Don't be ignorant

My dad and I don't see eye to eye on much of anything, politically speaking. I was just sitting here thinking of a blog topic to write about when suddenly it was delivered to my room. My dad came in to read me a text message his friend sent him. It was on the topic of illegal immigration to the US. It was as follows:

"If u cross the north Korean border illegally u get 12 years hard labor...if u cross Iranian border illegally u get detained indefinitely. Cross the Afghan border u get shot. Cross the Saudi border u will be jailed. Cross the Chinese border u will never be heard from again. Cross the Venezuelan border u will b branded a spy and your fate sealed. Cross the Cuban border u will b thrown n prison to rot. However, cross the U.S. border illegally, u get a job, a drivers license, a social security card, welfare benefits, food stamps, credit cards, subsidized rent or a loan to buy a new house, free education, free health care, the right to vote, and all without speaking a word of english. This should piss Americans off. If you agree, forward to everyone you know!"

I asked him if he agreed with the message. He did. I pointed out that China, Venezuela, North Korea, and Cuba are all communist countries where people give up their rights for perceived social equality. As a conservative Republican, shouldn't he take offense to their philosophies? Most of these countries have reputations for being horrible places to live or, at the very least, full of poverty and violent conflict. Why does he want to take their advice?

Secondly, if illegal immigrants got the right to vote, I never heard it and I think it would be a pretty huge issue if they did. Lastly, I recommended he take with a grain of salt any information he receives in a chain letter, a text message, or anything else that addresses him as 'u.'

I don't have a strong stance on immigration, but I can sympathize with people who feel the need to sneak into a more prosperous country. I'm sure my dad would do the same thing if he were in their position. However, I don't feel that I know enough about the issue to take a stance on it, so I don't. It makes me angry when people blindly take a side on something they obviously know nothing about, or when they validate an argument simply because the conclusion is the same as theirs, despite whether any of the points made were valid.

I realize he just thought the text message was funny, but come on. This is a guy who still thinks interracial marriage is a big deal and thinks there is opposition to it in the Bible. What the heck? (<- total contradiction of the topic in my last post. I never said there weren't exceptions to the "Don't be That Guy Rule.")

7/7 - done catching up

Don't be that guy

Don't be the guy that says that political or religious opinion as if it were fact in the middle of light-hearted conversation and make everyone feel awkward.

For real. You're welcome to your opinions, but don't state them like they're fact. It makes everyone uncomfortable. It's an established rule of conversation not to bring up religion or politics unless you know everyone involved is okay with it and you're mature enough to be receptive to their ideas. In English today, we were told that when writing a free-response question on the AP Language exam that we should make at least one concession in order to show mature thinking, because mature thinkers are able to recognize that their opinion is not absolute fact or the only viable option. I completely agree with that statement and think it's something people should apply to their entire life rather than just an FRQ.

6/7

Eat slowly

This isn't really a big deal, but I feel that people who go through their food too quickly miss out on one of the greatest things in life. I went to Chick-Fil-A the other day with a few friends and though most of us ate for the entire hour or so that we were there, one of my friends finished his meal in less than two minutes and his drink in one large gulp.

Food, relaxation, and friends go hand in hand. Extending the meal over an hour instead of two minutes means you get more for your money, continue feeling full, can take time to enjoy the taste of the food, and fill in gaps of conversation or time needed to think. It's part of a societal trend to always be hurrying through life, even though a quick arrival at whatever your destination is isn't necessary.

5/7

Be outgoing

So, as I've already posted, I'm going to Centre College this fall, probably to major in English. I've gone to school with many of the same people since elementary school and it's going to be a completely new experience for me. In fact, most incoming students will be facing this same problem. I didn't really know how to go about preparing for the complete shock of knowing absolutely no one until I got an idea from another incoming student.

My friend, Michael Gaddis, another incoming student, received a friend request from a girl named Coral Davenport. He told me that she added everyone on Facebook who was in the Centre '14 network. I thought this was an excellent idea and did the same, sending each friend request with a message explaining that I'm going to Centre with them next year. I also looked at their profile and, if I saw anything we had in common, I tried to mention it in the message. As a result I've met a few people I'm sure I will be befriending in person at Centre this fall. I'd strongly recommend anyone reading this to add at least the people in their incoming class who seem somewhat interesting. It has had a positive result for me so far.

4/7

In Loving Memory of Jon Feltman's Formerly Clean Record

This post is dedicated to Jon Feltman, who gets off of probation tomorrow. Jon Feltman, a young man with no discipline record in school or crime record with the police marred his record forever sometime last year.

Last year was Jon Feltman's junior year and it was free ACT day and all juniors were required to take the test. Jon was running late, so he thought he would go a few mph over the speed limit and get to school in time to take the test. Soon enough police sirens were blaring behind him and rather than pulling over, Jon went faster. Amazingly enough he got away, parking his car in Taylor Potter's driveway, who couldn't figure out why he was there, as Taylor was already gone. When asked, he responded simply "Just hangin' out."

When enough time had passed, he left Taylor's house and went to school. On the same route he outran the cop on. He ran into the cop again and was confronted by the po-lice and got many charges.

Jon Feltman, this is for you. Today's life lesson is:

"If you get away from the cops, don't go back to them." 3/7

Start early on your college search...

This doesn't apply so much to my fellow seniors, but I've learned something in the past few months that I feel I should pass on to underclassmen. Being the second person in my extended family to attend college for a bachelor's degree, I really didn't have anyone to turn to for advice when my search began.

As a result, my search did not begin, really, until spring break of my senior year. I began filling out applications about a week before the deadlines and used Common App to apply to a wide variety of schools that I thought I might have an interest in later. What resulted was a frantic and very stressful last quarter of my senior year that has had me reaching out desperately for some sort of certainty about the next four years of my life. I've settled on Centre College, just two days before my acceptance of admission is due, and though I'm very happy with my decision and confident that I made a good choice, the process could have been much easier if I only started it earlier.

2/7

Sometimes it's good to take a break from technology

Recently, because of water damage, I've been forced to live at my grandparents's (Is that correct? I never got that rule down.) house for a few weeks. Unfortunately, during this same period my laptop has died, the operating system on my desktop has expired, and my car has broken down. I have had more work than usual in school and difficult decisions about college to make. I've had very little opportunity to interact with my friends on Facebook or play video games, as I have been separated from my beloved computer and Xbox 360.

As a result, the vast majority of my time has been spent listening to music (The Shins at the moment, one of my all-time favorites) and reading (re-reading Harry Potter). I had forgotten just how therapeutic reading for pleasure can be, as I'd been constantly busy with reading material thrown at me by all of my classes and not had much time for reading what I wanted to. Oddly enough, I don't feel as stressed out right now as I do when I have many less things to worry about and I'm at home. I can't speak for everyone, but a break from technology has helped for the most part.

1 blog down. 7 to go.

Don’t be a leech.

Many people have the problem of being a leech. Most of the time they don’t even realize it. There are many ways you can be a social parasite:

1. The Intellectual Leech

High school is a difficult time and some classes are more difficult for one person than the next. There’s usually at least one person in the class, however, who just seems to ‘get’ the material. A lot of the time this person is also good-natured and would help someone if asked to. Now, it’s not a problem to approach them once or twice and ask for their assistance with a problem or concept you don’t understand. They’re usually more than willing to help with that. It becomes a problem when it happens habitually and no longer are they helping you learn, you’re helping yourself to being told the answers to a homework assignment. It’s even worse when you don’t otherwise talk to someone. No one likes to exist only when they’re needed.

2. The Emotional Leech

Commonly known as a ‘psychic vampire,’ this person is weak in spiritual, emotional energy and in order to thrive, will take this energy from others in one way or another. Some will directly bully others, some will befriend people with weak self esteem in order to make themselves feel better by exploiting it, and others will simply fish for compliments everywhere they go. None of these people do particularly well in social situations.

3. The Regular Leech

The regular leech. They scare the crap out of me. If you try to suck my blood, I’ll probably find it hard to be friends with you.

Have some decency

This goes along with the issue of respect in my last update and it won’t be a long post because it doesn’t need to be. It’s important to have some class in your everyday life.

One of my favorite hobbies is listening. I enjoy walking through the halls and cafeteria at school and picking up entertaining little snippets of a conversation. I would share some of these things with you, but none of them are appropriate enough to quote in a school-sanctioned blog. It’s surprising how many people speak so loudly (and so crudely) about their conflicts and sexual exploits. However, as entertaining as these people may be, I don’t think any of them worth knowing.

Let me clarify. In the Middle Ages, most royal courts had a court jester. There were two types of jesters: the trained entertainer, and the naturally stupid. The first danced and sang songs and told jokes. The second was spoken to by the other members of the court so that they could be entertained by the completely serious statements the dimwitted, uneducated jester would make.

This may sound arrogant for me to say, and I apologize for that, but it’s honestly how I feel. The naturally stupid court jesters of the Middle Ages were not given the chance to attend school, learn proper social behavior, or communicate effectively. All of the students in the cafeteria of Daviess County High School have had these opportunities and some have chosen to be the second, unrespected variety of jester.

While I do enjoy overhearing their conversations, I think I’d be happier overall, have more respect for those individuals, and have more faith in humanity as a whole, if they would tone it down.

Be comfortable with who you are.

Foreword: Because I’ve sort of fallen behind on this blog a few times, this week is a special event: TRIPLE TREMENDOUS TRANSCONTINENTAL TRAVESTY WEEK. This week there will be three updates to make up for my slacking off. I hope you’re as excited as I wish I was.

So a few months ago I came across something that shocked me. That something was this:

“That’s Harry Potter,” you may say. “But something is wrong. That doesn’t look like the Harry Potter cover I know and love. Maybe it’s just a foreign cover. It’s nothing to worry about.”

You’d be half right. It is foreign, but it’s also something to worry about. You see, in the United Kingdom, there are two editions of each Harry Potter book: the children’s edition and the adult edition. What’s the difference? The cover. That’s all. Adults in the UK buy these editions of the books because they’re afraid to be seen in public reading a book with colorful (interesting) artwork directed at children on its cover.

This is because adults must be serious, sophisticated, and sexy. They must be bland and boring and monotonous and they must conform. They cannot have unique interests, such as children’s literature, lest they seem outlandish. So they must rebrand their interests, disguise them so that they seem like more of the same, nothing unique here! They must do this so they remain in their position as respectable, perfectly normal adults.

The ironic thing about all of this is that it’s the very same logic used by Harry’s hated aunt and uncle, the Dursleys, whose main goal in life is to be a perfectly normal, semi-wealthy, bland, boring, suburban family. This goal is the root of their hatred for Harry.

While buying the adult edition of Harry Potter may be an attempt to enjoy the series while maintaining the respect of their peers, some people (such as myself)  might actually lose a tremendous amount of respect for anyone they saw trying to conceal their inner child in this way.

Hiding your true self from the world reveals a weakness to the pressures of your peers to be just like them, which is ultimately giving into the idea that they are better than you and that you must improve yourself by becoming like them. It reveals low self esteem, a lot of insecurity, and a fear of yourself that will cause you to lose much more respect than you will ever gain.

Don’t take life for granted

Everyone’s time on this earth is limited. There have been roughly 3,000 years of human history. Billions of people have been born. How many dead ones can you name? Probably a few thousand. Your day-to-day problems are inconsequential. Let go of them and be happy. Enjoy life to the best of your ability.

Ambition is useless. Chances are highly in favor of you being a statistic when everyone you know personally dies. This isn’t something that should depress you. Don’t chase status because no one will care how much money you made, how attractive your spouse was, how big your house was, or what car you drove. Your tombstone will be the same as everyone in the graveyard you’re buried in.

Don’t work too hard. Life is too short to be stressed out and busy all the time. I finished Tuesdays With Morrie last night and it reinforced a few of my values. Success is not defined by money, material possessions, prestige, or even intelligence. It is defined by those you love and those who love you. Those who are always busy or angry don’t have much time for love. They are the least successful people in the world, no matter what their salary. Despite all outside appearances, they’re tortured and miserable.

In Tuesdays With Morrie, Morrie recounted that when he was able to drive, when someone angrily passed him in traffic because he was too slow, he would turn to them, smile, and wave as they drove past. He said many times their angry faces turned into smiles as well.

More people should slow down and take time to smile.

 

Are you successful?

What has the world come to when kids complain about snow days?

Honestly. This week’s life lesson is going to be short and to the point.

 

YOU ARE A STUDENT

THERE ARE LIKE 20 SNOW DAYS!

ENJOY IT!

Especially if you’re a SENIOR, you have no right to complain. We’re leaving a week early anyhow, so who cares? AND a lot of us are taking mostly AP classes, meaning we won’t be doing anything after the AP tests are over with. I, for one, would like to enjoy that extra time with my classmates, seeing as how the next time I see some of them may be in like 20 years at a reunion or something.

Oh no, this week’s lesson was already covered!

     So, my last post was only meant to make up for my lack of posting last week. As I began to write this week’s lesson, I noticed that Corey Sheldon (who I’m subscribed to) already covered the topic of returning to childhood, but I’m going through with it anyway because it’s been a pretty big part of my life lately and, well, I don’t have a backup plan. So here goes:

 

“You should take time out to return to your childhood every once in a while.”

Unless you had abusive parents, or were orphaned at a young age, childhood was probably the happiest time of your life. If you were like me, you had no worries and no cares, drifting along through life doing whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted, with no real responsibility. As you have aged, the amount of responsibility has grown substantially, your beliefs and personality have changed, you now have cares that you didn’t know existed as a child.

It’s important to take a day out every once in a while to do the things you enjoyed doing as a child. Block out a day of all responsibility and do whatever you did then. Read the books you read in elementary school, watch the TV shows you watched in elementary school, even play the games you played back then. Turn off your phone and don’t get on Facebook. Just relax and recuperate and if you feel ridiculous doing so, then I pity the fool.

If it’s British, it’s better

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been lacking that creative spark lately and all I want to do is lay around and chill. This week's lesson is:

"The British have better taste.”

I'll let pictures do the talking.

 

USA                                                                                                                     UK

                  

    

      

                  

 

 

Of course, America has the UK beaten in a few areas (privacy, military, for the most part not as pretentious, music in the past 10+ years, we don’t have chavs, etc), but let’s not get into that. I think I made the points I wanted to make.

Don't be a Logan

Holy crap, it's 7am and I just remembered I need to make a blog post. This week's lesson: Don't be a Logan. Well, to follow this lesson you must ask yourself, what is the negative core quality of Logan that he would need to make a life lesson to deter others from? I'm sure you can come up with many reasons, but the one I'm referencing here is my procrastination, as it is most relevant at the time that I'm typing this.

I didn't go to sleep last night (at all) because I've been working on a lot of makeup work for AP Euro and got distracted heavily by the fun of Grand Theft Auto IV and the music of Kid Cudi. I finished my Euro, but I didn't even start my math homework, so I guess I'm gonna have to take a 0/5 on it, but it's not a big deal. I have like a 96% in there and I can get tutoring on Wednesday or something since I don't understand it.

Anyway, you should also keep an agenda of the things you need to do because I got out of my computer chair to go get a shower just now and as soon as I opened the door turned a 180 and walked straight to my room as the memory of this blog hit me. Now I'm going to have a miserable day due to my lack of sleep and undiagnosed ADD. Last Friday I was in the same situation and got many comments that I looked like a crackhead. Anyway, don't have miserable days. Do your work on time, don't get distracted, and sleep 6-8 hours a day so your day won't suck like mine and you won't look like a crackhead.

P.S. Sorry this post is kind of lame, lacks pictures, and isn't very entertaining. I'ma go shower now.

Lactescent Life Lessons?

My name is Logan. You might wonder why my lessons are so lactescent. What does lactescent mean anyway? What is this blog even about? Deciding on a name for this blog was probably the hardest thing I've done all year. I wanted some clever alliteration with my name (which I ended up not using), so I was looking through the dictionary for words that started with "L" and found this top-notch word. So what does it mean? Well, in case you didn't already know (and I don't mean to imply that you don't, because that would be rude!), it means:

lac·tes·cent (lk-tsnt)

adj.

1. Becoming milky.

2. Milky.

3. Secreting or yielding a milky juice, as certain plants and insects.

So, why would I choose this word to describe my life lessons? Well, in short, where they are the eggman and John Lennon is the walrus, I am the wisdom-bearing teat of infinite knowledge that gives all life meaning. No, I'm kidding. I just thought it was a funny word.

Sorry, Ms. Gunter. We aren't all smart enough to be doctors.

Here's this week's life lesson:

"Poetry is cool and all, but writing poetry really sort of sucks."

I know how deep that is. Feel free to put it in a book of quotes or cite it in your next essay or something, but make sure to give me credit for it. This life lesson came to me as I was reading through other people's blog ideas and noticed they wanted to write weekly poetry. I think that's a bad idea and here's why:

(Excellent image-editing, am I right? Bet you can't tell which part I did.)

1. Poetry has tons of cliches, and no matter what you write, you're almost guaranteed to fit into one of them. If it's a love poem, a breakup poem, a nature poem, an angsty poem, or a humorous poem (it's probably not as funny as you think it is), you're fitting into a cliche every time.

2. 99.9% of poetry written is really, really bad (that's a fact - I read it somewhere, trust me). There's quite a high (almost 100%) chance that the first poems you write will fit into this category of "really, really bad" and there's not much you can do about it. Are you willing to risk the embarrassment?

3. Your grandmother, parents, and best friend will all tell you that your really, really bad poetry is absolutely perfect! You'll stroll happily along, believing that you are a great poet-in-the-making, blissfully unaware that your poetry is in actuality pretty lame.

(I don't mean to imply that I am good at poetry. In fact, the opposite is the case. I find writing it to be torturous and I would never want to dedicate time to improve at something I hate doing. I'm merely offering the advice of an outsider who is tired of reading bad poetry that people think is good.)

Still want to write poetry? That's great. I admire your willingness to try to master a difficult craft, but be aware of the things listed above. Realize that your poetry is cliche. Realize that your poetry sucks. Realize that your grandmother only thinks your terrible poetry is good because she's your grandmother. Realize these things and move forward with them in mind, working to weed out the cliches and general suckage. Get opinions, feedback, and advice from people who have been writing for years (the Internet?) because things they learned should be valuable to you. Should you succeed, I admire your perseverance. Here's a poem I wrote just for you:

As I was up last night deciding what to write,

I noticed that some in rhymes would delight

They chose to compose poetry for their blog

I admire their bravery, for it's akin to slavery,

To suffer the difficulty, the misery

of writing these wretched things weekly

What a strenuous task, to be sure

Trying always to remove cliches, to keep the poetry pure

A frightening fate indeed, I hope never to endure

Word.