Shiver the Chihuahua

The summer before 8th grade, my mom bought my first pet. The impact he had on my life was huge, as being an only child, he provided companionship and enjoyment. Of course he came with down sides, as all dogs do, but his benefits far outweighed these downsides. Soon of course I found ways to using him to benefit myself academically. How? Science horizons in 8th grade. I made up a project of how I was testing different dog brands on chihuahuas to find the one they liked best. Of course I got an A because I am pro that way, but still wouldn't using him for my own benefits seem selfish in a way? It would also be considered a sin to religious folks as I lied to my teacher, my fellow classmates, and the Science Horizons committee. Yet there were no backlashes from my acts and I continued on perfectly fine.

Now what makes Shiver different than other dogs? He is a chihuahua and a spoiled one at that. Being a mommy's boy, he likes to get pampered, he likes to get massages, and he likes to lay around everywhere. Yet we all love him because of the joy he brings to the house. Because of him, I find myself to be friendlier in a way, to be more thankful of life. Of course being a Chihuahua he takes some criticism from my fellow peers. Chiocchio always makes me say "chihuuahuaa" while Dickson tells me his dog could beat my dog. These comments humour me, but do not affect me.

How would an economist view a dog? As a burden and waste of money. The money spent on the dog is an unneeded burden and money could have spent more wisely in other places. Now a veternarian would say it is great to have a pet as they bring joy to the household and that is good to have a pet rather it possibly being in an adoption center. He brings joy to my life . . . is there much more to say?

PS3 - An addiction?

Talking to Justin Cruz today, he told me he was doing video games for his American Portfolio. This reminded me of quite an obvious topic to write about. Since the PS3 came out it has adorned my shelf. Of course I did not play it as much because I started growing bored of the games.

As of late though the PS3 has been getting a lot of hype so I reincorporated myself with the system. Being recommended games by Jevic and Marcus, I soon found myself back in the old habit of massive finger pressing, button spamming. Call of Duty sound familar? Its been a dominating game since it came out and serves as a strategy game where the object is to stay alive. Its fun, interactive, and getting in fights with others with my microphone always makes me laugh. Sometimes when I get online, the aim is not to play, but to annoy others while they play. Sheer boredom to a new level.

Now why do I play? I have spare time on my hands and the games provide an escape from current live. They are fun, a different experience and when you get bored with one game, there is always another one to occupy one's time. Now what makes a PS3 better than an Xbox or a Wii? Well for any good gamer, the Wii serves as just a family console, or for a younger generation of gamers. The Xbox however has always been a key competitor with the PlayStation. For a time it was considered better, yet as of late, many have switched over to the PS3, stating it is better overall. Its all a matter of opinion and I have always been a Sony fan, so I just went with the PS3.

What does this say about me? I like games; I spend money on new games at times as current games get old. Everyone needs a distraction at times and games serve as my distraction. Through an economist lens, having a PS3 and buying games for it would be a waste of money. Playing video games is just a waste of time and with the economy the way it is, spending games on luxuries is just a waste. Games provide little benefit other than enjoyment and my time could be spent more productively, like find a job or doing community service instead. Yet until those times come, I will just have to spend some of my leisure time gaming away.

Pens, not Pencils

Back in middle school, pencils were the way too go as they were encouraged by teachers and mistakes could be erased, yet as one gets older you hear "you can use pens or pencils" more often. Slowly it went from just pencils on my pocket to a mix of the two. Arriving in high school though, the change to just pens occurred for me. They just seem more professional and teach the user more in my opinion. With a pen the user is aware that a mistake is permanent, you can scribble it out, but the remains are there. You could do what Ben Altman does and use white out, but 1.) the school believes white out to be a cause for students to get high so they do not allow it and 2.) it still leaves visible signs of what happened. So with pens, you have to be more confident with what you write, you have to be more aware of what you are writing. With pencils, the pencil tells the user that mistakes are allowed. Yet are they in life? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Your best bet is to avoid mistakes when you can. Yet often when one takes risks, they end up learning more.

Now not just any pen will satisfy me. Those paper mate pens? Think again. I like pens that have information on them, as it gives a brief insight into the companies, whether it be the form of font or the words written. The shinier the better; the more complicated to take apart the better. People have obsessions with clothing and other commodities, mine is with pens. I can't just pick up any old pen and use it as the pen's characteristics DO matter to me. Whether it be design or color, I will not settle for a second rate pen.

Through a logical point of view, my obsession with the style of pens is absurd. I should just use any pen as there is not much of a difference since all that really matters is the ink. Yet to me it holds value so I say forget logic. An economist might say that paper mate pens last just as long as the pens I use, have the same ink, and cost less, and with the economy as bad as it is, every cent counts. I'd just say, the pens I use are pens that I find or are given to by family so it costs me nothing. If I have it available for free, why not use it? An artist might say that the different styles of pens that I have could represent my mood or emotions. Bright red or darker colored pens might represent that I am angry or sad while yellow or light blue pens could be a cheerful mood. Just the fact that the pens I use are not just the regular bland pens shows that I am slightly outside the norm. Pens are pens, but my pens are better.

Captain Underpants!

Now I do not carry him around, that would be weird, but I still have this blow up doll that I got back in elementary school. It seemed nice at the time so I kept it as a memory. Now why do I write about this absurd, outdated superhero? Because a part of him represents a part of me. Everyone has their inner child, some deeper than others, yet we have that fun side, that goofy side, that side where we just do stupid things that we regret later. To people who really know me, they will know I say stupid things, that I do stupid stuff, and that's just how I am at times. Why go straight by the book all the time? Doing so puts us at a risk of losing ourselves. Schools are designed to shape students, often out of what they really are.

When I first started school, I was a trouble maker with what they called "anger" issues. This was just my manner of expressing myself. I would get sent to the principal and I even got suspended in second grade for hitting a girl. Stupid actions lead to consequences it seems. As the years have gone by, school just seems to get more boring as teachers expect more from you. The creativity, such as finger painting or even the nap time break, are no longer in use as most classes are "read this book, do those questions, test on Friday". If teachers can not put their best effort forward, then why should I? Now of course not all teachers are like that, but as the years have gone by, I have felt that the teachers care less for the individual and more for the class as a whole. One cannot expect this as a teacher as sometimes hundreds of students, but the lack of that bond can be the difference between enjoying a class and waiting for the bell to ring. Sure there are classes where one can be creative, but now the individual has to go seek them out, instead of it being everyone one looks. Whats this sound like? A person wishing to be hand fed everything? Whether you perceive it that way or not does not change the fact that creativity gets lost as one gets older.

When I go on facebook at times, I see statuses like "hating school atm" or "can't wait for the weekend". Whats this say about the opinion of the students? School should be a place where one wishes to go, a place where one can enjoy themselves. That is what the school system lacks: fun. Most teachers just wish to get through the topics and have the year over with. Some just don't care. I asked a teacher of mine for some help and he said "OK, but not today, I got a hockey game to go watch." What a joke. I ask him a question and he says "I'm not sure, I will get back to you on that". In other words he said, I will google it later and tell you tomorrow. Lack of enjoyment and lack of professional equal 45 minutes of "damn isn't it summer yet".

Now I just got robbed by Jackie Chan right? He just took all my belongings and is sorting out the stuff to see what he got and stumbles upon Captain Underpants. What does he think? "Guy is wack and a child". Something along those lines. What could he think? A figure such as Captain Underpants shows that I am more of a child, I look to goof off just by having it. I possibly like comics as the entire series is a comic. I like to run around in my underwear? Hell yeah that's where its at. Shows I like to have fun and that when things get boring, I put on my lucky cape and fly away to funland.

Collared Shirts

Since as long as I can remember, my wardrobe has been dominated by mainly collared shirts. What makes collared shirts better than t- shirts? They seem more professional and seem to provide a different appearance. Of course some collared shirts provide a different look than other collared shirts which depends entirely on the brand. Brands such as Hollister, American Eagle, or Abercrombie & Fitch, dominate most wardrobes. Why? Because of the name, because of the logo.

The difference between a shirt that carries no brand name and a shirt that looks exactly like it except with a Hollister logo, raises the price and value in society. The majority of my wardrobe consists of clothing from either of the three brands mentioned above. How do I feel wearing a brand other than those? I start to feel suspicious, as if the clothing no longer contains value. How can you describe this reaction? Like everyone else's. Whether people admit it or not, they are attracted to the finer brands, to the globally accepted and expected brands. Yet is a person wearing clothing from American Eagle or Abercrombie worth more than a person wearing clothing from the Salvation Army? No as human value is not determined by clothing, but the person they are on the inside. Yet the idea of fitting in, going with the crowd, causes society to often reject these folks or force them to convert over to being like everyone else. So in general, to be yourself, does it mean that you avoid brands such as Hollister? Does it mean that a person who truly wants to be different will find style in other stores? these brands are just names; the popularity of these brands are created through society. If we reject to wear Hollister, it will become yesterday's news and a new brand will appear to dominate the market.

Today, if a scout were to come looking for future models, what might they think of my orange collared shirt? Honestly they would probably just mix me in with everyone else as it is a Hollister shirt which has become the norm. It would not stand out as much compared to a shirt from an unknown brand. They could think I am stuck-up, self centered, and care how I look because those are general feelings connected to wearing such brands as Hollister. They could view me as just following what the media thinks is good and not thinking for myself. They could consider me another mindless drone who can not make decisions on his own. Yet they might view me as prepared, as somewhat professional, because collared shirts produce that image. Yet nothing would really cause the shirt to stand out, it would just be another among millions.

A Passion to Learn

Everyone encounters things in their lives that interest them, that make them think beyond their normal perspective. A person can learn various new things a day if they truly apply themselves, yet some people could care less about facts or new information as long as their lives continue to go the way they are. Yet for me, learning is a key to success. Many others would say the same thing and it is true, without a doubt, that the more a person knows, the better off they can be.

I carry a passion to learn, from my mistakes or just to learn new things. By learning, I feel that I have taken a step in the right path. Of course there are some things worth knowing and some that ain't. By pushing myself to learn new things, I can better adapt to my environment. I am neither a fast learner nor a slow learner, but if I had to pick one, I would be a slow learner at times. Often I make the same mistake over and over again because I push my passion to better myself aside. In the past few months, I have been trying to get rid of that habit, to learn to avoid making mistakes and to learn to avoid the mistakes that I have made. Before, my passion was not so apparent, I cared more about leisure time than academics, but I have been working on making myself a better student.

How can someone view a passion? Through the actions of the person. Yet many would say that I have not tried my hardest, because beforehand I did not care as much. Yet I have worked on stepping my game up, which a few teachers have been able to note. By trying harder, I feel happier as I get things done, I understand things more, and I do better overall. Stay tuned for future results.

Gum Nom Nom Nom

Whats so great about gum? Is it the various flavors in which a piece can come in or is it the chewy factor which never ceases to satisfy? Is it the popping sound which is produced by the creation of the bubble and the inevitable explosion? Who knows. All I know is that it tastes good and it creates a nice minty smell that comes from my mouth. Who wants to get caught with bad breath? Of course gum has its downsides, like when one talks and the words come out all mushed because of the gum in one's mouth. The gum under tables isn't that attractive either (waiting to buy more gum disposals). Also produces cavities due to the sugar, but who really pays attention to that. I chew gum because it is cheap to buy, produces a sweet taste in my mouth, and gives me minty fresh breath. That's why I carry it.

One of the more popular asked questions in school is "anyone got gum?" Now why does this question get asked day after day? Because gum has become to be a factor of importance in the mind of the teenager. Teenagers believe that a person with gum is better off than everyone else. Of course this is untrue and teenagers do not exactly think that, but it is the deeper meaning, beneath the surface of their thoughts. Gum has just become of those factors that everyone wants, yet only few are willing to go and acquire it. The rest just expect to have it handed to them by friends, which sometimes happens, but the majority just have to live without it. It is just an unneeded commodity.

If I were to die right now and a police officer was emptying my pockets to examine the contents and analyze the items he found to see if I was a regular civilian or a drug dealer in disguise, he would find my gum. Assuming he actually examines it instead of taking a piece, he would see that I am just like the millions of other young adults who chews gum. He would assume that I had a sugar craving like everyone else and used gum to satisfy it. He could say that I cared about how my breath smelled. He could presume that I possibly enjoy the popping sound produced. If he wanted to go deep, he might presume I chew gum just to act cool, just to pose as someone who I am not. Or he could just assume that I liked chewing gum.

Keeping a Plan

How many DHS students use their planners? Many actually. They serve as great spitballs and throwing paper when the teacher turns their back. Yet in my case, I actually use it write down my homework. How much do I depend on it? Here is an example: in freshmen year I lost my planner for a week. Without a planner, I just tried to remember all the homework that I had for the day in my head, yet I'd always forget something and I would start to fall behind in class. I am one to have horrible memory, I can see something or read something and be saying "what?" a few seconds later when I try to remember it. Whenever I hear the word "homework" pop out of the mouth of a teacher, a subconscious reaction occurs where I immediately reach for my planner. I go in order of periods, even if I obviously know a period (study hall) will not have homework, I still write " 7.)" and place "no" next to it. It helps keep me in check and ensures that I generally remember everything that has to get done.

Aside from homework, I generally write "study for test" on days leading up to a test and "test" on the day of a test to ensure that whenever I look at my planner, my mind is refreshed to remember a test is in the near past. Talking about this, give me a second while I write down "quiz 4/5 streves". OK done thanks for waiting. Keeping things written down ensures that things get done when they have to get done. 2 weeks ago, in Stat class, I forgot to write down a homework assignment and because of that my homework grade went from a 100 to a 94. Quite annoyed. That was the difference between rank 1 and rank 2. The difference between a 98.5 and a 97.2. With my poor memory, I'd be lost without my planner.

Now how could an archaeologist view my planner? They would see that I keep things written down and assume that I use it as an aid to remember what I have to do. They would also be able to tell what classes I take, as they would see "Spanish" or "world history" written throughout some pages. They could generally figure out what level classes I take if they studied it hard enough. They could tell my daily schedule in school and create their own interpretation of the schedule. They would see I am somewhat organized, yet that sloppy at the same time and possibly be able to tell more about me from that.

The Keys in my Pocket

What teenager does not carry keys? You need keys to get into your house, to open your car, to open your secret vault of goodies. Yet what do they tell about the person? If yo find just a lone key, it might say that you only have a house key, that you probably do not have a car, and you do not own a vault of goodies. Yet this blog is about me, so lets get to the point.

On my key chain I hold 3 keys. 1 key to open the outer door to get into my house, the actual key to get into my house, and a broken key which I have been unable to get off. Decorating my key chain is a picture of baby Jesus and the Holy Mary. Now I am not a deeply religious person, I do not often go to church every week, but I do believe that God plays a big way in how life is played out. By keeping these pictures in my pocket with me all the time, I feel as if I have my own guardian angel watching over me, keeping me protected. Whether this may seem foolish to others or not, it is my own little tradition that I have kept since I started going to house. In the near future I plan to add another key, a car key, but of course the near future will take a months to arrive, but that day will be much awaited. Do my keys accurately represent who I am? Not entirely but they offer a small insight into a part of me.

How might others view my keys? An atheist might just view my keys as normal, being just like everyone else since everyone carries keys. They could possibly believe me to be foolish for putting false hopes into religious figures and believe me to be brainwashed by the mass media into believing that external forces guide my life or offer some sort of protection. An artist might view the broken key on my key chain as a symbol for an event in my life, something that was so precious that I could never rid myself of it, yet they do not know that I could not get it off. Oh the fools.

My Pocket Dictionary - Pick a word any word

I picked up the Spanish to English Dictionary(also English to Spanish) and a thesaurus at the beginning of this year. They looked handy so I thought why not. The thesaurus has just been sitting there but the Spanish to English dictionary has come in handy. Now carrying these around make me look like I care about grammar or I care about using the right word. Well to an extent yes, but I am not to the point, checking word by word to make sure that I have used the best words possible. I carry these mainly as a precaution so that in the future if I need them, they are there. Could I live without them? Of course I could . . . I did for fifteen years so another sixty or so would not be so bad. Being somewhat more organized, somewhat more prepared is the way I am trying to go so by carrying these two books around, I think I am prepared for whatever word issues come my way.

How might a librarian view this? A librarian would most likely give me a pat on the back and say I am on the right way to success. They would believe me to be an ideal student, who comes prepared to class, one who crosses their t's and dots their i's. They would also presume that I take Spanish as my World Language class (correct they are) as an English to Spanish dictionary would serve no use in french or Italian. Shows that I am bilingual, which gives me greater capabilities when trying to communicate with others.

52 Card Pick Up

Playing cards serve as one of my key pastimes in study hall. I picked up the habit back in freshmen year and my skills were zero to none. Yet I slowly worked my way up, playing primary the game called "killer" which is a game more of bluff and chance rather than skill. Of course if your playing against idiots, skill helps. Playing cards serve as a way for me to cool down after a long day of endless information being drilled in and allow me to spend time with my peers.

Nearly every game you play with playing cards depends on luck: either you are dealt a good hand or you get a medium to bad hand. This relates to life for me: either I have a good day or a I have a normal day. What classifies a bad day? A bad is just another normal day for me. That sounds kind of negative but then you have to take into account a day consists of going to school and school equals bad in my mathematical equation. Of course school has its ups and downs as a card game would have its good moves and its bad moves. Isn't life just a hand of cards? Don't the cards we play signify the actions we take in life. A bad move equals bad consequences while a good move reaps in rewards. When we run out of cards to play, it is game over. Of course this does not go through the mind of a teenager very often. For a teenager, playing cards just serve as a manner of procrastination from doing productive work.

Through a strict, by the book lens, an assistant principal, such as Mrs. Ballenger, might view cards as a complete waste of time and might view the individual as a rule breaker as cards are generally not permitted in most DHS classrooms. Yet is this a good interpretation of one's character? I think not as cards just show that the student likes to spend his spare time with a fun, interactive game, but offers no insight into a student's academic achievements or other hobbies. Playing cards in general, will not offer much insight, other than possibly being a gambler, yet that would require more evidence, such as wads of bills, but playing cards on their own just show a manner of having a good time with friends.

Backpacks- my main vehicle of choice

Now now now a backpack. Very interesting right? Well everyone carries a backpack (assuming your a student and not a slacker) and generally it is not something to brag about. But one thing has to come to mind: a backpack is our vehicle in which we carry more things. So in a sense our backpack is our most important item we carry.

When thinking of a backpack, we generally wish for something comfortable to wear and carry around and something within our price range. So what about Northfaces? Since freshmen year I have seen Northfaces dominating the DHS hallways and 2 years later they are stronger than ever. Now we have to keep in mind, when something just starts out, it has few followers but over time it gains more. When something gets too popular, it starts to backtrack and become unpopular as everyone has one. Society causes individuals to follow the crowd and be like everyone else yet when everyone starts becoming like everyone else, people reject it and shy away. In a few years Northface backpacks will be obsolete and a new brand will have taken over.

Now how might someone else, other than a student, view a backpack? Bill Trump might view a backpack as being prepared, having investigated beforehand what has to be done and what has to be brought. A backpack that is bulging with items clearly shows that the person is prepared for success or carries his home on his back. A teacher would think on a similar mindset: a student who carries a backpack that seems full shows that the student wishes to be prepared and carry everything with him while a student whose backpack seems empty may need a little more encouragement to get on task. How do my DHS peers view backpacks? If your backpack is medium to bulging then that would be what we would call a "freshman" backpack as freshman year normally compiles backpacks with books and notes. An average DHS backpack would be empty to empty/somewhat full just to show how much DHS cares for academics.

Why do I carry a backpack? Convenient storage case for all my goodies. Why a Northface? Jansport was getting outdated for me. In my case, my backpack contains mainly school items, with other goodies. With my school items largely outweighing my other goodies, an archaeologist would view me as a possible dedicated student who would find time to goof off and have fun while a teacher might view my notebooks and books to show that I stay on top of things, but might view the detention passes in my backpack as a sign of possibly vigilanty actions.