February Writers!!!!
I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. I thought that maybe I had lost something, but I didn’t know what. I wasn’t even quite sure that I ever had it in the first place.
A yellow leaf floated down from the branch above me and landed on my frozen nose, which was so numb that I barely felt it as what remained of autumn brushed past and shook me out of my reverie. I supposed it was time to head home.
I continued to people-watch as I began to walk from the park bench to my car, this time with my sketchbook closed and in my coat pocket. I looked across the grassy field. A teenage girl was sitting at one of the old wooden tables and reading from a textbook. She was probably no more than 17. I imagined what it must be like to be her. She must have been at that age when one felt like there were decisions to be made about what they wanted to do with the rest of their life looming in front of them. Oh, I hated making decisions at her age. There were so many possibilities. What should she choose? How could she ever choose? She must have wished that she could do everything at once. Maybe she wanted to be a poet, an astronomer, an artist, a teacher. To take a gap year and travel-- no, to be finished with school as soon as possible— no, she wanted to earn a PhD. It must have been so wonderful to have all those possibilities laid out in front of her like dozens of tubs of flavors behind a glass window of an ice cream shop, and knowing that she had yet to choose. Knowing that any one of those possibilities could still become reality.
My forgotten lost thing was still bothering me on my drive past the cookie-cutter houses of the freshly built tract homes in the neighborhood adjacent to my own. I thought again about that girl at the park. I remembered swearing that I wouldn’t live in the suburbs after moving out of my parents’ home. I used to find the suburbs boring and sad, a picture-perfect facade to mask the discontent of the people living in them. Although, I did see now why people--including myself-- chose to live in them. They were easy to find and in practical locations. They were fine homes, good homes even. I thought about the lovely little village up north I had visited once. Maybe I could move there one day. Maybe once I redid the kitchen, my house would finally be ready to sell. Maybe then I could move.
I stopped at the stop sign and watched a little girl in green overalls play hopscotch on the sidewalk. I never really wanted kids-- no, no, I didn’t. It was never the right time. Kids would just be a hassle. I was too busy. I couldn’t have kids. I would never have time for gardening. I just knew my hydrangeas would die-- I just knew it. No, I didn’t want kids.
A car honked behind me. I lifted my foot off the brake. What was I missing? I thought that maybe it had been lost for quite some time. It must have happened before I moved into my new home that my new job had paid for. Yes, it was before then, and that was many years ago. I had a feeling I could never quite get it back. I didn’t realize I hated my job until I had worked there much too long. It was only supposed to be temporary. I was only supposed to work there until I figured out what I actually wanted to do. I always figured I would quit and find something better when it was the right time. I liked reading. Maybe I could be a librarian. Yes, maybe a librarian.
I parked in my driveway and walked into the house, the sound of my shoes on the wood floors echoing as I made my way to my bedroom.
All of a sudden, I felt quite scared. I got like this sometimes, sudden bursts of fear. It was not unlike feeling as if you had forgotten to do something very important and knowing that you could never go back and fix it. It was like being back in school and oversleeping on the day of the final exam or forgetting it was your mother’s birthday. The problem was, I could never place the source of the fear. I went over it in my mind, again and again, it was Saturday, yes, it wasn’t a workday. It was the middle of November and my parents were both born in the summertime. The stove was off: I checked it twice. I checked to make sure that my oven wasn’t on either. The digital clock told me it was 8:37 pm. It was getting late. I gave up and got ready for bed.
I dreaded those few minutes (I supposed it was sometimes hours) before I finally drifted off to sleep. My mind could think such dreadful thoughts. It was silly, I was just tired. I liked my life quite a lot. Yes, it was a fine life, a good life. I had lots of time to think about all the places I wanted to visit one day if I ever got the chance. I had always wanted to go to New Zealand. And Japan would be a nice trip. And of course Ireland. But I just couldn’t leave now. I just couldn’t leave yet. It wasn’t a good time. There was so much to do. There was so much I hadn’t done yet. Oh, and I just couldn’t leave until I got my home just perfect! I wasn’t very pleased with how it was now. I think it was about time the bathrooms were repainted. No, I wasn’t ready, I didn’t want to go yet.
I didn’t want to go.
No one answered the phone when it rang at 9:27 a.m. the next morning. The caller left a
voicemail:
“Anne! Happy Birthday! You’re 92 now, aren’t you? ”
The journey to America has never been an easy task, regardless of where one is coming from. For my grandpa, Jorge Varona, this was entirely the case. He went through hell and back to not only get out of Cuba, but to get to America. My grandma is one of the bravest people I know for setting out to have the best life he could, despite his conditions being less than favorable circumstances.
Jorge Varona was born on February 15, 1949 in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He was the youngest of three including two sisters and a brother. His dad owned a bike shop where he sold bikes to locals while his mom was a stay at home mother. From first grade to third grade, he went to private school until Castro took over and made all schools public. Overall, he “had a good education.” During the summers, students were forced to work in the fields and lived in barracks. He picked cotton and cut sugar cane. Everyday, they were up at 6 in the morning and were out in the field at seven. They worked till twelve and had a break for two hours until they worked for four more hours. The students stayed there for two months and slept on hammocks until summer ended. In Cuba, Castro oppressed his citizens. Speech was limited and religion was repressed. Anyone could easily be “blacklisted” for having contrary revolutionary beliefs or even for following a certain religion. One could be denied a higher education or could be “guilty by association” for just knowing someone deemed criminal. For Varona, living conditions were actually good compared to some Cubans. Him and his family received food rations by the week (about a quarter pound). Clothes and food were limited as well. Cubans received about once a year, according to Varona. Varona was lucky to have had an aunt that worked at a naval station who brought their family clothes when she could. Conditions were so poor in Cuba that many resorted to buying from the black market, including his father. He bought necessities for the family. Most of the conditions in his life were unfavorable, but the final straw was when Varona and his friend were harassed by the local police. While him and his friend were using the little English they knew, the police were taunting them, calling them “queers” and other insults. Varona decided he could no longer stay in Cuba.
Varona started to plan his first escape from Cuba. He, his friend, Paredes, and another guy made their way to a river. They rode 35 kilometers to the water. They were supposed to swim towards one of two lights to go in the right direction, but Paredes was very doubtful on which light to follow. The three of them decided to walk all night, back home.
Varona’s second attempt was also unsuccessful. He and three other friends tried a different route this time around. They planned to walk all the way from their hometown to a naval station fence. The groups walked, jumped fences, and waded through fields of grass for hours on hours. One of the younger boys, Carlos, stopped and started crying, claimed he wanted to go back home and that he missed his family. Again, their attempt to leave failed and they walked back all night.
Varona’s will was strong and he tried to leave for a third time. This time, it was only him and a good friend, Orlando Pila. They hopped on a train and took to a certain place. They walked for four hours until they reached a river where they waited until it got dark. In the middle of the night, Varona came down with a terrible fever and decided that he couldn’t make the trip. Luckily, Varona and Pila found a farmer who was willing to give them a ride. The farmer took some produce off of his horse drawn carriage and hid the boys so they weren’t caught escaping. They went home from there.
At one point, Varona was invited to escape with some boys from his hometown. A close friend of his had told him that his mom wanted to speak with him, so one day Varona went over to his friend’s house. His mom was an “espiritista” (kind of like a gypsy/psychic). While talking to the boy’s mom, she blew cigar smoke all over Varona and declared that “it wasn’t a good time for [him] to leave.” Varona opted not to escape this time, which was very lucky, considering his friends ended up going to prison.
Varona’s last and final attempt was successful. With the help of three girls that had connections outside of Cuba, He, his sister, and two other friends were able to finally escape Cuba. They all gathered on the train with their swimming equipment. The girls had to go on separate trains, but they weren’t searched like the men were, so they took the bags. While the boys got off at the correct station, the girls got off at the next station and walked back; it was unusual for women to be seen at their stop. They all walked for three or four hours to the river and waited till it got dark. The boys and Varona’s sister changed into their swimwear, inflated their equipment, and began to swim. They swam for six hours so as to not get caught. Eventually, they reached a 20 foot wall with an American flag posted on it (Guantanamo US Naval Station). The group yelled as loud as they possibly could until American soldiers threw down a rope and pulled them up. They then proceed to put them in a van, yelling “lay down on the floor” and “don’t look out the window.” The group was dropped off at a barrack where they were interviewed by a military officer who asked where they were coming from and what their name was. After staying in the barracks for three days, they were flown to Opa Locka Airport in Florida. The Navy took them to the Freedom house, where all Cubans were housed until their papers were cleared. Varona and his friends spent days there. Within these days, they were interrogated by the FBI for eight hours at a time with no food or water. The FBI played tricks and would tell them that their friend admitted to working for the Cuban government, but they all passed this test. After being released from the Freedom House, Varona tried to locate his uncle in Chicago, but was unsuccessful. He went on to life with a few friends from his hometown.
Varona has gone on to live a happy life. In the beginning, he struggled to make it in America. He didn’t speak English and he was in a new country, but he found joy in living in a free country, unlike Cuba. He currently resides in Rancho Cucamonga with his beautiful wife of 47 years. His word of advice is to never let them take away your freedom.
About this “Article”
This is an “article” about Angela Armado, from taking care of family in the Philippines to having a daycare in America.
THERE are small creatures climbing couches, smelly diapers piercing your nose, and toys scattered left and right from a small house in the city of Fontana. But behind the deep stack of “Blue’s Clues” reading books , plastic food things, and goldfish crumbs is a woman who runs it all, Angela Armado.
Angela Armado grew up in a small province in the Philippines where she was the 2nd youngest of 8. Due to the fact that most of her siblings were older than her, she was left to take care of her nieces and nephews at a young age while her siblings were at work. She grew to love entertaining and tending to them, but in hopes of giving own children a better life, she moved to America with her husband, Erik Armado.
After her first pregnancy, Mrs. Armado tried for another six years to have a child. When she discovered she was pregnant again, she felt a long awaited blessing had happened, however her 2nd child, Elisea Armado, was born 2 1⁄2 months premature at 2.1 oz due to unforeseen complications. Angela Armado was worried about Elisea as she had to stay in the hospital for a month after she was born and even after that, became sick quite often. Erik Armado often says Elisea was so tiny that he was able to carry her in his palm. After that, Mrs. Armado faced another difficulty as she felt Elisea was too small to be put in an ordinary daycare. It was then that Mrs. Armado decided to quit her job at the hospital, and take care of Elisea full time. After a few years, as Elisea grew stronger, Mrs. Armado decided she could once again pursue her passion of taking care of others, but struggled with the guilt of leaving her own children at home. It was then that she decided to open an at home daycare.
After she got her child care license, Mrs. Armado took on the daycare eagerly. After a few years, the chaotic daycare was her norm, but even more so, a rewarding challenge, saying “I love having a daycare, I get to see children grow into adults and get to meet so many new people,” “Each kid has a different personality, which you can start to see as a baby, and fortunately I get to see so many of them grow so quickly. Like one day I will teach them the alphabet and the next thing you know they are reading “Harry Potter” books. I could do without the baby shark though.”
Mrs. Armado spends a lot of time with the kids and likes to think of them as an extended family. “Seeing these kids everyday for years creates a deep emotional attachment. Like with my own children, I get to spend many milestones with them from their first steps to their first words. I’ve
been taking care of one family since their first child was 4 months old and now I’m taking care of the third and fourth twin children!”
Despite the fulfillment from this career, having a daycare is not all fun and games. According to the California Department of Education, from birth to age 3 are the most important years of child development. During this time, children require adequate nurturing , exposure to words through talking and reading, and visual stimulation. Mrs. Armado considers all of these when takes care of someone. Like a teacher, she makes math/ writing worksheets, plans educational crafts, and dedicates time out of the day for physical activity.
However the kids aren’t the only ones learning. “These kids taught me how to be patient, open minded, and a better listener. These kids come from different places, different backgrounds and families. I have kids whose parents are doctors, hair stylists, policemen, and teachers. Some kids like to read so we made sure to have a wall full of books for them to read. Some kids love arts and crafts so we have stickers, coloring books, paint and etc.” When asked how she felt about dealing with it all, she says “ As generations of kids pass through my daycare, I’ve learned to embrace the chaos. Every child I’ve met is their own person with their own thoughts and values. These are the children who will one day be taking care of not just me, but the world ahead”
“Despite the long hours, I always come back. These kids allow me to forever feel forever young. I’m grateful.” says Angela Armado.
On a farm there lived a happy little family of three. Laughter filled the air as the small child was thrown into the air by his father as his mother watched with a smile on her face. The little family was on their way to go on a picnic beneath their favorite tree, which was planted by the father and mother when they first got married. As the day went by the mother noticed she was having chest pain but didn’t pay much attention to it as she felt fine overall.
But, everything was not fine. The family later found out that the mother actually had breast cancer when they went for an examination one day. Luckily they caught it quickly and the tumor had not turned too large. The family, although they did not have a lot of money, they were able to gather the money so that they were able to pay for the mother’s treatment.
It was all fine and dandy for some time, however after a few years went by, the tumor showed up again. This time, they could not pay for her treatment immediately. Due to this, as time went by the tumor grew little by little. As the father was about to give in and let the mother get her treatment even though they could not pay for it, the mother stopped him. She shook her head at him and they were able to understand each other through their eyes. The father collapsed next to the mother’s bed and broke out in tears. The child came into the room soon after since he heard the ruckus and he didn’t understand what was going on.
The child understood soon enough.
A few months after that incident a funeral was held. The family did not know many people so it was just a small little funeral as they buried the mother under her favorite tree. The father and son duo mourned together as silent tears streamed down their faces.
As the years passed by, the child made it a routine to go to the tree and sit down by his mother’s grave and excitedly talk about his day. One day, the child ran to his mother’s grave, but this time in tears. Apparently his father brought his new girlfriend to his son in order to introduce his son to his potential future stepmom. The child could not take this and ran out of the house as his father was calling him back.
The child cried many tears as he talked about not wanting his father to replace his mother. He was so busy talking that he did not notice that the branches of the tree slowly but surely bent downward. Soon the branches and leaves touched the ground and covered the child and the grave. The child stopped talking as he felt a warm and comforting presence and looked around and saw the tree encasing him, as if he was in a hug. The child couldn’t take it anymore and more tears ran down his face. A leaf fell off the tree and landed on his face, right on top of his tears. After some time, the child was ready to face the reality of the situation and went back to where his father and his new girlfriend were at.
~~~
Years later, a young adult that looked like a grown up version of the young child came up to the grave underneath the tree. He parted the curtain of leaves as he approached his mother’s grave. He sat down where he used to sit down and talked to his mother about what had happened. Although the child did not accept his father’s girlfriend at that time, they played together and hung out so they were able to get along. The child soon found his father’s girlfriend very sweet and kind and he was very excited to have a new mother figure in his life. His father had married his girlfriend a few years later and they were very happy together.
The child, on the other hand, had started to help around the farm and started to work a few little jobs around the village. He was very happy with his life thus far although he still missed his mother greatly. As the child was recapping, his father and stepmother parted the leaves of the tree and approached the grave. They were all chatting happily together and told stories of some events that had transpired.
A small breeze went through the trees and a small whisper can be heard, “Be happy, my child.”
One of my favorite genres of movies are romance movies. Some of my, and I’m sure a bunch of other peoples, favorites are The Notebook, The Vow, and Remember Me. However, my Granny’s love story is my favorite of all of them. Their story started in Mexico in 1953 with my Granny, in her early twenties, on vacation with her friend Jane. Back then, my Granny said they didn’t have direct flights to Mexico, they had to land in Guadalajara first and catch a flight from there to Mexico. My Granny and Jane got off the plane and went to get their luggage to get on the plane to Mexico, and while they were waiting that’s when she saw my great grandpa Joe. He also happened to be going to Mexico to go visit his mom who was sick with cancer. Joe went up to them and started talking to them in Spanish, which my Granny was not very good at speaking, but Jane was. Out of embarrassment she didn’t want to talk to him so she stood off to the side. He asked Jane where they were staying and originally they had planned to stay with Jane’s family, but they changed their mind and decided to stay one night at a hotel, which is what they told Joe as well. They went their separate ways and got to the hotel, and they found out when they got there it was $50 a night which isn’t a lot now, but back then my Granny said that was way more than they wanted to spend, but they did anyways. As they were settling in they got a call in their room from Joe, who called the hotel to find them. He invited them to this dance he was going to later that night with his friend and they had planned to go, but it started raining so they ended up just staying in. The next day they went to Jane’s family’s house and some of her cousins were going to a nightclub around there so they decided to go with them. When they got there, my Granny saw a very familiar looking man. Joe happened to be there with his friend and he immediately spotted her. Of course my Granny was in shock because what were the odds? She thought she would never see him again after they didn’t go out dancing the night before, but there he was. He approached her and asked her to dance. The funny thing is, my Granny said she wasn’t really interested at first even though her friend Jane was, however he was definitely interested in her. After that night she said that was it, they went to the movies and dinner the next day and he showed her around Mexico. They were married within less than a year, I guess when you know, you know. As if that wasn’t enough he and her also happened to go to the same dance hall Downtown all the time, but they never ran into each other there. They ran into each other in Mexico, when the whole time they were even closer than they thought. If that’s not meant to be I don't know what is. They had a happy marriage and had 4 kids, 3 girls and 1 boy, one of them obviously was my nana. The summer of 1996 was when my great grandpa Joe passed away from a heart attack. I never got the chance to meet him, but my mom knows I would have loved him and I know I would’ve too. She said he was such a happy, kind, and talented man. He was an amazing artist and even painted murals in City Terrace. Some of them are still there today and they’re beautiful. It’s crazy to think that if they hadn’t gone out with Jane’s cousins they never would’ve met, but they did because I firmly believe they were meant to be, and although they couldn’t spend the rest of their lives together my Granny’s love for him never faded. She’s 92 now, she never moved on and she still continues to tell their love story and plenty of other stories about him all the time. This story is the reason I will forever believe if it’s meant to be, it’ll be.
What makes something or someone good or bad? How are we able to decipher the difference between the two? From a young age we were always told by our parents and our elders what was good and bad. From there we would just trust their words for it, and make the best choices we thought were right. We’d also learn from story books, how there was always the hero which would be considered good, and then there would be the villain or the bad person, based on their actions we also learned to decipher between the two, and we learn from experiences in life by interacting with others and learning as we go but, in reality though it's not as simple as good and bad there is much more to it, I believe that there is a grey area between the two.
If we were to look up what the definition of good is it would say something along the lines of something that is favorable and likeable. Then with the definition of bad it would say something that is unfavorable and that its unacceptable, but who set up these standards? I feel that you can’t make a decision so easily in order to deem someone bad, for example because every single person has done something that would be considered bad and they’ve done things that are good. So to base your decision on one mere situation is completely outrageous because you have to get to know the person, it's just like the saying to never judge a book by its cover, because who knows you might be surprised what you end up finding in the end. It's also important to remember that some people can change over time for example you can think that they might be a bad person but as you get to know them it might turn out that they are actually a really good person.
When it comes to deciding whether or not something is good or bad it's a different story because I feel it's a bit more simpler then making a decision about a person because there are many instances where you don’t have to try something in order to ultimately come to a conclusion. This is because chances are someone else has tried this same thing and you can see what the results were for them, from there you can decide for yourself whether you think it's good or bad. You could also just experience it for yourself and come to a conclusion on your own without the influence of others.
In the end it's ultimately you who decides what is right or wrong whether it be that you go through your own life experiences or you learn from what other experiences the people around you have gone through. It's important to remember that good and bad is not just one sided but in fact it has many different sides to it and it's great to keep an open mind about everything.
“But the worst enemy you can meet will always be yourself; you lie in wait for yourself in caverns and forests. Lonely one, you are going the way to yourself! And your way goes past yourself, and past your seven devils! You will be a heretic to yourself and witch and soothsayer and fool and doubter and unholy one and villain. You must be ready to burn yourself in your own flame: how could you become new, if you had not first become ashes?”
― Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Thus Spoke Zarathustra is a philosophical novel written by german philosopher Friedrich
Nietzsche.
I found out about this book for the first time at the age of 14. I don't know why, but it ended up in my personal list of literature that I must get acquainted with. A snowball of rumors and disputes about Thus Spoke Zarathustra settled in my mind; therefore, I needed to form a personal opinion about this great work of literature.
The work itself consists of four parts, in which the author describes the thoughts, dialogues and monologues of a certain fictional hero - Zarathustra. Zarathustra appears in the novel as a kind of wandering philosopher who, as he believes, carries the knowledge of a new link in the evolutionary chain of man. And this new link “superhuman” should become a logical "replacement" for the current homo sapiens. Other than preaching about superhuman, Zarathustra tells people that God is dead, and that the society should move away from Christianity and its “slave” morality. This is generally what Zarathustra speaks and thinks about.
Nietzsche, who was a first-class philologist and philosopher, wrote not only an interesting work in the field of philosophy, but also a very interesting novel from a literary point of view. The whole
process of reading did not leave me the thought that I was reading one large poem. It is written very figuratively and somewhat even lyrically. The plot consists of the literal teachings of Zarathustra and of the many symbolic scenes and images that he observes or participates in. The text is full of poetic imagery, often very beautiful and original.
The book can be read as an interesting work in philosophy or it can be cut into hundreds or thousands of quotes in order to try to understand them (or at least explain them). In any case, reading Zarathustra is not a useless pastime and it contributes to the thought process. The main thing, probably, is not to try to "squeeze" it into the framework of any dogma or system (especially political), because the novel is most likely more global and broader than any superficial impression.
The title of the book characterizes the work itself in the best way possible. And I agree that this book is for all and none. More than anything else in this book, I saw the image of the author himself. I got the impression that Nietzsche, through this book, created a platform from which he could speak out freely, not interrupted by the critics and dogmatists of contemporaneous religion and science. When I was reading the book, I personally did not empathize with the main character, but the author of the work. I felt the loneliness of the philosopher and the craving for the knowledge of the scholar. As a result, it turns out that the book looks more like a cure for Nietzsche alone; a cure for his personal phobias and complexes that any person has.
I felt a kind of relief after reading the book: many of the fictions about it turned out to be actually fictions. If before the beginning of modern history Thus Spoke Zarathustra was one of the key books (again, in philosophy and literature), now it looks more like a myth or legend. There are few books in the memory of mankind which were so mercilessly "distorted" by numerous scholastics. As a result, you can meet many people who have a "clear" idea of this book based only on rumors and rumors about those rumors, without the slightest acquaintance with the text itself.
This book is truly for all and none. A book that is not enough to read once. A book to come back to over and over again. To come back in order to try to understand it, without perverting its ideas. Come back to understand the meaning of good and evil, vice and virtue, hatred and love, lie and truth, wisdom and stupidity.
The Bachelor and the Bachelorette are awful shows. They are, to put it plainly, just so strange. If you are unfamiliar with the show, allow me to give you a quick rundown. Every season, the host, Chris Harrison, claims the upcoming season is like nothing viewers have ever seen before, and every season he is absolutely wrong. The show starts with about 25 to 30 men or women who have decided to put their everyday lives on hold, as well as to cut off communication with the outside world completely for six to nine weeks. They spend those weeks competing against the other contestants for time with the bachelor or bachelorette. And in the short amount of time that each individual will spend with the bachelor/bachelorette, they hope to have made a big enough impression or at least somewhat of a connection in hopes of being presented with a rose at the rose ceremony, confirming that they will be continuing with the competition. Over the course of weeks, the number of contestants dwindles down until there are two contestants left, one of which will be chosen by the bachelor/bachelorette to be their future spouse. It is such a strange and almost troublesome situation that the contestants willingly put themselves in, and it is even stranger to be on the receiving end and watch it. So why, might you ask, have I been so inclined to watch the last few seasons?
To give some insight into my hypocrisy, allow me to bring you to a different time. It was the start of second semester my junior year when I was beginning to feel stressed and anxious about the end of the year, more specifically, the soon to be arriving AP tests. I needed something to take my mind off of things, and my sister had coincidentally just started watching season 24 of the bachelor. We made it routine to get snacks and spend an hour and a half together every Monday night watching Peter (that season’s bachelor) make some of the worst choices he could have made and sending home girls who he could have actually had a future with. My sister and I were able to bond over our shared predictions for the season, as well as our disbelief when Peter chose to propose to Hannah Ann at the end of the season. Although the two weren’t able to find love and quickly ended their engagement, the experience allowed my sister and I to form a closer bond; and provided me with an escape from some of the stresses of school.
Fast forward to the start of my senior year. I, along with the majority of the seniors, was pretty upset that I wasn’t going to get a normal year and I was going to miss out on a lot of the activities I had saved specifically for my last year of high school. One prominent fear going forward was definitely being able to maintain my friendships, especially with those who I maybe didn’t have as many classes with. There were days where I could honestly say I felt completely powerless and struggled to listen to the day’s lessons. Days where I wasn’t in the right mindset. Days where I was just not okay (to put it simply). Once more, the bachelor franchise was able to provide me with some comfort. Two of my friends asked me if I wanted to watch one of the older seasons of the bachelor with them, and to be honest, I had never been more thankful to watch such an awful show. I could be feeling anxious, alone and completely stressed out due to spending hours in my room during school and afterwards doing homework, but I would feel so relieved and uplifted whenever I got a text or an incoming facetime (to watch the next episode), because it reminded me that I have amazing friends who are also going through the same thing, and who I can rely on.
The Bachelorette was equally, if not more, dramatic than the bachelor. My friends and I started watching the most recent season of the bachelorette and I think we were able to connect more due to our frustration with Miss Clare Crawley. We, unfortunately, were not able to finish the show together, due to finals, family obligations, etc; but that did not stop me from having an overall positive experience. Now, I know what you may be thinking. “Why didn’t you just watch the rest of the season on your own?” That’s the thing. It was never about the show. I was never watching it just for the drama or the antics, I was watching it because it allowed me to spend quality time with the people I really care about.
I never thought I would be thankful for such a ridiculous show that gives such unrealistic expectations of “love”, but I am. The show allowed me to connect with not only my sister, but also a few of my closest friends during a really rough time. It provided me with an escape from all the chaos and confusion of this past year and helped me through so many mental and emotional blocks, even if it was for only an hour and a half every week. I think knowing that I had people who were there for me, and who wanted to spend time with me, was the most significant part of the whole experience because it reminded me that I wasn’t alone and I could go to any of them whenever I was having a rough day. So, I guess my advice for you would be to keep doing what makes you happy, no matter how ridiculous it may seem.
I am a person with diversity in my passions and interests, but because my parents lack financial resources, I’ve had to limit my wants and focus on my priorities. Coming from an underprivileged community created unexpected academic barriers as well as other significant challenges. My family and I live in Fontana, California, a city in San Bernardino County where crime rates are high and walking down the street are homeless individuals and gang members left and right. Being a young female, I can’t just simply walk to the library to study and use public resources, utilizing public restrooms has always been a risk. I started at my local elementary school, but my parents applied for me to transfer districts for middle school and high school so I could have a better chance in actually becoming successful. However, it soon became evident that I had been disadvantaged both academically and financially. Coming into a more affluent highschool, I’ve noticed that there are many students that have many more advantages due to their financial stability and wealth. Trying to switch from Spanish at home to English at school, I also frequently stumbled over the proper order of words. My difficulties with English were not limited to casual conversations but extended to reading and writing. Surrounded by well-spoken and dedicated classmates, I tried to mimic their behavior. Every night, I read our assigned chapters multiple times, looking up tough vocabulary words and trying to improve my comprehension. I highlighted sentences I didn’t understand and asked classmates before class to help explain and clarify. Although I was fortunate to be surrounded by helpful peers, I knew this was not a long-term solution. After struggling through freshman year, I decided to take college English courses at our local community college. Nervous at first, I was immediately impressed by the discussion-based atmosphere and though it was demanding, I overall enjoyed this course. Over the progression of a summer, I worked diligently to fill in my deficiencies and became more comfortable with reading and writing in English. This allowed me to gain confidence in my ability to effectively communicate with my peers and teachers. Impressed with my progress, I continued to enroll in English courses each summer, building on my foundation and sharing my newly acquired skills with my younger sister and parents.
My parents have always been very hard working people, food has always been at the table. I also have a part-time job as an administrative assistant to help pay for my own wants like dance classes and competitions, school supplies, school activities, and volunteer work. I maintain a filing system for invoices, involving tenant work orders, janitorial and sanitary work, data entry, and research. This in the past definitely affected my academic achievements because I didn’t have as many opportunities as others as well as trying to manage my time with all the obligations. Poised to be the first college graduate in the family, it has been difficult at times to bridge where I come from to where I want to be. I would always feel mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted, but motivated by my future with a degree and successful career, I persevere through my difficult times. These day-to-day situations have also led me into more obstacles, such as time management, trying to handle school, work, extracurriculars, clubs, and maintaining a social life, which have proven to be arduous and negatively impactful on my academics. This has undeniably compelled me into becoming my own independent person, being able to distinguish my wants and needs and then prioritizing the latter. By doing so not only did I develop habits of responsibility and resourcefulness but I also allowed my family to only focus on supporting me financially through monetary constraints. I am so much more than grateful for having parents who have always motivated me to be the best versions of myself, with school, relationships, community, etc. and I’m going to live on in my future continuing that mentality and making them proud. Honestly, I’m also pretty appreciative for the background of where I grew up and the obstacles I’ve encountered, it definitely taught me what the wrong paths can lead you to, adjusting, having a good character always, and to stay humble. What I want you all to gain from this is, if you have a genuine goal in life, doesn’t matter whether it’s short or long term, strive for it. Take those risks, whatever makes you uncomfortable. Change is always scary, but it’s the only way you’ll ever grow as a person and helps build courage for the real world. Take those risks and become the best version of yourself that you’ve always wanted to be. :)
We all have a guilty pleasure, whether it is indulging in way too much ice cream or
rewatching Disney movies that you know you are too old for. Whatever it is, we all have one and I am no exception. I binge watch Love Island—both U.S and UK versions—nonstop.
Before I share some tips, let me give a brief overview of this series. Love Island is definitely lower on the popularity scale when it comes to reality TV shows, but let’s get one thing straight, it is NOT The Bachelor. Basically, a group of singles come onto this show in hopes of finding love—supposedly. All the contestants live in a luxurious villa together, on an island that varies each year, for about two months. They get to know one another in a fast paced environment while simultaneously testing the strengths of their relationship through amusing, but also intimate challenges.
So here is what you you should know before beginning Love Island UK:
1. What You See Is Not the Full Truth:
1 hour TV time vs. 24 hours of interaction
Most reality shows only air for about an hour each episode, regardless of the fact that the cast is still interacting around the clock. This means that the audience does not see all that goes on, but rather, only what the producers consider to be the most crucial and entertaining events. So even though it is easy to cast judgement—especially with these types of shows—it is best to remember that the full story is rarely shown, and scenes are exploited for dramatic purposes.
TV Personalities
The cast knows that they are constantly being filmed. As a result, islanders could be
acting more cautious than usual because nobody wants to come off as a disingenuous person or inversely, exaggerating their feelings and acting out of character to get their fifteen minutes of fame. This is just something to keep in mind when having strong assumptions about any of the members.
2. Know the Background: American Slang =/ British Slang
It is no secret that Americans and Brits talk differently, and I’m not just referring to
accents. Both say different phrases that have similar meanings and have distinct slang that is not entirely straightforward. So I made a list of common sayings used within the series that you should know:
● all your eggs in one basket - putting all your time and effort into one romantic interest
● banter (n.) - a playful, flirty, conversation
● fit (adj.) - extremely good-looking; goes beyond being just physically attractive
● graft (v.) - working hard to romantically win someone over
● muggy (adj.) - someone who is playing you; two-faced; being a disloyal/disingenuous
person (you do NOT want to be labeled as muggy)
● pie off (v.) - to reject someone, ignore a love interest, or dump a significant other
● the ick (n.) - a sudden discomfort towards someone you were attracted to or romantically
involved with, who no longer appeals to you
3. Take Note of Islander’s Personal Growth
In the first episode, each islander has a miniature introduction where they say some basic
facts about themselves: name, residence, occupation, hobbies, and typical type. I have realized that you can tell a lot about the person from their initial opening, but they can still change throughout. It takes everyone in the villa time to adjust to their new surroundings and the new people they are going to be living with for a while. So even though a clip may give you preconceived notions about a member, you shouldn’t solidify those opinions until you have seen enough of their true character (or as true as reality TV will show you) to validate your thoughts. Once you are further into the season, look out for who is on the show to genuinely find love and who is just there for a publicity boost.
4. Watch with Friends
This might seem obvious, but watching reality TV with friends makes it more enjoyable.
Based on the first episode, you and your friends can share first impressions of the cast and how compatible you think each original couple is. By sharing thoughts on the episodes, you realize when you are letting neglectful behavior slide because of bias towards a specific person or couple. For example, my friend and I watched the most recent season together, and even after a person acted distant to his partner, I continued to support them as a pair because of trivial aspects rather than compatibility. It took listening to her opinion to notice that the two individuals had major differences and a weak connection. After finishing the season, you can compare your first and final impressions of each cast member to see how accurate your initial judgement of character was.
5. Expect to be Disappointed
The way you want things to turn out is rarely how they actually end up. A season is about
two months long—and in the villa—a day is ample time to ruin a connection. Anything from a simple game, to disrespect can cause pairs to split; even boredom plays a role. The point is, there are just too many factors that could potentially end a relationship on this show, leading to your disappointment. Nine times out of ten, the couple you are rooting for will have issues. The most important thing to remember is that after getting through all the challenges or even winning the cash prize at the end, that does not attest to a couples’ life on the outside. Even though two people leave the show in a committed relationship, their status as a couple in the real world is
fairly new. A relationship on the island is not the same as a relationship off the island. It takes time for the individuals to adjust back to their normal environment, and sometimes they recognize it just won’t work out. I am not saying that relationships are doomed to fail once out of the villa, but I have personally stopped getting my hopes up. oop
So if you are about to start this series one last takeaway is, watch it for the drama and entertainment of it all, not for the expectation of love.
image from https://www.theringer.com/tv/2019/7/9/20687456/love-island-dictionary
Isn’t it crazy that we’re all basically just avatars playing dress up? Do you wanna know what’s better than that? Making your own accessories. Not only does making your own clothes give a sense of individuality, but gives the instant gratification of being able to say, “I made this!”
I’ve never crocheted a day in my life and the steps may have seemed complicated, but this granny square hat was no challenge at all. I encourage anyone to try for a fun accessory to add to your wardrobe.
Things you’ll need:
● Yarn (the more variety of colors, the better.)
● A hook suitable for the size of yarn you obtained. ● Scissors
Instructions: Center Ring
- Begin with a slipknot to create the center circle by wrapping the yarn around your hook and pulling the yarn through the knot to create the first chain one. Repeat this 5 more times to have a chain of 6.
- Slip stitch into the first chain to form a ring, then pull the yarn through the new loop and the loop that was previously on the hook.
- Chain three.
- Make two double crochet into the center of the ring.
- Chain two then make three double crochets into the center of the ring. Repeat this step 3
more times for a total of 4 groups of 3 double crochets.
- Slip stitch into the top of the chain three to finish off the center ring. Snip the excess
yarn.
The Middle Row
- Start with a new color and crochet into any gap between the double crochets and chain
three.
- In the same chain, do three double crochets.
- Chain over of the same double crochets and then make three double crochets into the
next gap. This begins to form the square.
- To form the corner of the square, chain three and then double crochet 3 more into the
same space.
- Continue until the row is complete, slip stitching into the top of the chain three. Make
sure each corner has two sets of three double crochets, all separated by three chain stitches.
Completing the Square
- Starting the next brown, revert back to the color used for creating the center ring.
- Similarly to the row before, do two double crochets of three stitches into each corner.
Into the “flat” sides of the squares, only do one three double crochets.
- Make as many rows as you want depending on how big or small you need the squares to be.
- Slip stitch and cut off excess yarn to complete the square. Repeat this entire process until you have 5 squares in total.
Attaching the Squares
- To attach all the squares together, simply place the right sides together of two squares.
- Slipknot the yarn onto the hook.
- Insert the hook through one of the loops and grab the yarn from the other side to join the
two squares together.
- Continue using a slip stitch along the rest of the side.
- Add and attach more squares as needed.
Creating the Brim of the Hat
- Once you have attached all your granny squares together, begin with a new piece of
yarn crochet into any loop from the squares.
- Place a single stitch all around the hat, once you reach the end, chain 3 and place two
double crochet into every stitch.
- Once reached the end, create a slip stitch and chain two and place a half double crochet
into every stitch.
- Once reached the end, create a slip stitch into the top of the chain three and snip off the
excess yarn. The granny square crochet hat is now complete.
- For a more visual tutorial: https://www.wikihow.com/Crochet-a-Granny-Square
(image from a seller on etsy)
“Magmadali, mahuhuli tayo sa ating flight.” My mother was in such a hurry because as usual, we were running late for our flight. We are actually finally going to America for the very first time. Being Filipino and living in poverty, it’s a relief moving to a country where we can forge a new, better path for the family. Then, a lady on the intercom says “Pagsakay sa gate 27.” Great. Our flight is already starting to board and we’ve barely checked in our luggage. Now, my mom was really mad. “Kita mo ba Ito ang dahilan kung bakit sinabi ko sa iyo na magising ka ng maaga.” Now she’s yelling at me for waking up 5 minutes later than I should have. I wish she could cut me some slack, but I know how Filipino moms are and she’s most definitely in that stereotype. Adding to that, she struggles with her english right now. I think that’s why she keeps talking to me in Tagalog and not english because she doesn’t want to embarrass herself in front of others. She’s always been very conscious on not embarrassing herself for as long as I’ve been her son. But, through her scolding, I could tell she was relieved they were going to America just as much as I was. Her and my dad are not on the best terms due to him being a “ladies man.” Whatever that means. Then, my older brother just stopped talking to him while my younger siblings and myself are just kept in the dark not really being exposed to the whole issue. It’s just a slap in the face just because the reason we are even going is because of his new job in LA and he's bringing me and my siblings along. My mother is honestly being brought along just because of how much my younger siblings begged him to do so. But, from what I’m told, we’re all traveling in separate flights so my parents don’t have to worry about being anywhere near each other. Now, at the gate, we are getting our tickets checked while my siblings and I are practically dead tired from running and being yelled at by our mother all the way from the security checkpoint. Oh well I guess. As long as we’ve made it on our flight, I can deal with her yelling. As we got our luggage in the overhead compartments and I began to sit down, my mother looked at us and I actually noticed her to be a little teary eyed as we were finally going to live out our own “American Dream.”
As a little girl sits here looking around at her family, she can see the pain and the happiness they've gone through together. They have many good-humored and overjoyed memories. She tries her very best never to forget these memories, but the ones she seems to never forget are the tender ones—some of her family struggles with alcohol problems and depression disorders. As her mother and her do not struggle with these issues, she suffers by seeing and knowing her loved ones go through these difficult situations.
During her childhood, she struggled with mental abuse caused by her father. When she would visit him, his then-girlfriend Martha and their child (her younger half-sister) Alyssa. She spent many nights seeing her father and Martha argue and have physical fights; he would punch holes through the walls. One night, Martha chased her father with a knife; they both ran out the front door, passing the little girl’s sister and her playing outside while Martha continued chasing her father down the street. Martha would become upset at her father and would take it out on the little girl. Although her parents had joint custody, her father and Martha would not allow the little girl to talk to her mother on the phone because they wanted her mother out of the picture. Her father would mentally abuse her and gaslight her into believing that what she would witness was not real. He caused her so much pain as a young kid, and he still does. She will never forget the awful and scary situations Martha, and her father put her through.
Her father tried to take her away from her mother when she was younger, and being she was so young, her mother kept the court proceeding away from her, not wanting the little girl to stress out. He accused her mother of putting her life in danger and was no longer fit to take care of her in front of a court judge. He made up terrible and unforgiving stories about her mother that were untrue. Her father failed in taking her away from her mother. Her father never did what was best for her, he only did what was best for himself, and she will never fail to remember this. Her father doing what he did put a financial strain on her mother and her. They had to move from place to place because of this. Even though the difficulties the mother and she went through, they were always happy together.
When the girl got older and felt empowered enough by her mother to voice her own opinion, she decided to end the relationship she had with her father. It has been nearly five years since she last saw or spoke to him. Since then, her life has been much happier, less stressful, and anxiety-ridden, making it easier to focus on her schoolwork and education. The difficulties she endured with her father have taught her to see her strengths and weaknesses. And with that realization, she learned to overcome her weaknesses by applying her strengths. This little girl was me.
My past experiences have given me wisdom and strength, which have made me who I am today. Throughout the years, my mom taught me, “Great leaders don’t tell you what to do. They show you how it’s done.” Since I was younger, my mom has guided me to believe in God, to put my faith in him. Whatever the circumstances, God has been there for me. She's always told me to be positive no matter the obstacles that may come my way. My mom raised me, knowing I will succeed in all I do. She instilled in me the hunger I need for an education, gave me the courage to attend college after I graduate from High School. She told me to always follow my dreams and passions. Witnessing my mom’s conflicts with my father helped me understand what being a strong woman means. It made me realize all the sacrifices she's made for my older brother and I to build a happy home to come back to every day. I am confident enough to know I will make her proud by achieving my goal of attending college to obtain the future she was never able to get. I want to become an independent, strong, successful woman to help my mother in the future as much as she's helped me my whole life. It’s important to me to be a positive role model my little sister can look up to as she grows with her education. As I succeed with my career, like my mom before me, I want to give back to all the young girls who will one day follow my steps for a better future.
