The Age of Wisdom

     Between the ages of 17 and 25 everyone goes through the age of wisdom. Through out this time period we gain the wisdom we need to go through the rest of our lives. There's also this awful process where these teeth come from the hidden depths of your head, and try to fit their way into your jaw.
       Nobody wants to consider getting their wisdom teeth removed, but when you experience the pain of these teeth trying to push their way through your already present teeth, you realize that it is a necessity.
In order to get rid of this pain you can do a few things:

• lots of liquid pain relievers such as advil, orajel, etc
• use cold packs on your jaw to reduce the swelling and achiness, or you can make smoothies with lots of ice. 
• many people say that applying a damp tea bag to the hurting area works wonders.

Most of all, get your wisdom teeth out as soon as they start to bother you. This will limit the amount of time that you are in pain. Granted that getting your wisdom teeth taken out will be painful, if you ge them taken out right away, you won't have to endere pain for so long.

Life is strange. #strange #life #blog #liveit #enjoyit

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The Fight for Beauty

     When I walk into a bathroom I see two sides of life.  I see the hair in the sink from when he shaved the previous night, a toothbrush, and a stick of deodorant. On the other side I see mass chaos. A straightener is cooling off in the sink, and all around there are bags over flowing with beauty products. Her jewelry is strewn across the counter top; abandoned after she changed her earrings three times that morning, before meeting with a client. Her medicine cabinet is bloated with perfume,  makeup, contacts, and other things that she bought to improve her appearance. Why are these sides so different from each other? Why doesn't he have beauty products that he needs to feel like he is presentable enough to go out in the world? Even better,  why does she need to use these things to feel like she looks good enough to be in public? Views in society today are construed beyond belief. Not only are women struggling to feel beautiful enough, they are paying a high price to get there.
     The truth is, I can't convince every girl in the world to love themselves for what's on the inside. That battle is old, and many people have tried to win it. But that doesn't mean I have agree with the belief that I have to love what I see on the mirror side of things. Now, on a daily basis, the only makeup I put on is mascara, but is makeup the only thing considered a beauty product? What about the products we use to minimize out acne? What about all the things you bought, and thought you would use, but they didn't work out the way you wanted?  There have been countless times where I have bought a different make up product thinking that I would love it, and after the first use it got discarded, because it was not what I wanted.  Girls spend countless amounts of money on new ways to make themselves feel pretty, such as tanning, waxing, going to the nail salon, getting our hair dyed once a month,plastic surgery, perfume, and filling bags with makeup products.
     The Cosmetic Industry makes over 42 billion dollars a year on skin care products and make up alone. Not to mention the 10.2 billion spent of plastic/cosmetic surgeries every year. This equates to over 52 billion dollars spent on trying to make ourselves beautiful. Why is that? Because the world of women is nothing, but a game of who's better. It always has been. Except for the exceptional few, the whole population of women in the United States is fighting with each other to be prettier, to be noticed more, to get guy's attention.
     On some one's wedding day, everyone is focused on the brides beauty. How incredibly beautiful she looks, and elegant, and all the attention is focused on her. Every woman out there wishes she could get this kind of attention. Where no matter what she is the most beautiful, but in reality life is like prom. In the weeks leading up to prom girls prepare by getting the most beautiful dress, by getting the most amazing accessories, by getting the best makeup. On Prom day, they scramble all day to look their best, they are competing with everyone else to look and feel the best. Why? Because they know they will be judged as soon as the pictures are uploaded, they arrive, and their appearance is shown to the world. This is how life is for women right now, we are in a never ending competition to look the best. But what if we turned around, and said no? I will not try to live up to every one's beauty standards. I will be who I want to be, and makeup can not get me there, for my success will not be measured in beauty increments, but by how far I go in life, how I treat others, and how I see myself when I look in the mirror from now on.
   

My Best Friends

     Ever since I was born, there has been a dog in my life. When I was born, my parents had a pitbull named Molly, then came along a mut named Bergan, then we had a yellow labrador named Hunter, and now we have two yellow labradors named Sandy and Silas, and two yorkies named Ollie and Fred. Dogs have been a huge part of my life. In so many ways they have taught me things like looks can be deceiving, to be loyal to your friends, and trust your instincts.
     As a child, I was never afraid of dogs, but I had a little cousin who was scared to death of my dog, Hunter. She would never get more than 5 feet away from Hunter, and she would run away if he tried to go towards her. Finally, I told her that even though he may look scary to her, he is one of the nicest dogs on earth. She eventually got over her irrational fear of Hunter, and they became very good friends. This taught me that looks can be deceiving. A dog that looks like it would rip you to shreds could, in fact, be the nicest dog on the planet. I took this realization and applied it to how I see people. I try my hardest to not make assumptions based on people's appearances, but that isn't always the easiest thing to do.
     Another thing that my dogs have taught me is to be loyal to your friends. I know for a fact that my dog Sandy would never betray me, except for maybe a Beggin Strip. No matter what happens, Sandy will always love me, and I will always love her. We are best friends, and the time that I have spent with her has taught me that if I want that type of relationship with a human, then I need to start with being loyal. Loyalty is what shows your friends and family that you are there for them whenever and wherever. Because my dog is loyal to me, I can trust her to stay with me when we go places. She is an unchanging figure in my life, and I try my hardest to replicate that in myself when around my friends. When you think you've lost everything, take a good look around, I guarantee your dog will still be there, full of love and admiration.
     Dogs have an uncanny ability to sense that something is wrong. Although there is no scientific evidence supporting dogs can sense danger, or dangerous people more accurately than humans can,  I believe that they can.  Our dogs bark when somebody comes to the door, but when out in public they love the attention that they get from others. It is very out of character for them to growl or raise their hackles at people, so something must be wrong if they are showing these behaviors. They trust their instincts when it comes to others. To cut things short, trust your initial instincts of a situation or person, before you let the mental chatter in your mind tell you you're wrong. Your gut instinct is usually correct.
     Dogs are a huge part of every one's lives.  There's no telling when, where, or why, you will encounter a dog, and subconsciously learn something from them. A.A. Milne, the creator of Winnie the Pooh, once said "Some people talk to animals. Not many listen though. That's the problem." If your dog bristles when a certain someone comes around, why not listen?

What Made Me

     From third grade until present, I have been crazy about one thing. That one thing that involves blood, dirt, wounds, and picking yourself up when others need you. Softball has always been the one thing I know will never let me down. Whether I am playing or coaching I feel as if this is the place I was born to be, and this is the place I will stay forever.

     When I started playing softball I didn't learn how to throw a ball correctly; I learned how to execute plays with precision, and no hesitation. The throwing the ball part was already known. Also, I look for and find opportunities where others see nothing. Fans in the stand don't see that twitch in the foot of the runner on first base before she steals; I do. Part of being a softball player means that I am solution focused.  When my team is down by 4 in the top of the sixth, we find out exactly what we need to do in order for us to score enough points to get the win. Instead of focusing on the problem at hand, I find a solution to remedy the problem. 

     Equally as important as being alert, and willing, being a softball player has taught me to be ambitious. I want amazing - and why shouldn't I? Softballs constantly choose to live the best life they can, instead of watching it coast by. Players don't practice and go through drills on auto pilot. I choose to play my best every day, every rep, every play, down to every single throw. Why? Because to a softball player the game is everything; it's now or never, and don't let your team down. Along with ambitious, we as softball players have clarity about what we want. We visualize and formulate our best reality while others are mere spectators of life. 

     With everything that I do in softball, I carry it over to my day to day life. I use my ability to execute tasks with precision to not waste time on things that won't get me where I need to go. I use my ability to seek opportunities to further my education, and experiences through out my life. I use my ability to be ambitious, and find clarity to hunt for what I need to expand my horizons, and find where I should be. Softball is what made me who I am today. 

My softball team after we won the championship game last season. 

Spring Break is so close!!!!!

   

It's officially down to 18 days, 5 hours, and 20 or so minutes until Spring Break. I've never gone anywhere during Spring Break in my whole life, but this year my best friend, Kenna, and I are going to Arizona. (My mother, and my little brother will be joining us as well) My grandmother, and her boyfriend live in Arizona during the winters, because she's old, and I guess old people despise the chilly weather here in Colorado. Anyways, while we are in Arizona we have a full schedule that includes, baseball AND softball games, as well as a college visit in Flagstaff.
     Softball - to me - is the greatest sport ever invented, and one of my all time favorite college teams are the Arizona State University Sun Devils. I can sit and watch softball, just as much as I can play it. ( I also assistant coach a rec team where I live) So, my mother was gracious enough to buy tickets to go see them play, because it's within a reachable distance from my Grandma's house. I get jittery even thinking about it.
     Also going on in Arizona this time of the year is Spring Training for the Major League Baseball players. Even though it isn't softball, I still love baseball. I tried to get my mom to take me to a Red Sox spring training, but they practice in Florida, so I settled for a different game to watch. Being Colorado natives, we decided to go see the Royals and the Rockies play. Last time I saw the Rockies play was Todd Helton's last game, and they got smoked by the Red Sox. WHOOT WHOOT! It'll still be a good game.
     My mom and I found a college in Arizona that has an adequate engineering program. Now, I hate the heat, so at first I told my mom I didn't want to go to Arizona for college, but Northern Arizona University is in Flagstaff, Arizona. Flagstaff is about 7,000 feet in elevation, which is comparable to Colorado. This means I'm not going to die of heat stroke every time I walk outside. So, while we are down in Arizona we set up a tour at NAU to see if it is a college that I would be interested in going to. They also have ROTC (Reserve Officer's Training Corps) at NAU, which is something that I am very interested in doing. We will be able to look at that program when we are there too.
     An interesting place that was recommended to us was a place called the Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium. It's in Litchfield Park, Arizona, and it has a zoo, aquarium, and a safari ride all in one place. Now, ever since I was a child, I've been an avid Animal Planet watcher. So much so, that I'm pretty sure that I've seen every single episode of The Crocodile Hunter. I love animals, and learning new things about animals, and discovering new kinds of animals, so a zoo, aquarium, and safari is just the right place for me. My mom also found out that you even get to feed the giraffes!
     Although the drive is about nine and a half hours, on our way back we are going to swing through Grand Canyon National Park so that we can see the Grand Canyon for the first time. It'll only add about an hour or two to our drive time, but it's well worth it. It's one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, if you had the opportunity, wouldn't you want to see it?
   
   

I love cat pictures. Especially mad cat pictures. They're cute when they're mad. #cutie #kittykat #blog #checkoutmyblog

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The Place I Will Be In Debt To For The Next 15 Years

     It's that time. The time when juniors in high school start searching for places called "Colleges", where they will ultimately dump all their parents money into education, and booze. Come on, they don't call it the "Freshmen Fifteen" for nothing.
    In reality, searching for a college  is extremely hard. Unless your family has an unlimited amount of money to spend on your college education, and your drinking habits, then trying to find that one place that you want to attend, and you can afford,  is like trying to find The Lost City of Atlantis. Every time you look up a college, it fits a couple of your criteria, but either they don't have the program you want to join, or it's gunna cost your parents a limb and all their kidneys for you to attend.
     Where do I start? You start with picking what you want to do the most for your future career.  When I started searching for colleges, I thought I wanted to acquire my Airframe & Power plant certification, but after some searching around, I couldn't find any good four year schools for it. So, I upped the anti to mechanical engineering. With this I can fix anything, as well as build new things (not to mention get paid bank for it). This change in direction opened up a plethora of new schools that I can pick from. Now, every time I look at a new school, I make sure that they have a reputable mechanical engineering program. If not, then it's not the college for me.
     The next step in finding the perfect college is making sure it's within your budget, that's respective to your career choice. Don't expect to become a dentist, and not have to pay up the wazoo for it.  Make sure that your budget is reasonable, but flexible. Remember, you can always apply for scholarships and financial aid. This budget ensures that you don't bankrupt your parents, and yourself for the next 15 years.
     The next question to answer is, " Does this college have extracurricular activities that I would like to participate in?" Many colleges flaunt the number of clubs and activities they have, but this means nothing unless they have the clubs and activities that you want to do. Participating in some sort of sport or club in college is essential to making new friends, and ensuring that you get outside and experience new things. Most colleges have outdoor sports, intramural sports, and many clubs that you can offer. Even though making sure that the college has the right type of curriculum for you is most important, you'll be miserable if you have no life outside of your academics.
     One thing that is very important is accreditation. You may have thought that you found the perfect school, but after one year you absolutely hate the place. This is where accreditation comes in. Being an accredited college means that your credits are recognized in other schools. If you want to transfer schools then you need to transfer your credits. If your school isn't accredited, then you can't transfer those credits, and you will need to start all over. Hopefully, you don't need to transfer schools, but it's always a good idea to check, because it's always better to be safe than sorry.
     College is always hard to think about when you're a junior in high school, but time goes by fast, and before you know it you'll be packing your bags and heading off into the great unknown. It's better start now and take the time to follow these guidelines, so that you can be comfortable with your decision in which college you want to go to. After all, you don't want to waste that money on something you're going to change in a year.
   

A Jaded Set of Skills

     When I think about when I went into high school, I get this picture from Ned's Declassified. You know, the TV show about those kids who give everyone advise about going though high school? Most students who enter high school think that their life is already over, or they are undefeatable.  Also,  most students come in with a jaded set of goals, or think that there are certain things they need in order to succeed. However, none of this is true when going through high school.
     Most people think that who their friends are, and how reckless they are is what matters the most. They think, "Yeah, if I go to this party, and get super drunk then people will like me." Also, if they hang out with the kids that party they will look cool as well. In reality, the only thing that hanging with the party kids will get you is a big ole guilty by association tag. If a kids friends get caught smoking pot, then you can bet your bottom dollar that everyone will think that that kid smokes pot too, even if they never have. It's a simple rule that my parents have told me since I was in elementary school: You are guilty whether or not you committed the crime. Having the right relationships in high school are essential to maintaining a good reputation, and minimizing rumors, and drama.
     Wiki How created a "5 Ways to Survive High School" article, and the first and most essential thing is to "Develop the Right Relationships." Make friends with everyone! Don't settle for only one group of people to be friends with. Having a diverse friend group ensures that you will always have someone to hang out with. Also, be friends with people who can teach you things. Befriend a musician, a writer, a mathlete, AND  a member of student council. These people can help you find what you are interested in doing. The most important relationships to have, is with your teachers. Develop a strong relationship with a few of your teachers, and you will succeed academically while you are in high school. You don't need to have their class every single year, but you can always go ask them for help when you don't understand what you learned, or even use their classroom when you need to study. Also, don't suck up to your teachers, but be cordial. Most teachers hate it when students are kissing butt just to get a good grade.
     These relationships are what will lift and carry you through high school. Having crappy relationships, and hanging out with people who constantly start drama is not what you want in high school. It sucks when you are constantly having to sort things out or pick sides in arguments between your friends. That's why developing many good and healthy relationships will keep you out of the drama circle. It also will help you strive to better yourself, and won't make you slack off on your academics. To see the other 4 ways to survive high school, you can check out the article here, http://www.wikihow.com/Survive-High-School

The Redneck in Me

     Food. Literally. It's the fruit of life, at least mine anyways. My mother and I are food addicts. We are constantly searching for different recipes to try, and experimenting with different ingredients. Well, my dad is a hunter, and this year we put an elk in the freezer, so we have an over abundance of elk meet to use. My mom and I aren't too keen on elk meet, but we have been good about replacing beef with it, and we have found some delicious meals to use it in.

     The elk steak wouldn't be my first choice. The processor gave us, tenderloin, steaks, ground elk, and 3 different kinds of sausage: black pepper, country, and italian.  The sausage is the best out of all of it. Maybe I'm just a sausage kind of girl, but I always tend to pick the sausage 99% of the time, when given the choice.
     With our elk we substitute it into hamburger helper, put it into gravy for biscuits and gravy, make elk burgers ( or elk sliders), and the country sausage is perfect for breakfast sausage patties. At first, I was a little weary of the elk, thinking that it would be too gamey, or just not taste good, but over all I give it a two thumbs up.