"We interrupt this program to reflect. . ." (24)

Yup, it's just about halftime and it looks like I'm still on the winning team as far as grades go. (Studies may show a link between telephone operators and higher grades.) Time has flown by like a slug on a roller coaster. And now, even before I can take time out of the game, as I make the last lunge for the ball, I am already forced to look back on the first half of my Junior year in high school.

School work can be a drag, but in Chemistry we're going out on a cheerful note; we have recently been studying the gas laws. Well, maybe I'm the only one who actually enjoys it, but learning about PV=nRT is fascinating! Also, I've learned a bit more about time management, through the unofficial intensive course that is forced upon every W.A. student. My fellow men's chorus members and I have learned some really neat songs; after working hard on the pieces, I've been able to figuratively lean back and relax while singing, enabling me to listen to the meaningful words of the song. I've had many good laughs with the Juniors and the English teacher, Ms. Chi. And I've spent hours trying to hack out eloquent blogs.

As far as funny things that happened this year, I really can't bring to mind the year's funniest moment. But Carsten, Manny, and I did have some laughs on Openhouse night, as I called from one phone in the dorm to the other, posing as an automated telemarketer. The great part was that both phones in the guys' dorm were in the same room! Oh yeah, you guys, (you know who you are) you never claimed your free cruise :-P

Yeah, this year's been fun. And tiring. And boring. And frustrating. And soporific. (Seriously, you need to read your dictionary.) But despite the seemingly dead-weight cons that threaten to tip my balance in favor of deserting W.A., there's that all-important, unmeasurable factor that keeps drawing me back. It's the special memories, made sweeter by the friends they are shared with, and the promise of new memories to be made with friends, old and new alike.

But the school year isn't over, so you can't shut me up yet. Don't go away; I'll be right back after this break!

To Be Perfectly Honest . . . (23)

Here's another charged question on ethics: Should one hold secrets that have been shared by a friend, even if someone is in danger? Would this betray the friend, as well as break some unwritten code of honor? My response is: Forget about not wanting to hurt your friend's feelings. Do the right thing; secrets should only be kept if they protect people. And if the situation is confusing enough to make you question which action would be right, pick the "lesser of two evils" (Source unknown). If it's inevitable that someone's going to get hurt, either keep the secret or disclose it so that the least amount of damage occurs.

Life is so much simpler when complicated stuff like this doesn't happen. But that's not the case, so it can still be made easier by developing and following protocols like the one outlined above. If all else fails, just stop listening to your friends' secrets. Or catch the next Space Shuttle flight.

Brains for Sale (22)

In the most recent prompt, Ms. Chi asked us a no-brainer – excuse my pun: If you had to choose between beauty and brains, which would you pick? For those uncertain individuals, a good question to ask next would be: Which one gets you further in life? I’d pick brains hands-down. Good judgment and a sound mind are the keys to success. All the beauty in the world couldn’t begin to take their place. There’s a proverb that describes this best: “As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout so is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.” (Proverbs 11:22 NASB). This verse really applies to both genders, and it perfectly illustrates why I would choose brains over beauty.

Do It If You Can (21)

I believe that men and women really do have roles exclusive – perhaps not entirely – to their gender. Some things men are more suited for, and likewise, women are better at occupations. An extreme example of this is that men are not capable of childbearing. Much has been said in jest that even if they were, the human race would have been all but extinct by now because of the inconvenience involved. So there are definitely things that men and women should stay apart on.

But if a woman badly wants to enter a career that is male-dominated, she shouldn’t be prevented unless it is downright unethical. There are exceptions to every case. What I always say is, “If you can do something well, by all means do it. If it’s wrong, by all means, don’t do it!”

Oh yeah, and ladies . . . don't try to join a men's chorus.

Thanksgiving: When Gobblers Thank the Gobbled (20)

Last week, my family and I spent a quiet Thanksgiving at home. A spectacular vegan meal gave me plenty to be thankful for. While scanning the news headlines online after dinner I came across an article featuring the annual presidential pardon of a turkey. For the past 60 years, the U.S. President has granted official pardon to a turkey on Thanksgiving Day, expressing national gratitude for the thousands of turkeys consumed on this holiday.

Navigating to the article I saw a picture of President Bush, with outstretched arm, bestowing the honor upon one of the two large birds that were pardoned. Following the ceremony, the turkeys were flown first-class to Disneyland where they took the place of honored guests in a Thanksgiving Day parade. To borrow the title from a Reader’s Digest column, you’d find something like this “Only in America.”

Nah - I Already Saw It On TV (19)

According to a man by the name of E.B. White: "Television hangs on the questionable theory that whatever happens anywhere should be sensed everywhere. If everyone is going to be able to see everything, in the long run all sights may lose whatever rarity value they once possessed, and it may well turn out that people, being able to see and hear practically everything, will be specially interested in almost nothing."

I especially like the last sentence. As I grow older I seem to find fewer and fewer people that are willing to go out and do fun stuff like backpacking, canoeing, and mountain climbing. Perhaps it’s since they’ve seen it all already on TV. For them it’s more interesting to sit on the couch and “experience” the thrills portrayed by a $15,000 plank on their wall. After all, they don’t have to put forth any pains to see something spectacular.

Come on! Where’s the sense of adventure that drove man to Everest, Antarctica, the moon, and beyond?! As CGI succeeds in transforming fantasy into reality before an audience’s eyes, the desire to explore the uttermost reaches of the globe and the mind is being lost. Spectacular reality is willingly being traded for fantastic nonsense.

Solitude vs. Loneliness

Loneliness comes about when you are isolated from people. That’s a simple definition but it gets a bit more complicated. The first time you headed off to summer camp you probably didn’t know anybody and the first thing you experienced was a form of loneliness called homesickness. When you’re deprived of having social interaction with familiar figures and you’re forced to be around those aren’t comfortable with you start to become lonely.
Mark Twain’s statement: “The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with one’s self,” puts a twist on loneliness that not many people like to admit. When you don’t like the person you’re with 24/7 (yourself), you begin to grow lonely. People will try to drown this sense out by constantly surrounding themselves with others or distracting their minds when they are alone. It can be downright frightening for them to be alone with no music, TV, or email and instant messaging. It’s important to be able to live with oneself. It’s important that a person be able to be alone for reasonable periods of time without being lonely. Personally, I enjoy moments of solitude when I can think and ponder, and I think that creativity is reduced when people cannot be by themselves.