Uplifter

Every once in a while you get an album that you don't know what to expect from it. You don't know whether it's going to suck, be so-so, or just flat out rock the house. Uplifter is one of those albums.

When the package arrived in the mail, I ran to the computer so I could start listening to the long-awaited album. I didn't know what to expect from it, but I was pretty sure since it's 311 we're talking about, it was going to rock. The first song, Hey You, is definitely my favorite song off the album. It gets you pumped for the rest of the songs. Like I was hoping, it turned out to be one of their best albums yet.

It doesn't really sound like anything we've heard from them before. It's different, and that's what makes it good. There are people out there who complain that 311 has changed, and that they don't make any more albums like Grassroots or Transistor. I'm not going to lie, those are incredible albums, but I praise them for changing it up. Would you really like it if they just played the same stuff over and over again? I know I'd get pretty sick of it.

Overall, I'd give the album a 4.5/5. There are a couple songs that I didn't really like, but that's just my opinion. Just about all of them are rockin'! I'm going to their concert tonight at the USANA Amphitheater, so I can't wait to see the songs live!

If you want to hear the songs, they were streaming on Playlist.com (seen below) earlier this week, I'm not sure if they're still there... I think they're also on the bands MySpace page!

The End

Wow! This has been one crazy, whacked-out year! And boy, has it flown by! It seems like only yesterday I was walking into Biology without even knowing my locker com. Remember that, anyone? We didn't get the right coms at orientation, so by the time school started, we still didn't know how to get into our lockers! Man, it's little things like that that makes this year one to remember.

I just want to reflect a bit on my freshman year at Fairfield Jr. High. Ninth grade, like I'm sure you all know, is your last year of junior high before they ship you off to high school. Naturally, you should try to make it the best out of your three years. I know I sure did. I decided at the beginning of the year that I was going to be bold, be different, and try new things. Anything that wasn't working for me before, I would change. I was determined to make this the year to remember. Sure, I made a few mistakes along the way, but that's bound to happen, right? I mean after all, we're all only human! Do I regret anything? Of course not. We learn from mistakes; they make us better people! That was the attitude I went through the year with, and it worked for me. I got my same 4.0 as the previous years, I made awesome friends, and I had a blast doing it! 

There are many people I would like to thank for this insanely outrageous year, but there's one person I'd like to thank specifically:

MRT, this may sound corny, but you're one of my favorite teachers I've ever had. I've never learned more in an English class, or actually enjoyed an English class as much as I have this year. You actually make it fun! English has never really been one of my favorite subjects, but you've taught me to appreciate it. You've taught me to think, to question things that are going on in the world. Also, I've never had an English teacher as cool as you are! You hang Kiss posters all over your room, you show us clips from Conan, you let us watch The Simpsons (the one with Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven), you giggle to yourself when we read about flatulence, and to top it all off, you understand your students! You actually get what's going on in our lives! Most teachers aren't like that, but you are. You have a special connection with the students. It has been one wild ride in your class, and I'm gonna miss walking into your classroom every day. Thank you, and best of wishes to you and everything you do!

Still though, I can't believe how fast this year has gone by! I guess it's true though, time flies when you're having fun! School-wise, this year has been relatively easy. Sure, there have been a couple nights of late night homework (e.g. tonight. I'm scrambling to finish this blog, color something for science, study for a scripture-mastery test, write two current events, finish my 7-Habits workbook, and read 250 pages by tomorrow, all the while it's 11:36 at night!), but my classes really haven't been that difficult. Mostly, I've just been enjoying the year and trying to make the most of it. Everything from trying to be closer to friends to running track for the first time, this year has rocked. I really couldn't have asked for better friends or teachers. There's absolutely nothing I regret about this year or anything I would change. I want to thank everyone that's been a part of me the last year for the best year of my life! And with that, I'll say my final good-bye. Dallin Johnson, over and out.

21st Century Breakdown Part II

I know I did a review of 21st Century Breakdown last week, but it's all that's been on my mind the whole week! The album was officially released Friday the 15th and it's all I've been listening to ever since. Plus, we got tickets to the concert the day they went on sale, so I've got to get pumped for it!

This week I'm going to write a little review of each song, and I've included a Playlist of them all in case you want to follow along! Just a warning, a couple of the songs swear, so those of you with tender ears may want to be cautious before listening to any of the songs (namely Before the Lobotomy, Horseshoes and Handgrenades, The Static Age, and American Eulogy).


Song of the Century:
This is the opening song for the album, although it's more of an introduction than a song. There is no music; all it is is about 40 seconds of Billie Joe singing what I would call an introduction. I think it's a cool edition to the album.

21st Century Breakdown:
This was the first song I ever heard from the album. A couple months before the release, someone obtained an illegal leak of the song, so naturally, I downloaded it. The first time I listened to it, I wasn't really sure what to think. With powerful lyrics mocking the chaos of the 21st century, it was edgy and bold. That's one thing I really like about Green Day; if they disagree with something, they're not afraid to say it. Anyways, the song started growing on me the more I heard it, and now it's one of my favorites!

Know Your Enemy:
Know Your Enemy was the first single off of 21st Century Breakdown. It's definitely a hard rockin' song, which you've always gotta love! It, like 21st Century Breakdown, is bold. Put hard rockin' and bold together and you have an awesome song! The only complaint I have about it is how repetitive it is... At least half of the song is "Do you know the enemy / Do you know your enemy / Well gotta know the enemy right here!". I'm not gonna lie, it's an awesome song, but I think they could have been a little more creative!


¡Viva la Gloria!:
One might call the beginning of this song a ballad. It starts out softly on piano and then drives into a fast paced song that kind of reminds me of Letterbomb from American Idiot. The first time I heard this one was on a live YouTube video before the album was released. It's not my favorite song, but it's definitely a good one! It talks a little bit about Gloria, one of the main characters in the rock-opera.

Before the Lobotomy:
Before the Lobotomy is one of my favorite songs from 21st Century Breakdown. It starts off soft with a slow, catchy chorus and then, once again, drives into a rocking song talking about how our society has pretty much just fallen apart. It compares us to the past and makes you realized that we are in chaos, and it's all our fault.

Christian's Inferno:
I would say that Christian's Inferno is Green Day's most punk rock song on 21st Century Breakdown. With heavily distorted guitar and Billie singing in his darkest voice, how could it not be? The song itself is about the other main character, Christian. Nothing is going right for him, and he essentially breaks down.

Last Night on Earth:
This song is Green Day's slow song for 21st Century Breakdown. It's a love song that Billie Joe wrote for his wife. I think it's a beautiful ballad.

East Jesus Nowhere:
To be honest, I'm really not sure what to think about East Jesus Nowhere. Even though it's a rockin' song, it's a rant against modern religion. Basically, it calls us all hypocrites. In a way, some of it is true for other religions out there. I believe there are immoral church leaders out there, but I like to think that us Mormons are, for the most part, good, honest people. It really makes you think...

Peacemaker:
I think this, along with American Eulogy, is my favorite song of the whole album. It's different, and that's what makes it good. It kind of sounds Spanish or something European... Whatever it is, it's awesome!

Last of the American Girls:
This is a great song. Last of the American Girls tells about a girl (presumably Gloria) who, according to the title, is the last of the American girls. It tells about little things she does that makes her different and American. It has a great beat to it, so it's alltogether a great song.

Murder City:
Not one of my favorite songs, but it's still a good one. Fun beat, powerful lyrics, adds up to a pretty sweet song!

¿Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl):
Like Peacemaker, Little Girl is another one of those songs that is different. It stands out. It sounds Italian or something, and has a good beat. I really like it! Definitely one you should listen to.

Restless Heart Syndrome:
Once again, not one of my favorites. It's kind of like a lesser Boulevard of Broken Dreams. It has a lot of the same chords and beats. I love Boulevard of Broken Dreams, but this one definitely is not one of my favorites.

Horseshoes and Handgrenades:
This is an incredible song! It has some a bit of language, but it's another great punk-rock song. The music is fast and powerful, and the lyrics are pretty much an in-your-face screw-you to society. I love how Green Day's not afraid to say stuff like that!

The Static Age:
Another incredible song! It sounds a lot like Church on Sunday from their album Warning. Church on Sunday was a great song, so naturally, this one is too. Plus, the lyrics are great. It's about living in static; we have to watch closely if we want to be able to know what's going on.

21 Guns:
It's not a fast paced song, but it's definitely one of the great ones from 21st Century Breakdown. It questions if what we're fighting for is really worth it. It's a thought provoking song and I really like it.

American Eulogy:
American Eulogy is divided into two parts; Mass Hysteria and Modern World. They are fast paced rockers talk about how screwed up society is. The first part is about the hysteria we are in while the second part merely states that "I don't wanna live in the modern world!" It's definitely one of my favorites along with Peacemaker.

See the Light:
See the Light is an excellent way to close the album. It starts off with the same guitar riff that started 21st Century Breakdown and goes into lyrics about just wanting to see the light. With all the chaos, who wouldn't? It would be nice to be able to know that we're almost through with all that's going on, have a little hope. Altogether, it's an incredible ending to an incredible album.

Well I hope you liked my review! I had fun writing it, so I hope you had run reading it! If you didn't listen to any of the songs, make sure you do! You will not regret it! If you only have time for a couple, make sure you go for Peacemaker, Last of the American Girls, The Static Age, and American Eulogy! They're my favorites!

Until next week, peace out!

21st Century Breakdown!

If you've been following my blog, you've probably noticed the two widgets I have on the right advertising Green Day's new album 21st Century Breakdown. I have been waiting for this album for about three years, and it will finally be here on Friday! I've actually already had the chance to listen to it. VH1, Rhapsody, and a couple other websites "leaked" the album a week early. They've been calling it "The Leak", but I honestly don't get how they can when they have the band's permission. A leak is when someone gets illegal copies of the song and/or album early and releases them without the band's permission... But that's really not important! The biggest point I am trying to make is that the day I have been waiting for for so long is finally here!

First off, I'll give a review of the album. 21st Century Breakdown exceeded my expectations, which were already pretty high to begin with! Like Green Day's previous album American Idiot, 21st Century Breakdown is written in a rock opera format. All the songs played back to back kind of tell a story. In the new album, the two main characters, Christian and Gloria, try to deal with the mess that President Bush left behind, hence the name 21st Century Breakdown. The lyrics have a powerful message about the band's opinion on pretty much everything that's going on right now. While I don't agree with all of their songs (i.e. East Jesus Nowhere, which is Billie Joe's rant about modern religion), I have to give them credit; they are not afraid to say what other bands are afraid to say. In their song American Eulogy (which is one of my new favorites), Billie sings, "The class war is hanging on a wire / Because the martyr is a compulsive liar / When he said / 'It's just a bunch of niggers throwing gas into the hysteria' ". He uses the the word "nigger", which you know is going to get him accused of being racist against black people. However, he used it in a context that makes it so he's not. He was mocking what "the martyr" would say. I'm not exactly sure who he's singing about, but he's taking a stand against someone. It was kind of like in Holiday on their previous album. Billie sings,"Zieg Heil to the president gas man / Bombs away is your punishment / Pulverize the Eiffel towers / Who criticize your government / Bang, Bang goes the broken glass / Kill all the fags that don't agree". One again, he uses a word (fags) that's been tabooed by society to get his opinion out there. American Idiot was a purely anti-Bush album. Billie Joe was mocking the way our 43rd President was running the country, with references to different things they believe he's done wrong. When he said, "Kill all the fags that don't agree", he was referring to Bush's stance on gay marriage. 

Not only are there powerful lyrics, but 21st Century Breakdown will rock your socks off as well. Billie, Mike, and Tre have matured, for lack of a better word, since their days playing at Gilman. They have gone from being a couple of punk kids to full-blown musicians. They're range is huge on this new album. They have their signature punk-rock songs, they have songs on piano, they have slow songs, they have songs with multiple parts, and they even threw a love song in there. No matter what style they play, it's amazing. 

A few of my favorite songs are Before the Lobotomy, Christian's Inferno, Peacemaker, Last of the American Girls, ¿Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl), Horseshoes and Handgrenades, The Static Age, and American Eulogy. If you listen to them, you'll know I'm more of a rocker kind of guy, but I also like the stuff that sounds different. Peacemaker and Little Girl are both songs that are kind of out of the ordinary. Peacemaker has kind of a Spanish or Italian sound to it, I haven't really decided yet. I think it sounds Spanish, but then Billie starts singing "Vendetta / Sweet vendetta" which I know is Italian. Either way, it's an awesome song! Little Girl starts off sounding Italian. It kind of reminds of the Godfather. I'm not sure what type of music next; it may still be Italian, but it sounds like something else to me. I can't quite think of it, but it's something European. Once again, it's stupendous no matter what!

If you want to, you can listen to the new album right here. Honestly, I think it's my favorite album yet! You should definitely give it a listen as long as you're ears can handle a couple f-bombs!

Track!

After my friends constantly bugging me about it, I decided to run track this year. I'm glad they did, because it has been an awesome experience! At first I was a little hesitant to try it, but I'm glad I decided to. My friends have all ran the last two years, so I decided to give it a shot. I almost did last year, but for some reason, I didn't. I wish I had though, because it has been a blast!

The first few weeks of it weren't as fun. The season hadn't officially started, but there was conditioning for people who wanted to get into shape before the season. Being in horrible shape, I decided to go to the conditioning. It was pretty fun, but once the season started, it was a lot better! The first week was pretty much pure conditioning. The distance runners ran a few miles every day while the sprinters worked on, well, sprinting! I decided to go with the sprinters so I could run hurdles. I really like hurdles because they're not just about how fast you are. It takes getting the form down. Not being as fast as some of the other people on the track team, this is probably my favorite event.

However, two meets out of three into the season, I still haven't run the hurdles at a meet. You're probably thinking, "Dude, if you haven't made them yet, why keep trying?" Well, the thing is I should have been running them at at least the last meet. The first one there's no way I should have. I had strep the first couple days of the week while they took timings, and I still wasn't feeling great the day of the meet. I would have done awful. The next meet I think I should have though. My uncle who ran hurdles in college came and helped me get the form down. I improved my time quite a bit. That day I asked the coach if he would be taking timings, and he said probably not. Not wanting to tire out my legs, I took off for the day. Turns out he did take timings, so I missed out that meet. He did a couple practice runs the day before the meet, and I honestly had a better time than a few of the people who ran them. Hopefully I'll get to run them this meet!

I really have loved track though. At both the meets, all I've run is the 800. That's two times around the track, and translates to about 1/2 mile. The first meet I was still recovering from strep. I ran it in 3:08, which isn't that great. The next week, I was feeling a ton better. I ran it in 2:53, which was 15 seconds faster than the week before. I haven't ran the mile in a while, so I think I'm going to run the 800 again, the mile, and hopefully the hurdles at the next meet! I really want to make this one count, since it's the last meet!

Overall, I am so glad the I ran track this year! If I had known I would have had such a good time running track a couple years ago, I would have done it in 7th and 8th grade as well. Most of the time, I'm just talking with friends. On top of that, I've met new people and gotten in better shape. It's been a great experience!

Music Today

Hey everyone! This is my entry for the Change My World Essay Contest. If you want to read it, go for it! Any tips before I submit it would be much appreciated! :)

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If I could change one thing about the world, it would be the music that people listen to. Music has been proven to have an effect on people. It can change you for the better or for the worse. Today, the popular music that people listen to has horrible messages. There are songs that swear just about every line, there are songs that talk about the "positives" of drugs, fighting, and sex, and there are even songs about killing people. That's not how music used to be. People used to sing about things that are positive and uplifting. There's still music like that out there, but it's hard to find when everyone's listening to whatever's at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.

One of the reasons that I think music today is so bad is because we have lowered our standards over time. Back in the 1950s, Elvis Presley's dance moves were considered vulgar. One man threatened to have him arrested if he shook his body at all while on stage. By today's standards, that would be nothing. You probably wouldn't make it today if all you did on stage was shake your hips a little bit. Over time, people accepted it. One thing lead to another, and eventually society started accepting dance moves that really are vulgar.

Lyrics to songs have also become more and more explicit over the years. In 1970, John Lennon released his song Working Class Hero which used the f-word. It was banned by radio stations, and a senator in Washington D.C. threatened to sue after hearing it on the radio. Like dance moves, lyrics started getting worse. More topics and words became acceptable. A few weeks ago, my friend was listening to a song on his iPod. He counted how many times it used the f-word. In four minutes, there were forty f-bombs. If you do the math, that's one every six seconds. Really, that is pretty dang bad.

Another thing that has changed is live shows. Back in 1969, the Woodstock Festival took place. It was advertised as “3 Days of Peace & Music”. That’s exactly what it was. People attended the festival to see their favorite bands and just have fun. In 1994 and 1999, they tried to recreate the festival. Woodstock ‘94 was advertised as “2 More Days of Peace & Music”, but it was far from this. While the original Woodstock was remembered as being three days of peace and music, Woodstock ’99 was remembered for violence, fires, rape, and the eventual closing of the show. Sound like peace to you? Didn’t think so. Live shows have changed extensively, which has lowered the grade of music.

If people listened to music that is positive, uplifting, and has a good message, the world would be a better place. There are still artists out there with good music. Jack Johnson and John Mayer are probably my two favorite guitarists. They both sing songs that are inspirational and have great messages. One of my favorite Jack Johnson songs is Better Together. Instead of singing about getting drunk at a strip-bar, he sings about friendship. If everyone would give good music a chance, the world would be a better place. Bob Marley believed that you could literally cure racism and hate by injecting music and love into people’s lives. I don’t think he was to far off.

The Apache Trail

Ok, I know I said that I would be writing about my bands again this week, but I’m feeling a bit under the weather today. I had to write this for science, so I’m going to use it for my blog today. For our term project, we had to go on two field trips to an educational place. My first one was about the Grand Canyon and this one is about the Apache Trail in Arizona. You really don't have to read this... It will probably be pretty boring for your. But if you do choose to read it, I hope you enjoy it!

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While we were in Arizona, we also went to the Apache Trail. It was a cool experience. We got to see a ghost town, learn about the Saguaro Cactus, and see the Superstition Mountains. Overall, I was glad we stopped there.

In the morning, we drove about a half hour past Phoenix. Our first stop on the Apache Trail was the ghost town. Back in the 1800s, they found gold in that area. Everyone rushed in to get rich. After a few years, it turned out that there was no more gold, and the city was abandoned. Today, it is a popular tourist destination. There are a couple of restaurants, a place to get your picture taken, a church, and occasional gun fights. They aren’t real fights, but it was pretty cool to see.

While we were in the ghost town, we had some questions about the Saguaro Cacti that they have in Arizona. They really are an amazing plant. They can grow to be more than twenty-tall. The thing that’s really amazing about them though is how long it takes them to grow. We were talking to one of the workers at the ghost town, and he said that some of them can live to be 300 years old! Just to grow the first arm, it takes 75 years. That’s a long time!

The Superstition Mountains were really cool. My dad said that they are used in a lot of western movies. It makes sense. They have a western look to them and they are beautiful. We didn’t have time to hike to the top that day, but I would have loved to. The view must have been breath taking. We did get to drive around them though. We got out at a lake on one side of them and just got to enjoy the surroundings.

Our trip along the Apache Trail was a great one. Not only did we have a blast, but we also learned a few things about Arizona. I still can’t believe those cacti. They are protected, so they can’t be moved or destroyed without the permission of the government. But 300 years... I still can’t believe that! It’s truly amazing!

If you are ever in the Phoenix area, I strongly recommend that Apache Trail. People of all ages will have fun there. Kids will get a kick out of the ghost town, and parents will love just being there.

Spring Break in Scottsdale

Ok, I know that last week I said I was going to keep writing about my favorite bands, but I’m skipping a week. I want to write about my spring break trip while I can still remember it! Don’t worry, you’ll get some more bands next week!

For spring break this year my family went to Scottsdale, Arizona. First off let me say “Thank You!” to whoever plans the calendars for actually giving us a spring break this year! Geez, last year we only got one real day off… Anyways, back to our vacation! We left Friday right after school. We only drove to Kanab that day and drove the rest on Saturday. On Saturday we went to the Grand Canyon. It was my first time there, and I was amazed at how pretty it was! Seriously, if you’ve never been there, you need to put it at the top of your to-do list. It’s a beautiful sight.

Once we left the canyon, it was about three hours to where we were staying. Once we got there, we were excited just to get out of the car! We had done probably thirteen hours of driving over the last couple of days. We got settled into our room at the Marriott Canyon Villas. It was an awesome place! There was a pool with a waterfall, a lazy river, and a waterslide. We spent a few days out at the pool. But the day we got there, we were exhausted. We watched a little TV and pretty much just went to bed.

The next day we hiked to the top of Piestewa Peak, formerly known as Squaw Peak. It wasn’t that hard of a hike in my opinion, but my mom and sisters thought it was. They didn’t make it to the top, but my brother, my dad, and I did. The view was sweet you could see all of Phoenix from the top! The rest of that day we just spent at the pools.

The next few days we spent pretty much at the pool. On one of the days we went to a ghost town. It wasn’t that exciting, but I’m glad we went. I got a lucky rabbit’s foot! Another day we went to a Diamondbacks. It would have been better if the Rockies hadn’t been mauling the D-Backs. When we left in the 8th inning, they were down 6-1. It wasn’t a great game.

Probably the most unique part of the Phoenix area are the Saguaro Cacti. These cacti grow to be crazy tall, and it takes them decades to grow! Some of the oldest are 150 years old. They look just like the cacti you would see on movies. They have arms that grow to be the size of the cactus itself. While we were driving down, my sister kept saying how bad she wanted to see a cactus, and I didn't get what the big deal was. But then we saw some of them, and it all of a sudden hit me. There aren't words or pictures to describe them without seeing them for yourself.

One of the most memorable parts of the trip (for me at least) was In-N-Out. I’ve eaten there many times before, and they make the best burger of any fast food restaurant out there. What we discovered this trip was their “secret menu”. Pretty much anyone who’s a regular In-N-Out goer knows about its most famous item, the Animal-Style Burger. It adds a few ingredients to its normal burger. There are only a few who know about some of the other items on the menu. There’s the 3x3 (pronounced 3-by-3) and 4x4, which is 3 patties and 4 patties respectively. I tried a 3x3, and let me tell ya, that is a lot of meat! Holy cow! But I get bragging rights now, and I don’t ever have to do that again. I’m not going to tell you everything on the menu, but I’m going to tell you the name of one last item. Next time you’re at In-N-Out, order a Flying Dutchman. I’m not going to tell you what it is, just order it and tell me once you have!

Overall, it was a great vacation! I’m kinda bummed to be back at school now… Oh well! It’s the last term now! Just gotta make it about 35 more days!

More Bands

K, so my last few blog posts have been about some of my favorite bands. I've enjoyed it because it's so easy to write about things you love! So I'm gonna be continuing tradition for a few more weeks!

If you had to name the one band that had the biggest influence on rock 'n roll, it would be The Beatles hands down. No other band has had nearly the impact that The Beatles did back in their day. They are another one of my all-time favorite bands. Unfortunately, they broke up in 1970 after John Lennon left the band.

I first head The Beatles when I was in fifth grade. I had heard of them before, but I didn't really hear any of their music until then. Every year, my teacher would write a different fifth grade program. She put in some pretty cool songs now that I think about it. Among them was I Want to Hold Your Hand by The Beatles. A group of friends and I tried out to sing it. We were the only ones to try out for that particular song, so we made it. We got to dress up like The Beatles and use blow-up electric airs. Man, we were so cool! During the performance all the girls would scream for us and we got to act like rock stars, it was the best!

But yeah, that was the first time I had ever heard them. My teacher had a Beatles album that she let me borrow. I started really listening to them after that. I discovered so many songs that were just absolutely amazing! There's no other word to describe some of them. One of my favorites is Across the Universe. John Lennon sings it in a way that brings this feeling of peace over you. There's this part that he starts the chorus with that's in a different language. I don't know exactly what language it is, but he sings, "Jai guru deva om", which I think translates to something like, "Victory to God divine". I think it's pretty cool. But there are so many fantastic songs that they sing. Can't Buy Me Love, A Hard Day's Night, Hello Goodbye, Help, Here Comes the Sun, Hey Jude, I Me Mine, I Want to Hold Your Hand, Let It Be, Love Me Do, Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, and of course Yellow Submarine.

Hey Jude is another one of my all-time favorite Beatles songs. It starts out with Paul McCartney singing with a piano in the background. It's another one of those songs that makes you feel at peace. In a way, it gives you hope. Paul sings to someone named Jude that things are going to be better. It has great lyrics. He sings to Jude for a few minutes, and then sings, "Na na na na na na na na na na, hey Jude" for the last couple minutes of the song. It's truly the work of a genius.

So there's my opinion about The Beatles. I know most people would agree with me in saying that The Beatles are one of, if not the most influential bands out there. On top of that, their music is great! Definitely one of my favorite bands. I guess that'll be it for this week, I'll have another band for next week! ;)

Music this Year (contd.)

Hey everyone! Just thought I'd finish my post from a few weeks ago! It's just about my favorite bands releasing albums this year. Last time I covered my two favorites: Green Day and U2! There are a couple more that I want to hit before I'm totally finished.

311 is another one of my all-time favorite bands! The first time I heard about them was when my dad downloaded a few of their songs off of iTunes. He downloaded All Mixed Up, Beautiful Disaster, Creatures (For a While), and Down. They are three incredible songs if you want to listen to them! Anyways, they were the only four songs by them that I listened to for a while. One day, my dad came home and one of his coworkers had a bunch of 311 CDs that that he let us borrow. We ripped them onto our computer and there turned out to be some awesome songs! So 311 became one of my favorite bands.

A year or so later, we found out that my uncle gives golf lessons to the manager of 311. This was huge news for us! The manager hooked my uncle up with an all access pass! He got to go backstage and meet the band! It was so cool! We had already missed to Salt Lake Concert, and we were going to be in California while 311 was playing at the Greek Theater. My uncle let us use the all-access pass, and it was awesome! It didn't get us back stage like we had wanted, but we were front row of the mosh pit! It was one of the coolest concerts I think I've ever been to! So that's my story behind 311. Their new album, Uplifter, is coming out June 2nd. I know I'm going to be buying it!

Linkin Park is another one of my favorite bands. While their album is supposed to be released early next year, I still want to talk about them a little bit. The first album I heard of theirs was Meteora. The first time I heard it was in my dad's car when I was 6 or 7. I thought it was hilarious because I had never really heard music with yelling in it. Eventually I started liking it more and more and soon became one of my favorite bands. I bought their first album, Hybrid Theory, off of eBay and it is pretty good. They released their third album, Minutes to Midnight, in 2007. It was a little different, but still awesome!

I got to go to their concert last year, and it was a great experience! Coheed and Cambria opened for them, and I had never really heard of them. I really didn't like them because I couldn't really tell one song from another. Also, they were just taking to long. I wanted Linkin Park! But I listened to a few of their songs after, specifically Welcome Home, and they're actually pretty good. Anyways, the concert was awesome! They know how to play a good show.

Are you excited for this year as much as I am?! Like I said in my previous post, I'm the most excited for Green Day! I downloaded a leak of the title song, 21st Century Breakdown, and it's awesome! I just can't tell you how excited I am for the new album! But that's it for me this week, cya all later!

The Death of Dwight and Jim

For an English assignment, we had to write two epitaphs about two closely related characters. I chose to do mine on Dwight Schrute and Jim Halpert from The Office. They haven't really died in the show, but I made up possible ways that their characters might die. I mostly just tried to have fun with them. Enjoy!

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R.I.P.



Dwight Schrute
December 22, 1970 - October 13, 2013

I was born on a beet farm,

I lived my life on a beet farm,

I should have died on a beet farm,

But it just wasn’t so.

Halpert brought an end to my life.

His ninjas should have been but a bother.

I went for my knife with agility like a cheetah.

But alas, I was to fast.

I slit my wrist with my knife.

I was an animal struggling for life.

I bled & died at the hands of worthless ninjas!

How could it have happened?

I know they were halpert’s men,

For I saw him scheming with them earlier.

my dream was destroyed.

I should have died on a beet farm.

Halpert will get what’s coming to him,

Like the man who shot Lincoln.

One day, I’ll have my revenge.

One day…

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R.I.P.



Jim Halpert
October 1, 1978 - May 14, 2059

I lived a good life.

I had a wife, kids, and a job that I loved.

After Dwight’s death, I left Dunder Mifflin.

The shock was too much to return.

I didn’t mean to kill him,

Honest I didn’t!

I felt bad for constantly tormenting him,

For my pranks were almost daily.

I made the decision to throw him a party.

It was out of the goodness of my heart,

Not for another laugh.

The hired ninjas were meant to be a surprise.

Dwight, being as analytical as an aardvark,

found all nine of them.

I didn’t mean to kill him,

Honest I didn’t!

He tried to attack them,

but killed himself in the process.

I couldn’t believe what I’d done,

How could I live with myself?

I left dunder Mifflin,

and It worked out for the better;

I married pam,

We moved to boston,

We lived happily married for 50 years.

Our 50th anniversary was a day for the books.

I took pam skydiving,

But my shoot never opened.

As I fell to my death,

I looked back on my life.

I lived a happy life with my family,

Like the Brady bunch or the Simpsons.

I had no regrets,

But that infamous day,

When Dwight lost his life,

And I was to blame.

Romeo and Juliet vs. Romeo + Juliet

Just because I have a lot of homework today, I'm using an extra credit paper I wrote for English as my blog this week. Enjoy!

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In Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare tells the tale of two tragic lovers. Romeo and Juliet meet at a party held at the Capulets’ house. Getting over his former lover, Rosaline, in a matter of seconds, Romeo dances with Juliet. They fall “madly in love”, and get married. Romeo’s family, the Montagues, do not get along well with Juliet’s family, the Capulets. Naturally, the two lovers can’t let anyone about their marriage. A day or so later, Romeo kills Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt, out of rage for killing his friend, Mercutio. This gets him banished by the prince. Romeo has a plan, however. He will go away to Mantua for a period of time, after which he will return and win everyone’s respect back. Things become complicated when Juliet’s father arranges for her to be married to Paris, a relative of the prince. Friar Laurence decides to step in with a plan. Juliet fakes her death, but word doesn’t get to Romeo in time. Once he finds out that Juliet is “dead”, he poisons himself. Juliet sees Romeo dead and stabs herself. The two families find out about everything and decide to make peace with each other, ending the play.

Australian director Baz Luhrmann put a modern twist on Romeo and Juliet in his 1996 film Romeo + Juliet. Instead of taking place in Verona, Italy, Romeo + Juliet takes place in the fictional Verona Beach. Instead of a family feud, the Capulets and Montagues are rival mob families. Instead of fighting with swords, they fight with pistols. Even though there are many differences in the setting, Baz Luhrmann still used the original script from Romeo and Juliet. The only difference was that it was condensed to fit modern movie length. It was actually pretty funny to watch gangsters speaking in Old English. When Mercutio did his Queen Mabs speech, I was cracking up! There was this punk kid on the screen going on about dreams and Queen Mabs in Old English. The director was pretty creative with that.

My favorite scene from the movie was the balcony scene. In the book, Romeo is watching Juliet on her balcony from behind the bushes. After a few minutes of listening to her talk about him, Romeo reveals himself. They talk for a while longer until Romeo agrees to marry her. In the movie, it is totally different. Romeo hops the fence into the backyard of Juliet’s estate. He walks past the pool and climbs some vines up to the balcony. You expect Juliet to come out right then, because, you know, it’s the balcony scene. Instead, the nurse pops out, and you can tell that Romeo is kind of disappointed. A few seconds later, Juliet exits an elevator and walks around the pool. Without being seen, Romeo follows her. After listening to her for a few minutes, he shows that he is there. He scares her and they both fall into the pool. After almost getting caught, Romeo agrees to marry Juliet, just like in the play. I thought it was a pretty good take on the scene.

I didn’t see the whole movie, but from the parts I did see, I loved it. While the director changed it to fit the modern generation, it still retained the same script as when William Shakespeare wrote it. It takes some pretty creative thinking to be able to come up with an idea like that. Not only that, but it takes talent to be able to make a good movie using that idea. There are modern remakes of movies out there that are nowhere near the quality of the original. Romeo + Juliet could easily rival the quality of some of the earlier movies and plays. Baz Luhrmann kept the original drama, but put a modern twist on it. This keeps the attention of most audiences. I know I sure loved it after reading Romeo and Juliet just once. If you are familiar with this classic by Shakespeare, I know you’ll enjoy watching this version of it.

Music this Year

I can't even explain how excited I am for all the music that is coming out this year! It's going to be great! I'm just going to explain why I am excited for each band that is releasing an album.

First of all, there's U2! I started listening to them back in 2004 when they released their album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. I fell in love with the song Vertigo along with most of the others on the album. It turned out that my dad had been a big U2 fan back in the day, so he had some of their older CDs that he let me borrow. Their older songs are amazing. Some of my favorites are Desire, I Will Follow, Stuck in a Moment, Beautiful Day, Sweetest Thing, and many more.

How to Dismantle and Atomic Bomb was their most recent album up until a few days ago. If you do the math, that's five years between albums. That is an insanely long time between albums! I was really excited back in February when they released their first single off of the new album, Get On Your Boots. It's an upbeat song about how everything's screwed up right now. It's a great song. And finally, after five long years, No Line on the Horizon was released! I downloaded it the first day, and was a little disappointed the first time I listened to it. But then I listened to it a few more times, and I love it! Bono's vocals in No Line on the Horizon are amazing! It has some great guitar in other songs, great singing, and great drums. U2 really didn't disappoint!

Green Day is probably my all-time favorite band. I started listening to them also back in 2004 when they released the massively successful American Idiot. It was, and still is an amazing album. Their older stuff is awesome too. Their first album, Dookie, has some of their best songs on it. There's Welcome to Paradise, When I come Around, Longview, and a few others. One of my favorite songs, King for a Day, is about a crossdresser, and it's actually pretty funny.

American Idiot is their most recent album as of right now. It was released back in 2004, so it's also been five years since that. Their next album, 21st Century Breakdown, is due in May. The first single, Know Your Enemy, is due April 20th. I cannot wait for this new album! Five years is way, way, way to long to wait for Green Day! A few weeks ago, one of the songs got released accidentally (although it's not fully mixed yet). It's called 21st Century Breakdown, and let me tell you, that is one amazing song. The beginning reminds me a little bit of Baba O'Riley by The Who. I think this is going to be one epic album, so I am dying waiting for it!!!

Well I'm almost at five hundred words... There are a couple more bands I want to write about, but I'll just save them for next week so I have something to write about! ;)

Finishing Up

For the last couple weeks, if you've been following my blogs, I have been just plain swamped with school work. I've had all sorts of projects and assignments that have been keeping me up every night until ten or eleven finishing. A lot of them were due this last week, and let me tell ya...it's really nice to have them out of the way!

In science, I've been stressing over my term project. I finally got that done last weekend and turned it in early for extra credit. There was also a big test this week that I had to study for. I got an 88 on it, which isn't to great, but considering that most people got 50s to 70s on it, it's pretty good. I got those two big things out of the way, and I am done stressing over that class for a while.

There is still a lot going on in English, but a couple of big things are out of the way. First of all there was the Word Cells Test. It was just another big test that everyone was stressing over, but I got 100 on it. I just studied for a few minutes every night, and I really didn't think it was that hard. Then there were the job interviews. I wasn't really stressing over those, but it's nice to have them over with. I still have to finish A Tale of Two Cities, write a literary analysis on it, memorize a passage from Romeo and Juliet, take the DWA (Direct Writing Assessment), and make sure all my AR points are in.

I never have to stress over Seminary. There was the Ancestor Report, but that wasn't hard at all. I put it together in one night and did just fine on it. Besides that, I just have to read my scriptures every night and I got nothing to worry about.

Math is difficult, but there are never long term assignments to worry about. They are always due the next day, so there is never really the chance for me to procrastinate on them.

Geography has started to be one of my favorite classes. Mr. Carter is hilarious, and it really isn't that hard of a class either. Everyone had been saying that it is crazy hard, but I really don't think it is. As long as you pay attention, take good notes, do your assignments, and study, you'll get an A easily.

Choir isn't hard at all. As long as you just try, you can get an easy A.

Student Government is just a goof-off class. We never do anything harder than go to the games.

So right now, I still have a lot to do, but a little bit of the burden is gone. It will be nice to have everything done. In a couple more weeks, I will. But right now, I have to just keep pushin'!

Swamped...Still!

Oh man, I am so swamped with school work right now! It was worse last week, but still, I think it's a lot...

Science isn't hard by any means. It's probably the class that I am understanding the most right now. The only times I ever really have homework in that class are for assignments that are due the next day. Webwork, worksheets, and notebooks are some of these things. We get a term project every term, but they are never hard. I have always gotten them done early and never really had to stress to much over them. That being said, science is one of my easier classes.

I think English is the class I am stressing the most over right now. It wouldn't be to bad if we had a bunch of assignments that were due the next day. I can handle those because there's really no way you can procrastinate on them. You just do them at night and it's over with. However, all the things I am stressing over in English right now are long term assignments. There's finishing A Tale of Two Cities (not to mention trying to understand it), studying for the word cells test, memorizing a passage from Romeo and Juliet, and keeping up with everything in Honors English. These things really shouldn't be that hard, but for me, being the procrastinator I am, they are pretty difficult to keep up with.

No problems in Seminary. Just nightly scripture reading, which I already do.

Math is interesting. I don't ever stress out about it, but it's one of my hardest classes. A lot of the stuff we're learning goes way over my head the first time I hear it, but I can usually understand the second or third time. Assignments take from a half hour to and hour most nights, so it's bad, but not to bad.

Geography is probably my favorite class. I switched into my favorite teacher at semester and I have really enjoyed it so far. Everyone was saying that it was a really hard class, but I don't find it that difficult. There are map tests, open-notes tests, and a whole lot of note taking. If you pay attention and study for a few minutes every night, it's a really easy A. So I have no complaints there.

Choir couldn't be easier. My friends and I switched out of band and into choir at semester and it was a really good choice. The band was terrible and I wasn't learning anything. I've always wanted to be better at singing, so choir is the right choice for that. I am actually learning stuff, and it's also an easy A. I really enjoy it.

Student Government isn't that bad. Some of the committee assignments are hard, but we usually get them done. There's nothing horrible that we can't handle. The only part I really don't like is going to every last one of the games. You can only miss two during the term, so you really do have to go to most of them. It kinda stinks on days when I have a ton of homework, but it's an excuse to hang out with friends.

Well, that's what's going on in my school life right now. I hope I didn't bore you too much. Until next time, I bid you all farewell!

The Biology of I am Legend

I am Legend portrayed many different aspects of biology. There was finding a cure for cancer, the effects viruses can have on humans, and, most importantly, genetic engineering. The movie starts with a scientist explaining how she has discovered a cure for cancer. She genetically engineered a measles strain to work for the body, instead of against it. It was trained to go through the body and kill only cancerous cells. It left normal cells as they were. The strain worked at first, but then it mutated into a lethal virus, killing off 90% of the world’s population. While this scenario is highly unlikely, genetically engineering is something that is happening today.

Scientists are working hard to cure diseases through genetic engineering. Currently, pregnant women can have their babies screened as a fetus for genetic diseases. If they do have a genetic disorder, all the parents can do is prepare to take care of the child. However, in the future scientists may be able to cure diseases with genetic engineering while the baby is still in its mother. This is just one thing scientists can do with genetic engineering. Genetic engineering has also been used for a growth hormone, a vaccine for hepatitis b, and to modify fruits and vegetables so that they are immune to some diseases. A lot of the stuff that you and I eat today has been genetically engineered. These are all things that genetic engineering can be good for, but, like with anything, there is a bad side of genetic engineering.

There are a few ethical problems with genetic engineering. Like in I am Legend, there is always the possibility that a genetically engineered disease could mutate and become a killer. Even though a disease can’t give people superhuman abilities, there is always the possibility of a global epidemic. In the 1300s, there was the Bubonic Plague that took about 200 million lives. In 1918, there was the Spanish flu that took about 40 million lives. It has happened in the past, and it could happen again in the future. One way to insure that there isn’t an epidemic caused by genetic engineering is to just stop genetically engineering diseases, even if they are for good. You never know how a virus is going to mutate by the time it is out in the public. The other way is to be prepared for the consequences. Before it is used, perform tests on it. Make sure that there is no possible way for it to go wrong. If there is, make sure that it is curable. Have the cure ready to go if it goes wrong. In my opinion, I think that genetic engineering is a good thing. I think that it should be continued, but that scientists should be prepared to handle it if something goes wrong.

(In case you're wondering why I wrote this, it was an assignment for biology, and I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone! I've been crazy busy this week, so I figured I'd take just one assignment off my back.)

Do you ever feel swamped?

Do you ever feel like you have just so much work that you can't handle it? You are staying up for nights finishing work for almost every class? That's about how I feel right now. Today I had to stay after school for the basketball game. I left at 4:30 and went straight to guitar. By the time I got back and had eaten, it was about 6 o'clock. Besides choosing a couple of pictures for a contest in the newspaper, I have been doing homework ever since. I started with my math assignment, which usually takes a long time. Today, however, it was relatively short. I had no complaints. After that I started on my bookwork for geography. All in all, I had to summarize about 8 or 9 different African subjects. That one was actually my fault, I could have been working on it earlier (since it was assigned two weeks ago), but being the procrastinator I am (and also because I have been bogged down with a ton over the last few weeks) I put it all off until tonight. So there went 2 hours. Next, I had to do 3 current events. There went another hour. So now, I decided I better check the discussion board and (as you can obviously see) write my blog for this week. I was expecting a relatively easy question this week, but I logged on and quickly discovered that it was another question about A Tale of Two Cities. I have to be to page 140. This was not at all what I was expecting, nor was it what I needed tonight. I'm on page 60 right now. I try to read during reading time, but I get way to distracted. Reading really isn't my strong point. The only time during the day I ever have time to read is from about 10:00 PM to 11:XX PM. I put the Xs there because that's just when I am to tired to keep my eyes open anymore. I've got to read 80 pages of a book that I am having an extremely difficult time understanding by Monday. I am really looking forward to Saturday and Sunday evening! I am going to have to read like a mad man if I am going to get these pages in. I guess it is good though. I really get behind on my reading. Last term, I had to read 300 pages a couple days before the term ended. This way, I get it all over now so I can stress over other things when the term is ending. And that brings me to right now. I still need to write a final draft of an essay and fit forty six more words into this blog. Well, as soon as I say my goodbyes, it will probably be enough. To those of you who continue to read my pointless dribble, I thank you dearly! To those of you who just skip over my blog, you are probably making the right choice. But you wouldn't know that, because you're not reading this. And with that, I bid you all adieu!

Really?

Ok, here's a story my mom told me today. My neighbor who's in seventh grade accidentally left his backpack at school today. He had an SEOP later that day, so he decided just to get it then. He figured he had left it in the band room, so he went and looked all over but couldn't find it. He checked his locker and it wasn't there either. So he went home and called a couple of friends to see if they had taken it home for him. The first person hadn't. The next person he called told him that he had hid it in a locker in the band room...

But that's not even all of it. His mom called my mom who happened to be over by the school. She asked if my mom could go look through the lockers to find it. So my mom did. The room was locked, so she had to find a janitor to unlock it for her. So my mom goes in and starts looking through all the lockers. Not being able to find it, she calls back my friends mom. My friends mom is pretty upset now, so she calls up the kid who hid it. She asks him where it is and he says that he doesn't know...

But that still isn't all. She keeps talking with him on the phone and he says that we will just have to find it. So she tells him that my mom is there right now looking for it and that he needs to tell us where it is. Eventually he says that it might be on the right wall. So my mom checks there and it's in the last one she checks.

All in all, this kid hid the backpack, lied that he didn't know where it was, and was rude to my friend's mom. He may sound all tough pickin' on kids like that, but in reality, he's not. It wasn't like tough guy bullying, it was dorky bullying. I mean, seriously...hiding the backpack in the band room? I have no idea what he expected to gain from that. "Yes! I hid it!" Was that really worth it? This isn't the only thing he's done that bugs me though...

Over the summer, our neighborhood signed up for Junior Golf at Valley View. Every week we'd have a little lesson and play 9 holes of golf. If you improved your score by enough from the previous weeks, you might win a gift certificate to the pro shop there. So every week I would be honest about my score. It wasn't the best score there, but it was honest. And I was gradually improving. I felt good about myself. So here comes this kid who is totally sandbagging it (in other words, cheating). He claimed to be shooting about 10 strokes under what I would hit. I'm not trying to brag or anything, because I am by no means a good golfer, but there is no way that kid was shooting 10 under me. He can barely handle a club. If this wasn't for cash prizes, I probably wouldn't have minded. But this kid was getting rich off of cheating! I shouldn't let it bother me, but there are so many things he does that drive me crazy!

I think I missed a week...

As I'm looking back through my blog, I think I may be behind a week... Just to be safe, I'm going to write one more today. I hadn't really thought of anything, so I'm just going to keep writing until I have five hundred words. It will probably be pretty boring stuff, so I see no reason for you to keep reading unless you are crazy bored and have nothing better to do.

What to write... What to write... Oh! Did anyone watch Obama get sworn into office today? Although I was rooting for McCain, I think Obama is going to do a pretty good job. Plus, he broke the color barrier of the office of president. He's like the Jackie Robinson of presidents! So yeah, it was a pretty historic day! But there was one part of the inauguration that I thought was pretty funny. I don't know if anyone else caught it, but it was while he was making his Oath of Office. Him and John G. Roberts both messed up while making the Oath of Office. Obama started a line while he wasn't supposed to, then Roberts rearranged the order of some of the words accidentally, Obama hesitated, then Roberts corrected himself, then Obama said that line the wrong way, but it went right after that. I just thought it was pretty funny that even the president will get nervous in front of so many people!

Hmmm... Oh! I know! I'm pretty sure that most people watch The Office. If not, it is the best show out there right now! It is hilarious! For those of you who don't watch it, I'm just gonna tell you about some of the characters. First of all, there are Jim and Pam. They, along with mabey Toby, are the only normal characters on the show. They play pranks together on Dwight, which are always hilarious! They range from putting his stapler in Jello, wrapping up his desk in wrapping paper for Christmas, or dressing up like him and mocking him. It is hilarious! Then there is the boss, Michael Scott. He really is not qualified to have his job. He does nothing all day and somehow avoids getting fired for it. Then there is Dwight. He is always a laugh. He lives on a beet farm, he is into martial arts, and has a secret relationship (well, secret until the last couple episodes) with Angela. Angela is a religious girl that is not fun to be around. She is very serious about things being done right. Next there is Oscar. He is mostly normal, until you find out that he is gay in one episode...not that there's anything wrong with that. Next there is Kevin. He has a band called Scrantonicity and he gambles a lot. Next there would be Toby. Toby is relatively normal. Michael really hates him because he "takes the fun out of everything". He works with human resources. Well I'm almost at 500 words, so I'll just wrap up the rest really quickly... Kelly talks a lot, Andy is a suck up, Ryan is the temp who became Michael's boss but got addicted to drugs, commited fraud, and is now back to being the temp, Stanley could care less about his job, Meredith is an alcoholic, Jan is Michael's old girlfriend/boss, Karen is Jim's old girlfriend, Creed is a creep, Phyllis is married to Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration, Roy is Pam's old girlfriends from warehousing, and Darryl is also in warehousing.

So that's it for today..see you next week!

I thought I was done with band...

If you have followed any of my previous posts, you will know that I have written a lot of things about the new band teacher. He is unorganized, can't control the class, and just isn't that great of a teacher. I had been thinking a lot about switching out of his class. It was a tough decision because this was supposed to be the year I finally got to play sax. Well, I did for the first half of the year. I didn't want to quit playing, but I thought about it a while, and came up with a list of good reasons to drop out:

1. I learned nothing -- and no, that is not an exaggeration -- new on the sax in his class.

2. The reason I am still taking that class is to learn something new about playing the sax.

3. All my friends in band are quitting.

4. I could put better use to that period than just sitting and having to listen to a teacher I have no respect for.

5. (This is the reason that was the final straw) If I am not learning anything, I don't like the teacher, and all my friends aren't going to be there, what reason is there to stay in the class?

So after a lot of thought, I quit! I finally made the decision, ran it by my parents, and they approved. It was great! So I thought I was done with band for good! Oh, but that just couldn't be so...

Tonight, my family got home from a weekend trip to Vegas. I had done most of my homework in the car, but decided to check my grades when I got home. Expecting to get all A's, I was shocked to see that I had a C in one class. I quickly realized that it was band and thought to myself, "What has he done this time?" I figured it would have been something I turned in, and, not to my amazement, it was something I had turned in months ago. He just decided to wait until the end of the term to put it into the computer. The teacher requires us to attend a concert outside of class and write up one page about it. He told us we could turn it in at anytime during the term and it would count. I decided to just go to one at the beginning of the term to get it over with. I turned the page in at the beginning of the term, and he said that it was great. It never showed up in my grade, so I figured he was just gonna put it in at the end of the term. I thought nothing of it, until tonight. My best guess is that because he waited so long, he lost it, and thus, was never able to get it into the computer. So now I have to go talk to him and see if he can change it. I have no idea how he's going to be able to since semester grades had to be in today. Good going new guy, I've never had lower than an A in my life. There goes my 4.0 record, thanks to you.

Babysitting My Siblings

Don't you just LOVE babysitting your siblings? If you haven't ever tried it, you should one day! It's the best! Once your parents leave, your siblings listen to every word you say. They don't disobey you whatsoever. They get along like they love each other. The don't yell, run around, scream at random, or do anything to make it difficult for you. They go to bed when they're told, they can all agree on a show, and they do everything that they're told. To top it all off, the pay is wonderful!

Ok, well if you haven't guessed, everything that I just said was a lie. Not word one of that was true. My siblings NEVER listen to me. I'm babysitting tonight, and one of my sisters made my other sister cry. I sent her to her room, but she refused to go. She claims she's scared. I have no idea what of, but she never did go to her room.

My siblings don't ever obey me. I tell them to do something, and it goes in one ear and out the other. They are totally insubordinate, and there's nothing I can do about it. It really bugs me.

My siblings don't get along. It's mostly my two sisters though. They are constantly fighting. Most of the times it's over things that don't even matter. Usually one of my sisters will scream or something, then a fight follows. I can't seem to get it in their heads that it DOESN'T MATTER! Geez it drives me crazy!

My sisters yell at each other. Like I said before, usually it's over things that have no point.

All of my siblings run around. They start playing games and I'll just be sitting and watching them. They run all over the house, and it's crazy! I can't control them! I have no leverage over them. If they disobey me, the only thing I can do is tell my mom. They stopped being scared of that a LONG time ago.

One thing that my sister does that drives me insane is just scream at the top of her lungs at totally random times. Sometimes she says she's scared of something, but other times she doesn't even know why. It gets under my skin so bad!

If I tell them it's time to go to bed, they always say, "No! One more show!" I have to give in, or they won't ever go to bed. Eventually they'll just fall asleep, but man... it takes them a LONG time!

When it's time to choose a show to watch, they can never come to a decision. The excuse for never deciding a show is always "Let's find something everyone wants to watch!" So it takes a while to finally decide on a show. And, you guessed it, it's never one I want to watch!

Well, I think I've made my opinion pretty clear. I really do not like babysitting. Oh, and especially tonight when I could be hanging out with friends. I just feel way bad knowing that I could be having a lot more fun right now... You know what I mean? Well, I guess I'll be done with my ranting on babysitting. :) Good night!