Inspirational Person

If I could meet anyone in the world, I would like to meet someone who would inspire me, such as Brandon Houston, an eight year old cancer patient. I have read about him through many articles and would love to meet him. Believe it or not, I could care less if I met a famous person. I would much rather meet a cancer patient and talk to him/her about their life and all the struggles and triumphs that come with it. I think I would gain a lot of compassion and sympathy if I ever had the chance to meet Brandon. I think he is a very down to earth person, as well as, kind and empathetic.  

I don’t have much knowledge about cancer, or how much harder life would be to live with this disease, as well as, the effects it has on close family members. However, if I had the chance to meet a cancer patient such as Brandon, I would probably be astonished to learn how much more difficult living a life with cancer truly is. Through meeting Brandon, I think I would be much more grateful for my own life and health, knowing that so many people have it much worse than I do. The inspiration I would receive from talking to this little eight year old boy would be life altering. Not only would I gain a lot of knowledge, but I would also gain wisdom and compassion. I think knowledge, compassion, and respect  would develop fairly quickly through a brief conversation with this little boy, which would be very helpful to me  in my own life, and greatly benefit me in the future.

Although I admire and have read much about Brandon Houston and and his everyday struggles, it would be so much different to actually meet him in person. He seems to be a very intelligent young man. In my opinion, Brandon knows the true meaning of life. He has many stories to share, and kindness to spread. I think there would be many benefits to meeting a cancer patient and many important life lessons that could be learned. 

Although Brandon may only be eight years old, he has the heart of an angel. Brandon has experienced many traumas throughout his short life, but he’s staying strong and he’s holding on. He seems like a very optimistic person who just loves life and never takes life for granted. Brandon has many outstanding qualities which I would love to obtain for myself, and I would greatly enjoy the opportunity to meet him.

remembering

    I remember sitting on the wood chips after school, flashing one card after another and grinning at the group of impressed fourth-graders gathered around my deck.  I can still feel the petite plastic figures of Mudkip and Poochyena, which were prized as gold to my friends and I.  And even though my mother always hated it, I was still obsessed with Pokemon.

    There was a certain feeling that came with Pokemon that I adored for some seemingly unapparent reason.  I was hypnotized by the gracefulness and might of the 'Legendaries', and the faithfully loving basic Pokemon that were so close to their 'trainers'.  I loved the idea of being able to catch the strange creatures in bi-colored spheres and battle other people's.  

    And I am not ashamed of the fact that I still like playing Pokemon.  In fact, last week I found myself engrossed in a battle with the Gym leader Wattson in Mauville.  My mom came into my room and said, "Rowan, I need you to put away the dishes before dinner."  After replying with "In a minute, I need to finish this battle,"  My mother shook her head and sighed, "It's like you're in fourth grade all over again."  All I could think was, "I wish."

rj

Now, Now Music Review

Now, Now

   Now, Now, previously known as Now, Now Every Children, is an indie-rock band from Blaine, Minnesota, originally consisting of Cacie Dalager (Lead Singer and Guitarist) and Bradley Hale (Drummer). The band was formed while the two were still in high school, their first musical partnership being the Blaine High School marching band. In 2008, there was a new addition to the band. Jess Abbot (Guitarist and Back-Up Vocalist) moved from Maine to Minnesota in order to join the band. That same year, they released their first full length album Cars, which led to their recognition in the underground music industry. In 2009, they were able to tour Europe with the band Paramore. The following year, Now, Now released an extended play (EP), a musical recording that is too long to be a single but too short to be a full-length album, called Neighbors.

   Neighbors opening song "Rebuild" sets the overall mood of the EP. The slow paced keyboard notes, followed by an intermittent, borderline techno beat gives the song a faint electronic feel that is carried through to the following songs. The songs aren't all the same though. "Giants" captures the ideals of mainstream rock with its punk-rock electric guitar chords. Although the many different forms of music featured in this one EP gave it a wide array of styles for the band to experiment with, Now Now needed to begin choosing one style and narrowing in on it.

   Now, Now's newest album Threads was able to tie together the different styles of music featured in their previous tracks in order to make one cohesive album. Although losing some diversity in the process, they did not sacrifice any of their musical roots. Threads still shows these musical roots through the hints of electronic beats and mainstream pop. Threads did, however, begin to focus on a set style, and that style was ambient rock. Altogether, what Threads songs lack in lyrical diversity, they make up for in the emotional depth of their music.

   Now, Now is still finding its way in the music industry. They have yet to settle on one form of music that will work best for them. Although they may still at times sound like an experimental garage band, they have matured greatly and have come a far ways from their humble beginnings as a Minnesota band.

-HB

HS BB Review

Who Do You Think Are Best Basketball Players in the Class of 2013?

There are several thousands of basketball players in the 2013 class, but only about 75 of them are getting recruited by major Division 1 colleges.  These players are the elite of the elite in the world for their age group.  But these players did not just become phenoms, they put in several hundreds of hours of hard work to compete in the level they are playing in, hoping to get a free education in college.  Some may improve to the point where they can play professional basketball.  Three players stand out in the 2013 class:  Isaac Hamilton, Aaron Gordon, and Jabari Parker.

Isaac Hamilton is a 6’4”, 170 pound shooting guard, whom I believe is the top guard of his class.  He handles the ball very well and can shoot the mid-range and outer jump shots with ease.  Opposing teams have trouble winning against this guard because when they try to stop him, Hamilton passes the ball to wide open teammates instead, resulting in easy baskets.  He plays his summer ball with the Oakland Soldiers, which is arguably the best 17u AAU program in the country.  Even though he is ranked #21 in the ESPNU Super 60, I believe he should be ranked ranked #3 because of his court vision and jumpshot.

Aaron Gordon is with no doubt the best dunker in the class of 2013.  This 6’7”, 210 pound power forward seems to dunk everything, whether it’s a missed shot or an alley oop.  He was relatively unknown until his freshman season, where he made a huge impact with his dunking ability.  He has only honed this god-given gift throughout the years, especially playing for the Oakland Soldiers.  When he was playing with Oakland teammates Dominic Artis and Brandon Ashley, Gordon significantly improved his jump shot and passing ability.  I ranked him above Julius Randle, ESPNU’s #2 2013 prospect, because Gordon is faster than Randle and has more of a post game.  Due to his explosive and rounded arsenal, I would rank him #2 in his class.

I regard this next player as the best player in the nation regardless of class.  Jabari Parker is a 6’8”, 220 pound small forward that has been blessed by the inventor of basketball, Dr. Naismith, himself.  Parker has the most exceptional game I have seen out of any player at only 17 years of age.  He can play point guard due to his spectacular court vision and handle, but can also play power forward because of his size and post moves.  His jump shot is spectacular, especially in his stepback move.  Parker can shoot from behind the arc as well, making him one of the most dangerous pre-adult players in the world.  Some ESPN analysts have even said that he will make a huge impact in the NBA, which is at least a whole three years away.  Jabari Parker is a phenom and is arguably the most viable player of the decade.

These young men are the top players of their class.  Each one is getting pursued heavily by at least 5 major Division 1 programs, such as UCLA, Duke, and Kentucky.  If they put in the extra time in every workout, they will not only make it to the NBA, but star for their teams.  All of them have yet to enter their senior season, which is highly anticipated by thousands across the nation.  Isaac Hamilton, Aaron Gordon, and Jabari Parker are a group of men among boys.

IC

Musical Review: Next to Normal

    Every family has their issues, and their own ways of handling them. Some cope better than others, while some never learn to deal with the issue. Death, illness, drugs, and even sick combinations of the three, are some of the more serious issues dealt with in families, but all three are part of the plot of the Tony awarded musical, Next to Normal.

     Diana is a bipolar depressive mother, who for sixteen years, has continued to watch her son, Gabe, grow up since his death as an infant. Her daughter Natalie and husband Dan now work hard to lead as normal a life as possible, while trying to cure Diana, with less than satisfactory results. Diana's condition gets worse when she quits taking her meds and Gabe convinces her to commit suicide. A new treatment is suggested, and it works with only one side effect: memory loss. Meanwhile, Natalie falls in love with a drug abusing boy named Henry and she quickly falls victim to her mother's prescription drugs. Now Henry and Dan must struggle to save the women they love while keeping their sanity and health intact.

     This show has been nominated for, and won, many awards. Tony awards for the show include Best Original Score, Best Orchestration, and Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, which was given to Alice Ripley for her portrayal of Diana. It’s also the eighth show in history to win a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, which is an extreme honor. When the show was in its off-Broadway stage, it was nominated for two Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Actress, and Outstanding Score.

     Not many shows can be pulled off by only six people. This happens to be one of the exceptional few that can. With a cast of four men and two women, this group of amazing people really display all that this family goes through. There are also few shows that display a situation that is relatable to real life. While few people have these exact issues, it is possible for one to have one of the problems dealt with in the show. Next to Normal does a phenomenal job of portraying trials and hardships, as well as recovery and the true meaning of family.

LSorenson

Summer!

School is almost over! We have about 60 school days or 12 school weeks left. Just like the song by Alice Cooper, "School's Out", do you get excited about "No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers dirty looks"? I know I do! I can't believe it has almost been a year since school started!

As the school year gets closer to the end, I can't wait to see what this summer holds. I'm excited to hear about my friends summer vacation plans and what they will do this summer. I'm looking forward to seeing family and spending time with my cousins. I'm looking forward to lazy summer days full of sleep and play. 

Some people are excited because they get to hang out with their friends more often, but also sad because some people might not get to see their friends as much as they want to. Some students think that the school days need to go faster. I wonder what we're going to do for the end of the school year celebration. I also wonder who's going to get what rewards this year?  

But most of all, I'm excited to move to Montana. I can't wait for more restaurants and malls. I can't wait to go shopping until I drop. I can't wait to meet new people and get to know where I'll live for next school year. I can wait for the packing, sorting, and unpacking. 

-TK