Like my previous blog, I want to continue to show other people (most likely my fellow interns completing their blog responses) about my love for sports! While most people I know enjoy football or basketball the most, my favorite sport is lacrosse. There are a plethora of reasons why lacrosse is my favorite sport and unfortunately for you non-sports fans, I’m about to go on a long-winded rant. 

The first thing that came to my mind was the energy and emotion it fills me with. Our first game is weeks away but the anticipation that has been building in me has made me jittery and light-headed. Throughout the day, I think about suiting up in my bulky pads, lacing my white cleats, and dragging the thick, pasty, eye black under my eyes. Also, there are so, so many moments where your adrenaline is just pumping and you can’t hold in your excitement. This includes invigorating pre-game speeches from coaches and captains, wild goal celebrations where the roar of the team is heard across the turf, and the moment at the end of the game when the time runs out and the whole team dog-piles the goalie in celebration. 

Specifically, I play LSM (Long Stick Midfielder) and Close Defense, so although I am not often assisting teammates or getting the glory of scoring, I get to be an enforcer. I run around with a six-foot carbon fiber stick and a hard plastic head where I whack my opponents in the arms with the hopes that they lose the lacrosse ball. I definitely recommend this as a way to relieve stress! I know how amazing this sounds, but this isn’t even my favorite part. The thing I enjoy most is throwing a can opener, or overhead check. A can opener involves putting the head of your stick between the gap where your opponent’s hands lie on their stick and lifting up. The consequence of this is usually a stick flying in the air and a ball rolling around on the turf.  An overhead check involves the defender leaping up in the air bringing their pole over the head of their opponent and violently throwing the shaft down on the head of their opponent’s stick to dislodge the ball. I know these explanations are confusing so here are some highlights of pro players throwing those checks.

Lacrosse Can Opener Check

Over the Head Checks Pt. 2 – Men’s Lacrosse Defense

I also forgot to mention how fun it is to beat your rivals. Last season we played our rival school US (University School) at home while it was raining. Also, some of our recent alumni were there to support us and chirp the Preppers, the name of US’s mascot. While we hadn’t beaten them in over 20 years, we knew this year was our year. This also includes my coaches who played D1 lacrosse at Fairfield and Binghamton. Everyone wanted their payback. Looking back at the game, I believe this was the hardest we played all season. We cleaned up all of our sloppy mistakes and never took our foot off the gas. While the game was extremely low-scoring and we won by a small margin, it was the most exciting game I have ever played and witnessed. Every goal for us was an eruption of crowd noise I had never heard before and the hairs on my arms were standing up. Yes, I know how cliche this sounds, but I am not exaggerating. Even when our opponents dropped a pass or lost a fight in a ground ball, we were all cheering. When the game was over we rushed our goalie and all jumped into a pile. I remember screaming until my voice hurt, shoving teammates, and slamming helmets.

While some people find pleasure in flipping pages, others relaxing under the rays of the sun, I love to have my arms covered in bruises and my knees with scabs.

 

Even though it’s after valentines day,  I am providing you with a collection of the cringiest moments from “the rom-com” – Notting Hill. It’s your classic boy meets girl, boy likes girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back romance. Not to mention, Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts are the respective king and queen of rom-coms considering they have a combined 30 rom-coms under their belts. 

Starting off strong with the most popular quote from the movie; “I’m really just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her”. Anna (Julia Roberts) says this out of desperation to William (Hugh Grant), and not to spoil the movie or anything, but he rejects her at that moment. She laid her heart out just for him to run it over, and that’s just embarrassing. But wait there’s more. William made a mistake, he wants her back. The only way that he would be able to see her before she leaves would be for him to crash her press conference and declare his love. So he does, and she accepts him and they just smile at each other for an incredibly long time while everyone around them is just taking pictures. 

However, the worst part of the entire movie is when William has to act as if he belongs to a magazine, and the one he picks is Horse & Hound. The entire scene is nothing but random questions that Will asks Anna and embarrassingly connects back to horses in the end. To make it worse, he has to interview other members of the cast and his questions get progressively worse. It’s embarrassing for everyone involved, including the audience. It;s fine in the end though, he gets a second date out of the whole ordeal. 

Also, William failed to climb a fence. Multiple times. It was a moment.

Suffice to say, it’s a good movie. Though it has its embarrassing moments, it’s entertaining and a good watch. I do recommend it despite the content of this blog. So, if you’re ever looking for a movie to watch and if you’re in the mood for a new rom-com, I suggest Notting Hill. 

 

 

 

 

Chances are you’ve seen at least one of duology known as Mamma Mia, and chances are it’s provoked some type of emotion in you. I’ve been reduced to tears every time I’ve watched either of these movies, which coming from me means something, as I generally cry on average three times a year. So what makes this movie so moving?

To begin, we have an incredibly talented cast. 

Meryl Streep’s showstopping performance is truly the cherry on top of an all-rounded performance. I consider her rendition of “The Winner Takes It All” a modern musical masterpiece, as her raw emotion and heartbreak are transmitted throughout the entire song. I could hear Pierce Brosnan’s ego shatter as she poured her heart out. You’re transported to that little hill with the church on Kalokari, urging Meryl to run away from him.

Furthermore, Sophie and Donna’s relationship is the main focus of the entire film, with their emotional ups and downs provoking anguish in the viewers’ hearts. They’re as close as mother and daughter can be, reminding me of my relationship with my mother.  Every time I watch this movie with my mother, I’m reminded of my childhood growing up with my mom; her bringing chocolate milk to my room, dressing me and my sister up in matching outfits, and kissing us goodbye as we made our way to school. These feelings of nostalgia and melancholiness fill me,  and I usually look at my mother with my eyes shining with tears.

Finally, the nostalgia of the Swedish band ABBA helps convey the beautiful story of mother and daughter maturing. I have to give credit where credit is due to the actors’ magnificent performances, but it wouldn’t be possible without the masterfully composed lyrics of ABBA’s songs. They tell a story of coming-of-age, loss, and heartbreak, and this story reaches the audience’s heart and pulls them into the movie. 

Therefore, this movie is one of a kind, made to evoke emotion and move the audience. I’ve never watched a movie like this before, and I will never tire of rewatching it. 

I am an overall very happy person. This is not because I fail to see the miserable or am blind to the awful, but instead, because I find great joy in a multitude of tiny things. There are a plethora of things that contribute to my happiness, all of which alone can be seen as mundane. Here is my ode to some mundane that makes me happy.

Yogi Bites

I first tasted the heaven that is Yogi Bites on the way to a Field Hockey game. I am forever grateful to my friend who generously introduced me to the best snack ever. Slightly smaller than blueberries, Yogi Bites are the perfect snack, similar to fruit ropes textured fruit bites covered in yogurt. I now have them before every sports competition and smile every time I open the pink packaging.

 

Duolingo

I log into Duolingo every night before bed. It used to be about learning Mandarin, but I am now fueled entirely by the streak. I keep that owl’s fire well-lit and plan to for a long time. 我愛duolingo. 謝謝

Fast & Furious

Two weeks ago, in a moment of procrastination, I decided to watch The Fast & The Furious (not to be confused with Fast & Furious which is the third movie). I was expecting to turn it off after ten minutes and get back to work, but I fell into a rabbit hole. There are 10 Fast & Furious movies, and I love all of them. I have watched 6/10, and yes, they indeed get worse every time. But I DON’T CARE. I need to know what happens to Dom Toretto, Mia Toretto, Brian O’Connor, Ludacris, the whole family. I will watch those cars drift for hours.

 

Funky Socks

I started my funky sock collection at age 6. Until middle school, I only owned funky socks. Some days, I struggle to get out of bed and pick my outfit, but I just go over to my ever-growing pile of funky socks and they make the day just a bit better. At the moment I am wearing my Beatles socks, which are decorated with yellow submarines. Yesterday for my swim meet, I went with scuba diving cows and hula sharks.

My Dog’s Special Valentine’s Day Bib ( not pictured)

Penelope Justine Timberlake Weingart is my 2-year-old bernadoodle. Being a mix of a Poodle and Burmese Mountain Dog, she is nearly 80 pounds of fluff and when on her hind legs is the same height as me. She recently got a haircut, and now struts around the house in a beautiful pink bib covered in tiny hearts. I may not have had a boo-thang this Valentine’s Day, but who needs one when Penelope exists.

Garmin Connect

You will rarely see me without my watch. It is waterproof and the charge lasts for days, so I take it off only to charge, for big races, or when I am taking notes. I changed the band to white and wore it to homecoming. In the summer, my tan-line is atrocious. Similar to Duolingo, I feel at peace by checking my Garmin Connect. I constantly am striving to get the monthly badges and competitions.

 

Pop Tabs

My second-grade teacher, Mrs. Flynn, was a very competitive person. So when we had a school-wide competition to collect pop-tabs for Ronald McDonald house, she planned to win. Ever since then, I subconsciously take the pop tab off my soda cans. they are littered in all my pockets, and I have a jar sitting in my room. My friends all hand them to me their drinks. You will always know if I am at a team dinner or social function because there is a wake of cans with stolen tabs. I love this little Tchink! it makes when I pull it off.

 

Texts and Alarms

Not a small portion of my weekly screen time goes to the clock app. I am an AVID user of the timer. I set timers for nearly everything: Naps, homework, breaks, crafting. Anytime someone is thinking of you is pleasant, but when my friend sent me this text, I nearly died of happiness.

The Incline at the Bottom of  a Pool

I saved the most poetic for last. I have swam competitively for 12 years. Yesterday I swam my last swim minute, and Friday, I went to my last ever swim practice. yes, swimming is a draining sport, but I did it because I loved it. Countless things are mundane about swimming that I could include in this list: dolphin dives, towel pants, dolphin ugly suits, Christmas caps, starts and turns, social kicks, new tech suits, bucket turns, etc. But my favorite is the incline at the bottom of the pool.

At the end of practice, whether it was 30 mins or 2 1/2 hours, there is always a cool-down swim of at least 200 yards. On the last lap, I would take a deep breath, swim down following the incline, and push off underwater looking up at the ceiling. Call it habit, call it ritual, I loved it. I become 6 again, playing mermaids and doing handstand contests. I may not miss the doubles or 3-hour practices or miss send-offs, but I will miss the incline at the bottom of a pool.

Anyways fam, that’s me. I have thousands of other tiny things that make me happy, but atm, these are the best. Next time you are in a bad mood, think about your favorite snack or movie, or a funny text your friend sent. I may be stressed from school or college, but it’s fine if Fast & Furious exists.

     If you like the insane, obscene, and LGBTQ, boy do I have recommendations for you! I have many more favorites, but here are a few that everyone should read. I included how long each book is and how long it took me to read to show how obsessed I became with each one.

 

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsen Muir: Lesbian space necromancers and cavaliers. Need I say more? I cried like a baby reading this book. I’m still grieving so I can’t say much more about it or I will start crying again. Read it!

496 pages. Read in 5 days. 

 

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami: If you’ve read anything by Murakami, you know that the oedipal prophecies, old men who talk to cats, and mysteries of collapsing children are all to be expected. This book is honestly so complex and impossible to explain you just have to read it and try to make sense of it yourself. 

467 pages. Read in 7 days.

 

The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima: A sailor, Ryuji, falls in love with the single mother of an amoral 13-year-old, who originally adores Ryuji, but begins to despise him as the novel progresses. Things escalate from there. 

181 pages. Read in 5 days.

 

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot by Stephen Adly Guirgis: A dark comedic play depicting Judas’ court case, with testimonies from Sigmund Freud, Mother Teresa, Satan, and Jesus. Caused a bit of existential dread for me, but the good kind. I cried.

128 pages. Read in 1 sitting.

 

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare: Don’t be intimidated because Shakespeare wrote it. Willy’s plays are actually really entertaining! If you’ve seen the 2006 RomCom Shes the Man, you know the basic plot, but the original text is infinitely crazier. Twelfth Night follows a shipwrecked Viola looking for her twin Sebastian. She takes a sailor’s clothes and the name Cesario, then begins to work under Count Orsino. Confusion ensues. A grieving Olivia falls in love with Cesario, and so does Orsino (bisexual king!), while Viola desperately (and unsuccessfully) tries to prevent herself from falling in love with Orsino. As it’s Shakespeare, there are many more entertaining subplots. The play is hilarious. Don’t read this one though — watch a recording.

120 pages. Read in 3 days.

 

These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever: Two young men become obsessed with each other in the most toxic situationship you’ll ever see (murder is involved). As the GoodReads synopsis says, “These Violent Delights is a novel of escalating dread and an excavation of the unsettling depths of human desire”. This book is violent and electric and so so good.

480 pages. Read in 1 sitting on a plane. 

 

If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho by Sappho and translated by Anne Carson: A collection of all remaining fragments of Sappho’s work. Translations are paired with the original Greek. SO GOOD!!!

208 pages. Read in 1 day.

 

Bonus: Currently reading

As Meat Loves Salt: Set in 1630s England, a deeply disturbed 20-something joins the army after making horrible choices back home. 

The other day, it occurred to me that my school year has been categorized based on what game I was playing at a given time. Since these games are an essential part of my school day, I thought I’d give some brief thoughts on each one.

 

Tetris: 8.2/10

• Not much of a learning curve.
• Can be really satisfying (unless you’re Vivian)
• Can be a little stressful.

 

Papa’s games: 12/10

• Incredible
• Nostalgic
• Will always be on top

 

Sudoku: 8/10

• A plethora of puzzles are available at all times with a wide range of difficulties depending on how fried your brain feels.
• Gets a little repetitive though.

 

NYT games: 9/10

• A good variety of unique entertainment.
• My one gripe is that there’s only one puzzle a day for the Mini, Connections, etc.

 

Minesweeper: 7/10

• Weird learning curve
• Honestly the most mind-numbing for me which can be good or boring.

 

Solitaire: 8.6/10

• I’m biased because I love card games, Solitaire is a good one.
• Can get on my nerves.

 

Chess: 1/10

• This is a me problem
• I’d probably like it more if I had any idea how to actually play.

 

Airport rush: 7.4/10

• I wish it didn’t start off so slowly, but this one’s fun.
• Not suitable for those with heart issues.

 

Overall, these games have been an important part of my school year. Sometimes they entertain me, and sometimes they’re incredibly distracting – in any case, I’m somewhat grateful for their existence.

Gaston Bachelard

The inventor of the concept of an “epistemological break” had a pretty square rock of hair adorning his chin, but his out-of-control hair takes away from the geometric character that the beard adds. 

Henry Sidgwick

For a utilitarian, old Henry didn’t have a very utilitarian beard. It’s sharp at the edges and jagged overall, but there’s a certain charm to the unkemptness of the setup. I’m impressed that he kept this same shape for so long.

Ernst Mach

A phenomenal beard for a phenomenalist—Mach has a pretty cohesive swoop of stringy hair, but it frays around the edge in such a bothersome way (and could be longer for its style). 

Otto Neurath

Neurath didn’t always sport facial hair, but when he did, he did a pretty solid job of it. Tapered down to an almost triangular shape, the only thing I don’t love about this beard is the little chip in it at the bottom. And, well, there’s nothing too interesting about it. 

Benjamin Peirce

Neat, wavy, pretty-long. Not much else to say. Looks like a less-grown-out version of Engels’ beard. I don’t like the unevenness.

Alexius Meinong

Don’t stare at this photo too long or you’ll lose track of where Meinong’s beard ends and his face begins. Unfortunately, this beard, despite its grandeur, places low because it distorts one’s immediate perception of his face shape. He looks like he has a chin that goes down almost to his chest.

Paulo Freire

Radical pedagogist or a biker? Freire’s bleached gradient calls to mind images old and new. The glasses and the beard make this look unforgettable in total.

Max Weber

The author of The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism managed a well-groomed black-and-white beard, shaped around his chin with two (inverted devil horns?) protrusions at the bottom. Embracing the salt-and-pepper really helped Weber out.

F.H. Bradley

Appearance is reality here. Although the impeccably-groomed King of the British Idealists didn’t take the stereotypical scraggly and long beard route of many philosophers, he certainly sported the best facial hair in his group; McTaggart certainly didn’t have time to grow a beard.

Friedrich Engels

Engels wasn’t the most articulate or well-reasoned philosopher, but he absolutely pioneered the stereotypical German philosopher beard that we know and love. It must have taken a lot of work to keep a beard half the size of his face, but, after all, the author of The Condition of the Working Class in England barely worked a day in his life.

I can’t sleep. Yearning for learning, I turn my phone over and begin to scroll through my YouTube homepage, searching and searching for the right video to either lull me to sleep or keep me up in a meaningful way. Tonight, there is only one answer: Vsauce.

Michael Stevens, a charismatic, bald, nerdy man with glasses who is now nearing forty years old, started the YouTube channel in 2010. Initially, the channel had many different hosts besides Michael, and many different segments which included video games and commentary style videos. A lot of these early videos utilized provocative “clickbait,” which is now a pretty old term used to describe using particular content to incite online engagement; clicks. Over time, however, Michael became the sole host of Vsauce and began posting educational videos. Some of his earlier videos include topics such as optical illusions, the nature of consciousness, the vastness of the internet, water, black holes, and much, much more. 

About thirteen years later, he now primarily posts short-form content on YouTube and TikTok, much in the same style. The Vsauce brand has grown into a company worth millions of dollars across numerous channels and platforms. Michael is known as a science legend, comparable to the likes of Bill Nye and MythBuster’s Adam Savage. He even has his very own monthly subscription, The Curiosity Box, which provides you with science toys and tools to stretch your mind; I can’t lie, the way he markets these on YouTube makes you desperate to try them out.

Okay, but why is he so popular? Why do so many people want to learn from him? Most people cite his charismatic personality and voracious curiosity. He is deeply passionate about everything that comes out of his channel and it is infectious. Everything he talks about exudes his soul and gets you engaged. I also have a sneaking suspicion that a lot of people love learning. As much as people hate school, hate doing work, think it’s boring, or whatever the case may be, most have the innate desire to learn something new about the world. Asking questions is a part of who we are. Vsauce is an excellent way to not just get answers but create the very questions we didn’t even know to ask. You might even walk away learning something about yourself you had never realized.

I’ll end this with a quote from one of his videos. In his video about important (and tragic) mistakes humans have made in the past, he brings up the scary concept of regret. He says that “[s]tuff in your past is like a carving on the bark of a sapling. Over time, the scar, the carving, won’t go away. Because of the way trees grow, it won’t go up or down either, it’ll just stay right where it began. It might even get darker, but it won’t get bigger. You, however, can… The wound won’t get smaller but you can make it a smaller part of who you are.”

I have been a part of Scouts since February of 2019 when Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America) first allowed girls to join. I recently earned my Eagle Scout. As I come to the end of my time as a Scout, I want to reflect on what scouting can teach us all. Not only has scouting taught me many practical outdoor skills, but it has also taught me life lessons beyond scouting. Below are five values of scouting that have impacted me.

 

 

1. Be Prepared

The Scouting America motto is “Be Prepared”. When camping outside, being prepared can be the difference between freezing to death and being warm and dry. Although the average person may not be camping outdoors anytime soon, this idea of being prepared can be applied in everyday life too. Whether preparing for a test or a job interview, preparing yourself can make a big difference in the outcome. 

 

      2. Do a Good Turn Daily

The Scouting America slogan is “Do a Good Turn Daily”. Helping others even in a small way each day can add up over time. This idea is very much in line with what we do at the Writing Center, helping our peers become better writers. We all should try to do our part to brighten our community whether SWC interns or not. We all can help to make the world a better place, one act of kindness at a time. 

 

 

      3. The importance of being of service to others 

One of the core tenets of Scouting America is service. As Scouts advance through the ranks (from Scout rank to Eagle Scout) they must complete many hours of service for the community, culminating in an Eagle Scout project, led by the Scout. I think that this is a lesson that all of us should learn about how important it is to give back to the community and help those around you. It’s like the golden rule, “treat others how you would want to be treated”. Imagine what would happen if everyone did 1 hour of service each week. The world would look a lot different if we decided to embrace this idea. 

 

      4. The importance of taking care of yourself 

In the Scout Oath, Scouts vow to keep themselves “physically strong and mentally awake.” This is similar to on airplanes when we are told to put on our own oxygen mask before helping others. Taking care of yourself allows you to be able to help other people. It also shows others the importance of taking care of themselves. Self-care is never selfish. 

 

     5. Take care of the environment 

The Scout Outdoor Code outlines how Scouts should be “considerate of the outdoors”, “conservation-minded” and leave no trace. Scouts, spending a lot of time outdoors, see first-hand the importance of caring for the outdoors. As climate change becomes an ever more present problem, we all should stop to think about what we can do to preserve the environment. We only have one planet that we call home and we need to treat it well. By taking care of the environment we can continue to enjoy it ourselves and allow future generations to enjoy it too. 

 

As students at Shaker Heights High School, we learn a lot, but there are some things that can’t be taught in the classroom. Scouting has taught me many life lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Hopefully, this reflection will provide you with the space to reflect on the life lessons you’ve learned (so far).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whether Bill Russell in the 60s or Magic Johnson in the 80s, many NBA players have been called “the goat.”  However, after 77 years, the debate has fallen between two legends of the sport. Michael Jordan, and Lebron Raymone James. Before I begin, I want to emphasize that I recognize Jordan’s greatness.  His perfect record in the finals and lasting impact on the game hasn’t gone unnoticed.  But I would be lying if I told you I was unsure who the greatest is.

Lebron “Sunshine” James is the greatest basketball player ever to bless this earth with their presence.  He is a gift sent from god in every sense of the word. Many try to undermine his legacy by pointing out that in his 10 finals appearances, he was “only” able to win four. Most compare that to Jordan’s undefeated six finals appearances. But, it’s essential to note that Michael Jordan said in an interview that rings don’t determine who the greatest is. He made an indispensable reference to Bill Russell, who ‒ with 11 rings ‒ is no longer in the “goat” debate.  LeBron’s dominance didn’t just stop in the playoffs, though.

In March of 2019, Lebron passed Jordan in career points. Many of Jordan’s enthusiasts complain that it was because of The King’s additional seasons and much longer career. However, it’s important to note that he passed Jordan’s record with over 1200 fewer shots at the time. So, with fewer shots, he still mustered up more points than Jordan. Additionally, his career points grew as his campaign in the NBA continued.

On February 7th, 2023, The King did what most thought was impossible. During a 38-point game against Oklahoma City Thunder, he broke Kareem Abdul Jabar’s 34-year all-time scoring record.  With it previously being 38,387, Lebron has shattered it with 41,421 career points. Three years prior, Shaquille O’Neal said on “Inside The NBA” that if Lebron were to break Kareem’s record, we would all need to “shut up.” Highlighting that it would solidify him as the undisputed greatest of all time.

As a Cleveland fan, I find it impossible to forget his impact on the city. After leaving for the Miami Heat, it seemed like all hope was lost for the Cavaliers franchise. But on July 11th, 2014, he announced that he would return to the city he loved, promising to win a championship. Over the next four years, James brought us to four Finals and even came home with a historic championship in 2016. While he has now moved on to the Los Angeles Lakers, his impact on the city and the entire state of Ohio will long be remembered.

While Jordan has undeniably impacted the entire basketball culture, it doesn’t amount to the King’s legacy over the last 22 years. If you are a Jordan enthusiast, I hope this sways your opinion. If it doesn’t, I hope you develop some sense(extremely politely).