Metal Mouth

              Plastic surgery is frowned upon because it causes someone to change the way that they physically look. Most people think it is bad to change the way you look to fit society’s picture of what looks “normal”. Could something that a majority of the United States goes through be put in this category? Like getting plastic surgery, wearing an excessive amount of makeup, or losing a mass amount of weight, braces change one’s appearance. Most Americans get braces to change the smile God blessed you with, into the uniform “cheese” someone, somewhere decided was “normal”.

Everyone in my family, excepting my dad, has had braces. I am currently on my second set of braces. I first got a mouth full of metal when I was in first grade. I started out with a palatal expander. Sound like a mouth full right? No pun intended. A palatal expander, also known as a rapid palatal expander, rapid maxillary expansion appliance, palate expander or orthodontic expander is used to widen the upper jaw so that the bottom and upper teeth will fit together better. The expander is "activated" by turning the screw. This is done with a "key". Since this appliance does not come out of your mouth, the screw must be turned with the key inside your mouth. In human terms, a metal contraption is placed on the roof of your mouth and is turned with a key to break your palate. Mine was similar to the one in the photos below. If you look closely, you'll see a hole in the center. That would be the key-hole. Every night my mom or dad would have to take the key and turn the screw a couple times. I would sugar coat it and say it didn’t hurt that bad, but it did. The pain isn’t even describable. It caused headache and jaw aches. Not a fun time. All of that, just so I could have a “normal” mouth.

 

After my palate was fully expanded, I was put in my first set of braces. Just like everyone else who has braces, I had to go in and get them tightened every month. A few months into having braces, my orthodontist decided to put yet another expander in my mouth. Thankfully, this expander wasn’t nearly as painful as the previous one. As you can see in the picture below, it is very simple. I am not exactly sure what it is for, but I imagine something similar to the first expander. This one didn’t require a key and was much less painful. Along with my braces, this lovely, new, expander I also got to wear a piece of head gear. My head gear was meant to correct my cross-bite. In the picture below (right) you can see it looks similar to a wrestler’s head gear. I had to wear it every night and it was not the most comfortable sleeping apparel.

            Once my teeth were straight, I got my braces off and was given a removable retainer for my top teeth, and a permanent retainer for the bottom. Neither was painful or hard to manage. Unfortunately, I got into a softball accident that damaged the perfection that took so long to achieve. So, here I am again, on my second set of braces, on top and bottom, to get that “perfect” smile again. I also have to wear rubber bands, to help correct my bite. My orthodontist has suggested jaw surgery to correct my bite; surgery, to look “normal”. A surgery, that he told my mom, could possibly change the way my face looks.

So, I ask the question: Is having braces really mush different than the cosmetic surgeries people go through? What are you telling that first grader, when you have to cause them pain every time you turn the screw? Should we have to go through pain to get the “perfect” smile? Your smile is unique. Your smile is what makes you, you.

One Family

               When you walk into the front doors of Kennedy High School, you have to make a choice to go left or right. If you go left, you will find yourself venturing towards the athletic wing of the school. If you go right, you will find yourself going towards the performing arts wing. This is where I spend up to eleven hours a day and at the least, five. Sounds crazy right? If you think about it, that is the equivalent to and entire school day. When you love something like performing arts as much as I do, it isn’t crazy. It’s passion.

            Within the performing arts department, there are multiple societies. There is band, orchestra, theatre, choir, and show choir. I am involved with show choir, choir, and theatre. The members of show choir are chosen based on auditions. Anyone can be a part of the regular choirs, but the choir you are in is based on your vocal audition you do for the directors. For those who think show choir is easy, or for sissies, all I have to say is, “Don’t make your opinion until you’ve tried it.”

            For show choir, we practice for three hours, two nights a week. We have nine hour choreography retreats two weekends out of the month and rehearse with coreography our songs in class every other day. It is very intense. To have a good group you need to have dedicated members who can handle whatever is thrown their way. Like all societies, we do have our problems once in a while. There is the occasional arguing and disputes, but in the end we are a family and that is what matters.

            At Kennedy there are three show choirs, Chanteurs, Protégé, and Happiness Inc. The rules are that students who are in grades 9 or 10 are not allowed to be in Happiness, unless the director sees extreme talent over upperclassmen. This is a rule that I wish would change. I believe that if a student has more talent than an upperclassman it should not matter on the age, but solely on the talent. In every sport it is like this, and yes I did just say that show choir is a sport. Take softball for example, if the coach sees talent in a younger player, enough talent to play on the varsity level, then the coach will move that player up. Unfortunately in show choir you are not given an entire season to impress or catch the directors eye. You have one shot and that is it.

            In theatre it is kind of the same way. There are different opportunities to show your talents in theatre. If you are good at building things, controlling lights, or giving direction, the behind the scenes work is for you. If you like to be up in front of people strutting your stuff, then the performance part of theatre is for you. Within the performing part you can be in speech, the musicals, and plays. All of the performing group members are chosen based off of audition. In the audition you read part of the script, sometimes you sing, and sometimes you dance. Depending on what show it is will determine the audition material.

            The rules in theatre are that you have fun! There are a lot of different personalities that are involved with theatre so naturally there is sometimes conflict. Once again what it comes down to is that spending time with these people creates a family, and that is the most rewarding thing.

            Some groups we are a part of are athletic, some involve performing in front of thousands of people, and some groups we are a part of, but don’t even know it. No matter what kind of group or association, I believe that they all share one thing in common, the idea of unity and family. When you are a part of a team or a group you are one. You all love to do the same thing, and that is what is most important.

Gotta Start Somewhere

I rushed into the building, ran up the old stairs to the bathroom and started ripping out my curlers. I had thirty minutes to get ready, and I wasn’t going to waste any time. Hair was being pulled, zippers were being zipped, make-up was being applied, and hairspray was being sprayed everywhere. It smelled like Aussi hairspray and a bunch of people. All I heard was, “Five minutes!” And then came the butterflies.

            This experience above was what I felt before my first big performance. Before every show we always went over lines and got ready, and then right before we walked through the door I get a ton of butterflies in my stomach. Sure I have performed in school plays but Theatre Cedar Rapids, way different. My first TCR play was “The Children’s Hour.” Ever since that play I think I have found my niche, on stage.

            When I’m onstage everything that is going on in my life just disappears and I put my whole heart into acting. My favorite feeling is when I’m center stage, with a spot light on me, the butterflies in my stomach are doing the polka, all eyes are on me, and everyone is waiting for me to deliver the next line. Sometimes it is hard, but it always pays off.

            Oscar Wilde once regarded theatre as, “The greatest of all art forms.” I agree because when you are one stage you can become another person and you start to act like your character. Whether you are acting, singing, or both, just getting up there is half the battle won! It took me a long time to go and audition for a show and once I did I kept going back. Theatre has boosted my self confidence so much. I believe it leaves this effect on more than just me. If I didn’t act I don’t think I would be the same person.

            For most it is the end that is rewarding. When I did my first performance I was so giddy just waiting to go on. I gave everyone their Necco Wafer as a pre-show ritual. Nikki whispered something to Bailey, grabbed my hand and whispered, “This is it!” Then it was time. We went on, had a great show and got a great review. I came away from the show with new skills, new memories, but most importantly a new family.

            People say actors are really artsy fartsty people and acting is hard. People say a true actor acts from the heart. Well, people say a lot of things, but only you can determine the truth. Who knows, maybe you will be the next big thing.

Make It or Break It

               Accessories are not for everyone, but they definitely either make or break your outfit when put in use. In this blog I will be addressing how I accessorize and hopefully if you are finding troubles with deciding how to utilize your accessories, this will help you. The first rule in accessorizing is to make sure it matches or accentuates your outfit. If it doesn’t match, chances are it probably will not look very good and you could risk the potential of looking dumb. Another rule is to be confident in your accessories. If you don’t believe that you rock it, why should anyone else? The final rule is to have fun with your accessories. They add a little bit of umph to your outfit, create conversations, and, when utilized correctly, make you look awesome.

                Shoes! Shoes are some of my favorite accessories. I love shoes. They are great conversation starters and if they are killer, then they make your outfit. When choosing what shoes to wear with your outfit, keep in mind the following:

·         Do these match the colors in my outfit?

·         Does this pair of shoes match the style of my outfit?

·         Are these shoes comfortable for the activity I will be doing in this outfit?

After considering the above items, you are ready to choose your shoes. My current shoe obsession is my black combat boots. They are made by Lauren Conrad and are very 80’s slash 90’s grunge. They look awesome with skinny jeans and some of my casual dresses.

                As far as jewelry is concerned, you just need to make sure that it goes with your mood. I generally like to match all of my jewelry as far as color and style. I wear two rings every day just because I feel naked without them, but rings are really just a preference. I absolutely love earrings. I have recently raided my mom’s old earrings and I absolutely love them. If you haven’t gathered already, I love retro.

                Scarves are one of my weaknesses. I absolutely love them! They are great to dress up a casual outfit or to have an accessory to keep you warm. My favorite places to by scarves from are Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters (click on link to go to online stores). I just love their fun and funky styles. Hair accessories are one of my latest trends. I love flowers and big bows that go with my outfits. Most of the flower clips I have are from my local Farmer’s Market. My bows are actually bows from when I was younger.

                Accessories can make or break your outfit. When choosing them remember some of my tips, or don’t. Just remember that they are a huge reflection of what you want to show people about you. Thanks for reading!

Who Am I?

               Character, by definition, is the set of qualities that make somebody or something distinctive, especially somebody's qualities of mind and feeling. So what are my character traits? What do I possess that sets me apart from everyone else? When I started writing this application, those were the questions I asked myself. I really got to thinking about who I am and what traits I have that would make me a National Honor Society member.

                I believe that I am a very kind, generous, and outgoing person. I love giving my time to help others and I always look for a way to do so. My favorite volunteer projects I do are the ones when I get to spend time with children. During the summer I serve lunch about two to three times a month at a church, down town, in an under privileged neighborhood. At the church there is also a Boys and Girls Club. We serve lunch to these kids as well. I just love playing with the kids and really watching them from the beginning of the summer, to the end and how they grow and develop a personality.

                Being kind and loving, goes hand in hand with being a good leader.  In the past three years at Kennedy, I have been a part of a numerous amount of leadership positions. My freshman year, I got the wonderful opportunity to be the student director of the spring musical, Sweeney Todd. I got to work side by side with an amazing leader and role model. My leadership did not stop there. My Sophomore year, I was Treasurer of the Theatre Department and student director of a speech event. My Junior year, I am the President of the Theatre Department, Secretary of the Class of 2013, and student director of Playtime Poppy. These positions have helped me grow as a person and increased my responsibility immensely. They have helped me to realize that helping and leading people is what I want to do.

When It's Gone

               Death. Yes, by dictionary definition it means to die, but outside of that it means so much more. Death is the absence of a loved one, a friend, a family member, and an inspiration. It is the replacement of life with something to remember. It is also the making of an inspiration. I have been through a lot of deaths, all of which were hard, but the one that has inspired me the most is that of Matt Schmitt. Matt was my dad's best friend and throughout my life became a surrogate uncle to me. He was one of the coolest people I have had the chance to meet. I remember everything that happened the week that I found out he was gone.

            It was 10:00 A.M. on a Thursday, during the summer of 2007. I woke up to the sound of the phone ringing. “Hello?” I answered, “Oh hey mom, what’s up?” The next words that my mom would say would be the words that would never leave my mind. “Bailey,” my mom said in her calm and kind voice, “Matt passed away this morning.” At that moment it was as if the whole world stopped except for me and I went back to the last time I saw Matt. It was on Sunday when we went to a baseball game.

            For almost four days I cried. “It is so unfair!” I thought, “He means something to so many people! How can he be gone?” My mom tried to explain to me that everyone has there time to go and sometimes it isn’t fair. I have never understood why things like this happen to good people. On the day of his funeral I couldn’t bring myself to go. Instead I helped another grieving friend. I didn’t want to see him in a casket with other sad people. I wanted to remember Matt as the fun, energetic, and hilarious person I knew.

            A year after his death we visited his grave. The car ride up to the cemetery I had a million thoughts racing through my mind. "Yes, I had seen his grave before, but has it really been a whole year?" "Has it really been a whole entire year without our baseball games?" It was unreal, but true. At Matt’s grave we laughed, talked about funny things that Matt did, and the good times we shared with him. It was not as sad as I thought it would be.

            Now I think about Matt every day. I miss him so much and I would give the world to spend one more day with him. In hundreds of ways he has inspired me to do good for others. He lived a great life and nothing can ever change that. Horace Bushnell once said, “The more difficulties that one faces, within and without, the more significant and higher in inspiration his life will be.” In so many ways this explains Matt’s life. I know, in my heart, that Matt has had the ability to touch not only my life, but many others’ too. I hope that I may be able to do the same some day. He has taught me to cherish what I have, while I have it, because I never know when it will be gone.

Overall Look

                Everyone has their own style.  Some would say that my personal style is a bit out there.  For example, today I am sporting my overall shorts, a t-shirt, advertising my school’s fall musical, black tights, my black “school teacher” heels, as I call them, and a piece of a red feather boa in my hair. I love my high school for multiple reasons, but one reason is that we have the freedom to express ourselves through our own clothing choice. 

                The clothes that people wear say a lot about their personality. The clothes I wear reflect a very bubbly personality. My clothing inspiration comes from the late 80’s and early 90’s. I love outfits with fun colors and patterns. Accessories definitely make or break your outfit. I could write a whole blog about accessories, oh wait, I did! J

                My favorite kinds of shirts are loose and oversized.  American Eagle, Urban Outfitters, and Forever 21 are my three favorite stores to by shirts from (you can click on the stores and you will be taken to the online stores). Sweaters and big crew neck sweat-shirts are other pieces of clothing that take up space in my closet. Some people have a thing against Good-Will, but it is one of my favorite stores. I get most of my sweaters and crew neck sweat-shirts from there. I love the vintage clothes that you can find at Good-Will. 

                As far as pants are concerned, I love jeans. Skinny jeans are my personal favorite because I am short. I love the way bell bottom jeans look and the hippie-esque, 70’s look they give, but as a short person I find it hard to wear them, because they drag on the ground and get frayed. So instead of paying for jeans to get ruin, I purchase skinny jeans. My favorite stores to get jeans from are American Eagle and Hollister Co. (once again if you click on the store, it will take you to the online store). I just like the different varieties of styles of skinny jeans that these two stores offer. They aren’t overpriced and when they have sales on jeans both stores offer great deals.

                Dresses are also some of my favorite outfits to wear. I used to hate wearing dresses, but over the years I have found that with the right dress, you can feel like the prettiest girl in the world. I get most of my dresses from Target. They always have a great selection of dresses from casual to more formal. I personally like the dresses that have a defined waist and are flowing at the bottom, because they accent my body shape very well.

                That is another thing about clothing. I don’t expect anyone who reads this, if anyone, to run out and start dressing exactly like me, if you do, awesome, but you should just be comfortable. I wear what I do because it is what I am comfortable in. Everyone has a different comfort level and everyone has a different body. Whatever your style is, be comfortable. Remember, your clothes may reflect a piece of your personality, but you yourself ultimately define who you are.