Cool For the Summer! How to Cherish Every Single Moment And Have Fun

     That time for watermelons, popsicle sticks, swimming, and sleeping late has already arrived! My Summer Vacation has finally begun!

     Last year, my summer was totally boring because for the first time ever since Summer 2011, me and my summer pals have always been together, and last year it was a bummer that we didn't get to hang out with each other, and sadly, I think that this summer will be just like that again. 

     It's my first week of summer vacation and I'm currently planning how to spend the summer at home and have some fun. Here's a list of how I plan to spend the summer, and not waste any single moment of it. 

How To Spend the Summer In A Fun Wayyy

1. Wake up Early. Last year, one of the reasons of my sad summer was because the days seemed to become shorter and shorter. I'm not a morning person at all, but today I forced myself to wake up early (about 6am) since by doing this, you'll be experiencing a lot more exciting stuff than being the next Sleeping Beauty. I also have to make sure to get enough sleep in the night, or if not, take a nap in the afternoon. Here are some of the things I did from 6:00 am - 12:00 pm.

        ~Watered the plants in our yard

        ~Gave a bath to all my four dogs 😂

        ~Got pushed by Knoxx (My Rottweiler) millions of times and played with him as well

        ~Created a beautiful and detailed family tree

        ~Surfed the net

        ~Went online and talked to my friends

        ~Took lotsa photos

And here are more stuff I plan to do

        ~Go jogging 

        ~Go camping

        ~Have a picnic or something

2. Learn about nature. I for one, have started becoming a photographer this morning, taking photos of the outside world. 

3. Write a story. As a writer, I have to say that starting a whole novel is very hard, and it'll take you a lot of time and years, but since it's summer, I'm planning to start a new long story, and finish my other drafts of short stories. Try it, since it can actually keep you busy for the whole summer.

4. Read a book! Reading doesn't akways have to be painful. Try to read at least one chapter, and just see how you'll feel. It can be entertaining, and at the same time feeds you smart stuff. Here are some titles I've recently read.

     

        ~The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (It is now one of my faves ❤)

        ~The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare (The first book is called The Iron Trial)

        ~Mythology by Edith Hamillton

5. Hang out with your Friends! Technology is at its best, so use it. Me and Candy are planning to go to Ayalala and hang out. I also went swimming with my friends last time, going to the arcade, and visiting each other's homes.

6. Try something new. I am very bad at this, but I think I'm going to try some new stuff this summer. It could be anything, like a new language, new food, a new hobby, a new sport, or probably learn a new song on your guitar, a new style for your writing, or a new added recipe to your cookbook. :)

7. Take Summer Classes! It's never too late to enhance your skills, or learn something new.

8. Play games. Summer is all about having fun so go knock yourself out with your hardest game yet. But don't go too insane...

9. Go Swimming and have a water balloon fight. Promise, it's fun :)

10. Create a scrapbook. It can be an old tradition one or a digital one. I've also tried creating a movie of me and my friends, and it was really fun :)

"Whatever you decide to do, make sure it makes you happy."

  

Broken Glass

     Shouts of help, guidance, and confidence resided inside of her, begging for someone or something to help her, or probably get her out of this mad world. She was wounded, cuts in her eyes, the pain of needles in her body, blood from every corner, all because of her. 

     There once was a good, innocent girl. But she wasn't always like that. There came a time when her glass was full, and it broke into tiny fragments, the water spilling there, the sharp parts affecting every muscle inside her. And that was when she changed. Shouting and whining became one of her few hobbies. She was rarely ever in the mood to smile, or be happy (especially when her best friend was with her), without an argument. Boy, if you ever put those two together for a day, you'd end up in a battlefield of bombs and guns.

     On this particular day, she was shouting at her best friend since the photo she printed was blurry. From above, in her room, she yelled (And I tell you that the glass windows were very damaged because of this exercise). Then came the sound of footsteps becoming louder and louder, and appeared her innocent looking, curly haired, perfect friend.

"What is it?" 

With eyebrows knotted messily, the girl looked at her friend as if she had amnesia. "This photo is blurry!" She made it a point to give emphasis to the y at the end of blurry. It made her feel better somehow, knowing that her voice was loud enough for someone to finally hear, it made her feel like a sombody. The friend sat on the bed and took a quick peek at the photo. Still not answeing, the girl began to complain. "Hey, what am I going to do??? The squad might get mad!" The girl continued whining.

"I'll just print it again." The answer was blank. It was as if the words were forced to come out of her, as if there was a juicer to squeeze and force the juice to come out. It felt fake, but she didn't have any choice if she wanted her friend to be at peace. Anything for her, right?

"When?" The girl asked back calmly but firmly.

"Once I get permission from my parents." Still, blank as an empty flower vase.

"Ugh." The girl whined a little softly. She was annoyed because the situation made her look like the antagonist, and her friend was obviously forced.

     Deep down inside, the girl didn't like being like this. She didn't like having to whine or be mad all the time. She was thirteen, for goodness sake, she wasn't a baby anymore, but she wasn't completely an adult. But why was she always like that? Why? Well, the answer's pretty simple. For one, she's a teenager. And for the past years, her friend would always ignore her even if everything was perfectly fine. And I know this, dearie, for I am the narrator, and I am sure of it. Every time they'd go to the mall, her friend would sit down and talk to her phone instead of her. When watching TV, and she'd ask a simple question, the friend would stay watching, completely mute to a distant human voice. Whenever it came to communication, her friend would never understand her, not even try her best. She was always like that, and you can't expect the girl to not get down.

     A lot of people are like this, especially teenagers. Teenagers nowadays are very different. They like sleeping late, being exposed with gadgets, cursing a lot, and usually not caring about other people's feelings. They can be rebellious. I'm not taking this against them, but I'm not saying that I'm like this either. All I'm trying to say is that nowadays most teenagers are like that, and we should understand people who are like this, because you never know how they're really feeling deep inside. You don't know if they have to cope up with mean parents, or go through low grades, or not get the perfect life she thinks you have.

     Understand, be kind, and try your best not to be a villain.

The Art of Time Wasting

     "Nothing's gonna happen if you sob and waste time."

     I agree. Nothing will happen if you stay in a corner and cry. You'll be wasting so much time, because instead of going to the mall out with your friends or watching that new movie, or going swimming at the beach, you choose to cage yourself, wear a frown, and be sad. 

     Yes, you will be wasting time, and yes, this is very true, but despite that, I have to say that I do this, and it is very effective. Every time.

     I know that it doesn't seem very helpful, but whenever I sob in a corner for one whole hour, it kind of makes me feel better. I think of it as flushing all my sadness out into the drain, while thinking of the situation that happened. If I fought with a friend of mine, I try to put myself in another person's shoes and think of the advice that I'd get. Then I think of the situation thoroughly, and finally, with a new found solution, I apply it to my life and not regret a single moment of the art of time wasting.

      Life will be short if you waste it, but if you keep going on and pretend to be strong, it won't be very worth it. It's okay to be sad, but also remember that no one should punish theirselves to be sad forever.

    

Call of the Future

     Here we go again, the same old routine, same old cliche, the never ending saying. I'm sure this bores everyone, since it's already boring me, but nonetheless, I'm saying it again, even if my fingers hurt of typing it over and over again. Please, vote wisely.

     Surely, Filipinos are aware of the Presidential Candidates. From the tiny brown elf, the smarty pants, the half american, to the criminal killer, and the yellow believer of straight paths, only one is to be crowned. 

     Some people think that just because a candidate gives away free shirts or goodies means that he or she is honarable of being a leader. Some think that killing criminals is the answer to all our problems. Some think that just because the candidate is from his province means that the candidate is a worthy leader. Some even think that not voting at all will be the solution. 

     But none of these is the what will be for the better, because what we want is a bright future. No one will probably listen, but I'm telling you that if you want a bright tomorrow, if you want to kill your worries with hunger and poverty, robberies and corruption, the answer is you. Yes, you. And how will that happen? By you voting wisely.

  

     With technology at its best, we are provided thousands of sources to choose correctly. Debates, interviews, and the internet is beneath our fingertips, let us not put it to waste. And how? By using these for good, since with it, you'll be able to know who truly is worthy of becoming president. If someone knocks at your door and gives you free food, you'd like her a lot, wouldn't you? But that doesn't mean that you'd tell her your deep dark secrets, that you'd let her live with you, right? And that's practically how the elections are. You have to know the candidates. To live with them, to go to work with them, to befriend them.

      If you're still confused, remember the merciless ways of Martial law. Remember how much blood Ferdinand Marcos produced, remember our bravery in the EDSA Revolution. Remember Dr. Jose Rizal's way of words, and how big of a help it was. Remember how sweet the taste of freedom from the Japanese was. Remember your family. Think of your children, think of their future. I leave you this question, reader, will killers, liers, robbers, or corrupt leaders be the answer? 

     

     By the time the tippiest tip of the pencil shades the circle, it'll all be too late. By the time the cool wet ink is on your thumb, it'll be the end. Every single vote counts, no matter how small it may seem. Every single one of them. The future is calling for you, and it wants to grow up to be a bright one.