Going for the Gold

Watching the Olympic games is one of my favorite pastimes I share with my family. Well, usually my father doesn't even watch with us and my brother goes to sleep early, so I guess it is just a pastime I share with my mother and sister. The thing I love about the Olympic games is that you may feel as if some of their techniques are near quixotic; impossible and unreal, but they accomplish them regardless.

But on the other hand, there are many disappointed faces when watching the games. All of the athletes put in such hard work and practice into their sport and when one mistakes follows another, they cede and their confidence is crushed. Although sometimes the coach's faces show deprecation of his athlete's mistake, he must be proud either way. After all, many of the athletes are either parvenues of their own country or internationally; their faces are known world-wide after the Olympics.

I guess you could call me an Olympic fanatic, for I stay up, eyes glued onto the TV screen, during the late hours of the night. Another thing I find interesting about the games I that some athletes feel supercilious to their competition. For example, Yevengy Plushenko from Russia felt superior to the other athletes because of his title as the gold medal champion of men's figure skating, but Evan Lysacek proved him wrong. What I loved about Lysacek was that he was colloquial; he was like an average American, just like us. When he found out he won the gold, he simply uttered, "No way." I think seeing an athlete this way sheds a new light on him.

The fact that success comes with the amount of hard work one puts in is surely credulous after the many events at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics games. I can't wait to see what the rest of the games hold!

"His was like a vodka shot and a snort of coke kind of thing."

Johnny Weir may be the most fabulous man to ever skate on ice. He is an anathema to some people and an icon to others, but for me, he is my pretty little gazelle. I don't know what it is but he has a genuine charm that seems to draw me in every single time I see his face. On one hand, like every other skater, he gets maladroit when put under pressure, but he always puts in 100% and ends up giving everyone a great performance. Every performer has a feeling of sang-froid every time he steps onto the ice, but it is the skater who overcomes that fear that is put on top.

My favorite performance by Johnny Weir was when he skated to Pokerface by Lady Gaga. I can't even begin to explain the energy and the eccentricity that pours out of the performance. If one goes on Youtube, he or she can see the dossier of performances that Johnny has been involved in, from the Olympics to national competitions and even going to Korea to spend time with Yun Na Kim, a Korean figure skater. He goes further than a skater usually does during his career. There are some things about him that are cryptic, such as his orientation, but his skills and effort on the ice are truly evident.

I love Johnny Weir on levels that most of you probably won't understand.

Mother, I am a dreamer

I love sleep, I absolutely do. Unfortunately, my mother castigates me when I sleep in after 10am. But what I don't understand is that if I continue to sleep in my room, I am not bothering anybody, therefore it is a win-win situation. In addition, when I do wake up, I'm quite laconic; my responses consist of grunts and "yeah." I am not an obstacle to anybody, so let me sleep!

I guess my parents expect me to be ebullient like my brother in the morning, but hell, he's nine years old. This expectation usually turns me into a malcontent because it causes me to sleep even later-- just to tick them off... it usually works. I think there are two main reasons why I enjoy being in deep slumber so much. One, I love being snuggled up in my blanket with that warmness that you feel in the morning. Also, when ten minutes actually means another half hour, possibly falling back asleep.

And second, I love dreaming, I really do. Even when I don't remember my dreams, they're so vivid. If there was a moratorium on dreaming, I probably wouldn't go to sleep because my dreams are the only place where things are more interesting than my daily life. Sometimes I dream about not being able to see or talk, and other times I am in bizarre situations. All in all, dreaming is something I love and I am so thankful I have the ability to do so.

Winter Ball '10

This was the first year I went to Winter Ball and I had indescribable fun. Seeing everybody dressed up, but some more tawdry then others, was nice sight for sore eyes. When the time passed, the number of students burgeoned and the entire ballroom was filled with suit jackets and colorful dresses. But before meeting everyone at the Marriott, we had to take pictures first. Oh, how that was an interesting experience. Cameras flashing and parents yelling, it was chaos. Our garrulous personalities truly got in the way of being organized and orderly when taking pictures. This was an event all its own, and once finished, we headed over to the hotel.

When the music started playing, we could tell that the teachers were analyzing or even excoriating us with our friends, but when talking to my study hall teacher, Ms. Nunez, she remembered that she didn't pay much attention to the teachers either. Our only purpose was to have fun, and that was achieved through the course of the night. Now that I have experienced Winter Ball, I surely can't wait for prom!

Apologies for the unsophisticated language that follows.

I'm just a teenager when it comes down to the technicalities. I speak in teenager argot to my parents and sometimes I hector my brother and sister. What can I say, we only live once, and I'm going to live like a teenager for as long as I am one. When I wake up on weekends, I am saturnine; upset and sluggish at the fact that the sun has risen and my day has to start. My parents absolutely loathe at the fact that I wake up past 10am, and I have an invidious nature in the household. I used to be the "good kid" and now I'm the one who everyone has to look out for. Clearly my capricious personality is not appreciated Ah, the teenage years.

But unlike most teenagers, I succumb the negative attitude and peer pressure that kids my age undergo. I don't think most of the things that high school students feel as if they must do are necessary, they are just trying to "fit in." (I just realized this is the most cliche blog post in the world.) When one fits in, they should fit in for their personality, not the kind of clothes they have on their backs or throwing the greatest parties.

I have no idea where this blog post is going. All I'm trying to say is that I'm a teenager and I will live like a teenager, but I guess I do have some morals, even though I do wake up at noon.

"I see you."

One Sunday afternoon, my urging father decided to bring our entire family out to see the new movie, Avatar. Being myself, I didn't want to see that movie, I thought it would be a waste of my time. But being my father, he was implacable, and forced me to tag along. But if my persistent dad didn't make it a "family thing," I would've regretted not going.

Avatar makes my top favorite movies, hands down. The abridged version? It is about a US general who tries to concoct a ruse to take the land of the native people in Pandora. It is a utopia for the natives, and for the Americans who have been exposed to this land. Jake Sully, a former marine, takes his Avatar to learn the ways of the people of Pandora on this mission. Throughout the movie, Jake Sully learns the cultures of the N'avi people, and therefore had cachet with the natives. He then forgets about the mission and becomes emotionally attached to the natives and has the entire US army against him. He had to fight for what was right, and he made sure the natives fought for their land. His courage and strength prevented the general from usurping the land, and he saved the sacred world of Pandora.

I feel as if this movie is a reflection of history. This movie is exactly what happened between the Native Americans and the whites, where the whites tried to steal their land. During the movie, I didn't feel any ennui at all; there was not a dull moment in the full two and a half hours. This movie was more than just a sci-fi film, it was a regeneration of history. I think this "reenactment" of America years ago was just right and it portrayed the emotions of the natives beautifully.

I recommend everyone see this movie, it won't be a waste of your $10. If I hadn't seen this movie, I wouldn't know what I was missing out on.

So tell me darling, do you wish we'd fall in love?

Imagine if we could just talk to a person, without knowing what they looked like. There would be no judgment that a person's face may beguile you into. The pressure of physical appearance would be allayed; a relief, isn't it? We'd get to know one another, just really know that person. Looks can sway one to be attracted or not, so let's rid that. It may just be an infatuation that is ephemeral, and once we learn the flaws about that person, the infatuation may fade away.

It is because of physical traits that some genuinely good people don't get a chance. In the movie, Hitch, Kevin James plays an awkward tax accountant for a celebrity, Allegra Cole. Will Smith, the "Date Doctor," helps Allegra realize how much of an amazing man Kevin James is. Allegra finally opens her eyes to see the salient traits of Albert's personality. She falls in love with the man she never suspected she would, but they were ultimately happy in the end.

Which reminds, me, Disney movie love. What is Disney movie love? Is it when a sycophantic mother tries to ruin her stepson's wedding? Or when a lowly stepdaughter falls in love with the prince? I guess it's different in everyone's eyes, but I feel like it's when people realize that they're meant to be, no matter what they must go through. Their hearts coalesce to become one, and as long as they're with each other, nothing else in the world matters. So I guess you can call me a romantic, I won't deny it. I just wish the best in people would be seen, without judgment, without the harsh cruelty that people unnecessarily have to go through every day. I think everyone deserves a chance to love and be loved.