What Happened to Jim!?

            Jim was driving with his friends to Dave & Busters in Canada, but they encountered one major problem. They ran out of gas in the middle of the forest, surrounded by five inches of snow and loud, crazy Americans dancing around to Tupac and Two Chainz. Jim and his buddies were very upset because they wanted to go and watch the boring hockey game at the new renovated sports bar at Dave and Busters, but now they were stuck and did not know what to do. Jim's best friend, Todd, wanted to ask the group of  Americans twerking in the snow for help but his girlfriend would not allow him to do so. His girlfriend, Elena, was so intimidated by the Americans cool ways of living and their Tupac and Two Chainz loving ways that she did not want either of them to go talk to these native people. This meant that they would all be trapped inside of the car, without heat, in the freezing snow and below zero temperature.
           After about thirty minutes, Artayvion could not deal with these conditions any longer, so he decided to volunteer as tribute. Before he could even give it a second thought, he jumped out of the car and Elena locked the door behind him, and the Americans suddenly stopped dancing and looked at him dead on, almost simultaneously. Artayvion freaked out and tried to run back to the car, but it was too late, Elena would not let Jim or Todd allow him to get back in. After about one minute of him freaking out, he slowly turned around and faced the American people. They both stared at each other for a good three minutes until Artayvion told them, in a rush, how their car ran out of gas and they needed help. When they Americans saw how tense he was they burst out laughing and one of the guys in the group said, "Hey man, it's okay! Do not freak out, we do not bite dude! I am so sorry if our coolness is just way too much for you to handle, but it is okay, we can totally help you out."
When Artayvion heard this he let out the air he had been holding in, and responded, "Thanks...um, bro, dude, man, whatever it cool to say know-a-days. I appreciate all of your help and sympathy because you guys are totally way to cool for us Canadians-"
" Don't sweat it,"the guy interjected, "what would us Americans be if we were not helpful.
The group of Americans had the car up and running in no time, and while they were helping Artayvion, Elena, Todd, and Jim eventually got out of the car to mingle with the Americans. They all got close so fast, despite the Americans amazing differences from them, that they all decided to drive to Dave and Busters together. It was a tight fit in the car, but they made it to their destination and the American girls gave Elena some tips on how to be more amazing, and the American guys gave Jim, Todd, and Artayvion some tips on how to be cool, while they were eating and playing games. The first tip to the guys was: NEVER watch hockey for fun! Either watch basketball, baseball, lacrosse, or football. The first tip to Elena was: Do not put on so much makeup, show your inner beauty! There is no need for Canadian women to be so artificial. After this bizarre day of rescuing, in various forms, the Americans went back to the home land and none of them stayed in touch, which was good because Elena, Todd, Jim, and Artayvion did not make use of any of the tips they were given. At the end of they day, the Americans stayed cool and the Canadians stayed dorks.

                                                     THE END


Author's Note: "I do not mean to impose any harm or give any discrimination by this story. I was just trying to make it a light-hearted and funny story. I personally do not have anything against Canadians or Americans."

Change

         If I could change one thing in the world I would change all forms of discrimination. I would change this because in the world there are so many different groups of people against each other for small, petty circumstances, and this is not pleasant because it causes a lot of hate within many individuals. I feel that if everyone were to accept different beliefs that people have instead of judging them for it, then there would be less fights, disagreements, protests, wars, and even deaths. The world and society would become a more peaceful atmosphere and a more loving place for individuals to live in.
       In our world there are numerous people who fight depression and suicidal thoughts all due to the fact that they are judged for their different beliefs and individuality. Many of these people are judged due to their races, personalities, physical traits, sexual orientations, as well as sexual preferences, and for ultimately being different then another group or individual. I do not feel that this is right at all. I feel that all individuals should feel safe and comfortable in their own skin and in their own surroundings, whether or not they are at school, home, or just at the grocery store. There are many reasons as to why I feel that discrimination is wrong and I can speak on the subject for a long amount of time, but I am just going to end this piece of writing by saying that all forms of discrimination are wrong no matter who has told an individual that what they believe is right. Individuals should not be judged for who they are or how they live because after all it is their lives and their businesses, not other individuals who believe that they have a right to speak their opinions about a certain subject that does not concern them. At the end of the day, people should worry about their own lives, not about what other peoples. These are a few reasons why I would change all forms of discrimination in the world.

Keep an Open Mind

    

           One characteristic I like about myself is that I try not to be judgmental. I like this characteristic about myself because it keeps me from saying things that may cause problems, and due to the fact that I do not judge things before I try them I can keep an open mind in many situations. I have noticed that the people who always have something to say negative about an individual or a topic tend to always gossip and have a negative era about them. I am proud that I try to stay optimistic no matter the circumstances because then there is a probability that I will not miss out on friendships or opportunities that I may be able to obtain by not judging the things I am being proposed with. I remember a few years ago in school we had gotten this new student in our class and many individuals had been really cruel and malicious to her. Most people would have followed the crowd and ridiculed her in that situation because they would not have wanted to be picked on as well, and most people did follow that crowd. I on the other hand did not. I had decided to keep and open mind and actually get to know her and she turned out to be an extremely kind and funny person. The very next day, when people saw that I had given her a chance, the children that had ridiculed her began to open up to her and in the end we all became pretty good friends with her. If I had judged her without getting to know her before-hand, like everyone else did, then I would not have made a new friend that day, and I would not have learned a very important life lesson. The life lesson I learned is a cliché but a very important one. I learned that you should not judge a book by its cover because you never know what is written within the pages.

Musical Art

           Musical art is a very important aspect of my life. Most adults think that music is a waste of time because they do not see the relevance of it. In all reality, music affects people on a daily basis for multiple different reasons. Music is an outlet away from the pressure the world puts on a person, and it keeps people, especially teens, from getting overwhelmed or into bad situations that they are faced with as they mature and develop.
          Personally, music calms me down and keeps me from getting stressed out and thinking to much about what is going on in my life. In the past, music has kept me from saying very insensitive things, as well as helped me get my emotions out in my times of need. Most people would say, "How can music possibly do that!?" The answer to that question is music has the capability to help people when they are going through hard times because it is soothing and it distracts them from their internal struggles. Whether they write music, perform, or just listen to it, it can help an individual accept the things they can not change or help them become strong enough to be the change they wish to see.
         There are many different types of music that a person can listen to that may help them cope with what they are going through or just help them enjoy their time spent. I enjoy listening to all types of music, such as pop, rock, hip-hop, R and B, and even country. Although that is what I enjoy listening to, others may not feel the same way. That is acceptable because people listen to different types of music depending on their personalities and preferences.
        Adults need to realize that music is a way for people, maybe even their children, to express themselves. For some individuals, including myself, music is a remedy to help them overcome obstacles by keeping them level-headed and grounded. The next time that an adult thinks that music is meaningless and useless, they need to sit back and really think because music touches peoples' lives and hearts every single day. There are multiple stories about individuals who heard a song or album that changed there perspective on an idea that they had once believed true. The adults that think music is unnecessary need to learn not to judge something without knowing the deeper meaning behind it. I believe that adults in this century must keep an open-mind as the technology and music develops because they may be surprised. Like they say, "You learn something new everyday."
       

If Money Were No Object...

     If money was not an object, I would be a psychologist for a living and get my Psy. D. I would aspire to be a psychologist because I would want to mentally help the people in need who are going through hard times in their lives. Being a psychologist would impact society in a very positive way because there are many individuals who are struggling mentally in the world and due to this they are striking out against their loved ones, society, and even strangers. This is not fair for the people the individuals surround themselves with because they have to cope with the anger, sorrow, despair, confusion, and remorse that the patient may inflict on them when in a bad state of mind. Their acquaintances should be enjoying their lives and the company of the conflicted people, not watching every little thing they say or do around them.
    The victim of the mental unstable-ness deserves the chance to obtain a happy and healthy life with a positive mindset as well. The problem is that a lot of the people who need the help can not afford to pay for it or they are not educated as to how to obtain help. This is where I want to come in and try to help as many people as possible by opening a building where individuals can be educated, treated, and helped with whatever they may be going through or experiencing in their lives. This will lead society to being less aggressive and negative to more up-beat and positive because there will be more clear-minded people that will not cause uproar within different cities. They will instead be a happy influence on people around them and some may even try to reach out to people who are still in need or other organizations with other causes, which in the end will better society. These are the reasons why I would choose to be a psychologist if money were no object.
 

An Activity I Enjoy Doing

      One activity I enjoy doing the most is spending time with my family. When I am around my family I can be completely myself and act weird, so we make it extremely fun when we are together. There are many different thing that my family and I enjoy doing together during our free time. One thing we love to do is have bonfires in our backyard with our fire pit and roast smores', snuggle up in blankets, and tell stories. I love moments like that because it is pure family time with everyone laughing and enjoying one anothers company as the night goes still and quiet, while the glow of the fire slowly fades away. Those are some of my favorite moments.
        Another thing I enjoy doing with my family is acting goofy and singing and dancing along to music. The reason why I love doing this with them is because those are the times when we laugh the hardest and all the sadness, anger, and attitudes are put to the side so that we can just make new memories together that we can look back on when we are older and things are changing in our lives.
       Finally, I love going to parks like Days Dam or to zoos', etc, with mi familia. I love it because we all get to explore and learn new things with each other that we had not known before which makes the experiences,  time, and money spent way more valuable in my eyes. These are the very few activities that I enjoy doing with my family and the list is endless because at the end of the day those are the moments we will hold onto and grasp when it feels as if life is out to get any one of us. Those are the main memories that will matter and keep us going along our individual journey's through time.

The One Thing I Would Like To Change

       If I could change one event in my life it would be that I was not there when my grandfather, Cirilo Serrano, passed away. My grandpa had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's when I was about eight years old so I did not get to know him that well. As I grew older, his memory and the person he was slowly deteriorated, which is another thing I would change in my life. But right now I am talking about his death.

      Throughout the years after he was diagnosed, he lost three brothers to Alzheimer's as well and his health was a roller coaster as his disease got more widespread. Then when I was thirteen years old his health reached an all time low. The Sunday before he died was the day before I had to leave for my Washington D.C. and Philadelphia trip, and that same day we had gotten a call from the nursing home. When we arrived he was in bad health, and I could not believe that this was happening the day before it was time for me to go. I had hoped that he would make it through or hold on until I got back home, but that is not how it happened.
My grandfather had died that Wednesday, May 9th, 2012 at 3:32 AM. I had found out through a text message from my cousin in the middle of the afternoon, and when I read it I could not control my tears and I broke down. Although it is sad and tragic that I could not be there to say goodbye to my grandpa, I know that everything happens for a reason so I am certain I was not meant to be there during that moment. This is something that I have grown to accept over the past year.

       If I had been there I would have been affected in two ways. One, I would probably be scarred from having to see him take his last breath and go through the pain and agony I am sure he went through, but I would at least be there with my family and have support when it happened. Secondly, I would feel better and not live with the regret of not being able to say my goodbye. Despite all of this, I know that me not being there has made me a stronger person and has opened my eyes to how sudden death can come. I now know that no matter what someone goes through in their life, it will make them stronger and they WILL get through it.

His obituary

Cirilo Serrano 2007, A little after he was first diagnosed.

My grandpa washing one of his classic cars that he loved so much. 1970's

 

My grandpa, Cirilo Serrano, and grandma, Carmen Serrano, on their wedding day with close family. 1973

My grandpa's grave site. R.I.P Grandpa. I love you.

Something I Value

          One of the things I value the most is my friendship with Rachel Freeman. I value my friendship with Rachel because she is one of the few people that I can tell anything to without feeling judged. This is important to me because now a days it is hard to find friends who will stick by a persons side through whatever they are going through and not turn on them or tell people their business. That is why I am not a very open person and it is hard for me to trust people, but I can honestly say Rachel is one person who I can completely trust and turn to if I need someone to be there for me or give me advice. This is the reason why she knows the most about me compared to many other people. She is someone who can make me smile at my worst moments, help me cry or scream if I need to get my emotions out, and someone who can either calm me down or get as angry as I am in certain situations. Rachel is one person I know that will be by my side through thick and thin.

Rachel is one of the few amazing people in my life who I can trust with my past, my present, and future because I know that she will not turn on me or give all my secrets away. She will just be there to keep me laughing and smiling through my struggles. I feel strongly in my heart that we will stay friends after high school and stay by each others side even when it feels as if the world is out to get us. In life people turn on each other as fast as lightening which is why I surround myself with people who are genuine and real, just like Rachel. These are the reasons why my friendship with Rachel Freeman is one of the things I value the most.

The Most Interesting Thing I Did This Summer...

The most interesting thing I did this summer was get to know my uncle, Collin. Since I know what you are thinking, let me clarify. No, I did not just meet my uncle. I had met him when I was about five years old, but I did not get to know him until this summer. The reason as to why I am just beginning to form a relationship with him is because he lived about 2,020 miles away in Seattle, but in May he moved to Ohio and now I see him more often.

Even though he is my uncle, do not think he is an old geezer because he is only twenty-one as of July fourth. Throughout the last three months, I have gotten to know him very well. For example, I know he is a huge dork, but it is all good because everyone is in their own their individual ways, he can be weird which is good because he can fit in with my sisters and me, he is one of the sweetest people you can ever meet, he is really random, and so funny. Although he is weird, random, and funny, he does know when to be serious and mature which is good because now a days people think everything is a joke, which it is not. These are all great qualities about my uncle and I am happy that I have gotten closer to him. Before I had not known him and now I find it amazing how great we get along. This is the most interesting thing I did this summer, and even though it is not as great as other people's it is perfect to me.

Mariyah Adrianna Judson

Mariyah Adrianna Judson
Each part of my name has many different meanings to me and others surrounding me.
Mariyah
For my mother, Mariyah means her first born child,
It means the one who taught her how to be a mother and how to handle many responsibilities thrown her way.
Mariyah may be a longer version of her name, Maria, but it is a name that will be engraved in her heart forever.
Mariyah Adrianna Judson
For my father, Mariyah means the same to him as it does to my mother.
I was their first child and this is why I will forever hold the keys to both of their hearts.
As for my middle name, Adrianna, it as interpretation of my father's name, Andre.
And Judson
That is my last name, my sisters' last names, my father's last name, my grandma's last name, etc.
And it is important to all of us because we all know it links us all together like a chain holding charms full of memories.
It is a last name in which we all share, that has been passed down through generations and it links us to numerous family members leading back in time.
Judson is a name that bonds my father and me together on multiple levels.
My name means many things to many other people as well.
But to me.
Mariyah Adrianna Judson is my identity, it is what I make of it.
I can choose who I want to be, and as my life progresses I get to choose many different paths.
And going along with me down the "yellow brick road" will be my name..Mariyah Adrianna Judson.
It makes me who I am, and it may not be the coolest, most unique or best name out there.
But it is what I've got to make the best of along my journey through life.
For me, my name carries a tide of never-ending stories and possibilities, just like the oceans carry many treasures along their never-ending voyages all across the Earth.

Forgive and Forget

   
           There are many different rules for different aspects of life. My number one rule that I find important is to forgive and forget. This is my number one rule because in life if a person carries grudges and holds hate in their heart then it will be a challenge for them to truly be a happy and positive person. Another reason as to why this is my number one rule is because if an individual holds animosity towards another person then they will end up clinging to the past instead of moving towards their future with a positive, clean slate. The last reason that explains why this is an important rule is that everyone makes mistakes and although it is easier said than done, people should forgive individuals who mistreat them because in the end they are the ones who improve. Then they need to forget and completely move on with their lives. These are the reasons why forgive and forget is my number one life rule.