Day 8: Today's Music

                I know I’m a little bit young to be talking about how everything was better ‘back in the day,’ but when I look at the top 10 songs on iTunes, I can’t help but lose faith in society. The most popular songs are comprised of over-produced beats (see ‘Good Feeling’), and pitiful, meaningless lyrics (see ‘Rack City’). Bands with real talent are becoming a minority, and wannabe rappers are taking their places. I believe that the hip-hop genre of music is expanding indefinitely, leaving other styles of music to die. Now, before I proceed to call every rapper terrible, I would like to point out that I think there are still some rap artists who I find talented, such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Drake. But really, the rest are just dreadful. When I was a bit younger, I had admittedly bad taste in music. Up until around a year ago, I enjoyed artists like Lil Wayne. I also purchased every pop song that was topping the charts so that I could have cool music like everybody else. Then one day, I began listening to My Chemical Romance. My eyes were opened, and I had discovered a new kind of music: moderately good music. Soon after, I began listening to Coldplay, Keane, Darren Criss, and The Shins. Once I was accustomed to listening to excellent music, I quickly learned that I couldn’t go back to my previous habits. I’m afraid that because of this I’ve become a bit of a music snob.

                The music industry has become a place where originality goes to die. It’s been forever since I’ve listened to something new that really stands out in my mind as good. Because of the time involved to create a good album, I have to wait years for new albums from the bands I like to come out. Then, once I purchase them, I listen to each track on the album repeatedly, until finally I can’t listen to it anymore. THEN I have to wait again. If a fresh, new talent isn’t introduced to the musical community to fix the crisis that I’m facing, I fear that I’ll have to go through life with only the terrible music on the radio to frighten my sense of hearing.

Day 7: The Future

            No, I’m not referring to the future in the robots and rocket ships sense. I’m talking about a week, a month, or a year. Nobody can plan for what lies ahead, so when it comes I feel vulnerable and confused. I worry all the time about what my life will be like after I’m not with my closest friends every day. What will life be like without Hunter to take part in my jokes and to hog the spotlight? How will I live when Ty isn’t complaining about a test he got an A on? Can I function without Jessie’s constant “forever alone” quotes or the look on Michael’s face when we are the only people to find humor in science class? Right now, my honest answer is no.  My friends are what makes me who I am. Here’s a secret, I’m never truly original. Whenever I do anything, I find myself channeling one of the people I rely on. I can be expressive, like Alessandra. I can be wise like Wooyoung.  I can try to be athletic like Cleo or to have dance moves like Chris (but that’s not happening).  I strive to let my good qualities shine, and I attribute all of them to the people who helped form my identity.

            What ticks me off about parting with my NFS friends is that I won’t really be whole. Sure, I’ll still have an occasional movie night, and we might meet up in Newtown every once and a while, but things will never truly be the same. I’ve always known that someday I would have to leave my friends, but as Graduation draws nearer, I begin to worry more about how my own identity can remain intact if those who made it are gone. The future is a scary thing, because no one can surely predict what will happen. All any of us can do is hold on tight and prepare for the ride.

Day #6: My Late Hogwarts Acceptance Letter

                For such a wonderful and magical school, you’d think Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry would have its priorities sorted out. You see, 3 years ago on my eleventh birthday, I waited next to my mail box, anxiously anticipating the owl that would certainly swoop down from the sky and deliver my Hogwarts acceptance letter. To this day, that owl has never arrived. I have put an exhaustive amount of effort into writing Headmaster Albus Dumbledore and inquiring as to the tardiness of my owl, but for obvious reasons the address of Hogwarts is undisclosed to the public. People tell me to give up and to accept life as a mere muggle. Ha! What a novel concept! Can you tell a painter not to paint? Can you prevent a bird from flying? As a wizard, it is my purpose in life to improve the world with my magic. I have been unable to refine my magical gifts for years, all the while dreaming of the day when I’ll be able to amaze the professors who have any sense.  But today, my dreams become reality. I am currently seated across from none other than the most amazing, gifted, brave, beautiful, flamboyantly gay wizard in all of existence. Dear readers, please welcome Albus Percival Wulfric Brain Dumbledore.

Dumbledore: It’s great to be here.

Me: So Albus, let me cut to the chase, where IS that acceptance letter?

Dumbledore: Well my boy, in the beginning of every school year we send out owls to all of the children that possess magical abilities. Because you are clearly destined to be the greatest wizard of our age, I ordered Professor McGonagall to send your message first. Unfortunately, the owl carrying your letter was blind, and he subsequently flew into a jet engine. Ever since then, we’ve had PETA bothering the school with an infinite amount of mail entitled “YOU NEED TO TREAT ANIMALS ETHICALLY!” and “THAT IS INHUMANE!” Anyway, we’ve just been really busy.

Me: Well, has it occurred to you to use regular mail? Or send me a Facebook message? I’m pretty sure you could put the money you use to feed hundreds of owls to better use, such as performing background checks on all the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers. Let’s face it, if you had done background checks on your teachers, Voldemort wouldn’t have entered Hogwarts on the back of Professor Quirrell’s head.

Dumbledore: That’s a valid point, you’re going to fit in at your new school, Ben.

Me: Well, I can’t contain my excitement! Thank you so much! That’s all the time we have left today, thank you for reading Things That Make Me Tick…ed Off!  By the way, Snape kills you in a couple of years, take my word for it, I read the books.

Day #5: That Guy Who Takes Forever To Order Food When I'm Behind Him In A Line

            “Welcome to McDonald’s, what can I get you?” says the visibly bored, underpaid woman behind the counter. “Umm,” begins the large, middle-aged, balding man who smells of old fish. He slowly looks over the menu, reading the possibilities aloud. “I could have a cheeseburger…But a hotdog would be really tasty right now, then again, I’m in the mood for some chicken…” For minutes, he contemplates, leaving agitated customers waiting behind him, wondering if they should’ve eaten elsewhere. “Aww, what the hell, I’ll have the cheeseburger,” he finally says. By this point, half a dozen people cheer and get on with their lives.

            Don’t you hate people who take forever in lines? I find waiting stressful enough anyway, and people who want to waste my time really get on my nerves. Wherever I go, whether it’s the movies, a restaurant, or the local grocery store, it always seems like some form of the person that I described earlier is in front of me, taking their time. These people are really inconsiderate, and they act as if the rest of the line has nowhere else to be, and as if they’re more important than all of the poor souls stuck behind them. If I ruled the world, I would force these abominations to wait in a single line for all eternity, so as to make them learn the error of their ways.

 

Day #3: My Own Insecurities

They live in the outskirts of our minds, feeding off of negative emotions and experiences. Insecurities. Everybody has them, and I find myself in a constant struggle with mine daily. Let me tell you a story. I have never really been in a relationship, that is, excluding a pitiful failure in fifth grade. I was an awkward child, and my actions years ago have been my only real experience with girls in that sense. Anyway, because I was so awkward and unknowing, I quickly found ways to make a fool of myself and define myself as un-romantic. Because of what happened, every time that I find myself in a situation with potential for romance, I am visited by ghosts from my past, reminding me that I’m only going to screw things up again. The whole thing is sort of like the polar opposite of that fat-free yogurt commercial where the lady eats healthily once, and then is able to continue eating right, exercising, and being happy. Because I let myself be defined as un-romantic, I view myself in a way that is according to that. You can ask any of my friends, I become extremely uncomfortable around girls I don’t know. The only reason that so many of my closest friends are girls is because I’ve known them for years. To be honest, this is one of my biggest fears about going to a public school next year.

                As I said, I truly hate my own insecurities. My ongoing struggle is one to rival that of even Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader’s. My only advice regarding how not to let your insecurities control you is not to get hung up on the past. When my insecurities try to govern my actions, I remind myself that I’m not the same person I was when I was labeled. Also, I’ve noticed that I’m close to opportunity whenever my insecurities are the loudest and most apparent. I just need to remind myself that the sole purpose of my insecurities’ existence is to keep me from doing what I can, and that it is within my power to rise above them.

Day #2: People Who Believe in Karma

                        

I don’t believe in karma. I never have, and frankly, I doubt that I ever will. My friend Ty will tell you that karma exists, and that it affects our lives on a daily basis. According to people who are Buddhists or Hindus, Karma is the total effect of a person's actions and conduct during the successive phases of the person's existence, regarded as determining the person's destiny. In simpler terms, if you do something bad, something bad will happen to you. Long ago, this meant that if you lie, cheat, and steal during your lifetime, you will be re-born as a goat in Darfur. Alternatively, if you are kind and generous, you might be reincarnated as a wealthy prince. Nowadays, if someone were to mention karma, the first thing to come to mind would most likely be on a smaller scale. For example, if you acted like a complete jerk to all your friends, your girlfriend is going to end up breaking up with you. People like Ty would argue that karma controls all of our lives, and that free will isn’t a factor in the grand scheme of the universe.

As I said earlier, I believe that karma is non-existent. People can waste their entire lives by assigning the blame for the misfortunes that befall them elsewhere. If I was to trip while walking down the hallway, I could view it as punishment for yelling at my brother, but that wouldn’t get me anywhere. Instead of eagerly looking for reasons not to accept accountability for my own bad luck, I could pay more attention to where I’m walking. Let’s face it, bad things WILL happen to you, and it is always easy to transfer the responsibility of coping with your decisions.  Any bad situation that occurs in life could be seen as an instance for fretting about the past, or as an opportunity to learn from your mistakes and prepare yourself for the future.