Five ways to find your inner creativity

Having trouble finding your inner creativity? Do you want to have more imagination, or vision say when you’re creating an art project or even writing a paper? When I’m feeling dull here are five things I do to inspire me.

1. Listen to music-The first thing music does is relaxes me, then those catchy phrases and rhythmic beats help me to open my mind up to new ideas.

2. Write- My favorite form of writing is writing a song, but keeping something as simple as a daily journal for yourself is a great way of being creative! It helps you to express yourself, and take into account the things you may find interesting.

3. Painting- You don’t have to be Picasso, but lines , texture, color, shapes, put them together in a piece you find alluring; and it’s your own creative masterpiece.

4. Take pictures- Capture things that catch your eye, get close up, get dirty, find details in an object you’ve never noticed before.

5. Play a sport- Playing a sport is a duet of poetry and motion. The way you move your body, and think through certain situations at a fast pace while you’re playing is something not everyone can do.

*Visit my YouTube channel to see different ways I express my creativity http://www.youtube.com/aliciaygarza

Three Ways to make Balancing Your Time Easier

This past summer was the most hectic my life has ever been.

Each morning I would wake up with a planned agenda for the day. To be honest, at times I was upset because I felt like I was unable to enjoy my summer.

Every Tuesday and Thursday I had a basketball game at Hempfield High School, but afterward I would meet with my music manager who’s helped me write a few songs, and signs me up for upcoming shows.

Every day, I set aside a time for me to practice my singing, no matter if I am sick, or even now if I have a ton of homework. I always practice.

Preparing for talent shows was the most work I believe I had to do.

I prepared for Lancaster’s Got Talent, the Lancaster Talent Fest, and the Spotlight Talent Show.

The amount of work I put in was definitely worth it. I received first at both Lancaster’s Got Talent, and the Spotlight Talent Show. I later won second in the Lancaster Talent Fest.

Although I had a great outcome with each show, there were three concepts I had to master in order to succeed.

Here are three ways you can make balancing your time easier:

1. Have a passion for anything you enjoy.

Singing and basketball are the two main aspects of my life, and all I want is to excel in my talents. I want to be the best that I can be in both, and be able to show for it. After I have accomplished any goal, I want people to reflect on me and say, “She deserves that.”

2. Always make a schedule for yourself, and get plenty of rest.

As you begin making a timed schedule for yourself, you must have enough energy to complete your activities. We all know one of the hardest things to do is get out of bed, but you must have enough rest to do so!

3. Have dedication and work hard to empower yourself every day.

Have a goal, and work towards it. Have an overall picture that you envision and see yourself accomplishing it. There was no better feeling than the way I felt when I was announced the winner at each talent show. It made me realize that when you put your all into something you enjoy doing, you are destined to succeed.

Balancing your time is also about having confidence in yourself. You have the potential to be very successful, you just have to capitalize on what you are best at, set your goals, and balance your time.

It’s all about balance.

The Tragic Trayvon Martin Shooting

What causes someone to look suspicious?

To me it’s a person who has an unusual walk and seems to be doing something to hide their identity.

So I still cannot understand George Zimmerman’s reaction.

To Zimmerman, someone suspicious was an African-American walking with his hood up, holding an iced tea and a bag of skittles in his hand. On Feb. 26 in Sanford, Fla., 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by Zimmerman, the neighborhood watchman.

Maybe the media didn’t react at first because black teens suffer from gunshot injuries ten times the rate as white teens, according to blackyouthproject.com.

Or possibly because black kids don’t seem to be as valued in society, at least not as much as white kids.

Martin with his hood up, courtesy of vibe.com

Martin was walking to his father’s fiance’s house after purchasing a bag of skittles from a convenience store. It was then that Zimmerman began following Martin by foot, and called 911 saying there was a “suspicious black person” in the neighborhood, according to pennpoints.net. Shortly after, Zimmerman began following Martin on foot, although he was told to stop following him by the 911 operator. This is when racial profiling comes into account. “Many say this is a clear case of racial profiling and discrimination,” stated pennpoints.net.

Why else would Zimmerman follow him?There are plenty of people who walk around at night with their hood up. Martin even had food in his hands, that’s like someone walking down the street eating a hamburger and you calling them suspicious.

Although race may be a factor in the Martin case, it is not a factor when it comes to remembering Martin.

People of all races have been conducting marches across the Unites States in places like Seattle WA., Lancaster PA., and New York City in loving memory of Martin. Each march is unique in its own way.

In Seattle, marchers wore shirts that read “Who’s Next?” and in Lancaster, gatherers wore their hoods up while eating skittles and drinking iced tea.

Cornell Wade is a member of the group Visible Men, an organization dedicated to leading black men and boys; and he was also a coordinator of the Valley Hoodie March, dedicated to Martin, which took place at Bridgewater College.

A Martin march flier. courtesy of thegrio.com

The Valley Hoodie March had hundreds in attendance, with poets reading their work, and singers performing. The poems and songs were pieces specifically dedicated to Martin. People in attendance wore their hoods up, ate skittles, and drank iced tea. The March was conducted by Visible Men.

“There were two things that made me want to get involved in the march for Trayvon Martin. One, the 911 call where you hear Trayvon screaming for help; and two, the thought that this could be any man or boy of color. I specifically thought of my younger brother, Joshua Wade, and the fact that they were close in age. What we as Visible Men really wanted to to accomplish with the march was two fold. We wanted to raise social awarness on campus, specifically awareness that this went on [so it would] provoke thought in our peers. Two, to celebrate the life of Trayvon Martin, somebody that I feel most of America feels is a son or brother,” said Wade.

There should be more people like Wade, willing to take a stand for what they believe in, and successfully getting their point across.

Martin marches around the U.S. have definitely brought social awareness to racial profiling, discrimination, and the actions of law enforcement. Law enforcement didn’t take action toward the case until after the media’s outburst.

“You better believe if a white person was going through a black neighborhood and got shot it would be all over the news,” said Susan Baldrige, journalism teacher at Penn Manor High School, and former writer for the Lancaster New Era.

Possibly law enforcement didn’t take action as fast as they should have because gun homicide is the leading cause of death amongst black teens, according to blackyouthproject.com.

In 2008 and 2009, 5,740 children and teens died from gunfire, 3,892 were victims of homicide, and 2,320 were black, states blackyouthproject.com.

Will these statistics ever change for the black youth of America? Many believe it wont, and many hope it will.

“The truth of the matter is that youth violence has been in our community for a while,” said Paul Patu, member of the Urban Family Center.

Turning a New Age Never Felt So Great

March ninth, it’s a Friday, my sister is home from college, and it’s my birthday.

…My eighteenth birthday.

Courtesy of celebspotlight.org

I never felt older on any of my past birthdays, but I did on my eighteenth.

Probably because on that day I could walk into a store and buy a pack of cigarettes, not that I ever would.

Or I could drive to Philadelphia and get into the scandalous Club Roxxy.

My answer to the question, “How does it feel being eighteen?” was not the typical answer I would give on the days of my past birthdays.

But when I was asked that question by my dad, I looked away like some character contemplating a thought in a movie.

I looked back at him and said, “Yea, I feel like an adult now.”

And an adult is what I am. 🙂

My entire weekend was relaxing and filled with memories.

It’s always best to have your birthday on a Friday because the entire weekend is like your birthday.

To celebrate your eighteenth birthday to the fullest, you have to do at least one of these things:

1. Get a tattoo

2. Get your senior license and stay out past curfew

3. Buy a lottery ticket

4. Take a trip alone by plane

5. Go to an 18 and older club

6. Register to vote

7. Buy a tobacco product

8. Go to an R rated movie

9. Rent a camp ground and go camping

10. YouTube Allice Cooper “I’m Eighteen” and turn it up!

Courtesy of birthdaycake-s.com

There are plenty of other things I would love to do on my eighteenth birthday, like go skydiving.

Skydiving would be a perfect thing to do, to me it represents freedom, which is exactly what your eighteenth birthday represents.

I can only imagine what I’m going to do for my nineteenth birthday.

The Difficulty of Finding a Job

It’s almost summer time and you know what that means…

JOB HUNTING!

Courtesy of krisztianna.com

It’s just the thing I want to do right now while I’m still busy with school, college applications, and extracurricular activities.

Everyone has done it, or will at least have to. There’s nothing more annoying than going store to store and having to fill out those sometimes three page long applications.

I’ll admit, getting the call back is really exciting, but the entire wait has you antsy and hoping you’ll get the call back so you won’t have to keep wasting your gas.

It’s hard hearing my friends say they’re working the entire week while I’m still desperately searching.

I’ve worked two jobs in my life so far. Those jobs were McDonalds, ew, and Polo Ralph Lauren.

I absolutely hated working at McDonalds!

The managers were mean, the customers were cranky, and each day you’d smell like a mix between a mcdouble and a chicken fillet.

Polo was much better, the customers were kind, the managers were funny, and the other employees were really cool.

Unfortunately I had to leave due to basketball, but I’m hoping to go back for the summer.

I can’t imagine not having a job this summer, I have to finish my album, distribute my cds, and go shopping!

I would also love to work at Dutch Wonderland, I think it would be the ideal job.

There’s a job for everyone, I just hope I can find that job and make a good amount of money before going off to college.

The Illuminati No Longer a Secret Society

The entire picture, you’ve never realized.

I had a feeling of discomfort the first time I learned about the Illuminati.

Hand gestures, catchy phrases, and other messages we’ve overlooked. The Illuminati has been around for many years, and people are finally beginning to realize its plan.

After watching numerous videos on Youtube like Beyoncé’s “Run the World” video reversed, Jay-Z’s “On to the Next One” video, and Lady Gaga’s “Alejandro” video, I was too disturbed to even listen to their music on my way to school this morning.

From my understanding, the Illuminati is a secret society that inducts freemasons, and people who can have a large influence over the entire world.

Freemasonry is a society of men that come together on moral and spiritual values.

Although the freemasonry societies are “secret,” many times they will show their allegiance by wearing hats, rings, or like music artist, put it in their videos.

Beyoncé wearing a ring of the baphomet's head during her performance, courtesy of conspirazzi.com

People like A-list actors and actresses, top-selling music artist, and even political leaders like Barack Obama are said to be in alliance with the Illuminati.

The Illuminati has been around for many years, artist like the Beetles used to backmask their songs. I’ll show you more examples of that later.

Some things you should know about the Illuminati is they enjoy the term, new world order. New world order means there will be a one world government that is obedient to the Illuminati’s plan.

A photo of the back of the dollar bill, courtesy of jesus-is-savior.com

On the back of the dollar bill, you will see the words ‘Novus Ordo Seculorum,’ which means ‘A New Order of the Ages.’

The Illuminati stands for nothing but Satan, “The Bible says that the angry and furious fallen Lucifer now walks to and fro in the earth like a lion seeking whom he might devour. His aim is to ruin God”s creation, to bastardize and corrupt it, to change it into what he is—a monumentally ugly and warped creation, totally opposite of what God intended. Man and the world must be ruined, destroyed, transformed into a barren, non-producing, hideously shaped wasteland. Men are to be made feminine; women masculine. Marriage is to be perverted. No longer between man and woman, it shall be used also to join men with men and women to women. Abortion —the reckless slaughter of innocents —is to be applauded. Sex is to become rife with perversion. Children are given over to the terrible passions of lustful pedophiles. Spiritual values are converted to material desires. False Gods are exalted. False Bibles are invented. Murder and assassination become religious goals,” according to www.bibliotecapleyades.net. “This, then, is the end-goal of Illuminism:To destroy earth, debase civilization, end pure spirituality, induce chaos on earth, and bring order according to Satan’s Illuminati script. Earth is to be hell and hell on earth: As Above, So Below.”

Beyoncé wearing a baphomet outfit, courtesy of judiciaryreport.com. Beyoncé's arms make the ears of the baphomet head, and her legs make its chin

The Illuminati use different symbolisms to represent them like the all-seeing eye, the checkerboard, the five pointed star also known as the baphomet head, the pyramid, the color red, hand gestures like the hook em’ horns, the number three, six, and the most prominent number, 13.

The all-seeing eye symbolizes the eye of Satan seeing everything and being in total control.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elbr3Vtk8e4

This video is an interview of Jay-Z, and during the interview he says, “Even your closest friend can become your enemy over that eye on the dollar bill, you know that evil, the evil, the devil, the evil, the devil.”

Many times in music videos, artist will keep one eye covered to symbolize the all-seeing eye. Take a look for yourself at a few examples:

Rihanna's new album cover,courtesy of racked.com

Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" music video, courtesy of theforbiddenphilosophy.blogspot.com

Lady Gaga's "Telephone" music video, courtesy of theindustryexposed.com

Rihanna's album cover, courtesy of evilindustry.com

On Rihanna’s Talk that Talk album cover, it is obvious her hair is covering her right eye, accentuating her left eye.

I know you’re probably thinking that Willow Smith can’t be in the Illuminati. However, she’s signed to Jay-Z’s record label, and since he is a prominent member of the Illuminati, Willow is in it, just like Kanye, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and J.Cole.

The Illuminati use the checkerboard as a symbol because it represents a place to perform rituals, and is believed to be a gate to another world. In the beginning of Willow’s “Whip My Hair” music video, you will see a group of people sitting down and moving at the same time; take note that the floor is also a checkerboard. When Willow dips her hair in the paint and splashes it on the people, they seem to become like her, they become colorful and start dancing.

Willow performing "Whip My Hair" on Ellen, courtesy of itzallahustle.ning.com

That symbolized Willow being in control of the people. Willow danced on a checkerboard during her “Whip My Hair” video, and she danced on a checkerboard during her Ellen performance.

Take note that Willow also has a five pointed star shaved into her head. The five pointed star is the baphomet’s head, which is the picture of the devil.

Willow keeps one eye open, courtesy of theincrediblecreation.com

It is also said that the Illuminati is in charge of the U.S. military, and has especially been in high speculation since president Obama signed the Martial Law.

Martial Law means that when something goes wrong in society, and enforcement agencies are unable to keep the situation safe and under control, the government can summon the military to take action and enforce law. If you haven’t thought about it yet, what is our military symbol?

The five pointed star.

Who is really in control of our government?

The Illuminati.

Is it too far fetched that the Illuminati also controls our military, blatantly seeing the numerous Illuminati symbols on the back of the dollar bill?

The dollar bill has a ton of Illuminati symbols on it that people see every day.

The U.S. Army symbol, courtesy of army.milIt

On the back of the dollar bill, there is the pyramid with the all-seeing eye inside of it, and ‘Novus Ordo Seculorum,’ which means ‘A New Order of the Ages.’ The bald eagle, which represents the phoenix to the Illuminati, and the phoenix represents Satan. Along with the bald eagle, there are thirteen stripes on the shield, 13 layers of the pyramid, 13 stars above the head of the eagle, 13 arrows the eagle is holding in its hand, 13 berries and leaves on the olive branch, 13 letters in “E Pluribus Unum” on the ribbon, and 13 letters in Annuit Coeptis.

13 is the Illuminati’s prominent number.

Even president Obama has represented the Illuminati. In a stunning observation, it was noticed that when Obama says, “Yes we can,” backwards it says, “Thank you Satan.”

My sister’s boyfriend has recording tools, and he said he recorded himself saying “Yes we can,” and confirmed that it said, “Thank you Satan,” backwards.

Take a look at this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqALdkTArqs

This is called backmasking, in Jay-Z’s song, “Lucifer,” when you play the song backwards you will hear him say, “Six, six six, murder murder Jesus.” Take a look at this video, the Jay-Z example comes up at 2:26.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hML2FT_-k7g

The pyramid represents hierarchy and power, meaning whoever is at the top of the pyramid has control over the levels under it. The all-seeing eye is seen many times at the top of the pyramid, or simply inside the pyramid.

Artist like Drake aren’t scared to show their allegiance.

Drake wearing a shirt with a pyramid and the all-seeing eye during his "Light Up" performance, courtesy of twitter.com

In Drake’s song “Light up,”  a line in his verse goes, “All-seeing eye, my eye sees it all.”

The color red represents the Illuminati because it symbolizes blood sacrifices, which is shown in Jay-Z’s “On to the Next One,” music video.

Take a look at Drake’s “Over” music video. In this video Drake’s entire body and background turn red, and during his line, “I did it over night it couldn’t happen any quicker,” a snake seems to be biting him in the background. If you didn’t know, snakes symbolize Satan.

Nikki Minaj doing the hook em' horns,thepuppetwithoutstrings.tumblr.com

Hand gestures like the hook em’ horns symbolize the baphomet head, and many people think it’s okay to do because it also symbolizes Texas.

The number three represents the top level of freemasonry a person can reach, and the number six is obvious that it represents Satan’s number.

Many times an artist will make their hand into a six, and put the circle opening over their eye. Three fingers representing freemasonry, the six representing Satan’s number, and the circle over the eye representing the all-seeing eye.

Beyoncé in Lady Gaga's "Telephone" music video, courtesy of sitfu.com

13 represents the 13 Illuminati bloodlines. The 13 bloodlines control the entire world behind what we know, the 13 bloodlines are:

1. The Astor bloodline

2. The Bundy bloodline

3.The Collins bloodline

4. The DuPont Bloodline

5. The Freeman bloodline

Drake symbolizing the all-seeing Eye, courtesy of evilindustry.com

6. The Kennedy bloodline

7. The Li bloodline

8. The Reynolds bloodline

9. The Rockefeller bloodline

10. The Rothschild bloodline

11. The Russell bloodline

12. The Onassis bloodline

13. The Van Duyn bloodline

To view their history and their Illuminati connection, go to http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/bloodlines/index.htm.

Jay-Z with a halo around him during his "On to the Next One" music video doing the hook em' horns, courtesy of evilmusicindustry.com

Take a look at Jay-Z’s “On to the Next One” music video, throughout it he has numerous Illuminati symbolizes. Note there is a halo around his head during the entire video, and Jay-Z calls himself Hova, which means God.

Also, think about what the song is saying, on to the next one means he is moving to the next highest level of freemasonry. That is why Jay-Z constantly uses the number three throughout the video. There are also three stripes on his album cover, and his album was called the Blueprint three, take a look and watch the entire video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7XqKuP6GR0

Beyonce doing the symbol of the baphomet's head, courtesy of lipstickalley.com

It is said that once a person gains a certain amount of influence over people, the Illuminati comes to them with a contract saying something like, “If you sign this contract, your family will be taken care of, and the generation after you will be taken care of, your wildest dreams will come true.”

It’s understandable that the Illuminati seems to be most present in the music industry because Satan was the head of the choir in heaven before he was shunned to hell by God.

Music artist always say they believe in God, but which God are they talking about?

Signing that contract is signing a contract with Satan, and once it is signed, those people do get everything they want.

I know you may say, “Who cares!? They’re still making money, and we’re still listening to their music.”

But why do we continue to?

A song like Wiz Khalifa’s “Young Wild and Free,” promotes drinking and smoking to our youth. That is exactly what the Illuminati wants, for our generation to become corrupt and disobey society.

Lady Gaga, courtesy of conspirazzi.com

We’re falling right into its hands.

All of this information makes you think right? Remember, this blog is my opinion, and everyone is entitled to their own.

I wrote this blog because I want people to realize there is something strange going on behind the scenes of the entire media world.

Why are all of these people in the lime light doing the same strange things?

In the movie ‘Takers,’ when Gordon, the leader of the group, walks into a building, he looks at the security guard and does the hook em’ horns hand gesture, for no apparent reason.

Why would he randomly do that?

It’s like the picture of Nikki Minaj shown above, why would she put that picture on the back of her album cover?

I mean, she’s not from Texas.

The CBS news channel symbol is the all-seeing eye, and Nickelodeon even promotes the Illuminati.

Nickelodeon supporting the Illuminati, courtesy of http://www.jesus-is-savior.com

This picture was shown by Nickelodeon on Thanksgiving.

Music videos have a deeper meaning than many people realize, if you watch Beyoncé’s “Run the World” music video reversed, you will see Beyoncé is the leader of a large army, and the U.S. army is under her command the entire time. It’s crazy because when you’re watching the video reversed, it’s like your simply watching it forward, there’s no difference besides her hair flipping back and forth. Toward the end of the video, Beyoncé is in a smokey, fiery waste land, and a girl is even tied to a cross, which is making a mockery of Jesus dieing on the cross. Beyoncé also stands on the top of a car covered in all black, lifting her fists in the air, as if she’s just won the war, and black representing Satan. At the end, Beyoncé rides off in all white on a black horse, meaning she is the last one standing.

Crazy right? Here’s the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqJYFD9i8lM

Think deeper into what songs actually mean. Is it possible that Rihanna’s “We Found Love” song is about her fight with Satan?

The lyrics go:

We found love in a hopeless place (She found love in something that has no hope for her in the future, Satan.)

Shine a light through an open door (She sees everything she wants and it’s right in front of her.)

Love and life I will divide (She’s separating her hearts desires, fame and fortune. From her life, Satan will be in control of it if she chooses his path.)

Turn away cause I need you more (She’s telling Satan to turn away, but she wants the fame and fortune, so she wants him.)

Feel the heartbeat in my mind (She’s contemplating it so much.)

It’s the way I’m feeling I just can’t deny (She wants it bad and she can’t help it.)

But I gotta let it go (She needs to make the right decision.)

More than just a love song everyone has been singing huh?

Also, take a look at Lady Gaga’s Alejandro music video, the video will describe it all:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym1FRTLNppw

Beyoncé doing the Illuminati sign, courtesy of emancipationfromslavery.com

Some people may laugh at this and say it’s total bs, while some people may take it for what it is, and stop feeding into what the Illuminati wants. Keep an eye out because the symbols are literally everywhere.

I was in the Millersville’s Got Talent, talent show with a young boy, I believe he was 12. He was a dancer, and for his audition he performed Lady Gaga’s song “Telephone.” Then during the show, he performed her song “Judas,” little did he know he was doing a ton of Illuminati symbolisms throughout it. See, it’s things like that the Illuminati want, for young kids to do their dances! Not to mention he seemed to be gay, which is another thing the Illuminati wants, to corrupt our youth.

Remember the Illuminati’s main purpose is to “destroy earth, debase civilization, end pure spirituality, induce chaos on earth, and bring order according to Satan’s Illuminati script. Earth is to be hell and hell on earth: As Above, So Below.”

I don’t need cold hard facts to prove my point, its right in front of your face.

Memories with the Team

The last bus ride, the last huddle, my last bucket.

It’s over, it’s all over.

I never thought my basketball senior night would come as fast as it did. I remember senior night last year thinking, “I still have a year to go.”

But my time with the Penn Manor girls basketball team has come and gone, and I’ll never have it back.

I played basketball with Megan Schleglmilch and Alex Evans since the fourth grade, and we each knew each others strengths on the court.

Megan was always my favorite person to play with, because I knew she desired to win each game, like me.

As a team, we were never scared to act weird around each other, and we were all kooky in our own ways.

Although two years ago the same people weren’t on the team, two years ago the team was still weird as could be.

Quotes like, “So uh,Carey, I heard you remembered my sub,” stuck around until this year, and it will never leave because each person understands its meaning.

My most favorite memory with the basketball team was two years ago, when we didn’t have a bus to our away game, and had to use the school’s vans.

In the van was my sister Bianca, Ashley Velucci, Devin Yecker, Caroline Lovett, Julie Falk, Maddy Hess, and our coach G as the driver.

That alone says enough.

On the way to the game, we blarred music, singing and dancing in our seats, and it didn’t end there.

Once we were at the school and were getting dressed in the locker room, we decided to have a dance party, and had an extra warm up before the game.

What a memorable night.

What I enjoy most about basketball season is getting to know the girls on the team, they become your sisters and you do everything with them.

“Natasha, SHUT UP!”

Us after we beat Hempfield 🙂

Was a common phrase we heard this season, but not more than the night we had a sleepover at Kelly’s.

“You guys need to shut the hell up,” is what we heard from Megan and Alex.

But we didn’t listen, and we didn’t care, because that was Megan and Alex. The two people on the team who talked like sailors.

Besides, they were trying to sleep and no one would shut up, especially me.

Bundles of laughter filled Kelly’s barn until the morning, when we finally fell asleep.

Natasha, also known as, Natiki, Nabisco, or Natooshie, was the hilarious, but overly dramatic person on the team who would take her teeth out.

My favorite moment with Tash was when we were eating at Denny’s and I had no idea her upper cuspids were fake. When she took a bite into her food, her teeth came out and I was in complete shock!

That is something Tiki and I will never forget.

Addy Zuzu was the lovable person who wasn’t exactly a team clown, but was funny at times and when she wanted to be.

I loved watching Addy progress during the season. Whenever she tried something new during games I was so proud of her. I’ll never forget my little Erdy.

Greta, what a character, she’s so humble and so funny. She’s this super athletic runner who everyone tried to beat during sprints.

“Hey baby!” Is what she would say each time we saw each other. She’s a free spirit, and someone I can jam to Rihanna with while I’m driving. Lerdy is the best.

Dana hugging Megan 🙂

The most violent person on the team was Kelly, and although she may seem quiet and talk with a soft spoken tone, she can be brutal!

Once when Megan and her were playing around, she grabbed Megan and took her down to the ground.It was the funniest thing I had ever seen, because I never knew Kelly was so strong and feisty.

Kelly and I were like a boom-box, “Be my lover boy be my lover, lover, lover,” was our song we would sing during warm ups. I’ll never forget Kell bell.

Dana is this powerhouse player who is so aggressive and tries her best. She has the humor of an older person, and I don’t know exactly how to explain that, but once we met we automatically clicked.

Kayla was the sweetheart of the team, so quiet, but had sick moves, like the up and under on Fairbanks!

Megan.

Megan was my favorite forward to play with since middle school. We were like Kobe and Shaq, I trusted her so much on the court.

Last but not least, Alex or A E!

Alex is so prissy and so funny. She’s the girl you don’t want to mess with, but want to be best friends with.

She worked hard for her every point this season, and was such a great asset to the team.

I love all of these girls so much, and will miss them so much next year.

Basketball has made my life so interesting, I love the people I’ve met through it, and I love the person I’ve become from it.

My Life as a “Mutt”

It’s a cold night in Germany, and much is going on. Two American soldiers are stationed there and looking to have some fun. They decide to hit a club, coincidentally the same one, and after their first dance, they realize they both found love.

This romantic description is the story of how my mom and dad met.

My mom and dad are so interesting, at times they’re like two peas in a pod, and at times their like a fly and a frog.

They laugh at the same jokes, and tell the same corny ones. But one thing that will always make them different, is their ethnicities.

My mother Joyce is African American, and my father Jose is Peruvian, two cultures that are wildly different.

My mother is an energetic, free-spirited southern woman that enjoys classics like the Andy Griffin Show, and a hot plate of collard greens and neck-bones.

My father is a lively man with a strong Spanish accent, who loves dancing, and enjoys a plate of fish and rice.

My parents have been married for 28 years, and those years have had their ups and their downs.

One of their ups includes them traveling around the United States in a hot van with their precious baby girls.

I seem to have random memories, and I know it’s because my parents were so spontaneous.

One memory I have is my dad telling me to pick my nose, and then laughing. I was in a white bathroom and vaguely remember a bathtub running.

When I described that moment to my mom, she told me it was the bathroom of our house in Washington, and then made me describe in more detail my dad telling me to pick my nose.

My mom and dad 🙂

Having parents of two different ethnicities has drastically affected my life, and the way I view relationships.

Their cultures are completely separate in the way they raise their family, and conduct family morals.

My mom is more laid back than my dad, allowing me to go out when I want, but having trust in me and knowing I’ll be responsible.

My dad however has no trust in me, and makes me write down the phone of whoever I’m hanging out with.

Even their relationships with their siblings is very different.

My mom occasionally talks with her sisters, but mostly talks with her mom, and my dad talks to his sisters and dad almost daily.

My dad believes family is all you have, and he tries to make our family like his family.

I’m closest with my dads side of the family because we visit them the most.

“You and your sisters need to look out for each other, no one will ever love and care for you as much as your own blood,” says my dad to my sisters and I.

“When you grown up, I want you and your sisters to be like your dad and his sisters. Please don’t be like me and my sisters,” says my mom to us.

Either way, looking at the way their families are has made me realize what a family should actually be like.

We ❤ our Spanish food

It’s all about love.

Love has made our family grow, from family meetings, to family dinners; and love connected my parents that night in Germany.

I love being African American and Hispanic, it’s made for an interesting life.

An “A” and “B” Story

Wow, people don’t lie when they say high school flies by.

To me, it was like a never ending train that traveled through wonderful places.

Sometimes the trips were lonely, and at times they were great, but nevertheless, each moment was cherished.

Memorabilia of talent shows, basketball games, and times spent with friends, but the one person who was with me during each experience, was my sister Bianca.

Me and B 🙂

Bianca is such an interesting person, she’s beautiful, talented, and is HILARIOUS.

Growing up, it was always my sisters Veronica and Maria vs. Bianca and I. We’ve always been there for each other, most of our baby pictures are even together.

Bianca and I, well mainly Bianca, would conduct funny skits that we would show off to our parents.

Bianca was like a young Steve Irwin, and I would follow her recording her every move.

“Come my little minion,” she’d say to me.

A sidekick is what I was to her on and off the court

We gave each other nick-names,which we still have till this day.

She’s Zoo, I’m Hansel, I’m Buzz, she’s Woody, she’s Scooby Doo, and I’m Scrappy Doo.

Injuries, Can’t Live with Them, Can’t Live without Them

Damn, injuries suck.

One of our most important games of the year, and this has to happen. My question is, why did it have to happen to me?

I’m not going to lie, when you first get hurt you kind of enjoy it because you’re babied by your parents. But when you’re sitting on the bench that feeling of anger out weighs that great feeling of being babied.

A comparison of my left ankle to my right ankle

I did our trainer’s preseason workouts to a T, and not to mention those workouts were killer. But not even those infamous Jon Zajac workouts were a match for my ankle.

I’m not very prone to injuries, in fact, no one in my family is, but my ankles seem to let me down the most. My ankles even let me down more than my knees, knees that can crack more than my neck.

Two years ago, it was my right ankle that let me down and had me cozy on the bench for six games. This year it’s my left ankle, and I have to say, I’m happy it wasn’t my right. At least two years ago, my sophomore year, I didn’t have my license yet. Could you imagine me driving home after my game with a huge ice pack on my ankle weighing the peddle down? On top of that I was crying since it was a really important game. Add the two factors together, unstable emotions + terrible aching foot= scary car ride. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but thanks left ankle for taking the initiative over the right.

A photo of me shooting in the Warwick game before I got hurt

Let me recall my infamous ankle injury of 2009-2010, I was jumping up for a rebound and when I landed my ankle turned toward the outside, chipping a piece of my bone off. Man did that hurt. This year, I was jumping up for a rebound and when I landed my ankle turned toward the outside. WOW, what a coincidence.

At that moment I felt every ligament in my ankle stretch like a five foot long piece of gum. “Oh not again,” I thought to myself as I laid on the ground signaling for a timeout.

One thing you should know about me is I’m not a crybaby. I never cry during basketball except when I get hurt, and this was a moment when I shed a tear. However, being a team captain and having a team with predominately juniors and sophomores, I want to teach my team to be tough players. So as soon as my eyes got watery and that one tear fell, I sucked up every ounce of pain and calmly explained to trainer Steve what happened.

“Will I be able to play again?” “How will my team do without me?” “Oh I hope it’s not broken!”

These thoughts circled my mind as I sat on the benching taking note of all the people who were staring at me.

“Man I can’t let my team down.”

After my ankle was re-taped, too tight just to mention, I was told by Steve to perform a few ankle exercises, which I passed. Then I was told to try jogging back and forth to see how powerful the pain was.

The pain wasn’t bad at all and I felt fine…at least that’s what I told Steven.

“Okay you look like you can move well and if it’s not hurting you, you can play the second half.”

A few shuffles and jump ups later, the second half ticked around.

The game was intense, and I knew right from the start I wasn’t going to be able to play 100 percent.

One rebound was taken from me, which is very uncommon, and a pass was thrown to me but I couldn’t run to catch it fast enough.

There was about three minutes left and we were down by a few points, that’s when I decided I was going to forget about my pain and give those three minutes every ounce of my determination to win.

One steal and then an assist to my teammate to cut the lead by three.

A second steal and then a drive to the basket to cut the lead to one after two made free throws. I was feeling like my old self again.

Sadly, we were forced to foul them and they drilled them. But it gives me hope, I know that if I could have two great defensive plays like that at the end of the game, imagine what damaged I could of caused the entire game?

A photo of my ankle a week after the sprain

It’s been a week and three days now and I’m almost fully recovered. Although there is still some pain in my ankle, I’ll be playing tonight and helping my great team (who won two games without me) get a victory.

It’s great what a ton of ice and a ton of stim can do. All I know is that in two years when I’m playing at Eastern Mennonite University, I can expect another sprain.

Next time, I’ll be ready for it.