Hitting you Where it Hurts

Getting in trouble is a part of life, everyone has experienced it. Punishments are never fun and I suppose that is the point right? For the most part my sister and I are pretty good kids, we rarely get in trouble so therefore our parents rarely have to punish us. When the occasional time comes that it is necessary for a punishment to be given my mom always says, “We need to hit you were it hurts.”

Hitting where it hurts would be different for every toddler, kid, or teenager. It varies with age, personality and certain situation. Having a fifteen minute timeout might devastate a three-year-old but a teenager could care less. When I was younger we would have punishments like no TV for a few days, no dessert after dinner, or going to bed early. Currently I have no time to watch TV, don’t eat much dessert and would absolutely love going to bed early! This is why having no phone or no car is the better punishment for me at this age.

Unfortunately this sort of makes sense; I am just a bit reluctant to say this because I’m living without my phone, car, and computer for the week. I will probably carry on my mom’s style of “hitting where it hurts” type punishing when I have kids someday. Punishments are supposed to require you to think about what it is that you may have done wrong. After the thinking has occurred the goal is to never want to make that mistake again. Believe me, it’s working! I have a lot of questions though and I’m sure many parents wonder the same thing, what is the perfect punishment for parents to give? Is there such thing as being too strict? Not strict enough? I don’t know these answers I was just wondering. I am 99 percent sure there have been multiple studies that could answer this….oh well maybe for another blog down the road.

Book Review: The Kite Runner

Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. The Berkley Publishing Group: New York. 2003. (371 pages)

            My experience reading The Kite Runner was unlike anything I have ever had. I haven’t read a historical fiction novel yet this school year so I decided to give it a try. This book was recommended to me multiple times so I was excited to see what it was like. The Kite Runner was an extraordinary read; it consisted of action, violence, love, history, friendships, sorrow and drama. This ultimately was a combination that made an unforgettable story.

            There were many aspects of this novel that made it challenging and a new experience for me. I have never read a book that is set in places such as Afghanistan and Pakistan. As a result, I didn’t know anything about the politics, cultures, religions and lifestyle of these people.  Throughout the story, Hosseini describes many places, neighborhoods, towns, traditions and activities that are all in Pakistan and Afghanistan. These things were new to me and it was challenging to remember what was what because sometimes he would write them in the native language. I thought reading some phrases and words from these languages was really neat and added a unique element to the book.

            The fierce cruelty and violence that took place in The Kite Runner was challenging to read in itself. The dramatic political events and revolutions that took place in Afghanistan and Pakistan were vividly described and narrated as part of this story. As historical fiction, many of these events actually happened, which is really sad to imagine. Some of the imagery Hosseni used to portray his situation nearly made me sick because it was so upsetting. 

            As I mentioned, there were riveting and unexpected happenings throughout this novel. I loved how it was action-packed but still dealt with love, friendships, and sadness. There were multiple times I couldn’t put this book down because the haunting events and deep relationships were almost addicting. Hosseini also did a great job of linking past and present time periods and different locations. As the book took place over almost 30 years and on different continents, the clarity was needed and was well done. 

            I had a difficult time trying to come up with a book that I have read that is similar to this one. The Kite Runner is one of a kind in my opinion and there isn’t much else that is comparable. When I read The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks during first term, it was one of the first novels I had read that was narrated by a male. The Kite Runner would be the second book narrated by a male that I have really enjoyed. I like seeing things from a different perspective and a male narrator does just that. It’s probably a far stretch but in The Lucky One, Logan Thibault has vivid memories from his days fighting in the war. In The Kite Runner, there are a lot of powerful scenes from the impact of the revolutions in Afghanistan described by Amir. The violent, dirty, rugged and war-like components of these books are pretty similar. In conclusion, I would, without a doubt, recommend The Kite Runner to anyone who is looking for a moving and unforgettable book.

Diagnosed...Spring Fever

I think I have finally caught it....spring fever that is. I am officially to the point where I am in desperate need of some really nice warm weather. It has been pretty nice outside lately, reaching the upper 30s. I know that doesn't sound very nice but it is just enough for me to be longing for April and May to arrive.

There is something about spring that is just exciting and happy. The sun is shining (except on those occasional rainy days) and birds are chirping and the flowers are blooming. I love being able to feel comfortable outside and not having to dress in layers up to my eyeballs. It is such a hassle having to wear a winter coat, jeans, sweaters and boots all of the time. Its bulky and can be quite uncomfortable.

In the spring you never have to worry about scraping your car or having two hour delays because of ice. Its typically beautiful outside and its not a problem to be walking into the grocery store or walking out of school. The warmth of the sun is enough to make  anyone happy. You can drive without the heat one and you can open your windows and enjoy the fresh air. I love being able to wear capris, t-shirts and flip-flops compared to jeans and sweaters. I love how its chilly in the morning so a jacket is necessary and by the time the afternoon rolls around you can ditch the jacket and be perfectly comfortable.

There are many other reasons I love spring time. Maybe its because I can see summer right around the corner. Thats always exciting! The end of the year is near and I can fantasize about having free time and not homework. Swimming is also over once spring gets here and I undergo a lot less stress. Being able to enjoy the sunshine and walk outside and not get frostbitten is also very high on my list.

As I am writing this blog post, looking out my window at what looks to be a beautiful day (I'm not complaining with 37 degrees I just want 67 degrees), I seriously hope that spring gets here quickly so I can be officially cured of my spring fever.

Potlucker's Paradise

Dictionary.com defines a potluck as a meal, especially for a large group, to which participants bring various foods to be shared. In my own words I would define potluck as "about as close as you can get to heaven."

Last night I had swim team banquet that just happened to be a potluck style celebration. This is why this wonderful kind of gathering is on my mind. I get so excited about these kind of things its kind of ridiculous. Potlucks are perfect for swim teams because we all know that we eat A TON. I am convinced that swimmers have to work to get full.

The huge assortment and variety of foods at your fingertips at potlucks is just mouth watering, literally. Most of the time there is a main dish or course that the host provides and then everyone else is required to bring drinks, salads, sides, and of course desserts.

-Drinks: This is probably the easiest component of a potluck dinner. Whatever part of the alphabet that gets assigned this one kind of lucks out. You cant go wrong with a jug of juice or an assortment of 2 liter bottles of soda like Mountain Dew, Sprite or Pepsi.

-Salads: This is a big one. You will never go to a potluck without 50 kinds of potato or fruit salad. There will literally be 10 different pots and pans of the exact same things in front of you. Which one do you pick? The one that is half gone of course, you know it must be good! Sometimes I wonder why people dont get creative, how fun is it bringing the exact same thing as everyone else? How about some Jello salad for once.

-Sides: In my opinion, salads and sides are classified differently. Sides consist of bread, veggies and dip, cheesy potatoes, chips or my favorite green bean casserole. You can get pretty creative in the side category yet most of the time people bring the same types of things. But then again I am not complaining because its all so delicious.

-Desserts: By far the best part of a potluck. An entire table full of desserts. I will admit that I am spoiled and am used to a homemade style of cooking. I always go for the homemade brownies, cookies, scotcharoos, Rice Krispy treats or cupcakes. Yes, my list is long don't judge me.

There is no way you will ever leave a potluck feeling hungry. I am convinced it is not possible. With so much good food, family, friends and teammates your bound to be in paradise!

Swim Bag Breakdown

A swim bag is a like a swimmers home away from home. I mean swimmers are never home, they are always at the pool, gym or weight room. Every swimmer has a swim bag that is unique to themselves. I always seem to be carrying my bag around with me and I am frequently asked, "What does that key chain mean?" or "Why would you need a bag so big?" Well let me tell ya, a swim bag is kind of like a letterman's jacket only for swimming, its important to show off and make it unique. And on top of that you can put in all your necessary equipment and such inside so its with you wherever you go.

For this blog post I will specifically reference my own swim bag which happens to be my favorite color, lime green. "A. Jacobsen" is embroidered on the top in black block letters. It is typical to have your name on your bag because most bags are the same except for the color. When you get to practice and meets with 50 other bags laying around, you need a quick way to identify it.

On the small side compartment is where I keep my state tags. I have received one of these each year that I have qualified for the high school state swim meet. They happen to be orange, green and pink so it adds a splash of color to the lime green bag. In addition to my state bag tags I have an assortment of what I like to call "Livestrong bracelets." I have a ton of these and switch them out periodically, always going for the brightest colors. My bag also has my breaststroker pin and my shark key chain. This key chain was attached to the first pair of goggles I ever bought. I also can't forget to mention the key chains I bought while I was on vacation in the Cayman Islands and Jamaica. Perhaps my favorite thing on my bag is my goggle key chain. It's so cute! Just like a pair of royal blue goggles only miniature size, perfect for a swim bag.

Now for what goes inside these ever so popular swim bags. Im telling ya, its much more than you would think people. On a normal day of practice there are a lot of things that have to be remembered, which is why most swimmers just keep it all in their bag. These things consist of swim suits, towels, swim caps, goggles (always have at least 1 extra pair), a pull buoy, fins, shampoo, a water bottle, flip flops, and a pair of tennis shoes and shorts in case of dryland. I bet that was more than you thought! This is why a swim bag must be a fairly decent size.

I'd say I am pretty proud of the swim bag I have developed. It definitely has "me" written all over it.

Tremendous T-Shirts

Have you ever thought about how many t-shirts the average person must have? You probably haven't because that would be kind of weird, but I just did. I promise I didn't just think of this at the top of my head but rather as I was sitting on my bed I saw a stack of t-shirts on my bedroom floor. I might as well blog about it.

T-shirts are given away at so many events and on top of that are sold at even more events. You can barely hold a fundraiser, attend a fundraiser or go anywhere for that matter and not run into a t-shirt sale. Obviously the apparel is being sold because no place or event even attempts to go without selling a t-shirt.

Im assuming, and only because this is my habit, that people buy t-shirts to show off where they have been or what they have been a part of. Nothing wrong with that! Its when the numerous tops start to collect in the dresser drawers or in the bottom of the closet that it gets ridiculous. I will admit that I like wearing the t-shirt I bought at the last swim meet or my new team shirt with my name on the back. After a few wears though it normally ends up in the "extra t-shirt pile." This then leaves room for the new shirts I will soon be attaining in the near future.

My "extra t-shirt pile" consists of every t-shirt I own except for about the 5 coolest ones or the newer ones that are just starting to cycle through. These shirts are used for a number of things. I tend to wear them to workout in or to go to bed in (aka pajamas). I may also wear them to work or just under a sweatshirt for the day. Basically my point is, there are so many uses for t-shirts! This is good because I bet the average teenager has about 50. All I have to say is, if you have any that you know you'll never ever wear again dont keep it there is no use, throw it away or donate it to someone in need!

The Stress is Upon Us

It's that time of year again, time for stressed out students trying to do everything they can in order to get ready for finals. This happens three times a school year and it is never a fun experience. Your getting bogged down with papers, assignments, tests and study sessions. You just have no idea where to start!

I would consider myself a good student, my cumulative GPA of 4.3 is proof of this. But this doesn't mean that finals and this time of year doesn't stress me out. Yes, I feel as if I am on top of all my classes, I'm not behind, but there is still a lot of work to be done. For example, in my Spanish class I have three different finals to prepare for. An oral, writing and multiple choice test all happen to be on three different days, three different weeks actually. I never feel like I am completely done with my homework at night knowing that I have all of this I could be preparing for. This just adds to the stress level everyday.

In other classes, its just a matter of finding the time to review over terms and concepts that I have learned over the past term. Some classes provide in class work time which I try to take advantage of. Even though the units were easy, its difficult to go back and review everything and then remember it for the final along with everything else for five other classes.

In AP Lang in which I am writing this blog, I have so much work to do over the next few weeks I could consider myself to be stressed out just because of this class. I have more blogs to type, a book to read, annotated bibliographies, two drafts of an essay, discussions, quizzes and a portfolio to build. I get stressed out just thinking about it and I know every other student in the class is the same way. At times like these I begin to wonder if teachers really consider the lives of their students (read my post "Heavy Homework Load").

As the stress us upon all of us here at Kennedy High School, I say good luck and try just bear through it.