it's insane

I have so many things running through my head
so many thoughts- my brain feels like it's fri'ed

Delian vs the Peloponnese
was a war done because no one wanted domination by just one city
it was all the fault of ole' Pericles
who worked to increase involvement in democracy
a stipend you could have
if a seat in the assembly you'd grab
as you marveled at the Parthenon
(though ya can't see much now since it's all gone)
and thought of Athena's war-like stare
warning Persians to beware
-thanks to Phidias' carving
(both she and Zeus at Olympia left people marveling)

Before the war
was the golden age
where sculptors, writers, and  many a sage
put Athens at the apex of the world's intellectual stage;
Socrates questioned- but he also corrupted,
Plato idealized but democracy he distrusted,
Aristotle investigated with a thirst never satiated
and tutored the greatest, most delusional ruler of all.
Euripides wrote of man's many a flaw-
yet to Aeshylus it was the will of the gods who caused men to fall.
Aophocles had Oedipus and Antigone and the like
whereas Aristophanes showed us The Birds' sad plight.
Herodotus wrote his "Histories"
though thanks to exaggeration, accurate it may not be.
Thuycidides came behind
with a more scientific mind
to remember the speeches of Pericles
and the war of the Delians vs. the Peloponnese.
Myron loved human form
and through his discus thrower showed us what should be the norm
and then last was hippocrates
who found natural, not divine origins of disease.
Such were the thinkers, the writers, the sages
who, in a few years in athens, created works that have lasted the ages.

Philip of Macedonia
had a heart made of stone -yuh.
With masterful strategy
he brought union to all of Greece
but fell to his first wife's blow
(we're nearly positive, but will never quite know).

Alex the great was the awesomest ruler who lived
his mom was really violent- just wanted everything for her kid
he lived in delusions that his daddy was Zeus
and when it came to war he never allowed a truce.
Pharaoh of Egypt, King of Babylon, Persia, and Greece
the Gordian knot he cut through
but at Darius' end he cried (boohoo)
as only a king can kill a king
and D's assistants had done the thing.
He may have been crazy
and that you can well-see
when he'd charge to cause a fright
before other armies (like the Persians at the Granicus) could build up might.
A philosopher, too,
was this man everyone knew.
Intellect he craved
to be learned, taught, shared, and saved.
His library and lighthouse were marvels of form
and  Macedionian dress he ditched and chose Persian as the norm.
He did love his alcohol
though it may have been his one downfall
causing first destruction of Persep.
and later maybe his death.

After Greece came Rome
and Romulus with his heart of stone
who in 753
brought on the building of the 7-hill city
Latins met their end
at the hands of the Etruscans
who brought forth a monarchy
that was short lived, as you can see
when after 509
Republic became the government of the time.
And slowly but surely this nation did grow
into an empire all the world would come to know.
They built The Forum and Agora,
 took on the Greek style amphora,
and many other aspects of Greek life they did, too
gods, art, sculptures, and architecture (the Greeks just seemed to know what to do)

and that's all ifeel like writing
cause my teacher looks like she's going to be smiting
me any minute
if I don't stop typing and get with it.

PROOF.

Well if this isn't proof enough that I'm actually crazy then I dunno what is.....I know there's been a lot of talk about venting and i must seem like a hypocritical, irrational person. I swear I'm not. at least not all the time.
I was gonna vent a few days ago and again today
but lately I've realized how blessed I am. 
It's a lot happier to think about than all the things I want o vent about (much less overwhelming, too)
I think we forget sometimes to just stop and smell the roses because we get too caught up in all the thorns. 
But if you think about it, the rose is much brighter and makes the thorn hurt a whole lot less because you can get caught up in the beauty and the good smell.
And what's so bad about that? I wouldn't be complaining (till I found all the scratches later:) even then, they wouldn't seem half so bad- actually they'd seem pretty damn hardcore and awesome.)

What's responsible for this massive mood-shift?
a choice.
I made a choice to let go of all my frustrations and venting and self-absorbedness when I feel it creeping into my mind
Because that, son, is from the devil
and I don't want him controlling any part of my mind.
it's crazy how powerful the mind is in controlling your emotions, actions, etcc
I know that's probably a bit of a redundant statement because the ole thinker does completely control every process
but by mind I mean mental attitude- mental predisposition- at the moment of your actions/thoughts/processes/etc
2 examples:
1. In my cross country meet Saturday, I completely mentally defeated myself. And it was so absolutely selfish of me because my team needs me- they need the confidence in me, to believe in me, to have that security that I won't drop out in our upcoming championship races and that I'll run to my full potential, which is as the number 2 runner on the team. But what did I do? I let my mind talk myself out of race zone and talk myself out of my pacing- I literally talked my body into shutting down. I KNOW I'm stronger than that- but I didn't run like it on saturday. All because I let my mind defeat my body- I let my doubts, my insecurities, my frustrations, my negativity- beat me down and win.
2. Yesterday in Pickleball. For starters, may I just say that I am not exactly the most gifted in hand-eye coordination. And in anything but running I admit I just get spastic. It's a problem- but funny (at least to people watching). But so anyway, yesterday I'd been playing poorly and being competitive, I was getting seriously frustrated and basically wanted to give up on myself. Instead, I thought for a half second maybe I should just focus on trying to play better instead of getting frustrated- and it worked! literally the dark cloud that was covering my mind with frustration and annoyance at the world just vanished and I started not only playing better (marginally) but I was a lot happier about it- and that carried over into my long run and into my evening with my family.


Basically, each day we have a choice. We can choose to drown in our sorrows and frustrations and despair or we can choose to rejoice in the good things going on or at least try to find them and remove ourselves from our ruts. Because we're mental beings and a little mind power goes a long way.

really

i really need a background image...
been perusing through my blog
it's so boring.
like what was i thinking going all "white + gray"
ew. 
no wonder no one reads my posts..

hakuna matata.

today is a great day. 

the sun is shining

birds are chirping

the air is dry and cold 

and it's one of those days where literally everything looks beautiful

amidst all the venting I need to do (just to free up some space in el mindo)

I thought of a bumper sticker I saw from George's burgers (GET IN MAH BELLAY!)

...they have 1 of the top 10 burgers in BR

I'm making a list, no lie

I have yet to try burgersmith, fat cow, and a couple others

but I know George's is gonna stay up there...it's that good. 

...I digress, anyway, the bumper sticker said

"Business is Good, Life is Great, People are wonderful"

but I modified that. 

oh HAPPY DAY

SO IN CASE you're wondering
this is venting week.
the post that i just posted earlier this morning was actually from 2 days ago
so I'll have another vent to recap yesterday
and then ya know I get a vent today also
so it's just a good week for me all around
letting loose
letting go
breaking open
holding nothing back
finally releasing everything that has been building up inside
i apologize if you dislike reading about this...i PROMISE there WILL be happy posts somewhere in the mix... today's just a bloggin day.
I just can't focus on school....so, naturally, BLOGTIME. and polyvore (my guilty pleasure). and stumble. and ONLINE SHOPPING!!
OH HOW I'VE MISSED IT!!!
with so many college applications (search how many times i've dropped those despicable 6 syllables lately...too many) I just haven't had time for some good ole fashioned online sloothing
my closet has the clothes but lately my outfits have been quite subpar because i'm so out of touch
#firstworldproblems
At least my biggest little worry right now (as asked on the UNC application)
is whether my avocado will be brown or green
or
whether my latest outfits will be trendy and tasteful
oh the struggle.

A Fine Frenzy

Lately life's been more of a frantic frenzy than a fine one...
Why is it that all classes get hard, major tests come up, commitments get busier, and deadlines pop up ALL AT THE SAME TIME?!?!
and then, naturally, I get sick.
Maybe, as my mom says (AND THE STUDENT RECEPTIONIST AT SCHOOL AGREED) I'm just "running ragged."
Never heard that expression before in my life, but ya learn something new everyday so....
But, honestly,
IF I HAVE 1 MORE THING TO DO I'M GOING TO SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST.
Seriously there's no moment for rest!
I've got college applications due, cross country is stepping up in intensity, science fair's last data push is this weekend and next weekend, giant essays for my AP class and a huge test in that coming up, physics is starting to get complicated....YAY.

Seriously you'd think that by senior year teachers would just be all like "we'll make school easy so our darlings can do their college applications and fill out scholarship things and excel in their sports to for once have an easy school year"
ahhh that would be the life.
but c'est la vie, such is NOT the case.

so to combat everyone in my life's wishes to kill me with assignments and deadlines
*cough cough*
 I've just started skipping things and taking naps.
I highly advise it.
People are always telling me I need to cut back, so....I am! and NAPS are a wonderful way for doing that.
Yesterday I wasn't feeling well in PE- so I took a nap
And then today I don't have cross country- so i'm gonna be really social and... take a nap.
Next time you have something important to do, skip it! TAKE A NAP.

do it today.

"What you do TODAY

 can improve ALL your TOMORROWS."

~Ralph Marston