The Future - Emily Salamanca

                   I'm doing this as early as I can, because I know I will study more the closer AP tests come into my schedule. I don't feel like the year is ending, either because I would be forced to admit that (a) I am in fact a junior and the future is coming fast and (b) that AP tests season is upon us and there is no stress. I can't say I believe either. In terms of successes, I don't feel like I've had any. As terrible as it sounds, I just haven't done much that warrants a huge success party. I haven't taken any of my tests. I refuse to look at my ACT score because I'm scared of how low it is. I have the majority of importance of the year left, so I feel that I can't justify any good feelings I have. I'm not done. Nothing is finalized. My failures are more plentiful than any blog post can take in. Over the year, I have not taken certain classes seriously enough and embraced others with such a ferocity that I've neglected myself. I think my biggest failure is probably that I haven't had any major successes. I'm not special in any way. I'm just kind of here. However, I've learned lessons that I hope will guide me into college. I've learned how to study well and take better care of myself. I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder, which is helpful because it means that my feelings are legitimate. I'm too scared of everything and the fear sometimes runs my life. I do not know what constitutes a 'mistake' over a failure. To me, they seem too interrelated. This summer, I think I will going to camp, attending GSP, and perhaps traveling around. In senior year, I just want to keep up the same motivation I have this year and improve myself overall. I'm taking 6 AP classes again next year to (hopefully!) keep me in line. I will reach my goals with hard work. You don't really have to be smart. You just have to work hard to be successful.

Perfect Playlist - Sam Flomenhoft

1st Song - Hey Mama, by Kanye West
In my opinion this is one of Kanye's deeper songs. He is an artist I like overall from just his flow and his beats, and I think the softness and meaning of Hey Mama is a perfect showcase of his talent, but also his diversity because he doesn't normally write such meaningful songs.

2nd Song - Another Brick In the Wall Part II, by Pink Floyd
This album is art of Pink Floyd's most popular album, and arguably one of the most popular album's of all time, The Wall. This isn't necessarily the deepest song although it is against the government brainwashing people, but the reason I chose it for my playlist is because it is a great tune, accompanied by quality vocals.

3rd song - Car radio, by Twenty One Pilots
Car radio is on the outside about how a guy who doesn't like the fact that his car radio was stolen and now he can't listen to music in the car. On a deeper level it suggests that the time of silence with your thoughts and past actions can eat you alive. In addition to having an interesting meaning, the song and all of the band's songs have an interesting musical style, that is a mix between rap and regular singing, which I really enjoy.

4th Song - IV. Sweatpants, by Childish Bambino
This is in my opinion one of Bambino's best songs, if not his best. He combines a quick beat with fast rapping and surprisingly clever lyrics to create an extremely interesting song. It offers something to everyone, whether you like background music, the flow of rapping, or the meaning of the lyrics. One reason I like it so much is because it showcases how smart he is, which is not a quality people often associate with rap.

5th song - Feel good, by Logic
This song is a softer rap genre as well. It has a very melodic bridge and chorus, along with a musical instrumental, and a not-too-dominating beat. In it Logic discusses the things most rap songs talk about - money and sex - and explains how meaningless they really are. I really like this song because it's not a typical rap song. I also like the rapping and the music in it.

While these songs don't necessarily flow together or fit under one category, I picked them because they all have special meanings or memories associated with them and I like to listen to a lot of different types of music.

Perfect Playlist - Gates

My perfect playlist really depends on the genre, but this time around, I'm going to share my perfect RAP playlist. Over the past year and a half, my love for music has been ever growing. My tastes have been refined and the songs I enjoy have more meaning and a story compared to many Pop songs of our generation.

Here's the playlist

1) 25 Bucks - Danny Brown

2) HiiiPower - Kendrick Lamar

3) A.D.H.D. - Kendrick Lamar

4) Float On - Danny Brown

5) Numbers On The Boards - Pusha T

6) Raid - Madvillain

7) Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst

8) Grown Up - Danny Brown

9) The Blacker The Berry - Kendrick Lamar

10) Hood Politics - Kendrick Lamar

As you can see, Kendrick and Danny are likely my two favorite rappers. Their songs have meaning and sometimes a great story. Just like Kendrick's new album To Pimp a Butterfly, which could be a perfect playlist in itself.

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 26th at 11:59 pm

Right Now- Olivia McCrary

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe someone is wishing they could be anyone else but who they are. They are wondering what it would be like to simply change every thing that they don't like about they way they are and move on without insecurity. They are wondering what it would be like to live without stress, fear, and unhappiness, and all other unpleasant things.
They are wondering what it would be like to switch places with someone else and live their life instead. Maybe they wonder what it would be like to live the life of every person they ever encounter, even if for just a minute. They might want to know what it would be like thinking with someone else's mind and seeing the world through someone else's eyes.

The Perfect Playlist- Olivia McCrary

This is my perfect playlist for getting artistic inspiration. In other words, these are songs I always go to when I need creative inspiration for my own writing, art, music, etc.
1) Warpaint- Warpaint
This song is a great introduction to the playlist. The reason it's on the playlist anyways is because it's a song that always gives me ideas to write about. This song sounds like multiple songs blended together, which makes it interesting to listen to. I get a different meaning out of it every time I listen to it.
2) Prayers for Rain- The Cure
This song creates a very unique mood. Not only is it a great song for artistic inspiration, it is great to listen to while creating art.
3) Girl Anachronism- The Dresden Dolls
If I could write or create a piece of art based on just one song, it would undeniably be this song. This song is brilliant from start to finish and the lyrics are always impactful.
4) Persephone- Cocteau Twins
This song has a dreamlike and abstract quality. The great thing about this song is that it can be interpreted so many different ways. It doesn't tell any story, but instead creates a certain mood or emotion. (If it does tell a story, it would be impossible to know what story that is because the lyrics are basically incomprehensible.)
5) Sights- London Grammar
This song is a great conclusion to the playlist as it is a bit calmer than the previous three songs. It has the perfect combination of melancholy and optimism, which connects to the all the other songs but still ends the playlist on a positive note.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Olivia McCrary

If I could be any fictional character, I would be Angharad "Harry" Crewe from The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. Though she has her flaws, she has been a favorite character of mine since I read the book about five years ago. I have always had some sort of respect or admiration for her. She is taken away from everything she knows, yet she doesn't let this stop her from succeeding. She started out as an average girl who was rather bored of her life and by chance ended up becoming a hero. I love the way she adapted to her new surroundings. She easily could have chosen to isolate herself and refuse to change but instead she treated her new lifestyle as a learning experience. She came to accept the Damarians as if they were her own family. I would really love to have her emotional strength and determination.

The perfect playlist - Jeb Brumley

Playlist for motivation for when you are lacking effort in anything you are doing.
1. Remember the Name - Fort Minor.         I chose this song because it is upbeat and fast. If you need some inspiration or motivation this song is a good choice. This song's lyrics fit perfectly within this category and it will surely get you motivated if you need it.
2. Don't Stop Believin' - Journey.           This song is a bit older but can't be forgotten as it was a great song of its time. It's tune has been in many movies and it will not disappointed you if you need some motivation.
3. Hall of Fame - The Script (feat. will.i.am).          The song fits great with this playlist theme as it will surely motivate you to work at least a little bit harder.
4. Happy - Pharrell Williams.          This popular  song is from a "Despicable Me" movie. It's lyrics and tone will definitely make you happier.
5. Winner - Jaime Foxx (feat. Justin Timberlake and T.I.).           This is a decent song that will make you want to work harder for a but and is perfect to listen to if you need a little motivation to work harder at a practice or a workout.

Right now-Silvia Todorova

Right now somewhere in the universe a teenager is dreading going to school tomorrow. She has yet to finish all her homework because all she can think about is having to go to school for a full week. She understands that school is important but sleeping in and doing nothing all day seems more appealing to her. But she is excited to see her friends she didn't get a chance to see over the weekend (probably the only things she likes about school). She lays in her bed contemplating whether or not to get up and finish her math homework. She decided to leave it until the morning, she procrastinates yet again. 

Perfect Playlist- Silvia Todorova

This is the perfect playlist for when you are with your best friends, the weather is beautiful, and you are driving on pretty country roads outside of Lexington with your windows down singing the words as loud as you possibly can.

Radio-Lana Del Rey

This song is slow yet upbeat and the lyrics are kind of unusual so they are a lot of fun to sing out loud. It's an exciting happy song.

Promises-Wiz Khalifa

This songs is not the typical Wiz Khalifa rap song. It's a lot slower and the melody is really nice and instead of Wiz Khalifa rapping he is singing.  

Riptide- Vance Joy 

This song and very relaxing and happy. It has a very nice instrumental music and good vocals. It just gives off this happy carefree feeling.

Young Volcanoes- Fall Out Boy 

This song is exciting a very fun. The lyrics are pretty easy to remember And fun to sing to especially when driving with the windows and sunroof down.

Trap Queen- Fetty Wap

This song must be played at least once every time you get in the car. Even though it's silly it's still very fun and catchy to sing along to. It's a very fun song to blast the volume to.

Fictional Character-Silvia Todorova

If I could be a fictional character I would want to be Phoebe Buffay from friends. She has had a very traumatic childhood, but yet she is the happiest and quirkiest character from friends. She so funny, honest, and strong. Not to mention she also very poetic and writes really meaningful songs, my personal favorite being "Smelly Cat". She's full of wisdom and has really big dreams for herself. She always tells the truth even when others don't want to hear it. She's her own person and won't let anyone control her. She stands up not only for herself, but also for her friends. She has a kind heart and always makes sacrifice for others. She is always so bright and happy and can find the good in almost anything. She's my favorite character from friends because she has taught me that happiness can be found in any situation despite the circumstances.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Jeb Brumley

If I could be any fictional character, I would choose to be Harry Potter. Harry Potter is one of the most famous fictional characters of all time and is a favorite of many. He is known as an extremely brave wizard and "the boy who lived." He gets this name because he and his family were attacked when he was just a baby. While both of his parents were killed, Harry miraculously survived with nothing worse than a scar on his head. It would be awesome to be Harry Potter because he is not only a wizard, but one of the best wizards to have ever lived. It would be so much fun to be able to live in a world of magic and be able to learn real spells. It would also be amazing to play quidditch and be known as "The Chosen One" to destroy the most evil wizard, or Voldemort.

Right now - Jeb Brumley

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe things are happening that we could not even imagine. Right now, there are people experiencing many different emotions and feelings. As I write this, Jordan Spieth, a twenty one year old professional golfer, is feeling happy as he became the second youngest Masters champion of all time. The Masters is one of the most prestigious golf tournaments on the PGA Tour. After setting several records over the past few days Jordan Spieth had proven that he can compete with the top players and the world and is one of the best players himself. Right now he is having the greatest moment in his golfing career. Right now some people are feeling sad and disappointed, like me. I am still unable to get over and accept the Kentucky basketball loss to Wisconsin in the final four. After falling just short of our ultimate goal of a perfect season, Kentucky basketball fans have to move on and prepare for next quest for nine NCAA titles.

How to- James Jones

How to... replace strings on a guitar with a Floyd Rose Tremolo
Necessary info:
A tremolo is a whammy bar if you're not familiar with the term, there are string locks at the top of the fret board and on the tremolo, and there is a compartment in the back of the guitar where springs that hold tension in the tremolo are located, an allen wrench of a very specific size not available in most stores is needed to unlock things.
1. Place a small object in between the lock screws at the back of the tremolo and the guitars body to prevent the tremolo from digging into the body
2. Unlock the string clamps at the top of the fretboard with the correct allen wrench, if you use the incorrect one you will strip the screws.
3. Unwind each string until they no longer have tension on them.
4. Pull each string out of the tuning heads
5. Unlock the string screw locks at the body of the tremolo bridge.
6. Remove and throw away old strings.
7. Put each new string into the locking clamps on the bridge and tighten them with the correct tension otherwise they will either A) (if they're too loose) pop out and hit you in the face and draw blood when you use the tremolo (I know from experience) or B) (if too tight) the clamp will break.
8. Wind each string and begin to tune them, you'll probably have to readjust the tension in the strings in the back of the guitar, multiple times, and then re-tune, again and again for the next half-hour
9. Put the locking clamps at the top of the fretboard back on and play the guitar, the use the tremolo, then play a guitar with a regular bridge exclusively for the next five months because you broke a string on the guitar with the tremolo the day after you replaced the strings for 45 minutes.
or...
Beg someone else to change the strings for you.
ps: I know this is late but I figured I should still post it.

Plastics-James Jones

The piece of advice that has stuck with me the most is also the most simple. When I was younger and ever complained about how I couldn't do something, saying "I can't do it!!" all the time, my grandfather would always say "can't never could." Those three words stuck with me more than any other advice, because it can apply to any situation. No matter what task there will be a time where you may say that you can't do it. And saying that is admitting defeat, and my grandfather knew that if you were willing to give up you wouldn't be able to do the task. Once I was old enough to really understand what my grandfather was saying I took his words to heart, so whenever I think I really can't do something I make myself figure it out, because you really can't do something if you tell yourself that you can't, but if you make yourself do it, and try as much as you can you'll find a way. 

ps: I know this was due for the first four posts but I didn't get the opportunity to post it before that original date. 

The Perfect Playlist - Meagan Hale

Reminiscing Solo Road Trip (Rock Edition) Playlist:

These songs are in order of slowest to fastest. This is in order to think back on past things which may be good or bad and then speed up to the present. Rock, if it's classic and done right, is about the words and is suppose to make you feel something. Classical rock is a very heart felt and personal genre of music. It is an emotional genre and though sometimes the sounds are more important than the words, usually the words were meant to be heard. The artist put a lot of themselves into rock in order for the audience to get a lot out. Music is a give and take. Rock is perfect for driving because there is an aspect of rock for every aspect of driving. Each song is different just as no two people have the same driving style. There's fast and slow, angry and calm, rough and smooth. What a better genre to drive to than one that moves and changes the way the road and car does?

Rooster (Alice In Chains):
This song is slow and sets a slow beginning to the trip. This is the first taste of what type of rock this playlist is going to consist of. The artist's deep low voice builds as the song goes on and the tempo speeds up during the chorus but this is still the slowest of the songs. This starts the playlist off low and slow because it will end high and fast.

Dani California (Red Hot Chili Peppers):
The pace speeds up some from the first song. Dani California is a story within a song and it's very dynamic. Not only is is fun to listen to but if you know the words, singing it is a blast. This is one of those songs that you know but you don't know that you know it. When you hear it your interest will immediately be peaked and when the chorus comes it'll be hard not to mash the pedal.

Kryptonite (3 Doors Down):
Obviously this song is faster than the other two and by this point the listener can't wait to see what songs are still to come. 3 Doors Down has a lot of softer, sweeter songs but this playlist wasn't made for sweet. There is a sort of spooky essence to this song but once it gets going there's no doubt its a head banger. But don't get too caught up in the tempo and forget to listen to the words, they're unique.

Howlin For You (The Black Keys):
This is another song that you didn't know you knew. The Black Key's could be it's own genre honestly but this song is a a quicker tempo and fun to listen to. Driving down the highway with your ray bans on listening to this song makes you feel way cooler than you are and that's the point.

Sympathy for the Devil (The Rolling Stones):
What rock playlist would be complete without the Stones? What better way to end? This song is by far the fastest song and it is the most fun song. If you haven't heard this, first off, consider yourself uncultured, and secondly, you're welcome. Easily one of the coolest rock songs ever. It is in this playlist because it is made up of my three rock S's, story, sound, solid. The story is interesting and well known, it sounds dynamic, and it has a solid beginning and end and it doesn't wane in the middle.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Meagan Hale

If I could be a fictional character I would be Elizabeth Swan from Pirates of the Caribbean. Elizabeth is a heroin many over look, which is easy to do when Johnny Depp plays Captain Jack Sparrow. She is both lady like royalty and a pirate at heart. She travels the world and sees corners of the Earth that many in the rigid society she comes from would never dare to even look at on a map. At her core she is cunning and courageous. Many over look her because she is a woman but when push comes to shove she can out pirate the best of pirates. She is fearful but doesn't let it stop her, not even when faced with the Kraken. Her undying loyalty to Will Turner is also a stellar characteristic to admire. She would do anything for the people she loves. She is smart. She knows that everyone underestimates her and she uses it to her advantage. This allows her to get information as well as get close to her enemies without them every realizing she's there to kill them. In the beginning of the first movie, Elizabeth Swan is the the helpless damsel in distress caught in the dangerous world of pirates, but by the last movie Elizabeth is the captain of her own ship with an unwavering crew and has gained the respect of those who doubted her for so long. She hated pirates but there's no doubt that she was meant to be one all along.

Right Now - Meagan Hale

Right now there is a soldier clutching a torn, dirty picture of his wife and baby. The earth is quaking around his from explosions and ears are ringing.
Right now there is a soldier dragging his fatally wounded brother in arms out of way of gunfire, the same friend he went to first grade with.
Right ow there is a soldier looking through his scope at a boy way too young to know what he is doing, much too young to see war.
Right now there is a soldier taking a bullet for his friend to make sure his friend makes it home to his family.
Right now there is a soldier asking the man beside him to tell his mother thank you for everything in case he doesn't make it.
Right now there is a soldier somewhere where no one will ever find him again, never see him again.
Right now there is a soldier crying in pain, making every noise except the words to give up the location of his men.
Right now there is a soldier shaking from fear because he knew war was awful but he never expected this.
Right now there is a soldier camouflaged behind enemy lines afraid to breathe too hard.
Right now there is a soldier listening to his daughter tell him about losing her first tooth on the phone thousands of miles away.
Right now there's a soldier riding a chopper into the ground.
Right now there is a soldier trying to learn how to walk with his two new prosthetic legs.
Right now there is a soldier diving on a grenade to save his brothers, no matter the cost.
Right now there is a teenager complaining that their iPhone battery dies too quickly.

The perfect playlist Eliza Jane

These songs are good to listen to no matter how you're feeling. They're all really happy and empowering instead of derogatory (like a lot of music nowadays). When I'm happy, they make me happier, but they also make me feel better when I'm having self confidence issues. So I guess this would be the perfect playlist when for when you want to feel good about yourself. 

1. "i" by Kendrick Lamar. 

This song is about self-acceptance. The main chorus is "I love myself" and it has a really happy beat. Every time I hear it, it makes me think of a dancing African tribe. I know that sounds really racist, but you would understand if you listened to it. It's just so darn happy. 

2. "You Don't Own Me" by Grace 

This song is very empowering. It's about independence and freedom and equality and standing up for yourself. It makes me feel like the world is big and I am small but that's okay.

3. "King Kunta" by Kendrick Lamar

This song has the same sort of beat as "i". It's very happy and upbeat. I had no idea what it was talking about until just now when I looked it up, but it apparently deals with the oppression of the black community. Kunta was a slave who lost a foot trying to escape slavery. While I might not agree with Lamar politically, I admire his use of a song to raise the level of discussion around civil rights. Yay for free speech!

4. "Conqueror" by Empire Cast

Another very empowering song. It talks about getting back up after you fail or make a mistake and never giving up. It's good to listen if you need a little motivation to keep going. 

5. "Reflections" by MisterWives

This one is something about getting rid if anything that "reflects" a past relationship, which is not at all inspiring, happy, or positive BUT the beat is really happy so I believe it belongs on this playlist. 

The Perfect Playlist - Emily Salamanca - Entry inspired by John Cowgill

           This playlist is called, "Fondly Remembering Mr. Logsdon" and both my older brother and sister have helped me to create it. It celebrates all the good (and perhaps slightly awkward times...) they had while working with Mr. Logsdon.

1. "This Kiss" -Faith Hill - This contribution is from Jean Ellen. Apparently, when she was doing the plays Fools at Henry Clay, she had to kiss a boy. Unfortunately for her, she was terribly inexperienced with kissing - both inside and outside the theatre. Logsdon, noting her apparent lack of experience and abundance of awkwardness, 'forced' Jean Ellen and her partner to kiss repeatedly. Then, he made them kiss for 30 seconds or something, while he left the room, and made them continue until he returned. The photo of Jean Ellen and Zach is still on our refrigerator and commemorate's Logsdon's attempt and success.

2. "What Up Dog?" - Was Not Was - The start of John's memories of AP English Language and Composition. He and his friend Andrew Riley teased with Mr. Logsdon 'constantly' as he claims now. In one such instance, while Mr. Logsdon checked the homework from the previous night, John and 'A-Dog' as well as a bunch of other students, began sniffing the air and looking around puzzled. Then, John said in a whisper to his friend, "It smells a lot like Up Dog in here!" To which Logsdon replied, "What is...up dog?"

3. "Principal's Office" - Young MC - When English finished around 2:45 and AP were within a few weeks, John and his friend Emily Estus (he might have been dating her?) decided that it wasn't really worth it to stay in class. Instead, they skipped on the last 30 minutes of downtime to go and 'study'. Of course, he bragged about his truancy to his left-behind friends, who claimed that he was eventually going to get caught by Logsdon on the next day. The overly optimistic John of course did not believe such farce. The next day, upon returning to AP English, he greeted Logsdon with a smile and thought he had gotten off. Logsdon then apparently called him up and respectfully sent him to the principal's office. Where the principal greet him with a smile in turn and asked what John was doing there. John explained. It was his first and only time visiting the principal with disciplinary issues and the last time he skipped Logsdon's class.

4. "We're All In This Together" - High School Musical Cast - John fondly remembers when he was paid $300 to do the school musical during his junior year, with Mr. Logsdon 'overseeing' what was happening during the play. He especially would like to give a shout out to those who built that *darn flippin* stage for over 6 hours on a saturday. At least they all did it together, right?

5. The Sleeping Sun - JAMP - John Cowgill, Andrew Riley, Max Pohl, and Preston Bell. The ultimate band. The ultimate quartet. The best of 2009. During his junior year, all John wanted was to have his band take off. Music was his life. He still has mixtapes for sale - if anyone is interested. Please check out the link below to view his music, especially record producers. John feels personally humbled by the fact that Mr. Logsdon, inspired by his blog post, created this 'Perfect' Playlist assignment. However, he feels that it should be a requirement that all playlists have a song that he he played with this band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yUDFjsHJns

The Perfect Playlist - Maya Creamer

The perfect playlist for when you're feeling unsure of yourself and need a self-confidence boost:
1) "Who You Are" by Jessie J - This song is a good way to start off the playlist; it reminds you that everybody has bad days, and that "it's OK not to be OK". It also talks about just being who you are, and not letting anything get in the way of who you want to be. The sad, intense feel of the song lends itself well to crying, so you can just get all your emotions out.
2) "Try" by Colbie Caillat - This song is a good choice to follow "Who You Are"; the basic message is similar, that "you don't have to change a single thing" about yourself, because you're perfect just the way you are. It talks about how you don't have to try to fit into other people's idea of who you should be; your real friends will love you and respect you for who you are. Although it is still mellow and fairly slow, it's a lot less sad than "Who You Are", so you can regain your composure.
3) "Glow" by Ella Henderson - This song is a bit more empowering and upbeat, and makes me feel happy. It talks about being a "treasure" that is hidden, waiting for it's chance to "glow"; I relate this to talent or happiness that you are hiding, waiting to show the world and shine. The message is that you will "glow" soon, even if at the moment you are feeling down and like you don't have anything to offer.
4) "Masterpiece" by Jessie J - Now we get to the confident, sassy part of the playlist. This song is very intense, and compares a person's life to the creation of a "masterpiece"; it gets better and better as you have more experiences and add more to it. A masterpiece can't be rushed, and sometimes you "swing and miss" in life, but that's OK. Anyone who doesn't "like your sound"  and tries to pressure you to be perfect can go away, because you are in charge of your own life, and can live it any way you want.
5) "BO$$" by Fifth Harmony (thanks Isabelle!) - This song is all about sass and confidence, and a perfect way to finish the playlist. It's a good reminder that you will be successful, and you should be proud and confident in yourself while you work towards that success and avoid associating with people who can't see how awesome you are.

Perfect Playlist - Amelia Caldwell

This playlist is for those days when you are feeling sad and just want to find music that speaks to you on a personal level. 

1. Constellations - Jack Johnson ~ "Listen to all the translations. Of the stories across the sky. We drew our own constellations." This song reminds me of summer nights when I was younger looking out onto the stars and wondering what it would be like to be up there with them. When I am sad I like to remember the days when I was happy, and this song helps.

2. People Help the People - Birdy (original by Cherry Ghost)  ~ "People help the people. And if you're homesick, give me your hand and I'll hold it." This song helps me to remember that there is still good in the world even in the toughest times.

3. The Funeral- Band of Horses ~ “At every occasion I'll be ready for the funeral.” This one line of the song really speaks to me, especially right now as my Papaw is sick and does not have much time left. I always cried while listening to this song, but now even more so that I have to be ready any day to hear bad news and be ready to go to the funeral.

4. Mad World – Gary Jules ~ “And I find it kind of funny. I find it kind of sad.The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had. I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take. When people run in circles it's a very, very mad world.”  I remember hearing this song used for a dance on the show So You Think You Can Dance. The dance portrayed two people who knew each other in the past and when they meet again one is successful and the other is homeless. I cried when I saw the piece, and ever since then whenever I am sad I listen to this song.

5. You’ll Be in My Heart – Phil Collins (Tarzan soundtrack) ~ “And you’ll be in my heart. Yes you’ll be in my heart. From this day on, now and forever more.”  This song has always been a favorite of mine. I have listened to it on multiple occasions, and whether it be when a dear friend moved away or my best friend’s passing, this song has helped me to be strong through tough times. There will be plenty of other times in the future where I know this song will help me again. 

brandon castillo- the perfect playlist

This would be my perfect playlist after the Louisville Cardinals win the national championship in basketball:
1. "No Fly Zone" by The Slugga Boyz. This song was made a couple years back and is specifically meant for the University of Louisville athletic program. I think that it easily is one of the most relevant song when talking about U of L basketball. It is fun to hear what they say about Kentucky and it is one of my favorite songs about U of L.
2. "Happy (from Despicable Me 2)" by Pharrell Williams. Obviously, after your team wins the national championship, you are going to be in a good mood. This song examplifies being happy after a team win.
3. "Uptown Funk (feat. Bruno Mars)" by Mark Ronson. A party song that is upbeat and fun to listen to. It is positive and will get you in a even better mood than you were when you watched Louisville win its fourth national championship.
4. "Nothin' But a Good Time" by Poison. It is a good time when your team wins the national championship and this song tells it as it is.
5. "U of L Fight Song". How could you leave this song off of your list? This is what it means to be part of Cardinal Nation. The fight song is the heart and soul of any organization and you get to chant along "C-A-R-D-S, Go Cards Go!". How is this not a song on this list?

The Perfect Playlist - Kevin LaZur

An Undesired Morning Commute: Wakin' up is hard to do. For those times where you don't know how to psych yourself up for what's coming.

Deep Cover - Sun Araw

This is supposed to be a somewhat startling way to start the playlist. In my opinion the intro of this song has the same effect as a siren. When you wake up to go to school, and you can't shake the desire to go back to bed, it can feel like a nagging alert that maybe you should have gotten more sleep or done something different in order to be more prepared for the day. The siren means something's not right.

Where is my Mind - Pixies

The first song was really out there, so I think this one is a great transition into something more structured. The pixies are still very weird, but their genre can at least be identified as alternative or maybe grunge (not so much this song). It has a very powerful drum part, and the singing is still on the strange side.

Magic Arrow - Timbre Timbre

For this song I can't help but imagine a confident strut. It's a bit slow and just keeps pressing forward without a sense of urgence. It's a really "cool" sounding song, what with the reverb-heavy guitar and the vocalist that is barely raising his voice. It's progress, like you're on a mission. The last song is mission complete.

Short Change Hero - The Heavy

This song starts with thunder, and it's kinda the climax. This is where, if you're actually having a bad morning, you might begin to come to terms with the day to come. And if not, this is the song where the tension from the weird, confusing songs is alleviated after stepping away from them. Things are turning around.

Stay on the Outside - Whitey

This song has the most rock elements to it. The deliberate writing and the minor key don't have any bit of tension. It swings back and forth, each note reveling in a dark resolution. The heavy bass, low drum, and electronic sounds combined with half-mumbled singing is a little strange, but now it seems perfectly normal compared to the first two songs. Success. The song then changes to double time, and no longer has a bounce to it. The same slow bass line is being played, while the drumbeat and guitar fill in the spaces. The electronics are still present, but they are less significant. This finale is a chaotic end, which is the same way the playlist started. I noticed that the bass line barely changes throughout the entire song, even while the guitar breaks out into the ending solo.

https://open.spotify.com/user/ragekage2/playlist/4SorRHGbiEGBxVc0oJI47i
(Stay on the Outside is only the first 5 minutes of the last song)

spotify:user:ragekage2:playlist:4SorRHGbiEGBxVc0oJI47i
(This can go in the spotify search bar)




Nothing but Facades: (Maybe spelled Façades if you're in the UK) "We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves."


Reaction Formation a defense mechanism defined as the tendency of a repressed wish or feeling to be expressed at a conscious level in a contrasting form.


I should be doing something more productive right now


Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra

Casey Jones - Grateful Dead

I Got A Name - Jim Croce

The Fishin' Hole - Andy Griffith
Go ahead, snap along

Little Brown Jug - Glenn Miller & his Orchestra
The highlight of this playlist

Little Green Bag - George Baker Selection

Breaking Up is Hard to Do - Niel Sedaka

Changes - David Bowie
A classic, widely known from the Shrek 2 soundtrack

Wouldn't it be Nice - The Beach Boys

Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
Beautiful rendition of a well-known song

Cara Mia Addio - soundtrack from a useless video game

https://open.spotify.com/user/ragekage2/playlist/2c37e5Hm7c12q4tiglKHqq

spotify:user:ragekage2:playlist:2c37e5Hm7c12q4tiglKHqq
(This can go in the spotify search bar)





Truth From Obscurity

"In friendship as well as love, ignorance very often contributes more to our happiness than knowledge does."

I'm so fucking creative

Act I: Hope then Blame
It takes a strong person to deny what's right in front of him. If the truth is undeniable, you create your own. And if the fault can't be yours, it's someone else's.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIepGhI27qp5jOOJqtCTvecgVsHeTmHON

Act II: Guilt and Introspection
What's there to talk about anyway?

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIepGhI27qp60Tkz3h7EWRufk9pzyQrin

Act III: Dreams


https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIepGhI27qp7VUGcQjK5IWRFI-3EI1-6z


Acts I,II, and III (55 songs)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIepGhI27qp6nm8bU1YPKJIXFj20S0fAr


Beneath the Flood 
I done did it again

May 1 2016

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIepGhI27qp7wmC43vQ6nDqBEVVWy7g7r






 

Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Kevin LaZur

The fictional character I would like to be is John McClane from the Die Hard series. McClane is a New York City cop, who just so happens to get thrown into a lot of unfortunate scenarios in which he is the only person capable of stopping the bad guy. He is meant to be a reluctant hero, someone who doesn't enthusiastically jump into the fray, and his innate skill in combat keeps him from being killed, although he gets dangerously close. This makes him an excellent protagonist, as he is constantly frustrating the leader of the evil side.

John McClane is a great character, because he's an everyman who never asks for trouble. I would like to be McClane because he uses what he has, and uses his off-the-cuff skills to take out goons one by one. Die Hard isn't a movie where the hero mows down hoards of henchmen, while preventing himself from getting seriously injured, to eventually fight the powerful boss. In this movie, the hero is beat down with the never ending supply of bad guys. When he reaches the leader, I think all of that conflict makes it even more intense when he's finally worked his way all the way to the top of the bad-guy ladder.

McClane improvises a lot of his actions against the countless enemies he has to face. He doesn't necessarily outsmart anyone, he mainly uses the element of surprise to hit them with something they wouldn't expect. This is what makes him cool and realistic, because he takes what he sees in this crappy situation he would prefer not to be in, and uses it against those who put him there. His maverick spirit even justifies his use of corny catchprases. He grits his teeth and fights back, while staying whimsical and witty.

The Perfect Playlist- Max Kaufman

For my playlist I'm choosing to do a playlist for zombie killing. Now I realize that this is a quite narrow topic to establish an official playlist for, however I am sure that there would be a good amount of musical relevance retained if instead of zombie killing you perhaps chose to get rid of a wasp nest or some other perilous task.

1: Oo De Lally by: Roger Miller- You might recognize this song from Disney's rendition of Robin Hood. This is a generally cheery song that would be a tasteful way to commence your zombie killing due to the contrast that it will create with your actions.

2: Catch Hell Blues by: The White Stripes- This is a perfect fit for the next song in line seeing as its slide guitar is reminiscent of an old timey blues that fits well with the first song. Along with this the power behind the tastefully minimal drumming is outstanding.

3: Suck My Kiss by: The Red Hot Chili Peppers- The intensity of your battle increases, so must your rockin' tunes! This song is an obvious first choice for its intensity generated from enthusiastic drummer Chad Smith, and thick grunge thanks to the very talented Flea. While this song is every-bit heavy enough to invigorate someone in an apocalyptic situation, but its slow tempo allows for a more climactic song to follow it.

4: The Immigrant Song by: Led Zeppelin- I could not have made this playlist and not included at least one Zeppelin song. The Immigrant Song especially captures the "we will conquer" vibe that will be much needed in the climax of your epic battle. Jimmy Page and John Paul Johns hammering out a powerful root progression along with Robert Plant doing what he does best (wailing like the rock god he is) sets the perfect tone.

5: Fell In Love With A Girl by: The White Stripes- This song is great to end your fight, it would serve as a great victory dance for your ears. It's catchy, it's fast, but not to dark, this allows for a clean transfer to the relative tranquility you will now experience due to the death of the zombies.

The Perfect Playlist- James Jones

Rap Playlist (specifically songs that are fun to rap along with)

Slow Jamzzz- Kanye West, Jamie Fox, and Twista 

This song is good for any time but when I want to actually go along and try to keep up with the lyrics, because when the song speeds up you get to hear, and Twista is great. He’s an amazingly fast rapper who I’ve liked to listen to since I was nine years old, and my love for Twista started with this song. It also helps that I know every lyric in the song.  Also it references good r&b artists ie: Luther Vandross, Minnie Ripperton and Marvin Gaye. This song is the first on the list because who doesn't love this song? I mean come on, it's great. 

Taking Off- Clipping

Daveed Diggs, the mc of this group, is incredible, he’s a great rapper and an even better lyricist (fun fact he’s a graduate of Brown University.) The tempo of the rapping changes a lot in this song, from fast but possible to keep up with, to too much to keep me from slurring a lot if I try. This song is second because well you can't start with something this hard to keep up with but you don't want end with it either. 

Somethin’ they Don’t Know- Clipping ft. Hellfyre Club   

This song features more of Daveed Diggs greatness as well as some interesting lyrics from some members of the Hellfyre Club. Anything that includes Daveed Diggs is generally fun to rap along with.

New Slaves- Kanye West

Even though Kanye West is a silly man who is easy to make fun of at times he can make good music, and this is a good example of that in my opinion. This song and the one before are interchangeable for the order of the song, they are both where they are because they are more up tempo and loud sounds. 

Coffee and Tobacco- Knowmads (Tom Pepe and Jesse Judd) ft. Chev 

This is basically a good laid back song, the chorus is fairly simple and easy to remember and rap along with and it’s a pretty good song. A nice laid back song doesn’t even have to be that good to be enjoyable but I think this song is pretty good. It’s a good song for driving too. This is at the end because it's laid back and calm and that's generally a good way to end a list. 

Fictional Character, Fictional Life- James Jones

         It's very hard to pick just one character that I would like to live as, but one that would be pretty cool is Professor Farnsworth form Futurama. He's a 200 year old man who owns his own business and is also an inventor. It would be awesome to see the world that far in the future considering their vehicles are so advanced that they run on dark matter, meaning that the world runs on very loose logic which is fun. And having access to all of the amazing inventions Farnsworth has created would open up a world of things to explore. Sure he's crazy and a little senile, but he's also a genius who has a time machine and access to the alternate dimensions. And it would be pretty fun to be the crazy old guy at the office who no one can really dislike even though he's the cause of a lot of issues.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Max Kaufman

If I were a fictional character, I think that I would be Roger from American Dad. As an alien, Roger has no responsibilities and nothing to lose. He has a family that, while it might be dysfunctional, provides for him, he even has the entire attic all to himself. Lets face it, Roger has it made, all he does is just chill on the daily, never needing to lift a finger. He is able to take part in any nefarious activity of his choice, as long as he has a wig on. Imagine it, being able to take part in all of the adventurous and exiting things in life minus any consequence at all. To me this sounds glorious, to live a life of excitement, drama, danger, and still be able to come home to a cozy little nook situated above the family that houses me and, for the most part, provides for me all the amenities needed.

Right Now- Max Kaufman

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe, another piece of the past is destroyed. An important issue we must face as the next generation of people on earth is the preservation of the past. Everyday a piece of old technology is discounted as being inferior; technology that should be preserved as precious mementos. Things like phonographs, typewriters, and fountain pens are slowly becoming relics of the past. I think that these things must be preserved so that they can be appreciated for the beautiful devices they are. For example the Hammond Organ is a beautiful instrument that both is a work of art, and a wonder of engineering. It provided plenty of fuel to the jazz movement and helped form the music we listen to today. The only of its kind, these organs manipulated an astounding number of physics concepts to create a unique tone that greatly shaped the music scene. So why is it that majority of people you ask have no clue that this instrument exists? It is a terrible crime to not honor the technology of the past.

The Perfect Playlist- Isabelle Rinker

As I just finished writing my previous blog post about my admiration for Olivia Benson, I decided to go along the theme of female empowerment and create a playlist for when you're feeling fierce a'f.

"Bad Girls"- M.I.A. || The beat of this song can easily pump you up and prepare you for a busy day. It's all about female empowerment.

"BO$$"- Fifth Harmony || "C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T, that's me I'm confident." From the sassy beat to 5H's fantastic vocals, this song can also pump you up for a day of school, a presentation, or a sports event.

"Clique"- Kanye West || Now this song is more about empowering a group of people (clique) rather than an individual, but nonetheless, the message of empowerment is still brought across.

"Only"- Nicki Minaj || "When I walk in, sit up straight," says Minaj in this song. She truly shows that she is the boss through her lyrics. *WARNING- a bit explicit.

"7/11"- Beyonce || I couldn't leave Beyonce off this list. She is the queen, and any song by Her Majesty will suffice to make you feel "fierce a'f". But I put "7/11" on my list because the beat is fantastic, and I cannot stop myself from doing a sassy dance whenever I hear this jam.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Isabelle Rinker

If I could be any fictional character, it would most likely be Olivia Benson (as portrayed by Mariska Hargitay) from Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Criminal justice has always interested me, and therefore, this TV show is quite intriguing to me. Even though I currently have no plans of becoming a cop  in the future, Olivia Benson is such a powerful female character (not to mention, she's gorgeous). To put it simply, she's badass. Detective Benson stands for a just cause, which is defending the rights of rape victims. She loves her job, and throughout the series, is determined to earn promotions by going above and beyond her expectations. She definitely lives an inspiring life, and represents female empowerment, something I feel quite passionate about. She works tremendously hard to be respected at the same level as her male counterpart, Detective Stabler, and eventually is promoted to Detective 1st Grade.

Right Now- James Jones

          At this very moment somewhere in the universe there is another sixteen year old kid who is thinking about how much is going on in the world. Thinking about how is life is so big to him, and realizing how many people there are knowing that there lives are so big to them, and not knowing why or how any of it even happens. When you think about, the fact that anything ever occurs or exists is weird, because it's totally random. It's a weird thing to think about but it blows your mind. I often think about how weird or confusing it is that life is even a thing considering I have no idea why, and it's weird to think that somewhere out there another kid is thinking "why???" And somewhere else in the universe some one else is probably typing a somewhat random blog-post and thinking, "any one that reads is going to be quite confused because it's just that random."

Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Sam Flomenhoft

Out of all the characters I've watched or read about, if I could be any one of them it would be iron man. He's not invincible and he doesn't have any powers, but he's got a sweet life. He's, in his own words, "a billionaire playboy", and uncommon and pretty awesome combination. On top of that he's a genius who can pretty much build anything he would want and what he can't build in his laboratory, he can buy with his billions of dollars. Even without superpowers, he's a superhero with a dopes suit that flies, protects him from bad guys, and kicks butt in battle. If his life wasn't already perfect, he doesn't even have to hide is identity because he came out that he was iron man shortly after putting on the suit and finally, he has an attractive wife. Basically he has the best life of all the super heros or of any character I've encountered thus far, making him my first choice by far.

Right now - Sam Flomenhoft

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe, there is a teenage alien throwing a fit over being grounded from his hovercar. "It's just not fair," he's saying, "I was only going three hundred selims per rouh, only a hundred over the limit. The APPD (Alien Planet Police Force) really shouldn't have pulled me over." Yet he will still be grounded for a month (which is forty five days on his planet) and he will have to find rides to all the local hovercar races. On top of it, his streetracing career, which was just taking off, is temporarily suspended, which will cause him to fall in the rankings and he'll have to boost it back up when he gets back. It'll be more of a hassle for the parents too, he argues, but they don't listen. They're going to have to teach their son responsibility before he gets his craft back. Good thing he was grounded too because at the very next street race and astroid landed and killed two of the eight drivers, one of whom would've been this very alien, had his parents not grounded him from the hovercar.

How to - Sam Flomenhoft

How to post an Instagram picture

The first step to posting a picture on instagram, or insta as the kids are calling it, is to take an insta-quality photo. While this might sound easy, it is in fact one of the hardest steps of the process. There are many different parts that factor into whether a picture is insta-quality or not. First and foremost is the lighting. Can you see enough of the subject, most likely you or you and friends, that it shows off the good features, but does it hide enough that you can't see the bad ones. On one hand, a fuzzy photo with bad resolution could confuse people as to what is in the picture, on the other hand, too much high definition and you could see to many of your pimples. Therefore, the perfect resolution and visibility is key.
Next, you have to make sure you look good in the picture. Is your hair perfect? Does your smile make you look like a normal human being? Is your fit "on point"? Do you look too fat? You need to consider all of these questions and more when deciding if the photo is in fact insta-quality.
Continuing the process, you either need to edit the photo, or get someone to edit it for you. This goes along with the lighting to help accentuate what you want your followers to see, and hide what you don't want them to see. I personally am not a quality editor and resort to asking the better known ones, Caroline Totty or Emily Chavez usually.
Now that you have the photo ready its time to post. Make sure to come up with a clever caption for maximum likes but if you're creativity is low, just go with something basic, it's okay. Making use of the location as a second caption for humor is an option, but don't do it on too many of your pictures or it becomes overused and unfunnny. There's also always the option of using the actual location, which I only advise if there is beautiful scenery (i.e. Red River Gorge).
After hopefully developing a clever and fitting caption, and possibly a location too, you're completely done and ready to upload it for the viewing of your followers. All that's left to do is sit back and watch your like game get stronger by the second.

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,  Limewire, iTunes, the "genius" Itunes feature, 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 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 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.

If you want link it to a spotify playlist and share a link.

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, April 12th at 11:59 pm

(Last day to turn in make up assignments 21-23)

entry inspired by John Cowgill

Fictional character- Eliza Jane Schaeffer

This one is easy. If I were any fictional character, I would without a doubt be Hermoine. First of all, that would mean that I would live at Hogwarts, and I can't even begin to tell you how much I want Hogwarts to be real. I have dreams about it sometimes. Second of all, it is very clear that Hermoine is the brains behind Harry Potter. He may get all the glory, but she is the voice of reason. There would be no Harry Potter without Hermoine Granger, and I would rather be the one doing the grunt work than the one getting the glory. I would feel too guilty. And finally, I practically am Hermoine Granger already, so the transition would be pretty easy. I reread the Harry Potter books when I'm stressed (which is a lot), and I see myself so much in the parts about Hermoine. She doesn't believe in copying homework because then you don't learn the material and she always raises her hand in class and she doesn't like breaking rules. That's me in a nutshell. She also is very passionate about injustice (as am I) but I think her whole SPEW movement was silly. She was trying to help people that didn't want to helped, which I do not believe in. 

Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Maya Creamer

If I could be any fictional character, I would be Jo March from Little Women. Her life isn't easy; her family is poor, she often has to help her mother take care of the house while her father is away at various teaching jobs, and her sister Beth passes away while she is still a young woman. But despite all of these hardships and the simple life they lead, Jo and her family are happy, and love each other dearly. They appreciate everything they have, and savor every moment together. In the novel, Jo discovers who she is; she learns that being boyish and having a hard time figuring out what she wants is fine, and she embraces this and doesn't let it hold her back. She eventually falls in love, and everything turns out alright. I also think it would be cool to live in the mid-1800's, when the United States was filled with pioneering spirit, and life was much simpler. I think that today, with so many things to do and see, we lose our appreciation of just how meaningful our relationships with those we love really are, and we forget to be thankful for the life we are given. The March family hasn't forgotten to see the beauty of life, and to be content with the way things are.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Adrian Wyllie

For me, finding a character that I would want to be is difficult. Sure, everyone would want to go on a magic carpet ride, but I have always looked at the parts not shown in the book, the life away from the story. It's hard to find a good character. For me, adventure is something I can only dream of having, anything from the norm upsets me. I would never be able to go out and save the world. I would rather take no hand, take no side, and watch. I would rather laugh than fight. But I know I would defend myself if I had to. For this I choose a character that is different than the norm. I choose an entity called the Excession, from the book of the same name, which inadvertently created the very war it came to see. And when it was attacked, it responded with universe destroying power. But it ultimately learns that it should never show itself, and always watch from the outside, because some things that could happen should never happen. Most of these aspects I claim to this entity are my own conjecture around the behaviors it exhibits in the book, but I see things the way I want to. So does the Excession. Both of us share many similarities, some forced upon us, others through our own mistakes. But the main difference is, I am out here, and it is bound by the chains of the ink on a page and the minds who read it.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Amelia Caldwell

If I had to choose a fictional character to be I would be Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games trilogy. I find the character very brave and confident. She is selfless and does not think about her own safety, but of the safety of those around her. As soon as her sister's name is called in the reaping she volunteers to take her place. I want to be selfless and brave and confident. Katniss is a character who will do anything to survive and help the people she loves most survive. When I read the books in middle school I loved her from the beginning. Me and my friends took on our obsession a little too seriously because we all wore our hair in a braid every day for at least a month. I was inspired by her character, wanting to grow up to be as brave as this fictional character. I would want to be Katniss Everdeen because I want to be brave, confident, and selfless.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Tapan Darji

Out of all the fictional characters, I would be Hal Mikkelson from the Brotherband Chronicles by John Flanagan. I would want to be Hal because he is a very smart person. He built his reputation through his creativity and bravery. I like him because he is different from the others in his home country of Skandia because while he was born there his mom is not a Skandianm, but an Arulean. He was taunted by his peers until he saved his country's most prized jewel. I also like him for the fact that he was not only an outcast, but also an underdog who wins the brotherband competition with other outcasts. I would want to be Hal for his exciting and interesting life.  I like his bravery, compassion, leadership skills, and integrity. Hal is the skirl of a wolfship that he built by himself. He is a leader, planer, and inventor. He leads his shipmates on the sea, plans strategies of attack, and inventors new things that helps his comrades. I like the fact that he cares about crew and makes sure they are safe.

fictional character, fictional life brandon castillo

If I got to pick any fictional character to be, I would be Harry Potter. I would love to be Harry Potter because he was "the chosen one" and if we're honest, that would be pretty awesome! He also lives in the magical world of Hogwarts and the wizard world. It is obviously an amazing place as millions of people go to Universal in real life to get a glimpse at the world of Harry Potter, imagine living in that every day. I think just being able to do magic in the first place would be so cool. There are so many aspects of life that would be better with magic, anywhere to being lazy and getting something with a flick of the wrist to pulling a great prank on a friend. Also, Harry inherited the magical cloak that made him invisible and got that cool math that showed him where everyone went in Hogwarts. He was also, eventually, a captain of the Gryffindor quidditch  team. He had two awesome friends and even married his best friend's sister. He had a great family and is a legend in his world.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Emily Salamanca

If I had to be any fictional character, I'd be Seychelles from Hetalia. I would be her for nostalgic reasons as well as because she is such an under-developed character that I feel that I can interpret her in many ways. For one, she speaks both French and English (as well as a mix known as Kreol) and this ability has always been a dream of mine. Similarly, on a naïve level, she is also just a personable and beautiful human who also represent a gorgeous country. For nostalgic reasons, I would be her because I have a favorite character that I chose in 7th grade and I'm not going to abandon a character I have always loved. Seychelles also represents my love of the show in general, as well as my love of history. It seems like a lot to be linked, but in my mind, everything I aim to be in sort of wrapped in this vague, underdeveloped background character. Plus, I don't want to be the main character, I want to be the background girl who hangs out in a beach and occasionally comes in to say a few funny criticisms.

Right Now- Isabelle Rinker

Right now, a nasty rumor is being spread about a teenage girl, and she is really letting it get to her. It's getting to her so much, that she doesn't want to go to school and face her classmates. She doesn't want to deal with the pain of being laughed at, or hear whispers as she walks down the halls. She wonders what everyone is thinking of her, and wants to crawl into a fetal position on her bed and cry for days straight.

But at the same time, right now, a nasty rumor is being spread about a different teenage girl. One who realizes that her worth is not defined by what others say. Tomorrow, despite said rumor, she will go to school. She knows her classmates will snicker and whisper to each other as she walks down the hall, and yet she will walk down the hallway with her head held high, remembering the words of Mohadesa Najumi: "The woman who does not require validation from anyone is the most feared individual on the planet."

Right Now- Josh Strange

Right now, the sun is shining through the window. Right now, it's 80 degrees and there's a clear forecast for today.  Right now, there's excitement for tomorrow.  Unfortunately, it's not my window the sun is shining through, that 80 degrees is probably in Florida, and to be all honest I'm not all too excited to show back up to school tomorrow.
Right now, I look around the corner, and I have a snack.  I walk out of my pantry, and there's a couch, where I can procrastinate all I want to on these blog posts and watch endless Netflix for the next months. Right now, someone else may not even have a place to sleep.  I hate saying it this way, because everyone knows that. But what if it was someone you knew. What if it was your friend that didn't have a place to sleep, or a place to eat? Right now, there are places where it's not just one or two friends starving, it's groups of people.  Being a lazy American, right now it appears as if I can do nothing about it.  But right now, I'm trying to keep perspective, and know how privileged I am to live in the US and go to school in such a nice area.

Assignment 21 - Right Now - Gates Sweeney

Right now, as I sit here at my nice expensive computer with the excessively large screen, with an overpriced phone and a fully clothed body, I begin to think about why I have these things. Furthermore why do I feel like I need them? You probably can relate if you're reading this, you're either on your overly priced phone or your computer, which may be incredibly slow, but you still have one. Are we lucky to have these things, or would you give your personal or family success the credit? If you think realistically, it is clear that it could be either one.
There are people born into this world with a "silver spoon" in their mouths, as well as people that are born with nothing but dirt and polluted air. Both sides have the select few people that completely flip their lives around. Poor to rich, and rich to poor. So can you really blame success, or luck?
If you were to look at Africa as a whole right at this very moment, sickness, exhaustion, pollution, and more is everywhere. The whole nine yards of negativity. These people in particular, are most definitely unlucky. They are unable to go to school. They are unable to make money. They are unable to leave. There is almost no way out. Right now, in America, you have everything you need to be successful, or highly impoverished. In America, "unlucky" doesn't cut it 90% of the time because in reality you can pick yourself up and be successful through work.
Right now, as Americans, as kids of our generation, we need to look at what we have and what others don't have. We are projected to be the laziest, most unsuccessful generation ever to have existed, lets make sure that doesn't happen.

Assignment 20 - Gates Sweeney

For this assignment, I'm going to explain how to write in HTML, similar to my last post, but on a much more simplified level. The most important part of an HTML document are its tags. Anything you see on the page with "< >" around it is a tag. To demonstrate this among other things, I will use Codepen as a tool to show how HTML converts into a web page.

CSS code stands for Custom Style Sheets, which allow you to change shapes and colors and sizes all through parameters. Here's an example of how CSS and Javascript was implemented into this fun Daft Punk soundboard.

See the Pen #DaftPunKonsole by Michael Wingate Sweeney (@gatesweeney) on CodePen.

Assignment 19 - Gates Sweeney

The best piece of advice that I have ever received came from a Web developer I met while working along side him at my uncles office. He told me a way to memorize HTML tags, and how to order them correctly to keep your code organized. I don't want to bore anyone with the long spiel about computer code, but here's an example of HTML code mixed with JavaScript.

See the Pen Canvas Ribbon by Michael Wingate Sweeney (@gatesweeney) on CodePen.

Assignment 18 - Gates

Aside from the obvious and important goals such as "get into a good college", and "maintain a solid GPA", my number one for my High School bucket list at Henry Clay would be to partake in an actual food fight. I know that sounds extremely childish and ridiculous since I could have written something like "save someone's life using the Heimlich maneuver", but ever since I was young I have always wanted to hear someone scream "FOOD FIGHT" and be engulfed in edible warfare.

In College, I would really like to study computer science, and make many life long memories, but my #1 for my bucket list would be to call someone a "freshman" my senior year. Not really sure why I have always wanted to, just something about it seems empowering. 

Lastly, other than having a life that I can look back on and be content, I would like to learn how to pick a lock, not for bad reasons, but because it can be a very useful skill.

Right Now - Kevin LaZur

Right now, there are too many things that could possibly be happening. Since the prompt says "in this very universe", I unfortunately can't talk about the nonsensical events that could be happening in any of the infinite places in the galaxy. Because there are so many people on this earth, the things that are happening right now in our realm of simple reality could be happening at any other given time by any other person. The likelihood that this event would happen depends on how much you want to generalize.

Let's say RIGHT NOW someone just shot someone out of cold blood. To look at it specifically, we could say that right now an older man just shot a younger woman. This is well within reason. Let's say that NOW 50 year old man shot a 25 year old woman 2 times with a 44 magnum in the dark. I still don't doubt it.

Ok now imagine that now a 6'7" 50 year old man, who is bald and has a long, unkempt beard, pulls a magnum on a 5'10" 25 year old woman, who has medium-long blonde hair, and is wearing bright red lipstick. He now confidently pronounces the phrase "It's your lucky night, pumpkin. You've met the man of your dreams." He now shoots. The bullet hits square between the eyes. Now, after he dramatically blows the smoke off of his revolver, he delivers the finishing line. "Turns out it was a nightmare".

I don't think that the last scenario is happening on our planet, and even if there are humans on some random planet somewhere in our universe, I doubt they have the same resources as to manufacture firearms, and I highly doubt that if they did they would name their weapons the same as earthly humans.

I'm not sure if over-specifying was a sarcastic attempt at admitting there's no way I can know what is going right now on our earth, or if I'm just saying whatever comes to mind, but the point is that someone definitely shot someone out of cold blood by the time I finished that example.

Assignment 22: Fictional Character, Fictional Life

Out of all of the books, all of the movies, and all of the television shows you have watched, consider your favorite characters. Then, answer the following:

If you could be any fictional character, who would you be and why?

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, March 15th at 11:59 pm

Right Now - Maya Creamer

       At this very moment, somewhere in the universe, a family gathers in a hospital room, spending their last moment with a loved one about to pass away. They smile as they remember all the memories they have shared; they cry as they think about their future without a very important person. As they gather around the frail body lying in bed, fading away, they wish for just one more day, a few more moments with the person they love so much. They have so much more love to share; why must they say goodbye now?
       At this very moment, somewhere in the universe, a family gathers in a hospital room, celebrating the birth of a new baby. They smile as they think of all the memories they will make with this new tiny human; they cry with the joy of being blessed with such a beautiful, healthy addition to their family. As they gather around the mother holding her new child, they are thankful to have gotten their wish after so many months, so many years of waiting. They are so happy; how will they show this baby just how much they are loved?
       At this very moment, somewhere in the universe, someone is saying goodbye for the last time, and someone is saying hello for the first time. Someone is grieving, someone is celebrating. Someone is making a wish, and someone's wish has just been granted. The universe has lost one soul, but gained another.

Right Now- Tapan Darji

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe it is Monday morning and people are waiting up getting ready for work and school in the South Pacific. Around the world Real Madrid fans are watching their team play. In London Chelsea players and their fans are celebrating their Capital One Cup victory against Tottenham Hotspurs. The English cricket team are waking up from a nightmare angry about their terrible performance against Sri Lanka in their Cricket World group match against them. Juniors across the state are currently studying for the ACT on Tuesday. Other students like me are doing homework. Right now people are reading things, watching television, and working. SMU and their fans are crying about their loss to the University of Connecticut moments ago. Right now people are dying. Teachers are planning on what they are going to do with their students tomorrow. Wisconsin's big man Frank the tank just hit a three pointer against Michigan State.

Right Now - Amelia Caldwell

Right now someone is being told they are not allowed to do the one thing they love most in the world for a month or never again. They are sitting in a doctor's office with their thoughts and the quiet as those around them watch how they take the news. They are thinking about what could they possibly do that would fill the gap. They cry, thinking of all the activities they will miss out on. They realize that they will not get to see their best friends every day for a long time. They think to themselves, I need to get better so I can get back. They think, there is no way I am going to stop. They will not stop.
Right now there is someone being told they have a month to live. They see a moment from their past flash before them. They remember the time the doctor told them they could not do something for a month and they thought it was the end of the world. They remember being devastated calling their director saying it would be a month before they could come back. They remember the hard work and determination to get back. And their determination returns to have the best month of their life. They will not give in.  They will not give up.

How to - Amelia Caldwell

How to prepare pointe shoes for use

1. First you must cut the ribbon into four equal sized ribbons (two for each shoe).

2. To know where to place the ribbon, take the back of the pointe shoe and fold it into the middle of the shoe. Where the edge of the shoe lies is where you will sew the ribbons (on each side).

3. Cut four equal pieces of elastic

4. Place one end of elastic on top of the ribbon and sew. The other end goes on the back of the pointe shoe around 1 inch from the back seam; you do this with each piece of elastic.

5. After the ribbons and elastic are sewn on, you can trim off the edge of the ribbons and burn them with a lighter to prevent fraying.

After your pointe shoes are sewn, you must break them in. Here are the two easiest ways to break in your pointe shoes without “killing” them.

 1.      Find your natural arch and mark the spot on the shank (the stiff board running on the bottom side down the middle) where it lines up with your foot. Place the marked part of the shoe on a doorway, and bend the shoe around the doorway so that the shank becomes curved and fits nicely with the arch of your foot.

2.      The box, or toe, of the shoe is usually very tight. In order to avoid blisters, step on the top of the box and flatten it out so the shoe does not rub against your skin.

You now have pointe shoes that are ready for use!

Right now- Eliza Jane Schaeffer

Right now, there is a little girl watching a teenage girl and wishing that she could be older and taller and prettier. She's counting down the days until her 16th birthday. When she plays "house" with her friends and she scrambles to call the role of the "teenager." She dreams of what job she might have or what her husband might look like. 

Right now, there's a high school girl watching a little girl and wishing that she could be blissfully ignorant and care-free. She's tired of studying and worrying about college and fitting in and existential crises and familial fights. She wishes she could go back to the days when the most important thing she had to do was make her own lunch. She wishes she had the same energy and enthusiasm as that little girl. Or she wishes she could skip to being older with a job and a husband that loves her unconditionally. 

Right now, there's a middle age woman wishing she could be as pretty and young and skinny as the teenage girl across the street. She wishes she didn't need to worry about bills or taxes on laundry or idiots at work or bad drivers or cooking or getting her kids to school. She wishes she could go out on Saturday nights and have fun. Or she wishes she could be retired and do nothing all day long. 

Right now there's an old woman wishing she hadn't spent so much time wanting to grow up. Because now she's about as grown up as you can get and all she wants is to grow down. She wishes she has a job; she feels useless stuck in the house. She wishes she had the social life of a teenager; now her old friends are dying off. She wishes she had her whole life ahead of her, like a child. 

right now... brandon castillo

at this very moment, somewhere in the universe there are so many things happening. In my bedroom, I am typing this very letter, word, and sentence that you are reading about this moment. I am debating in my mind whether to go into a deep discussion, a talk about what I am literally doing right now, or making something up about the Star Wars universe. Maybe a little of everything. It is so snowy outside and this is just as the planet Hoth in Star Wars. I've recently been playing an old xbox game called "Star Wars Battlefront 2" because of the major snow storm and the boredom that can come with being stuck inside your house for nine straight days with the only people that you see is your immediate family. I'm just kidding, right now, I'm thinking about what I have done with this past week and how today I'm going to hangout with someone that I've been excited to hangout with for a long time now. But anyways back to Star Wars, the planet Hoth is my favorite place to play at for the video game. When you select rebels as your team, you can fly these awesome ships that shoot ropes from the backside and then you circle around giant, animal-looking machines of the enemies and try to wrap around its legs in order to bring it to the ground and destroy it. Right now, I am also concerned about the future, as in tomorrow if we will have school or not. Also, how as of now we are going to be in school until June 1st without anymore snowdays and how depressing that is to me. My basketball team just ended it's season and that is sad but, right now, I'm excited because the end of crossroads basketball means the beginning of track meets and March Madness. Somewhere in the universe, Montrezl Harrell is thinking about how awesome he is after he scored 20 points to beat Miami yesterday and the city of Louisville is pumped.

At this moment... Emily Salamanca

                      At this moment, somewhere in the universe, there is a person in China digging a hole. When I was about 5 or 6, I obsessed over anything relating to dirt and rocks and digging and geology and generally anything that could get me covered, head to toe, in sediment. I remember finding a buckeye at church on the ground and bringing it home to plant. In the backyard, I began to dig a hole. My parents thought little of it, as I had similar holes all over the backyard. But this hole was special because I put my little buckeye into in and was quite excited about having a tree that would grow. However, as I dug, my father always used to say to me 'Are you trying to dig a hole all the way to China?' which got me thinking. I'd never really thought about other places around the world and how there were people literally on the other side of the planet from me. There were people who had never considered me, a little 6 year old in Mrs. Fitzpatrick's 1st grade class, to be digging at the other side of the planet from them. Likewise, I hoped that perhaps, 6600km away from me, there was a little girl digging a hole through the Earth to plant a seed to reach me. When I dug that hole, I was planting a seed in my head that I never forgot: perspective.

How To Prepare for Long Trips- Joshua Strange

Over the years, I have been fortunate to go overseas into Europe and Asia on three seperate occasions. Each of the times I went, I stayed in each place for about 6 weeks.  Packing for each of these occasions took a long time but it was well worth it once we arrived in each of the countries we were thankful we had what we needed.
For these especially long trips, my family owns extremely big backpacks and we pack them full and carry them everywhere we go.  Aside from your basic needs like toiletries and clothes, a few things you may want to pack are: a neck pillow for the plane (so you don't get cramps on the long plane flight or drive), personal toilet paper (especially over seas, outside of airports most locations don't have toilet paper), baby wipes (during long flights or drives these feel really refreshing on your dry skin), hat (in hotter locations this helps shade your face, in colder places it keeps your head warm), personal food (over seas personal favorites may not be available, peanut butter is also extremely expensive overseas) and last but not least always carry around some american money and/or objects with you (overseas, people are constantly interested in Americans and American culture so you may be able to get a major bargain if you give them American currency or American items (levi jeans, American flags, footballs!!, American sports jerseys, etc.) .
That is some extra tips for how to pack for really long trips!

Plastics- Josh Strange

During church, one day in the middle of a conversation someone said that "indifference is the greatest failure".  He told us it was a slogan for a company (unfortunately I can't remember which one), but those words ring true in everything.  At times I am indecisive, and those words always encourage me to make a decision quicker. If I don't make a decision, that is worse in my mind than if I made the wrong decsion.  This advice will play a large role in picking which colleges I apply to, which ones I visit, and many other things down the road. In any situations in which I have options, I will be have to make a decision.  This advice has helped me become more decisive and I hope in the future it will help me be able to help me make the right choices faster.

Buckets and Buckets- Joshua Strange

Before I finish high school I want to get accepted to an out of state college. I would love to be able to go out of the country again on a mission trip. I would also love to be able to have a go to the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls on a vacation.  I also want to be able to have a state championship ring with the soccer team next season.
Before I finish college I want to study abroad, participate in a school sport for the university, and go on a fun trip with friends to a place I've never been.
Before I finish living, I want to go to each continent on the planet, graduate from college, have a wife and kids, do something honorable, and to make a difference in my community.

The most important thing I want to do is to have a family. I would love to have a wife and a couple kids and be able to take them on trips and teach them how to play soccer among other things.

How to...- Olivia McCrary

How to Study for a Test
-Gather and organize all the papers, notebooks, etc, that you might have relating to the subject you are going to study. Look for any paper that might possibly be helpful. It is very easy to overlook helpful studying materials, especially when you are disorganized.
-Decide on an amount of time you are going to study. I recommend starting with about 30 minutes. Set a timer. After the 30 minutes, judge how well you know the material. This will affect how long you will continue to study. If after the 30 minutes you think you have studied everything, you can stop. If not, continue to set up 30 minute time periods. After each, take a short break from studying.
-When you are done reviewing the content for the test, make your own study guide or review. Think about everything you studied. Condense all the main concepts into a review outline. Just making this study guide will help you review the material. It's necessary to recognize which topics or details are the most important.

Assignment 21: Right Now

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe...

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, March 1st at 11:59 pm