Monthly Archives: October 2011

Learning all around you

I’m really interested in how learning is not limited to school and tests but can be found anywhere. This week I saw something which was a quick learning moment that I want to share. This week marked the start of cold weather and with it, real fall. While admiring the changing leaves and new hued trees, my sister brought up the question of why; why do leaves change colors?

Why DO leaves change colors in the fall? A quick google search provided answers. We learned that there are 3 factors which affect the colors; the colder temperature, drier air, and longer nights. These three combined causes the chlorophyll, which provides the green color, to stop producing. Other things inside the leaf are then allowed to flow freely, creating the explosion of colors we see in the fall.

Soccer unification

Over this past weekend, I attended a party. Near the end, the guests, people I’d never met before, people who were random strangers to me, all gathered around a simple passing game. In that moment, we all laughed and enjoyed a game together. It unified us.

Thats why I love soccer. It’s universal. Pick up a ball anywhere around the world and people will flock. The beauty is that anyone can play. No skills are needed to enjoy the exhilaration and camaraderie. As in the case of that party, I really mean anyone, from ladies in heels to a 3 yr whose legs are almost as tall as the ball itself.

I planned to attach video but I haven’t received it yet. I’ll add that when I get it!

Bisous :)
Live, Laugh, Love

A burst of energy

A burst of energy
I got caught in a sudden shower today. The water rolled off my hair, trickling into my eyes, while the wind whipped around my face. The cool air and water were cleansing, refreshing almost. This allowed me to clear my head and remind me not to get upset. The rain allowed me to think peacefully. It helped me focus, and remember not to get upset easily. The rain gave me strength; I felt like I could do anything… The cold day and less pleasant weather irked some, but the day was sparked with life to me. The rain brought me back and helped me concentrate on my life in a calm frame of mind

Bisous :)
Live, Laugh, Love

When I look in the mirror 2

“When I look in the mirror I see…” was our writing prompt for peer leadership this week. I wrote a version before, but I wanted to add more so here’s the new version. An explanation of peer leadership and the old response can be found in previous posts. Let me know what you think!

When I look in the mirror I see someone interested in change. Someone interested in changing the world around her and aware that her world is already changing. I see a girl trying to accept the changes being thrown at her, like it or not. High school was a change for sure and I’m sure my path will be littered with many more. The mirror shows someone excited to make a change. A girl who wants to make an impact on her community and the world around her……
But then I see my shadow, someone who doesnt have any time to herself. A girl close to fading into the background. I see the fears hidden inside and wish they’d just disappear. Then I take another look in the mirror and see myself, plain and simple. When I look in the mirror, I see Both what I want to be and what I wish I wasnt.

Bisous :)
Live, Laugh, Love

Fail in order to Succeed

Today at tennis, my coach urged me to hit so hard I lost control. When I responded that the task seemed counter intuitive, he told me that it’s just to see the hardest I can hit the ball; to know that I CAN do it. I believe this message can be applied to other areas. You must over exaggerate to become perfect, mess up to get better.

For example, when I had my braces, my orthodontist noticed my teeth slipping back. As a result, she decided to over-correct so that when my teeth attempt to move back, they’ll end up in the perfect position. Also, during any organization process, it’s necessary to make a bigger mess before you can clean it up. And at school, a bunch of teachers are recognizing that making mistakes and “failing” is the best way to learn and succeed!

Bisous :)
Live, Laugh, Love

The Producers

Tonight I went to see my high school production, The Producers. The show itself is kind of controversial because of its sub-subject matter (Hitler) and the stereotypes it mocks such as gays, blonds etc. We’d had a talk on not taking the jokes seriously, and how it was okay to laugh at the racial and possibly “harmful” jokes in the Producers, as they are after all, jokes. I’d also heard a lot about the cast and the general plot line, so I was really excited to see the show!

The show definitely did not disappoint! Phenomenal acting, singing, costumes…the works! All accompanied by Mel Brooks’s jokes, the show was hilarious! My friends and I were like actually rolling with laughter. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it to anyone above the age of 12!

Bisous :)
Live, Laugh, Love

Steve Jobs

As the entire world seems to be commenting on Steve Jobs and his incredible legacy, I feel compelled to submit my two cents.

I agree with a lot of what’s being said about how he revolutionized the way we see technology, that he’s great not only because his products are, but because they (and he) have touched so many people around the globe. To me, that’s the key thing. The difference between a hardworking CEO for a small unheard of company and Steve Jobs, is that everyone feels like they know him, and are connected to him. I say this as I type on my Mac and listen to music from my iPod.

Jobs led the charge to make technology simple, elegant and available. He put words like iTunes and iPod into our vocabulary, making them THE standard. No one says MP3 or music sharing website anymore! He was also interested in the union of education and technology. Apple pushed originally for incorporation into schools, gave many discounts on merchandise to students and educators, and supported a 2:1 project at GAC.

Some of my friends don’t like apple products because of their easy simplicity. But I say, this simplicity enabled my grandmother to use the Internet, watch videos and read books with larger font without having to trek downstairs and fidget with a mouse for an hour. This simplicity brought my mom into the world of texting. So to those who scoff, think of others whom it benefits.

I had a really cool idea for a tribute to Jobs, but it was kind of un realistic especially on short notice. So I’d just like to share it here for fun! What if people from all around the world, or just a lot of people, set their backgrounds on their apple products to a pic of jobs, or the apple logo, or a mini epitaph, like those iSad iMourn or Still  aliVE ones cropping up. Then everyone would gather with their products, spell out Steve jobs or just form the logo and someone could take a picture and post it. :D

When I look in the mirror….

Just to let you know, this is for peer leadership.

When I look in a mirror I see someone interested in change. Interested in changing the world around her and aware that her world is already changing. Highschool was a change for sure and I’m sure my path will be littered with many more. But I’m learning to take it in my stride, accept whatever change blows my way and maybe do a little changing of my own….

Reflecting on Goals

Today my friend and I were having a conversation about our general goals for the year, and it really got me thinking. Yes, I know goals are the guideposts on the path to success, but I usually don’t have very lofty ones, so I haven’t fully unlocked the potential of a goal. Essentially, ones goals should be high but not impossible, and accompanied by the steps needed for achievement. This is something I feel I could improve upon, so I decided to act upon my recent conversation.

My goals as of now are to blog daily, run at least three times a week, get a speaker award and/or a tournament in debate, and move up a group in tennis. Additionally, I aim to receive straight A’s and get at least 8-10 hours of sleep daily.

Take the first goal, blogging daily. I set this goal a month or so ago and acknowledge that it was pretty lofty. So far, I’ve stuck by it pretty faithfully, wavering occasionally and sometimes resetting the bar at every other day. I’ve realized that by forcing myself to bog everyday, I was sounding repetitive and risking sounding dull (merely citing facts I learned). So goals can change.

When it comes to the second goal of running at least 3 times a week, the bar has already been moved. My original hope was for a daily work out, but the first wave of high school late nights deterred me. Now that I’ve adjusted properly, I need to work back up. Ironically, last year I only started running second semester and I’m beginning to see why. Nevertheless, this is something that I ought to be able to accomplish easily and hope to do so in the near future.

As for the other goals, I can generically say that hard work and practice will get me there. I know what it takes, I just need to focus and do it. To me, goals are a lot about reassessing what you know you need to do, in order to refuel yourself with the energy needed to accomplish the task.