Spring Cleaning

Yes, I know it's not spring. I just think that "summer cleaning" sounds a bit odd. Anyway, that's what I've been doing. I'm not particularly good at it, but I realize it must be done. Or, rather, my mother realized it, and told me to do it. I am currently taking a break, and I am also hoping that my mother doesn't see me and tell me to go pressure wash the house. I am not looking forward to that job.

As I was sorting through all the wires and videogame cases in my bonus room, where I have been spending most of my summer thusfar, I began to notice that I hadn't seen this stuff since the last time I had cleaned. Sure, I still use some things, but others had fallen behind the brown case below my (very nice) television. I could sell 25% of what I found there and make $100+, but since I am like so many other americans, I am a pack-rat in denial.

If I were to sell that 25%, I would never miss it. I just can't seem to get around to it. The way that I see it, you're neighbor (or you even, or anyone to be honest) could go through your house, take out 20% of all the stuff, and you would never know it was missing. If everyone in China were to have as much stuff as the average American, the entire earth would explode from lack of space to put all that crap. (I got this from my father's ideas, I must give credit where credit is due.)

So, even though I don't like cleaning, I suppose that it has its upsides. I increased the space in the bonus room by almost 10 square feet, just by cleaning up a little. Which is surprising. Differed gratification is the phrase to use in this sercumstance (also from my father). Do one thing that you dont really want to do, and you get something that will improve your life. Or your living standards at least.

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Golf

Hello again. I am sitting here once again, with nothing to do. So, I thought that I would write about golf. Not an interesting subject for those who don't play or watch it, but none the less a subject. I am currently watching the Peek'n Peak Classic Nationwide Tour, and I can't help but think whether or not these professionals care about anything else.

America seems to have a fixation with sports. The national passtime, baseball, or the most watched sport (as I see it), football, or any other sport. We just can't get enough of it. Golf, however, doesn't have as large of a fanbase as baseball, basketball, or football. Part of that has to do with the fact that most people find golf a "prep" sport. A few hundred years ago, golf was only for the richest of people, and only if you were high in the social standings.

In some way, that generalization is still in the minds of americans. I enjoy playing golf, but it's a different view from this side of the glass. By that I mean, if you're a non-golfer, you have different views of the sport than if you're a golfer. I dont see golf as a sport for the rich. Sure, it's not as fast paced as many other sports. Hockey for one is great fun to watch, because things can change very quickly. I watched the Stanley Cup final this year for the first time, and I found myself screaming at the television, which I dont do very often.

Since my family is from Africa, the sports that I know are different than the sports that my friends know. They all grew up with their fathers teaching them the fundamentals of basketball or baseball. Later he taught them how to throw a football correctly. Thats not how I grew up. My father was a world class (for his age at least) cricketer and he even had his own cricket clinic through which he taught people how to play during the summer. Since I grew up here, in America, he never shared his knowledge with me. If you went up to anyone walking on the street and asked them what a wicket is they would probably say something on the lines of "what? You mean a basket?"

So, I grew up without the standard sports of America. Instead, I was on my schools track team. Running, everyone knows how to run. It doesn't matter where you're from, you know how to run. It's one of your basic instincts. Well, not really, but it is easy. I was good, the team was not. Another example of where life didn't searve me a dog biscuit (read Dog Biscuits to understand that, it's another of my entries). But it was fun, I got to know this really great girl (that was the best part) and I won an award.

So, this entry hasn't really been about golf after all, but rather sports in general and what they mean to me. That happens a lot, I get off track really easily. Not when I'm running on one though (a track that is). So sports has a minor part in my life, but it is there, none the less.

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42

Yup, another boring day of summer. Nothing to do, but sit here and type. About what? Nothing really, just whatever pops into my head. Broccoli (it was the first thing I thought of). Well it's later, so I may as well explain the number 42.

To all of those who have read/seen the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, you may stop reading now.

To all of those who haven't read/seen the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, you may find it helpful to do so.

So, the number 42. The answer to the ultimate question. What is the ultimate question you ask? who knows. After all, it is just fiction. And, it is just a number. six times seven. 50 minus eight. Anyway you think of it, it's a number. But to me, it's a symbol. A symbol of life. I know, it sounds a bit odd, but what else but a number? There are things that represent peace, war, happiness, and everything inbetween. Except for life.

So whenever I see the number 42 pop up randomly anywhere in the universe, it brings a smile to my face. I dont really know why and even if I did it would probably take much too long to type it all out.

So, there I leave it. If you have any questions (which I suspect you do), read the book. If you're not the type of person who either has enough time to read it or just doesn't like reading, watch the movie. You dont have to take anything from it, just watch it.

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Dog biscuits

A simple idea: dog biscuits. A dog does something good, it gets a biscuit. Take that theory, and apply it to the human life cycle. If a person does something right, they get something in return. Not so much... Everyone knows it, life isn't fair. Nor does it give a crap that you studied for 8 hours and got a D on your final (semi-true story). If you're like me, you have a dog, or two. They sometimes dont even have to do anything right in order to get a treat. Again, doesn't quite transalte to help us out.

In my household, if you're an animal (which I hope none of you reading this are), you're set. Note: this only applies to animals. If it were to help out everyone, I could sell tickets for over seven million dollars. Matinee tickets for six million. Luxury for the dogs, screaming and shouting for me. Good thing dogs cant understand english, or spanish, or afrikaans for that matter.

So, life, in general, isn't fair. As we look upon the tabloids we see unique instances of where a rather large dog biscuit has been served. But look closer and you will see that the "rather large dog biscuit" is ironically, made for dogs. Therefor, you have nothing to worry about. How did I reach that conclusion? Not sure really. I'll go back to what I've been saying this whole time. Life isn't fair. Everyone has a life don't they? If they don't chances are they arn't in the tabloids.

So if there is something that is bothering you while you're reading this, just think. Somewhere in the world there is someone who has gone through it already. And although there are no dog biscuits served to humans, life has strange ways of repaying us. So just go watch your favorite movie, and before you know it you'll have large check in your name written out for the amount of "happiness".

Remember: It's not always that easy

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Hm, I wonder...

Hm... My first blog ever... I'm not sure exactly what to think about it and what I am supposed to talk about, however it is summer and i find myself with a lot of extra time to waste. To start off, I am 13 years old, but dont let that fool you into thinking that i'm a normal teenager. In ways I am, but when comparing myself to some of my friends I find that I am much more mature than some of them. Not that that would make much of a difference to anyone out there (unless by some strange coincidence my friends end up reading this, and even if they did they wouldn't know who I am) I just thought it was necessary information considering this is my first blog. My family is a strange one, as most people's are. Behind closed doors of course. We are all African-American, however we are white as paper. Yes, it is possible. My parents immigrated from South Africa before I was born. So I claim to be the whitest African in America (or at my shool at least). My parents are divorced, but right now that is all I am willing to say on that subject. I spend afternoons with my dad because my mom works a 9-5 job (well, really it's like a 9:30AM-6:00PM, and then 8:00PM-3:00AM once she gets home) at a clinical research company. Not that my dad's unemployed or anything, it's just easier for him to bring things home considering he's a professor of buisness strategy. I spend most of my days now playing video games (often) or reading (not as often). Just as a note I cannot spell to save my life, or the lives of all the people in China for that matter. I find that when I write, my composition changes completely. As I am typing on my keyboard (which is on one of the crappiest laptops available, it doesn't even have a CD drive) and read back on the black text I see above, I think to myself, there is no way I would talk to my friends like this. No way. Well I thank all of you who have taken the time to care about my new blog. I plan to write at least one more, so look out for me.

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I'll explain later