Winter Break: A Summary

Today is January 3rd, the second-to-last day of winter break. I got some good rest, but I still don't feel completely refreshed. See, there was a lot I was working on this break. I have a Scratch project that I'm hoping to get completed (for those who've never heard, Scratch is this online programming website that I use), but that's just a side project. If my productivity drops to zero, there aren't too serious consequences. But then, next weekend, there's another forensics tournament I need to attend, at Pacific University. I'm going to be debating again. And if you remember my previous whine rant about debate, you know that we don't get along.

November-ness is...

November-ness is family get-togethers,

November-ness is turkey and side dishes,

November-ness is the falling leaves and

the cold chill of the wind,

November-ness is the left over Halloween candy

that nobody wanted,

November-ness is having Christmas decorations

already in the stores,

November-ness is the bridge, the connecter, between

two holidays,



The Christmas Season

I think "The Christmas season" starts when we take out the Christmas decorations. Not the Christmas trees, but the lights, little snowmen, and toy Santas. Some people put them out too early, they take the stores' suggestion to put them up right after Halloween. The people who wait until after thanksgiving to put up their decorations, they are the true Christmas season starters. At our house my mom gets out the Christmas cups and mugs along with the placemats for the table. We turn on the Christmas music, and really get in the season of things. When we get cozy in the house with the Christmas music going and we are putting up the decorations, it finally feels like Christmas.

Autumnal

The Fog
with the sun
rises above the bay
you can still see the light
it drains through the mist but you still see
it's glow

antlers
you don't see them
until you hit them with your headlights
and they're gone
from the day










The Fog
the sun
sets into the bay
the moonlight stands triumphant
and the
crackling flames
pull you away
succor and release me from this bitter cold and

The Fog

Rapid's Expos: Why Mobile Games are Addicting

This is my expository in use since the Grizzly Invitational forensics meet in Nov. 15, 2014. As such, this script is meant to be read with visual aids. Either way, feel free to enjoy the script in it's glory.


We video gamers are constantly stereotyped as lazy, antisocial misfits. But why should we be ostracized? It's not like we do anything special. Most of you have a phone. And most of you with a phone have downloaded at least one free game. Today, everyone plays mobile games. Why do so many people play them? The fact that they're mostly free helps. But there's some sort of addictive quality to these games that makes them so successful. In fact, these games are specifically designed to appeal and addict, even at a neurologic level. Why is mobile gaming so darn addicting?

Tis' the season of joy

To me, the season of winter; Thanksgiving, Christmas, comfy clothes, fires in the stove, etc.., really begins when it gets cold outside. I just love it when I look outside the window, and it's sunny. The sun is noticeably lower but it is still sunny. It looks as if it is 83 degrees outside! But yet you go outside and it is freezing. The air chills your nose, making you feel stuffy, giving you a cold. So you go back inside, get a blanket, build a fire, and make hot chocolate. You curl up on the couch with you blanket, hot chocolate, and the heat from the fire, and watch a movie until the day ends. To me, this is winter. It's a wonderland.

The Season of the Holidays

Starting sometime in November, the holiday season officially begins as nog is distributed in stores. The shelf time dedicated to nog is known as the Season of Nog.

Eventually, we soon enter the Season of Thanksgiving. Turkey, pie, cranberries... Full of delicious food with so much variety that no one is left out. Unless, of course, you don't like vegetables, you're a vegetarian, and you don't like pie all at once. Of course, the chances of that are slim. I've yet to meet a human being who doesn't like pumpkin pie.

Christmas Miracles

      I was on the way to school this morning, and my mom decided to stop and get gas at Chevron. as we were getting gas I looked out at the main street and saw Christmas decorations on the light post. now that I think about it, I remember seeing some one with their Christmas lights up and lit, in NOVEMBER! I like Christmas as much as the next guy, but it's almost like it's a competition for the people in this town to see who can put their decorations up first. My mom even said she wants to go buy a tree right after thanksgiving. Again, it's NOVEMBER! I think people should wait until December 1st, almost to keep them on edge, and make the moment of getting the tree more special. My family is mostly German, and that's one part of Christmas that I like, the family and the German food. The slow cooked pork and the potato balls and all the German candy, (Germans make the best milk chocolate.) But  I just wish that Christmas would come sooner.