Invisibilia

Lately, I've realized that there are too many things we take for granted in this world. I don't blame us. Some things are just there, and they always have been, and they always will be. But some people don't realize is that if you just take a second to look at everything you have, it's pretty cool. In light of this recent discovery of mine, I'm going to tell you the things I believe are taken for granted, and why they shouldn't be.

Image courtesy of Discover Magazine

First, the sun. It's a big yellow ball in the sky that you see during the day and don't see during the night. Yet, this big ball of hydrogen that's up in our sky is so much more than that. The sun is an incredible thing that we cannot live without. Earth is at the exact distance where the sun gives us just enough heat and light without frying us. How cool is that? If there was no sun, there would be no us. It's as simple as that. It's a source of light, a source of heat, a source of energy, and a source of life.

Image courtesy of 22 Words

Next, trees. Trees are completely underrated in society. First, they are GREAT to climb! Climbing trees is a great childhood memory for almost everyone (except for children of course, they're already living the dream). Getting up to the highest branch of a tree is such a great feeling! You feel like you can see everything on Earth from up there. You can even just sit in the middle of the tree, surrounded by leaves and branches. You feel like you're in a secret place that only you, squirrels, and birds ever have the pleasure of being in. Another great thing about trees is that they provide us with oxygen. Yes, the oxygen that we need to breath and live. As we keep slashing down trees to build homes, and make space to build homes, we have huge affects. We take away oxygen, increase carbon dioxide levels, and take away the homes and habitats of animals everywhere. Trees are amazing things, don't take them for granted.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Also, the stars. I myself am a huge fan of the stars! I think they're incredible. Astronomy is such a cool science because it helps us look at something we're made of. It's amazing that the tiny specks of light we see at night are huge balls of burning gas hundreds of lightyears away from us. These stars are the remnants of what created the universe, they are formed out of the chemicals that were left after other things formed. There are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on the Earth. Needless so say, that's a lot. Stars are also incredible things to just look at. One night, go outside and lay down and just look at the stars. It's pretty cool. Here's an amazing video by one of my favorite scientists on stars.
We have a lot in life. We're lucky to live in the U.S. where we have opportunities and education and everything we need. But we should also take a step back once in a while and remember the basics, and how great they are.

Can I Quote You On That?

Image courtesy of Buy Me Laughs

I love quotes. Inspirational ones, sad ones, happy ones, funny ones, loving ones, even confusing ones.  They are great ways to express how you feel. It's also great to be able to relate to someone else's words. Here are some of my favorite quotes, and why I love them so much.

Image courtesy of Brainy Quote

3. This on give you an outlook on life that's shockingly true, yet hilarious at the same time. We all know that we will die someday, we are mortal after all. Some may take this as a grim and depressing quote, but I think it's quite the opposite. It means to enjoy life while you have it, because it won't be forever.

Image courtesy of Brainy Quote

2. This is so true! People need to realize that sometimes we need to follow what we feel instead of what we see. Even if we can't see or feel something, like emotions, they are real! Embrace the fact that you have a heart and a brain, and that you can use both.

Image courtesy of Brainy Quote

1. This is so incredibly true I can't even tell you. Having a friend who has known you for a while is amazing because they know who you are. You don't need to be careful about how you act around them, you can be yourself. Also, you can do dumb things with them and have a good laugh over it all.

If you have some free time, try looking up some quotes. They can be about anything, sports, love, happiness, sadness, anything. Save your favorite ones in a folder or on a document and use them when you can. Have fun quote hunting!

Color

Image courtesy of Engaged Marketing

Color: the visual perceptual property corresponding in humans to the categories called red, blue, yellow, and others. That's the technical definition at least. Yet, isn't color so much more than just a visual perception of the world? Different colors can make us feel different ways, color combinations can please us, and almost our entire way of describing things revolves around color.

First, different colors can create different emotions for us. Just looking at a color can make us feel a certain way. Warm colors, like red, orange, and yellow, can make us happy and optimistic. Yet another thing red can do is make us hungry. That's why red is used on so many fast food signs and logos. Such as:

Image courtesy of Think.Shift

Other colors, such as blue, green, and purple, can be calming, but also sad. The way they are used and mixed in with brighter, warmer colors can affect how they are perceived.

Second, different color combinations are more pleasing than others. The most pleasing combinations are what people like to call "complementary colors." An easy way to explain the concept of complimentary colors is this. Find a color wheel. Now look at the colors that are across from each other on the wheel. Notice how well those two colors would go together? That's because they compliment each other, hence the term complementary colors.

Image courtesy of PixShark

Lastly, our way of describing things primarily uses color. Grab an object, any object. It can be right next to you are halfway across your house, you choose. Now that you have the object, describe it. I'll bet that a color popped into your head just then. This is because color is an easy way to distinguish objects from other objects. Imagine if the entire world was just black and white. It could be hard to instantly distinguish one thing from another thing because the most striking physical difference isn't there. Yes, shape and size are also big physical factors, but I've found that the thing you notice first about two objects is the similarity/difference of their color(s).

So color isn't just something pretty to look at. It is something that can calm or enrage you, help you or hurt you, and definitely stands out to you. I don't believe that color is something that should be taken for granted, but something that should be wondered at and appreciated. Color is a way we can express personal feelings and thoughts, and can effect other's feelings and thoughts too. Love color for all it is and be happy that it's there. I'm sure that if you do, it will appreciate it.

Everything's better, down where it's wetter, under the...pool!

Image courtesy of Disney Wikia

Today we shall talk about swimming, my dear readers! On top of taking up two hours a day of my life, it is my favorite thing to do. To give you an inside look at a BIG part of my life, here are the main reasons that I get in the pool everyday.

1. The water- I LOVE the pool! Honestly, it's my favorite place. The water is cool and refreshing, and it's a place to just let the stresses of the day flow away. Sometimes the water is a little too cold at first, but once we start working, it feels good. Once I start swimming, I get into this rhythm that almost counteracts the chaos of the day. As I go along, I can feel my body relax and let my mind wander. Sometimes I think about what I need to do after school, sometimes I think about problems my friends or I are having, or what I'm going to eat next. The latter seems to be a favorite topic of my brain and stomach.

2. The people- Everyone on the team is just amazing. They are all sweet, kind, caring, and want to help others in every way. Team dinners are a good example of that. Once in a while, we have a team dinner where everyone gets together, usually at a team captain's house. There is tons of food and everyone just hangs out and relaxes. These dinners are usually right after practice, so almost everyone who can't drive needs a ride from someone on the team. There have been times where people literally fought over who they wanted to drive. Another time my team mates are especially amazing is at swim meets. If you get a bad time or seem sad, they will approach you as soon as they notice and make you feel better. However, if you get a new best time, they will be just as excited, if not more, as you are about it.

3. The benefits- There are many benefits of swimming, but my favorite one is the ability to eat whatever. Swimmers may be skinny and strong, but it's definitely not because of small eating habits. It's the contrary. Any swimmer on my team will tell you that they eat a ton. The only reason that I get away with eating my body weight in food every day is because I swim. If I stopped swimming I would balloon up and gain just about four-hundred pounds, give or take. At every practice I burn an insane amount of calories (remember, sweat is just fat crying).

In conclusion, yes, practice is hard everyday, and yes sometimes I don't want to even touch the pool. But I love swimming too much to ever quit it. Even if I didn't love swimming, I wouldn't want to leave all the amazing people who are on my team.

Stress!!!

Image courtesy of Mindwerx

Now, as every high schooler knows, stress is a big part of our life. Juggling deadlines, projects, sports, clubs, and still trying to have time to be with family and friends is a full time job. Personally, I know a lot about these stressful times. Since this is such a common problem, I thought I would write  about how to handle and maybe even decrease this stress.

First, DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. I know it sounds appealing, but putting things off until tomorrow is not the answer (although I wish it was). Here's a little step by step on how to avoid procrastination:
1. First, find a comfy spot to do your homework. Grab a pillow or a blanket, maybe a snack, make yourself nice and snug. I've found that if I'm comfortable, I'm less bummed about doing what I need to get done.
2. Now, make a to do list. What I like to do is to go through my classes and write down what I need to do in all of the them, and when everything is due. The due dates help me plan on when I need to get everything done by (well, duh). But really, seeing the exact date of when something is due helps me.
3. Go down your to do list, completing everything in the order you wrote it. As you complete a task/assignment, cross it off. Keep going until everything is done. Congratulations! Now you can do whatever you want to do, as in sleep.
*A little tip from Natalie- take breaks! Just because you want to get everything done doesn't mean that you need to completely overload yourself with information. Every forty-five minutes or so, take a ten minute break. This has helped me a lot, and I think it will help you too.

Another way to decrease stress is to see if you can get assignments done early. In my H. English class, we have a weekly assignment called Vital Vocab. My teacher (hello Mr. Parker) has a page where we can find all the Vital Vocabs for the entire quarter. This has been awesome for me, because when I had some extra time, I got all of them done. This helped because I no longer had to worry about forgetting to do them or having to keep up with the deadlines. Getting something done early is an awesome way to avoid the stress it could have caused you.

I hope this helps you guys! Remember, stress and problems are temporary and can be avoided. High school may seem hard, but I know we all can get through it and succeed in it. Remember that your teachers, counselors, family, and friends are there for you whenever you need it. Don't forget to make memories, not just of stressful nights and long days, but of football games and sports teams and friends and good times.

Gif courtesy of Animations A2Z

The Fine Line Between the Imaginative and the Insane

Image courtesy of Lancaster Schools

Welcome to the world of THEE-AH-TAH. Ok Natalie, no need to be overdramatic. Theatre, an art form, form of expression, and expression of imagination. It can also be the fine line between the imaginative and the insane.

Actors are always just a touch crazy. Isn't everyone though? We just choose to show it a little bit more.....okay, a lot more! The stage is a way to slip out of your skin and into someone else's. I'm here to explain just why I love acting so very much.

First of all, character. Everyone has insecurities and everyone has flaws that only they see. I'm no different. Yet when I'm a character, I don't have to be me. I know it sounds a little weird right now, but give me a second. When you are developing a new character, YOU get to create them. YOU get to write their backstory, YOU get to shape their personality, and YOU get to shape them. You have no choice in who you are, but you do have a choice in who your character is. You just don't have to be you for a little while, and that's fun.

Image courtesy of Scholastic

Secondly, expression. In the real world, people expect you to conform to certain social standards. Let me just say it, THAT STINKS. If you do something out of the ordinary in life, you are classified as weird. If you start experimenting with a script or a character on the stage though, you can really do whatever. If you skip on stage instead of walk, that's innovative. If you make your lines very overdramatic, you are creative. There's just this sense that you can pop the bubble and explore without people judging what you do.

Theatre is something you use to take yourself away from your reality and put yourself into someone else's life. It's a cool and exciting way to recognize the normal, the status quo, and then break it.

My Happily Ever After

Image courtesy of SFist

Fairy tales usually start with, "Once upon a time..." and end with, "And they lived happily every after." Sadly, in this world, it isn't that easy. You can just lose a shoe or have your evil stepmother send you out into the woods. I also find it unfortunate that their are no fairy godmothers. A blog called The Happily Ever After Project is about a woman finding her happily ever after, one step at a time. It has helped me realize that maybe my happily ever after doesn't have to include riding of into the sunset on the back of Prince Charming's horse. Maybe it can just be anything that makes me happy. After all, this is MY happily ever after.

Step One: Get into a good college.
This is where my nerdiness just explodes. *boom* *pow* *pew* My dream college is Stanford. It has a beautiful campus, amazing professors, and is just awesome in general. For my undergrad I would probably major in biology, and then I would go through medical school to become a family and general pediatrician. I love kids and science and it would be an amazing profession!

Step Two: Graduate.
Assuming that I actually make it through the years and years of medical school without being crushed by stress, teachers, and my fellow students,

Image courtesy of Toonsup

I will graduate. If I start college when I am 18 then I will graduate at about twenty-six years of age (wow, I'll be old). After this I have to do about three years of scrambling for internships where I can gain more knowledge and the credibility to actually be a full-fledged pediatrician.

Step Three: Find that special someone.
ALERT ALERT EXTREME TEENAGE GIRLINESS AHEAD, ALL SHOULD BE WARNED
Now we get into the stuff about, you guessed it, boys *cue tiny girlish screams*. After all of this work, I will want to settle down. I don't know who, where, when, or why it will be, but I hope I will be the happiest possible. I definitely want kids, two at least. I really wouldn't only want to have one child, having siblings is actually not all bad. I should know, I have a little brother and little sister. If you can get past the constant torment of their very existence, you can realize that life could be a little boring without them.

Step Four: Live to a ripe old age.
Now I shall live up to my goal of skydiving at age one-hundred. Let's go!

I hope you enjoyed this little walk through my happily ever after.

All the Little Things

Image courtesy of Broadsword Solutions Corporation

People are always saying that we need to step back for a second and take a look at the "big picture." I agree with that. I do think that the way we understand a problem or question is to first take a look at everything before we zero in on the little details. But, isn't it the little things that make us remember? With such a huge world around us, there need to be little things unique to each living, and non-living, thing. These points of uniqueness are all the little things that make things special to us.

Just think about it, you're walking home from a friends house for the first time, and you need to remember where to turn off to get to her/his neighborhood. Personally, I won't remember the street name, so what I look for instead is some sort of cool or unique landmark. I will look for a huge oak tree, or a rose bush, just something unique to that, and only that, place. Street signs all look the same to me. Little rectangles on poles with writing. But if you can find something that stands out in the landscape, that is the thing that will stick in my mind.

You can also use these little things to remember people. "Greg's the one with the little curly mustache right....Cynthia, you know, the redhead....Oh yeah, Dylan is the one who has a limp....." The small features and attributes make you remember. You can either try to remember every single detail of a person's entire face, or look at a couple little things that are specific to just them. Some examples are a mole, a really high or low pitched voice, a way of walking, anything really. Even though they are all just tiny little things compared to the "big picture," they are the things that seem to help us remember.

No matter what they are, the big fern by your friends house, the mole on someone's upper left cheek, or even the way your crushes smile is just a little bit crooked, they all have one thing in common. They are all the little things that cause us to remember.

What's Your Favorite Sport?

As some of you may know, I LOVE to swim! It's my favorite sport. During the last school year, I swam with PCS. During the summer, I swam with the MARC. But on Monday (Sept. 8) I am trying out for the PCS Imagination team so that I can do the musical in November, then after that I am going to try out for the High School team!!!!! Comment your favorite sport below, and if you don't have one, then just comment your favorite thing to do :).

My (fabulous) tan lines

GO PACKERS!!!!!

As with the coming of every fall, it's football season! My family's personal favorite team is...wait for it...the Green Bay Packers!!!!