Journal #2 - 20 Things

1. What makes me laugh? - Reminicing, when people fall, ghetto fights, when Rinchen says "I'm Sorry", when people get caught in their lies.

Reminiscing - 
** This Journal has fake names**
My friend's phone made a loud beeping sound which told her that she had a notification on Facebook and she said "Why did I have to like this comment? Now i have to get updated on this immature conversation on Facebook."
I smirked at how I could relate to her petty frustration and wondered what the fight was about. When I realized Michelle was a part of it I said "Why does she seem to be involved in every problem?"
"I know right, shes so annoying! I remember in elementary school we did show and tell and she showed off all the money she had, what the hell is her problem?" Her eyebrows furrowed, but soon a smile lit up as she greeted a friend who looked strange to me.
My face was turning red as wind blew past me. Not many people were in the park today, which is a sign that summer was sadly over. My friend and I were just sitting on the monumental statue (I never knew what it symbolized) drinking our coffee from Connecticut Muffin and I just started bursting into laughter as I remembered what my friend did for show and tell.
"Remember when you did that duck sound for show and tell?" I said.
Her head went forward as she almost spit out her coffee but she made an awkward jerk and swallowed it before she could laugh. "Can you still do it?" I asked.
After seconds of making abnormal breathing sounds she made the noise. I remembered years ago I could do it as well so I was attempting to do it. I put all my power into it, but all that was leftover was awkward coughing and an itchy throat. Damn, I couldn't do it but it was a good laugh.


2. What inspires me? - Athletes, my brothers, compliments, Positive people, food

Athletes - 
Sometimes on YouTube I would start watching videos of gymnasts trying really hard to get gold under so much pressure. In order to win team gold for the USA an athlete by the name of Kerri Strug had to nail the vault that she flawlessly executed during practice. As she did her beginning pose signaling that she was about to start you could see the nervousness in her facial expressions. She ran as fast as she could and flipped beautifully in the air only to fall on her bottom and having to stand up casually as if nothing happened. She failed on her first trial and even worse, she had to do it all over again but this time with a twisted ankle. She approached her coach limping saying she said she could not do it again. But her coach aggressively told her shake it off and go up again. Nobody expected much from her, and people were sure that Ms. Strugg was only going up again to disappoint them once more. She sprinted down the runway, jumped off the springboard, flew spinning through the air, and landed. All on one foot. After her clean landing a second later she was she was kneeling on the floor. Who know what emotions were going through her head. Maybe it was joy over the fact that the least expected person to help out the team was now the most loved national figure for helping the Magnificent Seven be the first American Olympic team to win gold, or maybe she just felt pain coursing through out her body as she knelt down on the floor waiting for help to come a long her way. One thing is for sure and it's that, that inspires me to become a better person and to strive to achieve what I want no matter how many people believe in me. Because as long as I believe in myself I can get to where I need to be.

1996 Altanta Olympics -Kerri Strug's Gold Medal Vault

3. Things I wish I never said - "You're such a slut", "Te odio", "Dejas de privar en estupido", "You're so pretty", "I love you"

"You're such a slut" -

It was really awkward for me the time my best friend started dating my brother in middle school. But I soon go used to it, and became indifferent about it until i saw my friend change as a person. She started becoming more flirtatious with guys and even went as far as to cheat on my brother. I'm not the type to get involved to get into relationships so as bad as this sounds... I just stayed quiet. After learning this I was advising her to break up with him if she loves the other guy so much, and so she did exactly that. I'm not sure if I was hurt by the fact that they broke up partly because of me, but I felt like it was not going to last anyways. So as she was parading around her new boyfriend I started to develop feelings of disgust towards her, and I no longer wanted to become friends with her. One day, my group of friends and I were playing around in Prospect Park and she was talking about how she likes this new guy now and she does not know what to do. She was exaggerating the whole situation as if anything would come out of this next relationship that I eventually got annoyed and said "You're such a slut." I could see that those words really hurt her, mainly because she felt that way already, and couldn't bear having her friend having the exact same sentiments. At that time I was being pretty rash though, because she was my friend and she was a nice one at that. She didn't say anything in response to that but she changed the topic right afterwards. Afterwards we just spent that whole year being naive and ignoring each other, and I regret that very much.

4. I am afraid of...? - Rodents, Alone in the train at night with some bum, talking about my personal life, my future, pineapples

Pineapples-

I despise pineapples. And as weird as it sounds, I am afraid of them. Every time my parents force me to eat them I get cuts in my mouth which makes it painful to eat, brush my teeth, and laugh. My parents think that I am not eating it because I am picky but I think I actually may be allergic to it. Even the smallest chunk of pineapple makes me have cuts on my gums and inner cheek. Everything about it is just plainly disgusting. The stale tropical and pee smell that taints my nostrils is very annoying, and when such a nasty food makes your hands so sticky and dirty you might as well thrown it away. It even looks disgusting, it's prickly and appears to be very dangerous. Pineapples are probably the most scary inanimate object ever.

5. I love to eat - Plantains, fried chicken, frozen yogurt, sushi, noodles

Frozen Yogurt - 
Once in a while I like going to Red Mango so that I can get frozen yogurt. I could eat it in any kind of weather, and in any kind of appetite. Even when I am full and close to vomiting frozen yogurt can protect me from getting a stomachache. I think that the main reason I can eat it even when I am really full is because it is odorless. And things like the smell of fried chicken and french fries disgust me whenever I am done eating out of some buffet. It is very cold and refreshing on a hot summers day, and sends shivers down my spine when i am wrapped in my warmest coat. It's sweet flavor is very satisfying because it isn't so sweet that it laminates your mouth causing it to have a gross aftertaste, it's the perfect amount. Going to K-town Red Mango you can do self-serve and put whatever toppings to your liking. Although expensive for the size that it is, it is very satisfying. Whenever my parents buy yogurt I would always stick them in the freezer which would annoy them. There is a huge difference and I recommend that every one does it, because that mushy mess is not close to as attractive as when it is frozen.

6. Bands that I like - Ramones, Guns N Roses, Led Zeppelin, The Clash, The Beatles

Guns N Roses - 


There is truly nothing like the classics. I used to think that I was into more modern music in elementary school, but it was really just music in the background that I rarely minded. The music that I truly liked at the time was the old 80s pop songs that I heard on the radio in my fathers car. I liked the Bee Gees, and Blondie and many more artists. Not until middle school when I started playing guitar is when I developed a liking to rock and heavy metal music. The first ever song I learned was Stand By Me by John Lennon which is basically four chords, and the easiest song I have ever played. I wanted to do something more challenging and then my friend introduced me to Guns N Roses. Guns N Roses was, too me, musically unique to all other rock bands. They had that mellow heavy metal kind of feel to the way they played their music. It was hard learning their solos but after 3 days I learned how to play Sweet Child O' Mine. Playing it for my teacher impressed him so he let me be one out of three to play guitar for the my crappy school band. But it was still a proud moment.

7. What do I like to do in my spare time? - Play instuments, draw, use the computer, go to the park, and sleep

Sleep -

Sleep is very dear to me, and unfortunately a luxury I barely ever receive. Today I came home early, before dark and I started drawing for the City College of New York creative challenge form for my admission into architecture. And now and I am typing and trying to finish my paragraph (which I should have started earlier) at 3:17 am in the morning. I am willing to pull an all-nighter until I get this done. My laziness is a big contributor to my lack of sleep. If I would just start my homework earlier, and not doze off in the library at Hunter accidentally as I attempt to finish my work then I would not be having this problem. But then again I do concentrate more with my espresso by my side, and no one to accompany me besides the night sky blaring from my window. But if breaking night is what I have to do to get far in life then so be it. Sometimes I have to make sacrifices and sleep is one of them so in my spare time that is what I love to do.

8. Childhood memories - Milking a cow, eating a snake, riding a motorcycle in Dominican Republic, Having a dream of a cartoon whale, Swimming in a river and almost drowning, Riding my plastic car

Riding a motorcycle in Dominican Republic

"Por Favor, Leuri! Dejame montar el motocyclo!" I pleaded to my cousin. I really wanted to ride the motorcycle but he was afraid of getting himself into trouble. I was around thirteen years old. An age that I felt mature enough to make my own decisions but now I see that I have much to learn. I was really peeved at the way he would shove off everything I would say as if he was above me because of our ten year difference and one day I just borrowed his keys and rode is motorcycle all over Moca, Dominican Republic which is my mother's hometown. The sun was beating on my face and the wind was blowing really hard. I never really felt more free. As soon as I got home I received a "cocotaso" for going against what they said but I still don't regret it one bit.

9. Things I did during Hurricane Irene - Spam on tumblr, sleep, eat, stare at walls, go on youtube, bought some bread

Stare at walls - 


Sometimes when I am very sleepy or I am daydreaming I stare at the walls of my room and imagine figures out of it. Especially on the wall from my room. It's not a plain flat base. It's white but it's spiky, it's very hard to describe it but the texture is unlike any other wall. Because of it's weird exterior shape there is a bunch of shadow play which makes it all the more fun. I am imagine different things on the wall like monstrous figures with many limbs extending from each end of the room. This inspires me to draw more. The best thing about this is that every single time I start day dreaming and staring at my wall I see another figure waiting to be drawn.

10. Things I dislike - homework, fake people, people who lie for no reason, getting lectured, when people talk to me anonymously

When people lie for no reason - 


I don't hate people, just the actions that they do. In freshman year I used to have this person who would cling on to me because she was just honestly not likable and I was probably the only one who has not told her off at that point, so I just dealt with her. It is probably a bad thing to be a friend out of pity but sometimes she had interesting things to say. All which turned out to be lies. Some of them I could see why she would say them; to social climb. But there were just petty ones like lying about going to people's houses, or lying about knowing how to skateboard, and lying about harmful actions that people did towards her. Compulsive lying is an extremely disgusting habit, and when you throw one or two it just makes your whole life look fake. And in all honesty, all her lies were not even that interesting it just amplified the fact that she was a poseur, and an annoying one at that. I am so glad that we do not talk anymore, and she is out of my life. Indefinably.

11. Things I can't live without - food, drinks, my mother, my legs, my itouch

My legs - 
I cannot imagine not being able to walk, and I commend anyone who goes on with life doing so and feeling indifferent about the whole situation at the same time. Without my legs I would not be able to jump as high as I can, or enjoy more than half the games that I play daily whenever I am at the park. My running speed is one of the things that also makes me unique among most girls. Back in MLK when I had gym, O' Conner would make me run with the guys whenever we would have to do pacer and I would at least make it to 70 laps. I also have good balance because I can walk on something as thin as a bar from the monkey bars. Of course it takes a lot of effort and no distractions to do so but I have done it a couple of times. I feel like that without my legs I would not have as much fun as I used to. I also would not be able to wear shorts "hahahaaaaaaa."

12. Responses on aim/ texts that I don't respond to - lol, k, lmao, haha, *some face

lol - 

There is nothing more annoying than having "lol" as an only response with a follow up "u there?" Obviously I am there but what do you expect me to say? You just ruined the conversation, and now it's your job to start another one. Sometimes I wonder if the person does it on purpose or he/ she really doesn't now know what to say. But I would honestly rather get no response at all. Just saying lol makes me picture a slow baby with no articulation, and spitting nonsense because they cannot say things any other way.

13. Favorite books - Cirque Du Freak series, Harry Potter Series, Naruto manga series, Elfen Lied manga series, Bleach manga series

Naruto Manga Series - 
Naruto is amazing, and probably one of the only cartoons that make me emotional about his success and failures. He teaches lessons on kindness, forgiveness, and determination. On the first manga ever, Naruto was considered a failure to all people in his village. He was left back from his school so many times and he couldn't manage how to perform many "jutsu's" for his level (jutsu's refer to the abilities a ninja can use). Then one time he was tricked to steal a scroll for some evil man which contained many forbidden jutsus, and he did so without learning the consequences. Reading the scroll he learned a jutsu where he could replicate himself. When he was caught he used it which impressed his sensai and he was finally able to graduate. Ever since then he's been able to impress the Konoha village and created friends that he was not able to gain before. I really respect him even though he's a fictional character, and as sad as it sounds I even cry when he fails at something. As I read the series many thoughts go through my head and lumps form in my throat. He is very brave and has many human characteristics but the one thing I respect most is his kindness. I remember I would stay up late waiting for the new anime to come out and I would just stay there feeling unsatisfied because of the multiple cliffhangers that seemed to be leading me into nothing. Eventually, I started reading the manga and felt the same way once I caught up to the recent ones. I would exhibit multiple feelings when reading these books and I guess that's a sign that this a very good book.

14. Favorite Fast food restaurants - Popeyes, Subways, Quicklys, Burger King, Starbucks

Popeyes - 
I went to the most boring trip in my life last year and that was the trip to the Tenement Museum. Honestly, I did not find it fun to relearn history that Ms. Moore already told our class more than one hundred times. About the only fun thing was having an actress lied to us about her life as if she was an immigrant in the 1920's because we got to ask her questions and she just had a really freaky personality. But I feel like I wasted my money on it. I would not have done it if it was not mandatory, but that is besides the point of my story. My friends and I were starving to eat something, and then I pointed out Popeyes. I never ate their before and my mindset was if it's friend chicken it can't be too bad. Gladly, I was right. Popeye's stands in front leading the way with great mashed potatoes, and french fries but nothing has ever come close to the value and taste of a spicy fried chicken from Popeyes. The spices that are used in preparation of food are ideally combined to give the perfect flavor. KFC charges more for less food, less flavor, and a lot more grease. Nobody likes flavorless food or to feel dissatisfied after eating an expensive meal. It isn't too chewy or crunchy, and it's easy to eat. Nobody can pass up a bucket of Popeyes!

15. Most used trains - F, D, A, M, R

F-
Seeing as that the F and G are the only trains that go on my stop I use the F train close to everyday. The F train is very familiar to me now and I have been on it in pretty much on all times of the day. I also strangely know when people are going to get off at my stop. It's pretty weird but even without knowing the person I am thinking that's a 15th street (my train stop) person. I have had good and bad memories on the train as well. I remember many days as a young child climbing the poles because I was not able to stand still and I reached all the way to the top and my mother would get angry at me for being so insolent and not paying attention to the fact that I could get hurt. Once for running around in the train I actually fell and bumped my head and started laughing like crazy. Like a freak. Even though I got hurt I found it strangely cool to have a bump on my head so I was happy and started showing everyone on the train. There also times when the train can feel really creepy. Around the summertime being on the F train at around 3am in Brooklyn is strangely not a problem. There are actually people on the train. But during the winter it is beyond scary. It was once around 2:30 am and I was around 4 stops away from my house when I was 3 stops away a bum came on the train and started spitting out nonsense. I was guessing that he was drunk. He gladly did not approach me but I went through the train carts as far away as I could. Later through as I sat down quietly I could see through the windows from the middle of the carts that he was approaching me. The next stop I got off, even though it was not where I live and he got off as well. He started to approach me so I put my legs to work. I was around a mile away from home so I sprinted and got there in around 6 minutes. I was trying to hold my breath so that my parents would not question why I was so tired so I waited a few minutes before I got home, ever since then whenever I come home late I come with somebody else. I got lucky that day,but who knows what could happen in the future.

16. My favorite sports - Soccer, Tennis, Track, Basketball, Tetherball

Tennis - 
I have played soccer for around 5 years, and track for 2 years but nothing comes close to the times I played tennis. I never played it professionally or anything I just became addicted to it when I used to hang in the hand ball courts near my school. I would play by hitting the tennis balls with my racket against the handball court wall and then my competitor would hit against the wall again. It was like handball with tennis rackets. It was considered "the ghetto way". It was actually good at this sport. I used to think I was not all that great because I would never play using a net. In my senior trip for middle school we went upstate to Camp NaShoPa and I was able to defeat anyone in tennis, with the net there, even teachers. I got to relieve stress as I spiked the ball, and defeated my enemies. I do not know if this post makes me seem like I'm bragging but to this day only one person has defeated me, but we're like equals because I have defeated him too. I really miss playing but now that my friends are always at prospect park so games such as basketball, and tennis are close to impossible to play. But I am glad of my new "home." Because migrating from the handball courts has made me separated from the type of people that I feel particularly annoying.

17. Favorite animals - Dragons, Frogs, Snails, Llamas, Pigeons

Pigeons - 
Once when I was around 11 years old I caught a pigeon and brought it home. The pigeon was really young and couldn't really fly so I kept it home. My mother was hysterical and told me to take it outside but my father told me that once a human touches a pigeon the parents do not want it anymore. I don't know if that was a rumor but I felt so heartbroken that I decided to keep it until it learned how to fly. I let it live in my dollhouse, and I had to clean it's leftovers everyday. I fed it bread with milk, and since it did not know how to eat I had to stuff it in his beak as I if I was his mother vomiting food into him. Eventually It didn't take long before it escaped from my dollhouse. Once it learned how to fly I let it go out of my window and I saw the parents fly to it, pecking it, and I thought it was harming it so I began to tear. But it was really there way of showing affection to the bird. So, I learned that what my father said was a lie and that the pigeons do love their creations after it's been touched by a human.

18. My least favorite musicians - J. Cole, T-Pain, Drake, Demi Lovato, Trey Songz

Trey Songz - 


I feel that all of Trey Songz music is boring and sounds the same. The first time I ever heard him was in Naurin's birthday party. I was just wondering "Why is this guy is famous?". He has nice voice, and has talent but his songs are so lame. I guess it's a matter of opinion but why does he always sing so depressed all the time. About the only good thing about him is that he is attractive. When I heard him in the party I did not really see what all the hype was about, and I will never listen to a song by him again. His music just isn't inspiring to me and as I listened to it my ears were bleeding. I could not take his nonsense music anymore.

19. Places I like to go to - Dominican Republic, Prospect Park, Sushi buffet, Lo Mein carts, Mall

Prospect Park - 


During the summer I would always hang around Bartel-Pritchard Square between Prospect Park West and Prospect Park Southwest. It is a great release to return there with my friends after a year of hard work in school, at least for me anyways. Sometimes I would feel like a kid with the many games of skateboard tag, and manhunt we would play. We also climbed anything that seemed cool to climb, and we just made up games such as racing on each others backs. It's good to have friends who can act immature with you once a while. One time as we were sitting on the ledge of the statue where we always sit and overdose on iced coffee we decided to play truth or dare with an iPhone app that my friend had on her phone. The dare was now on me and I was dared to get some random stranger's number. I wanted to skip it but my friends persisted so I approached an old lady and I asked her out. It was one of the most awkward situations I have ever been in. What was even more disgusting was that she actually accepted my offer and gave it to me. I have been made fun of ever since, and I find it kind of gross that she still reminded me that I have not called her back but it was finally time for me to tell her that it was a dare. She was being very creepy and told me how she knew nobody would ever be that serious and then started cursing me out and calling me obnoxious. I became kind of scared, it's not that I felt like she could harm me, because she looked weak and old but why was she so persistent when I was around 1/4th of her age. Anyways that's one of the many memorable stories coming out from my second home; Prospect Park.

20. Places I'd like to visit - Antarctica, Jamaica, South Africa, Peruvian Restaurant, Hawaii

South Africa-
Last year while I was at Hunter College taking Forensic Biology I would sometimes wait in the terrace during my free periods while I waited for class. I was with Veronica Perez, Enrique Medrano, and various other seniors and I listened as Veronica talked about her travels to South Africa. She described this humongous burger that she ate for cheap. Ever since then I have wanted to go there. I also have a variety of friends who used to go to my middle school that went there for their internships. The views of the sandy beaches, and the food that they eat looked so intriguing. I would love to one day go there and eat all the delicious, and cheap food. "I'm such a fatass," I thought to myself as Veronica continued on with her story. I wish my parents would let me do one of those internships such as PeopleToPeople, and just stay with a host parent but they are too over protective so I am stuck in New York City. The state where you cannot have fun unless you have money.