Assignment 24 - Charlie Grimes

Ah, what a year! Somehow, our junior year is coming to a close. We are feeling the anticipation of summer, yet it seems that just a few days ago we were all talking about how great this year is going to be. And for the most part, we were right.

First, failures. Should I have engaged in more resumé building activities? Yeah, probably. Should I have gone the extra mile to get a 4.0? Once again, yes. But what has happened has happened, and I do not tend to dwell on what I have done wrong...

... and this is because in general, my life and year have presented me with so many more reasons to be happy and feel content with what I have. I have made amazing new friendships, and have grown greatly closer to my fellow Academy people. I have made hysterical and unforgettable memories, and have made connections with people I had previously known nothing about. I have spontaneously dumped a can of white paint on myself at a football game, garnering fame for myself amongst the underclassmen. I have driven around for hours on some nights, doing nothing more than picking up and seeing random peers to talk to. I have gone on unexpectedly hilarious college visits with my good friend. I have gone on an amazing spring break trip to the undeveloped and breathtaking Cumberland Island with close friends. I have had the time of my life at Prom (lol). I think I would consider Junior year a success overall. Now, for icing on the cake, I just have to find a mentoring project...

Assignment 25 (Stress)- Rena Childers

 As much as I would love to say I make all my decisions, unfortunately that is not the case. If you had asked me if I was in charge of my life a year ago I would have said absolutely. Recently, however, my parents have decided that they are entitled to make my decisions regarding academics and my summer. These past two weeks have been some of the most stressful of my life. My parents are insisting I attend GSP, despite my attempts to appeal to their kinder sides. I have a B in math, and although this may seem miniscule, it could completely wreck my straight A’s. A few of my teachers have refused to take late work from when I was absent, my college counselor just informed me I am taking three SAT subject tests this Saturday, and I just received a lower score on my ACT than I hoped for. In last hour today, I had a bit of a silent meltdown. I agreed to transport hats for a hatmaker from Lexington to Louisville and to package all of the additional equipment and I was regretting that decision. As I left school, I felt completely hopeless. I forced myself to listen to upbeat music in hopes of improving my mood. After about forty-five minutes of driving, I began to be happier. I have found that just getting out of Lexington immediately destresses me. This has been the case throughout my life; traveling is my escape. And although it is just a temporary fix, it often helps me find a solution to attack my stress.

Assignment 24- Jacob Young

I would love to honestly say that junior year has been a breeze. That I wasn't ever stressed, felt overwhelmed, or confused. In reality, the opposite is true. I have been stressed more than ever, I have felt overwhelmed on several occasions, and I have been confused about Mrs. Drake and Physics more than what seems feasible. I believe it was the great football coach Paul Brown that once said, "The key to winning is poise under stress." Those three words, "poise under stress," is the best way I can characterize my junior year. I've managed to keep it together, maintaining a solid GPA and a good enough ACT score. My college planner has been keeping me on track as well, so at this point in time I have a pretty solid idea of every college I'm going to apply to. Summer is going to be a blast, being at camp for 2 months will be awesome as always. The only reason I'm looking forward to senior year is because I know it's just one more year before college. Just have to suffer through one more year of high school, and hopefully enjoy myself along the way.

Assignment 25 - STRESS!! - Optional

This is a Makeup Blog Post.  If you have a score that is less than a 30/30, this will replace that grade

Inspired by Keanu Gomez

As high school students, you are becoming more and more involved and in control of your school life as well as your "real" life. You face the many challenges of being a high school student in the Liberal Arts Academy as well as the growing responsibility of independence. Many of you are about to experience the dreadful two weeks of multiple high stakes tests as well as your Final for US History. To get through these two weeks and other weeks like these, how do you manage all that stress? What are your stress relieving activities? Are they effective? 



Minimum of 150 words.  Due on May 11th @ 11:59 pm

Assignment 24: The Future - James Apo

This junior year was quite successful. For starters, I expected it to have the heaviest of workloads, but it turned out to be less than both previous years. I think something detrimental to that fact was only having two academy classes instead of three. Also, we did not have as much of a workload in our history class, and it was more of a college style class in the fact that our ability to do good was reliant on our ability to keep up with the pace of expectations given by Mr. Pope. Of course math and science classes were like usual, both giving a sizable amount of homework for the week. I found my science class this year - AP Physics 1 - to be the most challenging of the science classes I have taken so far. If there has been one main success for school this year, it would be getting good grades. If there was one failure for this school year, it would be getting only a 27 composite score on the ACT. I've learned the basic stuff this year, that some people can turn on you quickly while others will stick around. In the summer I spend it all in Hawaii, which although that will set me back for my Senior mentoring project, it is definitely some well needed relaxation. For my senior year, I just want to enjoy my final year as a high schooler, and it will be very interesting to read the letter I wrote as a freshman in Mr. Lentz's class to my future senior self. I plan to reach my goals by preparing for college and instilling a better study ethic into my habits.

assignment 24: vincent pisacano

junior year so far has honestly been great. grade wise, i got a pretty decent act score and maintained a pretty decent gpa, so i am content with that. socially, i have gotten pretty close with a bunch of different people while maintaining a strong central friend group. one failure of my junior year would have to be UK losing in the final four. could have made history. although i did not control the outcome of that event at all, i still see it as a failure in my life. this summer, im playing lacrosse as usual, but also i am probably going to get a job, so that will be interesting. for senior year, i would like to not be overburdened by homework, and get in to an ideal college. all in all, junior year hasn't been as hard as everyone told me it was going to be (i found sophomore year to be much more challenging), and overall has been a great success.

Lucas Soard; Assignment 24: The Future

It doesn’t feel like the year is nearly over. I have this weird feeling that we’re going to get to May 29, and then something horrible is going to happen and we have to just keep going to school. Maybe I’ll feel better after AP testing or during finals week, but for now I feel like I’m still in the doldrums. Typically during AP week I catch a second wind and find some motivation, but for now, I’m running on empty.

I can’t really point out any academic successes and failures, I’ve had a fairly even year. Athletically I performed well, accomplishing a lot of my goals from August, and overcoming some adversity to do so.  Academically I’ve had some mistakes, but I don’t have anyone to blame but myself. It’s really not that bad, I’m still performing well, but it’s not what I expect from myself.

I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but my summer should be awesome. I’ll start working 2 jobs, have one or two nice vacations planned, and have football practice the whole time. It will certainly be busy, but the off time from school will be amazing. As for this year, it’s been very middling. Nothing really spectacular, especially in class. But I’m definitely looking forward to senior year and senioritis. 

Assignment 24- The Future Ji-Hae Kim

I can't believe that junior year is almost over. That means it's almost time for AP testing (haha no). My "successes" this year are getting into kung fu and girl's lacrosse. I wasn't in a lot of extracurriculars in freshman and sophomore year. This year I'm really glad that I got to join two really fun and great activities--even though that means I have no time to do anything else. I think some things I failed in this year was staying on top of EAP Mentoring... That was a mess. I didn't even know I had someone to mentor until a little while ago. I also failed in actually studying for any classes. I told myself last year that I would study a bunch junior year, but that just didn't end up happening. A lesson I learned this year was that sleep is extremely important. If I don't get enough sleep, I can't function properly--which means more and more work adds up, leading to even less sleep. I had to prioritize this year in what I spent my time doing so that I'd get enough sleep.

In the summer, I plan to go to some retreats and summer camps. I hope that I won't get too stressed out in senior year (yeah right). I hope my mentoring project will end up being enjoyable for me. What else will I do senior year? I plan to get to brown sash in kung fu. I want to join Girl Project. I want to learn how to write something using less 'I's. 

The Future- Jamie Smith

Junior year, overall, was an enormous success. I made so many great friends, and I finally have a social life that I can think about without wanting to cry. My grades have stayed up, although the year isn’t over yet. Being a human being, I have obviously made many mistakes, but I have fewer regrets this year than ever before, which is extremely important to me. Over the summer I plan to lifeguard, work on my mentoring project with the student voice team, and go to two national government Y conferences. Senior year I want to get my college applications done as early as possible so I can relax and enjoy the last few months I’ll have with my Kentucky friends. My main goal right now is to go to a good college as far away as possible, so I don’t want to miss out on any time with the people here that I love. 

Assignment 24 - Aislinn Langley

Junior year is almost over and I will not be at all sad to see it go. It's had it's ups and downs, but has, for the most part, been a good year. Some of my notable successes have been miraculously maintaining my GPA, reconnecting with old friends and making new ones, and learning how to better take care of myself (not to mention some of the worst 24 hour movie marathons ever seen by mankind). I think to say that I had any failures would be a touch dramatic, however I could have done better in putting effort into practicing violin and actually reading all of the assigned chapters in APUSH (Mr Pope, I'm genuinely sorry). My only only real risk this year was signing onto the spring show, thus sacrificing a rather large chunk of time I could have (but honestly wouldn't have) spent studying, but it was fun so we'll see how that pays off.
Summer is going to be awesome; I'm once again spending the majority of it working at camp, which I've been excited about since I got home at the end of last summer. The few weeks I am home, I'm gonna do a whole lot of nothing - messing around with friends, reading, sleeping, reminding my brother that he needs to get a job - the usual summer stuff. I'm really excited about senior year. Hopefully my mentoring internship will be awesome, and I'm pumped for AP Lit (I hear we hit up my boy Wilde), as well as AP European History. And senior year is my last hurdle to jump before I'm finally free of high school. I can't wait. But for now I have to focus on surviving junior year.

assignment 24- david chen

Well junior year is almost over. It has been pretty much like all the other years academically wise. School work and activities had to be balanced out and yeah you know the rest. I don't know if i can say i matured and found my inner enthusiasm about my future but for the sake of this and making it as generic as possible i will. I don't recall many successes or failures or at least none that come to mind at the moment. A lesson i learned is that i shouldn't have taken AP Bio as it is a lot of work for little pay off since i'll just end up taking the class in college again anyways. Looking back, I should have and could have preserved a really good gpa by not taking such rigorous classes. It wasn't worth my time anyhow but I've gotten through them pretty cleanly. This summer I think i'll take a spanish 4 class so I can avoid it next year and learn something about computers if I get the motivation. I want a really easy senior year and I plan to achieve that by taking all easy courses.

Assignment 24-The Future: Sloan Warner

My junior year has been hectic, with a lot more ups than downs, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. My main successes have been balancing when to have fun and when to get down to business. I have matured more and more and I have found my work ethic which I think has been my most important accomplishment thus far. Pretty early on this year, I decided that the earlier I start building my professional-self and preparing myself for the "real world", the happier and more successful I will be down the road. Just through keeping myself more informed as to what is happening in the world by reading the Wall Street Journal every day or reading an interesting book (I am about to read a book about Robert E. Lee on leadership which I am very excited about), I feel I have matured quite a bit. Another way I have grown is by emulating the actions of the successful people I know today and aspiring to be like them. Doing the little things they do can be a true game-changer. 

Now have I made some mistakes along the way? I will be the first one to admit that of course I have made some mistakes, but I grow from every mistake and move on as a better person. One of the many things I learned from the Leadership Lexington Youth Program is that you must act with integrity and own it when you mess up, you must move on walking the fine line between learning from past mistakes, but not looking back on the past because you can't do anything about it. 

This summer is going to be one of the most jam packed summers in my life. I recognize I am really lucky to be able to travel everywhere for lacrosse and family trips and I look forward to every second of it. One goal of the summer is to get recruited to play lacrosse in college, but I understand that if that doesn't materialize, there will be many other great opportunities for my college experience without lacrosse. 

For senior year, I hope to continue to develop my professional character so I am fully prepared when the time comes that I am a "big boy" with a "big boy" job. I know many kids sort of goof off the second half of their senior year once they get into college, but I really would like to take the chance to instead prepare myself further for the "real world". I am excited to see where life takes me and I will find out soon what the rest of my life is going to look like. All I gotta say is that LIFE IS GOOD.

assignment 22 Derrick Thomas

If I could be a fictional character, I would no doubt be a member of the Avengers from Marvel comics. I would be a superhero who had enhanced skills and equipment to help me fight off “bad guys”. The skills, might be strength, hearing, sight or any other that worked for the good. I would choose any of these characters because they usually fight real people who are hurting people in our society.  They have learned to how to use equipment (shield, suit ec). to enhance their work. They maintain their power and use it for good. All of them, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Spider-Man, etc were once natural humans and by some happenstance or freak accident, were endued with some ability. They learned how to make something that could have been a negative and made it positive. They learned methods to out wit and take down enemies in society.  I like the fact that they were original human beings, unlike mutants. They also like to remain anonymous so people would not flock to them. This helped them to remain humble.

Assinment 21 Derrick Thomas

At this moment, somewhere in the universe there is hope. Hope is defined as “a confident desire, likelihood of success wish or desire, source of success and trust”.  I believe there is hope for my future and for my success as an African American man growing up in America. In spite of all the news that shows young Black males who are killed by the police or others, seemingly, without just cause, I am not afraid. I believe that my life was planned before I was created and that I will live a full and abundant life. I continue to look for the positive around me. I look for ways to be positive, although I know there is so much darkness. Bad things do happen to good people. I do not know why. I just believe everything happens for a reason. Therefore, I cannot focus on things I cannot change. It only makes you angry or sad. So I believe at this moment, somewhere in the universe there is hope.

The Future - Weiran Liu

To sum up junior year in one word I would say it has been hectic. Academically I was boggled down with 5 AP classes, seminar, applications, and a workload like no other. Outside of school I worked 20+ hours a week, boxed, swam, participated in LLYP and other community activities, clubs, and extracurriculars though out the year. So I would have to say that time management has been a success this year. Junior year is definitely the most jam packed year, and to say that I had the opportunity to take advantage of all the opportunities we’ve been offered is something that I am proud of. A big lesson I’ve learned however is that I definitely need to set some time aside to study, but more importantly to unwind and do relax. I’ve found myself crashing from exhaustion and needing at least 36 oz. of coffee a day to make up for my lack of sleep. To comment more on my studying revelation, junior year has shown me that I really need to hone in my skills to really get to the level that I really want. My summer plans actually depend on the decisions I make these next couple of weeks. I just recently found out I got accepted into GSP, and if I go that’ll take up 5 weeks of summer. If not, I plan on working 40 hours a week, starting my mentoring project, and then relaxing the rest of the day. The first few days I’ll probably head up to D.C with my family. One thing I know is that I am going to catch up on sleep. Eventually when I get bored or restless I will probably start on college applications – looking at them, brainstorming, etc. and study more for the ACT because you can always improve. For my senior year I would love to make it as smooth as I possibly can. I can already feel myself burning out but I am determined to last until at least after I finish my college applications, then it’s a bit iffy on what my motivation levels will lie at. My goal for senior year is to definitely stress less, but to not fall off my academic path and standard that I’ve worked so hard for. Ultimately I want to enjoy my last year of high school. Live it out to its fullest. I will take advantage of all the time I have left with my peers and make memories that I can think about years later and laugh about how reckless or how happy we were at the time.

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 - Cory Baker

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe someone is counting to a million. They won't get there though. They'll give up at 100 if their smart, 1000 if their lucky. They will realize everything is futile. They may be thinking of nothing but the next number, preparing their brain for the vast emptiness that is death. They also might be thinking about Ord from Dragon Tales. If it is any of the dragons from Dragon Tales they would be thinking of Ord because he is the best dragon. They are probably thinking about how cool it is when he makes Dragon Corn. Dragon corn is basically popcorn for you readers out there not particularly fluent in Dragon Tales references. Theses are all thoughts that may occupy the brain of someone counting to a million because honestly a lot of thoughts are going to end up going through the head of someone counting all the way to a million.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Cory Baker

If i could be any fictional character it would definitely be Ord from smash-hit children's cartoon Dragon Tales. This is because he gets to let Max ride on his dragon back and Max is a cool guy who I would want to be friends with. They are best friends. If I were Ord I would also be best friends with Max. Ord is also capable of making "Dragon Corn". It's basically just popcorn but he uses fire breath to pop it. Fire breath would be cool too I guess but i'm more interested in the popcorn aspect of it to be honest. Ord is afraid of the dark though which sucks but honestly if I had fire breath i'd just use that to light stuff up. Not entirely sure why he doesn't do that, maybe it's a plot point maybe it's for the welfare of those around him. Either way if I were Ord that's what I would do. Ord also is friends with Zak and Wheezie and I would want to be friends with them because I've never seen conjoined twins before.

Snakes?! Why did it have to be snakes?! Jacob Ferguson

One of my favorite characters of all time is Indiana Jones.  I would like to be him out of all characters for a lot of reasons.  Mainly, I love the romanticism and pure excitement of his adventures.  He travels the world, explores ancient civilizations, and fights Nazis.  The whole feeling of his adventures is something that I have loved since I was a kid and to go through them would be amazing and terrifying.  Additionally, Indy is an interesting person.  He is smart, and is not afraid to use his knowledge and wit.  He is very fallible, and has weaknesses, like women and his fear of snakes.  He can make a joke, and doesn't take himself too seriously.  He is generally humble, and earns things through hard work.  In the end, he tries to do what is right, and has a compassion for other people.

Perfect Playlist - Cory Baker

Perfect playlist for when you're feeling too good about yourself/too happy

Marvin's room - Drake

This drunken ballad by Drake showcases both his loneliness and regret, along side his boastful arrogance. This song is a look into the personal life and emotional struggle of a famous rap star, something captured by few other artists in an industry faced by careless braggadocio playboys.

Igotabmxbikebutimnotverygood - Bones ft. X. Wolf

Collaboration between rapper/singer Bones and Xavier wolf, Igotabmxbikebutimnotverygood exemplifies the half-hearted tone of the average teenager, torn between never caring enough to be great at something and trying to find somewhere or something to belong to.

Without you - Spooky Black

A soulful trance inducing fog, without you is a painful peer into the heartbreak and emotional dependence of singer spooky black. Sweeping between sweet and sincere serenading and growling whispers, without you tells the tale of an obsessed ex-lover on the verge of suicide singing "imma end my life without you".

Hellhole ratrace - girls


Very good song two thumbs up.

R u still in 2 it - mogwai

Honestly don't listen to this song ever just picked it because of the title. It seemed fitting for the end of a playlist.

The perfect playlist for Game of Thrones - Jack Phillips

1. King Slayer by Wale. This song is epic. I love how it uses the intro to game of thrones as a beat for his rapping, and this is one of the few good songs that was on either one of the Catch the Throne mixtapes (I was very disappointed with Snoop Dogg's song on the second one)
 2. Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins. Every playlist needs this song, but especially game of thrones for whenever a character does something badass, which is becoming much more often now that people like Arya are able to fight well.
3. The Nights by Avicii. Just an all around good song that has a feel good vibe for that period in the middle of the episode right after the anticipation dies down, and right before your favorite character dies when you think nothing can go wrong.
4. Say Something by A Great Big World. The sad song for when your favorite character inevitably is cruelly murdered.
5. Snow by Red Hot Chili Peppers. This song is the song that chills you out after an hour of heart wrenching anticipation, amazement, joy, depression, and pretty much every other emotion that that show causes.

assignment 23: david chen

My music preferences change often and range from all different sorts of genres. Although i do listen to music quite regularly, I don't resort to playlists for certain occasions. As I am currently drawing a blank on what songs to post and have read some posts for classic rock, I'll make mine based on my favorite rock songs from the past. If you have some time and you're feeling rock than this is for you.

More than a feeling by Boston- I think it's a pretty classic rock song. It retains some good background music throughout and the vocals are quite nice. It's also relaxing and and sets a nice mood to start off the playlist with.

TNT by ACDC- This is a quick, fast-paced song that brings up the tempo of the playlist. It gets the blood flowing and excites the listener. Thus, this makes for a good song to build up to slower tempo ones later.

Livin' on a prayer by Bon Jovi- I really like the vocals and the guitar music in this. It is a good music to peak on the playlist with and it'll die down for other songs later on. Also if you're having any questions or issues this song would really relate because you're essentially living on a prayer.

Every rose has its thorn by Poison- This song is a nice change from the intense music of the last two songs. Its quite calm and builds up gradually. The lyrics have some nice deeper meaning that one could find if they look for it. It settles down quite nicely for the final song.

The Final Countdown by Europe- What a fitting name for the finale. It sounds crisp and smooth and has elongated background sounds. These contrast nicely with the bold lyrics and electric guitar sounds. This also is a motivating song so ending the playlist will be a nice way to get productive after.

I want to create a playlist for pulling a late night study session. With finals and AP tests approaching, this is something I’m likely to get very familiar with. There are so many qualities that decide what makes a great late-night song, but I want to actually talk about the songs a little bit.

     Wonderful Everyday- Chance the Rapper

This is awesome song with an awesome concept. This is a cover of the theme song from the “Arthur” television show on PBS. The climax of the song where Chance and the features on the song put together really is beautiful, and more than enough to power you through whatever assignment you are slaving over.

     Can’t Tell Me Nothin’- Kanye West

This is a motivation song. Kanye is gonna get his money, and do whatever he wants with it. And you will buy into it, and give you the over-confidence of Kanye. That’s not always the best thing, but you’ll need all the confidence you can get at 2:00 a.m.

     Use Me- Bill Withers

This is all about the music. As soon as this classic from Wither’s timeless album “Still Bill” hits you, you feel it. It grooves like a funk song but has the lyrics of a Motown song. The instrumental version of this song could have you going strong well into the night.

      HiiiPoWeR- Kendrick Lamar

This was one of the first songs from Kendrick to really grab me. It's soft, almost haunting beat and lyrics can inspire anyone. 

      D*** It Feels Good to be a Gangsta- Geto Boys

This hip-hop classic will make you realize what a real gangsta is, and make you believe (falsely) that you are one. Which is very important.

     Honorable Mention:

Little Black Submarines (The Black Keys), Microphone Fiend (Eric B & Rakim), Catch a Bad One (Del the Funkee Homosapien), Scenario (A Tribe Called Quest),  Scenario (A Tribe Called Quest)

Perfect playlist for the end of the world Jacob Ferguson

This playlist will be perfect for the realization of an impending apocalypse.

1. It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

R.E.M. 

As the title of this song suggests, the world is ending, and you feel fine.  Get ready for the apocalypse as this song proclaims it is coming.

2. Sympathy for the Devil

The Rolling Stones

The devil tells you how he’s been meddling in human affairs.  He was back there in all the events leading to the fall of society.  Plus, the song descends into chaos as the tension is building.

3. Blowin’ In the Wind

Peter, Paul, and Mary

We lament the problems of our society, pleading for cooperation.  The very sad tone of this song is remorseful, and looks for answer to save our world that is “blowing in the wind.”

4. I Melt With You

Modern English

After our attempts to reconcile, we realize the end is inevitable.  In this song you want to find love before the apocalypse.  You just want to “stop the world and melt with [someone].”

5. Verdi Cries

10,000 Maniacs

As the end draws nigh, listen to this soothing yet tragic sounding song to accept annihilation by whatever means, whether it be asteroid, atomic bombardment, or zombies.

assignment 23: vincent pisacano

if  i were to create a perfect playlist, it would have to be for driving. whenever I drive I love to listen to music. in fact, ive been saving up since middle school for the day i get a car, to buy an amp and a subwoofer. if you dont know a subwoofer creates bass, and pretty much makes music sound awesome. but back to the playlist.
1. rocket man- elton john. this is just a great, feel good song. not much too it, i just love the song and is great for driving down country roads and such.
2. lucy in the sky with diamonds- the beatles. i recently discovered this song, and i loved it. if you dont know what "lucy in the sky with diamonds" means, you dont really know what the songs about. but another great tune.
3. jazz- mick jenkins. had to throw a rap song or two in there. very unknown artist, which i love. he has a great flow and this is one of his best songs.
4. mRAZ- flatbush zombies. you have to be a true rap fan to like this song or group. but if you are, this is an amazing song i could listen to on repeat for hours. a little profane though.
5. white satin- zedds dead. had to have at least one dubstep/dance song. this song starts off slow and peaceful, then the beat drops by punching you square in the face.

Assignment 23 Ji-Hae Kim

Playlist for when you are on a long road trip and you just want to ponder...
Sometimes when I've been in a car for more than an hour, I just zone out and listen to music watching the landscape pass by me. These are some songs I like to listen to when I feel like just enjoying the peaceful moment. I don't know if you'd understand any of them because they're all Korean songs.

1) Eyes, Nose, Lips (Tablo and Taeyang): All of Tablo's songs are meaningful because the lyrics are deep. When I feel like pondering about life or whatnot, I listen to this song to start off.
2) Fiction (B2ST): This sad song helps your mind get going about the things you usually push out of your mind. While you listen, it's easy to daydream and ponder.
3) Umbrella (Epik High ft. Younha): Younha's sweet voice and the background sounds of rain creates the dreary mood of a rainy day. It doesn't really feel dreary though, more like bittersweet.
4) Beautiful (Amber Liu): Amber's beautiful voice combined with these poetic lyrics makes for a peaceful mood. When you're getting over the bittersweet sadness from the previous song, this song makes you feel a sweet happiness.
5) Four Times Around the Sun (Nell): This song continues with the pensive mood you're in and helps you continue daydreaming or pondering or whatever. As you watch the scene out of your car window blur by, you listen to the sweet melody and keep thinking.

Assignment 23 - Sam Vandiver

My taste in music varies from death metal to Adele, and sometimes I have no clue what I want to listen to. This playlist gives a little bit of everything and helps me decide what I'm in the mood to hear:

Jagged - Old 97's: Self-described as "loud folk" this band likes to put really upbeat music to often sad lyrics in a way that can make you smile or cry. This song in particular really speaks to me and always manages to cheer me up.

Lose to Night- Insomnium: Finnish melodic death metal is probably not most people's cup of tea, but this is my go-to song whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed. There's something about the mixture of harsh and clean vocals (including the metal growl), the rapid drums and the dramatic guitar that just clicks and calms me down.

Drake- Energy/Kendrick Lamar-King Kunta: Both are recently released rap songs that I've been listening to a lot. Both are a little chorus-heavy, but the beat on King Kunta is unique and both songs have nice flow and are fun to listen to.

Someone Like You- Adele: Even though she doesn't fit with the rest of the playlist at all, I really like Adele and her voice. This song shows off her incredible vocal talents and is a nice emotional release.

Take Me Home Tonight- Eddie Money: A little classic rock never hurt anyone. This song is great to sing along to and really fun to let loose and belt it out.

Why I want to be Neo - Jack Phillips

If I could be a fictional character, it would be Neo from the Matrix. Why? I think the real answer to that question is why not? He can do pretty much whatever he wants and looks cool doing it. It is like he is in a 24/7 lucid dream where he can do anything from fly around, to stop bullets, to fight at super speeds. Plus when he wakes up the entire human race worships him as if he were their savior (which he kind of is) which would be really cool. For a while at least. The masses groveling at your feet might get tiring. I would have chosen a character from Game of Thrones, except for the fact that GEORGE RR MARTIN FREAKING KILLS THEM ALL IN SUCH A CRUEL AND HEARTLESS FASHION, AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE, AND HE IS AWFUL AND SAVAGE AND OH MY GOD!!!

Right now in the center of the milky way - Jack Phillips

Most people don't know this, but in the middle of our very own galaxy there is a supermassive black hole. Right now it is engulfing hundreds of thousands of tons of matter every second. And while it may sound like this supermassive black hole is a detriment to our galaxy and will eventually tear it apart, it actually helps our galaxy grow. Because even though right now it is consuming the mass of our earth every second, it is adding 200x that mass to the mass of our galaxy. Right now, scientists don't know why there is such a strong correlation to the mass of a galaxy and the black hole in the center, but no matter where in the universe you are, whatever galaxy you are in, the black hole at the center is exactly .5% the mass of your galaxy. And right now scientists are working to figure this out, and coming one step closer to uncovering this piece of our cosmic puzzle.

How to handicap a horserace - Jack Phillips

With the season of Keeneland fast approaching, a lot of people are getting their sundresses, suits, and of course their crazy hats ready, but what they should spend time on is learning how to bet based on something other than the colors of the silks or the names of the horses.
Step 1) deciding which races to bet on. Most people, myself included, bet just about every race when at keeneland, but this isnt always a great strategy. Typically, maiden races are very hard to predict because none of the horses have ever won a race, and are unpredictable. I don't discourage betting on these, but if you do bet, bet small.
Step 2) the posted odds. the odds may not be perfect, but usually are a pretty good indication of a horse's caliber. For example, a horse going off at 1/5 is probably going to win, but the reward is so low, it would be better to bet on a different horse to place, or try an exacta. Likewise, longshots usually aren't a good bet, I would stray away from horses that go off at over 20-1.
Step 3) record. Obviously the record of a horse is important, but the key here is to look at 4 factors (of decreasing importance) of the record. First, race quality. A horse may be winning every race it has been entered in, but if its best victory is a 20k claiming race and it is entered in a 500k graded stakes, its probably not a good bet. Second, distance of the races it has done well in. Some horses are great sprinters, but just because a horse has won five 6 furlong races doesnt mean it will do well in a 1 1/8 mile race. Third is the track type. There are three different kinds of track, turf, dirt, and polytrack. A horse that is great on the dirt may be a terrible turf horse and vice versa. Fourth is form. Some horses, like sports teams, have hot streaks, and if a horse is on a hot streak, it might be a good bet.

assignment 23: logan cox

I am not that big into music so this playlist is a bit thrown together. most will think it is stupid but whatever. this playlist is just a mix of songs that I enjoy and are good for any time really. no big theme to it. mostly classic rock songs so for the classic rock lover.

land downunder, men at work. I chose this song because it is simply a great song. it gets you hype and happy which is why it is the first song in the playlist. it gets people in a happy mood.

TNT by AC/DC. this song is also quick and gets people hype and happy which is why I chose it as the second song. its a bit more fast paced and exciting than land downunder which is another reason why I chose it as my second song.

Rich Girl, Daryl Hall and John Oates. I chose this song for the third song of my playlist because it is the right combination of hype and calm so that it gets us to the high of the song and then starts the descend to the end of the song and the end of the playlist.

Piano Man, Billy Joel. I chose this song to be the fourth song because it starts to bring you back down to a calm state after the first few songs. this is also a classic song so I chose it for that reason as well.

Hells Bells, AC/DC. I chose this song to be last because it slows things down and calms you back down. it is slow paced but still a very good song so I chose this song to round out the playlist.

Assignment 23 - Aislinn Langley

It's April. I find myself in "crunch time" of junior year. AP tests are in less than a month, we all have to get our mentoring projects set up, and we can't forget about finals and end-of-the-year projects. There's a rather large amount of stress on everyone's shoulders. Yes, summer is almost here, but at what price?
The following are selections from my playlist titled "How Am I Gonna be an Optimist About This: a playlist for fighting off that crippling end-of-the-year anxiety and stress."

Pompeii, by Bastille. Other than providing the title of the playlist, Pompeii also captures the whole feeling of impending doom brought on by finals and AP tests. The walls keep tumbling down and nothing is okay.

The Final Countdown, by Europe, because sometimes you need to put some pressure on yourself to actually motivate yourself to study.

Bet On It, from High School Musical 2. This is honestly the best song fro getting hype in the face of adversity while also feeling  little ridiculous. It's interesting how empowering this frankly hilarious and overly dramatic song can be. So even if you have zero confidence in you ability to finish out the year, you can at least pretend to have a shred of self confidence.

Livin' on a Prayer, by Bon Jovi. Such an applicable song for the end of the year. Especially as you get your first look at your final/AP test and judging how hard it's going to be. Is the first question going to be "Who was the third president of the United States?" or "Which of the following was a measure taken in diminishing hostilities between the State of California and Korean immigrants in July of 1971?" I don't know but I'm praying it's the former.

I Don't Care, by Fall Out Boy, because no playlist can accurately capture widespread teen angst without some FOB. This is the song for jamming to as you walk out of a test you're pretty sure you just bombed. Because you can go cry about it, or just slip into the comforting clutches of apathy. The title says it all.

Assignment 23 Perfect Playlist: Sloan Warner

I love music, and I firmly believe the world would be different without music in it, but this isn't about the impacts of music on society. This is about the perfect playlist. I have quite a few playlists which I listen to, but the one I listen to the most is probably my morning playlist I listen to in the shower at 5:00 in the morning.
This Song is Not About a Girl by Flume
      This is a perfect song to slowly wake up to. It has a nice beat that starts slow and progresses throughout the song to a more upbeat feel. There aren't too many words to sing along to, which is nice as well.
Viva La Vida by Coldplay
     This is truly a classic song for me. First of all, I love the use of all the string instruments in this song. It makes the song powerful and unique from many other songs. Secondly, the lyrics to the song are meaningful telling the story of a King who used to rule his people but now sweeps the streets he used to own. It is humbling to listen to every morning.
1901 by Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
      After listening to a relatively depressing song, we come back to another upbeat song that gets your day going.
Drop The Game by Flume
     I continue with the upbeat songs to keep me awake with Drop The Game. It has a nice beat just like my previous Flume song on the playlist, but there are more words to sing to.
Lovely Day by Bill Withers
     This is my favorite song on the playlist and I save the best for last. This song is the best thing possible to wake up to. I sort of look forward to hearing this when I wake up. If you sing along to it, you tell yourself it is going to be a lovely day countless times. This sets your mood for the day and I am confident it makes my entire day better.

Asgn 23: Harrison Inocencio

        This playlist is made up of some of my favorite pieces a like to listen to for studying. Classical music is my favorite for when I have to concentrate, and while you may not recognize some of the names, the themes of the songs will sound very familiar.

1. Rhapsody in Blue

                By George Gershwin, the piece is one of the most diverse pieces ever written, and I like to start out with it in because of its upbeat nature, which helps me get by the initial reluctance to start studying.

2. Appalachian Spring

                This composition is by Aaron Copland, and I decided to put it second because while it is upbeat, unlike Rhapsody in Blue it isn't in an unusual key, and is a good way for me to transition into the themes of the next songs as well.

3. Fanfare for the Common Man

                This is also written by Aaron Copland, and because of its fast pace, it is a good way to reenergize when you reach the half way point in your studies.

4. Pachelbel's Canon

                Written by Pachelbel, this piece is an absolute classic, and while its normally used for ceremonial reasons, it's a great addition to this playlist.

5. . Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

                True the name may sound unfamiliar, but Beethoven's Eine Kleine, you will recognize immediately, and since I've played it before in concerts and such it also has a very personal connection with me.   

Asgn 22: Harrison Inocencio

        If I could choose to be a character from any book or movie, I would probably have to choose Riddick from the Riddick Trilogy. Out of the all the action characters I have watched, he hands down is one of the biggest BA's to ever come to the big screen. I mean the guy can pop his own arms out of his sockets and then back into place in order to escape, move around silently and hide so fully that you never even knew he was there. He's  the last of his species and he can even fight's giant alien monsters with nothing but a knife. He has a unflinching nerve, and he's the kind of guy where he'll straight up laugh at a bunch of guys aiming shotguns right at him. Shortly before he extinguishes the lights and uses his natural night vision to kill all of them. Not saying that I have any desires to be a BA like him, but who wouldn't want to be able to pull that stuff off right?

Asgn 21: Harrison Inocencio

        At this moment, somewhere in the universe, a star is exploding in a populated solar system, where a unique species has evolved and thrived on a planet much like earth. These beings are bipedal, have clear skin, and unlike us they've used the power of the sun and what we call photosynthesis to survive. However, they are intelligent, and like us they have developed a language, culture, and even technology that allows them to travel between planets, using a special fuel unique to their planet, much like our oil but ten times as potent. When the start exploded, it was like a nuclear blast, covering every square inch of their home world. Of course they knew about hydrogen aging, and already knew the age of their sun, that a super nova was close. They had attempted to prepare, sending out expeditions in search of new homes to every corner of the galaxy, built protective shelters to try and shield their people from the blast, anything and everything to try and preserve their species. But it was not enough, and their planet burned, leaving only their expeditions travelling through the blackness of space, slowing running out of power and light, searching in vain for a sign of salvation.       

Assignment 21 Corey McMullin

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe, Norman Feller is learning about what he missed during 14 years underground. Feller, fearing the Y2K virus, went into a bunker to protect himself. Feller was not supposed to leave his backyard bunker until later this year, but he got lonely and sad, and he was curious about whether or not he just wasted 14 years of his life. He did. When this Canadian emerged, he was quite frightened by cell phones, but what impressed Feller most was KFC’s ‘Double Down’ sandwich. Sadly (for us, not Norman Feller), this never actually happened. It was a hoax on a Canadian radio show called This is That. It is what would happen if The Onion and NPR had a Canadian baby. Check out the links to hear the episode about Norman Feller, or to listen to their other episodes, such as one about understaffed police using mannequins.

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thisisthat
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thisisthat/happy-holidays-ban-y2k-prepper-the-hockey-fight-solution-international-snow-championships-1.2843343/man-emerges-from-bunker-14-years-after-y2k-scare-1.2843346

Assignment 22 Corey McMullin

If I could be any fictional character, I would want to be Steve the Pirate from the 2004 film, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Steve the Pirate is among the most passionate characters ever. He spends each day dressed up as a pirate, talking like a pirate, and acting like a pirate. He gets to live his life how he sees fit and that just so happens to be as a pirate, living out childhood fantasies. Until *SPOILER ALERT* a good friend tells him that he is not actually a pirate, he is happy. Then, at the end of the theatrical release (DVD has an alternate ending) Steve is reunited with his friends, and made rich, sharing Peter’s “booty.” No matter what Steve the Pirate was doing, he had fun doing it. He was an all around happy guy that leapt onto an opportunity to help save the gym, even when that idea was as crazy as playing dodgeball.

Assignment 23 Corey McMullin

“Clint Eastwood” by The Gorillaz, “All the Small Things” by Blink-182, “Fly Like an Eagle” by Steve Miller Band, “Mr.Brightside” by The Killers, and “Why Don’t You Get a Job” by The Offspring
The reason that I chose these songs is that these are the songs that I spent my childhood listening to. Every time I got into the car with my dad, he would play songs like this on his “Angry Driving CD.” Except for “Fly Like an Eagle,” these songs were all released in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, they were the songs of my childhood. The reason that “Fly Like an Eagle” fit with these songs was that it was featured in the best film of all time: Space Jam. These songs all fit into my playlist because they are the songs that relax me, reminding me of how happy I was to just be hanging out in the car with me dad on a Saturday afternoon.

assignment 22- logan cox

if I could be any character from any TV show I would probably be barney from how I met your mother. most people think this would be a stupid choice or that I am just picking him because he has had sex with over 200 girls. I mean that is part of the reason but the main reason is because he has a care free and awesome life. he hardly does any work every and no one really knows what he does. he makes a boat load of money and his apartment is very nice. he goes to the bar and hangs out with his friends and drinks every night. he just has an awesome life. to not have to do anything and still make a crap ton of money would be a great life. plus it is a TV show and something fun is always happening in his life which would mean never a dull moment. I wouldn't ever have to be bored again.

assignment 21: logan cox

at this very moment somewhere in the universe there is a alien on another world who is playing soccer. soccer is the most popular sport on earth so I'm sure that on a another habitable planet, aliens love soccer and are playing it as well. I do thing that somewhere out there, there are other life forms on a planet or just in space. space is so vast and mostly unknown to us so we cannot say that there aren't aliens or other life forms. since the universe is so big I believe there are other life forms and that they are playing soccer right now. if there are other life forms in the universe I am sure they have soccer as a sport because it is so popular. they might have other new games that are special to their race or planet but soccer is played by all different species and races.

The Perfect Playlist- Jamie Smith

The perfect playlist I have created is a playlist for a relaxing night drive when you are stressed out. Each song has either a calming sound or relaxing lyrics and they all fit together because of their slow tempos that automatically helps to de-stress. They aren’t necessarily the best songs, but they are perfect for relaxing.

My first song would be Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. I chose this song not because it is quiet and calming but because it is the song my best friends from Israel and I would always sing on long bus rides or just whenever we felt like it. I miss them, so reminding me of them through this song is relaxing for me and gets me away from the stress of my daily life and back into a time when there was little stress and I was away from home.

Next I would play Video Games by Lana Del Rey. I chose this song because of the especially slow tempo. It fits nicely after Home, which isn’t a very quiet or particularly slow-paced song, because it helps begin to bring in calmer songs. It has a slow tempo which gets you in the relaxed mood and in the right mood for the rest of the playlist.

After that I would put Fix You by Coldplay. I picked this song because its soft and toned down compared to most songs. It is impossible to stay stressed with the tranquility of the song combined with the lyrics talking about how it will work out in the end. Listening to it is always easy to just take a deep breath and relax. Also, it is quieter than Video Games, so it continues the pattern of getting softer and calmer.

Next I would put Hey There Delilah by the Plain White T’s. I chose this song because it is calming in both the lyrics and the tone. The lyrics are very certain and sung in an assuring tone, so it helps relieve stress. Just the sound of the song is relaxing. I put it here because it is not as quiet as Fix You, so it wakes you back up a little as you get near the end.

Last I would play Breakeven by the Script. While it is still relatively quiet, both the lyrics and the overall tone of the song are harsher. This finished off the drive by helping you to re-enter the real world with a song that is still quiet compared to most songs. It has a mixture of parts that are relaxing and parts that aren’t, so it at least partially maintains the relaxation you got from the rest of the music.

Assignment 23: Mark O'Brien

I will start off by saying I thoroughly enjoy all types of music besides some heavy metal.  It just hurts my ears.  Because I enjoy such a wide variety of songs I will just make a playlist from songs that I associate with fond memories.

1. Red Hot Chili Peppers- Dani California
 If you have never heard this song you are doing something wrong.  The Red Hot Chili Peppers are probably my favorite band.  I have known all of the words to this song since the song came out in the Stadium Arcadium album.  I spent many hours with my brothers playing rockband when it came out.  Dani California ended up being on the game.  There is not any other time i have been more happy than singing that song on expert and getting a 100%.

2. 50 Cent- Candy Shop
  Yes, this song is very inappropriate and the entire thing is talking about things that I am not allowed to talk about on here, but a kindergartner doesn't understand the meanings.  To me they were just any old lollipops.  So I went into school after learning the entire song as a result of having older siblings who were listening.  I sang the entire song to my kindergarten teacher Mrs. Wilmuth.  She loved me and my singing/rapping brought her to tears.  Yes they were tears of laughter because a kindergarten boy was singing this song to her, but I took it that I was truly talented.

3. Ricky Martin- Lo Mejor de mi Vida Eres Tu
 Do you know Peter Kirk?  If so you will understand.  Pete plays on the golf team with me, and we spend pretty much every day during the summer playing golf.  Well one day we heard this song and decided it was the team song.  No one else on the team really knows it, but Pete and I know every word.  Classic.

4. Benny Benassi 'Cinema' (Skrillex Remix)
  I first heard this song in seventh grade.  My brothers showed it to me, and at the time dubstep music was on the rise.  No one at my school really had ever heard dubstep music, so I was the one who had the privilege of enlightening them.  At first no one liked it.  Its okay they were all squares at the time. After about a year I had the majority of my friends listening to this type of electronic music.  Even though I don't listen to the heavy dubstep such as this song much anymore I still appreciate it.  Now I like more chill progressive electronic music which my peers are skeptical about, but don't worry they will come around.  They always do.

5. Afroman- Colt 45
  This song is extremely explicit.  That being said I listened to it very often last year in english class with McKenna and Charlie sometimes while playing fireboy and watergirl (Behler didn't always condone it, but Charlie and I have a true gift for the game).   Classic.  Just tonight the entire Academy group me was connected in a bonding moment through this one of a kind song.

Assignment 22: Mark O'Brien

This is a tough question because there are so many fictional characters who are badass in their own way.  I am struggling to pick between Neal Caffrey and Tony Stark aka Ironman.  While Ironman is a Techlord, playboy, billionaire, and philanthropist Neal Caffrey is sophisticated, charming, and the best con artist in the world.  I will choose Neal because he is incredibly talented at every art you can think of besides singing.  He has never sang in the show.  I would love to be incredibly cunning and take down the true bad guys while maybe hunting a german submarine filled with gold.  Then spend a year in a tropical island where I am basically king.  After that come back and continue getting all the ladies, painting, and hunting crazy white collar criminals.  The main reason I considered Ironman is because he never went through a traumatic experience.  Sure his dad was always working, but a lot of peoples dads are "always working."  Neal had to watch the love of his life be blown up in an airplane knowing that it was his fault she was dying.

Assignment 21: Charlie Grimes

At this moment, political violence rages in the streets of Middle Eastern countries. Terrorist groups militarize people of all ages (including young children) through manipulative tactics in order to push forth their missions of violence.

At this moment, a significant portion of the US population lives below the poverty line, many homeless and jobless. Debates on the best solution to this problem polarize the country, and political gridlock prevents progress.

At this moment, debilitating diseases plague African countries, with family after family being affected. Proper shelter is often non-existent, food is scarce, and water is contaminated to an appalling level by the very people who need it the most.

At this moment, the US, one of the most highly developed countries in the world, continually falls well behind a multitude of other countries in reading, math, science, and education in general. The education system is widely considered to be broken.

At this moment, I sit writing this blog, wondering why my only source of current events information is the internet or TV, wondering why our schooling experience includes little to no talk of the incredibly important events that occur every day in this country and all around the world, and wondering why the decisions of today that affect us the most go unacknowledged in our education system.

Assignment 23: The Perfect Playlist- Samantha McGehee

I love music and believe it should be listened to throughout all kinds of events in life. The ups and the downs. Through the past year or so I created a kind of grieving playlist that I listened to whenever I lost somebody I loved or was feeling like I needed words to express that loss. These are some of the songs from that playlist. I creatively called it Funeral March.

Hallelujah- Jeff Buckley: Yes this is the song from Shrek, but I love its simplicity and its depth. It has a calming effect but incites a really strong emotion for me. My favorite lyric is when he says "love is not a victory march, it is a cold and broken Hallelujah." Losing someone you love doesn't feel like a victory march, he feels much more like how he describes it. I chose it as an opening song because it is not necessarily about death but it is about the pain involved with love which I think is felt the most in death.

Somebody Loved- The Weepies: This song really just celebrates how somebody can take you from just a person to somebody loved and how truly magnificent that is. More than anything I see it as a thank you to the person who turned you into somebody loved. I chose this as the second song because its really just honoring the relationship you have with others.

Through My Prayers- The Avett Brothers: This song talks about all the emotions that you experience through losing someone, especially the regrets and the desire just to somehow let them know you loved them, no matter what you may have said or did that you regret. The solution in the song is that now your only option is to tell them through your prayers. Its begins the acceptance process of death, and trying to say the most important things in the only way you can now.

World Spins Madly On- The Weepies: Death causes a pause in the world and it seems to slow, but eventually our worlds begin to spin again because we can't stay in that death paused world forever. This song talks about the difficulty in that world when it keeps going when you feel that great loss. But the world keeps spinning and eventually you will too.

Every Age- Jose Gonzales: I chose this song to end this playlist because its a very calming and reflective song about life as a whole. It emphasizes making the best of this short lived stay and that every age has a life and death, change and consistency and that we have to find the important things in all of it. We  have to try to make the best of this world, whatever world it is to us.

Assignment 22: Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Samantha McGehee

If I could be any fictional character, my initial thought would be to Tom Hansen from 500 Days of Summer. I would like to be Tom because I think Tom is an average person, who has an average life and an average experience with love and his job but yet through cinema he is made out to be a triumphant hero extraordinaire. Tom is a romantic and believes in love and first sight and all that jazz. He meets Summer, who he falls head over heels in love with when they first bond over The Smiths (who doesn't? Am I right?) But unlike Tom, Summer doesn't believe in all that love stuff. They have fun but Tom gets his heart broken. After throwing a huge melodramatic fit and throwing some plates, he gets his life together and aspires to be the great architect he wants to be. Eventually, he is able to see why Summer wasn't right for him and accepts that Summer is engaged and she admits to him all that love stuff he believes is true, but only with the right person. Tom goes on a job interview to be his life long dream of an architect and meets Autumn (Summer and Autumn. Wonder which is right for him... hmmm) I like Tom because he overcomes what everybody struggles with, which is having a positive outlook on life and love no matter what and aspiring to be the best version of himself and not forcing love. Go Tom.

Assignment 21: Right Now- Samantha McGehee

At this moment, somewhere in the universe a Samantha is sleeping because she did her blog posts earlier. At this moment, somewhere in the universe a Samantha is not in Mr. Logsdon's class because she never got off the waiting list for the Gifted and Talented program in third grade. At this moment, somewhere in the universe a Samantha is disabled because her growth deficiency with her legs never corrected itself. At this moment, somewhere in the universe a Samantha is laughing with the sister she never had.  At this moment, somewhere in the universe a Samantha is asleep on the couch in Morehead, Kentucky because her parents decided not to move. At this moment, somewhere in the universe a Samantha is being efficient with her time because she is not a procrastinator. At this moment, somewhere in the universe a Samantha shares a bathroom with her grandmother that lives with her because her grandfather didn't survive the stroke 20 years ago. At this moment, somewhere in the universe a Samantha is dead because that driver never swerved at the last second.

(This post is not meant to be creepy, it is based off of this theory that in the universe there are infinite and simultaneous worlds happening based on different decisions and occurrences, and that as a person we dictate and live out a single instant that actually had an infinite number of possibilities.)

Assignment 23: the perfect playlist; Walt Finch- Riding the Bench

The perfect playlist for when you are driving home after a frustrating game of riding the bench

1.       Guilty All The Same (feat. Rakim) – Linkin Park: The harsh sounds of the guitar to start this song just perfectly meet the anger and frustration you are feeling after this experience.  It goes for a while, so it matches the fast and aggressive driving that most likely will be happening.  And the words go with the frustration you are feeling towards your coaches for not giving you opportunities to prove yourself no matter how well you play in practice, at yourself for not being good enough, at teachers for feeling like if you had less school work you could practice and work out enough to play, and then just knowing that its all on you to get playing time, no one is going to help you.

2.       Cuz They Get It – Rob Bailey & The Hustle Standard: This song has somewhat of an upbeat tempo, and a lot of yelling, which helps to carry over the angry feelings you are feeling.  Those feelings of however hard you work it doesn’t matter and people don’t understand how you feel.  The don’t understand how frustrating it is so the best way to let it out is just to work harder.  This song doesn’t have near as many lyrics, or as deep and thoughtful, it is more for you to think, to calm down, and just focus on what you have to do next.

3.       Breath Of Air – Grieves: The slow ending from the previous song perfectly transition into this song, which is a little slower, to go with the fact that you are calm now, and that pensive yet frustrated mood.  It is a little deeper, but still angry.  It is about how that goal is right there, it is so attainable.  It’s how you know it is right there, but it just feels like it can’t be done, you need something to let up for you to do it but nobody is going to let up so you have to force yourself to do it.

4.       Warriors – Imagine Dragons: The last song has made you think a little bit about why you want to achieve that.  It seems like no one else is pushing that hard, every one else is out partying or chilling and having fun.  But you always have stuff to do it seems like.  This song relates to me, maybe not other people in the academy because I know they are incredibly afraid of conflict, but I want to go into the military.  I want to protect everybody who is incapable of protecting themselves for whatever reason, and this connects with that goal to me.  I want to be the best, so that I can effectively be that guy.  Even if this sounds retarder, idk, it’s what I want to do, its what I think I’d be good at.

5.       Be Somebody – Thousand Foot Krutch: At this point you aren’t really mad anymore.  You’re just thinking about how you want to be the best and you want to be a significant person, whatever that goal is.  This song talks about how you want to be the best, so you are working hard to do what it is you want to do, and it seems like nobody understands, maybe just one person.  It feels like that goal is so far away, sometimes you can see it off in the distance, other times you can’t, but it is out there.  Maybe there is that one person that helps to keep you motivated, or that one person in your life presently or maybe you just met one time, that captures why you want to do what it is, and motivates you.  For me it was a ranger in the Army Reserves who was a camp counselor when I was 13 that inspired me.  For others it might have been a doctor that helped them or saved somebody in their families life.  Maybe it was a cop who stopped somebody from mugging them.  Whatever it is, whatever it is that motivates you, keep that in your mind when that goal seems unattainable.

I know it was a little more than what was called for but I got carried away.  Sorry.

Also I don't have a Spotify account so I'm not putting a playlist of it but I'm pretty sure all of these songs should be on there. 

The Perfect Playlist - Weiran Liu

     This is the playlist for those sunny, quiet days where you just get in your car and go on a drive. Heading where? Nowhere. Just driving to get lost in your thoughts and appreciate the good weather and scenery.

1.        Scar Tissue – Red Hot Chili Peppers

Starting off with one of my top bands and one of the best rock songs out there. The intro is my favorite and perfect to start a drive. Whenever I listen to this song and especially the chorus (“With the birds I’ll share this lonely view) I’m always reminded to take some time and reflect on everything around me. To take time and appreciate the view, whether or not it is a pleasant one, things are to be seen and processed. Aside from being an all-around great song, it’s the perfect one for me to get lost in my thoughts and the world around me.

2.       Island in the Sun – Weezer

You’re driving, lost in thought, lost in your dreams of travel and going greater places, and suddenly this song plays next. Despite other songs by Weezer that I find myself naturally singing along to I can’t help but be happy and quietly smile to myself when I hear this song because all memories of vacations come flooding into my mind. When the sun shines through the open windows and wind blows a constant cool breeze it’s as if I am on an island in the sun. Unfortunately I’m most likely still in Lexington, but hey it’s okay to pretend for a bit, right?

3.       Better Together – Jack Johnson

I was introduced to acoustic rock a couple of years back by a family friend who would come over and do song covers on his guitar. I would sing along until one day he played Better Together; I came to appreciate time spent together with friends. Jack Johnson also has a light yet solid voice that goes absolutely perfectly together with his acoustics on the whole album, not just this song. This is the part of the drive where I find myself heading to go pick up a friend to enjoy this day with.

4.        Riptide – Vance Joy

Switching to indie because who doesn’t like a good ukulele? Vance Joy works his seemingly random lyrics into the perfect feel good song. At first listen I thought the lyrics were just absurd, only to realize they are all centered on tackling our fears. Tackling our own “riptide” which draws us into our own version of darkness, but as dark as that may be the song never elicits those negative emotions. Instead I feel inspired to go tackle and see new things.

5.      (I’m Gonna Be) 500 Miles – The Proclaimers

Every car ride needs a song where you just sing at the top of your lungs, preferably with your best friend next to you. Some of my best nights featured this song, especially when I am with Rena, Henry, and Will. It’s so upbeat and elicits nothing but good feelings. And without a doubt I would walk 500 miles to tackle on adventures and my dreams.