Christopher He is a sixteen year old boy, and when you look at us simply as people, there is no difference; we are equal, two friends who share common interests, frequently engaging in activities together. We talk about how our day went, listening and communicating through more than just words. However, once you fill in the details, the prejudice comes rushing in like the tide, engulfing an amazing human being into a world separate from the one he fits perfectly… Read More »
Bonding Through TV My dad and I are remarkably alike, probably far more than we care to admit. We both hide a gregarious personality behind a shy demeanor. We both have an inability to take things seriously, responding to most questions with something nonsensical or unhelpful. We both become provoked by yelling, responding with an equally loud voice. Most of all, though, we both like to argue, not in a hostile or angry way, but as a challenge. I used… Read More »
Death By Isolation He was a hard working man, the kind of person who awoke before sunrise to feed his animals, the kind of farmer who tended his fields until his hands bruised, and the kind of father that didn’t rest until there was food on the table. He lived in a world very different from ours, a time where people traveled on horseback, and all work was done by hooves, where water was fetched from rivers, and all messages… Read More »
Can You Even See? I was born with a big head. Not gigantic, but big. In fact, the size of my skull has caused a myriad of issues, ranging from humorous to seriously limiting. I suppose I’ll start at the beginning. And by beginning, I mean beginning. My dad is a large man, with an equally large head. My mom, on the other hand, is a small woman, and while I may have inherited my dad’s head, it was ultimately… Read More »
My Honorary Sister While many girls have sisters, I have Randi. Although she has always had a place in my life, I would never take her for granted. Our friendship started in a different way than most. We met at an orphanage in Quzhou when we were each about a week old, Randi, born May 10, and myself, May 15. When we talk to other people about meeting each other before our parents, they have a hard time understanding this.… Read More »
Robocalypse Military drones, nanobots, autonomous androids, – we are completely surrounded by soulless, fully capable harbingers of death and destruction. Blinded by their current passive role in society, we will be unprepared to defend ourselves when the machines turn on their creators, us. Thus, this brings me to the top ten reasons why robots will bring about the annihilation of human civilization. 1. We accept them into our homes, hearts, and families. When the uprising inevitably occurs, we are left… Read More »
Too Much Pressure As I sit in my classes, I cannot help but notice how flawed today’s schooling system is. There is not one class where I do not look around and see students, even supposedly “hard working students”, confessing their devious methods of cheating, and the A they got in result. They are not bad kids, but simply victims of the pressure the future holds. Coming into high school as a young freshman, I began to scheme and figure… Read More »
Unavoidable Read I’m fairly liberal about what I read; I can explore a range of literary topics. Though historical nonfiction and Middle Earth-type fantasy remain my favorite genres, I would never say no to a taut thriller, an insightful biography, or a brain-poking mystery. Even if a book is not particularly enjoyable, I still learn from it, as a reader and as a writer. I never really knew about the gargantuan popularity of Fifty Shades of Gray, however, until Winter… Read More »
Turning It Off Time is relative. One hour plagued by boredom is not the same as one hour engaged in excitement; one hour of anxiety is not the same as one hour of tranquility; one hour constantly distracted by communication devices is not the same as one hour focused on the task at hand. One focused hour can breed masterful compositions, staggering discoveries, or significant social influence. To attain the attentiveness required, communication devices have to be turned off and… Read More »
Unhappy Holidays For most of us, the holidays are filled with times of joy, leisure, and family. We relax in our warm, cozy houses surrounded by piles of presents under the tree. This December, as my family and I crowd around the dinner table for a feast of kings, our biggest worry is how we are going to lose the weight from such a tremendous meal. We live in a shadow of the unknown: all around us, chaos, brutality,… Read More »
