I Watch Superman Fly Away

*Warning: post does contain spoilers*
Let me start off by saying that Man of Steel was an okay film. Henry Cavil was pretty good, could've been a lot worse. Amy Adams did a surprisingly good job as Lois Lane (though I do wonder if a black wig was out of the budget or just made her look bad). All the rest of the roles were cast and played well too. Especially, Russel Crowe as Jor-El. I really liked how it showed the history of Krypton, and the scene with the bus was a really good way to introduce Supy's powers and his struggle to fit in.

However, I did have a huge problem with this film which is: the fight scene at the end of the movie. The entire scene dragged on and on and on and on. It wasn't even that exciting. You would think the huge showdown between Superman and General Zodd would be immensely thrilling, and possibly even the highlight of the film. Alas, it was the complete opposite. Perhaps it was the fact that the two individuals involved in the scene were just too powerful. Superman would punch Zodd, Zodd goes flying, Zodd hits a building. Then once he came to Zodd would punch Superman, Superman would go flying etc. This would repeat a couple of times to ensure maximum boredom until finally Zodd is defeated.

Despite the fact that I waited with Joe and Alissa in the theater for the world's longest credits, and no post credits scene, I was definitely excited for what would follow in Man of Steel 2. I figured they would bring in Lex Luthor (A. because he's Superman's greatest foe, and B. The Lexcorp truck that appeared in the midst of the treacherous fight scene). The villain is still unconfirmed at this point, though I am hoping for Bruce Willis as Lex Luthor (think of the awesomeness), but one thing has been confirmed: Batman.

Batman only left the big screen in 2012 with the Dark Knight Rises. A good, yet slightly flawed, conclusion to Christopher Nolan's hugely successful Batman trilogy. We saw the Caped Crusader fly off the big screen only last year and now he will be returning in the 2015 sequel to Man of Steel.

This upsets me deeply. I don't want to see Batman in a Superman movie. Just like I wouldn't want to see Superman in a Batman movie. First of all, they are two completely different characters. Batman has a lack of superpowers, while Superman practically has them all. They have two completely different rogue's galleries, with Batman's consisting mainly of psychologically damaged freaks and extremists, and Suprman's is full of mega-powered individuals, some from other dimensions. Almost all of his villains, like the Man of Steel himself, in fact do have powers, and strong ones at that! Their fighting styles also differ, Batman's staying in the realm of hand-to-hand combat and gadetry, and Superman well...uses his powers of strength, flight, heat vision, and basically everything else.

We've seen Batman. As a matter of fact we've seen a LOT of Batman. We live in a world where he is almost better known than Superman, which is honestly a shame. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge Batman fan. I grew up with the superb 90's animated series (still the best Batman incarnation to this day), and still watch it now. But Superman is the real deal. He inhibits all that is a true superhero. Sure, Batman has a tragic backstory, and cool gadgets, friends in low places, and some of the coolest villains in the business, but he really just doesn't belong in  movie with Superman, especially when this is only is second one in this new series.

Worst of all, the new Batman is going to be played by none other than Ben Affleck. You know the man that brought us Daredevil... I'm sure he will be simply awful. He'll be over-the-top douchey as Bruce Wayne, but  Affleck as Batman is where I am really scared. I can picture him being very rigid in the part. I'm sure he was either friends with someone high up, or chosen purely on his looks. Plus, isn't he just a tad bit old to play Batman? Just putting that out there.

I don't like it. I don't like how they are throwing aside all respect for the character of Superman, ruining his chance to shine, and the poor casting decision of Ben Affleck as ol Batty. For the first time in my life, I'm on team Superman.

It's Getting Closer

On September 23rd 2013 I will start college. I am so incredibly nervous. Never in my entire life have I been to a school as big as Yakima Valley Community College. It's going to be a huge shock, especially coming from a high school with a graduating class of 7 kids (and that's a big class for WCA). I am hoping and praying that everything will turn out for the best.

At this point in time I still have no idea what I want to do with my life. I have hobbies, but I don't think any of them are something I could make a career of. I also don't know what classes I am taking. It all depends on what's available when I go to sign up. Also, I'm getting my wisdom teeth taken out.....YIKES! Scary stuff man....

P.S. Two days ago was my birthday. So a belated Happy Birthday to me :)

In Defense Of My Religion

Christianity gets a lot of hate. There are lots of people out there who call my faith a cult. Others who have never set foot in a church in their lives have some insane notation that only upper-class white folks are allowed in. Some, even go as far as to say that Christianity will be the downfall of the world. There is so much hate surrounding Christians today, both from non-believers and from other sects of the Christian faith. I am here to say stop the hate.

Many people say that Christians are intolerant, that they do not like anyone who is not like themselves.These claims are false. How can people possibly draw assumptions from something that they themselves do not understand? Jesus did not minister to the saints but to the sinners. The door of the church is always open. No one guards the door and decides who enters. That is your own personal choice.

I do not believe that Buddhism is the path to salvation. I do not agree with what Mormons teach. And certainly, I have my opinions on Scientology. However, that's just what these thoughts are: opinions. Do you see me joining any clubs that bash these faiths? Do I rant online about these religions. No, I don't. Maybe, there are some Christians that do. I never once in my life have said that all Christians are perfect human beings, because that is false. We all sin, we have from the moment Eve first ate the apple and we will until the end of time.

Now, what concerns me even more than the hatred towards Christianity from within the Church. I was brought up as a Catholic. My family left the Catholic church for reasons that do not need to be discussed here. Even though I no longer identify myself as a Catholic, Catholicism will always be a part of me. Many of my family members and closest friends are still a part of the Catholic church, and I would never assume that any of them deserve less salvation than a Baptist, a Methodist or a Pentecostal.

When I first got to Westpark people would look at me funny when I said I came from a Catholic school. Some would tell me I needed to be re-baptized. One kid said that Catholics make weird hand signals when they pray. Really, that's the sign of the cross. It's not any different from bowing your head. Others told me that the Catholic church is bad because it is ritualistic. Every single church is ritualistic. At a Protestant service you will come in, sit in your pew, sing songs, listen to an opening, listen to the preacher, worship some more, sometimes take communion, then leave. Someone who I considered a friend at that time even went as far as to say that she thought all Catholics went to Hell. I was mortified. I didn't see how my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ could go as far as to say that their own people are damned. 


At the end of the day only God can judge us. If you want to make it your life's goal to continue to hate on Christianity, fine that's your decision. I am in no position to tell you what you can and cannot do with your life. However, if you are reading this and you are guilty of hating or harassing Christians of any faith. Please, take a moment to think if it is really the right thing to do. I am asking you this both as a believer, and as a human being.

Thank you for your time.

My Power Rangers Experience

One of my closest friends since I was nine months old was in town. For nostalgia's sake, we decided to watch an episode of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. It is pretty much the same as I remember it, except different. I noticed a lot of little things while watching and decided to share them.

• Zordon is a giant floating head. What happened to the rest of his body? Or is he using some sort of telepathic projection.
• The black guy is the Black Ranger, the Asian girl is the Yellow Ranger. I get it..
• Alpha is significantly more annoying than I remember.
• Kimberly is beautiful.
• The acting from Amy Jo Johnson, Walter Jones, and Austin St. John isn't attrocious. Can't say the same for Thuy Trang and David Yost though.
• Do the monsters really wait for the Rangers to morph and the Megazord to assemble?
• Rita Repulsa is so badly dubbed it's unbearable. Props to her voice actress though, she's got some serious chops.
• It's so obvious that the morphed-Yellow Ranger is a man, would it have killed them to find a stunt WOMAN?
• The special effects are well.....bad. 
• When Rita throws her magic wand, how does she get it back?
• Why does Rita send the Putty Patrol, then the monster, THEN make it grow. Has she ever considered just sending down an extraordinarily large monster? All that time in a space dumpster must have seriously damaged her mind.
• If Squatt and Baboo annoy Ms. Repulsa so much why doesn't she just zap them with her trusty dusty magic wand? They don't serve a purpose anyway.
• The clothes are so totally 90's.
• It's disappointing knowing that they had to use footage from the Japanese version of the show for the fight scenes. I mean c'mon with they money they were making off this show from toy sales alone could've paid for some extra film and stunt actors.
• How could nobody tell that they were the Power Rangers? They always are hanging out together and wearing their respective colors.
• It's hard to watch Trini without thinking how the actress that played her passed away
• The first Rangers really are classic, I was so mad when they replaced them.

That's all for now. Have a morphinomical day.

Paula Deen, the Rap Game, and My Humble Opinion

If the American public is going to persecute Paula Deen for saying the n-word, then I think the only rightful thing to do is to also persecute the endless number of rappers who also use the word. I don't know what ever made that word acceptable for black people to say. I don't know how it ever became a compliment r nickname amongst them, but I think it should stop. As Africans, they should honestly know better. they should know the stigma associated with that word and know that to use it they way they use it today is wrong. Thank you, and good day.

My Graduation Speech

In life, sometimes we are thrown a curveball.  That is exactly what happened 4 years ago when I first came to Westpark Christian Academy.  I did not want to come here, it was my mom's decision not mine.  What I wanted more than anything in the world was to go to a normal high school. I had gone to private schools my entire life, I wanted a change, I wanted this new and exciting experience that all my classmates at St. Joseph Marquette were about to experience.   

WCA and me got off to a rocky start. My computer broke down on the first day, I was placed in advanced History with kids much older and scarier than myself. Not to mention, the fact that I had to get to know an entirely new group of people. As time went on I was able to connect with these people in ways I didn't think possible. I found myself smiling, even laughing at what was said out on the playground.

Since then I have made so many incredible memories here at Westpark. Being a part of the Collide on Campus Bible study. My sophomore dance, a first for both me and the school. National Day of Prayer, where we got to get closer to God and run amuck in Walmart all in the same day. Every crazy day of spirit week where I got to see my classmates dress up at nerds, superheroes, celebrities, and 80's aerobics instructors. Pastor Colleen stealthily closing the doors and playing "Hotel California" by the Eagles at full blast. Fishing Day at Lazy F, where I got to run around in the woods with my friends. These moments will remain with me for the rest of my life, not just because I have pictures of all of them.

I have so many people to thank.  First of all, God my Heavenly Father.  You have bestowed upon me more blessings than I can count.  I will be eternally grateful for your presence throughout my life.  Mary Jane, thank you for opening the school doors every morning and for your time as the supervisor of Collide.  Ms. Susan, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to run student council this past year.  Gracias Senora Gonzales para eschuchando me espanol.  Pastor Gary, I may not have always paid attention or fully understood what you were talking about in class, but along the way you made me a better writer.  Also, because of you I will forever know the locations of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lichtenstein, and Mesopotamia.   Ms. Judy, I can never say thank you enough to you.  You have passed on so much artistic wisdom to me, and every other student.  Thank you for volunteering your time and money, and for bringing art back to Westpark. Thank you to every other WCA staff member for doing the jobs that I would never want to do.  Mom, you have done more for this school than any paid employee, and I have appreciated everything.  If it weren’t for you the library would still look like a dump, I would have no art class, and there would have never been a lecture series.  Dad, thank you for going along with mom’s crazy schemes and helping out whenever your busy schedule allows it.  Pastor Colleen, where do I even begin?  You have been there from the very first day.  Your wisdom, guidance, kind spirit, and honesty have helped me through some very tough times. I honestly don't know what I would have done without you.

But how can I thank anyone without mentioning the wonderful people that have walked the halls of Westpark along side me: my classmates. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined a group of people quite like you.  If were to have gone to a normal high school, I would never have had a chance to get to know every person in my class personally. We have become more than simply a group of classmates, or friends, we are a family. We know each other well enough to know when someone is hurting. When one of our peers succeeds we celebrate their triumph, and in times of sorrow we are able to band together. You all have meant the world to me. Each of you has a personal story, and every single one of these stories has inspired me more than you will ever know. Words will never be able to describe what spending the last 4 years with every single one of you has meant to me.

I don't really know if I am in any place to give out advice, but I do have a few words of wisdom for you all:

Be fearless. Say what you are truly thinking. Be honest with other people, and be honest with yourself. Don't worry about trying to make friends. When you try too hard, you'll attract the wrong kind of people. True friends will be with you through thick and thin. They will never desert you in your time of need. Who cares if you make a couple of enemies along the way? To quote Kurt Cobain, "I would rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I'm not." Don't ever be in a hurry to grow up. Treasure every moment, make memories you will want to keep for a lifetime. You only have one shot to be a kid. Do not squander these moments of innocence and bliss; do not waste your time trying to grow up, you have the rest of your life to be an adult.

4 years ago I wanted to venture out into the real world, but I was not ready. My mom knew that, and deep down inside so did I. Here at Westpark I was given a chance to have a little bit more time to really become more of the person I was meant to be. That is why any student comes to Westpark, not to use the school as a crutch, but instead as training wheels. And yes, the school does have it's downsides I never said it was perfect, but being at this school has shown me so many things about God, life, friendship and myself. When I look around the campus of Westpark Christian Academy, I see that there are no kids eating their lunch alone, no child is standing on the sidelines dying for someone to ask them to come and play. Because that is what Westpark is truly about: diversity excelling, kids who would never even have spoke to one another at a public school becoming the best of friends. The 7 of us are about to embark on separate journeys, but I think I can speak for all of us when I say that attending Westpark is an experience like no other.

I would now like to close by sharing a quote that I love by none other than Winnie the Pooh. It says, "If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart I'll stay there forever." You all will have a special place in my heart for the rest of my life.

Thank you, for everything.

License

I still can't believe I got my license. Everything is so surreal right now. It took me almost two years to get my license. I started off my driving tenure on the wrong foot, literally...I had the gas and brake pedals confused my first couple of drives. Things didn't get any better with my driver's ed. The teacher was a complete jerk-face who would yell at me constantly. He made me extremely nervous and was not afraid to point it out to me, referring to me as "schizophrenic", and said I "shook like a hooker in church." Instead of teaching me how to drive he would make me go get him coffee. I was so intimidated by him that I never went back to driver's ed to finish my final drive. So instead of getting my license 6 months after I got my permit (Plan A), I now had to resort to wait until my 18th birthday (Plan B). The only thing was that I was still a suck-tacular driver. So now, 7 months after my 18th birthday, my dream of being behind the wheel has finally come true. God is good.