Am I a Child of the West?

I think I am a child of the west for many reasons. Before I continue, I would like to mention that the western culture is very different from how the western culture was perceived in the 1800's. Now, the western culture is perceived as a relaxed and easy-going culture. Many think of California as a place where many people don't care about what they will do later in life....... I do not place myself into that category. Although I am very focused with my studies, I am most definitely a California girl. I love to be by the beach and have all of the possibilities in a day that California offers. For example, when I wake up, I have the opportunities to do anything that I feel like that day. I could go surfing, freeboarding, or hiking.  This is why I categorize myself as a western child.

My Coming Of Age

If I had to choose one moment that could be considered a "coming of age" experience, it would be my first summer doing Junior Lifeguards when the director approached me out of the blue and asked if I would like to sing the national anthem for a competition which was the next day. I had never sung the national anthem before, I was 11 years old, and I had no idea what the words were. So naturally, I did not want to do it alone. My best friend at the time also was a singer and so I asked if she wanted to do it with me. She said yes. As fast as wind we grabbed our phones and asked our parents my friend could come over after Junior Guards and we could practice. They said yes. We practiced for what seemed like 100 hours, making sure everything sounded as nice as we could get it (and memorized the words). The next morning, my friend and I climbed the scaffolding, as tall as the Empire State Building, and sang our hearts out in front of more or less 2,000 people. There was everyone from our Santa Barbara organization, parents, grandparents, siblings, and competitors, then multiplied by 9 for all the other regional organizations that were attending. It was terrifying, but we finished the song and it felt so good to know that we had conquered our fears. My fear of heights, and the fear of performing that we both knew well.


                                 

How do I want to be remembered?

I want to be remembered as someone who was happy and excited to live life and that I did something I feel proud of doing. I want my relatives to know me as someone who had a purpose in life and succeeded to the best of my ability. I would hope this sense of drive is passed on to my relatives and I hope to be someone that laughs constantly. I hope to be one of those super witty and hilarious grandparents that their kids love to be around. In general, I want to live a long and exciting life that I can laugh about in the years to come.

What is my identity? How do I define myself?

Sing, Surf, Sun


    Sing- I have always been involved with music, whether playing piano, guitar, ukulele or singing. It is one of my favorite things to do. I can not imagine a world without music. It honestly makes me sad to think about this.

   Surf- I have always been a water child. I cannot be away from the ocean for a long period of time. My favorite thing to do is go surfing, swimming or freeboarding. The beach is my favorite place in the world.

   Sun- I love to be outside. If it is sunny and warm, you will never find me inside. I could be surfing, at the beach, or playing volleyball.

My favorite day that I have ever lived was when I was in the sun the entire day. At 9am my friend and our dads went out on their boat and freeboarded, surfed and laughed the whole day until sunset when we went to the harbor to get sushi. I have no idea why this day has stuck with me, but it has, and I know that it was my favorite day.

My Revolution

        There are so many things about this world that aren't perfect. There are so many things that I would like to change. The problem is, my opinion isn't the only opinion in the world, and I can't say I know mine is the best. Although I am only a kid, I do know one thing: people should have the right to follow whichever religion they choose, if any religion at all.
        The fact that people in this day and age are trying to dictate who can do what is absolutely astonishing to me. America has done a pretty good job making it okay to believe what you want, however some outside of the nation's borders still have an incredibly judgmental mind. However much we try to protect the people inside America, there will always be those who want to spread what they believe, and the measures they are taking is affecting America. For example, 9/11. For some reason, the extremists in the Islamic religion thought it was okay to fly planes into arguably the most famous buildings in the world and kill 2,000 people. In what world is that okay?
      The measures that some are taking to persuade others to their religion is getting out of hand. This is why I chose my revolution to be religious freedom for all.

My Quest....... ?

What is my quest?

I hope to be wrapped in the cloths of success by the time I reach 40. I hope to have happiness smiling down at me constantly. I want to be ensconced in fun times and memories with my family and closest friends. I hope to live long, and have no regrets. To be honest, I have no idea where my life will lead me or what roads I will turn down. I have no idea where or when I will encounter the hills or valleys, or ups and downs of my quest. All I know is that I will be myself and no one will tell or persuade me otherwise. Here are some quotes that represent me in a sentence, and a picture.....

Autopia

A perfect society in my opinion would be where greed and evil are replaced with compassion and kindness. Where everyone is accepted for who they are, and where the environments on Earth are respected for their perfection. Kids would build on their talents in their education, not waste their time learning something they will never use. I would like to create a world where adults are making money doing something they absolutely love, and do not throw away their life just for their kids. A world where there is a perfect balance between relationships. Also, everyone would be friends and face to face was the only way to communicate, however posting pictures would be acceptable. There would be no landlocked cities, so everyone loved the beach, however people had very different interests. The justice system would be fair, and bias of characteristics did not exist. Everyone would be able to believe what they think is real and right, and their beliefs were respected by others. The arts are always accepted and this is the basis of education. This is Autopia.

Who I Am

"We have been studying and writing creation myths, and now it's my turn to introduce myself on this blog. I'll use the BIG questions about my identity, meaning, and purpose that creation myths explore as my inspiration. Here are 8 things that provide some insight about who I am."

        • I come from New York, New York

        • Friends, Family, Nature, and Music all matter to me

        • I love the sun, surfing, and singing

        • I have no idea where I am going, but I am excited to find out.

        • I dislike when people read aloud problems, or books but mumbling.

        • I hope for a happy life that is full of adventures

        • All I need is music in my heart, a roof over my head, food in my stomach, friends and family               around me, and the ocean near.