all [good] things come to an end...

...including winter vacation.

It's amazing how our taste in music can mirror our feelings or ideas. Even if someone wants to keep a secret, their life will be revealed in their taste (or, rather change in taste) of music.

On another note, biking in Boston is really cool. Biked down there with my cousin the other day. Biked out via the Charles, up to Old Ironsides, then up to Bunker Hill Monument (which, by the way is being renevated now), then followed the freedom trail down over the river, took the esplanade side of the river back to the fends, then followed the fends all the way to Jamaica Pond, then you're basically at the Franklin Park Zoo (where we got picked up). That is pretty much the longest bike ride I can handle.

I like to think I can do anything. It's not necessarily a good thing. For example, the other day when I was running, I thought, oh, I can do this, it is just a matter of how hard I push myself. [goes to sleep]
But, yes, to continue along...I was saying that, well at least in running, that depending on how hard you push yourself, you can go as fast as you want or as slow as you want. It's not really true, though, and I had to learn that the hard way by pushing myself too hard and like practically passing out.

On a different note, school is quite frustrating. I have officially 4 major papers and labs due right after vacation, even though the teachers aren't supposed to assign us homework over vacation. It's all good, though.

Now I'm off to do several things, none of which include homework.

Peace.

260 Nigerians killed in oil explosion

This was on page 3 of the Boston Globe this morning. The front page was filled up with "The Death of a President". Then the second page had a picture of the president carrying his dog out of his airplane. Then, you turned the page, and sharing half of the page with a Victoria's Secret ad, you could see this horrifying title.

So, what really is such the big deal with the death of a president? Do we really think the president's life is more valuable than 260 suffering Nigerians? When President Ford died, many memories were aroused in people's heads about their childhoods and what they remembered of him. 260 Nigerians being incinerated by the only thing that would keep them alive have just entered our lives. We have no memories of them. They might as well not be humans. Untill you do this. Now, think of someone you knew who has died. Think about the terrible feeling you had deep inside like someone took them away from you. Now, imagine all of the other people who knew that person and all of their sadness and suffering. Now, think about what would it would be like if 200 individuals passed away. It is unimaginable. We don't care about 260 Nigerians only because we know who President Ford was. But, just remember that a life is a life, and life is the most precious thing we have on this world.

So, overall, the general idea is that with the death of hundreds of Nigerians came no meaning and no connection to the real world, but with the death of president Gerald Ford came the death of millions of memories in millions of Americans.

cool music video

Music Video Code By Urbnmix


How to save a life. Good song. Good video.

Vacation

So, today is the first day of vacation. Absolutely sweet.

As for me, I'm barely doing anything over vacation, other than working on three papers, two of which are 8 or more pages. Also, I have a lab due right after vacation and a million other things. It's amazing how teachers aren't supposed to give homework over the break, but it still somehow happens. That's why I can't wait for college.

I've lately been too bored for my own good. I save every bit of homework for the absolute last minute, then stay up like forever to get it done. In college, you don't have to worry about any of that (well, you actually kind of do), but there is much more freedom in college. I will quote the Dartmouth pamphlet: "We guarantee you that once your kids come out of college, a fully-grown adult will come out". So, basically, I really want to enjoy this time of nice, relaxed high-school, and not hurry to grow up in college.

Had another meet at Reggie this week. Slowly but surely cutting a few seconds off my time. 5:23 this time, and Ben predicts 5:17, so that's what I am going to get next meet. The track team is awesome. I've decided.

It's amazing how quickly the holidays have snuck up. It's like...the beginning of school...thanksgiving....then all the sudden Christmas. It's almost like I have been on cruise control pretty much the whole year. Then, the other day, my friend informed me that we're already halfway through the year. Halfway, and I'm still trying to remember the teacher's names. Pretty pathetic.

Some major skiing must go down next week.

can't wait.

Oh, and another really cool science thing. They caught the first ever live giant squid on camera. It's here.
Pretty darn cool. They have video of it somewhere on the CNN website, too.

---

Sooo...maybe no longer that normal thing that I've been doing?
I shall see. Hopefully.
I love making people wonder what I'm talking about.


peace

Ok, so I was going to update this, but then I decided not to, but then I guess I'm updating it again. So, yes.

Track has been spiffy. The first meet happened yesterday, and you can read all about it in Jon's blog . So, basically, I ran like crazy. I did the mile, but Seb (probably the most talented distance runner on our team) managed to lap me. It was so exciting, though. Ran the first few laps in about 37-40, then went up, then went down to probs 35-30 for my last few. Not that that means anything. So, basically, I ended up going for a 5:32, which isn't that good, but probably actually is for the average person. And so, that was the biggest meet of the year, which we won. The Brookline coach made a few stupid mistakes about placing his very talented distance runners in the wrong events.

But, yeah, I had way too much time this afternoon, and I found a pretty amazingly funny sign from this site.



pretty funny. Except not really.

I've run out of ideas to write down.

Oh, now I remember. Yes, Christmas. I can't wait. Only like a few more weeks. I find it quite entertaining how, when I was younger, I was always looking foreward to the actual day of christmas, but now that I've grown older, I could care less about christmas, but just the break from school is amazing. I really hope to go skiing. No, not really hope, but rather I SHALL GO SKIING. And not kill myself. I have to go skiing. I got new skiis, and hope to break them in during, if not before vacation. It's quite sad how there's a lack of snow, though. And nobody's paying any attention to it, either. The weathermen just say, "Another beautiful day tomorrow". Since when can I wear shorts and short sleeves in December? It can't be good.

I can't manage to find something to do right now. The past few weeks have kind of been a blur. I caught myself thinking in class a few times, thinking, wouldn't it be awesome if I could just fast foreward my life past these stupid boring ruts. I don't even know what I have done differently this past week to make it amazingly boring, but there's something that I'm missing.

But, as long as the wonderful people in my math class (EVERY person in that class is ever-so awesome) are there to keep me entertained, I'll be fine.

the two songs that have made my week- must have done something right and fallen man


peace

Running

"The Hand"

(Background- Avalon, NJ)

Yep, yep, it worked pretty well. At least better than I thought. I took a few pointless pictures of my hand, none of which I ever had any intent on printing out. But, yeah, pretty much when I started this photo, I was thinking...hhmmmm...I think I should find a photo with a lot of open space, so I can put something in there that doesn't belong. And, so it went on to this. Pretty cool. Oh, and the teacher showed his photo major students, and they were all like, woah, that is really cool. Only having finished Photo Minor I, this was a pretty good compliment, so it pretty much made my day.

But, yeah, I ran my second track workout of the season today. Surprising how hard it was, even though it should have been pretty easy. Ah, well. It was the first time which running actually gave me a headache. But, yeah, track has been going fairly well. I'm so out of shape, and am failing miserable at walking up and down stairs due to my sore muscles (or at least I was like that the other day). I'm beginning to get back into shape, though.

But, yeah, about that singer called eminem. I hate him. Absolutely hate his ideas. Arguing for freedom of speech, although the words that he uses are targeting others, and could even in some case be considered a threat. See, the thing is, one has freedom of speech as long as they are not violating other's rights. I think this should be a violation of other's rights.
He's so obnoxious. I hate how everyone likes him for his words. Yet, in a way, I like some of his music. I absolutely hate every aspect of his music in which he uses derogitory terms, or targets people, but he tries to get the people that were disgusted with his words back by saying what a bad situation he is in. In some songs, he seems torn between rapping and spending time with his family. But, you know what? Even these songs are forcing him to spend more time rapping and less time with his family.

I dislike this person very much. He thinks way too much about his life.

So, yes, pretty much totally missed National Hug Day the other day. Oh, well. Not that it matters.

I was thinking about new stuff for the internet. Pretty random, but wouldn't it be awesome if you could back up your whole computer onto the internet and access it from anywhere? I mean, it could work like on-line email. Basically store massive amounts of stuff in an account at some headquarters somewhere, and share it through either some program that is easily downloadable onto every computer, or just share it right through your web browser. Now, that would be pretty cool, and it would have kind of a double-function because it backs up your whole computer in case your computer crashes or something, and in addition, it provides remote access to any file on your computer (I actually thought of this idea because I forgot to email myself this school assignment, and it was just like sooo annoying)

So, basically, that would be a pretty good idea.


And, so, lesson of the day: Each little event in life is like one stroke of a paintbrush. I'm painting my masterpiece.