Today was not a good day. I only got two-and-a-half math sections done. After dinner, I had to do my reading and writing as well. Nothing else. This happens to me sometimes. One time, I played too much Dragon City, and did not get my work done. Daddy took it away for a week.
But I have it back now, and I am very happy. After that, Daddy told me that I have to go to bed at 10:00PM and wake up at 8:30AM, so that I get my work done earlier in the day. I'm really going to try. It did not work so well today, though! Ashleigh
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Hormones are different for every person. And just because some of us don’t know how to adapt to them or control them doesn’t mean others don’t. Every person is different and handles every aspect of life differently- including hormonal changes in adolescent years. So while you’d love to dwell on the fact that “we are teenagers therefore we have every reason to be depressed”, I’d rather be an outlier in the statistics. Yes, I get depressed- but who doesn’t? I’ve just learned to pick myself up after. Learned that everyone falls down, but when you fall you need to get back up. If you want to remain down… Then don’t complain about being stepped on. You’re the one making the choice to remain upset. You’re the one causing your own pain and then expecting everyone to understand. I get it. I’ve been there, done that, and it sucks. It’ll get you nowhere but places worse than where you already are and it’ll make you feel like life is worthless. It’ll make you want to die because you’ll feel no one understands you; and the fact of the matter won’t be that no one understands you but that no one cares. 80% of the population don’t give a shit about your woes and the other 20% are glad you have them. You need to move past this destructive stage and see that regardless of science, there are ways to be happy. Fluctuation in hormonal patterns that trigger random behaviors? I’ll buy that. Full-fledged uncontrollable depression being blamed on hormones and the fact that you’re a teenager..? I don’t think so.
"You are never too old to set another goal, or to dream a new dream." That's a quote by C.S. Lewis. If you haven't heard of old Clive, then it's likely that you at least know one of his greatest works, The Chronicles of Narnia. He was also an Oxford professor, whose best friend was J.R.R. Tolkien.
Anyway, I saw his quote and I knew I had to write about it. You see, his quote is the way I try to live my life! I want to be active my entire life, and the best way to do that is to set goals. I try not to let my age stand in my way from doing anything I want to do. I may have to modify my technique a little bit, but I firmly believe that any goal is achievable if you put enough effort into it. Here are some examples: Iva Barr is 88 years old. This year, for the 35th-consecutive year, she will be running in the London Marathon. In fact, she ran in the first London Marathon ever held, way back in 1981! Want another example? How about Harriette Thompson? She is the oldest person to ever complete a marathon. She ran in the Rock N Roll San Diego Marathon last year. She finished the race in 7 hours and 24 minutes. She is 92. Age didn't stop them from doing what they wanted to do. Nope! They made plans and carried them out, and achieved their goals. There are two types of people in the world. Those that make do, and those that make excuses. When I go to meet my maker, I don't want there to be any excuses! I also don't want there to be any more regrets. If I want to do something, I find a way to do it. And that's it. I don't care if it takes years of practice, or great physical or mental effort. I set the goal, and then look for ways to accomplish it. Here are two examples. I have always wanted to do a head-high spinning back kick (since I joined karate anyway). I think they look cool and are the type of attack that will catch an opponent off guard. The problem was that I did not have the balance, speed or flexibility to do the kick. A few months ago, I started to practice the kick before the Little Ninjas class I help to teach on Mondays and Thursdays. Before each class, I would practice both spinning kicks and sidekicks on the large free-standing bag at the dojo. At first, I was happy if I could hit the bag a solid shot. The more I practiced, the higher I would try to bring my kicks. At this point I can land a spinning back kick at head level whenever I like. Not only that, but I can also land straight kicks, sidekicks and crescent kicks at that same head level. You see, by practicing for accuracy and flexibility, I improved all of my kicks. After achieving the proper height, I started practicing landing the kicks at that height but with full power. I can now knock the bag over with a spinning back kick on demand. The first time I achieved it, I kicked so hard I pulled my hamstring. I kept practicing anyway, and I am proud to say I can knock it over without hurting myself at all. It was around that time that Shihan told me that Hanshi could knock that same bag over with a punch. For those of you who don't know Hanshi Larry Sullivan, he is 62 years old and is in terrific shape. Hanshi means highest rank, and this man deserves the title and all of the respect it entails. In my opinion. Hanshi is in better shape than anyone who takes his classes. He has professional fighters that he trains that cannot beat him in a match. But I digress, when I heard that he could do that, I wanted to be able to do it too. This is a large heavy bag folks, and most people cannot knock it over with a kick, let alone a punch. Well, I started to punch the bag as hard as I could. At first, I could only make the bag tilt, but not fall over. I kept trying though, and eventually I got it! I have knocked it over with a single punch on three occasions now. I still can't knock it over every time I punch it yet, but I eventually want to be able to do it at will. Although none of these goals will ever have a monetary reward for me, they do give me a deep sense of satisfaction. Looking ahead, I am now training to do better deep long-hold push ups. Usually, when I do push ups I do them quickly and do what amounts to either a half or two-third push up. They are quicker and easier when you are facing hundreds of push ups. Lately, Hanshi has been working us on deep. all the way push ups that we then hold for about 30 seconds. In other words, think of dropping downwards to do your push up, and then stop with your chest about 1 inch above the floor and then hold it there like that for 30 seconds. Let me tell you, those types of push ups are brutal! The other day, I made the mistake of mentioning that I hated those push ups. That is the quickest way, in my opinion, of saying that you need help with something. Hanshi was only happy to oblige, and now we are doing some of those types of push ups in many of the classes I go to. I am now up to doing six of those (after doing a full set of normal push ups). My goal is to get to where I can do a full set of 25 of that type of push up. Who cares that I am fifty! A couple of those deep push ups each night before bed will help me to achieve my goal. At this point, I am thinking I will be able to do it by Christmas. Yikes! At any rate, do not let your age be the deciding factor in what you do or do not want to do. If it is not impossible, you can achieve it, if you want it bad enough and you are willing to work towards doing it every day. You are only here once, folks. Make the most of it! Well, it had to happen. I finally found a Marcus Aurelius quote that I disagree with. The quote in question is: “Whatever happens to you has been waiting to happen since the beginning of time. The twining strands of fate wove both of them together: your own existence and the things that happen to you.”
I disagree with this quote wholeheartedly! The quote seems to be saying that things are predestined to happen and that you have no control over anything in your life. Not only do I find this quote incorrect, but I also find it at odds with nearly everything I have read by Marcus Aurelius. Usually, Aurelius writes about doing your best and changing your thoughts and actions to change your world. This quote says nearly the exact opposite. If everything was predestined, then why do anything? Why bother to worry about whether what you are doing is right or wrong, since in the end it doesn't really matter. What a crock of bull! I believe everything we do matters. That is why I find it important to do my best, no matter what I am doing. If everyone acted as if what they did didn't matter, then nothing would be done properly... it's destined to be a certain way, so if I do a poor job, then I guess it was just destined that I do a poor job. What rubbish! The only things that are destined to happen are the negative consequences that will occur if you don't do things properly. "For every time there is a season." Think about what you want to happen, and then create it. The only destiny that you have is the one you create yourself. Sure accidents can happen that will change the path that you are on. But these are truly far and few between. Everyone's days have there ups and downs. Most times, you can smooth over the little bumps in the road and still attain what you are striving for. Don't give up... and don't give in to poor thinking. You can achieve what you want to achieve! Nothing is predestined. Do your best, and make your own destiny! "It is always better to light a candle than curse the darkness." This is said to be an ancient Chinese proverb...and it very well may be! No matter where it came from, I thought about it today, while reading through my Facebook page. I don't know about you, but there are five types of posts on my Facebook page. Three of the types I like. These are: The ones that are trying to be funny...the ones that are trying to convey information and the ones that are showing off pretty girls or trucks or antiques etc. The ones I don't like are the ones that get overly political or the ones from the whiners and complainers.
It's the whiners and complainers that bother me the most, although the political posts are annoying too. Here is a good example. On Facebook today someone put up a picture that said..."Oh God, why don't you send us a person to cure aids, cancer, etc. etc." God replied, "I did, but you aborted him." As if this wasn't bad enough, then someone else added to it. Again the question was asked about sending someone. This time the person had God answer: "I did but you gave them a substandard education because they lived in an area with low property taxes. AND I did but they died because they couldn't afford health care. AND I did but due to racism... and on and on and finally, I did, but you made her carry an unwanted pregnancy to term. So how does all of this lead back to the quote at the top of the page? Easy. Light a candle. None of the above things is real. It is just complaining. People who don't think, or who like to complain grab a hold of it though, and use it as their excuse. I could have done this...but my education held me back. Well, when did YOUR education ever become anyone else's responsibility other than your own or your parent's? If you don't want to have a child, then use protection...or even better, keep your legs closed. Can't afford health care? then eat better, exercise and do everything you can to stay healthy. In fact, many of these things tie together. If you can't afford good healthcare, then it is likely that you failed to get a good education...or maybe your parents failed to get a good education, and you or they work a job that doesn't give good healthcare as a benefit. Ladies and Gentlemen, I have news for you. No one is responsible for you or your children but you. Not your neighbor, not the state, not the federal government. Just you. Do you want a cure for cancer? Okay, what have you done to help the cause? Do you work in the health care fields? No, well do you donate money to charities that are set up to research a cure? No, then don't complain. No one gives a shit about your stupid meme! Did you have an unwanted pregnancy? Then don't have sex. It is really that simple. The media treats sex as if none of us can live without it. We can. While sex is enjoyable, we don't need it. And if you are not in a position to take responsibility for a child, then you shouldn't be having it. Now, if you do feel that the education of someone else's child Is your responsibility, then you can donate money to your local school. In fact, I believe there should be no public education at all. I think that everyone should have to be responsible for either teaching their own children or for paying for that child's education out of their own pocket. If others want to "donate" towards that cause, that should be up to them. If you don't like the darkness, light a candle people! Don't waste everyone's time by complaining. Do something. Just make sure, whatever you do, that what you do is something that doesn't involve infringing on someone else's rights and tries to force them to do something that they don't want to do. Whining that you want a better education for your child and that others should pay for it is just plain wrong. If you want a better education for your child, then work with them daily. Even if it is after work. They are your children. Or pay to send them to a private school if you are not happy with the public education in your town. If you don't like the darkness around you folks, then light a candle. One candle can light many others, Sometimes, people need to be shown what to do. Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Show a man how to fish, and he will eat for a lifetime. And, if after you show that man how to fish, if he decides not to, then that's his problem. It doesn't mean catch two fish so that he can always have one. Sometimes it's okay to let someone live by their own poor decisions. Light the candle on whatever motivates you... and see if your one candle can't light up the world! I sometimes have difficulties deciding what I should write about (such as right now). I wrack my brain and think of many things; but none are ideas I can follow through with. I know I can write about essentially anything since that's the point of this blog- but most of my ideas are either too controversial or just aren't fully-formed and thought out. I should also state that in knowing I can write about absolutely anything... it can be infuriating.
When you have a good idea and want to run with it but can't- nothing is worse. In a way, I think freedom is its own vice. At least for writing it is. You overthink; or on the contrary underthink. You let ideas run wild and plant themselves everywhere in your mind, like birds scattering seeds in the spring. In a way; it's good- new ideas will form and slowly grow in your subconscious until the day they are full and ready to be written about. On the other hand, it can get to be quite cluttered. The ideas will sometimes lunge forth before they are ready; and that creates even MORE half-ideas to be messed around in your head. How the brain works is fascinating; yet confusing. I don't even know. Where did this blog post get off anyway? I started by saying that I had trouble writing; and look what happened. 4-5 half-ideas came forward and now I have this mess. Oh well. It'll have to do. It's late and I'm tired; if you can't tell from how I'm writing. Good night (or good morning) internet. ~Maddie This is a quote from John Lennon, and I love it for its simplicity. It gets right to the point. I think that it is important to note that right off the bat, that if you are going to "waste time"... you should be enjoying yourself. Your time is yours and no one else's. That's why I think the quote was... structured as it was. Too often in life, I think we confuse the time of others with our own. This is ESPECIALLY true in work, I think. Whichever way you choose to look at it, when it comes down to it... your time is yours, and it can never be gotten back; even if you choose to spend it foolishly working for another person so they can spend THEIR time more comfortably.
I get told a lot by my dad to not "waste his time". This quote sort of disproves this; and I think my dad would do good to come back to this post the next time he tells me this. Yes, I may not do my work on time... BUT I am using my time how I want to. Before you lecture me, hear me out. As I said above- time is all our own. It can't be gotten back; no matter how much we may want to take it back. I realize that my homework is a priority; and I do try with it... but if something that is more important to ME presents itself, I'm naturally going to do that instead. It's MY time. It's MY life. And while you are my guardian and parent and you are in charge of me and in charge of raising me correctly until I am 18... it doesn't change the fact that what I do with my life NOW is going to impact me later. Perhaps this just further proves your point about finishing my schoolwork on time, etc... but as you are so fond of saying, memories make everything. When I die, I won't likely care about if I was late on a few reports growing up... I'll be remembering the times and conversations I had that may have made my day, made me smile... whatever. "Well, get your homework done and you can have good memories! But only after schoolwork." Education, I realize, is important. And I honestly believe I'm getting an excellent one! However, I'd much rather be social than worry about getting a Civil War report in on time or something like that. I'd like to end with a poem I found online- Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round, or listened to rain slapping the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight, or gazed at the sun fading into the night? You better slow down, don't dance so fast, time is short, the music won't last. Do you run through each day on the fly, when you ask "How are you?", do you hear the reply? When the day is done, do you lie in your bed, with the next hundred chores running through your head? You better slow down, don't dance so fast, time is short, the music won't last. Ever told your child, we'll do it tomorrow, and in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch, let a friendship die, 'cause you never had time to call and say hi? You better slow down, don't dance so fast, time is short, the music won't last. When you run so fast to get somewhere, you miss half the fun of getting there. When you worry and hurry through your day, it's like an unopened gift thrown away. Life isn't a race, so take it slower, hear the music before your song is over. ~Maddie Ok. As you have have guessed from the title... this post is a bit of a clarification for my Dad. I got left alone for a bit, and I thought I was going to have some time. So, I did what any normal person does- I blasted my music in the kitchen, preheated the oven, and began to make a cake for my family. I knew I didn't have karate class today, so I figured I would have plenty of time and that it would be a nice surprise that I'd have plenty of time to finish, given I had about an hour.
However, I decided to start by making the frosting first while the oven preheated- something I rarely do. I figured, however, that it would be easier for the icing to thicken while I made the cake (since I had to use completely melted butter in the recipe). This strategy SEEMED to be going fine... the oven was preheating, the song 'Nerds and Cigarettes' by Picture Me Broken was playing loudly, and the icing was mixing itself on the counter while I washed the dishes... when I heard it. The car pulling into the driveway. Side note about this story- the icing recipe I was using (which I believe I've shared on this blog before) required cocoa powder. A lot of it. And me, being the spaz that I am, attempted to pour the cocoa powder into the measuring cup directly from the box, rather than using a spoon like anyone else would have. Well, long story short- what was meant to be 1/3 of a cup of cocoa powder turned out to be a whole frickin' BOX of cocoa powder, all over the kitchen floor. So, in the time I COULD have probably had the frosting made in, I spent cleaning the floor, vacuuming, and beating the rug outside on the front porch to exhume the cocoa powder from it. Needless to say, all was cleaned up- but I then had to explain to my grandma (who had gone to the store but came home early due to feeling ill) why there was icing being made and why the oven was on. She was thankfully very happy I was making something since I hadn't in awhile, and I didn't get in trouble. And THAT is the story. Of how I am now sitting here eating tortilla chips and writing this post, with only this, my poem, and a bit of the Earth paper finished. Don't kill me please. Maddie |
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