Grown Up

    What’s so great about growing up?? The second you hit high school EVERYTHING is about growing up. Whether it’s career, marriage, or education, it’s all based on growing up.

    Now, for you poor confused souls out there, I don’t mean “growing up” as in suddenly sprouting to be 6 feet tall OR being 18 or older. I mean it as in mentally. (Yes, I used the word “mentally”. Why does that word scare people?? Mentally. -- That third “mentally” was just to bug you. I’ll come back to the subject now.)

    First, what does it mean to grow up?? Well, we know that it DOESN’T mean being freakishly tall (I’m not trying to insult any of you people towering over us shorties so don’t get defensive just yet) or that you’ve left the teen years behind. So, we can scratch that from the list of possibilities. What’s left?? The only answer I can think of is wisdom and experience. That’s it! THAT’s the reason why everyone is in such a hurry to grow up?! They want to learn from their mistakes and have good judgment??

    As kids, we (well, some of us) can’t seem to wait to grow up. So we make up ways to be a tad older. For girls, it’s wearing make-up, bras, having cell phones, and dating the “cutest” guy in school. For guys, it’s wearing boxers, using hair gel, saying the latest slang words, and dating the “hottest” girl. Did you notice a cross in the paths?? (Hint: it’s not the underwear)
    Dating seems to be the number one way for a kid to “feel” like an adult. But it really is just a way for a girl to be (what she thinks) “heartbroken” and a boy to feel “used” before they’re even teens! What’s the result in this?? Kids not being kids. What’s the fun in becoming a “grown up” so quickly?? There is none, people! What happened to squirt gun fights, silly string, and mud??
    Here are my final words on kids trying to be adults: don’t try to grow up before you have to, guys. (When I say “guys”, I mean boys and girls) You’ll have PLENTY of time to grow up in life but you only have so long to be a kid until it starts to creep people out. Believe me, you don’t want to be fifty when you suddenly realize you want to make a magical fiery land in your front yard or use the doghouse as a “Bat mobile” so you can catch the bad guys. Talking to yourself, running around the yard, and kicking the dog out of his home probably won’t sit well with some of your neighbors.


P.S.

    Even if I only talk about the “young’uns”, there are the two extremes: kid’s wanting to be adults and adults wanting to be kids. Be content with who you are now, not with who you were or who you are going to be. A child having the one dream of being an adult worries people. And an adult wanting to be a child is creepy to some extents.

Face-less

         I don't have a Facebook page. Taking into consideration that I’m supposed to be a “normal” teenager, it may come as a shock to most, but it's true. It isn’t that I’m completely against the internet and the special programs on it – I mean, you wouldn’t see me marching outside of Facebook headquarters, waving a massive wooden sign, and trying to force others to join my “boycott Facebook” cult. I just don’t understand those supposedly “social” sites. I had a Facebook page before, but was hardly online to begin with. When I was online, I’d sign in to simply comment on a silly photo or be disappointed by no messages from my 80 so-called “friends”. The thing is: you don't have real friends through Facebook. You don't keep real relationships by simply commenting on someone’s status or sending cute little buttons. You need to talk about more than a wild haircut or your trip to the beach that went wrong. By having these “Facebook friends”, do you know what makes them laugh when they're down? Do you know if they talk with their hands or squeak when they talk? Do you know what not to do around them because it's annoying in their eyes?

         My first point: You don't make friends through Facebook; you make acquaintances. Let's face it, people talk about the most irrelevant/boring things on Facebook, it can make you dizzy. “So-and-so...is eating a taco”, “...loves her friends”, “...has to fix a light bulb in his room”. If you were sitting in front of this person, would they be saying what their status says? Unless they’re completely self-absorbed, your answer would be “no”. Also, you become so wrapped up in posting the best picture of yourself, trying to think of the catchiest status, “poking” people for no good reason whatsoever, and commenting on whatever there is to comment on, that you don't even ask your best friend how they're doing anymore. Not that it's your fault you don't ask. You don't ask because you don't have to.
         This brings me to my second point: You make stalker relationships through Facebook.
         Picture this: you look at the latest pictures of a friend you met at camp last summer, read her status and wall, and scan through all the comments on her pictures. What did you find out about your pal? Well, judging by the pictures, she came back from Yosemite National Park yesterday, had her braces removed since you last saw her, gets along with little kids, and likes green Popsicles. Now, those were the pictures. From her wall, you read that your friend was carsick for most of the drive to Yosemite, was attacked by a ferocious bee while eating her Popsicle, and went with several other families from her school, all claiming they had a great time and that they want to do it again next year. (I could go on with what information you can find, but I'll stop right there.)
          You just found out all these facts about your friend without even speaking to the girl. She doesn't even know that you were reading about her! Doesn't that seem a little stalker-ish to you?
          My third point: Facebook is an antisocial network. All you need to make a friend on Facebook is their name. That's it! Then, you hit a button to send your "friend request" and you're good to go. Phew! Almost broke a sweat for a second.
         It's becoming harder and harder for kids (and adults) to actually WALK up to someone and use the vocal cords that God gave them to say "hi." Why? Because they spend all day on the computer sending impersonalized friend requests to strangers who accept the request and become their best friend in a millisecond. Sadly, it's not like that in the real world.
         Take a Facebook user (and I'm talking a 100% FACEBOOK user - the guy’s only away from the computer to use the bathroom. So you readers can picture it, he loves the site so much he wears a wrinkled Facebook T-shirt, his hair is in a mess of tangles on his head, he hasn't taken a shower in a couple of days, has stubble on his face from not shaving, and his eyes are blood-shot.) Now, plop him in a room full of people. What do you think his reaction will be? Well, in my imagination, he'll shrink into a corner with his BO, not knowing what to do.
         So, this is my view of, not only Facebook, but MySpace, twitter, and whatever other social networks are out there. Now, I’m not saying that the sites can’t be used to our advantage in business, advertising, etc. It’s just overused as our life source. Is it really necessary? Hopefully, by sharing what I’ve found, you’ll glance at your “virtual life” with new eyes of reproach. Perhaps, you’ll look upon a life of fresh air, laughter, and real fellowship – the life God has given you – with a thankful countenance. And who knows, you may even choose to be “Face-less”.

Graduated

     We have recently bought ourselves a brand-new RV. Yep, you heard me. “RV”!! No “motor home” for us. No siree. From now on, we will point and guffaw (yes that's a word) at those poor souls who have to live in a “motor home”, in those class “C”s. Psh, suckers.

     So we have now graduated to a moto--*clears throat* excuse me, RV. Now what?? After several comings and goings from the RV dealer for various problems, (they forgot to clean the carpet, leak in the roof, refrigerator malfunctions..etc.) it's now time to take this baby out for a trip! We finally decide when and where to go and the next thing we know: we're off to the races!!


    --DAY #1: We arrive, walk the dogs (one of which had already relieved itself in the RV), then go to “El pollo loco” for a “delicioso” and spicy lunch. After eating and running other quick errands, we're back and stare at each other until one of us figures out what to do.
    Finally, someone decides we should go for a bike ride in the crisp winter air. =-) BUT... we have a minor set back: Dad locked all the bikes together and forgot the key at home.
    “How 'bout a walk??”
    Luckily, I find my bike is the only one not tied with the rest and ride next to the walking crowd. After fooling around at a park with little kids as our audience, and whirling my little brother around to a tipsy with a spinning tire swing, we begin heading back to our fancy "recreational vehicle".
    Loving the wind, I speed up telling everyone I'll meet them there. I ride to our spot to find that our RV is dripping, no, POURING water EVERYWHERE. Gawping at the scene for a second, I straggle back on the bike to tell my family the news.
    The rest of the day consisted of everyone drying out the kitchen and out-door cubbies using bathroom towels and a dog bowl until our hands were red and numb. I also managed to sink the new shoes I got for Christmas in the slippery mud. =-)

(But I dunked them in a puddle so it's all good)

    --DAY #2: The carpet has just about finished drying in our new home on wheels but because of the dew and cold, mine and my older brothers shoes are still wet (we had left them outside to supposedly dry). Happily, resourceful me puts on her extra (DRY) converse and is ready to face the day.
     Today, we pile in the van to drive over to the new movie theater and watch the Chipmunk's "squeakwel". Only MY family will choose to go to the theater while camping. (On a personal note: I didn't think the movie was that great. My family disagrees)
    After watching the movie, Dad and I drop off the crew at our RV and drive the thirty minutes back home to pick up a couple things (bike chain key, breadcrumbs..) and feed the animals. (Okay, I confess. Dad fed the animals. I just messed around playing the piano and clarinet. It was helpful...ish)
    Now that we had the bikes unlocked, we went riding in the freezing cold. I guess I really shouldn't be complaining considering my older brother was in shorts. But that was HIS choice. I didn't choose to always be cold. We then thawed out back at the RV while watching "One Night With The King" and eating junk food until it was time for bed.


    --DAY #3: Kick starting the day, we wake up to the sounds of excited dogs running (and sliding) across the floor. In their own doggy language, they must've found out that today is the day we head home (or maybe they knew that it was the last day of the year?? Either way they knew SOMETHING).
    After breakfast, the fam. heads out for one last bike ride before departure.
    Everyone then chips in as we slide, yank, and snap all our belongings back in place for the drive home. (We also found out that a pipe was blocked...but Dad told us that as long as we didn't use the bathroom he can fix it when we get to the house)

    So there you have it! We have officially graduated! And from this point forth, we're ridding in style. B-)