Tuesday, September 28, 2010

That's What She Said

If you couldn't tell from the title, I am a big The Office fan. It is unlike most other shows in the way it's filmed and edited, so that it looks more like a documentary, rather than a staged and scripted show. The scenarios become more random with every episode and unproductiveness of the office only adds to it's amusement. The scenarios become more random with every episode and the unproductiveness of the office only adds to its amusement. Another part of the show that you don’t find much anymore is its political correctness, or lack thereof. Michael Scott tells it like it is and doesn’t see any harm in that, no matter how awkward or rude his statement was. Other than The Office, I really don’t watch much TV. I think that most sitcoms are unoriginal and boring. How they were produced in the first place is a mystery to me. Reality TV is an entirely different topic. The starts of reality shows seem to be moral-less, partying slobs who didn’t earn their new-found fame for anything noteworthy other than being just that. Oddly, this is what entertains most young people today. But I’ll admit that once in a while curling up on the couch and watching Real Housewives or The Hills (when it was still on) could keep me entertained for quite some time. Lastly, I think TV is fine in moderation. There is no harm in have a few faorite shows that air once a week that can offer a brainless distraction for an hour or so, but when it starts to replace more important things is when it becomes a problem.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

It's not my fault I'm late... I blame TV!


I don’t like watching the television. I watch two to four hours a week, maybe six if there is a major sporting event on. One hour is dedicated to “Psych” on Wednesday nights, another to “Man vs. Wild.” The other two or three hours are reserved for Saturdays, football, and Sundays, final round coverage of the week’s PGA golf tournament. Watching television makes me forget about schoolwork. As you can see, I am a day late in posting this blog entry and I blame Kim Clijsters and the Arkansas football team. Instead of writing my blog entry, I spent Saturday night watching the women’s U.S. Open final and Ryan Mallet and the Hogs tear apart Louisiana-Monroe.
I believe that television is the delivery system for products. Commercial time rivals show time on most stations. Take for instance the Super Bowl. Super Bowl commercials are the best. We talk about the commercials more than the game itself!
People who love television are not bad people, but there are better ways to spend precious time. Maybe next time before you sit down on the couch you should consider an alternative use of time. Go for a run? Get ahead on schoolwork? Do some extra studying? We spend way too much time in front screens, try something else for a change.

I love my tv

In the past decade, television has gone from cable and looking in the paper to see what shows were coming on at certain times, to now where we can watch what we want, when we want. Of course i love this because i don't have to worry about missing my favorite shows, including; Lost, Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the Office and Sons of Anarchy. Some shows i cannot stand are Suit life of zach and cody, everybody hates chris and George lopez.
Television has developed to the saying, "time is money." When i watch my shows, i dont even have to watch the commercials becuase i always dvr (digital video recorder) the episode. This allows me to skip all the annoying commercials. Their is always a ton of commercials because television is a huge way of advertisement. So im sure the people that pay for commercials hate dvr because everyone skips over there ad. Overall i think that televisions is a good thing to a certain extent. Too much of it can definitely be a bad thing.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

TV or not TV... That is the question

Most people agree that TV has become America's favorite past-time in this era. More people own TV's than they do bicycles. It's become outrageous and needs to be taken care of. Don't get me wrong, I watch TV every know and then, but I never have time to watch it in real time. DVR has become my bestfriend. On my list of 48% full DVR is this season's Royal Pains, Burn Notice, and tosh.0. Also there are movies and newscasts saved from who knows when. But I don't understand where people find the time to actually watch TV, it's rediculous. Another thing I can't stand about TV is the commercials. I'm what most in the industry would call a chronic channel flipper. This is another reason why DVR is perfect for me. There are too many ads selling too many products with too many flaws in there selling themes to sway me into buying a sham-wow. When I watch commercials it gets my mind going in too many different directions. When I watch TV I just want to see what some writer in Hollywood has cooked up for me this week, not what "Papa John" has cooked up in the kitchen. Our society has become based on what biases TV wants us to see. 30 seconds of air time for the "lost" finale was said to be around$900000. That 30 seconds reached 13.5 million people... And how many people after watching that show thought "hmm... I'd like a coke right about now."? The sad truth is probably 1/3 of the viewers were swayed into drinking a coke, or buying a pizza, or voting for this candidate. The power that a visual ad holds in this country is phenomenal. It leads me to a famous quote from one of my all-time favorite comic books:"With great power, comes great responsibility."-Spiderman

Tosh.0

When I watch TV I want to laugh and be entertained, which is why my four favorite shows are all comedies. My top four shows are Tosh.0, The Daily Show with John Stewart, The Colbert Report, and Modern Family. Of these four the funniest and my favorite show is Tosh.0. If you haven’t seen this show before I encourage you to watch it at least once, it’s the only thing I’ve seen my Mom laugh at in my life.
As much as I like comedy shows nothing beats watching a golf tournament on Sunday afternoon, when Tiger is near the lead. All of my most exciting and memorable television moments have centered around Tiger. From his victory at the Masters in 2000 to the thrilling playoff victory in 2008 at Torrey Pines, he is my favorite thing to watch on TV.
The only show that I truly hate is American Idol, it is unwatchable.
I think that TV is just a fun thing to do at the end of the day.

Jack... theres not much time...

"i know ill get there as soon as possible. Thanks Chloe"

My question is, Why is Jack so flippin AWESOME!!!

"Ok lets put 20 seconds on the clock and see how many funny jokes we can make about this idiot..."
Best part of Tosh.0.. that and the Prank of the Week's

Better than Most... Better than most"

All of the above are excerptes from my favorite shows in each genre


I’m not that big of a TV guy, but I do have those days when I say “to hell with homework, ill just put it off till later.” That’s when I proceed to grab a pop, maybe some munchies if I’m hungry…, or just wanna’ eat munchies and pop a squat on the couch. I’ve got the premiere couch for TV viewing by the way. So I sit down and I know you’re asking, “Well Michael what are u going to watch? What shows do you like?” Well I enjoy most genres of television. Comedy, Drama, and Sports is what I watch mostly. Under the comedy section there’s Tosh.0, South Park, and Family Guy. Those are my top three comedies that I watch. In the Drama category, theres 24… duh, White Collar, and Chuck. I used to be a diehard Monk fan when that was going strong, but then Adrian finally found the guy that murdered his wife. And finally in the sports section, I like watching Golf, Tennis, and College basketball. Of the Categories it’s my top from each coming out as Tosh.O (the comedy hosted by Daniel Tosh that makes fun of the internet), 24, I’m mean who doesn’t love Jack, and Golf (I know I’m weird).

Don't worry, Horatio 'll have this case wrapped up in an hour


Television is a great invention, and there aren’t many things better than lying on the couch with the clicker in your hand and having absolute power over what images appear. That being said, I don’t watch any shows religiously except for one: The Jersey Shore. It is the funniest show ever and you are in denial if you don’t agree. Because no one is too good or too important or too “classy,” that they can’t laugh at the things those people do. I mean GTL. How can a person be so ridiculous to even invent that? It’s hilarious. And the things “The Situation” says. You have to laugh at it. Also, some sitcoms can be funny, but they run out of soap and become uninteresting. That’s why cable companies are always creating new ideas, and the “best new show on television.”
Shows I hate. I don’t really hate any shows, but it’s funny how a show that you never watch can have you stuck like glue to the screen for 30 minutes, even if you flipped to it halfway-through. However, I do thinks it a bit ridiculous if a person watches shows like CSI, or Psych, or Law and Order every single week. Like honestly, you seriously didn’t think they were gonna catch the murderer? I promise you Jerry Bruckheimer will not disappoint. It’s basically pointless, at the end of the show you are at the same point you were at the beginning. But I do refer back to a few lines above, where it is very easy to be sucked in to a show for a few minutes, but if you are planning your whole evening around CSI:Miami, you might have a problem.
All of that being said, I don’t hold a grudge against a person who watches a lot of TV, it’s entertaining. Mostly though, because I just don’t care, if you want your hobby to be knowing everything about all the characters and thinking you know the way a made up person is going to act next Wednesday at 9, then that’s fine. I’d say at least 75% of the TV I watch is sports, and some people think that’s pointless too, but at least athletes are real people, and the ending of a game is always unpredictable. So TV is wonderful, and life would suck and be so much different without it, but I’m just not the kind of person who is consumed enough to watch a show every week. And advertising I think was a result of TV, because back in the good ol days there weren’t commercials until companies realized how many people watched it, and how simple it would be to market their product through it.

A New Age of TV

I'm not much of a big TV fan, but when I do watch TV I have noticed that TV shows in general have gotten worse and more destructive towards children. Television producers are now more convinced in making a profit and getting as many viewers as possible, than on the health and safety of children and teens. It's frustrating and worrisome when you see children and teens looking up to Jwoww, Snooki, and other stars who live and thrive off of drama. Like Jersey Shore, many shows are now about drama that we don't need in our daily lives. In today's world, we stuff our brains with useless information from shows like Jersey Shore and Laguna Beach. As you can tell, I like watching shows that aren't filled with drama like The Office. I'm also huge fan of game shows and reality shows like American Idol and Hell's Kitchen. I don't know why I am addicted to them, but I think it's because people are competing to win an ultimate prize. I, myself, like to compete against people whether it is at school or in the pool. These shows to me are very relaxing and stress-relieving. I can forget about everything else and enjoy my favorite shows. TV is great for relaxing and enjoying time with family, but when it comes to shows with cat fights, punching, and hair-pulling I don't exactly agree on their method of producing these shows for people of all ages to watch. 

Doctor House, meet Doctor Bashir

I've noticed quite a few people making their title based on their favorite shows. Unoriginal as I am, I followed suit, with my two favorite shows being House and Deep Space Nine, though I must watch the latter on DVD. Let's be honest, those are two very different shows, but anyone who has watched both shows would agree: it would be absolutely hilarious and amazing if Bashir spent an episode at Princeton-Plainsboro under Cuddy and House spent one orbiting Bajor under Commander Cisco.

Since it's the off-season for television right now, these two are the only shows I watch with any sort of regularity. But before long, Modern Family, Chuck, 30 Rock, V, and The Simpsons will return to my life. In addition, my family's trying to get me into Covert Affairs, and my friends into Adventure Time with Finn and Jake. To anyone who is keeping count, you should have a grand total of 1 medical drama, 2 science fictions, 2 action shows, and 4 comedies. Of course, last year I had all of those, minus Covert Affairs and Adventure Time, and plus three shows that ended: 24, Medium, and Lost (an action, a crime drama, and a who-really-knows-what). More importantly, that means this year I have 5 hour-long shows and 4 half-hour shows, contrasting last year's 7 hours and 3 half-hours. That comes to about an hour of television a day this year. But, of course, it's not that simple, no. See, my college-attending brother watches a few of these shows, which means we have to watch them on the nights he's at our house, so my homework becomes a victim. Theoretically, though, television should be a good, hassle-free enjoyment of art. With the magic of DVR, I am no longer troubled by commercials. And I have not gotten any subliminal messages from any of those shows, except Deep Space Nine's "don't kill people" routine. So ultimately, I believe that television is only malicious in devouring my precious time.

And no, liking TV does not make you a bad person. Unless you like E!

Friday, September 10, 2010

TV? Hmmm

TV is considered to be an enjoyable medium of entertainment. TV is also considered to be a form of mindless entertainment that is used only to promote worthless and evil advertisements. I’m going to have to say that I’m 50-50 on that. I don’t despise advertisements. They have become a form of entertainment themselves with the backlash and commentary going on between some certain cell phone service and car insurance providers . . . However, it does become tiring to just watch five minutes of a show—and yet, another commercial comes on.

I usually avoid watching TV mainly because the quality of the shows has dropped so much in recent years. A lot of them are just the same recycled plot lines with new and terrible actors. Don’t even get me started on “reality” TV shows. How can a TV show possibly show someone’s “real” personality with only an hour of screentime? Yeah . . . um, no. Although there are actual decent shows that do take consideration into developing solid characters such as House. I’ve just recently started watching it and it’s a captivating show. However, I’m not going to avidly spend hours in front of the TV just because I like a character. I usually only watch it when I feel like doing something brain numbing, but is more effective than zoning out.

It all boils down to TV is a good escape from reality (ridiculous reality TV shows included), the commercials can be entertaining albeit annoying, and it’s a relaxing activity. However, sometimes you’ve just got to flip the switch and say ‘no.’

OH tv....!

TV is both a wonderful and horrible thing wrapped into one. There's endless hours of entertainment with just a click of a button. On the down side, those devoted hours to your TV turn you into what we call "a couch potato." TV does relieve your boredom at the end of the day when you want to stay up just a little late, but you have nothing to do. I have to say though, these days TV isn't really 100% shows. It's more like 70% shows and 30% adds. TOO much adds! That's annoying. (Even though 30% isn't really that much..)
In My opinion, I'm more of a TV lover than hater (even though I don't watch it that often). "I love my TV---does that make me a bad person?" Just like the expression , "you are what you eat," it's the same for TV most of the time. You are what you watch!! I don't have any shows in mind when I say this, but for example; if you watch gory murder and psychopathic show with some crazy sh*t in it, then sometimes it will corrupt your mind... just a bit.. or a lot... or maybe not even at all! So I don't know if it makes you a bad person. In the long run, it all depends on how it effects you mentally and socially... basically with everyday life.
As for the shows that I love? Well I love HOUSE! I just started it and it's really fascinating.
I don't watch enough TV to hate any shows.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

When it comes to T.V., I don't want to be annoyed

After the best show on television officially ended last year, I thought I could never love T.V. the same. Yes, once LOST finally wrapped up in the weirdest way possible, I have moved on to other shows, but not through the traditional mode of watching. Ever since my technology-obsessed (and technology-illiterate) mother bought a Roku box, which connects our T.V. to the Internet, I haven't even thought about normal cable television. Netflix has ruined me! I am so spoiled, watching all my favorite shows without commercials such as 30 Rock, Lie to Me, Cake Boss, Burn Notice, and The Office. There are the occasional shows that I regularly watch in prime time, despite the extremely frustrating presence of commercials. At the top of that list would be Fox's So You Think You Can Dance with "your fabulous host...Cat Deeley!" The fact that I sit through the numerous annoying faces and comments made by this "oh-so-fabulous" host should prove the high quality of the show. The sad truth is, television is a wonderful form of entertainment tainted by endless ads, product plugs, and obnoxious reality hosts (cough - Cat Deeley - cough cough).

My family is addicted to USA

My family and I sit down three times a week to watch our favorite shows. On Tuesday, Covert Affairs and White Collar. On Wednesday, Psych. On Thursday, Burn Notice and Royal Pains. Every single one of these shows has something in common, and that is that they are all on USA. We watch every show on that channel except for NCIS. Along with those shows, we watch In Plain Sight, another USA show, and Chuck, which is NBC. My family, and I, find TV shows to be a good way to spend time together and relax, and they give us something to talk about and look forward to. Since the invention of DVR and On Demand, I think that television has lost a lot of its advertising opportunities. Whenever we watch our shows, they are always recorded so that we can fast forward through the commercials. Whenever I watch live television, it seems so slow!! So, I think that TV is a good way for people to bond and relax. Some of my other favorite shows are, or I guess were because they aren’t on anymore :( Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, Monk, and the best show EVER…….. AVATAR!!!!!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Charlie Harper is my hero

As you may be able to tell from my title my favorite TV show is Two and a Half Men.  It may be on the entire year but i find it hilarious due to its crude humor and underlying sexual jokes.  I like the show so much i tivo all of the episodes, yes even the reruns, and watch them countless times I have probably seen some episodes up to ten times. Even though it may be awkward i often watch the show with my mom her favorite character of course is Allen while mine is Charlie.
One a more serious note my other favorite show of all time 24 has been cancelled.  Jack Bauer beating up foreign terrorists just appeals to me for some reason.  I watched the majority of the seasons however I missed the beginning seasons.  I am hoping that another station will pick up the show soon so my family and I don't go through Jack withdrawal.  Im serious our family doesn't answer and phones or doorbells when the show is on just quality time with our television.
I am also a frequent watcher of the crime mystery shows such as Criminal Minds and CSI.  Although I don't watch one particular show on a consistent basis it seems like anytime I turn on the television to find something to watch one of those shows or a close variation is always on.  I don't dislike many shows however I am the first to admit I am not a Glee fan, and especially not a LOST fan.  I just don't see the appeal to LOST, I mean a fog monster is terrorizing the island, really?
I do not believe television is destructive to me or over advertises products to me.  I generally watch most of my television later at night on the tivo and therefore I fast forward through all of the commercials.  I find television almost relaxing after a long day I like to unwind sit in my favorite chair and watch some of my favorite shows.

the penguin on your telly will now explode...



Now that that's out of the way
I'm not particularly interested in watching that much TV because I have no interest in reality or sports shows and I no longer watch copious amounts of cartoons like I used to as a kid. I think that the qualty of TV programs have gone down over the years (and what was once good is gone or has gotten too strange to bear watching - I'm looking at you, Cartooon Network). I have no interest in keeping up with a show like Modern Family or other shows like it, although I may occasionly watch an episode of NCIS with my parents. I used to watch nature programs on Nova growing up but now even those have gone down hill (discovery channel now withstanding). Now, my TV is only used when its connected to a DVD player or an Xbox, where I watch anime dvds and occasionally episodes of shows like Monty Python or Fawlty Towers. These are my two favorite non-anime showes and both are hysterical but are probably better watched in small amounts.
I believe that TV is good, like all things, in moderation. I find it annoying that TV now is mostly commercials and no actual tangeable content. As such, TV has no value other than to kill time nad catch up on sports if you're into that type of thing. That is all I have to say, so goodnight and watch out for the kamikaze bagpipers.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

God's Gift

Television has done more for our society then any invention before it. We don't need lightbulbs, cars too are superfluous.  And all the computer has done is indulged the nerds.  But the television, oooh the television is different.  The television is truly the only important invention of recent memory.  It is in fact hard to think of a time when there was no television.  What did people do all day?  Work?  HA!  With TV that no longer is important.  TV took all of those incumbersome desires to be productive away from me and was in fact so generous that it simply told me what I had to do.  For sustenance, it provides a wide variety of options in the plethora of commercials that it shows me so I can remember to feed myself.  The fact that television does this for me  and millions of others, taking all the effort out of thinking and instead planting those thoughts inside my head so I may merely reference them is a huge load off my back, saving me all that time previously wasted.  I wonder what I will do with my time?  I know!  I will watch some TV!  Because why go out and do something when you can watch people who went out and did something? 

Side Note:  On a non-ridiculous note, my favorite shows are SportsCenter, NCIS, and Big Bang Theory (Jim Parsons rules).  I hate all reality TV which glorifies the lowlife's of society and pays them giant sums of money to continue being nothing but obnoxious and do nothing what so ever to better or help the people and world around them.

I wish every day was big block of cheese day, and I want to meet the Soup Nazi.

Needless to say because of my title, but I am a HUGE West Wing fan, and love anything Seinfeld. My parents started me young on these shows, I watched the 7th season of the West Wing when it first aired, and have seen Seinfeld for as long as I can remember. Why did all the good shows end in the late 90s? However, I do love some trashy shows on tv today. Real Housewives is so dramatic, and has no point. I think that this is the brilliance of that show. If you get a bunch of fame-hogging women together in a room, it can make for some entertaining television. I also can watch marathons of Say Yes to the Dress. It drives my brother crazy.

The shows that I absolutely cant stand are the sitcoms on today that all follow the same storyline, have poor actors, and use the same boring punch lines. Sitcom writers need to get their act together.

I think that today tv is mostly used for a social entertainment purpose. Yes commercials are trying to entice you to buy something, but I don’t think there are any subliminal messages or malicious intent in this. Of course, an excess of anything is bad, but tv in moderation can be great. But no one should like people, events, or places on tv better than those in their own lives. We need to be absorbed in whats around us, not on what is being played in a box. Lastly, you are not a bad person for liking tv. Everyone likes at least one tv show, if not then they are lying.

Everything I learned in life, I learned from Mr. Feeny.

I watch Harry Potter weekends on ABC religiously. Apart from that, Glee is really the only other show I watch, with the occasional Pretty Little Liars, SNL, and CNN.
There's a reason television is called the idiot box. The ridiculous drama and impossible storylines keep us potato-ing on the couch into the ungodly hours of the night. Sure, it gives us a break from reality. It lets us point the finger at Snooki and helps us forget our own faults, and it makes us laugh and makes us feel good...until we turn off the TV.

But that's the thing, it only lasts until we turn it off.

I'm not saying TV is bad, or watching it makes you an idiot. Like chocolate and other assorted cavity-creating things, television is only good in moderation -- especially now that we no longer have Boy Meets World and Lizzie McGuire, but The Hills and Glenn Beck. But spending hours watching a screen when the wind outside is whistling your name is when things go too far. We're a society that's revolved its schedule around its favorite TV shows. When the commercial breaks show up, we get frustrated or flip to a different channel. We are THAT upset by a 3 minute break from a show with fake characters, fake plots, and fake lives.

School usually keeps me from having a lot of free time, and though I hate it, I'm kind of glad it's caused me to stay away from the television. There are a lot of better, healthier things to do when you're bored. Reading Harry Potter is one of them.

"In Lexington, born and raised, in front of the TV is where I spent most of my days!"

Just kidding, I really don't watch that much TV. Without a doubt though, TV shows have gotten progressively worse. Not just in the I-can’t-believe-they’re-allowed-to-show-this-on-TV kind of way, but in the quality of the shows as well. Long gone are the days of Rocket Power, Boy Meets World, and Fresh Prince of Bel-air. Now they’re replaced by the obviously inferior Hannah Montana and Jersey Shore junk. Those shows aren’t even respectable!

That being said, I’m a huge Real Housewives fan. Anything on Bravo, actually. It’s hard to pinpoint the appeal of the trashy shows, but I think maybe watching all the stupid drama in other people’s lives makes me feel superior. No matter how bad my life is, at least I’m not going to court over pulling someone’s hair extensions, like in a recent The Real Housewives of New Jersey season.

The downside of TV (well one of the many downsides) is the commercials. The sheer repetition of them is enough to make anyone get annoyed. It definitely makes TV a huge medium to deliver advertisements to thousands of unsuspecting kids, like I read about in Fast Food Nation. Rather than just advertising products, however, TV advertises ways of life. Kids are going to be attracted to how the characters in their favorite show live. And now, instead of having the family in 7th Heaven to guide them, Snookie is their idol. I’m a little worried.

Friday, September 3, 2010

I wish I was apart of the cast of Modern Family

I hate to admit it, but I do love T.V. There is nothing like a good show that you watch religiously. We all have our weaknesses, and I believe T.V. is one of mine. Modern Family is epic. It is the truth, and it is also hilarious. Jersey Shore is the worst gives mankind a bad name. I refuse to watch it.

Since it is one of my many weaknesses, I do think that it is a form of entertainment and social commentary. Like most everything though, it should only be watched in moderation. Once one becomes too consumed in the likings of television, the effects can sometimes be negative.

Yes, T.V. is a delivering system for advertising products to a mass audience. That's the point of commercials. It is a source of communication with an entire population, and it is obviously more efficient than traveling salespersons. What would T.V. be without commercial advertisements? Probably a lot less frustrating. We would be able to watch our shows all the way through without interruptions, especially at the climax of each episode.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Assignment: Maim your TV?

The Emmys' broadcast Sunday night marks the beginning of the new television season. That’s right, we’ve got our old favorites: Modern Family, House, Gossip Girl, The Office, Survivor, CSI, NCIS, The Mentalist, et.al., along with some new hopefuls: The Event, No Ordinary Family, Hawaii Five-O, and $#*! My Dad Says. So what are YOUR thoughts on the subject of TV? What shows do you love? What shows do you hate? Is TV a wonderful form of entertainment, social commentary, crafted silliness creating a diversion at the end of the day? Or is TV fundamentally something more insidious: the delivery system for advertising products to a mass audience? Can it be both? 


http://www.turnoffyourtv.com/ check out the links at the bottom
 
I love me my TV—does that make me a bad person?
What are your thoughts?

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Uhhh . . . . you can call me Ceci :)

Hi there! I'm Syandene but as you already know my name is impossible to pronounce so i go by Ceci (i really don't understand why it's spelled with a -c but the name was just given to me). Here is how my name is actually pronounced:

See- as in i see you :)
On- as in im on top of the world!
Den- as in go get the chickens out of the den!
Ayy- as in ayyy girl!

So now that we have that out of the way, i can move on. Well, i play basketball for Henry Clay and i absolutely LOVE my team! I'm really tempted to try out for track in the spring but i'm just to lazy. I'm also a bit lazy when it comes to my schoolwork. I have gotten average grades almost all throughout high school, so this year i'm trying to change that up. I'm going to work my butt off and get all A's!

If i'm in the mood, i'll talk all day long. I'm not a morning person at all, so if i look like im mad in your class, that's not the case. It's just that i'm tired and i cherish every minute of sleep i get. I'm very much a night person, so i love to stay up all hours of the night. Well, that's about it!

Here is one of my favorite websites: www.stumbleupon.com
i'm also addicted to facebook, just so you know!

With 2 hours to spare


Hey, my name is Chase, and my summer this year consisted of mainly playing golf around Kentucky with friends and also in some tournaments, and watching Tiger Woods fail every week. I also flew to down to Florida for a week with my family, and now my arms are really sore. From this description of my summer you can probably tell that my goals are mainly to get better at golf and hopefully get a chance to play when on a college team.
When I look back on last school year I see a lot of easy and pointless classes with teachers that were not very good at their jobs, and I realize that I didn’t learning anything last year that’s going to help me this year. Luckily all of the teachers this year seem great so far. Last year I used Mr. Holloway’s first hour class as a study hall, and did about an hour of homework at home over the entire year, and that’s what I’m trying to work on the most this year, but I say that at the beginning of every year, hopefully it will be different this year.

My favorite website right now in espn.con

I Wish I Had A Witty and Clever Title but I Don’t. So, No Comment.


I am very aware that I’m short, thank you very much. I love to write. I appreciate satire. I really, really hope to be able to get through Junior Year alive since I’m going for all A’s this year. I’m kicking myself for last year when I was going through my "Procrastination Period." I refuse to procrastinate anymore—nothing’s worth the panic. I always have a pen on me—usually a BIC Ultra Round Stic Grip. I’m allergic to mangoes. I jammed 20 hours of volunteering service into a week during the summer--needless to say, I won't do that again. My cell phone charger hates me. Actually, most technology has some degree of animosity towards me.

I attended Governor’s School for the Arts this summer which was, hands down, the absolute best experience ever. Three weeks of artistic and personal freedom while being around so many passionate people that all truly cared about their discipline was incredible. Everyone there—the teachers, staff, and students—were all so inspiring.

I have changed my position in my family about five times. I used to be an only child until my brother was born in 2005, making me the oldest and wisest (pssh, no) until my cousin (cousins are counted as siblings in my family) came over to America to attend LCH. I got downgraded to middle child since she’s a year older. I am now officially stuck as the middle child since another cousin came over to attend UK. He’s three years older than me. I wonder how all these familial changes will affect my psychological development. Don’t middle children end up having a lower self esteem than the oldest and youngest child or something?

Oh yeah, I love random facts and quotes. For example, humans consume about 100, 500 words per day (reading and hearing). This interest in randomness makes http://www.alltop.com/ super fun. It gave me a link saying that Harry Potter will be an actual class that British college students will be allowed to take: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wear-11011279.

3,2,1 football ninja!


I’m Evander and I love sports. I play football, basketball and I run track. I also like to golf every now and then. My whole summer was devoted to football. The reason I spend so much time with football is because I’d really like to play in college. It’s my passion. I’ve been playing since I could walk basically. My dad has always been a coach and I remember summer two a days with him as a 5 year old. It was awesome! If the whole football career falls through I’d like to become a sports medicine doctor. Or just a regular doctor.
This summer I also got my first summer job. It was pretty fun. I worked at my mom’s office. She’s a state farm agent here in Lexington. All I did was electronic filing and answered phones. So basically I was a secretary. It was legit.
My favorite person in the whole world would have to be Demetrius Gay. He’s the assistant principal and the assistant coach for the football team. He’s hilarious. This year his favorite line is “Hey! Your sock’s untied” And then points at your feet. He thinks he’s the funniest person ever with this kindergarten joke. But we all love him for his “funny” jokes. My favorite website would have to be http://www.farmville.com/ because I am addicted to it!

Hello ladies, how are you?- Fantastic!




To most people I may seem boring and cold, but I’m really not at all. I like to laugh and crack jokes. Last year, my parents would say, I cracked a few too many. I need to “focus” on school they say. So, this upcoming year I plan to stay focused and develop a stronger work ethic. So far in high school I have “squeaked” by in many classes only because of a 99% grade on a final. With a tough junior year already under way, I would love to reach finals week with no stress about grades. That would be a success in my book.

This summer I got a job. It was awful. Horrible. It made me want to rip my eyeballs out of their sockets. I was “chief filer” at my dad’s office. File after file after file of medical records went through my hands every day and into one of three double-sided, spinning, industrial-sized cabinets of boringness. It’s not that the tasks were difficult, they weren’t, they were monotonous. I took away a couple of lessons from this experience. 1) I’m never doing that again, ever. 2) Sometimes you have to do things you don’t like. It’s about how you do them that matters (with a good attitude or an attitude that says: “I hate this.”).
Check this out!

my name is amy, but i don't actually have a beard


Hi! I'm Amy, but you all know that by now. I spend most of my time golfing or doing something related to Younglife because those are two things that I really enjoy doing. Also, playing piano..especially with michael obrien because, well he is pretty good and it welcomes friendly competition. From what I've heard, this year is going to be difficult and is one of the most important years in high school. That had me stressed even before school started, especially with the ACT and SAT, but if i stick to my goal of not procrastinating, I should stay on track. One very fun thing I did this summer was go to Younglife camp because it's the best week of your life! I like live music, hiking, having my license, getting letters, hammocks, s'mores, bite'n'suck waterbottles, the beach, and graeter's ice cream. I'm looking forward to HC football season, and UK basketball, and having an awesome junior year!
my favorite website is www.pandora.com

For Those Who Know Me, and Those Who Don't


I must admit that i am very proud of myself for not waiting until 11:45 tonight to write this post. I am always rushing around at the last second no matter what I do. For those who know me well, it's basically assumed that i will be ten minutes later than I claim to arrive. I just have too much crammed in my life, but that's exactly what keeps me energized. When I'm not at school, I'm playing volleyball basically all the time and trying to finish my work at any time I can find. It's not like I am all about that though, there are many things that make up yours truley. My number one hobby is acting as ridiculous as possible in a variety of ways. My favorite way of expressing my outrageousness is through "professional photoshoots", as you can see in the picture above, and impromptu dance contests, a.k.a throwdowns. Some think I'm crazy, but that's why they love me.
(And yes, it is Madison Snelling posed in the Amish fashion on the left.)
This is for you Madi:
Be grateful!

Welcome one, welcome all!




I'm Nathan, and, no, I'm not smart enough to need that sign. Big dream of mine, though.

I've found that I have a tough time describing myself, and single words have a tough time defining me very well, though recently a close friend found a good one: "eccentric." I'm a compulsive writer, and will often get sighted working on some new book or short story idea in an idle moment. I'm also horribly stubborn, and won't quit what I'm working for unless I have a plethora of good reasons. One more thing: huge nerd. I'm an intense Sci-Bi (that's someone who likes Star Wars AND Star Trek), and as I've already mentioned in class, I have a massive devotion to the Legend of Zelda video game franchise. I have beaten all but three Zelda games. In fact, I sure hope it doesn't surprise any of you that my favorite website is a Zelda forum: http://wantmidnaback.com/

Last year, I focused a lot on self-improvement, and made some major headway in almost every aspect of my life. But I also procrastinated way too much, and am going to -try- work on that and keep up with classes in addition to seeing friends outside of school. Really, if I can accomplish that, I'll be happy with my year.

Let's see, I should wrap this up with random facts about me. Well, here goes. I have a benign tumor on my jaw. I have never cried at a book, and not cried at a movie since I was six years old. In spite of this, I get really emotionally invested in plots, and never keep it hidden (see my current Facebook profile picture, Adam Malkovich, a Metroid character and one of my all-time favorite characters who will almost certainly be getting killed off in the next Metroid game. I am very sad). I've been gaining interest recently in ornithology (Please, no one ask me if I've heard the word). I have a strong spiritual fixation with cake. Lastly, I'm a true Kentuckian: I love going to UK basketball games and I hate wearing shoes.

[insert interesting title]

No, this isn't a wonderful dream.  The great Packy Atkins is indeed in your class.  I spent my freshman year at Dunbar in the Math and Science program, then transferred over here to the Henry Clay Academy.  As a hybrid of both I am obviously superior, of that there is no doubt.  I tried real hard to think of something that no one knew about me, but I share everything about myself since there is no need to hide perfection.  And I won't be doing anything different then last year and I can only hope you create a class similar to that of the Great Jason Behler.
Much like all the better things in life, my favorite websites are not deemed school appropriate, however if I had to pick one that was, it would be www.google.com, the perfect medium to fuel my ever shifting attention, the ability to go through hundreds of sites in minutes is very appealing to me.



Friday, August 20, 2010

Jane Brady.... never Jane.

Hi. I have a double name: Jane Brady. Most people think that it is strange and so do I. And no, I am not named after the Brady Bunch, thankfully. Also, please don't call me Jane or JB because I am not old enough to go by Jane and JB is just annoying. However, if you don't enjoy calling me by my double name... then just stick with JBK (my nickname). It is kind of deceiving though. You think you are saving your breath by saying my initials, but really both my full name and my initials have three syllables. Just a heads up.
I believe that this year is going to be difficult. Actually, I know it will be difficult. ACT, SAT, and PSAT.... DUN DUN DUN! I am already overwhelmed with studying and school work. I am aiming for high scores on my tests so that it will increase my chance of getting into the schools I am going to apply to.

This summer I spent an entire month at the KY Horse Park. I competed against the best riders in the country. What an experience. Intimidation crawled through my veins. I never adapted to the nerves before entering the ring. I remember seeing these riders compete before me, and it was obvious that they could do this in their sleep. Oh, and to top it off, I had to ride the ugliest horse known to mankind, which lowered the possibility of me placing. I had to have a perfect round... yeah. right. Well, the results came in, and I placed second. I think I can classify that as a seminal summer experience since it has catalyzed my riding career in the AA circuit.

As you can tell, I ride horses. They are my passion, and I aspire to be an equine vet. My love for animals has always been unconditional. The interest I have in animals, especially horses, started when I was a toddler, and my grandfather, who was a vet, would take me to his clinic and let me go "behind the scenes." Those are experiences I will always remember.

My favorite website is www.stumbeupon.com. It is very convenient when you are bored!

See ya!
JBK

Thursday, August 19, 2010

I would like to answer a question....


Hi, I’m Madison and I’m allergic to zebras. Usually, when people ask, “what is unique about you?” I always respond that way. It’s a pretty defining characteristic, but not a very flattering one. One of my goals is to do something to answer the question “what is interesting/unique about you” in a way that is ACTUALLY interesting. I hope that school this year will feel like school. Sometimes last year classes felt like a free-for-all social hour. Don’t get me wrong, I love talking with my friends and having fun, but I would also like to answer my parents question, “what did you learn at school today” with something other than, “oh, nothing really”. This summer definitely had a huge impact on my life...I went to GYLC (global youth leadership conference) and met some AMAZING people from all over the world. After that, I am ready to leave home and live abroad. Foreigners are wonderful. So basically, I am totally ready to graduate from high school. I have senoritus (sp?) and I am only in the second week of junior year. As you can tell by my picture, I love to light fireworks. I’m not a pyro, its just fun. Caroline and I were at the Greenbrier, and took this picture (and many, many others), with sparklers that we bought from some sketchy gas station.

My favorite website would have to be www.mybakingaddiction.com, which is where I found my favorite cookie recipe (pumpkin chocolate chip cookies)

This post has 222 words :)


Well, as almost everybody already knows, I LOVE all Disney movies. (Except Snow White, Pinocchio, and Dumbo. Oh, and Bambii.) Last year I spent a good portion of each day begging Mr. Holloway to let us watch Mulan or any other kind of Disney movie. So of course when my life changed this summer, Disney was involved. Toy Story 3 came out, and it was AMAZING!! It definitely lived up to the Disney standards. Sadly, this summer did not include the acquisition of my permit because I still don’t have mine, but I only have to wait one more month and then I can bore everyone to death with my driving experiences, which almost everyone has already experienced.
I also took up cake decorating this summer, and one of my goals is to improve my skills, because right now they are a little shaky. I also want to pass all of my classes this year and hopefully all of my AP tests, too. Another MAJOR goal I have is to get to the state tournament for volleyball. So, I am going to take this opportunity to tell everyone to come to our home games!! Especially the one next Tuesday, Aug. 24, because we will be raising money for Autism that night!! And you can come to other ones too. (:

Favorite Website: http://allrecipes.com/

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Essentials you need to know!


Most everyone knows me, but i just wanna say... Mihi nomen est Mitchell Miller. Obviously I take latin, but very much like school as a whole, i dont enjoy it. Every year i manage to get A's and B's with doing as little work possible. This year one of my goals is to get straight A's or A's and B's with trying. This definitely will be a tough task. Right now im working over 20 hours a week, playing golf, having a good social life and now my hardest school year i have ever had. Before school started i was able to handle the first three things with no problems. Now that schools started, i can already tell after a week that it is going to be impossible to do everything i want. Ive decided im going to not work anymore. I'm really going to miss having a job because it was nice to have a constant flow of money income. With no steady income i suppose ill have to sacrifice eating out as much. This summer i have eaten way more then i ever have in my life. I got my license, got a job and got a debit card. These 3 mixed together resulted in lots and lots of fast food! If i were at home sitting around playing some Halo 3, instead of going to my kitchen and grabbing a bite to eat. I'd run to Wendy's and get me a bacon deluxe meal. Also before an early morning golf round, i would run by McDonald's and grab some cinnamon melts. This was how my entire summer went, and of course cant even put a number on how much i spent because i used my awesome debit card. So another goal, try not to eat out as much or go anywhere for school lunch. Thats basically it for now, looking forward to the next blog...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJVwfJs8Eqo
(funniest video ever)
If you dont like my first one, try http://www.facebook.com/

AKA: LeRandy


This was a great summer. I got my first job, bagboy at idle hour country club. It was a lot of fun as well as helping out my cash flow. I was affectionately nicknamed "Randy" by my fellow idle hour employees because of my resemblence to a character from "A Christmas Story." The "le" part of the name came from "Le"bron james. This part was given to me because im pretty good at golf and so they added the le, which i guess is a pretty good compliment.

Also, a life changing event this summer was passing my drivers test. It is everything i expected it to be and more. I could never go back to the way it was before; bumming rides, calling my mom, walking...

I like country music a lot, but i also like hip hop/rap a lot too. Which is kind of an odd combination but its just what i like. Right now i'm listening to jay-z and slim shady a bunch, with a little t-swift and ALWAYS alan jackson (the man).

I like all sports a lot. Ill watching pretty much anything on ESPN. Other than sports there are 2 shows i watch: The Jersey Shore, and Pretty Little Liars. I have no idea how i started watching PLL but i did, and im hooked. The Jersey Shore is just the best show in television history. Everything on that show is hilarious. Nuff Said

For school this year, i just want to do my homework and keep my mom happy.
I think facebook is gay, but its probly the website that i go to the most. But if i dont get all the info i need from sportscenter: http://espn.go.com/ ..and the place i can catch all the notre dame basketball games that arent on tv

Ben's Junior year is just getting started

This summer was pretty good all in all. I got to go to Michigan with my family and New Orleans with my church youth group so I did a fair bit of traveling. I also swam some at Southland pool and got to spend some time with my brother Erik who had come back after a semester in Rome. To top it all off, I also got my drivers permit, which I was long overdue to get. Passed the test the first time, woo! The only downer was summer homework, but it was my fault for putting it off too long.

As a student, I hope that will be able to keep up not only with my rigorous coarse load but also with all of SAT and ACT and CATS testing that Henry Clay is going to throw at me. My goal is to get A's in all of my classes as well as prepare myself for taking 3 AP tests in the spring. I also hope to be able to get at least 6th chair in my cello section in orchestra.

My hobbies included reading manga (Japanese comics) and listening to instrumental music. Some of my favorite manga are Future Diary, Full Metal Alchemist, Black Butler and Cage of Eden. This is my favorite website for reading manga: http://www.mangareader.net/
Some of my favorite music groups are E.S. Posthumus, Bond, Escala, Skanda Music, J.W. Media Music, Epic Score, and Brand X Music. The last four groups are actually trailer music producers. Out of all these, my favorite is E.S Posthumus This is the cover of their first album:

About me

Well one interesting fact about me is that I am Irish and not just like a distant Irish that so many people claim to be both parents were actually born and grew up in the country.  I play tennis at the Lexington Tennis club and work there part time as well.  I teach little kids the fundamentals of tennis, yes I know very exciting.
I have my permit to drive with a parent but don't get my full license until December.  I am anxiously waiting for that day to come.  So the roads are safe until December.
During the summer I mostly worked at the tennis club and worked out while hanging out with friends at night.
By taking this AP English class I hope to receive an A throughout the year and pass the AP English test with a 3 or hopefully higher.
I am also an avid UK fan for both basketball and football and hope to attend many of the games this year.  Hopefully we can maintain the same success that the basketball team had last year and have the quarterback position pan out for the football team so we can win a few more games.
One of my favorite websites to check out all of the recent UK action ishttp://kentuckysportsradio.com/ 
And last year the class i probably had the most fun in was without a doubt led by this man here


me and my summer adventures!!

            Hello! My name is Kelly Ren. Junior year has officially started, and I'm already feeling the pressure of living up to the expectations of an 11th grader! Having all but one AP class, I need to set goals for myself in order to succeed in the end. I plan on paying attention and taking notes during class when I need to, having an optimistic outlook on my classes, and preparing/studying for tests/quizzes. These goals will definitely help me stay focused this year. By the end of this year, I plan on learning a lot of interesting and useful information for next year. I want to be educated on new things that I haven't gotten a chance to learn before. Also, I plan on looking into some colleges this year to get ready for senior year and college applications! I am excited for going to College when the time comes! 


          This was one of the best summers I've ever had. In a nutshell, my family and I went to China to visit relatives, the World Expo, and the Terra Cotta Warriors. A once-in-a-life-time chance, the World Expo was an incredible place. I learned so much about each country's culture and even discovered some new countries that I had never heard of before! Along with the World Expo, I was amazed at the size and vastness of the tomb of the Terra Cotta Warrios. Seeing it right before my eyes was awe-inspiring! It made me appreciate ancient history and art. It was devastating to hear that a lot of the warriors were burnt down. Nevertheless, this summer was definitely one of the most exciting trips I've ever been on!


Podium used in the Vancouver Olympics:


My favorite website- www.sporcle.com

I am "THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA" Just Kidding 'Ya! Hello I'm Alpha!


Well, lets see... There's something that I'm asked almost EVERY time I tell someone my name and that is; "Do you have a brother?" I answer, "No.. A sister." Then they will ALWAYS say, "Is her name Beta!?" Of course I laugh... ha ha. There's a few other stories about that subject but I'm not gonna go there. I don't now, but I used to play the flute and the piano. I LOVE Panera!!!! I have quite a load of animals including horses, cats, and dogs... yes.. I know it's crazy. And no, I don't live on a farm :) I love those suspense/ action/ romance movies! Recently I went to the movie theater to see Scott Pilgrim. It. Was. Hilarious! The whole theater was in laughter every second of the movie. One more thing, I don't like driving. Was never meant for the road.
My goals? Well, I want to be able to pass the SAT test that I'll be taking in a few months. That's the number one goal on my list! Honestly, I'm a terrible tester. I don't know what it is but, the more standardized the test is... the worse I do on it. Haha! Well, that's why it's a goal. The other would be to get through HCHS with better grades than last year.
Last year Holloway said, "Procrastination is death!" This is true. Remember when we had to do that huge-heck-of-a-map project? Well I died trying to get it in on time 'cos of my procrastination. Lesson learned. Will never do again. This year I hope to accomplish many things like; becoming a better cook, tester, driver, etc... If I was to do something differently this year, I'd have to say it'd be me trying harder in French class. Like that will ever happen! French is, well, out of my ballpark... so to speak. I can't do it! It wont and will never click.
As for summer... it was alright, but I didn't have any life changing experience, I think.
For my website (I know this isn't unique, but it's the best I could think of. Sorry!) http://www.youtube.com/

Keep the change, ya filthy animal.

There are 2 incredibly humongously important things you must know about me.
  1. It's JENny, not GINny.
  2. I lovelovelovelovelove Harry Potter.

I play the piano. I'm addicted to chapstick. I can't make small-talk to save my life. I love dogs. I am incapable of whispering. I love mashed potatos. I like to argue. I will name my car Hedwig. I belong to the rising statistic of teenagers who listen to their music way too loudly and will one day go completely deaf because of it. (Fun fact: favorite band = Bright Eyes. I also have Bieber Fever.)

I come from a very strange family. My mother is a karaoke-singing, pole-"exercizing", preschool teacher, and my father breakdances. They both believe the world is out to get me. My sister's not really important. My dog has a facebook. I realize this information doesn't necessarily pertain to me, but I'm not all that interesting, so.


This summer, I attended the Governor's School for the Arts for piano. I could literally write you a novella about how amazing it was, but words wouldn't do the experience justice. Long story short, being in an environment of artists (actors, singers, architects, musicians, visual artists, dancers, etc.) who absolutely love what they do brings out the best in you. I can honestly say GSA was the best 3 weeks of my life.

Favorite website, without a doubt, is http://www.mugglenet.com/

Here's your photo.



Hello! My Name Is: Rachel Geil

Howdy yourself! As I start on my journey they call junior year of high school, it hit me: I’m halfway there. I’m over the hump, livin’ on a prayer, have one foot out the door, or however you want to put it. With that… I still have no idea what college I want to attend, let alone what I want to do for a living. One thing I do know I want to do is travel a lot. For years, it’s been my bucket list to visit all the tropical places in the Beach Boys’ song “Kokomo.” I’ve been to three (Aruba, Jamaica, and the Bahamas) already and would gladly spend the rest of my life vacationing on the others.

Though I had an awesome summer, I didn’t really have a life-changing experience. However, I’m going to a Backstreet Boys (Yes, Backstreet’s back. Alright!) concert next weekend at Riverbend, and I’m pretty sure THAT will be life-altering, so I’m looking forward to it a lot!



My favorite web-related diversion: http://www.stumbleupon.com/


This picture is from Awkward Family Photos (another one of my favorite sites). Look carefully—there are 7 people in it.




Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Assignment: Well howdy pardner.

Share a bit about yourself. Here are some ideas to consider in your 150 word post. What are some of your (not your parents or your friends) goals (personal, academic, professional). What are some personal experiences that led to your success or struggles last year and how might this insight help you this year? What do you hope to accomplish this year? What will you do differently this year if anything? Discuss a seminal summer experience that changed your life (this is not "what i did on my summer vacation"). For full credit you must insert a picture or a video and a hyperlink to your favorite (appropriate) website. This post must be completed by August 21st by midnight-- that's Saturday. All other posts will be due by midnight Saturday.

Also, when you set up your profile please use your first name and not a nom de plume.