Assignment 22: Ally Tripure

It was freshman year on a hot summer evening, the marching band playing in the parking lot, cross country runners showing up for another fun, grueling practice, the sun beating down on us with an unrelenting heat. It was my second summer conditioning practice and I was only just starting to learn my way on a high school sports team. My friend and I clung to each other quickly as two new freshman runners who ran around the same pace.

We, along with the rest of the team, warmed up and began to stretch. My coach walks over to the stretching circle to discuss and announce what we would be doing that day, everyone holding their breath and crossing their fingers in hope that he wouldn’t say those horrible, terrifying five words: “Go down to the track.” My coach decided to be generous that day, giving us the task of going on a long-run.

Little did my friend and I know, it would not be that easy.

My coach looks at the two of us and says, “Hey, why don’t you all go and run with those girls today?” pointing at...at the varsity runners? Now, at the time, I didn’t know my coach very well but after that suggestion the thoughts going through my mind were as follows, “You’re crazy.” “Do you want us to fail?” “I can’t do that.” “Nope, yeah, you’re crazy.” But instead I said aloud, with confidence and a sprinkle of maybe-I-can-prove-myself-wrong attitude, “Okay.”

We started the run, all the varsity girls talking about their summers. Less than half way through the run, I piped up and asked, “Hey, how far are we going?” “Around five miles,” one of them answered. At that moment, I looked at my friend with a what-have-we-gotten-ourselves-into expression but again responding, with a shakier this time, “Okay.”

That run was a blur. I do remember feeling sick, wanting to collapse and give up. I had never run five straight miles without walking and hadn’t planned on doing it that day but with an upperclassman’s motivation and saying, “No one gets left behind.” I finished it, surprisingly, without dying!

That day I proved something to myself and to my coach, who was correct in his choice to send us on that run, I could be up there with the best on the team, I just had to try, push and believe in myself. My coach had only seen me run at one or two practices but he saw something in both my friend and me that had potential. If he hadn’t done that I would not be a cross country runner today, I would have never gained that confidence I now have in my running abilities and probably would have stuck with marching band, which I switched to sophomore year. Five miles sounds like a regular long run day today and has even increased to six or seven miles on a good day. Because of his belief in me, I feel more confident in my everyday life and how I carry myself and my everyday tasks.

Assignment 21: Ally Tripure

Luckily, I thought for a long time about what challenges, set backs, and failures I have experienced in my life. I am doing quite well in life right now and have been for most of my life so I had to really think to get this one out. Most instances that would be categorized as a set back or a challenge by many, I normally would push to the side and get over it because that is just how I move through life. After some thought I came up with a small set back that I have been dealing with for a couple weeks now. 

       I have asthma. And no this is not a woe-is-me post. Asthma has not affected me for years, a couple of rescue inhaler moments here and there and that has really been it. However, a few weeks ago I started wheezing at track practice in the middle of a hard workout. I used my inhaler and kept going along with practice. That week I had also been dealing with some annoying muscle pain. I had no idea where it was coming from and was feeling down on myself because I could not perform to the best of my ability at practice. 

       The next day, I woke up with a sore throat and some sinus problems...great. I went through the day, knowing track would be a challenge feeling like I was. I was right. I told my coach I did not feel well and he told me to just take it easy. I ran with everyone and starting wheezing, I used my inhaler and kept going. I started wheezing again...and again in the next workout...and again. I pushed myself because I did not want to be seen as weak or a quitter. This was not a good idea, my lungs burned and I probably worsened my condition. I ended up going to the doctor soon after that day and was put on a couple of medications and a new inhaler. 

       That week of asthma problems and muscle annoyances was a week leading up to a big meet. I had to run the 3200 meter race for the first time this season and my mind was not into it. I had been setback all week with these problems and was scared to perform in this meet. I had a meltdown the night before and told myself I could not do it. I went to the meet and sat there thinking I was going to quit and not run it. The time to run it kept looming nearer. At the very last second, I started warming up and decided to run the race. My only goal was to finish it, and I did. I was glad to do it. Pushing past the past week's set backs felt so good, I had beaten them, I had not let them win over me. 

       

Assignment 20: Ally Tripure

How to complete a (sort of) successful mile in a track meet...

Step One: Join the track team.
     This step is very easy, ask a coach to let you join, fill out the paperwork and then, boom, you're in.
Step Two: Work hard.
     This is easier said than done. Once on the track team you will be expected to be at practice and not only be there, but perform to the best of your ability. This means, putting in effort to every work out, especially when you don't want to. This means, keeping your eyes on your goal, the one mile!! And keeping yourself-- mind and body-- going until you reach that goal, then pushing yourself even further.
Step Three: Have your coach let you run the mile.
     This is a two pronged step: 1) make sure you are on the distance team, 2) ask your coach to let you run in the mile.
Step Four: Run in the mile at your meet.
     This is it, the big moment, the moment you've been training for. Honestly, this step should be broken up into several but we will keep is short and sweet. First, you must warm up and get loose for the mile. Second, you must have a little freak out where you say, "I cannot do this, this isn't happening, no." To which your conscience must answer, "No, you can do this." Third, line up at the start line and start the race at the sound of the gun. Fourth, (this is the biggest part) run the mile. This part takes more strategy than some would expect and it comes with a couple rules.
                     1) Never get comfortable
                     2) Do not use all of your energy up at the beginning
                     3) The third lap is the most important, speed up
                     4)Finish strong

Assignment 22 - Luke Webster

If we are going to be honest, I've got it pretty good. I live in a nice neighborhood, have two parents, a lot of little brothers (3 to be exact), and I'm not exactly hurting for money to live on. Basically, I'm a typical Academy kid.
One thing that is unique however is my drive and tenacity. I don't know what happened in the gene pool, but for whatever reason I've always had a little more perseverance than my brothers. That's a subjective statement, as some of them haven't really developed into their own personalities, but at the time of this writing it is true.
Its this trait that makes me a hard worker. If I set my mind to something it gets done and that's something that I am proud to say.
In college that will be useful, because there will be days where I don't want to do something, or I don't want to go to class. I will though, because I have the drive and the tenacity to succeed, and if that means waking up for a morning class after a long night, so be it.

Assignment 21-Luke Webster

 A lot of posts I make on this blog are about guitar. I'm halfway sorry about this one because I feel guilty for subjecting the class to more stories about guitar. However, I did actually have a problem a few months ago, trying to learn how to play a song.
That song was Creeping Death, a now ancient song by a fledgling band at the time, Metallica. I had been playing with a friend of mine, and he had figured out how to play it. So I asked him "How did you do that?" He smiled back and said it wasn't hard, I could probably learn it by the end of the week.
Well that's what I tried to do. I worked for hours a day trying to figure it out. YouTube Videos, playing with the song, playing very slow, l even tried listening to it all day to absorb it by osmosis, nothing worked.
Finally, by sheer luck and determination I got it. I don't know if this counts, but I was so tired by the end of the week I got sloppy, lifting my hand when I was supposed to be palm muting. This gave the desired sound, and it was like a light bulb went off in my brain.
Not sure if that counts as me solving it or my subconscious solving it.

Assignment 20 - Luke Webster

Below you will find a video teaching a beginning guitar player the basic 12 bar blues. This was one the first things I learned and one of the easiest things to learn and adapt. Hope you enjoy!

Assignment 25: Uniquely You – Mulligan (College)

This is a Makeup Blog Post.  If you have a score that is less than a 30/30, this will replace that grade

When I tell my wife I’ve met someone new (a friend – don’t go there) she always asks, “what’s their story?”  She is keenly interested in the who, the capital WHO, a person in that she wants to know their story.  You have a story.  You have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful you believe you are incomplete without telling it

Inspired by Keanu Gomez
Minimum of 150 words.  Due on May 6th @ 11:59 pm

May 6th is the last day to make up blogs 23-25

Assignment 23 - Erin

“Your problem is that you’re not happy being sad. But that’s what love is, Cosmo -- happy-sad.”

The above quote comes from one of my favorite “teen” films: John Carney’s Sing Street (2016). As an overly emotional angsty teen who loves music and art myself, this film resonated deeply with me. In the film, fifteen year old Connor (later nicknamed Cosmo) forms a band with boys from his school to impress Raphina, the alluring sixteen year old model quoted above. Connor’s band --Sing Street-- experiments with different styles as the film progresses, my personal favorite of which was their “Happy-Sad” phase. This phase took most of its inspiration from The Cure. Connor’s older brother recommends him a Cure album when Connor is confused by what Raphina means by “Happy-Sad.”

And so I present to you my very own Happy-Sad playlist. This is best listened to when you want to hear some upbeat music but you’re also a little cynical about the world around you. The songs sound happy and are definitely dance-able, but if you stop and really listen to the lyrics you’re in for some major heartstring tugs. Along with each track I’ve included a lyric or two that really drive home the ambivalence, as well as an interpretation of the song*.

1.) “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by the Beach Boys.

“You know it seems the more we talk about it / It only makes it worse to live without it”

This is a song about loving someone at a point in time where you can’t have what you truly want with that person, especially in the context of young love.

2.) “Cold Hands (Warm Heart)” by Brendan Benson

“Old habits, young ways / Maybe we’re just a phase”

This song details the thoughts that come along with a failing relationship, as both parties slowly begin to realize it’s not working out and have to decide what to do.

3.) “In Between Days” by the Cure

“And I know I was wrong, / When I said it was true, / That it couldn’t be me, / And be her in between / Without you”

This song is featured in the film Sing Street as the definition of happy-sad, finding contentment in being sad (perhaps about a lost love/friendship).

4.) “In Heaven” by Japanese Breakfast

“How can you believe in heaven / Like you believed in me? / Oh it could be such      heaven / If you believed it was real”

   The lead singer/writer of this song has said that it is about the loss of a loved one and the raw emotion in the aftermath of that loss.

5.) “Pot Kettle Black” by Wilco

“You're tied in a knot / But I'm not gonna get caught / Calling a pot kettle black"

I take this song to be about recognizing poor qualities in the world and people around you. But also acknowledging that you can’t criticize others because you too possess those flaws.

If you're in the right mood, here's a link to my playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/owlet42/playlist/6lIYL7nK1LxpOKEajDvsq6?si=2yRBcmF2RQCjvUAQ4DnllA

*All songs have different meanings to everyone, some of these interpretations are just mine and don't necessarily reflect the intentions of the original artist.

Assignment 20: Joseph Craven

The Definitive Guide For Watching Something On Netflix

Step 1: Create an account. Creating an account on Netflix is the first and most essential step towards your viewing experience. For this, you will need to provide your email address, first and last name, as well as various other bits of personal information.  In addition to this, you must provide a method of payment for your account, such as a credit card or PayPal. If you do not feel like paying, you can use a free trial fro Netflix, but keep in mind this only applies for the duration of a month.

Step 2: Find a platform for launching Netflix. Whether you have a phone, a computer, or a gaming console, you must find a way to watch something on Netflix or your creation of an account will be for nothing! If you intend to watch Netflix on your computer, simply go to Netflix's website (www.netflix.com) and install the free application. If you intend to watch on your phone or on your gaming console of choice, simply go to the corresponding app store on your device and download the application for Netflix.

Step 3: Launch Netflix. Congratulations! You have set up and account and downloaded Netflix, so the hard part is out of the way. Now, open up Netflix on your device of choice and use the login information created in step 1 to sign in to your account. This will give you access to all of the shows and movies available.

Step 4: Browse. Now that you are logged in, you may browse for any shows or movies that catch your eye. Keep in mind that these shows and movies are typically divided up into different genres and sub-genres. Once you have located a movie or show, simply select your viewing program of choice and start it by clicking the play button. If you decide that you are unable to finish watching your show/movie within a given time frame, you may return to what you were watching under the "Continue Watching" tab.

Alternative Step 4: Search for something. If you have something specific that you are interested in watching, use the search function to look for your show/movie. If it is on Netflix, then great! Select your show/movie, select the play button, and begin watching it. If your desired program is not on Netflix and you are absolutely dumbfounded as to what to watch, please note Step 4.

Happy viewing!

Assignment 24: The Future

You're done!  - well almost

Your Junior year (nearly) OVER.

Tell us about it.

Successes? Failures? Lessons Learned? Risks taken? Mistakes made? What will you do in the Summer?  What do you want for your Senior year? How do you plan to reach your goals?

Minimum of 150 words - due on Sunday, April 24th at 11:59 pm

May 6th is the last day to make up blogs 23-25

Assignment 22: Nathan Boshard

I am planning to go to UK for college; I think UK is the perfect fit for me because I don't like a college too big or too small. UK happens to fit perfectly into this category. I don't do well when every mistake I make is heavily scrutinized by my teacher, and I don't need hand-holding, so small colleges don't work well for me. Large colleges don't offer any support structures or accountability, so I need a mix of both. I also enjoy being able to stand out by simply getting to know my professors. With a medium-sized school, some people will get to know their professors, but they'll be in the minority. I also don't want to go to a school where everyone is amazing and goes the extra mile, so UK seems like the perfect fit, considering that their admission standards aren't extraordinarily high. This allows me to stand out by going the extra mile and being interested in what I'm doing. For these reasons, I feel that UK is the perfect fit for me.

Assignment 21: Nathan Boshard

When i was about 8 years old, my father left kentucky and stopped paying child support. Only a couple of years later he stopped communicating with me entirely. It was initially hard to grasp the fact that my father was gone. And his lack of support caused even more problems: my mother had to work two jobs just to keep our family around and this led to more stress on the family. As a result of the stress this caused, my grades began to slip and i became apathetic. Finally after he cut off communication with me, I felt a sense of closure. I felt that I didn't have to keep coming back to the event that caused me so much pain. After this my grades recovered and, suddenly, I regained the same self-respect and sense of accomplishment I once had. Most importantly, this years-long struggle fortified me and ensured I would be able to handle another event of this kind. The lesson I learned from this was simple: be like water. Adapt to whatever situation (glass) you are put into. Don't wait on your circumstances to change adapt to - them.

Assignment 20: Nathan Boshard

How to pack a backpack for a backpacking trip:
1. Grab all of the essentials: toothbrush, clothes, rain gear, boots, hand warmers, tent, sleeping bag, pillow, freeze-dried food, mess kit, pocket stove, water bottle, pump filter, snacks, sleeping pad, pocketknife, paracord, flashlight, first-aid kit, and a backpack (of course).
2. Packing: make sure to pack things in the order you're going to use them. The most accessible objects should be nearer the top of your pack so that you can get them out easiest.
3.  Weight distribution: this may sound counter-intuitive, but pack the heaviest items at the top of the pack if at all possible. Leaning forward when you walk with a backpack is natural, so more weight resting on your upper back hurts less than if it were resting on your lower back.
4. Securing everything to your pack: most packs are not large enough to fit a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and everything else inside of them. The easiest solution is to use paracord to secure object to your pack. Put the tent near the bottom of the pack and the sleeping bag at the top with the pad.
5. Now you have a finished pack and are ready to go backpacking!