All posts by jlang@nafcs.k12.in.us

Columns, Forum

Stretching the lifeline

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By Delaney Smith.

Walking through the cemetery and noticing the different headstones, for me, is a surreal experience. As I read all the names and quotes on these cold stones of the people who are put to rest here for eternity, I start to wonder. I wonder what their lives could have been like, how their loved ones remember them, and what they did to make their lives important to the world.

One thing that really stands out to me are the years that are engraved just below the name. It has the person’s birth year and the year that he or she died, with only a little line in between. That little line represents everything that that person did with his or her life.

That line is their legacy and every memory that they left behind with the people they could not take with them. It’s every birthday, every broken heart, every little smile and tear drop that happened in their lives. This represents all of their time spent in this world. We only get to stay here for so long, so why waste a single second that we have been blessed with?

As teenagers we tend to focus only on ourselves and our futures, which can be good at times, but what about others who are not as fortunate as we are? We center our lives on petty problems such as a bad grade or a broken heart. Spending so much time and energy on these trivial issues that seem like such a catastrophe to us at the time, but on a larger scale are not of any real importance.

These moments are nothing that we are going to look back on at the end of our lives and give much worth to. However, just a few moments of our time spent on something with a greater meaning, such as community service or just giving a hand to someone who really needs it, can change someone’s life forever. This gives us self pride that we will give worth to in the long run. It also can give other people a better opportunity to change the world in anyway that they are able to.

Making this a better place for others can give our short life some real meaning in this world and we can be remembered for it long after our timeline ends. People are remembered and immortalized for their acts of kindness and bravery that they accomplished in their limited time on Earth.

People throughout history have earned and achieved the status of American heros for the things that they did with their lives to help others. These men and women also helped to change the future, making it into the society we have today. Everyone has the potential to make a real difference with their little line. What will you do with yours?

 

Sports

Baseball team defeats New Albany 12-4

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By Delaney Smith and Sydney Sears

As junior Brandon Smith takes the mound, the pressure is on. He is focused and ready to take on FC’s biggest rival, New Albany.

“Because of the school’s rivalry with New Albany, it’s not a hard game to get ready for,” said coach Casey LaDuke.

In the first inning NA was up by two runs, but that did not get the team down.

“We played well. It was nice to see us fight back after being down 2-0 in the 1st inning,” said LaDuke.

Nerves were spreading to the stands as the game was approaching the sixth inning. The scores were close with only a one run lead over NA.

“In the middle of the game I was very nervous because of the scores being so close, but as the game progressed FC started scoring runs and I became more relaxed,” said junior Cat Northam.

The sixth inning is really when FC seemed to come alive. The team scored seven runs and  FC’s crowd was on their feet cheering.

“It was nice to see us separate from them, in a close game, by having a 7 run 6th inning,” said LaDuke.

With a 12-4 win for FC the team was ecstatic.

“I was so pumped at the end of the game,” said Smith.

As the student section started filing out of the stands there was a great sense of pride and excitement in the air.

“As always, I left the game a proud highlander,” said Northam

 

A&E, Christian DiMartino

Columnist anticipates movies of summer 2014

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By Christian DiMartino

When it comes to movies, 2014 had a bit of a rough start. With movies like I,Frankenstein, Pompeii, and Vampire Academy entering theatres, there was sort of what I like to call a “good movie drought” from January through February. However, things began to shape up in March, with the arrival of the Wes Anderson’s great new movie The Grand Budapest Hotel and Darren Aronofsky’s maddening but near great Noah.  In a way, it feels like summer has begun early. I mean, Captain America: The Winter Soldier came charging into theatres two weeks ago, so that says something. Every summer, there are movies that everyone flocks to, movies that get Oscar attention, and movies that, well, miss the mark (cough… The Lone Ranger). Summer 2014 will most likely be the same. Here is what I am personally looking forward to this summer, and what I will probably avoid.

Want to See

5. Boyhood (July 11, R): Here is a movie that I am more curious to see than excited. Director Richard Linklater (The School of Rock, Dazed and Confused) began filming this movie, which tells the story of a boy (newcomer Ellar Coltrane) from ages 5 to 18, back in 2002. It may not sound too interesting, but there is more to it than that. Linklater filmed this movie every year until last year, so, basically, the audience literally watches this kid grow up. Seems like kind of a gimmick, but at the same time, a very ambitious gimmick. I applaud ambitious movies, so I’m curious to see how it turns out. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January to rave reviews, so it might be a potential Oscar contender.

4. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (May 2, PG-13): Although the previous movie was unnecessary, it turned out to be one of the better Spider-Man adventures, ranking  behind the fantastic Spider-Man 2. So, as a Spider-Man fan, the sequel immediately made it onto the list. Although it seems like there is too much plot (a thing that sort of dragged Spider-Man 3 down), and Jamie Foxx is miscast as the villain, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will be worth seeing for the chemistry between Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) and Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone), the thing that made its predecessor memorable in the first place.

3. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (August 22, Not Yet Rated): It seemed like it would never happen. Robert Rodriguez has been planning on making a sequel to his best work, Sin City, since 2007. So, after years of waiting, it has nearly arrived. It will either be triumphant, like the original, or a letdown. He has been given a long time to prepare. It better be worth it.

2. X-Men: Days of Future Past (May 23, PG-13): The X-Men series has been pretty good thus far. But now the series is on its 7th movie, and though it is kind of getting old, X-Men: Days of Future Past looks to be one of the more promising entries in the series. The film brings back director Bryan Singer, who did such a good job with the first two films, and it combines the cast of X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: First Class. How will it work? Not entirely sure on that, but I can’t wait to find out.

1. Magic in the Moonlight (July 26, PG-13):  Ever since Match Point back in 2005, controversial filmmaker Woody Allen has filmed eight films out of the U.S. What were the results? For starters, Match Point is his best movie, and he won an Oscar for Midnight in Paris a few years ago. Allen’s latest, which takes place in 1930s France, sounds too good to be true. Allen is the best director making a movie all summer, and if this is anything like his other European outings (or even his last movie, Blue Jasmine), then he will deliver again. Plus, the cast, which includes Emma Stone, Colin Firth, and Marcia Gay Harden, is dynamite.  Nobody will rush see it, but hopefully its target audience (his fans, like myself) will enjoy it.

Bad Vibe

5. Transformers: Age of Extinction (June 27, Not Yet Rated): Any time the name “Michael Bay” appears on anything, a sense of fear arrives. Michael Bay doesn’t always do bad movies, such as his last movie, the pleasantly surprising Pain and Gain, but when he does make a bad movie, it’s bad. Take Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, a loud, repetitive, stupid, and simply horrible movie. This movie doesn’t look bad; it’s the “directed by Michael Bay” part that is sort of a deal breaker. That, and do we really need MORE Transformers?

4. Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, Not Yet Rated): Judging from the humongous success of movies such as The Avengers and Iron Man 3, it is pretty obvious that Marvel studios knows what they are doing. However, I have no clue what exactly they are doing with Guardians of the Galaxy, or even what it is, for that matter. I can’t tell if this movie is a joke or what, but it does not look very good. Perhaps comic book readers will flip out over it, but this movie seems to be lost in its own world. Everyone can laugh when it turns out to be good, but right now, it looks pretty dumb.

3. Hercules (July 25, Not Yet Rated): There was already a Hercules movie this year, and it was so forgettable that I don’t remember what it was called. If I don’t remember a movie, it wasn’t anything special. Surely, this one will be better. But the thought of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in this role just sounds a little… silly. Am I alone here? We shall see.

2. Blended (May 23, PG-13): Judging from Adam Sandler’s past romantic comedies, he had the best chemistry with Drew Barrymore. The two worked so well, in fact, that they did two movies together (The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates). So, when I heard about their new movie Blended, I thought that it might be a comeback for Sandler, who has been on a losing streak since Jack and Jill. Then… I saw the trailer, and it got my hopes up. The second trailer is an improvement, but the first trailer was so painful that this movie made it on this list. It is not too late, but as of now, Adam Sandler has lost his touch. Hopefully I’m wrong.

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Aug. 8, Not Yet Rated): Allow me to summarize my feelings towards this movie: Gag me with a spoon. As a non TMNT fan for life, this movie was an automatic out. Then came the trailers, and it lost me even more. Lastly, guess who is producing it? Michael Bay. Should more be said? No.

Overall, this summer should be an interesting one. There were some movies, such as the Clint Eastwood musical Jersey Boys, the Channing Tatum/Mila Kunis sci-fi thriller Jupiter Ascending, and the Paul Rudd/Amy Poehler romantic comedy parody They Came Together, that didn’t quite make the list, but I still really want to see them. This summer has a lot of potential. Count me in.

 

Columns, Forum

Comfort food provides well-being

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By Lilly Payne

It is no secret that consuming healthy foods can lead to a happier life. However, there is reason to believe that specific foods can affect certain moods. These are not the presupposed comfort foods like chunky monkey, garlic knots, or your mother’s homemade specialty. Those affect your mood too, but because they trigger happy, comforting memories.

Food chemically triggers different parts of your brain, for instance serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, which means that it is a chemical responsible for relaying messages within your brain. Serotonin is linked to happiness, while low levels are correlative to depression, anxiety, and aggressiveness. Though this chemical is produced in the brain a large part is actually supplied by one’s digestive tract.

So what should we be eating? There are lots of foods that fall into the serotonin boosting category. Dark chocolate is great, really. Not only is it delicious, but consuming 1.5 ounces enhances your mood because the cocoa boosts serotonin levels. It’s also important to aim for foods high in omega-3-fatty acids. These are foods such as fish, flaxseed, chia seeds, soybeans, spinach, walnuts, enriched eggs, and guacamole.

However though there are many good foods the bad foods are forever tempting. The main culprit being sugar. Sugar, sugar, sugar. I myself have a ginormous sweet tooth, and can pack away two pints of ice cream, 12 cookies, a few cupcakes, and pizookies with a cherry on top like nobody’s business. That’s not the proudest of accomplishments considering what it does to your mood.

After eating all of that crap, you feel like crap. Sugar brings on fluctuations in blood sugar leading to mood swings and a lack of energy. Not to mention that it’s addictive. Sugar triggers dopamine, which is the main reward chemical in your brain. Dopamine is also triggered by drugs. Don’t let sugar be your drug, instead reach for a banana. Bananas contain 10 milligrams of dopamine.

So next time you’re having a bad day reach for a banana, dark chocolate, or guacamole. Don’t let food get you down.

Columns, Forum

Changing outlook provides feeling of gratitude

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By Allison Werner

“I want this.” “I need that.” These phrases have become the norm in our everyday lives. Advertisements convince us to ditch what we have, and get the latest and greatest thing. My perspective changed when I picked up a peculiar little orange book.

Driving down Veterans Parkway one sunny afternoon, I decided to stop by a favorite of mine, Family Christian Bookstore. I cannot even count how many times I have been in that store. When I walk in, I go straight to the best sellers section. A book catches my eye called Enough by Will Davis Jr. What any book novice would do, I start flipping the pages to see if I would enjoy reading this. Laying the book down on the counter to purchase it, I never would have thought it could change my perspective.

The main point of this book is the idea of gratefulness. As I look around my surroundings, I realize I am very fortunate to have what I do. There are people less off than me that still enjoy the little things in life. Although I do not have the newest car or the most high dollar house, I still have these things. That just goes for the material part of my life. I also have to take into consideration the fact I have two happily married parents living under one roof. There are some people that do not know what that is like.

Before reading this book, I would use these phrases I mentioned above. I did not think of how well off I am and how I do not need these material things. Since reading Enough, my outlook has changed and my humility has gone up. I am not saying I do not want things from time to time, because I do. But when I start getting in that frame of mind, I think back to this book and realize how lucky I really am.

If I am being completely honest, before picking up this book, I was very selfish. I liked the attention on me and to have nice things. But after reading Enough, my attitude on this has improved drastically. I consider others as well now and put their well-being before mine. So much joy comes from giving back, and it took an orange book for me to realize this.

I encourage everyone to read this book and to hold on to what it says. I have learned so much from reading it and want others to experience the eye opening moment like I did. After thinking on what I have and grasping the context, I can finally say I have more than enough.