SUCCESS

   Things are particularly blurry at 5 am. Especially if it's cold and raining outside.

   If you have a goal in mind, you're willing to lose sleep. You want this thing more than your body wants it. 

   You're love for this one thing keeps you up at night and wakes you up early in the morning. 

   Friends and family support what you do, but they have no idea of the sacrifice.

   If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's life. I realized something tonight. If you want to ever be successful, you have to want that thing as much as you want oxygen to breathe. You can't sleep the day away because you might sleep through an opportunity. Everything you ever worked for in your life comes down to these few years between high school and college. We must push ourselves to the brink of exhaustion. 

   Who cares if it's cool to be relaxed and sit on a couch and fall asleep after school? Who cares if it's cool to not study and get Cs and Ds on tests? Who cares if it's cool to skip practice and give it your all on the day of a game/meet and do your very worst? Think about that for a second. Those things seem acceptable to A LOT OF PEOPLE, though not when worded in that fashion. Why would you not want to study or practice? Why would you fall asleep right after school when you could do your homework and get a good night's rest?

   These college application questions and essays are making me realize that I barely worked as hard as I should have to get into the places I am applying at. Looking at other people's application concerns online and seeing that they VOLUNTEERED for nonprofit organizations, they were PRESIDENTS of their clubs, they were CAPTAINS of their teams, they STUDIED ON WEEKENDS and they are STILL worried that they won't be accepted makes me look back at my own resume and see that I was just a MEMBER of clubs, I NEVER volunteered for anything other than an Italian festival, I was almost NEVER a leader in anything I did, and I PROCRASTINATED all my assignments until the night before they were due. And I think I have a shot at acceptance over these kids. Ha.

   We need to start working hard or we will miss all opportunities that are given to us around this age. We can't see them now, but there are a lot of people and companies out there looking for people like us, but they cannot single us out because of our small level of involvement. How will they know who we are and what we're good at if we don't show them what we are good at? Makes no sense.

   So much adrenaline pumping right now. And it's 1:59 am. Gosh, I want to be successful. 17 isn't a bad age to start, I guess. See you on the track tomorrow.

~This isn't the only thing I want to be. I'll keep you posted.

   

MOVIES

Alright, so a major part of my life is the fact that I absolutely love movies. Whether it be western, crime, classic or comedy, I have no care; I'll probably watch it. My favorite movies are ones you can look back on and remember at least one line that is life-defining. Something you'll remember for the rest of you life that reminds you of what it means to be living.
Over the past 2 years, I've seen probably over 400 movies and they were all amazing (except for Fargo. Why do people like that movie?). Some I don't remember well and others I could never forget. When I watch movies, it's like leaving my mind and becoming a spectator of a whole new life. A good movie can turn a crummy day into a pretty exciting one. The excitement and depression from these movies are easily overlooked by the average person watching a movie on a Saturday night. I pay attention and I try to find answers. I'm trying to change my perspective to how the people in movies would live their lives.
Drama is the most entertaining to me, but they aren't the only movies with a message. Disney does a great job producing movies that portray a broad view of life. They can represent childhood, innocence and what it's like to grow up through animals and fantastical objects. This is part of the reason why I like Disney so much. They are not a greedy film company looking for a few extra bucks by releasing a terrible movie to consumers. There is a purpose behind every line and every action in a movie. Almost all of their movies are quality films that will be remembered from decade to decade.
Also, great movies are defined by the directors and actors/actresses in them. Steven Spielberg is one of the greatest directors on earth. Most of his movies are my favorites. Kevin Spacey is a fantastic actor (voice of Hopper in A Bug's Life, The Usual Suspects). Even simple movies like Never Back Down with no-name actors can leave a lasting effect based on the overall message trying to be portrayed.
Although movies take a while to watch, I think they are all worth a chance. Just watch a trailer! Heck, read a book. It'll be better than any movie you watch, but it takes a heck of a lot longer to complete.

*movies that changed my life
The Deer Hunter
Into the Wild
The Shawshank Redemption
Forrest Gump
Schindler's List
It's A Wonderful Life
A Christmas Story
Finding Nemo
The Lion King
And many, many, many more!

Name a movie and there's a 70% chance I've seen it. Do it.
Between movies, math and money, I'm set for life!

~These aren't the only movies I watch. I'll keep you posted.