"Good Things Happen to Good People" Part One

I am a part of the award winning Happiness Incorporated show choir in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Happiness has been around since 1967, and has been an amazing group ever since. I have written about my experience performing as a “Fab Fiver” for the first time in a previous blog. However, this blog is a little different: it is about pride and being grateful.

Ever since July, we have been working to perfect our show for this year. The talent that lies within the group is unbelievable, and my director has been telling us that for three years he has dreamed about this group and the success that we would hopefully have. Like any newcomer, I was a bit nervous to be a part of this group; they have been grand champions many, MANY times and have had countless amounts of recognition. Coming into this group was a shock, but I was ready because I had rightfully earned my spot. I have dreamed about being in this group, and this year it finally happened.

Like many groups, we have travel jackets. However, our travel jackets are unlike those of any other group. They are bright yellow and we call them “Banana Jackets” because when we walk around in them, we look like a stampede of bananas coming to attack. I have always wanted a “Banana Jacket” of my own, and the day I finally got my jacket was amazing. It said my name on it; it had my pins; it was all mine. I finally had people asking to wear MY jacket instead of the other way around. When I put on this jacket, I feel a great sense of pride. I know that people recognize me as a member of Happiness Inc., and when they see me wearing it, I somehow get their respect. It is known that someone who wears a “Banana Jacket” has worked extremely hard for it.

Throughout our three-month-long show choir season, we went to six competitions. Out of those six events, we won FIVE. We made history by setting that record. In the history of Happiness Inc., they have never won more than three competitions, and we won five. This was an amazing accomplishment; we will forever be the year to beat. These five grand champions were not just given to us however, we earned them. We have been working our tails off for a good six months; we spend at least twelve hours a week rehearsing and perfecting our show. We all put in our best effort because we strive to be the best. Because we all have the same goal, we all work together. When we work together, it makes us a family.

Sisters: You Love 'Em, You Hate 'Em

We all want what we can’t have. And when we finally get it, we aren’t always happy with it. When I was little, all I wanted were siblings. I didn’t necessarily care if they were older or younger; I just wanted someone to be around all of the time to play with.

I was an only child until I was about seven. Then I gained two older step sisters and when I was nine, I gained a little baby sister. “Gaining three sisters in a matter of two years?” This was astonishing to me; I went from being the only one worried about to having to wait in line. This was something new to me; I had never experienced anything like it before. I was excited to finally have someone to play with! However, I didn’t realize that having that much estrogen in the house all at once could also cause some issues.

My oldest step sister Nicole came to permanently live with us when she was fourteen and I was ten. Like any ten-year-old, I was always eager to know what was going on, when it was going on; I wanted to know every detail about everyone’s life at every moment of the day. My step sister (I will now start referring to her as my sister) was a moody teenager who wanted nothing to do with me or anyone else, besides her friends. This is when conflict started. We would constantly butt heads and she always found me annoying; the only reason I was annoying to her was because I didn’t know how to relate to her. We weren’t very close then because she was experiencing things I knew I wasn’t experiencing, let alone understand for years to come. Because she couldn’t talk to me about them, it put a barrier between us. This was hard for me because the sister I had always wanted was in the room next door, but I felt like I could never converse with her for the fear of feeling stupid or naïve.

Now that I am 17 and my sister is 21, we are able to relate to each other more. She can come to me with her problems because she knows that I will learn from them and that I will give her helpful advice. Although I may not truly understand what she is going through, I have a better mindset to try to piece together the helpful advice I may give her. I know that whenever I have a problem, I can always go to her because she has been through more things then I have and has lived through them. Being able to talk to someone about issues you know they experienced just makes me feel better and it reinforces that everything will be okay. Now that we have both grown up and matured, we are closer. We have become like real sisters. We joke around with each other, we fight, we nag, we do all of the sisterly activities. Growing up can really change a person and bring them closer together. With the transformation she and I have been through, that is really clear to me now. Although we may not have the same DNA, we are truly sisters.

Although having sisters may be tough, it is also a learning experience. People always say that you learn from your mistakes; however, having older sisters, you can learn from THEIR mistakes; I know my younger sister can learn from the mistakes that I have made by seeing them and learning from them. She will be a better person, just as I have been made a better person by watching my older sisters. The fighting and nagging may get tough but it is all worth in the end. Having someone there for you, someone who understands just what you are going through, and someone who can relate to you is just what everyone needs. Everyone needs an older sister to look up to, and I am glad that I have mine.

Birthdays

As we grow up, lives change. We go from wanting to be older to wanting to be younger. We make a transition with birthday gifts and how we choose to celebrate our birthdays as well. However, when does this change occur and why does it occur?

When I was little, the most exciting time of year was always my birthday! It comes right after Christmas, so I was always told to make a combined list of things I wanted. Because Christmas and my birthday are so close, I knew that whatever I didn’t get for Christmas, I was most likely going to get for my birthday. There were always a multitude of presents I just HAD TO HAVE and it always seemed that my lists were way to long and way too complex. However, as I have grown, my birthday has stayed the same. I still make a Christmas list and a birthday list combined and my family chooses which items they want to give me for Christmas, and which to save for my birthday. However, as I have gotten older, it has become harder and harder to come up with things to ask for. I have also come to realize that Christmas and birthdays aren’t always about what you receive; it is about the time together with family and friends and about making memories. However, it still seems that we (at least I any way) always ask for more, even if we don’t need it. Now, being 17, I have noticed a switch from asking for Barbie dolls and American Girl doll clothes to just asking for money. Money? Really? Money doesn’t always seem like an “appropriate gift” or so my family has told me. When my family says this, I find myself trying to come up with actual gifts, but most of the time it is just STUFF and this is stuff I don’t really need. I am a 17-year-old girl and I would much rather have money in my wallet then my room cluttered with a bunch of junk I don’t need. My life has changed, and I know that as I grow older I will keep finding more things to ask for when I really need them, such as items for college, but in the meantime, I don’t like having to scrape way down low to try to come up with some ordinary object to ask for.

When I was little, the most exciting thing to do was planning my birthday party. I worked hard to come up with ideas on what fun activity we could do. My birthday was always a tough one to try to schedule though because it is in the middle of winter. I had a variety of birthday parties: bowling, sleepovers, indoor play centers, hotel parties, dinner and a movie, etc. I always managed to come up with something “fun” to do with all of my buddies. However, when I started becoming a teenager, birthday parties became completely overrated. It may have been just my lazy-teenager hormones kicking in, or just the fact that I didn’t consider them fun anymore. I never had a “Sweet Sixteen” and I stopped having any sort of friend gathering when I got to high school. It became more of a hassle to try to have a party then a pleasurable thing to do. Now, I would much rather go out to dinner with my family and a couple of friends WITHOUT the expectation that a gift should be brought; it is more fun now when things are more laid back.

I still haven’t been able to pin-point exactly when it was that I stopped wanting things and stopped wanting birthday parties. It wasn’t that I didn’t care anymore; it just didn’t seem like that big of a deal. When I was 5, it was HUGE to turn 6 because I knew that I was moving from filling up one hand to show my age, to having to use BOTH hands; something about gaining another year felt different. However, now that I have turned from 16 to 17, it doesn’t feel any different. Yes, I am another number older; big whoop. What is most important isn’t the gifts and the celebrations, it is about being alive and making my life count.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Many people are affected by Alzheimer’s disease every year. There are organizations that are trying to find a cure for Alzheimer’s but so far they have not had any luck finding a cure to this awful disease. This disease doesn’t physically harm those who suffer from it, but it does harm those with family suffering from it. My great-grandmother had Alzheimer’s and it scares me because I know it is genetic.

My great-grandmother Josina suffered with Alzheimer’s for many years before it took her life. It was hard not only on her, but also on those who loved her. I never got to meet her because the “real” her was gone long before I came along. However, even though I never got to meet her, I still hear stories about her all of the time. My grandmother will tell me stories about her mother from when she (my grandma) was a little child to when she saw her in the care center. The two women I hear about are completely different and it never ceases to amaze me how much one disease can change a person. It is hard listening to the stories of my great-grandmother and how she acted after the disease hit her. It scares me knowing that this could one day be me, or any of my other family members.

Recently, Alzheimer’s has been more prevalent in television shows and movies. Some popular ones would be, The Notebook and Grey’s Anatomy.  I cry every time I see these because it makes me realize what my grandmother and other family members went through trying to help my great-grandmother. Because Alzheimer’s is being put on the main stream media, it is bringing awareness to this horrendous disease. I can only hope that one day there will be a cure. 

This year my school did a fundraiser for The Alzheimer’s Walk. I raised some money but unfortunately I was not able to participate in the walk. From what I heard, the walk was quite successful and many people showed up. It is nice knowing that people out there are trying to find a cure to help those suffering. I just hope that something could have been discovered sooner so I could have gotten to know my real great-grandmother. Hopefully in the future people will keep trying to find a cure. Alzheimer’s disease is not only a disease that wears one down, but it also hurts those exposed to it.

Spread the Word to End the Word

Every year in March my school does a day called, “Spread the Word to End the Word”. This is a day used to celebrate people with disabilities. It is a day where cookies, bracelets and stickers are passed out to those that sign a pledge to stop the usage of the “R” word. I have always been an active member in not using the “R” word out of respect, but not everyone is as respectful. By having a day to stop the spread of the “R” word, people are making others aware of the harm they are doing by saying that word. “Spread the Word to End the Word” is a day of respect to those who don’t always get the respect they disserve.

I have always been extra aware of the “R” word. This is because I have a cousin with Down syndrome. My cousin’s name is Jeff (we call him Jeffy) and he is one of the nicest, most lovable men you will ever meet. I have known Jeffy my whole life and I have been aware that he has had Downs. Although Jeffy may not be exactly like many of us, he is still a human being that disserves nothing but the same respect he gives everyone else.

When people use the “R” word, I personally take it offensively. With some people, it just roles off their tongue and I am not afraid to say something when it does. However, some respond with, “I don’t even know when I say it.” That is crap. We all have filters and our brains think before we speak. It is not fair to give that as an excuse because it is not legitimate. We know what we say when we say it. Calling someone with a disability is degrading to them and hurtful to others that are affected by it. When people use the “R” word, they are calling the mentally challenged stupid, and that is not fair. They are the same as us; we all have problems and theirs are just more visible.

As I walked by the table with the pledge and I saw all of the names of people who pledged, it gives me a sense of relief. It makes me happy to know that people are willing to help make an effort to stop and watch what they say so people like Jeffy aren’t hurt by their words. My only hope is that they stick to what they say. As my mom always says, “Say what you mean and mean what you say.” Using the “R” word is not only degrading, but it is hurtful and everyone should make a change and not say it; they wouldn’t only be helping the challenged, but also themselves.

Family Memories

I write this as I am sitting in my family’s beach house on St. George Island, in Florida. I come down here every year on Spring Break to spend time with my family on the beach. I have so many great memories here and I know I will continue to make more memories. Every year that we come down here, I am reminded of how great family time is and how precious it really is.

You would think that everyone has a family and yes this is true. However, even though you may have a family by birth, a true family is more than that. Family to me is a group of people you couldn’t imagine living with constantly, but you know you couldn’t live without them; they are people who are always there for you no matter what; they always provide a shoulder to cry on; they are the ones you want to laugh with; they are the ones you want to spend all of your time with. My family fits this definition perfectly. Although we sometimes get annoyed with each other, we know that we wouldn’t trade any one of us for the world.

I started coming to Florida when I was two; although I don’t remember as much back then, I still have some memories. As the years have gone on we have brought the same people back and we have brought others. (New faces are always nice because it mixes things up a bit.) While we are down here, it gives us all a chance to reconnect. Even though the immediate family all lives within three hours of each other, we don’t always get a lot of time together throughout the year. When we are all in the same house for a week, it gives us a chance to catch up and get involved in each other’s lives for a while.

While we have lost some who used to come down here with us, it really shows that family is truly an important thing. The memories we make down here and the bonds we form are priceless. Without some of this time, many of us would not be as close as we are. Although on week in a house with four bedrooms and ten people may seem to get a little crowed, it always seems to be fun. Yes, there may be times where we get a little “snippy” with each other, but we always remember that these times are irreplaceable. Family is more than blood, it is forming a bond and loving each other and wanting to spend as much time together as we can. I don’t know where I would be without my family, and boy am I ever so grateful for them.

Technology in Today's World

As time has progressed, so has technology. My mom often reminds me that when she was in high school, she had to type her papers on a typewriter and use whiteout whenever she made a mistake. Now however, I use a computer for almost everything. Computers have transformed from big, boxy things to a little on-the-go device. Because of these new devices, it is making it a lot easier for average human beings to communicate with the outside world. Now, everything can be done with the touch of a finger.

My friend Adam was one of the first people I knew to get the iPad. He was so excited when he got it two years ago. Now, the iPad has three generations. If you look at Adam’s iPad (the first generation) to the newest one, there is a big difference.  The availability of iPads and iPhones have transformed the world. Everywhere I go now I see someone using their iPhone. In school, about half of the student body owns an iPhone, and many bring their own personal iPads to school (even Adam). The invention of these nifty little devices has made society a different place. There is no longer a need for an actual dictionary, you can just pull it up on your phone; there is no real need to print photos, you can just bring them up on the screen. These devices are enabling human beings to do more and transforming the world.

A question never goes unanswered anymore because of the technology within our little palm. Yes, this is nice occasionally because it allows those impatient humans an answer right away. However, it takes away the searching and the wondering. We lose a sense of wonder when we can just pull up the answer right away and the access to technology is allowing someone else to think for us.

If we keep allowing new technology into our lives, it will eventually take over; it basically already has. When someone says, “I don’t own a phone” (let alone an iPhone) or “I don’t have a computer” (heaven forbid it isn’t an iPad or MacBook) we are taken back. We ask our self, “How does one live without that?” We have gotten so use to having an iPhone or iPad in our life, that we can no longer picture life without them. However, though they may be nice, if we allow them to keep getting better and better, the human race will not have a sense of personal knowledge because all we have to do is pull it up on our screen.

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