Responding Instead

On January 1 of this year I started a "New Year's Resolution" as one may call it, but I refer to it as the "New Life's Resolution". I decided to stop eating meat. I'm not going to hide the fact that in one point of my life I loved meat. I thought that all of the people who didn't eat meat were crazy and so on, but then I came to realize that if I aspire to do something with animals, I need to set the record straight to the world. In other words, I have decided to lead the change by example. So far, so good.

Even more recently, I watched a video in Advanced Placement Language Arts class about the food industry and how corrupt and wrong the system is. The movie is called Food, Inc. and as a reader I highly encourage you to watch it. The ethics and manipulation used in processing our food is sad. After watching the movie, I confirmed that my switch to vegetarianism was a good choice. Might I note that I really have respect for the people who spoke up, out, and produced the video. By doing such things, they are educating the public to make smarter choices and change the way others eat.

The evening after the movie was over, I went on a rant to my parents about how good the movie was and the reasons they need to see it. Unfortunately they responded negatively, with a poor attitude and a distaste in thinking about the industry in the new light I had recently seen it in. To be completely honest, I'm increasing disappointed in my parents. All they have to do is watch it. I never asked them to become vegetarianisms or any such things like that. After I gave them a fiery lecture about the importance of their involvement in issues, they disappointed me even more. They said that my generation can take care of it. The truth of the matter is, if we expect change we need to do something about it now. As one generation passes issues off to a next generation, the issues keep piling up. We need to act and we need to act now. So my hope for the future is that someday maybe I'll meet people who will respond, instead of wait.

It’s the Little Things

Teachers are very respectable people. There has never really been a teacher that I have hated. Of course there are those that stick out a little better than others, but the not so great ones I usually forget. Plenty of my posts could be dedicated to those teachers that have changed the person I am, because most of them have, but it is the particular ones that I will chose to write about. The ones that I truly admire.

I currently have a teacher, although he may not be very knowledgeable, the way he treats and understands his class is very respectable. On veterans day we wrote letters to veterans, thanking them for their service. This activity was not necessary. Teachers have so much curriculum to cover that activities like this are usually disregarded. Being someone who strongly supports our armed troops, I saw the activity as a lesson in its own. The students learned that thanking the veterans is truly important.

Another specialty the teacher provides for us is homemade jelly Friday. Each Friday, he brings a jelly that him and his family have made and we eat it on crackers with cream cheese. The activity makes me motivated to want to come to class. As a student that loves to learn, that means practically nothing. But if it motivates me to want to come to class more, I can only imagine what it does for the other students. Even though students should not be "bribed" to come to school daily, I feel like for some students, the snack makes them more excited about learning. The money spent on the jelly he makes is from his own pocket. As a teacher he doesn't make too much to begin with, but he still gives everything he has to the students.

These two examples may seem strange and out of place, but it's the little things that count in life. The journey is more important that the destination. Therefore, when meeting people that care about and contribute the little things into my life, I really respect them.

We Can Make the World Better

As most teenagers do, I babysit. I have always loved kids and the creative imagination they have. One moment I can be considered a princess treated in luxury, and the next moment I may find myself as a ninja. The whole time I love it. Although I have this natural love and easiness around kids, I have been unfortunate to have very few families call me to babysit. Whenever I do I try to make a good impression, charge the cheapest rate (cheaper is better), and make the kids like me (to a point that they will still listen to me). Even with all this effort, I often times fail at encouraging business.

Through all my struggles, however, I have been capable of keeping a relatively continuous family to babysit for. The parents of the family respect me and trust me with their children, which is a big thing. The mother of the family is currently pregnant and with their third boy on the way, it becomes questionable if I will ever babysit girls. I have all these girlie craft supplies and activities in my closet, but there is no way to use them. Despite this fact, the boys that I interact with have, in a way, shaped the light through which I look at the future generation after me.

One of the boys is 9 (we will call him Ch for the purposes of this blog), he consistently listens, and there have been very few circumstances where he has not. Although he stays quieter, his knowledge is quite strong. If he ends up in the right crowd when he is older, his intelligence will be scary. The other boy is 6 (we will call him Co for the purposes of this blog). This young one is rambunctious. Every time Co jumps from the couch or in the air I am terrified he will break something, but he always rebounds with a smile. One time, however, I had to call his parents because I thought his arm was broken. While babysitting these boys over the summer, I practice school items with them. For instance, we do math flash cards and read for long periods of time. On the other hand, they often watch television, despite my disapproval. The boys also carry a vocabulary that should not be learned at such a young age. Words that I've never said before flow right out of their mouths, and I highly doubt they know what the words mean. So is this the future we want?

On the bright side, these boys know never to do cigarettes, but with drugs, they have no clue. Is this the future we wish to create? Schools today are so populated with drug addicts that this problem needs to be solved, but at the elementary school level. When learning that cigarettes are bad, children should also learn that drugs are bad. By, in a sense, brainwashing the children, it will ensure a bright future.

As of now I'm guessing you've figured that I just ranted over two separate topics, but to be honest, they are completely related. It is the future generation that can save the corrupt world. Most people's times have passed. The duty falls upon us to react; we can make our world the world we wish to live in.

Ever So Clever

    Recent news came out about a bank robbery in Argentina. Some people rented a building next to a bank and dug a 100 foot tunnel to the bank where safe deposit boxes were kept. The tunnel, which took 6 months to build, was complete with ventilation and lighting. The suspects have not yet been announced and it is unclear on how much they went away with. This came at an unfortunate time for many of the people who bank there. With the recent financial crisis in 2001 many Argentineans have put their life savings in deposit boxes. I do need to give the thief's credit though, because this is a genius idea.

    And I know what you're thinking. Why is this girl writing a blog about such bad people she one day hopes to meet. Well that assumption is incorrect. I don't want to meet the people who robbed this bank and never hope to. Who I do want to meet, though, is those that are just as intelligent and clever, that they put their minds to something that helps the world instead of hurting it. If the bank robbers and others there alike had done just this, imagine where our world would be at today…wow.

Let’s Be Adults Here

    Tonight I attended my first official "adult" meeting. I am on a committee in planning a future competition for middle school students. Of course I have previously participated in the competition, or else I would not have a care in helping. I grew from the experience and I'm sure the children this year will too.

    I was warned a few weeks ago before even going into the meeting. My former teacher told me, "They all act like children in there. None of them want to step up and do anything." Tonight, however, I truly understood what she was saying. When going around the table and saying their roles, some paused as to think what their role was. Of course that flashed red lights in my head as it was obvious who the slackers were. Then when trying to figure things out, they argued on how situations should be handled. But should it really be their decision if they are truly not contributing the necessary amount of time to helping the program excel. I mean, come on. Then about 15 minutes before the meeting was over, one of the committee members had her coat on and was ready to leave. It wasn't like she was cold or anything because her whole notebook was closed and everything. This truly got me upset.

    I am a student volunteering my time. I feel as if my roles are just as important as those who have major roles on the board of members. If I am giving up my time to dedicate to students, I expect people who are not even students themselves to do the same also. Putting on a coat to signal that a meeting should be over is just rude. Being on a team of ten and having only two of the people doing most of the work is just wrong. Adults should be adults and kids should be kids. Working hard to accomplish the appropriate tasks should be their responsibility too. I'm a student and quite possibly, almost most likely, have more going on in my life now than any of those adults. So as a plea to adults out there; step it up, be committed, and don't let the students show you up. Someday, I hope that everyone I meet is not just about themselves and act their age.

Just Like an Angel

He walks very distinctly down the streets of the city, never using a car or public transportation. I see him at just about every school event. He sits in the stands, clapping and cheering on the student talents. If I go to church lunch on Wednesdays, he's always there. Chuck, probably the most dedicated supporter of my high school is truly remarkable.

    When I first started attending the church I currently attend, I always saw Chuck there. He stood in the corners or sat in the back, quietly adding his input and being made fun of by the pastors. He became the escape goat for all humor, but he didn't care. The church made up his family and pretty much his life. Each Sunday he would bring donuts to youth group, which wasn't necessary at all. Despite that fact, many students looked forward to the donuts in the morning.

    As I became more involved in the church and began to inquire about Chuck from my pastor, I learned that Chuck was comparable to an angel on earth. Chuck would walk everywhere. He doesn't live in the downtown section of the city, where our church resides, and would walk about 10 miles just to get to church, although he does have access to a car. The church I attend is not located in the best area, but Chuck would walk through the area anyways, knowing that God was always with him.

One day while walking across the busiest street in the city Chuck was hit by a car. A teenage driver ran into him and offered to take Chuck to the hospital. Chuck refused the offer as he did not want to get the teenage driver into trouble. Who does that? Basically bleeding out in the middle of the city and he refused a ride to the hospital. When finishing his walk home, Chuck collapsed. He fainted and was found later by the security on a college campus he was walking through. Immediately sent to the hospital, Chuck was diagnosed with broken ribs, a punctured lung, and other complications. A mission trip with our church was scheduled to leave the following day to New Mexico. The group was pretty much going to the desert to build a church. Practically dying in the hospital, Chuck begged to be released to go help people there. Isn't that incredible? He clearly didn't care about his health; he just wanted to do the duties of the Lord. Since Chuck was not allowed to go on the trip for perfectly obvious reasons, he held a grudge against our pastor for the longest time.

But there is so much more to Chuck than the big stories he cares never to tell. Each Christmas, Birthday, and Easter I receive a card from Chuck in the mail. None of this is necessary, but that fact that he takes the time to do such a nice gesture is really sweet. Even the student that interviewed him for this article written about him receives a card. Or is it more amazing to me that he still goes to students sporting events who have already graduated from high school. The man seriously never stops his support.

I think the most valuable thing about Chuck is that wherever I am, or whatever I am doing, I know I have his support. Even when going to school events, I always know there will be someone I know there. He will be sitting right in the front row. Practically next to the student section, and cheering on the teams and performers, in a way that truly makes me glad to know such a fantastic man.

Smoking Disrespect

    Yesterday was one of my annual Christmas present deliveries to the families in need. Although the ending to the story is delightful the process of getting to the house was insane. I'm going to skip ahead a few details just spare you some craziness. Ultimately I ended up in a snow bank on the families driveway. Three teenage boys smoking got out of their car to help me and my friends. Instead of reacting in thanks when we were freed, we reacted in disgust, to their smoke. We were unthankful and reflecting upon that feeling, I am disgraced with myself. I could've at least said thank you.

    But then I got to thinking about how not very many teenagers smoke cigarettes anymore. How a few years it was a craze, but since kindergarten it has been pounded into my head that cigarettes are bad, to the point that I can't even respect someone who is smoking. Also, public smoking bands are making people hate those who smoke more and more daily. So is the strategy working? In a sense yes, as I know I will never smoke. In another sense, no, as am no discriminating against these people. Can't there be a happy medium?

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