How does Outliers connect to MY life?

While I was reading Outliers by Malcom Gladwell, I was thinking about how it is so irrelevant to my life. It was still interesting though, for the most part. As I thought about it more, I realized I can relate to the book more than I'd like to admit. Gladwell makes some really  good points throughout the book.


"By the time they had their first burst of success in 1964, in fact, they performed live an estimated twelve hundred times." (50) I can relate to The Beatles' dedication to doing what they love, and practicing an extreme amount of time to get better. I have my own theory, that no one is particularly born with talent. As I like to say, Jimmy Page didn't come out of the womb improvising the solo to Heartbreaker. I think that people are just born with passion. An old friend of mine, Rachel Gingrich, is a fantastic artist. I was so jealous of her, and I had always envied people who could draw well. I'd always ask her how she became such an expert, and she'd just tell me that she would practice constantly. She showed me the amount of sketchbooks she had gone through, and I completely understood. This also relates to me learning guitar. When I got my first guitar, I didn't play it much. Mostly because I had no idea how. "We got better and got more confidence. We couldn't help it with all the experience playing all night long." (49) The Beatles, as well as myself, were very committed to get better. Once I learned all the basics, I practiced every single day. It's the truth, practice does make perfect. I believe that's one of the main ways to success in anything. Now, like The Beatles were, I am extremely confident, and so proud of myself for coming so far. It feels so good in the end knowing that you've achieved what you thought was the impossible, such as playing all of Stairway To Heaven! Also when I'm done learning a new song, I play it over and over until it's perfect. You have to really love something to be successful at it. I can also relate this to playing lacrosse. I used to love sports a lot more when I was younger. I had played softball until the 5th grade. My brother is very athletic. He plays lacrosse, football and basketball. Lacrosse always seemed like a fun sport, so I gave up softball to attempt to learn. I played youth, and to be honest, I was horrible. I was shy, I had no confidence and my skills and knowledge of the game weren't the best. Eventually, I pushed myself, and I ended up making the modified team both years, as well as the JV team last year. 


"Parents with a child born at the end of the calender year often think about holding their child back before the start of kindergarten: it's hard for a five-year-old to keep up with suspects, think that whatever disadvantage a younger child faces in kindergarten eventually goes away. But it doesn't." (28) My birthday is November 4th, 1996. I'm young for my grade, but I'm before the cut-off date so it's okay. My parents decided for me to attend kindergarten instead of holding me back a year, which would make me 16 years old right now. I know plenty of people in my grade who are born in the fall and are already 16, so I guess it was normal for parents to hold their kids back. Anyways, I had difficulties in elementary school. I was mature enough to attend, but some of the material threw me through a loop. I wasn't a good reader at all. I got special help until about third grade. Also, my parents read to me when I was younger all the time, so I always enjoyed reading. I was just having difficulties. Same with math. Math has always been a weak subject for me. I got help with math all the way up until fifth grade. Eventually, I got better at the subjects, and ended up become a really good reader. I still struggle with math sometimes, but I've come a long way. "The small initial advantage that the child born in the early part of the year has over the child born at the end of the year persists." (28) I'd like to believe I am at the same level as people as people who are a year old than me, but it's hard. It may just be my self-esteem. I feel like I process things longer than other students. I get decent grades, but I have to work hard for them. Unlike some of my friends, who blow off school, everything comes natural for them. I don't feel the brightest at times when I'm with them. I'm not sure if it's the month I was born in, the age I was sent into kindergarten, or if that's just how I was born. 


"But Renee persists. She experiments. She goes back over the same issues time and again. She thinks out loud. She keeps going and going. She simply won't give up." (245) I believe that I am similar to Renee. I hate giving up. It doesn't make me feel good about myself. I like to try new things, and experiment, and learn something. I've had Photoshop for some time now, and I've always wanted to make gifs. Gifs, or .gif images, are moving images. My mom always seems to think that they're videos, but they repeat themselves. One day, I decided to learn. I downloaded KMPlayer, a video hosting program, and figured out how to screen cap part of a video(in my case, a movie). Screen capping takes every frame and puts it into individual pictures, which make up the scene that you're capping. I imported the frames into the animation section, made the .gif without really putting any color, curves or contrast in it. I tried saving it, but when I opened it, it wouldn't play. I was already pretty frustrated to begin with, but I didn't give up. I realized that you have to go to import for web & devices. Once I did that, I saved it, opened it, and it played perfectly. I even made the coloring look really good. So I decided to upload it to tumblr. Once it was uploaded, it wouldn't move again. A few hours had already passed, but I just wanted it to work because I spent so much time on it. Then, I looked at the tumblr rules for .gif images, and they have to be under 500KB. That destroyed me, because it's really hard to make gifs look nice, when they have to be under 500KB. I made it under 500, and made it look the best I could. I'm still learning, but that's something that stuck out in my mind about me not giving up.


I learned a lot from Outliers. It had a lot of interesting theories, some that I agreed with and related to my life, and some that seemed a little ridiculous. It must have taken Malcom Gladwell an extremely long time to write the book, because of all the research he must have had to do(assuming he didn't know all of that before he wrote it). He must have been really determined. I actually prefer non-fiction over fiction, so I enjoyed reading this book.

Perspective Poetry Prompt

The building, no longer standing tall. The people who have passed in and out, and the tragedies it has seen over the decades. It's odd, trying to describe the changes. Part of you sees it how it used to be, and the other part notices it's new flaws. The sound of protesters surrounds you, as you stare into the building. The second window from the left, on the fourth level. You remember what it was like looking out of that window. Together.  This is all you have left. From the moment you saw him get on the plane, to the moment you received the news. You take off your cap, and reminisce. 

Microfiction: The ringing phone filled her with dread.

She knew who it was. She just didn't want to face them. She'd been driving for days, but for what reason? She had to leave the small town, where she had just been completely humiliated. Not even her best friend, her soul mate, could help her with this one. She had been trapped for years, and now it was all over. She had planned for it to be a bit more elegant.

She gave into the phone call. Her Amy Whinehouse ringtone wasn't helping the situation.

"What, Britt?"

"San? San is that you? Where are you? Hello?"

"Yes, it's me, now what do you want?"

"Hello? San?"

She looked at her phone. Call dropped.

She should have expected that. She didn't even know what state she was in anymore. She saw bright lights in the distance, and realize she needed to stay at a motel for a few hours. Then maybe she'd pick up the courage to find her way back home. 

She pulled into the motel and checked in. It was awkward, she didn't have any bags with her. She really didn't even think about packing, because she figured she'd be home right now.

She turned on the TV, and flipped to channel 31. It was fuzzy. She turned it off, washed her face, and got into bed. She didn't have enough money to stay here for long.

She woke up to sound of the door creaking. It was freezing inside of the room now, so she got up to close the door and decided to take a hot shower.

All of a sudden, her vision blurred and her knees went weak.

"Santana? Santana?"

She woke up, an IV attached to each arm. 

"What happened?"

"You passed in the shower, hit your head, and lost a lot of blood."

"Of course...what state am I in, again? And do  my parents know?"

"You're back in Ohio, and yes, they're just outside."

Santana turned her head, only to see Brittany asleep in the chair next to her.

She would, Santana thought. She giggled at the blonde and slowly fell back asleep. 

TU Tuesday - Editorial

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/EDITORIAL-Smoking-ban-at-Lamar-Institute-of-2393386.php

I have a lot of family members that smoke, mostly on my dads side. My grandpa, who I've never met, died of lung cancer. My dad, his brothers, and his sisters (their are 7 of them total) all smoke cigarettes. The editorial suggests that "smoking shouldn't just be restricted at other places; it should be non-existent" after stating that the Lamar Institute of Technology has banned smoking on campus. First off, I agree that smoking should be non-existent, but sadly, it exists and there is no chance of getting rid of it. There is really no point of banning smoking on campus, because people are smoking, even though they know the consequences. That doesn't stop a majority of people. They should just put a smoking section somewhere. "Efforts like this will protect the majority of people - non smokers - from secondhand smoke." Maybe people just shouldn't inhale a bunch of smoke where someone is smoking if they're against smoking! Go create a little gazebo, like they do at amusement parks, where the smokers can smoke without being harassed. 

My T-Shirt Vote

The one that says "Every year, 30 million Americans are teenagers. Together, we can find a cure through education." 


Oatmeal raisin!

Creative Contest I Blog

M = Manchester Terrier

Breed Description: Lively, sharp witted breed that is eager to learn. They're loyal, and good watchdogs. 

Appearance/Size: They are black and tan, and have a short, sleek coat. The average size is about bigger than 12 pounds, but less than 22 pounds. They're slightly longer than tall.

First Source

Diet: It's best for them to eat food made for smaller dogs. 

Second Source

Temperament: The Manchester Terrier is a high-spirited, powerful, agile, very intelligent, cunning dog which is eager to learn. They display the true terrier nature, are independent, and faithful. Extremely lively, sporty, alert, keen and vigilant.  Discerning and devoted, it is loyal and a good friend to its master. The Manchester Terrier likes to please its handler and learns quite quickly. Without enough exercise, mental stimulation, and or, if the dog is allowed to be pack leader to the humans, they can get upset when left alone. Becoming bored, hyper, destructive, and bark excessively when alone and ignored.  


Shedding: The short, shiny black & tan coat is easy to care for, requiring almost no grooming. They are an easy-care breed. The Manchester Terrier is an average shedder, while the Toy Manchester Terrier sheds little to no hair.


Health/Allergies/Vaccines: Some lines are prone to a blood problem called glaucoma. Also some are prone to a bleeding disorder called Von Willebrand's disease, but this is rare and wounds heal quickly. If left out in the sun for long periods, heat bumps may appear along its back.
Third Source

Creativity Breeds Creativity

I chose this short film by Ashley Lendzion and Heather Morris. These two girls are comical geniuses, and are the ones who first inspired me to first pick up a video camera. This is one of their newer films, The Elevator.

Small Poetry Prompt

To all the thumbtacks,


It's hard to see you most of time
Especially when you're hiding on the floor
You can be likable, or you can be hurtful
You can puncture my skin, or you can hang up my posters
and rest peacefully on my cork boards


Don't get offended when people get mad at you,
and toss you to the side after stepping on you
I know it's not your fault
People may use tape after your incidents,
but that's okay, because in my opinion,
you're a thousand times better than tape.

TU Tuesday Guest Speaker

Poise

Mrs. Barlette seemed comfortable speaking to our class. When she talked about how she used to be shy and couldn't even talk to a group of 10 people, I was surprised because she was not shy with our class at all. I thought she connected with the audience well. When I asked her a question, she made eye contact with me the whole time. You could tell that she was trying to communicate with the person who had asked the question, but at the same time directed her answer towards the audience. 

Clarity

I think Mrs. Barlette pronounced her words carefully, but she did talk fast at some points, like when her answers started to become lengthily. Sometimes she would stutter when she was trying to think of what to say, but overall  I could understand her.

Volume
Mrs. Barlette was a loud speaker. I could hear her perfectly from the back row. She probably could have spoke a little softer and I would have still been able to hear her. Her volume definitely helped keep me engaged in the conversation.

Information
Mrs. Barlette provided a lot of detail when answering a simple question. Sometimes the detail was unnecessary  like when she was talking about her blog and all of the anonymous hate she kept receiving, and the story about Billy Fuccillo, but I think that is just my opinion.

Organization 
Mrs. Barlette did not make it difficult to follow her thoughts. For the most part, the discussion was well organized and didn't go off topic. I think she started to go off on a bit of a tangent when talking about how people disliked her, and the anonymous hate on her blog.

My Role
I think I did well in the discussion. I asked questions that I was truly curious about. I was trying to think of more interesting questions for her to answer. Not everyone participated in the discussion, and it was mostly the same people asking her the questions. I don't understand why not a lot of people asked questions when we did the blog assignment and brainstormed question ideas. Some people were a little rude during the discussion. Even if they weren't extremely interested in what Mrs. Barlette was saying, they should have at least been more respectful. It was kind of embarrassing because she took the time out of schedule to speak to us about her job.

I think it would be a good idea for a journalist to come in and talk to your class next year, whether it is Mrs. Barlette or someone new. It seemed that Mrs. Barlette was better at talking to college students rather than students in high school.

TU Tuesday

Kristi Gustafson Barlette,


 http://www.timesunion.com/living/article/Ringers-in-the-extreme-2263911.php

Did you get the chance to speak to Ryan Fitzpatrick as well as reading the story in the New York Times?

Did you search for any events where people have had serious medical problems due to their rings?

I liked how you made a poll.

I liked the style of writing (opinionated, humorous). 

https://secure.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?newsdate=11/6/2011&navigation=nextprior&category=LIFE&storyID=1093432

How did you get through the criticism without feeling discouraged?

Did you ever doubt your job as a journalist?

I like how the article gets very personal.

I wish negativity would motivate me. 

http://www.timesunion.com/living/article/Playing-dairy-queen-for-a-day-2229727.php

What triggered your cow obsession?

Why do they milk all the cows three times a day? What kind of system to they have going there?

I'd also be afraid that I was hurting the cows.

The workers there must be very patient, it seems.

Thankful Four

Opinion Prompt #2

I disagree with 'child testimonies in abuses cases are not credible.' If it is the child getting abused, then I see no reason on why it wouldn't be believable. Especially if there is evidence. If there is no evidence, then I still don't understand why a child would lie about that. It is too much of a serious matter for it to not be taken seriously. Precautions should always be taken if there is abuse happening or even if there are lies about the abuse. What kind of position would this child have to be in to lie about abuse?

I Want To Write About #86

The last time I saw the mountains was over the summer. My brother had a lacrosse tournament in Vermont, so we traveled there with my mom, my sister, my grandparents and my aunt. At my fathers house, we live in a small house with a few acres of land. On our street, there are a few farms and only a few houses. So, me and my brother love the countryside. On the way to Vermont, I filmed some of the scenery that stood out to me. The mountains were beautiful, and although I didn't want to go to the tournament, the scenery made up for it. I don't downhill ski and I'm not a huge fan of snow, but I would consider living in Vermont.

Magnetic Poetry

L = London

http://www.abbeyroad.com/visit/
1). Cross Abbey Road."This album became their best selling work and featured the now iconic image of the zebra crossing outside the studios on the front cover"
http://www.visitlondon.com/attractions/culture/big-ben
2). Visit Big Ben. "The Houses of Parliament and the clock tower, commonly called Big Ben, are among London's most iconic landmarks."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Bridge
3). Visit the London Bridge(Tower Bridge). "London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London."
http://www.londonforfun.com/Top-10-London-attractions.html
4). London Eye. "It will, over 30 minutes, make a full circle and thus give you a splendid view of London."
http://www.londonforfun.com/Top-10-London-attractions.html
5). Tower of London. "Chiefly famous as a place of imprisonment and 
execution, it has variously been used as a royal residence, an armoury, a mint, a menagerie, an observatory and - a function it still serves - a safe-deposit box for the Crown Jewels."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britannia_Row_Studios

6). Visit Britannia Row Studios. "Pink Floyd built the original Britannia Row Studios, located in the street Britannia Row, Islington, London N1, after their 1975 album Wish You Were Here was released. They then went on to use the studio to record their next album, Animals, and parts of The Wall including the famous school chorus on "Another Brick in the Wall". Nick Mason eventually assumed full ownership of the studio, but in the early 1990s he decided to sell the studio to its current owner, Kate Koumi, who has been managing it since the mid 1980s."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Albert_Hall

7). Visit Royal Albert Hall. "It is one of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, recognisable all over the world. Since its opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from every kind of performance genre have appeared on its stage."

Here's your hat, what's your hurry?

Here's you hat, what's your hurry? is something my grandma says to me a lot. She always says it to me as a joke whenever I'd be leaving her house. She said she started saying it because her father would always say it to people at their home. Her father was a very sarcastic person, she said. When I first asked her what it meant, she wouldn't really tell  me because it isn't the most polite thing to say to someone, and it's a bit snarky. It's all in good fun, though.

Absence Poetry Prompt

The absence of war

If you try to imagine the world with the absence of war, how different would it be?
Would there be any conflict?
Would it even be desirable?
How peaceful would it really be?
How would we deal with our problems?

Whether it's an absence of an argument, or an absence of the next world war,
everything and everyone would be black and white.

Dull, boring, and vapid.

Halloween

If I could be anyone or anything for Halloween this year, I'd be Betelgeuse from the movie Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice is my favorite movie. I love dressing up and doing cool things with makeup, whether it's Halloween or not. Halloween gives me the excuse to dress up and act as one of my favorite characters. I love doing Beetlejuice impersonations (although I cant exactly do the same voice as Michael Keaton). I also love making my costumes from old clothes. I haven't bought any clothes for a costume in years. The only things I usually buy is makeup, or small accessories. Halloween is genuinely my favorite time of the year.


While I take my little sister trick or treating, i'll be sure to do my impersonations at every door. It's showtime!

TU Tuesday

http://www.timesunion.com/entertainment/article/Review-Uncharted-3-another-interactive-treasure-2237360.php


during a rollicking foot chase

rollicking: lively and amusing

a burning chateau

chateau: a large French country house or castle

impersonation as villainess  

villainess: a woman villain 

only major gripe 

gripe: a complaint

than its predecessor did two years ago

predecessor: a thing followed or replaced by another 

This article is about a new video game coming out called Uncharted 3. The words and phrases used in the article help give the reader a sense of setting in the game, what the game is about, and the authors opinion on it. "A burning chateau, a pirated cruise ship in the Arabian Sea and the bustling streets in Yemen..." and "It was somewhere around the sixth rooftop that I leapt from during a rollicking foot chase above the streets of Yemen..." represent some of the scenes you may see in the game. "The only major gripe that I have with Uncharted 3 is that it is no longer in uncharted territory" and "Uncharted 3 doesn't offer players any more freedom than it's predecessor did two years ago..." are examples where the author is talking about the game and his opinion about it.

The Runaway Bunny

http://www.amazon.com/Runaway-Bunny-Margaret-Wise-Brown/dp/0060775823/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319495668&sr=8-1

When I was younger, my parents read to me non-stop. I'm the oldest child, so, I had gotten read to the most out of my younger brother and sister (the chaos started when my brother was born). The Runaway Bunny is my favorite out of all the books that have been read to me. I was (and still am) in love with the illustrations in the book. It's such a cute story and it was one of the first books I loved as a child. I enjoyed looking for the little bunny, even though now I've realized that it's quite obvious. When I am able to find this book again, I will definitely read it to my younger sister.

K = Kent State University

I would not want to attend because...
1). Location: "throughout Northeast Ohio"
2). Size: "The Kent Campus provides the resources and facilities of a large, diverse Ohio university...."
3). Kent State Shooting: Took place in 1970
4). Distance: Too far away from home
5). Athletics: It does not have women's lacrosse as an intercollegiate sport. 


I would want to attend because...
1). Arts & Culture: "Kent State’s performing and visual arts have a reach far beyond the borders of Ohio. "
2). Student Resources: "As a student at Kent State University, you have important personal and community responsibilities.
3). Dining: "Twenty-four on-campus restaurants, dining halls and coffee carts are accessible to students with their FLASHcards."

Vintage Photo

http://www.old-picture.com/europe/Schleswig-Holstein-Academy-Germany-Marine.htm

This is a picture of a Marine Academy  in Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.

There's a few men in a small boat with ores, paddling away at the shallow water. It looks like there might be a few females in the boat, aswell. I think this picture is worth a thousand words because it definitely does not look like any Military Academy we'd have nowadays, or in the United States. I think it shows the differences of our countries. 

Still Life with Watermelon by Bobbie Ann Mason

For several weeks now, I've been painting pictures of watermelons. Not really for any particular reason, I think I'm just going through another one of these drawing phases. You know the drawing phases where you draw or paint the same thing over and over in different mediums but never find satisfaction in it? Last month it was men with beards, and now watermelons. I've used a ballpoint pen, acyrlics, graphite, and sharpies. I decided to use one of my canvases this time. I have too many ones that I'm afraid to use. I never plan my paintings, so they usually don't turn out the way I want them to.

I took off the plastic wrap and stared at the blank canvas. Still life's are not my forte, but that made me realize that I need to improve. And watermelons are my favorite fruit, so why not?

I lightly sketched the shape of the watermelon with graphite. I had it set on the desk near me so it was at my eye level. I splattered the paint on the canvas and made a few strokes of green. I added some highlights as I carefully added value to the watermelon.

"So this is what it feels like to be proud of your work..."

TU Tuesday BLOG

http://blog.timesunion.com/localarts/hippiefest-whats-up-with-that/18496/

Tom Keyser doesn't like the advertising for a local concert called Hippiefest. He questions the poster for the concert, such as "do you in any way find this groovy or, for that matter, far out?" because the poster has peace, love, far out, dig it, and groovy written on it. I think he makes a valid point because the advertising may be a little bit too much for the concert and make it seem "uncool". He says "being a hippie meant peace and love". I think Tom is mad that this is not how "real hippies" would act like (referring to the poster). 

Haiku

Across the country


music in mind, guitar in hand


to nowhere and back

TU Tuesday

http://www.timesunion.com/entertainment/article/The-Simpsons-is-in-danger-in-23rd-year-2202691.php

The FOX hit show, The Simpsons, will soon be coming to an end. The shows producer said that "the show can't continue under it's current financial model". I'm a big fan of the Simpsons and I always have been, and to find out that the show is ending really surprised me. The producers of the "brilliant series" are demanding a pay cut from the six voice actors. Chris Alexander, the spokesman for FOX, said "the brilliant series can and should continue, but we cannot produce future seasons under it's current financial model".

1). Do all the new shows on FOX have something to do with the financial situation?
2). Why has this happened all of the sudden?
3). What are the actors opinions on this situation?
4). Will the re-runs eventually end?
5). If everything turns out okay, what can we expect for the new season?

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day

I agree with this statement because breakfast gives you the energy to start the day off strong, and feel good physically and mentally. I've learnt this the hard way. I never ate breakfast in the morning mostly because it upset my stomach and I didn't have time for it before school. I made a habit of not eating or drinking anything until lunchtime. While I was waiting for the bus one day, I passed out in the driveway. This kept occurring for some time, and it was all because I was not eating breakfast and my blood sugar was too low. When it got too serious,  I've gotten IV's (which also make me faint, I don't do well with needles). With that said, I agree that breakfast is this most important meal of the day.

Orange

The fresh pumpkins and fall leaves catch our eyes
as we admire the absence of summer green


The flames coming from the winter fireplace,
feeling the heat radiating from across the room


The tangerine's and clementine's that fill my stomach
after a long day of working with the mahogany colored wood


The lava lamp, which resembles the color of actual lava
and looks as if it could break the glass


The morning drink that I use to wash down
the after taste of the toothpaste that still lingers on my tongue

Creative Writing Prompts

#108: List 10 things you do whenever you procrastinate


1). Go on the computer.
2). Eat.
3). Play guitar.
4). Sing and dance.
5). Download new music.
6). Wander through the house aimlessly. 
7). Mess around with outfits that I think would look good.
8). Draw.
9). Play with my sister.
10). Watch Glee.

Web Gallery of Art

 I chose this piece not for a very specific reason because it reminds me of many things. The first thing that came to my mind was me and my cousin. We used

to go everywhere together. He's an only child, so when his family travels, they always ask me to accompany them. This also reminded me of my brother and I (when we got along well). We used to create fantasies and build forts in our basement. We set up a bunch of tents and blankets and always made sure our mom didn't destroy our creation. It reminds me of how much fun we used to have and it makes me realize how old I've become (and i haven't even turned 15 yet).

Haste does not bring success (121 words)

I've been playing guitar for about five years. One Christmas, I just really felt like I needed a guitar. I had no idea how to play, and knew I probably would never be able to learn (just like the drum set I had also got for Christmas once). I'm not a very patient person, and when I picked it up I expected it to sound great. Not only did I not know how to play, but it was also a beginners guitar. I plugged it in, and was instantly disappointed. I didn't pick it back up for a few months or so. I expected that I would have some sort of natural talent when it came to playing. Months passed and I realized that I actually want to learn how to play guitar, and take the time to practice and get it right. It took me years to get where I am today, but it took patience, and a ton of practice. It makes me happy that I can say I taught myself how to play guitar. 

J, J, What Begins with J

Jimmy Page is one of my favorite guitarists. Joseph, my brother, hates Led Zeppelin. Jokingly, he calls it "hillbilly" music. Jimi Hendrix is another one of my favorites, too. Jamming with my guitar teacher is a lot of fun, because he's in a Hendrix cover band. Joe, my father, and I have a good time bonding over the music we listen to. Just listening to music in general has always made me feel a little bit better. Janis Joplin is one of my favorite singers from around that era. Journeying to the late sixties would be incredible. 

One More Pack

His hand starts to twitch again

and I can't help but stare at the rhythmic tremor.

"One more pack", he says.

The evenings when I come home, 

and I can't smell the home-cooked meal over the smoke.

"One  more pack", he says.

When we're in the car, and he stops at the gas station,

I know he doesn't need gas.

"One more pack", he says.

He's lost more weight,

his teeth have grown more yellow,

and the shaking continues.

"One more pack", he says.

We say our goodbyes,

and neither of us take it as a surprise.

"I wish you would have listened sooner."

10 Things You Didn't Know About Lauren Foley

1). I never get sick of watching the movies Donnie Darko and Beetlejuice.
2). I've swam with dolphins.
3). I've been playing guitar for five years.
4). I've seen too many bands live to count.
5). Glee, the TV show, is my guilty pleasure. 
6). If I attended Hogwarts, I believe I would be a Ravenclaw (or possibly a Slytherin).
7). I love reading autobiographies. 
8). I have a collection of Sharpie's that I only use for my sketchbook.
9). I can play all of Stairway To Heaven on my guitar (it's been a goal of mine for awhile).
10). I enjoy thrifting and making my own clothes.

Books I Read Over Summer Break

Catcher In The Rye by J.D Salinger
Taking Woodstock by Elliot Tiber
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K Rowling