Teenagers @ MindSay

You hear it on the news, you read it in tabloids, you watch documentaries about it with fascination as scientists try to unravel the teenage mind and all its complications.

But let's face it, we teens are a bunch of whiners.

Of course, I'm no exception. I'm a hypocrite. I whine, I complain and sometimes I lie on the floor with headphones blasting out angry music while in my mind I'm hoping the floor will suck me up so I can escape from the world I perceive as being so vile.

I've decided not to go into too much detail about why I think my life is so petty. Instead, I'm going to divulge in a more general idea of why I think the teenage life is so damn unbearable.

We all know about the hormones rushing through our bloodstreams, making us have our roller coaster emotions where we're happy one minute and slashing our wrists with the nearest sharp object in the next. They call  us, 'Generation Y," brought up and raised by the Internet - different from all other generations - more self obsessed - more paranoid - more this, more that. I often hear my mother say, "I never did/spoke/acted like that when I was your age," well, she's missing the teeny, tiny, insignificant point that when she was my age, her circumstances were different. She didn't have access to brainwashing tabloids, sites, images, music and articles which influence modern society in more ways than you can dare deny. Not only that, life was just simpler in those days. People had aims, there wasn't so much publicized drama from teenagers and people held different attitudes towards life. I'm not saying that times have completely changed, certainly not. In those times, I'm sure there were people that suffered from depression, that committed suicide and crimes and that got drunk out of their wits and got in anybody's car, arms or lap.

But my question is, what is it that makes us teens tick? Well, I don't know about everyone else but I'm starting to realize what makes me behave the way I do. What makes me bother to post a blog about just how bad life is and share it with complete strangers? The answer is attention.

As the world's population is getting bigger and people's accomplishments are becoming bigger and better, the demand for attention is increasing. A while ago, you could have a great voice and become famous. Now, you can have an excruciatingly bad voice but as long as you've got a pre-made reputation, good physique, commercial smile and plenty of recording studio magic, you can make billions. Even if you're a dumb piece of shit; come up with a few catchy rhymes about  money and girls, get some skinny or big arsed girls to shake it in front of a camera with a skimpy costume and bam! you've got the mansion, the bling and the sluts. This contrasts with the far less publicized life of the class geek, the one who got picked on, the one who never got a date unless it was a dare, the one who was smarter than the rest and if given the right opportunities - could develop a cure for the lung cancer for those rap artists who love to exhale some deadly toxins from a big fat cigar through their gold plated teeth which shine in their "music" videos.

So, with all these famous people, what's left for us normal people? Personally, I've always loved to sing. When I was younger, I really, really thought I could make it in the music industry. But it turns out, so did millions of the other girls who would probably succeed by featuring in some rap artist clip just because they didn't mind to demean themselves for publicity. So what do I do? I gave up. And by doing that, I got depressed because I felt shot down and wondered why life was so unfair. Well you know what? Life is never fair. No-one's is. No-one has it all. Life isn't always about the choices we make. It's about the choices we HAVE, the opportunities with HAVE and occasionally, the opportunities we make for ourselves. But what is success without a little bit of brutality, a bit of rivalry and metaphorical cannibalism? Well, it doesn't exist. People claim to have made it to the top on solid ground, staying pure and getting there nice and cleanly, but even if they did (which I doubt), how do they stay up there with those arrogant, two-faced, smile for the camera brutes? Well, monkey see, monkey do.

So basically, because I feel so insufficient all the time, I feel like, hell there's nothing left here for me, why not just ditch life and have an arsenic tequila? Well, I'm not religious but just in case there is a hell down there, I'd rather give this petty thing called life a try rather than suffering an eternity of fiery thrashings. That's what I tell myself anyway. I also think about the consequences of suicide. I'm an only child so naturally, my parents will be devastated and they've been pretty good to me so I really can't imagine what effect it would truly have on them. Now I bet some of you would be thinking, "You'll be dead, you'll never know how they feel so its doesn't matter!" Well, I've thought about that too, but I guess my parents have instilled a very strong moral voice or conscience in me which prevails even when I'm sitting in the car, in my closed garage with my hand on the car ignition after I read about how carbon monoxide poisoning supposedly is painless yet fatal.

Sometimes, I give up on life completely. The other day, I said that I thought life had no meaning. It was a pointless tour around the earth without any real destination. And I stand by my word. But come to think of it, life is one big route that always ends with death. But like any journey, there are detours and scenery which we always remember whether we love or hate them. Or if you're like me and you sleep during a scenic drive, at least you wake up feeling mildly refreshed even if you wake up to a nightmare reality, there was still that millisecond of a moment where life wasn't all that bad. So that's what I live for. Those little moments which make me smile, those little moments that don't seem so bad. I mean, if we're all going to die in the end, what's the point in speeding up the process? The roller coaster isn't finished yet, wait for the loops, wait for the thrills which life may or may not throw at you.

It's those little moments where I'm not wallowing in self pity over a life which compared to starving, orphaned children with a tiny life expectancy  is not bad at all, that I live for. Those little moments which I see as being a motivation to keep living. Those pathetically simple moments which happen every now and then are worth living for.

Whether it's indulging in a fruit Popsicle (before realizing it's sugar content and gagging it out or getting diabetes)
Or smelling the sickly sweet scent of a flower (before your hay fever kicks in and rashes attack your body)
Or lying on the floor imagining a life which doesn't seem so complicated until someone bangs on your shut door, ordering you to make something of your life.

The tiny hope that my hormones will ease off soon. The vague optimism for the roller coaster to come to a fun loop. Those little moments. Those pathetic little moments. They are all what I live for.

That, and the idea that death is coming anyway, so might as well enjoy the ride even how shit scary it gets.

An 18-year-old student has been charged with breaking into his prestigious high school and hacking into computers to change his test grades from Fs to As.

If convicted on all 69 counts, including altering and stealing public records, computer fraud, burglary, identity theft, receiving stolen property and conspiracy, Mr Khan could spend almost four decades in prison.

He is currently being held on $50,000 (£25,500) bail and is scheduled to appear in court today.

The girls were discussing a skit they were doing for a church program.  The Freshman said something to the effect of, "Oh, I'm her voice onstage," while referring to her acting partner and good friend, Flora. 

"Her voice?" I inserted, coming from the other side of the Resource Room.

"It's hard to act and talk at the same time," The Freshman informed me.

Now, that struck me.  Enough so that I made both The Freshman and Flora chuckle a little nervously as I opened my DayRunner_TM and jotted it down on the empty squares that start June. 

As a person who has indeed spent time on a stage over the years, I have not found this to be true, myself.  I personally wish to have control over my words and actions, putting them in synch without relying on a human, fallible "other" to do so for me.  (Not that I make any claim to inhuman infallibility, mind, I just prefer to rely on my own horse to get me someplace.)

But, I can still see The Freshman's point.  It is a responsibility to keep both the mouth and body under total control and focused progress. Difficult to make sure the words we use match our actions.  That our thoughts are in synch with our outward display. 

Some folks talk a good game.  Their words are glib, their expressions easy. They inspire confidence by the phrases that come from their mouths.  This is useful.

Some folks do worthwhile deeds.  They help, they listen, they put themselves out there to enrich the life of another person.   But they do it in silence.  This is useful, too.

But, the example we have is of a man who was able to talk and act at the same time. His actions suiting his words, and vice versa.  A man whose words spoke of eternity while his actions affected the immediate needs of those around him.

Until his final action, where his words and body demonstrated sacrifice for an eternity.

It is indeed hard to talk and act at the same time.  But when someone can, the results are more than useful. They are profound and can be life-changing.

Traveling can be very stressful, and traveling with teens doubly so, for reasons that are completely different than for traveling with smaller children. Teens are developing their own interests and more than ever, you have to plan around how best to incorporate their needs, however exotic or seemingly selfish into the program. Here are ten ideas to help the trip go smoother this time.

1. Remember who your fellow travelers are. Just as you wouldn't take your sports-ambivalent wife to a week of baseball training camp, try to figure out destinations the whole family can enjoy. That doesn't mean it has to be Disneyland or the least common denominator. Think instead, of places that will have real highlights for all members of the family. New York City for example, can satisfy many different types of people with museums, sports legends, nightlife, theater, and even great parks. But pick a single-interest destination, like say, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the entire family better be into rocking out, or have other reasons for being in Cleveland.

2. Ask your teen to help plan. We like the City Walks cards series because you can spread them out and deal them like cards. Easier for everyone to see than passing out a book, the cards give everyone a chance to pick an itinerary and there will still likely be things of interest for the whole group. They also come in a more limited series for kids. Either way, have everyone look through the guide books or websites and choose at least one thing they really want to do, so no one feels like they are being dragged along an entire holiday.

3. Try to stay near the center of your destination and activities. Nothing aggravates family dynamics and the fatigue factor like long car trips or transit. Even if it means cutting back elsewhere, a great location can really ease a lot of tension when a trip back to the hotel is easy.

4. Consider an apartment rental or hotel apartment. Nowadays, there are many more options than having the whole family stay in a single room. That's not a vacation for you or your teen. Short stay apartment rentals give you more space for your dollar and feature a kitchen for more casual meals (pizza!) and cheaper breakfasts.

5. Let your teen choose things "you didn't come all this way to do." Even if you're in National Park and your teen wants to spend an hour in the hotel arcade, let him have a little break from the stuff you "should" do.

6. Set up a vacation budget. It's better to give out a fixed amount for souvenirs and extras before the trip starts. If you say that the money is theirs to spend as they see fit and they keep whatever they don't spend, you'll create a strong lesson in budgeting, but you'll also be amazed at how many things now seem unnecessary for them.

7. Let them bring a friend. Obviously this isn't a possibility on all trips, but when it's possible, it might make for a great solution for you to get some downtime. Of course, now you're responsible not only for yours, but someone else's, so take this advice with a grain of salt based on the personality of your child and his or her friend.

8. Go easy on the "no iPod/no video games" rule. While you may not let your kids be constantly plugged in at home, vacation may the time to let them escape into their own little world during long car, train, or plane rides. It gives them a little privacy and a little down time that might make everyone a little less stressed out than if you make them interact with you at close quarters during the entire holiday.

9. Check yourself before you speak. It's easy to get caught up in slights and disappointments during a trip and to keep bringing them up. Small little fights are likely inevitable, but you can short circuit a lot of longer fights by counting to ten or just saying to yourself what you're tempted to say out loud.

10. Pack light. With airlines finding new ways to charge for previously free services, a large added expense may be checked bags, which, at $15 each one way, can add up very fast for a small family. Packing simply will also save a lot on back-breaking lifting, which usually is dad's job.

In america young males cost society a lot. They have higher rates of auto accidents, aggressive behavior, criminal behavior, alcohol related destruction, abuse towards women, children the do not financially or emotionally support. Four years ago Sweden tried to pass a man tax to help defray the cost of child abuse often committed by men.

 

 

 

Well I think there should be a general male tax starting at about age 16. For every year that a male demonstrates the absence or presence of certain behaviors: drunk driving, driving without insurance, no felonies or misdemeanors,  no unmarried paternity, keeping a job and paying taxes…. You get the idea… the tax is reduced so that by age 25 (maybe) the tax on the male is the same tax as on a female. If these behaviors incur then the tax rate increases, sorts like car insurance rates.  SOmeone has to pay for this stuff and at age hrmpf why should it be me?

 

I mean they are causing many of the costs that we other citizens pay for so shouldn’t the load be carried more evenly?

 

Of course I am also in favor or astronomical cigarette taxes to 1. defray the cost of health care for cancers caused  by smoking and the destruction of property and 2 as a deterrent to young people with less money to start smoking.

 

And gas prices should be higher with higher taxes to defray the cost of pollution, destruction of the environment , auto accidents and the deterioration of our highway infrastructure. This would mean that citizens would press their local governments to have more and better mass transportation.

 

Hmmmmm what else can we tax? Because heaven knows we need more money so shrub can continue to send young people to the middle east to be blown up and blow up others.

 

And shouldn’t congress pay far more tax as they are the ones who are telling us how our money is being spent? They should be honored to help pay for the many causes they lobby, filibuster and cry waaaaaaaaaaaaaa.   But mostly I want obstreperous young men to have to pay pay pay. Right NRL’s?