Well, it feels like forever and a half since I posted anything, but I'm on vacation this week and had some free time to write, so here you go.
To the person deciding whether or not to step of their comfort zone and try something new:
Hey, I know you. Yeah, I might not know you personally, but I know what you're going through. Deciding whether or not to go for it. Wondering if risk could be worth the payoff. Worrying about looking like an idiot, or failing completely, or just planing screwing up. Well, let me tell you my story.
In the spring, I had what I thought was the perfect plan for summer and fall. Me and my friend were going to be cheerleaders for my brother's football team. I had never done anything like that before, but I had talked to the coach, and there were a lot of other girls who hadn't either, so it was fine.
Now, I am super shy, and this was going to be a new group of people, none of whom I new really well, and most I didn't know at all. I never worried about that, though, because I thought my friend was going to do it with me.
After I had already mostly sighed up, I found out my friend wasn't going to do it. I totally freaked out. I didn't know what I was going to do. I was scared to try it without knowing people. The last time I had done something without knowing anybody had been 4 years ago. After talking to my parents, I decided to do it.
Now cheer season is almost over, and I am so glad I did this. It wasn't easy at first, I was in tears and almost quit before the second practice, but ultimately it has been a great experience, and I can't believe I almost missed it. You never know what you might miss if you stay in your comfort zone forever. Now, because I love lists, I'm going to give you a list of things I've learned this season.
1. Not knowing anybody else shouldn't stop you from trying something you really want to. This one was kind of the main the post, but that's because this was my biggest lesson this season. I was so scared to be there, but I went anyway and it was fine.
2. Stepping out of your comfort zone is the best thing you could ever do for yourself. It doesn't feel like it at first, but once you do it, then you open yourself up to being able to have the best experience ever.
3. The hard stuff is always worth it. Guess what? Anything good is going to have hard stuff. There were days I so didn't want to go to practice. I had to do school on Sundays for weeks because I just didn't have time to get it done. On Thursdays I had to go from straight from dance to cheer and I was exhausted those nights. But, by far, the good outweighs bad. I could go on and on about that stuff, but I don't have time right now.
To conclude, I am so blessed to have gotten to be a part this amazing team. I am so glad I stuck with it, and traveled outside my comfort zone. And you there, trying to make a decision, take courage from my story, and take a step from your comfort zone. It might just be the best step you ever take.
Peace Out!
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Monday, June 9, 2014
Stuff I've been doing
So, I told you'd I'd explain why I'd been so busy and not able to post as often as I'd like, and here she is:
This is Blondie, an almost three year old Lab Shar Pei mix, and my Christmas present. We've had Blondie since December 27th, and she is the best (I'd say little, but weighing in at close to 70 lbs, she's anything but little!) girl ever! And with Blondie comes obedience classes, grooming, walks, etc., so I haven't had much time to post.
I've also been finishing up school, except for math, and that has taken up sometime. I still have math, because of stupid Life of Fred. It should of been obvious that any math curriculum named Life of Fred was a bad idea, but my mom still got it. Never mind the fact that last she switched me it took me three years to finally get caught up into my right grade. I went through 3 different curriculums and didn't get a good one until April (the same I'd already been doing before Life of Fred), so of course I didn't finish it, and now I have to do it over the summer. Blehhh!!!!!
This summer I'll try to post more regularly, but I do have a pretty full summer planned, so we'll see how that goes.
Peace Out!
Friday, June 6, 2014
Why I'm not going to see "The Fault in Our Stars"
Sorry it's been so long, I've been crazy busy, but more on that later. Right now I want to talk about something that's been bugging me for a while.
In early February, I think it was, I saw a preview on YouTube for a movie called "The Fault in Our Stars." From what I could tell in those few short minutes it was a movie I'd like to see. Later that day, while I was at a friend's house, she showed me a book that she had recently read and really enjoyed. It was, coincidentally, The Fault in Our Stars. Later that evening I asked my mom if could buy The Fault in Our Stars on Kindle. She looked up reviews (not actual segments of the book) and said yes. I got it and started reading it.
Now, let me tell you something about me. Language bothers me more than the average person. I don't really know why, but it does, and language in a book is worse than in a movie or TV show. There's something about reading it that makes it that much worse.
When I started the book, I hadn't even finished the first chapter before I asked my mom if she was sure it was okay for me to read it. I had already encountered the s-word, b*****d, and several misuses of God's name. She said she hadn't read any of the actual book, but that now days more and more young adult books were beginning to be like that. She said it was my choice to keep reading or not, she wasn't going to tell me I had to stop.
I should have stopped then, but I kept thinking maybe it would get better. Besides, I was into the story at that point, and I figured it didn't matter. There were other not-so-great things in it, premarital sex, Augustus's view of oblivion, a two wrongs make a right view of revenge, to name some.
It took me me till' sometime in April to finish it, because I had to read it in small bites, too much and the language got to me. When I finished it, there were more trailers out and everyone was was excited for the movie. I was too, and I hoped the language wouldn't be as bad as the book.
Yesterday I looked up the Common Sense Media review and the Plugged In review of the movie. I was disappointed by the amount of language it had. "One f-word, six s-words and a smattering of other bad words, including "a‑‑," "b‑‑ch," "b‑‑tard" and "h‑‑‑." God's name is used as an expletive about 30 times, twice paired with "d‑‑n." " (Plugged In's list of the language)
My first thought was: "Why does it matter? I read the book full of language, why shouldn't I see the movie?" But the more I thought about, the more wrong it felt. I'm not saying I can make a list of reasons why it's bad to go see the movie. I can't and I'm not going to try. What I am saying is that it felt wrong. Thinking about going to the movie just didn't feel right. I wondered why. If anything, the language in the movie should be easier to take.
I still don't totally get it, but what I do get is this:
1. I shouldn't be doing any thing I wouldn't God be there with me for. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to watch a movie with God where His name was used as an expletive around 30 times. I realize nothing is perfect, and it is completely unrealistic to avoid anything that takes the Lord's name in vain, but 30 times in 125 minutes, among other bad language, is what I consider to far the other extreme.
2. You aren't the only one paying attention to your choices. I have to friends who are almost 11, and 12, and one day they asked if I had read the book. I said yes and asked if they had. They said no, and the conversation, which always moves rapidly with them, kept going. Later, on a different day, their mom asked me about the book. I told her about the language, and other stuff. *Bella, who is only like, 8 moths older than my sister, said "But Kat has read it, why can't we?" Now, I am several year older than they are, but it sorta hit me that everyone sees what I read, and regardless of how old I am, I still should be setting a good example.
So that's what I have to say about "The Fault in Our Stars". My goal in writing this was not to convince you not to go see it. I honestly don't care whether or not you go. My goal is to educate about the book, and my reasons for not seeing the movie. I really do wish that my friend had told my about the language in the book, because I wouldn't have started it, and "The Fault in Our Stars" would be nothing more than a movie with too much language.
*Not her real name
Peace Out!
In early February, I think it was, I saw a preview on YouTube for a movie called "The Fault in Our Stars." From what I could tell in those few short minutes it was a movie I'd like to see. Later that day, while I was at a friend's house, she showed me a book that she had recently read and really enjoyed. It was, coincidentally, The Fault in Our Stars. Later that evening I asked my mom if could buy The Fault in Our Stars on Kindle. She looked up reviews (not actual segments of the book) and said yes. I got it and started reading it.
Now, let me tell you something about me. Language bothers me more than the average person. I don't really know why, but it does, and language in a book is worse than in a movie or TV show. There's something about reading it that makes it that much worse.
When I started the book, I hadn't even finished the first chapter before I asked my mom if she was sure it was okay for me to read it. I had already encountered the s-word, b*****d, and several misuses of God's name. She said she hadn't read any of the actual book, but that now days more and more young adult books were beginning to be like that. She said it was my choice to keep reading or not, she wasn't going to tell me I had to stop.
I should have stopped then, but I kept thinking maybe it would get better. Besides, I was into the story at that point, and I figured it didn't matter. There were other not-so-great things in it, premarital sex, Augustus's view of oblivion, a two wrongs make a right view of revenge, to name some.
It took me me till' sometime in April to finish it, because I had to read it in small bites, too much and the language got to me. When I finished it, there were more trailers out and everyone was was excited for the movie. I was too, and I hoped the language wouldn't be as bad as the book.
Yesterday I looked up the Common Sense Media review and the Plugged In review of the movie. I was disappointed by the amount of language it had. "One f-word, six s-words and a smattering of other bad words, including "a‑‑," "b‑‑ch," "b‑‑tard" and "h‑‑‑." God's name is used as an expletive about 30 times, twice paired with "d‑‑n." " (Plugged In's list of the language)
My first thought was: "Why does it matter? I read the book full of language, why shouldn't I see the movie?" But the more I thought about, the more wrong it felt. I'm not saying I can make a list of reasons why it's bad to go see the movie. I can't and I'm not going to try. What I am saying is that it felt wrong. Thinking about going to the movie just didn't feel right. I wondered why. If anything, the language in the movie should be easier to take.
I still don't totally get it, but what I do get is this:
1. I shouldn't be doing any thing I wouldn't God be there with me for. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to watch a movie with God where His name was used as an expletive around 30 times. I realize nothing is perfect, and it is completely unrealistic to avoid anything that takes the Lord's name in vain, but 30 times in 125 minutes, among other bad language, is what I consider to far the other extreme.
2. You aren't the only one paying attention to your choices. I have to friends who are almost 11, and 12, and one day they asked if I had read the book. I said yes and asked if they had. They said no, and the conversation, which always moves rapidly with them, kept going. Later, on a different day, their mom asked me about the book. I told her about the language, and other stuff. *Bella, who is only like, 8 moths older than my sister, said "But Kat has read it, why can't we?" Now, I am several year older than they are, but it sorta hit me that everyone sees what I read, and regardless of how old I am, I still should be setting a good example.
So that's what I have to say about "The Fault in Our Stars". My goal in writing this was not to convince you not to go see it. I honestly don't care whether or not you go. My goal is to educate about the book, and my reasons for not seeing the movie. I really do wish that my friend had told my about the language in the book, because I wouldn't have started it, and "The Fault in Our Stars" would be nothing more than a movie with too much language.
*Not her real name
Peace Out!
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