled "The Perfect Playlist For."

Now it is the perfect playlist for comfort, but I will probably change the title again in a few days. In fact, it will probably return to being "The Perfect Playlist For," because every time I listen to these songs I am in a different head-space, so their meanings change a little. But for now, as I am stuck inside this house, these songs offer me comfort. Cohesively, these songs all follow a relaxed tempo, have beautiful lyrics, and rely on vocals instead of heavy instrumentation. I think they're all really beautiful in their own ways. 

1. The Friary - David Keenan

When I first heard this song, I thought the artist sounded like Shrek (though he's Irish, not Scottish). David Keenan has a way of singing that I haven't found in any other artist. He's very give and take; his guitar intros seem uncalculated, and he shifts from relaxed to intense very quickly. Instead of following the formulaic pattern of nice verse, exciting chorus, David Keenan reaches a sort of peak near the end of his songs, like he's finishing an exciting story. Which he is. The Friary, while I don't quite understand the lyrics, grows throughout. He follows the verse-chorus pattern, but changes his guitar and voice as he wants so nothing is repeated exactly as it was. This gives the song a sense of freedom, and I find comfort in the loose structure. 

2. Relatively Easy - Jason Isbell

I actually understand the lyrics in this one, and they are what I think is the comforting part of this song. The first lines, "Are you having a long day/ Everyone you meet rubs you the wrong way," really hit home sometimes. We all have days where we are just through with people. Later in the song, there is a drop and rise, similar to David Keenan. This adds dramatic effect, allowing the listener to really invest in the song, and find comfort in its words.

3. Even the Darkness Has Arms - The Barr Brothers

This has one of the coolest guitar parts ever. Once again, the lyrics are caked in mystery, but somehow you still know they're beautiful. The comforting part about this song is the way he sings. It's a fast paced song, yet he seems as if he's in no rush at all. 

4. Broken - Jake Bugg

I personally like this guy's voice a lot, but others don't because it has this weird tamber. For me, his voice is comforting. The guitar part also shifts from very high to very low for they chorus, which adds a certain richness. Even as the singer climbs in vocal range, the beat remains steady. No rush- always relaxed.

5. Honeybee - Steam Powered Giraffe

This band is the weirdest band I have ever come across. This is one of the only songs of theirs I like; but I like it because it reminds me of a barbershop quartet the way their voices intertwine. It is steadily paced. The chorus is especially interesting because the singers echo each other. And every chord they create is spot on, you wouldn't believe it. I think it's comforting because of the effortless way they harmonize; and because it relies on the vocals instead of on heavy instrumentation, like a lot of these other songs. 

6. Cobwebs - David Keenan

Another David Keenan song! He sings the same way, very give and take. Even with nonchalant vocals, the lyrics in this song have a certain darkness to them. He says, "Come away from the window ledge/ You'll catch your death of cold and you'll be no use to anyone/ Least of all me." He climbs really high vocally in this song, building emotion before dropping back down. I think it all works together to create something very pretty and comforting.

7. Blue Skies - Noah and the Whale

This is the only song on here that isn't acoustic guitar. Quite literally comforting, it's about how a bright future is coming even if you don't see it right now. 

Assignment #23 - The Perfect Playlist for a Good Mood - Irene Kim

Looking through my Spotify playlists, I couldn’t really define the songs into one distinct category. Most of them, though, fall under a sort of feel-good mood genre, so I hope that works! I’ll listen to these songs any day, whether I need a mood-booster or just for fun.

1. September — Earth, Wind & Fire
You’ve probably heard this song before (and if you haven’t, you need to! :)). It’s just a generally upbeat and happy song, and since my mom’s birthday is in September (noting the title), my family and I play it every year on that day, so there are lots of happy memories attached.

2. Stronger — Clean Bandit
This is not a parody or cover of Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger.” I first heard of this song as a dance choreography by 1MILLION, and it’s one of my favorites now! I think Clean Bandit generally incorporates a lot more string and beat into their songs, which I find makes them more upbeat and uplifting than other artists.

3. Dancing Queen — ABBA
I can’t say enough about ABBA or the Mamma Mia! soundtrack. I particularly love Dancing Queen, because it was my mom’s favorite song, too, and we love to listen to it together. The lyrics almost emanate joy and youth but also nostalgia.

4. Sunday Best — Surfaces
This song became very popular not long ago, I think when a YouTuber appeared in one of Surfaces’ music videos—the song itself is genuinely good though. It’s definitely a more lighthearted song, but it’s a great road trip song or song to sing with your friends—each line is just pure positivity!

5. Mr. Blue Sky — Electric Light Orchestra
I don’t know why, but when I first heard this song on Spotify, I thought it was by the Beatles. They have a similar vibe to their songs. The song again is pretty upbeat, and the chord change from the opening verses to the chorus is always satisfying for some reason. And the personification of Mr. Blue Sky is interesting, too!

6. Hey Jude — The Beatles
This is a very versatile song; you can listen to it in any mood, really. I don’t know why, but it reminds me of a mom giving advice to her daughter—I used to say that if I had a daughter, I would name her Jude just so I could play this song for her! But the ending is super long (it’s just a lot of na-na-na’s) so I almost never finish it to the end.

7. Put Your Records On — Corrine Bailey Rae
Again, my mom introduced me to this song, but it’s so good! She says it gives her “Parisian vibes” for some reason. The lyrics, the music, and the rhythm just sound super gentle and mellow, almost jazzy—it’s a very nice song to listen to when you’re outside, or in the morning or any sort of peaceful environment!

8. Take on Me — a-ha
This is a timeless song, a classic. Even my little cousins in Korea know it, and I remember when we were visiting, they would all start dancing to it whenever I played it on my phone; it was adorable! So many funny memories attached.

9. Here Comes The Sun — The Beatles
Another Beatles song! This would have to be my top favorite song, after Bohemian Rhapsody (but that doesn’t really fall under the good-mood category). This is a special song, because it was the first song I learned on the piano (as far as I can remember), and every time I hear it, it just puts me in a good mood!

10. Smile — Charlie Chaplin
This is probably the cringiest of them all, and the oldest song, but my mom used to sing it to me as a baby, and I love the lyrics! and it’s another great song to listen to outside or somewhere quiet and peaceful. We only listen to Nat King Cole’s recording of it, but the song itself is just nice.

Assignment 22: That's a weird combo- Sam Chavez

I'm a Floridian, a Minnesotan, a Coloradan, a Mexican, and maybe even an Italian you'd have to ask my Mom. This unusual mix of characters shapes the unique 5'8 beast they call Sam today. From air boating in the swamps of Florida, to ice skating on our backyard lake in Minnesota, to panning for gold with my grandparents in Colorado, all the way to seeing photos of my Dad's grandma, who I never got he honor of meeting, my different experiences have shaped my character into something special to me. This life full of experiences has already lended me skills that I never thought I'd have. I can effectively run away from an alligator hiding under my moms car (yes that happened), I can hit 50 MPH sledding down a hill into lake, I can pan for gold, and I can make a pretty decent Tamale. Moving states and learning many cultures in my 16 years of life have already shaped a unique person out of me, and the scary part is, Im just getting started.

Assignment 21: Tree:1 Sam:0. - Sam Chavez

My entire childhood was enveloped by baseball. I was always at practices and games from the time I was 3, and to be honest, I wasn't that bad. Rising T-Ball star Sam Chavez, #3 was sure to make it to the big leagues right? Wrong. During a summer game in 2006, my little baseball career was going to be put on halt. While running as fast as my little 4 year old legs could carry me, I tripped on first base while my foot was bent in the wrong direction. I started crying, as one does, and was taken off the field to my parents. That day we went to the doctor to make sure everything was okay. They took X-rays, and everything was just fine they said. Go back and play some more baseball they said. It'll be fun, they said. So, after 3 more days of me consistently telling my mom how bad it hurt, she assured me I would be fine and told me to get ready for my next game. So I did and I played, hobbling everywhere I went. When she realized that even ice cream wouldn't get me to stop fussing, she figured we ought to go back to the doctor. They took more x-rays and what do u know?? My foot was fractured. Never would've seen that coming. They told me I'd be out of the game for at least 4 months. Little Sam was NOT okay with that. I did everything I could to get back on the diamond as fast as possible; I did my physical therapy and wore that bright orange cast like a champ. They said that my foot wouldn't be able to withstand the pressure of baseball and it wasn't a good idea to return to playing even after my 4 month recovery. But as soon as fall ball came to town and I was out of my cast, I was right back at it, and I never had any problems with it again. Though by baseball career wouldn't last forever or make me millions in the MLB, it did show that persistence overcomes negativity. I couldve sat there like a normal 4 year old and watched Elmo all day (I kinda did) but instead I worked to get back on the field as soon as I could. So no more broken bones would get little Sam down and out ever again.

Assignment 20: How It's Made- Sam Chavez

Working at a busy Go Kart track for a few months has left me with more mechanics knowledge than I would have expected. From people flipping their karts at 45 MPH, to people driving straight through the barriers, we see lots of weird issues that require maintenance on the karts themselves. The most common one of all though, is a tire that needs replacing. On my first shift, a tire flew off of a kart and landed 50 yards away from where the kart was, which- you guessed it- is bad, so correct replacement is imperative.
1. If the bad tire is already off, then this step is of no importance, so you can skip it. If the tire is still connected to the kart though; which it usually is, you will need to remove it. To do this, you will need a 18mm Allen wrench and patience. There are 6 bolts that connect the wheel to the disc which is connected to the main frame, so you need to unscrew all 6 bolts. These bolts are upwards of 5 inches long so patience is key.
2. After all 6 bolts are off, the tire is disconnected from the disc and can be removed from it. After the tire is off, you must check to make sure the bearing is still intact. If it is, then it can be slipped out from the middle of the tire and used in the new one. It it is not, then you'll need a new bearing.
3. Once you have a new tire and a working bearing, you can do the reverse of steps 1 and 2. Put the  bearing in the new tire and slide it on the wheel post so it is close enough to the disc that you can start inserting the bolts.
4. Re-screw all 6 bolts and TIGHTEN.
Then you have a new tire on a go kart.

Assignment #22 - who I am - Buddy Goodwin

I am a country boy. I am a city boy. I am an unusual combination of both. I was born and raised on a very large farm in Carlisle, Kentucky. I lived there until I was ten. I would spend my days roaming the country side as I was practically always outside. Then when I was 10 I moved to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. I lived there for a few years and then moved once more to another large city, Lexington, Kentucky, where I reside today. This suburban life was much different than the rural life I was used to and had a large impact on me. I have provided this context because it helps one to understand my personality today. I still love the outdoors. I love warm sunny days where I can be active and outside for 10 hours a day and I love nature. I also love hanging out with friends. I love Friday night board game nights and sleepovers. While I am a fairly social person when I want to be I am also sometimes a home body. I enjoy spending time at home with my family as much as going to high school parties. This is probably because through all the times I've moved my family has been right there with me and my whole life I have gotten along well with my four brothers.

Assignment #21 - metal leg - Buddy Goodwin

This summer I was playing lacrosse in the Chicago Cup tournament in Chicago and broke my leg. The upper part of my tibia bone broke off and allowed for my knee cap to dislocate as well. I had to be rushed to a hospital and then transferred to another one. I ended up having surgery later that night and woke up to my leg in cast and three metal screws in it. It would stay that way for the next few months. This was an extremely difficult obstacle that had popped up in my life. It happened right at the beginning of summer so my whole summer was gone. This also meant that I could not go to a summer bible/sports camp that I had been looking forward to for over a year. I am also a very active person and this meant that I couldn't do anything physically for the next few months. It also made daily necessities like using the bathroom and showering extremely hard. In addition to all of this I was in pain for a majority if the time. The time that I was immobilized in a cast was very hard for me. After about three months though I got out of the cast and out of a brace that I had been wearing for a few weeks. I was able to slowly start doing the things that I loved to do. I had physical therapy twice a week for about a month and a half. This got my leg stronger and back to where I was comfortable walking on it again. At this time it was around November and lacrosse season was set to start in February. I decided then that I was going to get back into good enough shape and get my leg strong enough to be able to play that season. I started going to the gym twice a day. I found a personal trainer in lexington that was cheap and that I really liked and started going to him multiple times a week. I did this for almost three months leading up to our first game. It ended up all paying off. I got to play and start in our first game. I had our teams first goal of the season but more importantly I had such a fun time with my teammates on the field.

assigment #22 - lily gardner: a letter to the tin man with his foot in my backyard

In the style of “Had the Vines Budded, Were the Pomegranates in Bloom,” S Brook Corfman.
My father was Methodist then he was ten and smoking a pipe on the back porch. Now he’s in quarantine and all I can do is notice the condensation dripping off a glass, even if it’s not iced tea. I keep trying to listen to the water on the walk. I keep saying There will be a world after the pandemic. It’s not quite true but I keep describing the same things differently, as my crumpling back when I sit for a test or the floaters that overtook my great aunt’s vision. The sensations of gluttony and scarcity won’t stay put in my eyebrows. I forget and then remember, exhausted as soon as I open my eyes. I had a friend whose father died, it was as if he never existed. She lives with her aunt who’s a pharmacist because her mother moonlighted to Ohio long ago. She hated boys. I don’t know if I’m more worried or impatient about what will come. Not even Robert Frost can help. When I ride on both paths, I have to swerve my bicycle, around the worms that come out after a spring rain and used condoms. I decided just to sell the bicycle. Carbon neutrality, for what it’s worth. But what’s the point of money, for an experience you can never have? Maybe if I go to the temple where they called out my name, with the Methodists, I’ll find some solace. I’ll kneel down and pray for the tin man with his foot in my backyard to convince me that Margaret and Adolfus were just dreamers with too many nightmares.

Assignment #21- Ezra Mulalic- chess

Whenever I was in the third grade, I used to go to the Eagle Creek library pretty often, and after school they would have chess games and some on the weekend. It took me a little while to understand how to play the game, like how the pieces move and the layout of the pieces go, and when I finally understood how the game worked I was hooked on it. I kept returning to get more experience and hopefully get that sweeet taste of victory. After about a week I finally got my first win against another one of the kids there that was about my age, and I was hooked on the idea of winning. I kept playing and playing winning and losing, mainly losing, and after a couple weeks I heard of a chess tournament there were going to have on a Saturday there. This got me excited and I started playing chess everywhere I could to get the most experience. I was preparing to get this victory in the tournament, I couldn't possible take a loss. When the tournament day came, I woke up early and I felt sure I was going to win. I went to the tournament, beat the first person and lost immediately after that. I was devasted and it really ruined my chess progression. Since then I haven't had the same passion for the game, but maybe one day the passion will be returned.

Assignment #20- Ezra Mulalic- How to start playing piano

I've been playing piano for quite some time now, and I would say I am an adequate player. The endless capabilites and sounds that can be created is just a quality that can not be overlooked. I feel that everyone should be able to play some level of piano.

Step One: Get yourself familiar with your keyboard, and the texture of the keys and the layout. Notice the alternating pattern of white and black keys, and just start messing around for a little.

Step Two: Learn the way which the keys go up starting from middle c, going in the order of c, d, e, f, g, a, b, and then c. Get familiar with that order.

Step Three: Now being able to read the notes and translate that into keys can be quite difficult. You first have to be able differentiate the clefs the notes can be in, the treble clef is normally for the right hand (sometimes can change), and the bass clef is normally for the left hand. Get comfortable with how they look, and whenever you have to play both hands, the sheet of music will place the right hand line on top of the land hand line.

Step Four: Understand the placement of the notes on the measure lines and the corresponding notes. This will take a while but fully learning this will allow you to start playing music and having fun.

This should be a very beginning experience to your piano playing fun!

Assignment #20 - How to play Fortnite - Buddy Goodwin

One of my favorite things to do in my free time is play video games. I enjoy a wide variety of video games but my favorite one to play is Fortnite. Fortnite is a third person battle royale game that took over the internet in 2017. In this post I will be laying out a list of steps to follow if you wish to play and succeed in Fortnite. (The first step starts after one has already downloaded the game and opened the application)

Step one: Once you are in the lobby you want to hit the yellow button on the bottom right of your screen that says "ready". This will send you into matchmaking which typically takes about 30 seconds and will then send you into a match.

Step two: Once you are in the battle bus, which is a blue school bus with a hot air ballon on top of it that keeps it floating in the air, then you will have the opportunity to jump out and skydive to any location on the map.

Step three: My favorite place to land a plan called Salty Springs. Once you have landed look for a house and go inside. Inside the house there will be weapons scattered across the floor that you must locate and if you get lucky there will also be chests hidden throughout the building.

Step four: Locate these chests and open them. More guns and ammo, or "loot" will pop out. In Fortnite there are 5 different rarities of weapons. Gray, Green, Blue, Purple, and Gold going from worst to best respectively. Assemble the best loadout of five weapons that you can find in the house or houses and go outside for battle.

Step five: Run around the map and avoid the storm in order to locate other players. Once you find a player aim your gun at him and shoot him. My best piece of advice when your are in a fight is to shoot at the other player then build a wall around you when he shoots back at you. Repeat this process until the other player is eliminated.

Step six: The final step is to continue to run around and eliminate everyone until you are the last player standing. Once this occurs you have won and you may start another game!

Assignment #20: How to Put on an Ankle Brace - M'Kiyah Baird

How to put on an ankle brace for flat feet. 

(The brace pictured was given by a podiatrist because my feet are abnormally flat. There are other braces used for volleyball or other sports you can buy elsewhere. This is for people that don't understand why it takes me so long to put these on.)

1. Put the brace on your foot. 
   
2. Strap the two laces to your foot. This is to tighten it and frame your foot so make sure you put it on right. 
   
3. Strap the two long straps on your foot, going across your foot and then coming around underneath. They should make an 'x' shape. 
   
   
   
   
4. Take the thicker straps and attach them around the top of the brace. This keeps everything in place. 
   
5. You're done. Now walk, run, and sleep in the brace as long as your heart desires.

Assignment #21: Failure - M'Kiyah Baird

One of my biggest setbacks was when I didn't make a certain club volleyball team. It's my junior year and I've been playing volleyball for roughly 6 years. Needless to say, the game has become my life. This particular club was one I hadn't tried out for since 8th grade and the competition level is super high at my age. However, making a team here could have given me spotlight and could have gotten me into college volleyball. Unfortunately for me, I was not very good. I knew that I had potential but the things I was doing then were not going to be enough. By the end of the second tryout day, I knew that I wasn't going to make it. 4 days out and the results were posted, my name nowhere to be found. I think I cried for a solid hour before I decided to move on and try out for another club. That club was pretty new which meant I wouldn't get much recognition from college coaches. I tried out anyway and made a team with some of my old teammates. Right now, I can't tell you how much I've improved and how excited I am to continue the season. I've not only seen my volleyball skills grow but my personality grow, too. I've gained a confidence I completely lacked at that first tryout and now I'm glad I overcame that failure instead of accepting defeat. 

Assignment #22: Unusual Circumstances - M'Kiyah Baird

I live in a family of giants. I don't know if I would consider it "unusual circumstances," but my entire family on my dad's side is full of tall, athletic people. My dad, who is only 6', is the shortest of the family of 11 siblings, while the tallest being around 6'7". Now, if you think about the fact that these 11 tall siblings all went off and had more tall children (all of them had at least two, most had more), you would get a glimpse of what family reunions are like. Most of the boys played football and the girls played volleyball. One of the brothers was a Harlem Globetrotter. All of their kids played multiple sports. So, thinking about my life experiences, I'm noticing the patterns I've picked up from that side of the family. I am 5'10" and some change and have played about 9 different sports, I love being tall and wish I was taller, and I'm relatively competitive. That being said, college is where a lot of my family members bettered themselves in the athletics area and others found new aspirations for life outside of sports. Thus, being a part of a tall family has taught me that your college experience isn't always defined by what sport you play but staying active throughout life makes you happier. Being a part of this tall family is most likely why I'm so determined to be great at any sort that I try. 

Assignment 23: The Perfect Playlist

A Blast From the Past

"High Fidelity" (2000) was a film that was remarkably ahead of its time. The film tells the story of Rob Gordon, a washed-up music junkie (played by the fantastic John Cusack) who spends his days creating perfect 5 song playlists. There's his playlist for his worst break up ever, his playlist of the top 5 soul tracks released between 1955 and 1965, and his playlist for his ex-girlfriend's dad's funeral.

Today, thanks to Spotify,  Apple Music, YouTube, and Pandora, creating a "perfect" playlist has never been easier.

On the other hand, Rob probably would be appalled by the slapdash way some of us throw together any group of songs above a certain tempo before we head to the gym, or take all those below a certain tempo and thoughtlessly label it “chillaxxx.” As Rob forewarned, “The making of a good compilation tape is a very subtle art. Many do’s and don’ts. You’re using someone else’s poetry to express how you feel. This <beat>  is a delicate thing.”

So for this blog assignment, create a "perfect" playlist for something. It could be your perfect playlist to listen to at the gym (boring!), perfect playlist for a rainy day, perfect playlist for anything. . . be as creative as you can. Once you have chosen a topic, select 5-10 tracks for this playlist, noting the song and artist, and write a few sentences explaining why you chose this song, what this song adds to your playlist, why you put it where you did, and how it works with the other songs you selected to create a cohesive perfect playlist.

Then create that list in Spotify (if possible) and share the link with mathhugh@aol.com 

In all honesty this is my way to crowd source interesting music so don't be a dolt and make a joke list please.

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, April 5 at 11:59 pm

May 10 is the last day to make up blogs 23-25

entry inspired by former Academy student John Cowgill