High School @ MindSay 
Last year I was almost dead set on becoming something in the medical career. I love watching medical shows (House) and especially medical documentaries (i.e. about OCD, conjoined twins, progeria, etc).
However, I've analyzed my life and realized with my laziness and lack of motivation for schoolwork, I cannot become anything in the medical career. Just because I am fascinated with the human body and different conditions, does not mean I am cut out to become a physician. It takes discipline, love of ALL people and able to control people when they are in hysterics/a mad fit of rage/etc, being able to work long hours, MANY years of school along with top marks, and not being grossed out by normal things.
When it comes to myself, I obviously lack discipline, I am not a fan of children (although I honestly love people...especially my friends. I care deeply about all of you...really, I do), I am lazy and therefore would not be able to work long hours, I do not want to be in school for too many more years (and again due to my laziness I have shit marks), and I get grossed out when I see someone bleeding in real life.
What it comes down to, is that last year, I thought I wanted to be in the medical career, but after realizing the above things, I changed my mind. I looked at my interests and decided that history would be much better suited to me, despite the fact it may be hard to find jobs here in T-BAY. I'm sure I will find something though. There are problems with every career path.
However, my main problem standing in my way is my laziness in school. I used to be a straight-A student, but after I went through a bad fit of depression a few years ago, I stopped caring, and stopped doing regular homework. As a result, today I am several weeks behind in all my courses, and brutally failing. I have very difficult courses (2 University courses and 2 advanced placement courses. Maths and Sciences, no doubt) and have dug my self a deep, deep hole in less than 2 months. I have no idea how I'm going to get from failing to above a 70% average before exams…especially with the fact that today I found out that only the first half my Calculus course counts towards my mark, meaning that I got to do extremely well on the last few assignments/quizzes/tests and the exam in order to get a passing mark. It will be hell, but it's something I got to do.
But now that I realize what I want to do in University, I'm asking myself "Why am I taking the extremely hard courses and not doing any work and failing when I could take easy courses, not do any work and pass?" It's obviously because last year I thought I was going into the medical career, but I really should have changed my semester around in September, and then I wouldn't be in this situation. And I wouldn't have to deal with the stuck up, rich, preppy kids either. They keep asking me "What is your mark, Kristal? What did you get on your test, Kristal?" etc etc. I always say, "I don't discuss marks." because it's really none of their business. This therefore poses the question "Why ask if you don't care?" (Hence the title of this blog.) Because really, they are not friends with me, I don't talk to them (and vice versa), and my mark has nothing to do with them. I believe they are asking in order to feel a sense of superiority against me. I don't know if they realize I'm failing (they prob. do) but really, they should be concerned about their own mark, not mine. I feel shitty enough for being selfish and not doing anything, I don't need them laughing at me along the way.
High school is bullshit. It's shit years in which the problems we face do not matter in the long run. Sure, things like pregnancies will affect those girls who get pregnant, but really, 90% of the people in my classes are caught up in the world of sports, student council meetings, drinking with friends and homework, and complain when a teacher they have tries to teach like a university professor to get them prepared for real life. It annoys me that they live in this protective little bubble of meaningless gossip, and unleash their "problems" unto other people.
I'm just glad that I got out of that group many years ago. I believe my friends really do understand the real world, and understand real problems. Of course we all bitch about our problems, but I really do think all my friends problems are true and really matter: they aren't about a basketball game, they are about illness, poverty and drug use. Of course we all worry about friends (myself included) but I believe in order to really be a high school student that's prepared for real life once they get out, we must know and experience bits of reality outside our shell. Of course, we all must enjoy friends: that's the fun! But we mustn’t be ignorant either.
I love you guys, truly and deeply. I'm so glad you face reality instead of ignore it. Don't ever lose that about you.
-Kristal St. Jean
Arkansas Player Ends Game With Noble Gesture
James and I went yard sale-ing this morning. it gives us something to do and we never spend much. Maybe a few dollars. Its our Saturday morning routine! We found Morgan a drum set for xbox today! called and woke him up to ask if he wanted them...just $7.00!!! They put everything at half price after 11 am! They are gonna have a great yard sale by doing this and they were cheap anyway! Orginally the drums were $15.00! Came with the rock revolution game. I just hope they work! She said they did and they seem to be in great shape! Wont know til Morgan uses them!
Last weekend we went to Hillsville to the huge flea market there. I didnt think it was as crowded as in years past. Because of the recession many didn't travel for it. Even the vendors were down.We still enjoyed it, just getting away for a day was good! Got to see Morgan too, as he popped home for the weekend cause he bought a drum set and had to pick up his glasses that came in.It was hot though last weekend! I was ready to quit at 2, but James insisted we rest a bit then plow on some more! I was wore out! we got there at 9 that morning, and we finally quit about 4:30...still about 3-4 hours left that next day to cover it all. We got to our room about 5 and collasped. I got a shower and saw that I was sunburned! ouch! I put sunscreen on! anyway, we walked over to Sagebrush to eat. we were too beat to drive anywhere. waited an hour to sit, then waited 30 mintues for our food.... Finished at 8 then went back to room and fell into bed! we were asleep by 10! whew! Up at 7 next day and started again! we finished about 10:30...I will never do that again! I cant take the heat anymore. I feel like i'm gonna pass out in it. today while yard sale-ing I felt like it again. I get really weak all of a sudden and feel shaky, and cant get a good breath... I dont know what it is...but it bothers me. Since I turned 46 this year, I feel like my body is deserting me... Perimenopause... Hot flashes, cold,chills, now this with the heat. I get too hot now...Maybe I should get checked out by the doctor. Mood swings too! I can bite someones head off if they cross me at the wrong time of the month now!!!I cant help it either. Family will just have to deal with it!! looks like I've got a ways to go before I'm out. Most of my friends tell me it ends about the time you turn 50ish!! So I'm looking at 4 more years of this!??? Ouch!!!
We went to the West game last night..It was really wierd with Ariana not cheering... Still saw a lot of parents there whose kids graduated with Ariana. Even saw some there home for the weekend from college. Just as 4th quarter started,it starts raining...I look at James and start laughing...we wait a bit, and it starts getting harder, so pack up and leave. passed several others and we said"No need to get wet this year! Not sitting in any rain!" everyone laughed. last year see, it practically rained every football game! and we had to stay then! With Ariana cheering and James head of concessions, there was no leaving. Sat under an umbrella most of the season and learned to deal with getting wet! So, last night was fun to get up and leave with everyone else!! We sat in car and listened to the rest of the game...West won, 28-21...Its a wonder though as many passes as they threw and missed,dropped or whatever...They lost over half the team as most were Sr.'s. last years team was great..
Of course all the parents still there saw James and tried to get him back,or tell him they miss him doing concessions! Some even told him that it went downhill a bit! Oh well! It's time for other parents to step up to the plate and do it!! The new couple that took over the concessions said they didnt really know just how much work it took to keep it up! Ha! We told em!!its like having a second job with no pay! and then no other parents want to help.."Oh I have to see my child play!" what's one night??? oh well, not our concern anymore! we will go to most of the home games I guess. I especially want to see Homecoming... the athletic director gave James a pass for this year, for all the years he put in as head of concessions. Old saying goes, no one appreciates you until you aren't there!
Wow! 2 days at once on here1 I'm on a roll!!
If you haven't already done so, go back and follow the link and read it - I'll wait.
Okay, are you back?
Now, let's talk about this. I'd like to start with my favorite quote from the article, courtesy of Bryce Harper's father, Ron.
""People are going to see what they want to see and say what they want to say. I think this prepares him for life, playing the game of baseball."
It's a little unclear, but it reads like Ron Harper believes that playing the game of baseball prepares you for life. That's almost too absurd for comment, so we'll move to the other possibility, that he's saying leaving high school prepares him for life AND for playing the game of baseball.
I think that is what is meant, and that's what I want to talk about.
Does it really?
He's leaving high school and starting junior college as a way of hurrying his eligibility for the Major League draft. I'm not going to touch the concept of whether he's good enough, I am assuming he is or this wouldn't even be a question. So fine, at the age of 17 he gets drafted possibly to play for the Washington Nationals.
Now, at the age of 17, they're throwing money at him (the most popular figure seems to be $20,000,000), he's incredibly famous (and look how well that works out for other young people), he's living away from his parents, he's spending all of his time with people who are older than he is, he is living in an insular community (i.e. not actually seeing "real life"), he is required to be fully accountable for his own actions (no more parents to keep tabs on him), and this is the rest of his life (at least his professional life). No going back. He's not a kid anymore. He's an adult who must live and act as an adult from this point forward.
Except, he's not. Let's be honest here, he's a sixteen year old boy. Not. An. Adult. His father also said "Bryce is a good kid. He's smart." Okay, great. I'm glad, but that's him at home, under your supervision. That's not him, out on his own, under the influence of fame, fortune, and men/boys that are several years older than him.
For me, it isn't about the education. Education is entirely what you make of it. How much he learns will be dependent on how much he tries to learn and he can put forth that effort in any number of settings. Alternatives to high school aren't (or at least, shouldn't be) the issue here. He can always go back at a later date and finish school. He probably won't, but he can if he wants to. The problem I am seeing here is the precedent we're setting. And it isn't just this kid. It's all kids who opt out of being kids and having a life for the possibility of catching the dream.
More than the article itself, I was very interested in the comments section. It amazes me how many people seem to think this is a good idea. (The poll at the bottom was at 55% to 45% in FAVOR of this being a good idea). After a page or two, the comments quickly become repetitive, no one seems to have anything new or original to say. But the comment I keep seeing the most is any variation on: "you'd do it if you could."
Well, it's probably true. If I were 16 and offered a chance to leave high school two years early so that people could throw fame and fortune at me, I'm sure I'd say yes. Probably lots of high school kids would. Most, even. But that's hardly the point, the point is that it shouldn't be his decision. There is a reason why kids aren't legally adults at 16. Kids are idiotic at 16.
They do things like sneaking out and trying to drive to another town (and they don't know how to get there) to see a cute boy (or girl depending on preference) and getting lost and crashing the car and needing a nearby farmer who looks eerily like Jesus to come and save them.
Or they'll drive down a dark country road and kill all the lights and try to drive in the dark, regardless of the danger.
Or they play chicken with cross traffic at an intersection.
Or do Chinese fire drills at the busiest intersection in town.
That's 16.
And that is exactly why we have parents. To keep us from doing the really stupid stuff, to check us and rein us in when we're not making the best decisions. So that at the end of the day, after we've crammed in as much stupidity as possible, we have to go home and be accountable to someone else.
It is up to his parents to decide whether or not he should be leaving home to go play baseball 2 years early. Evidently, they seem to think it is a good idea. (I think it is pretty obvious by now that I completely disagree). They seem pretty focused on the "opportunity" and the money. I think it is very unfortunate that they don't seem to put Bryce's needs first. If he's truly talented, then the opportunity will still be there in 2 years. The money will also still be there in 2 years. And honestly, he'll probably only be better then, than he is now. (Just look at the story of our hometown hero, Joe Mauer.)
I really hope that this kid manages to work everything out and that all his dreams fall into place. I hope that he doesn't have to learn every tough lesson in the book, all on his own. I hope that it's all sunshine and apple pie from this point forward, but let's be realistic. Life doesn't work that way. Not even baseball works that way.
It is so unfortunate that at such a young, impressionable age, this kid is getting his priorities in place as: baseball, money, opportunity. Now there is little room left for things like: family, friends, education, and youth. This kid is now done being a kid. Now he's an adult who was sent into the world with a very skewed perspective on what is truly important in life. And to me, that is the saddest part.
.....so, tell me. What do you think?
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