Swimming Will Soon be Gone


As the end of the swim season is coming to a close, I am feeling a sense of dread and sadness come over me. I mean, seriously, it really shouldn't be affecting me this much. Most of the pain and agony will be over and I will have time to relax. I will be able to do things that swimming has prevented and kept me from doing. Why do I feel this way? I think that swimming gives me a feeling of accomplishment; it makes me feel good after I have gotten so much better. Even if I don't always beat someone or win I can still feel good if I have beaten my own personal time. Even after the pain and the scared feeling you get in the pit of your stomach before a race, it can still be so much fun. Everyday I enjoy swimming even if I do complain or think that its boring I really know that I love it and its what I will keep doing.

...::Treasured Christmases::...


Christmas has always been a special time for me. It means a time with family and to have loads of fun. This year, though, has brought on a totally different view on what it really is to me. During the weeks leading up to this night I have thought about why I feel Christmas is different this year and why it feels like I should treasure the momnets I have a lot more. This is the first year in many years that I haven't got to be in California for Christmas with all of my family. I have always had Christmas Eve at my Uncles house and there's always been a big family party every year. But now since moving here to Utah I don't get to be there with them. The reason I feel this year is different is because now I realize that I shouldn't take Christmases for granted; they are something to be cherished, especially when you don't get to be around the people you care about the most. The few short moments that I got to spend with my family in California this year were definitely not taken for granted by me. I knew this Christmas would be different and I tried to make the best out of the short time I got with them.

Christmas is a Time for Giving and Sharing, Right?


We are always told Christmas is a time for giving, not receiving. But seriously, who really thinks about just giving and buying gifts for others all the time? At this age everyone really does think about all the things that they are going to get and what they are going to do with the money given them. I want to know, why do adults always tell the younger peoples to think more about giving then what they are going to get? Parents, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles during the Christmas season are focusing all their attention on buying, shopping, and money. They have to always think about getting gifts for kids and family. Adults don't have time to think about what few gifts they might get. They tell us the famous quote because they are jealous and miss the free times when you were young and didn't have to care about buying things. Adults don't want us to have the good times that they can't; they're trying to get us to be old before our time. It's a big conspiracy to start maturing the younger generation so that more work will get done and less play. The little toddlers now will have to start getting jobs by the time they are 12 and have no life but work. This just comes to show that jealously should be greatly suppressed.

Absolutely Cliche but Absolutely True




Two of my best friends and I recently took a trip with the swim team this past weekend to St. George. The whole week I was getting so excited to go on this trip because I generally like trips. My friends were getting quite annoyed at me because I kept asking them if they were excited. We had it all planned out what we were going to do and how much fun we were going to have and everything would be perfect. But as you know nothing ever goes as planned. It all started when the bus wasn't where we thought it would be when it picked us up at the school. You might wonder why such a trivial thing started the downfall of the trip, but when you have many bags that you personally have to carry you don't want to have to walk very far anywhere. This just made everyone a little put out. The second thing that added on was that our coach wouldn't tell us who would be in our rooms at the motel. This made us a little more annoyed with the trip. And after being on the bus for a couple hours made us all screaming to just get out and away from eveyone.
Our first meet was in Richfield so after the meet everyone was tired, hungry and cranky. No one was really enjoying what was happening so far; anybody would snap at any given time with frustration. We stopped for dinner and was finally on our way to St. George. About three hours later we made it to our motel and when we pulled up everyone's jaws dropped; it was not what was expected. The only good thing about it was that we were in rooms with the people that we wanted. The room that was given to my buds and I was the only smoking room out of all the swimmers. According to our coach it was not supposed to be one. The room smelled awful, the blankets were hole-y and the room was teeny-tiny. This was just not good to the already foul mood we were in. It was making us all grouchy and we were saying things that probably should not have been said to each other.
In the morning everyone had complaints about their rooms. When we left that place, everyone was smiling with relief. We went to our next meet, did very well, and went home. On the way home everyone was in a much lighter mood and not as many horrible things happened to us. When we got off the bus it was like everyone ran to get away and go home as fast as they could with barely a goodbye.
You could be wondering as to why I was so excited for this trip, and why, even with the stinky room, I still had fun. It really is simple, my friends. They always make everything better no matter how horrible it is. They helped me see the better side of things on this trip, like as to how we actually are lucky to not always smell like smoke and that I like them a lot better when I haven't been stuck on a bus with them for five hours(eventhough it was fun. sorry about the tears-welling-up-thing becky). The trip sure made me appreciate them even more. I could tell that they really cared about what happens to me when they yell at me for stupid things I've done. I've really got the best friends I ever could've asked for. And this trip put it in a whole new perspective.


(Hey you girlies out there that I wrote about, umm...if you need a tissue after you read this, come to me and I'll give you one)

. . : : Makaela Belle : : . .




New babies are always loved, fondled, and are never wanting for anything. They are constantly being talked over how cute they are and how much they look like the parents. My sister has had her first baby girl on the first and this baby has not been put down once. There is always someone about who is dying to hold her even if its just her dad or grandma. She is fought and argued over with my siblings. What is it that makes babies so adored? Besides them being so cute and small they have a certain innocence around that can be found no where else. This innocence attracts many people because it is something that all of us don't have anymore; it's something we crave. When holding a baby you feel more calm knowing that you are holding something pure that has not yet had the chance to spoil the simplicity of its life. We all in our everyday lives are wanting the things we can't have and when we see this perfect little baby that has not a care in the world we want to get as close to it as possible so we take every chance we can to be near to things that are pure. Babies have something that we will never again have while we are alive and we are jealous in a way a wish to once again be careless.

Stupid Greedy People Need Money



Humans only work because they have to make money. If there was no money no one would really need to work as hard or as much. I only really have a job just for the money that I get. Yes, I do only get minimum wage but the work is fun so I guess that makes up for it. But if I didn't need to make my own money to pay for the random things I may want, I wouldn't have to work. Why do we really need money? It does pay for everything that we need. It does get us things we want but it doesn't actually need to be around. If everyone just gave up money and everyone would just do the same amount of work people everywhere could have an equal share of what we worked for. There would be no homeless or unemployed. No starving or freezing. There would be no stress have having to work overtime to try and make enough for your family. There would be no one thinking of what they should do with their abundance of money. The world would be so much better. Everyone would be on the same level. But even I know that this could never happen. Money was created because someone thought they were better so they had to make money to show how much better they were by how much money they had. The world needs money to make the greedy, prideful people feel good.

Greatly awaited, Deeply Anticipated: Beeky

Becky Boo. This is a very difficult subject to analyze because she is so strange and complex you don't even know what to think about her. She has a weird way of making you feel incredibly stupid with no real foundation on what she made you feel stupid about. It's quite amazing actually. She is also very feministic. She has a hatred towards all boys. They are pointless and totally stupid to her. They just can walk by and she'll already be hating them. She doesn't want a man to tie her down and she feels that's all they'll really do for her all her life. I've always asked her why but she just kinda says just because they're stupid. I don't believe this so I've taken the liberty of analyzing what she really thinks.



In the past, until just recently, women have been regarded as inferior and not as strong as men. They've always been told that they aren't any good at anything but taking care of a house and children. Becky knows these things and has a great indignation towards them. She's always felt that women are the only ones that can really do anything right in the world. Men screw everything up and are mean, cruel, and nasty. Why does she feel this way about guys? She most likely had some traumatic experience with some guy and it caused her to feel this way. In my evaluations of The Becky I have noticed she seems a little shy and awkward around "the boys" so she pushes away from them, her excused being that they are stupid. She secretly is feeling in someway that since she can't really be around them without feeling weird that she must stay away from them. She gives off a very convincing ruse that she really does hate boys but she really just doesn't know what to do around them.




(Umm... Becky don't kill me for this. I don't believe what I said. It's just what I think you think. Oh and about the picture... I think its cute!)

Why am I in band?


Band to me is totally useless. I'm not going to do anything after high school with the flute. I won't be a band teacher or a flautist or anything close to that. In band I really don't know many people in that class or really anyone that'll talk to me so I hate the class period. I'm not really any good so I don't help the band much at all. So, why do I do it? I think sometimes that I really should quit and that I will be doing everyone a favor but when I think of how it would be not to be in band I feel like I'll be letting a lot of people, including myself, down. I would feel like a quitter and I can't stand that. I love music and this is one of the ways that I get to see how amazing it actually is. Music is just a part of my life. I've been in band for six years, since sixth grade and I don't think I could quit now when I don't have that much longer to have the chance to play my flute with people. After high school if I ever play it again it will probably just be random and every once in a while. I used to love band and all the things that I did in it. Sometimes I'll remember why I used to go to band everyday and then it will make me think that I can do it because it's something I once loved. This is why I'm in band and mainly just because my mom won't let me quit.

The months before turning 16 were filled with an impatient anticipation that had seemed imbearable. The thought of being able to date and drive seemed only just a few months of simple waiting but it was excrutiating. After my birthday I thought that it would be so exciting and that the days would be filled with trips places with friends and that the weekends would be fun also but these thoughts were crushed after about a month. With my birthday in the middle of the summer I thought that things would get better after school started and they did but things weren't as I had first thought. Why do people think so much about turning 16 when it's really not that big of a difference? I have talked to many people about this and they've told me how they thought it would be. Their thoughts were very similar to mine. Sixteen is not as cool as it's all cracked-up to be. I think that teens before they turn 16 just get really excited to be 16 because after all the years of being told they can't do these certain things before being this age are feeling that they can do something that's be forbidden. This feeling of empowerment is rather overpowering so they want to use it to the full advantage. After the initial couple of weeks of feeling like they can do anything they want the full reality sets in: getting older just sucks.

Swimming: Sport of the Devil?



Everyday at swim practice the swim team goes through rigorous sets and circuits. These practices just keep getting harder and harder as the weeks creep by. There are long sets and then sprinting sets. Both seem non-stop to all with only a few seconds to try and get your breath. We are pushed to the very edge of are abilities and are nudged to the point of oblivion. On more than one occasion a few swimmers need to 'take a break' to relieve their mouths of unwanted stuffs. If swimming is so difficult and painful then why do us swimmers do this to ourselves? In the beginning of the school year when we start to swim again after the summer the workouts aren't that hard because there's new people who don't know how to swim and many people didn't practice during the summer. But as we all get back into it and everybody knows how to at least do every stroke then practices get harder and faster. By the time you realize that this is more pain than anything else you can't quit because your bod is addicted to it. If you suddenly stop then your body gets very confused and aches even more to be moving. You have withdrawals from the excited/scared feelings you would have right before jumping off the blocks for a race. Swimmers just can't quit for the simple reason that it'll cause even more pain.

When I think of stars I first think of their brilliance and then I think of the hope that they bring to many people like myself. Since I've been little I have always done the whole wish-apon-a-star-thing and whenever I think back to those days of when I actually thought it was real I think of how happy I was. Stars inspire even the smallest of people. They have a great power to make people believe in something better. Why? How can something seemingly so far instill into us something so powerful? I think it's because stars are small to us yet they are brilliant. People might see them and think of how something small can make a difference in something so huge. Even if it's just one star in the sky you can see it and the difference it makes to the darkness. People crave something like that in their lives. They might see a likeness in their lives that the stars could represent people and that even one person can make a difference no matter how big or small. Stars are very symbolic of hope and wishing. They are something that everyboby can feel the effects of but never will be able to touch just like hope. You can feel hope around you but it's not tangible. It makes people happier to think of how something better can come.

The Profound, Focused, Thoughtfully Deep One (aka The Weird One)



Corinne. An outrageously insightful girl. She looks down deep for things others(mainly Becky and I) just don't seem to find or don't care to. And then again, in return she doesn't seem to see some simple things either. What makes her so Corinne-ly? I have found in roughly the whole year I have known her that you just can't describe or explain her in a sentence or two, believe me I've tried. She has and incredible way of thinking which can be used for good or bad depending on her mood. Outwardly docile and sweet, she really has these hilariously critical views of others and their clothing. Listening to her you really see all this pent-up frustration of her knowing what they're doing wrong but being incapable of fixing it. Her Corinneliness makes her so she wants to help or fix anything that's wrong. Her mind is so complex in thinking that she confuses many people all the time and she gets so frustrated over this also that sometimes she explodes or implodes depending on the day. Frustration is a big part of what makes her Corinne. She is so much smarter then everyone else and we just don't seem to comprehend that. All of this makes her incredibly patient and uncomplaining. It's just purely Corinne.




(Corinne I love you and this is all lovingly written! don't worry The Becky is getting it next week)

The All-Around-Best-Cheer-er-up-er

Warm chocolate chip cookies have been proven time and time again in being a true anti-depressant. It really is no wonder with their warm chocolatey goodness, soft center, and slightly crunchy edges. Just recently I've had an experience of them making my day and two others' day better. It didn't seem to be a good day for any of us and then we started talking about the "famous favorite" and are day seemed a little brighter just at the thought of the perfect little delights that had this amazing healing ability. Now what is really the key to their power? it has to be the warmth. Usually bad days are cold, dreary and have no hope, but surprisingly the little amount of warmth cookies bring seems to soothe the cold out of your day and fills it with hope. The quintessence of a cookie just happens to be the chocolate chip cookie. It makes anyone smile through its pure warmth.

..::12 Erratic Hours::..





Working for twelve hours in one day is a crazy feat that I hope never to experience again. Why is working twelve hours so insane? Working at a movie theater poses some difficulties that make it not conducive to that much work, such as, constantly being on your feet, interacting with not so happy customers, and the major cleaning at the end of it all.


Your feet are certainly strong for putting up with all the activities that goes on during the day, but they must have a limit. I believe my limit was reached yesterday during my double shift at work. I have been used to working my usual shifts of six hours for a while, but it did take some time for that to happen. My feet were killing me about seven hours in. The end of twelve I was so ready to just sit for the same amount of hours. Working for that long is not good for anybody's feet.

Others' attitudes truly do affect your own. When I tried to talk to someone and offer them something else they would just snap at me like I should know what they want or don't want. I would just be especially nice to those kinds of people but it does put you off of your good feelings towards anyone for the rest of the day. When customers treat you like your stupid for twelve hours it really starts to drive you crazy. By the end of the night you'll have been freaking out that you're so tired you don't want to do anything at all. It makes your whole body hurt as well as your feet.


When you close the movie theater you have a lot of cleaning to do before you can go home. You must clean the popcorn popper, the warmers, the dishes, the counters, the floors, and any other random thing that the managers feel like forcing you to do. After already having an aching body and feet the last thing you want to do is clean for two hours. Cleaning the popper is what takes the most time if you do it right. That is what I had to clean and it took me longer than usual because of my achiness. It was totally and completly the craziest day that I have worked there. Twelve hours is no good; it has made me appreciate how much easier the usual six hours is because of all the problems it gave me.

The Best Attention Getter





I have a friend that I've known for about four years. She happens to be my best friend. One of the first things that I found strikingly interesting about her was that she doesn't like chocolate. I thought about all the reasons why she could possibly not like it. The first thing that came to mind was maybe she likes all the attention she gets when people find out she doesn't like it. People just randomly talk to her about her little quirk even if they don't know her. She meets so many new people just because she doesn't like something. She likes being different so maybe she thought that not liking chocolate was something so different and not very many can understand it so she'll get more attention. It's also possible that she just doesn't want to eat it because of the color. It's really interesting because she is so picky and a lot of the foods are brown. Could just be a coincidence but...who knows. She gets a lot of attention from being so picky also. She seems to be the kind of person that nobody cares how picky she is; she's so intriguing that everyone will accomodate her needs. Last reason she that she doesn't like chocolate could simply just be because she had too much of it once or that her body doesn't like it. She could've once had eaten too much chocolate and the gotten sick because of it and then never liked it since. Which that would've caused a great deal of attention for her. Or she might just really not like it for the simple reason of not liking it and she can't help it but she still accepts all the attention given to her. So we see, if you happen to have a need for some attention then start disliking something that everyone likes and you will have more attention and friends then you'll ever really need.




( Alicia if you ever read this I mean it in the most loving possible way! ;p )

From a Girl's Point of View




Some guys consider their ego to be more important than other peoples' thoughts or feelings, or so it seems. When with their friends and a girl is around, they need to act all cool and macho. They'll ignore the girl who's trying to talk to him, or act like he doesn't know what he's talking about. Whereas, were he alone with her or with some of her friendshe would be very charming and attentive and not at all like he is with his friends. Now, why?

One reason they might do this is because they think they need to be two different people. They need to be one person around their friends and another around girls to be able to fit in. Boys might feel the need to be accepted in both worlds and so they act the two different parts so they can't be made fun of or teased. Maybe they feel insecureand just go with the flow. But, whatever the reason may be, it causes a great deal of frustration for the ladies, sometimes causing them to take unnecessary measures.

Another reason for them to be so egotistical would be because they want to impress people, girls, friends, anybody they can really. They need to look tough as if nothing could ever get in their way. Power is a big guy thing. Guys need to be stronger, better, faster then anybody else. it doesn't impress or attract girls. We get offended and annoyed when boys act macho and like their higher in status than us.

Boys really are sensitive and need to be loved. They are needy whether they want to be or not whether they think so or not. They need to be treated with care because their egos are so tender and fragile. We, ladies, need to understand the weaker side of guys and always remember what they are trying to protect when they offend you: their EGO.

Vrai ou Faux?




Is hand-washing really that hard? I mean, come on, it really isn't that hard to put some soap on your hands, scrub it on and rinse. but for some people it really takes some effort. Some people don't even care if someone sees that they don't wash their hands. I work at a movie theater and the other day I was in the bathroom cleaning the counters and a lady walks out of a stall and right out the door. WHOA! I stood there for a second and couldn't believe she just did that. I was standing right there! Maybe she didn't want to get in my way, but right then I was cleaning one of the three sinks, or maybe she thought that her hands didn't need to be washed or (I'm hoping) maybe she had hand sanitizer in her purse that she was going to use. But seriously, if she had some sanitizer she could've pulled it outin front of me so I don't think about these kind of things.


Only 11% of men and 17% of women wash their hands after using the bathroom. Why can't people just wash their hands! i can think of only a couple reasons why they wouldn't. They are in a really big hurry, but even then it takes less than a minute to wash your hands, or they might rationalize it and say, well the faucet is probably dirtier than my hands so why get them dirtier? Either way this world needs to slow and needs to stop thinking so stupidly. Which brings me to another topic I'll probably discuss later.