The etiquette of switching lanes.

Recently I've discovered another one of my pet peeves. I'm just driving along, and a car in front of me switches lanes. No big deal.

But they didn't use a turning signal. He didn't cut me off, it wasn't directly rude or stupid in any way, they just slid into my lane. It doesn't affect me, so why does it bother me?
Part of me still thinks it's an irrational pet peeve. You don't know why it annoys you, but it does. But then this other part of me starts to think about the reason. WHY didn't they use a turning signal? They must have deemed it unnecessary, which may be perfectly reasonable. And even though I know what I'm about to say is untrue, I can't help but imagine it as the most ridiculous thing that goes through that driver's mind when the situation occurs.

"I'm going to switch lanes! Oh yeah! Hey, there's a car behind me, but I know we won't collide. They're not gonna accelerate, because everyone in the world is a GOOD driver! Heck, I don't even need my turning signal! I'm just gonna surprise them by entering their line WITHOUT a turning signal! Because it won't matter!!! I don't care what they know and if they care! I'm awesome!!!"

Exaggerated? Yes. Partly true? Also yes. Most people think that everyone is either a good driver or a bad driver. But you can't drive like you assume everyone is a good driver. Because not everyone IS.

When someone does use a turning signal, I actually consider that a gesture of driver friendliness. Using a turning signal, to me, is sort of like saying, "Hey what's up? I'm just driving along, and so are you. I think I'm gonna switch lanes, is that chill? Sweet."

As an added afterthought, switching lanes without a signal is careless in general, no matter the situation. It doesn't mean a blinking light is going to protect you from crashing everytime you switch lanes, it just means it's a careless action. And I can't help but feel slightly insulted when someone decides to not use their signal in front of me. This is the exaggerated thoughts that typically enter my mind.

"Oh that's a very nice invisibility cloak you put on your turning signal." "Oh hey, no signal? That's cool, I'm sorry you don't consider me GOOD ENOUGH to notify me that you were going to switch lanes. I feel great."

Deep down, I know that it is not a big deal, but I guess that's why I call it my pet peeve.

You got this.

Would you believe me if I said you could do anything? Well I wouldn't. There's a large number of things you CANNOT do.

But besides those numerous things you are physically incapable of doing, there are a lot of things you CAN do. Many many things. Some that you can already do, and some that would take training.

If you honestly want to be able to do something, you can. All it takes to learn to do something is the proper motivation, and practice. Really. Excluding the extraneous things that humans cannot, and shouldn't do, but that's an entirely different topic.

Want to learn to be a runner? Run. You have to want it, and give the dedication to train yourself. Improve your vocabulary? Work at it. You can seriously shape yourself however you want to.

When you are younger, you are fascinated by dolls, action figures, avatar games, and personality quizzes. We like creating personalities, and people, and living out scenarios. We like the idea that we can build a person(doll) to be whatever we want it to.

Well guess what? WE EACH HAVE THE PERFECT DOLL TO CREATE AND PERSONALIZE. And that's each of us. We each get this person, who you could allow to be smart, fit, stylish, whatever. Obviously there are restrictions. You can't make yourself taller. Well, unless you go into some fancy surgery...but that's not recommended.

Want abs? You can have some. Motivation and practice. Better study habits? Make a plan, and initiate. Want to make yourself a morning person? Practice getting up earlier.

I have personally challenged myself to the last example I gave. I like to sleep in, it's refreshing, and feels good. But then you get up, and half your day is gone...and it's just not worth it. So I have been practicing getting up at an earlyish/decent time when I don't have any reason to. It's hard, but I can feel it starting to work.

Next goal for spring/summer? Increase running stamina. I know it just takes motivation and practice. I know I am capable, but us humans must feel the desire to accomplish something more than our urge to slack off.

Now think of something reasonable you've always wanted to be able to do, but never could really get it. Do it! I believe in you. You got this.

PRISMACOLORS

Being the obsessive artist that I am, I sketch whenever I can. And this Christmas, I had requested that Santa bring me a pack of colored pencils.  And he did.

But these aren't just any regular colored pencils. These are the definition of fancy. High quality, professional colored pencils. They are called Prismacolors. AND I GOT A PACK FOR CHRISTMAS. *Insert noise of excitement*

I used Prismacolors the first time this past fall, while taking Drawing 3. I used them for an assigned project, then I liked them so much that I decided to use them again for my final, which was an independent project.

I fell in love with Prismacolor when I used the school set, and now Santa has been oh-so-gracious and gave me my own pack of these God-like pencils. They are super smooth, blend-able, and put on a really thick, smooth color. They are expensive, but worth it if you take drawing seriously.

So that is my nerdy drawing rant for the day. I bid you farewell, and goodnight.

Ed Sheeran

For my the newest musical spotlight, I have selected Ed Sheeran.

First, I'm going to say a couple things I immediately like about him.

1) He's a ginger. I can't help but feel a strong connection to my rare brothers and sisters.

2) He's British. Hearing a foreign accent in music automatically increases the awesome-ness.

But besides those two very important points, there are many other excellent aspects of Ed Sheeran that makes him one of my favorite singers.

Ed Sheeran is twenty years old, and has one Irish and one English parent, so he's essentially a British Leprechaun. He was raised in West Yorkshire, and learned guitar while he was fairly young. He started writing songs in high school. He began recording in 2005 and has had a few EP albums since then. Just in 2010, he released his first official debut album, "The A Team."

"The A Team" music video came out in April 2010, and has shot up on British music ratings. It's not getting as much attention here in the states, but few people are definitely noticing him.

The song, to be direct, is about a prostitute. There is another song of his, called, "Little Lady," which is sort of a spinoff of the original. The instrumentals are the same, as is the chorus, however the verses are different. Instead they are rapped by Mikill Pane, a British rapper. It tells a more graphic, moving story, although is definitely for a more mature ear.

It is definitely a sad song. Personally, it has really made me think. Without insight, one might look down on prostititutes. In reality, you might not know their story; they could be stuck in a place they don't want to be.

Ed Sheeran's genre is flexible. He sings sweetly, but also raps and beatboxes. The following is a cover he did of a folk song, "Wayfaring Stranger." This also features beatboxing.



And yes, I did mention that he raps. "You Need Me, I Don't Need You," is a song he wrote and produced shortly after switching record companies.



Another one of my favorite songs by him, is another powerful one. "Small Bump" is about the love a parent has for a child.



Seeing the ending, you know that the parent had a miscarriage. From what I've seen on the internet, he wrote this for his friend, who went throught the same situation.

Another song of his is called, "Lego House." I find it to be a cute song really, but the music video is what I find fairly amusing. It stars Rupert Grint, another fellow ginger.

"Miss You," is another song of his, and it's more upbeat and skippy.

I can honestly say that Ed Sheeran is one of my top favorite artists. I hope you found something in this post that you liked!

I like my Girl Scout cookies.

The other day, I was casually browsing Facebook, when I saw that one of my friends had posted a link to an article about boycotting Girl Scout cookies. So of course, like any other cookie lover would do, I click the link to see what all the hubbub is about.

"Girl Scout Cookies boycott sought by teen after organization admits transgender child"

The article was about a teen Girl Scout who posted a video complaint that GSUSA had admitted a transgender child. Her claim was that they are breaking their own rules, and they are not providing a safe environment for the other girls in the troops by admitting transgender children.

I couldn't help but think of our fantastic AP Lang terms while reading the article, and watching the video. She makes a claim that GSUSA failed at providing a safe environment for the members by admitting a transgender child. Her evidence is from the rulebook, which states they only let in girls (with technical details about if the child is perceived as a girl), and that they violated it. Her warrant is that letting in transgender children would be unsafe.

This is a video response to the original video, from a transgender herself. She makes a point of the whole safety issue, and that if it was unsafe for anyone, then it would be the transgender child. 

"You talk about safety. About how having transgender girls in girl scouts violates safety standards, and makes you feel unsafe. If anyone were to pull this kid's pants down- and that's the only way anyone would ever know that she's a girl- then Hell yeah that's an unsafe environment. Unsafe for the trans-kid though. Not you."

She closes with an emotional statement about her own viewpoint as a transgender:

"I'm afraid of being in certain places at certain times. I live in fear. I always feel unsafe. And if there is one more place on earth where a trans-kid can be themselves without so consistently being hampered by anxiety, isolation, worry, and despair and concerns about safety...if one more transkid doesn't feel like they have to die because no one will accept them as they are, then I might just have some faith in humanity for once."

I feel as though the girl from the original video focuses a lot on evidence and credentials(she wears her own Girl Scout sash), but kind of leaves the viewer hanging when it comes to the value side of the issue. For some issues, you should avoid having a too personal opinion, but this sort of issue is an issue because of clashing opinions. She assumes most of her audience would agree that having a transgender be in Girl Scouts would be unsafe, when not all of them would.

The second girl(or maybe she would prefer to be called a boy? I am honestly unsure) focuses a lot on her own opinion, but has credentials and support because she has first-hand experience.

So am I going to boycott Girl Scout cookies? For this cause, absolutely not. I like cookies. And I am also liberal when it comes to these kinds of issues. I am leaning towards the side of the second girl, that transgender children should be treated equally if they really want to join.



Holmes vs. Ironman

Robert Downey Jr.

Mmmm. I'm not one who typically gushes over the attractiveness of celebrities, but I think anyone with common sense would agree that this man is quite handsome.
I think most know him because of the roles he played in Ironman 1 and 2, and Sherlock Holmes 1 and 2. So I think I'm going to compare those movies, and his role in both.

In Ironman, Downey plays Tony Stark, a loaded, intelligent, and slightly arrogant man who owns a weapon company that he inherited from his father. As most know, the story is that he builds a highly advanced suit, filled with guns and lasers, which he uses to battle bad guys.

In Sherlock Holmes, he plays Holmes, as an intelligent detective, who solves crimes with his BFF Watson. The two characters are both very smart, and end up having some sort of epiphany or, "Brain-blast," to quote Jimmy Neutron. They then use their incredibly good looks, agility, strength, cunning, and strategic charm to save the day and the heroine.

Don't get me wrong, I love these movies. But unfortunately, that's exactly how a lot of movies play out anyway, so we'll all just have to deal with it.

So who is better? Ironman or Holmes? Robot or detective? In  my own opinion, I like Sherlock much better than Tony Stark. Downey's character in Sherlock seems much more humble than Tony Stark, who is fully aware of his attractiveness. Holmes is also characterized as a quick thinker, strong for his size and build, and really good at reading people, and predicting what will happen.

Such as in this video, from the first movie. Holmes analyzes the fight in his head before it even happens.

In Ironman, I perceived Stark as more arrogant. A little more careless when it came to fighting, yet still perfectly capable. Also more careless with his love life in the beginning. He is still very smart, but without the appeal that I have for his character in Sherlock Holmes.

Speaking of which, the sequel is amazing. Most definitely worth seeing. That is all.

Muuuuusic.

Everyone loves music, right? Whatever you listen to, how often, or for what reasons, I assume no one has a hatred of music.

There are so many great artists out there. So I think I will occasionally do a blog post that spotlights on a specific one, and talk about them.

So for my first one, I am doing Ingrid Michaelson.

Ingrid Michaelson is 32 years old. She was raised in an artsy family and grew up playing the piano. She has released four albums since 2005, and there is one coming out later this January. She sings in a mostly soprano pitch. Honestly, the way she sings has given me goosebumps on multiple occasions.

Personally, I think most know of her because of her song, "The Way I Am."
(Yes, the following video got the title slightly wrong.)

I know that was true of me, until a friend got me to listen to her other songs. She writes nearly all of her own songs, and has had a good number of them featured on television shows and in movies.

I find many of her songs powerful, such as Men of Snow, which uses a really simple metephor, explaining that one day, we will all die. (It sounds extra-depressing when I word it that way, but it's not that bad.) She has many great love songs, which I enjoy because, for a number of them, they are like none I've ever heard. To generalize, a lot of songs out there are about the exact same things and situations, and often it just gets old for me. Some of her songs that I think are not so cliche are Are We There Yet?, Die Alone, and Sort Of.

I also find that a lot of her songs have great imagery and metephors, such as in the song, The Chain, the opening line is, "The sky looks pissed, the wind talks back. My bones are shifting in my skin, and you, my love, are gone." I really love the way she personified the sky and wind.

Other songs like that include, Ghost, Mountain and the Sea, and Soldier.

In conclusion, I believe Ingrid is an amazing musician, and deserves many more fans.

To speak or not to speak.

When you're caught in a decision of whether to act or not, it can be a pretty messed up situation. You've all heard horror stories of both sides: regretting something they said, and not being able to take it back, and not saying anything at all, and wishing they had.

So which do you choose? Well, considering I'm just a sixteen-year old girl who's in the same (or maybe totally different) situation, I am not qualified to give professional advice.

But maybe, just maybe, I can offer some mildy decent advice. Having experienced less than 20 years of life(nearly all of which has been spent in school), one may not call me wise. I sure wouldn't.

But when you're standing somewhat comfortably on one side of the door, you don't know what's on the other side. It could be better, it could be worse. It could be stressful at first, and you may have to work at adapting to the new place you find. You may find another door. Some would call that a carpenter's error, but metephorically, it's just another chance.

But not opening the first door could end in a lifetime of wondering: What would have happened? What was on the other side? Instead I turned around to what I already knew, and didn't venture out of my comfort zone.

So maybe you made a mistake. But maybe you didn't. Maybe whatever was on the other side was would have been worse. Maybe you wouldn't have been able to change your mind, or maybe you could have. You won't ever know unless you try.

Sometimes, you should go with your gut. When common sense doesn't illuminate the correct choice, and all that's left is pure instinct, go with it. Just don't make a habit of quick decisions. That can come back and bite you in an unpleasant spot.

So think, but don't hesitate for too long, or you will miss the chance. Always do a reality check. When nothing else shows you what you should do, listen to your instinct. Hopefully that will get you somewhere.

Dance dance.

My recent obsession? DANCE. I love dancing, even though I am not particularly gifted. However, I have recently taught myself to shuffle, with the aid of tutorial videos from Youtube. I am quite mediocre, but I have the basic steps down.

While exploring more wicked dancing videos on Youtube, I found another type of dance. Tecktonik.

Tecktonik, I found upon further research, apparently originated in night clubs in Paris in the early 2000s. It mainly focuses on basic geometric movements of the arms, with knees and hips moving in tune to the beat. Tecktonik dance is most favorably and appropriately paired with techno music.

So this is how I've been spending the past few days of my break. Exploring the Tecktonik dance, by attempting to pick up moves from Youtube videos. From someone who has barely seen Tecktonik before, they might think I'm good, but from someone who does, I'm just B.S.-ing every other move. I am not naturally gifted in dancing, but I like knowing that I can do anything with the proper motivation. Tecktonik is my first challenge that I've taken up.

Dance is something that everyone can do, no matter how uncoordinated you are. By definition, you don't have to be good. The purpose of dancing should purely be the enjoyment of the dancer.