Soph # 3 Journal: The Conceit--now due Oct. 17
I'm driving 65 mph on I-495, cars whizzing by me like I'm standing still (yeah, that's me in the picture above).
Two guys darting in and out of traffic like it's some video game chase--I can only imagine how fast they're going. I'm on the gas just to keep up with the flow, the left foot covering the pedal (yeah, that's old-school bi-pedal technique), just in case . . . momentarily reverting to what Mr. Shaw instructed back in my tenth grade driver's ed class.
Then comes the inevitable question from the backseat driver, who actually occupies the other seat in the front. You know what I mean? (remember, a backseat driver is a common metaphor for someone who gives you unwanted directions when you are driving, whether they're in the back or the front)
"Are you using cruise control?"
"No," I answer curtly.
"Why not? Doesn't your foot get tired?" the passenger harps.
It is at that point that I begin my rant on the dangers of cruise control.
Clicking on the cruise control does prevent tired, cramping feet, I say. However, it has its problems, too. For one, it lulls you into a false sense of security, and the feet usually get further and further away for both the gas AND the brake pedals. At that point, how much control do I really have?
Like my car, I don't like to put my life in "cruise control." I want to be the one in charge as much as I can be, without being a "control freak." I'm no risk-taker, so most of the time I travel the "road more taken." And that's OK with me. I like to know where I'm going, traveling at my own speed. I haven't driven further north than Saratoga, NY, or more south than Augusta, GA, but that doesn't mean I've led a boring, provincial life, either. I can make a Saturday night trip to Bed, Bath, and Beyond an adventure by taking some of the back roads to see the Belted Galloway cows on Center Meeting Road (click to enjoy) in Centreville.
How are you "driving" yourself through life?
Do you gas up first, and then check the oil, wipers, and air pressure before a big trip?
Do you have the "pedal to the metal" or are you driving more cautiously with "both hands on the wheel at 10 before 2?"
Do you prefer major roadways like the Kirkwood Highway or would you rather take the more scenic route?
When you drive, are you easily lured into the local McDonald's at the sight of the golden arches, or can you get from point A to point B without making a single stop?
Do you use your cell phone while driving, chatting and texting away instead of paying attention to the road? It's against the law, you know.
Obviously, all of these driving situations can be applied metaphorically to situations in our lives.
For instance, the guy who gases up and checks out his car before a trip is the man who begins all his endeavors in life with preparation and a plan.
The "pedal to the metal" driver travels recklessly through life, hellbent on getting things done in a hurry without concern for safety for himself or anyone else.
The guy who stops at McDonald's, well, he needs a little bit more self-control, doesn't he? Can't he wait a few minutes to get home to snack on last night's leftovers?
Hopefully, you have the idea of what makes a CONCEIT, an elaborate (sometimes far-fetched) extended metaphor. Two things that are essentially unalike, like driving a car and living one's life, are compared. The "extended" part of the metaphor means that different parts of each procedure are compared, like the examples that I've given above comparing driving a car to living one's life.
So now it's your turn.
Think of an area in which you have some knowledge and expertise. Maybe it's a hobby (reading) or activity (playing a sport, dancing, fishing etc.).
Think of a metaphor, and then extend it by breaking it down into parts.
For instance, reading a book is like developing a strong friendship.
How might choosing a book to read be like finding a friend? Examine its cover, its prologue, the reviews on the cover. How might this be similar to entering into a friendship? You can go on from here, and talk about opening the book the first time, feeling the stiffness of the book's bindings, maybe reading a few uneventful pages and then putting it down. How might this be like the beginning of a friendship, too?
Choose between one of these two assignments:
1. Make a conceit comparing two dissimilar but similar processes, like reading a book and making a friend.
Hopefully, you have the idea of what makes a CONCEIT, an elaborate (sometimes far-fetched) extended metaphor. Two things that are essentially unalike, like driving a car and living one's life, are compared. The "extended" part of the metaphor means that different parts of each procedure are compared, like the examples that I've given above comparing driving a car to living one's life.
So now it's your turn.
Think of an area in which you have some knowledge and expertise. Maybe it's a hobby (reading) or activity (playing a sport, dancing, fishing etc.).
Think of a metaphor, and then extend it by breaking it down into parts.
For instance, reading a book is like developing a strong friendship.
How might choosing a book to read be like finding a friend? Examine its cover, its prologue, the reviews on the cover. How might this be similar to entering into a friendship? You can go on from here, and talk about opening the book the first time, feeling the stiffness of the book's bindings, maybe reading a few uneventful pages and then putting it down. How might this be like the beginning of a friendship, too?
Choose between one of these two assignments:
1. Make a conceit comparing two dissimilar but similar processes, like reading a book and making a friend.
2. Tell me what your LIFE is like. Let's avoid the commonly used "roller coaster" or "box of chocolates" metaphors.
AVOID COMPARISONS THAT ARE TOO EASY TO UNDERSTAND because they are too similar.
For either choice, make sure you extend your general comparison with at least SIX specific comparisons. You'll probably find yourself doing many more.
Write and post your own conceit on or before Thursday, October 17
posted by JTF @ 12:23 PM
63 comments
63 Comments:
My life is like a volleyball game. Before the game even starts, the captains of both teams need to flip a coin to decide who has the first serve and who has receive. If your team gets the first serve, this could be when a certain situation goes in your favor, getting you excited for it. If the other team gets the first serve, this could be when something goes against your favor and possibly darkens your mood. However, you should move past that moment and do your best to get the serve back. As the game begins, you might be a little nervous, just like you would be in most life-changing situations. Your team will score some points, and so will the other team, representing those short times in your life when you think its jumping from good to bad then back to good again. All of a sudden, the other team goes on a run and is up by ten points and your team is doing everything they can to get just one point so they can finally serve again. Things just don’t seem to be working out for your team. This could be when something tragic happens in your life, whether it is a family death or some personal battle, and you keep trying to make things better but nothing seems to be working. You just have to keep playing your heart out until you finally get that one point and a little spark of hope that your team will win this game. Before you know it, your life turns around, and everything seems to be going good again. Now your team tied the game, and all you need is two points to win. Your team pushes themselves as hard as they can to pull out the win, and your life just keeps pulling you along on this streak of happiness. Next thing you know, your team is celebrating their amazing comeback after being down by ten points, and you guys pull off the win. In life, you need to remember that no matter how much in a slump you might be, you just have to keep pushing and fighting, and eventually you will be on top, celebrating your amazing comeback from all the obstacles thrown your way.
Getting a new dog is like baking a cake.
The very first step in baking a cake is deciding on which cake to make. When you first decide to get a dog you have to research breeds and breeders.
If you don’t have the needed ingredients to make the cake you have to go to the grocery store and buy them. If you find a breeder you like, you must then contact them and see when the next liter of puppies is due, and if there are any available. If there are then you can buy one!
Now that you have all the ingredients you must take them out. Now that you know when the next liter of puppies is due and have reserved your spot to buy one you must start making preparations for your new puppies arrival.
Step one of the recipe calls for measuring all of the ingredients and mixing them, so you do just this. As you prep for the dog you must puppy proof your house.
Next all of the ingredients are mixing together in the mixing stand. After your house is puppy proofed you have to buy food, some toys, and a leash and collar for your new puppy.
The batter is now all mixed together and ready to be poured into the pan, and placed in the oven to bake. The date is finally here! It’s been two months since your puppy was born and you’re all set to go pick him up.
The cake is in the oven baking and there are only minutes left until it is done. This is you driving to pick up your very own puppy.
Beep! Beep! Beep! The oven goes off and you take out your delicious cake. You arrive at the breeder’s house and walk in to meet your new best friend.
Once the cake has cooled you ice and decorate it. It is finished and ready to eat. Once you’ve met the breeder and the puppy, you sign the final papers and ta-da! You now own your very own puppy.
The people in your school are like animals. When you think of school the first think of the students. You have the freshman. They are the new kids to the school, just like deer. Freshman are shy and don't like to get in the upper classman's way. Just like how deer always run away when you see them and don't bother anything or anyone. After the freshman are the sophomores. Sophomores are like roosters, they are very cocky and loud because they are excited that they aren't freshman anymore. Then there are the juniors. Juniors are like cats because they are sweet and kind but sometimes they can lash out and be very obnoxious; just like when they won the spirit stick. At the top of the school are the seniors. Seniors are like lions, they are the head of the school and everyone is afraid of them. After the students you think of the teachers. Teachers are like snakes; people are scared of them and if you get them mad they will snap. The principal is like an eagle; they are the rule makers and are known all around the school. Then there is the guidance counselor. The guidance counselor is like a dog. They will listen to you and love you no matter what you say.
My life can be compared to playing a round of golf. Each hole represents a new obstacle for me to overcome and the cup is the goal I am shooting for. Some holes are familiar because I have seen them before. Same with challenges I face in life. Sometimes I have already dealt with a similar challenge and have learned ways to get through it successfully. Just like the length and par of the hole, some challenges can be harder or take longer to complete. My clubs are like the tools and resources I need to use to reach my goal. Depending on the situation and distance I will use different clubs. The fairway is the easiest way to get to my goal. But sometimes I hook the ball and end up in the rough. This is like someone or something that trips us upon our way to reach our goal. I have to hit the ball harder but I can still save the hole. Sometimes my ball goes behind a tree or into a bunker. It may take a few extra shots but I can get out of what was a bad situation and salvage a manageable score. But every once in a while I will hit the ball into a pond or out of bounds. This represents a time when I may mess up in life. This could include not studying enough for a test, or making a bad decision. I have to accept responsibility and take the penalty and continue on towards the hole. The green represents coming close to your goal but still having a little way to go. In order to reach your goal you still have to make the putt and sometimes the lie can be difficult and you will miss. But I have come too far to quit. I have to focus and finish out the hole and complete my challenge. The scorecard represents my life’s achievements and disappointments. I can look back and see the good times and bad times but I must accept that what I see it is too late to change. What’s done is done and I need to move on and focus on the hole ahead. And little by little I will finish the course called Life.
Life is like a game of shoots and ladders. Life has its ups and downs and a lot things are put up to chance: rolling the dice or drawing the right cards. You can be doing really well in the game, climbing the ladders, almost to the top and then bamb you did one thing wrong and you are sliding down the shoot. The same thing can happen in life, you can be doing very well in life, getting a promotion, getting married, all these good things could be happening to you and then bamb you do one thing wrong or one wrong thing happens to you and you have to go all of the way back to the beginning. However in the game if you work hard and have determination you can try and get back to the top. Same thing goes for life, if you try your hardest and are determined to have a good life than you will. In the game and in life some things are chance and some things are up to you.
Pitching in baseball is like driving a car…
When you get in the car you have to comfortable before you start by adjusting your seat and mirrors. Much like this, in baseball you have to take your comfortable stance on the mound before you can start your delivery. After you’re comfortable you put the keys in the ignition and start the car; likewise, in baseball the next step after you have taken your position on the mound is to start your delivery. As you drive along you may have to stop at a red light or stop sign. While pitching you take your leg kick and pause for a slight second right before finishing your motion. When you want to go from a stopped position to racing down the road, you have to step on the gas and go. While pitching, when you want to deliver the ball, you push off the rubber and throw the ball towards home plate. It is important to know where you are going and follow the appropriate roads to reach your destination when you are driving. When you pitch it is important to throw strikes and be accurate or you will find yourself walking batters. When you finally reach where you want to go, you find a parking spot and park the car. After you deliver the ball you land in a good fielding position. When you park you get out of the car and go on with your day, just like when you pitch a game and get the win and go on to the next game.
Life is like a fire. First, the fire starts out small. This is when you are just a little baby. Then, as time goes on the fire gradually starts to get bigger and bigger. This is you growing up into an adult. As time passes and the fire goes from smaller to bigger. This could be you having good times and bad times or ups and downs in your life. These ups and downs could be losing a job or a friend/ family member or a having major illness. Sometimes you need more wood or paper to get the fire going strong again. The fire or paper would be your friends or family helping you through the rough patch in your life. Sometimes something great will come into your life like marshmallows or hotdogs. These would be a boyfriends/girlfriend or a new friend or a great opportunity. The fire will continue to go up and down once it burns the stuff you have given it. It is now the end of the fire and it starts to die down. This is when you are old and your health starts to deteriorate. The fire gets smaller and smaller until there is nothing else left. This would be where you die.
Taking a test is like running a race. Practicing for your race is like doing your classwork and homework. You have to practice your run just like how you have homework to practice the lesson. If you don’t practice you won’t succeed in either. Warming up for your race is like studying for a test. Your warm up is something that you take your time with. It may even be the last thing you do before you run. Studying is also something that you really need to take your time with. Some people even wait to study last minute. Getting on the track is like getting into the classroom. You feel nervous. If you prepared yourself, you know you can do this. If you didn’t, you only hope for the best. You’re still going to try your best anyway. The gun sounding is like the teacher saying “You may begin.” You take off fast. You rush through the first couple of questions because they’re usually the easiest. Running the actually race is just like taking the test. You do your best until the very end. You know you have to finish. But you’re not just finishing to finish; you’re finishing to show that you did your best. In the end of the race you’re tired and exhausted, but you know it was all worth it .You might even be happy it’s over. When you’re finished the test you’re definitely glad it’s done with. You know it’ll affect your grade and you know that, even if you didn’t do well, it’ll help in the long-run. Whether you win or lose, the race (or test) benefits you in one way or another. Just remember to always do your best.
The exciting activity of snowboarding is like being in a band. The most important part of making music is your instrument, or the snowboard on which you ride. With no instrument, no music is made. In a band, you are a close-knit group of friends, when snowboarding I am mainly doing it because I am with friends, whether challenging them or just riding down together with them. When you ride down the slope, you must have all parts of your body in chord together, just like a band needs to be in sync together to make quality music. If one part of your body is out of sync, then the “song” is ruined and you are likely to fall. Once you finish your song successfully, you get a great feeling of accomplishment, just like when you glide down the final strip of a slope successfully. Also, in a band, different genres of music can be played. Such genres include the slow, classical music, which resembles the easy, gliding down the slope when snowboarding, or the loud, intense rock n’ roll, which is similar to the snowboarding done in the terrain park, which includes rails, boxes, and jumps. The venue you are at when performing with your band can also have a big impact on the band. The more prestigious the venue, or slope to snowboarders, the more fun and experience you get in return. Lastly, being in a band much practice is needed and much of your time is spent practicing songs over and over. In order to be a successful snowboarder, you must practice very much and hit the slopes over and over, because in the end, all of the work pays off.
School is like playing the piano. The piano itself is like school because you have to learn different techniques and put it together those techniques to make music or notes. To start off playing the piano, you need to learn basic chords, which are like basic information in school. A piano piece can have different tempos, such as fast or slow. The same goes for a school day, where some can just fly by, while others drag along. Piano pieces can have accidentals, which can change the melody and are sometimes unexpected. Quizzes and tests can change a person’s grades, and they can also be surprising, depending on a person’s preparedness. Piano pieces need to have all of the techniques that you have learned; the same goes for quizzes and tests. You need to gather up all of the necessary information and bring it together for a complete achievement. When practicing piano, you have to slowly start using the techniques and starting to memorize it. When studying for school, you have to memorize the information and start memorizing it for an assignment or quiz. School and piano are very similar things, because they both involve preparing, learning, practicing, studying, and memorizing music or lessons, respectively.
Life is like a work of literature. Though it may sound to others like the most cliché of all of the metaphors, it’s the truth. You’re lying on your bed, reading a good book. After finishing it you examine the beginning, middle, and ending, as well as all of the characters and settings. The main character went through a lot during the course of the book, whether it be good or bad, as you do in life. In the beginning, you’re born, and are introduced as the main character of your own story. Suddenly you get to the body of the story, and are living out your life, until finally in the end, when you die, to put it in literal terms. The characters in the story are like the people you meet in real life, each one has their own personality and characteristics. There may also be someone in your life that’s your polar opposite, which would be the antagonist of your “life story.” The events that happen in the story are like those that happen in your own life. Aside from that which happens in the story, there’s still the author of the book. The author of the book is the one that initially writes the story. You are the author of your own story. You place the words down on the metaphorical chapters and pages of your life. Your story might be published as well, like a well written book, especially if something notable was found written in the pages. Finally, the book comes to an end. It’s been written, read, and shared, with all of those you met “in the story.” The book is closed, just as someone’s life has come to a close.
You’re on the line at one of the biggest meets of the season, States. The air is chilly but no one feels it with all the adrenaline running through their veins. This meet is worth every backbreaking, hot, cold practice you ever went through. You know your teammates are just as nervous as you, scratch that- every runner there is just as nervous as you. What matters though, is who can overcome those nerves and place in the top ten. You go over everything your coach told you. You know you’re hydrated and had eaten a well nourishing breakfast beforehand. You’re ready. It’s up to you to choose, are you going to be the best today?
Everyday we live our lives like we’re in cross-country season. It may be hard to imagine your life cross-country wise; you may have never put on spikes or even ran a 5k. Let me make it simple then, the team is like your family. You go through practice and races with them. They’re there for you with water and at the end. This is like your family; they go through life with you. In the end, the decisions you make in the race aren’t your friends decisions, but your friends definitely influence your actions. Your family does this to you, whether you’re aware of it or not, they deeply influence every action you make in life; even if at the end of the day its your decision. The competitors in the race are like the people you ‘compete’ with everyday. Your “competitors” push you to be greater. There will always be someone better then you in any situation, but its up to you to reach their level and go past that to be better. The type of sneakers a runner chooses is like the friends they choose. You don’t want tattered, and broken shoes, they’ll just bring you down. You want nice, supportive shoes to help you in a race. The coach is like your mom; your coach pushes you past your comfort zone because he/she knows you are able to handle it. Getting prepared before a race, having your uniform on, drinking water, hair pulled back, and spikes on, is like being prepared for any life situation. In life you want to be prepared for the worst or the best situation. The race represents your life. The hills you experience are like the troubles you have to go through in life. Once you get past the hills you have an overwhelming sense of relief and pride that you got through it. The distance you run is like high school, and college. You put all that effort in to get a career. Distance-wise you put in all that speed and effort to get a medal or place. In the end though you know you’ve done you’re best effort and tried your hardest to achieve your goal.
Life is a lot like competing in a triathlon. Everyone starts out evenly at that starting line and then the race begins. The first leg is swimming, an area that may be someone’s strong suit. Just like in life some people may take this strong suit to their advantage and get ahead of others. After the long swim comes the transition. This comparison may be more obvious, but in life there are those who deal well with changing and others who do not. This ability to change is key in life and allows us to adapt to an ever changing world. Next is the long and energy consuming bike ride. This bike ride requires endurance and will power. Endurance and the ability to push through difficult situations is like when you are having a rough day and just need to keep pushing and doing your very best to get it done. Another transition ahead, you’re tired, and know you know that you still have the long run ahead of you. But, you have trained you know you are prepared. Preparation is a part of life that keeps people organized and gives us the ability to do our best in any given situation. Its like giving a presentation at a meeting, if you are prepared you will succeed. Now comes the run. Your legs burn and your breathing is heavy. You are on the final leg so you know you are so close. This is like when are exhausted and stressed, but you know you can’t just stop. You have a job and other priorities that are important, so you keep on going even though you want to give up because you know it is all worth it. Finally, you come to the end of the race, you cross the finish line, relief floods over you because you know you have succeeded. This is like when you achieve something great in life, like a promotion at work or you receive a “job well done” from your boss, and for one moment you appreciate all the hard work you put into it. Although the journey to this point was hard and painful and full of displeasing things, you over came and triumphed achieving the goal you set out for.
My life is like a tree. When a tree first starts growing, it is small and weak, but trees do not get a lot of pampering. They are independent and learn to grow on their own. When I was younger I was very naïve and did not have much knowledge or strength. Like a tree, I was very independent. I did not always depend on my parents; I learned to do things on my own. When the tree grows it gets bigger and stronger. As I am growing older I am becoming stronger and less naïve. I have a lot more knowledge about the world around me. Trees can take hundreds of years to mature. I am definitely not mature yet. I probably won’t be completely mature until I settle down and start a family. Life always has its bad times and struggles. Branches and leaves fall off of trees all the time, but it does not destroy the tree. The tree remains strong. When I have my hard times in life it might hurt me, but I stay strong and move past it. My life is like a tree, long and slow. I change like a tree. The tree’s leaves fall, change color, and new leaves blossom. I have many phases in my life when I change in the way I look or think. After living hundreds of years, the tree eventually dies, and its beauty is taken away from the world.
Competing at a dance competition is like using apps on and iphone. The very first thing you receive is the date of the competition. Just like when you need to know or receive dates you go to your calendar app. Next thing you know you find yourself putting in some last minute rehearsals at the dance studio. The repetitive sound of your alarm clock pounding in your head is like you practicing with the same music over and over again. It is finally that time; you are being called to the stage by the stage manager. An incoming call is now lighting up on your phone, you are needed immediately. Walking on stage to face the judges as well as the people in the audience; everyone eyes are on you. You are receiving a facetime call from all the people that are judging you. As the music comes on you are searching for the emotion to portray the story. Any emotions you can not find you Google to find the missing pieces to the puzzle. Lights are flashing all around whether its from the stage lights or the photographer. This could be you accidentally hitting the flashlight app. The pictures being snapped are those same pictures ready to be loaded on instagram. You are finally finished on stage and you hear a loud applause. All of your facebook friends are supporting you while your opponents are the people that you block because of their bad attitudes. The timer starts ticking away because it is almost time to find out your results. Everyone is called back to the stage to receive their results. Text messages are pouring in with results of great news. Finally everyone gets back together to celebrate. The joy of everyone is soon to be your favorite song coming from the music app.
It’s funny to think about it, but you’re just a background character in everyone else in the world’s life.
Someone they’re friends with,
or someone they have the locker next to,
or someone they sit across the room from,
or someone they pass in the hallway,
or someone they live next door to,
or someone they pass by on the street without a second thought.
You are so busy being your own main character that you don’t even notice that the world does not, in fact, revolve around you.
Life is like a TV show and I am the audience, never quite sure of how my story’s going to turn out.
There’s the main character that the story revolves around, me.
There’s also the supporting cast, my friends and family, that are in every single episode of the show, and whose own lives contribute to the storyline.
Then there are the extras, the people who are just background characters to me, like I am just background characters to them.
New characters come into the story,
some immediately love us and are loved by the audience as well,
and some characters that are just plain cruel,
the villains of the story.
These new characters are the new people I meet,
some more welcoming than others.
These new characters and their interactions with the main character also help to drive the plot,
and move it in both good and not so good directions.
The plot twists in the story are sudden changes of events,
births, deaths, marriages,
things like moves,
changes in schools,
sudden changes in friends.
Life is like a TV show, and as the audience looking in on the show, we feel for the characters.
We empathize with them.
Their joys,
their hopes,
their sorrows,
their anxieties.
We can feel happy for them,
and we can feel sorry for them, just like we sometimes feel sorry for ourselves.
But we can never know exactly how everything will turn out.
We hope for the best for our favorite characters,
but in the end, their fate is up to the writers.
Our fate is up to God.
Our lives are like TV shows, and with each season finale we grow closer to the final episode.
My life is like a cheerleading competition routine. You get to the venue and it’s a new experience to you. Your nervous and situations run through your mind. You would do this when you went somewhere you’ve never been to. If your team drops a stunt, you could lose. This could be when your lose someone close to you. If you team hits, then you have the chance to win. This could be when your family has a family party or a wedding. Your team could lose points or gain points, which could make an influence on whether you win the competition or not. Just like when you lose something important like your keys, or even your dog. The tumbling passes could go wrong or everyone can do extremely well. When one person messes up their tumbling pass, it could be like when a brother or sister chooses the wrong path in their life. Then the jumps begin. The jumps could be the highs in lows in your life. Your teammates could be off timing. One could be up in a toe touch and the other could be down in a pike. Here comes the pyramid. This is the stunt where every girl unites to make an amazing stunt together. It’s like when you and your friends or family come together to make something happen. Lastly, the dance starts. This is where everyone celebrates and finishes off the routine with a bang. You may be upset at times during the routine and excited during others, just like your life. You just have to push through and think about the big picture. Your coming together with your team to make an amazing routine you’ve worked hard on.
Running a 5k is like living life. The days leading up to the moment when the gun goes off are agonizing. You’re scared, and anxious, while being excited, and preparing. These emotions are similar to unaccustomed situations in life, like the first day of a new school or making new friends in that the weeks leading up to the time where you have to face these situations are worrying and uncomfortable. The minute the gun goes off is an adrenaline rush at every race, no matter how many times you have heard it. In life, the amount of times you have been uncomfortable won’t matter because it will still be daunting when there are always new situations. The first mile in a race is by far the easiest; you’re still refreshed and full of energy. Just like in life, when you’re young and confident, it is easier to make friends because you’re not afraid of people judging you. Soon after the first mile, at about the mile and a half, you start to feel burning in your legs and pain in your arms. This pain makes a runner start to bargain with themselves and question their goals; are they really that important? This relates to how in the teenage years, you start to feel self-conscious and judged, and you want to fit in. To fit in, sometimes you are willing to compromise your goals to be comfortable in the ‘popular’ crowd. After you pass your coach and teammates, yelling out your two-mile time and encouraging you, you get back into the mode where you have to meet your goal. Even though you’re tired, you’re still pushing hard because you only have one mile to go. As we grow up and start to assimilate into people we aren’t, we try to stay true to ourselves, but it’s tough when everyone around you has conformed to society. Those who conform to society are like the runners in a race that slow down after a hill because their legs feel on fire, but if you surge after a hill and pass all of those conformers, you can get away from them and run your own race. Sometimes it may be lonely, running alone with no one near you, but you have to keep in mind your own goals of breaking records and making a name for yourself. When you’re in the front, it’s hard to know where to go; you could get lost if you make the wrong turn, but you have coaches, parents, and former runners that achieved success guiding you on which path to take. The third mile in a race is all guts; who is willing to stick it out until the end? Racing with guts is like living life with guts, and not being afraid to take a chance in uncomfortable or awkward situations. As soon as you cross the finish line, you feel relief and triumph, knowing that you just ran a great race. Your parents and teammates embrace you because they are so proud of the work you just did. Once your earthly life is over, you will meet with God and review your life with him. If you have worked hard, and run a good race, he will embrace you and triumph with you, but if you gave up in that brutal second and third mile, he will be disappointed in your run. You want God to be pleased with the race you ran.
Expecting a new sibling is like meeting your favorite singer. First, you get the amazing news....... you are going to have another brother or sister. When you get the news that you are finally going to meet your favorite singer. You feel like there is no better news in the whole world! Before you can start planning you need to get over the initial shock of both situations. Now the planning starts! Months before the due date, your parents start choosing names, making a registry, and putting the nursery together. Months before the concert, you start deciding what you are going to wear, choosing what you want to get signed, and making a total game plan for the day of the concert and meet and greet. It's only weeks away now! Your mom's stomach has gotten so much bigger. Your excitement has grown more than you ever though it would be possible. The day is finally here! Your mom goes into labor. After about five hours of waiting in the waiting room, you finally get to meet your new sibling! You get to spend a good few minutes alone with them. Then the rest of your family shows up and the experience becomes less personal, but not any less special then before. You take a step back and just take in the amazing experience that had just occurred. You show up for the meet and greet about five hours early. Since you have the meet and greet passes you get let into the concert early and get to get in line to meet your idol. You wait a little while longer and finally you're at the front of the line. You walk up to your favorite singer, talk for a little bit, and get your items signed. You spend a few good minutes talking to your idol. Once you are done, you get released to the concert area and the personal experience has turned into a public one. But you take a step back and realize that meeting him was the best moment of your life so far!
Music has influenced a large part of almost everyone’s life. Even though we all enjoy our own style, it would be a credible statement to say all people have enjoyed music no matter what race, religion, or nationality. In the same sense, life is a symphony with its own style and beat for each individual. The way symphonies are put together can be representational of life. There are musical elements of a symphony such as the soft intro leading into a sweet melody along with some twists and turns in the key and tempo of the music. The excitement in life is accompanied with a crescendo of the entire ensemble, while the dull moments in life are followed by the decrescendo of the percussion. In life’s symphony, each instrumental section and each instrument can represent a certain aspect of a persons life. There are sad moments of violin, triumphant moments of the pounding drum, and the occasional clash of the symbols. Not all symphonies are played with the same melody, same volume, same style, or even with the same meaning behind its existence. Different symphonies can be written in different suites, or different themes. The question is whether or not the life is a commonly known classic, an overture of emotions and events, or a soloist concerto. The conceit of life's symphony is one with many different aspects and composers.
Music is like a girlfriend or boyfriend. As you listen to each song, the lyrics can give you a different emotion, just as each boyfriend or girlfriend can give you different feelings than any other person. Some songs can give you a very happy feeling, almost like when you go out on your first date with your partner. However, sometimes songs can do the complete opposite and put you in the worst mood, just like a first fight with you boyfriend or girlfriend. Sometimes some music even makes you wanna cry because the lyrics are so sad. You might sit home two, three, or four nights crying because your relationship ended just like a song may make you cry. Just how a boyfriend or girlfriend can be such a motivation, music can also give you the courage, inspiration, and wisdom in the same way. That really fast and upbeat type of music makes you wanna smile and have fun, this is like the memories of your partner’s smile or laugh. When you remember stuff about your boyfriend or girlfriend of how they cheated or lied, those slow and deep type of music will remind you of all the times you’ve been upset over your partner’s faults. There’s always those time periods where you listen to a type of music for only a short period, just like you may have a girlfriend or boyfriend for a short period and then realize you don't’ really like them anymore. However, there’s that type of music that you’ve always liked for a while and you can’t stop listening to it, is almost like a boyfriend or girlfriend you’ve liked for so long and can’t picture your life without them.
School is a lot like playing a sport. You need to pick the right classes for you in school. In sports you need to find the position that you are most geared towards.
You need to workout and stay in shape for sports outside of practice. Likewise in school you need to study and keep your mind in shape outside of class.
You need to regularly go to class and pay attention to succeed in school. While you need to go to practice every day to do well in a sport.
Keeping a schedule is important for school and sports. You need to be able to manage your time and keep track of events in both.
In school you have teachers who are there to help and guide you. While in sports you have coaches who help you learn and become better in a sport.
While you have scrimages and practice games in sports. You have quizzes and sometimes practice quizzes in school.
In school you have tests and even bigger midterms and finals. While in sports you have games or meets. In sports you even have big games against rival schools.
Life is like a flower. When you are younger, your life is simple and can be deceived as unimportant. A flower starts off as a small, unimportant seed that no one pays attention to. As you grow older, life can become more difficult. The seed must overcome harsh circumstances in order to sprout. When you are a child, your parents constantly help and nurture you. A flower is constantly cared for as it is growing so that it can become a gorgeous flower. When you are older, you do not look the same as before. A flower’s appearance changes with time as well. It withers and the petals fall off. You do not realize how valuable your life was until you can no longer do everything you used to be able to do. A flower is no longer pretty as it dies and decays, therefore it has no value. You cannot see the beauty of life or of a simple flower until you look at it close up with detail.
My life is like a soccer game. As you walk out on the field to start the game you are uneasy at first until the game gets going, just how we are often uneasy as we face challenges in life. As a midfielder I must setup plays and execute good passes to help get the ball down the field, just as in life we can set people up for success, or sometimes even failure. Also, I must run down the field to play offense, and also fall back to play defense, just how we chase our dreams in life only to have to run back and regroup. As a center defensive midfielder I also must defend the fast counter attacks from the other team, sometimes they get by me and I have to chase them to get the ball back, just as others will confront you and you must defend yourself. Also, I will get the opportunity to shoot and score, sometimes I make it others I miss, this is like taking a risk in life with a reward or a setback. At the end of the game you must shake hands with the other players and say good game, just how we have to make peace with our enemies in life.
Clouds swirl in the sky, ominously darkening the ground below. A woman is rushed to the hospital. As the first droplets of rain fall down, a baby is born inside the hospital. Life, like the storm, begins slowly at first. It learns how to walk and to talk, how to drizzle and how to pitter-patter. The storm picks up, growing in intensity. Wind blows, the first few years of school. It begins to rain more heavily now, becoming more continuous. The clouds now grey out the entire sky. Elementary school turns into high school. Suddenly, lightning. The first few bold strikes that announce that a storm is officially here. The “Golden Years” of life, the 20’s to 30’s. It continues for a while, the lightning strikes that seem to fade and grow. Eventually, though, it begins to slow down. The middle-aged storm huffs and puffs to try to keep up, and it does make brief comebacks; however, it is finished. The lightning stops, no more care-free naivete. The wind stops blowing as hard, the end of the action and excitement from before. Soon, the rain goes back to a drizzle, a slow end to a slow beginning. The clouds part, and the storm ends. And likewise, life ends; although, the clouds come together again later, at a different time and a different place.
Life is a lot like football. There will always be unexpected situations that you have to deal with, just like standing on the offensive line in a football game and picking up that the defense is planning to blitz. If picked up and acted on correctly, positive things can happen, like a touchdown, and what could have been a bad situation is now a very good one. You need to have goals in life like you need to have goals in football. These can be passing a class or scoring a touchdown. In life you need to go day by day achieving small goals and doing work. In football you have to get 3 or 4 yards a play and keep the chains moving. These small goals set you up for the completion of the large goals. In football to be a good team and win many games you have to work together as a unit. In life you have to work with the people around you to achieve goals as a society, a school or as a company. In both football and life you have to deal with adversity. In football a defense will never act and line up completely the way you planned them to, a offense will never run just the plays you went over. In life you have to deal with adversity every day from your car breaking down to your computer freezing. In football to be the best you have to go 100% every down every game. In life to succeed you have to work hard every day to fully achieve your ultimate goal.
I have come to realize that the game of baseball relates to school and being a student. The players are the students. The opponents are the teachers. If there were no players or opponents, there would be no game. If there were no students or teachers, there would be no school. Both require a large amount of preparation and dedication. If you want to be a successful student, you must study before tests and you must do all of the necessary work. Doing homework helps you to study and this makes you better at the specific subject. In order to be a good baseball player, you must practice all of the aspects of the game. You must have a catch every day, hit off the tee every day, and run every day in order to improve your overall abilities. The teacher is also the pitcher and we, the students, are the batter. Every once in a while, the pitcher throws you curveball and you as the batter have to adjust to it. The same occurrence can happen in school when the teacher gives out a pop quiz. The student must be ready for the quiz in able to receive a good grade. There are many things that happen on the baseball diamond that relate to being in the classroom. For example, a homerun in baseball resembles getting an A on an exam. A triple represents getting an A on a test. A double symbolizes getting a good grade on a quiz. A single baseball resembles getting a question right. A grand slam represents receiving extra credit because you get more RBIs with a grand slam. A RBI symbolizes helping a classmate out with a problem. A strikeout and making an error symbolize failing a test or quiz. Getting an out resembles getting a question wrong. Getting ejected represents getting sent to the dean’s office. A student or baseball player must accept failure and learn from it. It may be getting a bad grade on a test or not getting a hit for a few games. Not all tests or games go your way, so you have to move on to the next one.
Taking an exam is like playing golf. Before I go out to play a match of golf with my friends, I get everything ready in advance. I make sure I have enough money to pay, I make sure I have nice classy attire for the next day, and I make sure I have all of my clubs in my bag. When I arrive, I go into the clubhouse and pay and get my scorecard. On the first hole, I am usually just warming up and may or may not do so well. By the second or third hole I’m usually in my groove if I am not too tired or sore. There may be some holes that I par or birdie, and there may be some that I bogey. If I know the course well I might shoot in the high 80's or 90's, and if it is a tough course I might shoot in the 100's.
Studying for an exam is like making sure I have all of my clubs in my bag before I golf. Without all of my clubs I cannot play; without adequate studying time I will not do well on the exam. When I walk into the classroom and I receive my test from my teacher, it is like I am going into the clubhouse to get my scorecard. When the exam starts, I might be a little slow on the first few questions but by the 5th or 6th question my brain is usually working faster. This is like the first few holes in golf that are like a warm up. But, if I am too tired or did not study efficiently I most likely will not do so well on the exam. Just like holes on the course, I might know some questions better than I know others. Also, if I am good or interested in the subject of the exam, just like if I know the course well, then I will usually do well on the exam.
Life is like the ocean.
Just like the ocean has calm points, life can have its calm parts.
Sometimes life is calm, for some people it’s calm in sadness.
Others it’s calm in happiness.
Life, like a wave, life reaches its crests and falls.
It makes a crest with happiness and joy, and falls with the negative feelings in life.
Occasionally, like a storm over an ocean, life can be rough and choppy.
Dealing with all of the crime and other common stresses can make life choppy, like waves from a storm.
Many different creatures float their way through an ocean, just as many different people float their way through life.
While sometimes the ocean can be destructive, sometimes life can be destructive.
Like a wave can destroy a boat, someone else can destroy an entire person’s feelings.
Life can be difficult to manage, just as some parts of the ocean can be very difficult to get over.
Like a rough patch in the ocean, life reaches its difficulties with depression, stress, fear, worry, anger, and drama.
Just as the moon reflecting over the ocean is beautiful, much of life can be beautiful as well.
Seeing a new born infant, feeling first love, getting married, being successful are some of the beautiful aspects of life.
Life is like an ocean.
My life is like a day on the beach because its always fun. Even if the water's too cold to go swimming, I can chill on the beach. If the sun is not out, I can always on the board walk. If its pouring rain, I can just go play mini golf. No matter what happens, it gonna be fun.
Playing the Baritone is like driving a car. Before you play you must check to ensure the valves of the pistons are oiled enough for each to move freely within. Similarly we check the engine oil of our car before we go for a ride. But even after that we still must tune the horn so that each note is neither sharp nor flat. Complimentary to this, we service our vehicles so that we get the most out of them. Taking a deep breath, we prepare ourselves to push out the air needed to produce that first note, just as we fill our gas tank up before we push the gas pedal and begin to cautiously shift our car in a forward motion. We use our diaphragm and push the air out to produce a harmonistic tone, while driving we press on the gas to move the car foreword and subsequently create the sound of the cars engine revving. We drain the build up out of the curves of the horn to keep the sound pure, just as we clear the windshield in a rainstorm. We read the music as if it were the GPS from our cars dashboard. Resituating the horn on our lap we make ourselves more comfortable just as we control the temperature and radio within the car. We polish the smudges off the bell of the horn just as we detail a car to keep it looking fresh and new. Placing the horn back in its felt lined case, we the park out car in our garage.
Writing a research paper is like baking dessert for someone’s birthday. First, must choose a topic to research, such as the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Picking a topic is just like deciding on a dessert, like cake. Next, you must search for a general guideline of what your paper will consist. Likewise, you will search for a recipe. In addition, you will have to collect all the sources and this is just like getting ingredients. Once you have all your ingredients you put them all together into the cake batter. This is like putting all your notecards into a draft. After you get the cake batter, you put it into the oven where it is changed. Putting your cake in the oven is like getting your rough draft revised. Next, you must decorate and put the final touches on the cake. This is like the final editing of your paper. Lastly, you present your cake to the birthday boy or girl. This is the same as turning in your paper to your teacher.
Life is like playing running back in a football game. Being a running back is a large responsibility. When the quarterback hands you the ball, the game is in your hands. The team is trusting in you to gain yards and move the ball down the field. Everyone believes in you to not let the other team take the ball away from you. This is just like life itself. We are given many responsibilities in life and people are depending on you to help them when they need it. As a running back, you may go an entire game without ever finding a hole to run through and gain yards. Again, this is just like life. When you are given an opportunity in life, you need to take full advantage of it and strive to reach your goal. Having people around you who support you with everything you do is very important. On a football team, you have a family who is always supporting no matter how many times you may mess up. It’s all about being able to bounce back after being knocked down. Running backs are, in most cases, never the biggest guys on the field. The position is unlike any other. Running backs probably take the most and hardest hits on the team. Even if you are the biggest or the fastest man out there, it’s going to be the man with the most heart that beats you. Determination is a vital characteristic every running back needs. You need to be confident and believe in yourself that you are better than the guy across from you. In life, you need to be convinced that you can do anything you set your mind to. There is nothing that can stand in your way. When you’re on the field, it is evident that tragedy can strike at any time on any play and you can be injured. This is just like when life throws a curveball at you; you just have to be ready and prepare yourself for the worst. You just have to have heart.
Freshmen year is like learning how to walk in high heels. You walk into the school with the expectation that you’re going to fit right in. Just like you stare at those shoes and just picture yourself being the next Karlie Kloss, strutting down the runway looking flawless. As you get your schedule and you’re set free from homeroom you have no idea what you’re doing. The determination that was drive that morning completely disappears. The schedule looks too complicated to even comprehend. Attempting to even find these classes seems impossible so you give in and ask for help. Your ego is a little bruised as you accept directions from some random student. You slip your shoes into those heels take a looks in the mirror and check out how fabulous you look. Taking your first step does not go as planned and you end up on the floor flat on your butt. Just like your ego, your ankle is a little bruised too. Arriving home that day with your head down in embarrassment you run up to your room shutting your door not talking to anyone. Pulling the shoes off your feet, you throw them back into the box and shove them back into your closet. As each day goes by you find yourself growing more accustomed to the school. Weeks later you see those dreaded shoes and decide to try them out again. Not giving up after the first fall this time you keep walking. Despite the fact that you resemble a baby deer with your wobbly legs, you can’t help but feel good about yourself as you’re able to take five steps before falling. Months go by and you know where all of your classes are and have a surplus load of friends. School becomes a second home to you. Arriving at the dance with your snazzy shoes on, you can’t help but giggle at the girls who look like you did weeks ago when you first started wearing heels. You strut up to that doorway and you might not be as fierce as Karlie Kloss, you look as comfortable as Candice Swanepole. When freshmen year is over you look back and laugh at that first day. The embarrassment was temporary and the year turned out so much better than you expected. You walk through that doorway and feel like a million dollars so proud of your accomplishment. Something that seemed impossible a few weeks ago was now second nature to you.
Life is like playing an instrument. Every year you get new music. This is like meeting new people. Some people are easy to get along with and you want to talk to everyday. This is like music that is easy to play and sounds good. These songs are usually ones you play for a long time and always remember how to play them. However, other people need a long time to be understood and eventually you might enjoy talking to them and end up being good friends. However, these people might just be a waste of time and you might never talk to them again. These people are like songs you have to practice hours to get right. Some of these songs are very enjoyable to play and you will always love playing them. However, some other songs you will hate and will not want to learn. Every time you switch schools or move, this is like learning a new instrument. You meet new people and you have to learn about them. This is like learning a new part or learning new notes. Even though you may know how to play an instrument, you have to learn new parts and new songs. This is like knowing how to make friends and how to get along with people because these new people have different traits and characteristics than your old friends and people you knew.
A good friend is like a favorite pair of shoes. These shoes define your style and outfit and display your personality in a subtle way. A friend helps to define who you become, they are a part of you and shape how you grow up and handle situations. These shoes support you constantly, never taking a break so long as you need them. A good friend will always take your side and support you in all of your endeavors. When the weather is less than perfect they’ll protect your feet from snow, rain, and dirt. When life throws some nasty things at you your friend will protect and defend you like it’s their job. However, you might make a bad decision or two and decide to hop through the mud, leaving your precious footwear less pristine than before. We make mistakes and sometimes hurt the people we care about most, leaving them all beat up. But hopefully we cherish our shoes enough to grow up and dust them off so they’re ready to wear again. Similar to how we mend friendships that our carelessness may have ruined. Throughout the hike of life our shoes may come untied. Obstacles or simply time can loosen the laces. It is our job to retie them with more care than before. These obstacles may loosen the bond between yourself and your friend, but in the end they only make the friendship closer as you speedily lace the friendship back up. Occasionally, you might lose these shoe somewhere in the depths of your room. A change of school or just conflicting interests can make friendships become strained and friends even separated. One fateful day though, the shoes you had been missing for so long will suddenly reappear, but not without some searching for them. Good friends, even when separated can always return to each other. You walk through the hallways and anywhere else life might take you with your shoes right under your feet the entire time. A friend will go where you do and always be there and be with you every step of the way.
Scoring the winning free throw in a basketball game can feel the same as if receiving an A on a very challenging test. Both require preparation and time but the results are very rewarding. When you are about to take a foul shot you must prepare yourself. First, you must find the correct placement of your foot. If your footing is off, it messes up the entire shot. The same rule applies when studying. If you focus on and gather the wrong information, you will not know the answers to the test. Secondly, you need to align your arm with the basket. This process in studying refers to organizing the information so you can remember it. Then, you will bend your knees to get the power to put the basketball in the net. To prepare for a test you will also need power. You need the power and will to study even when you get tired and want to give up. If you want to ace your test, you will put more effort into studying. You also need to put in time. Rushing a shot can cause you to miss. Taking the time to slow down and position your body makes a huge difference. Also, taking the time to study makes an even bigger difference when it comes to your score. The time taken out of your day to study will reflect in your grade. As you shoot, or take the test, you follow through. Following through prevents you from flicking the ball in a different direction with your hand. Following through with your test can mean sticking to what you know and not looking around the room for answers. Lastly, of course, is actually scoring the point and acing the test. After all the careful practicing of mastering your technique and properly studying, all the hard work pays off.
One may look at lacrosse as an ineffectual sport that has no role in life; however, lacrosse is far more than a pleasurable hobby. Lacrosse is a lifestyle, a passion, which fulfills and enhances the drive to succeed that every person has inside of them. With the help of your team and own perseverance, you can achieve your goal. Similarly in life, humanity works hard to pursue a dream or challenge to hopefully receive compensation in the end. Life is like a lacrosse game.
In the game of lacrosse, each player has a personal ambition; whether it be to score however many goals, or simply win the game. We seek to improve our skills no matter what happens. Just like in lacrosse, we aspire to grow and learn in life at everything that we do or come across. We individually value different things that we love and wish to be successful at them.
Lacrosse is a mental and physical game. In life, we are constantly engaged in a struggle, either internal or external. Reacting upon this hardship will determine the outcome of a situation, which can change your life forever. In lacrosse, we are always engaged in a struggle. There are always people looking to knock you down and prevent you from scoring a goal. In life too, people put others down in an attempt to crush their dreams. How we handle the ball and what decisions we make with it can depict the outcome of the game. Sometimes, colossal pressure can swallow our confidence and make us drop the ball or miss a shot. It’s just as easy in life to make a mistake as a result of pressure and high expectations.
Some particular situations in a lacrosse game can relate directly to life itself. When a player checks another, it is just like insulting another in life or instigating a problem. As a player checks too aggressively, a slash is called and the team becomes a man down. In life, a slash or any other penalty is like getting in trouble and regretting the decisions you made. With fault comes a consequence. Getting a penalty on the field aids the other team and gives them the advantage. In life, doing something wrong always digs you into a deep hole. When a player scoops the ball, it is like working hard to get back on your feet in life while pursuing a dream. By getting the ball, you now have power in the game to change it. In life, it is like putting power in your own hands to accomplish something that you couldn’t before because you were restrained or limited by someone or something. Dodging players is like escaping havoc or devastation, eliminating the other players’ chances to take the ball. In life, dodging is like taking a different path or representing a different view on an opinion to avoid isolation or insult. Scoring a goal in lacrosse is accomplishing your goal in life, having all your hard work pay off. The feeling you get is indescribable. In life, scoring a goal is when you finally get an A on a test or when you receive a bonus from work.
Teamwork is a vital component in the game of lacrosse. In life, you must learn to communicate and work with others if your want to be successful. In order to win a game you must never give up and always give your best, despite the troubles that batter you along the way. Life is full of challenges and in order to get what you desire, you have to overlook limitations. Life is like a lacrosse game.
Life is just like a baseball game. Before the game, each team has their pregame warm-ups, including batting practice, fielding practice, and so on. These warm-ups are just like the education children receive as they grow up. It gives kids the opportunity to prepare for college, the “game.” The various practices, such as batting practice, symbolize the different subjects students learn at school. At the beginning of the game, the score starts out at zero a piece, and either team has an opportunity to win. This symbolizes the many opportunities students have when they first enter college; they can pursue any career they want and possibly have their dream job if they succeed in school. Eventually, one of the teams will take the first lead after they score a run. However, if they fail to add on to their lead, there is a very good chance the other team could come back and take a lead themselves. This is just like one’s first job. It is employment that will put food on the table, but it may not pay all that much money. Unless one continues to earn promotions, he or she will not make any more money. There is also a very good chance that this person will not keep his or her first job, thereby “blowing their lead.” Eventually, after the starting pitcher gives up a few runs and starts to run his pitch count up, he will be replaced by a relief pitcher. Relief pitchers tend not to last as long as starting pitchers, and there are usually multiple relievers per game. These pitchers symbolize marriage and divorce. The starting pitcher is just like a first true love; he is the first choice to have pitching, just like a first true love is the first choice for marriage, in most cases. However, sometimes things do not work out in a relationship, and a divorce is in order, just like when a starting pitcher struggles and has to be taken out of the game. The relief pitcher comes along; a second marriage. Sometimes the relief pitcher lasts the rest of the game, like a second marriage might last a lifetime. Other times, the relief pitcher has to be pulled, just like another divorce. Later on in the ballgame, a big homerun might be hit that could change the momentum from one team to the other. This homerun is just like a life-changing moment. Sometimes this epiphany is for good, like when a first child is born. This homerun is devastating for the other team, kind of like a mid-life crisis. Either way, this homerun changes the whole outlook of the game for both sides. Eventually, the ballgame will finish, and one team will win while the other team will lose. Obviously, this parallels the end of one’s life. If an individual is like the winning team, then he or she had a successful life that he or she can look back on and be proud of. If the individual is on the losing team, then maybe his or her life was not what they expected; he or she did not accomplish everything he or she wanted to accomplish. Either way, the game is a marathon of ups and downs, just like life is.
The freshly cut green grass. The smell of hot dogs, sunflower seeds, and cracker jacks. The hot sun peering down. The pre game music to get pumped. The nerves and excitement building up before the first pitch. Then CRACK the ball is hit to me and it’s time to react. I can finally show off all the countless hours of hard work in the weight room and practices I did in the winter. I can hear coach’s voice in my head saying, “Get around the ball Panico.” I field the ball cleanly and throw the ball to first. The first out of the year. Some people say life is like a box of chocolates or a roller coaster. To me I think life is like playing baseball. In baseball, the season starts in the winter. I practice, workout, and get ready for the season. This relates to our early stage of life when we get ready for kindergarten or the first day of grade school. The excitement of seeing your friends again and meeting new kids is like the excitement I feel before the baseball season starts. Then the first game comes and I’m standing out at second base ready to field a ball hit my way. Before every pitch I think of the situation. Where am I throwing the ball? Are there any runners on base? Preparing for every possible situation allows me to make the best play on the ball and limit my chance of making an error. This preparation and decision making is just like real life situations because if we prepare for things then we can make the right decision, but if we don’t we might make a mistake and slip up. When we make a mistake in life we need to do things to fix this mistake so that we can do better the next time. In baseball when I’m not hitting well, I hit tons of balls off my tee to fix my problem and perfect new changes. When I step into the batter’s box all I know is how hard the pitcher throws, what pitches he has, and the situation. I may be thinking fastball when all of a sudden he throws a curveball and catches me off guard. Now the best I can do is try and drive the ball up the middle. In life we may be going somewhere or doing something in which we expect one thing but get another and we need to make the best out of the situation. It’s now the seventh inning, sweat is dripping down my face and every part of my body is covered in dirt. I’m tired but I know I have to keep pushing to help the team. This part of baseball relates to life because of the way we need to push through challenging and difficult times. The greatest feeling in baseball is hitting a homerun and jogging around the bases to see my teammates standing at home to congratulate me. Hitting a homerun in life is doing something that you really enjoy or growing up and getting married. When the game ends there is always a losing and winning team. The outcome of the game always impacts my day. Either I am happy or mad the rest of the day but I always find ways to overcome that madness if we lose. This compares to life when we can either be happy and make the most of our life or we can be miserable and not enjoy the rest of the time we spend with our family and friends. In life we have a choice and I think we all need to make the most out of our life and win each day.
Love is like food. Every person has experienced food from the moment we are born until we die, just as we experience love from the moment our mothers hold us. Food can be basic to us, just as love and care is necessary when we are babies. When we grow older, food we liked as children may not be appetizing to us as adults. Growing up, we change our views of people and love, and keep on sampling everything we can of life. Food is a very diverse concept, as it varies from place to place, and even person to person. This man may not like apples while this one loves them, and this woman may not enjoy Italian cuisine but another can’t get enough. We all value different things in each other, especially in relationships, be it honesty, humor, or beauty. Just as there are different types of food, there are different types of love. There is the apple pie you bake with your mom when you come home for Thanksgiving, or the bag of popcorn you share with your friends at a sleepover. There is even the Hershey Kisses you share with your significant other on Valentine’s Day. Recipes for food can be passed down through generations, just as we pass memories of our loved ones through time. Even when the creator is gone, we are still reminded of them when we taste their recipe. Sometimes it can even be a bad thing; sometimes we don’t want to be reminded of the love we’ve lost, because the memories hurt us too much. But we always go back to that one food, the comfort food, that makes us feel at home, that favorite food that puts a smile on your face every single time. It could be a best friend, family, spouse, boyfriend, or even a pet dog, but nothing ever truly satisfies us like a favorite food. Food is necessary for existence, for life, just as love is essential to our very being. Without food, and love, we would be nothing.
Life is like Fishing.
When going fishing there are several things you must have. All of these things are essential if you want to catch a fish. To start of you need a fishing rod. This is sort of like you as a person. First, you bait the line which is like finding the things you’re good at. Then you cast yourself out there to make yourself known and to meet people. In life, you may fall in love so you want to reel in someone using the bait that you’ve put on your line and try to reel in the perfect catch. A keeper, if you will. But sadly sometimes you have to cut the line, similar to ending a relationship. Although, being the fishermen we are, we put on a fresh new line and some new bait and we cast out again, still looking for that prize fish. When fishing, you have the choice of going alone or going with friends. This is like choosing to take on life on your own, or having some buddies to help you along the way. Sometimes when you are fishing, you get impatient and get tired of waiting just like in life when everything seems to be at a stand-still sometimes and you wait around for something to happen. Other times you might be catching one fish after another and everything’s happening so quickly that you can’t keep up with all the fish you’re catching. In life, we sometimes rush through everything and don’t take time to stop and appreciate things. For instance, the fish you’re catching. The bottom line is to be patient when fishing, you never know, you might just catch a beauty.
Planning for your future career is like sailing.
It is helpful to have some idea of what you want to do for a job just like how it is helpful to have a destination in mind when sailing.
When you are deciding on a job you have to make sure you are prepared for it, like how you have to make sure you learn the required subjects, live in the right place that has job opportunities, and be ready for a change of lifestyle. Before you go sailing you have to prepare by making sure you have food and drinks, your battery is charged, you have fuel, and proper clothing for the weather.
Just like how you might change your mind on what you want to do for your career you mind change your mind on your sailing destination.
Sometimes you are forced to change careers for some reason. While sailing sometimes a storm causes you to change where you’re going or a strong wind blows you off course.
Sailing can be slow going if there isn’t a lot of wind. Obtaining a career can be hard or slow also; first you have to go to school and graduate, then you have to find the job and apply, last you have to be interviewed and offered the position.
To make sure you know what you’re doing and safe when sailing it is helpful to talk to and learn from people who are experienced sailors. Just like it is beneficial to talk to people in your career field to learn and get advice from them and it is also beneficial to volunteer and do an internship in your career field.
Fishing is like striving for a goal. The first step in fishing is the conscious decision to determine that you want to do this activity. This is similar to arriving at a decision to want to achieve a goal in your life. Once you make this first step, you then have to prepare for your trip by checking to see if you have the right lures, bait, correct hooks, and a rod and reel. This is comparable to making sure you set yourself up for success by assessing you strengths and weaknesses to prepare yourself for any obstacles that you may have to overcome. After all the gear is ready, you have to find a suitable fishing spot. This may take searching as well as trial and error. In comparison, sometimes goals are not easily achieved. Opportunities do not always present themselves so you must make an effort to create your own.
When you finally find that perfect fishing hole, this is when the fun begins; you can drop your line and really begin to fish. The goal that you set out to do is almost complete, however it still requires time, patience, and a gathering of knowledge. Sometimes, the fish slips off the hook and you must keep trying. You might even need to change tactics, like changing the hook size or trying different bait. Eventually, you feel the tug of the fish, yank the rod to hook it, and get that overwhelming sense of accomplishment. You can then show the fish off to your friends. Catching a fish is like finally achieving a goal. Once you have achieved it, you are then able to share your success with others. The cycle then continues. Once you have caught the first fish, you re-bait your hook with the best proven bait, drop the line, and continue fishing. The same is true with setting goals. Finally, when you have attained that hard-won goal, you take all the skills and knowledge you have developed during the process and implement them in reaching your next objective.
You’re face down flat on the mat. Your opponent has your arm twisted around your back with his knee holding your elbow down. As he begins to circle around your body and pinch your shoulders, you feel yourself begin to turn to your back. The pain is excruciating, every ounce of you wants to let it all end. Your opponent is clearly stronger and bigger. He has more experience and has no respect for you. It’s coming to the end and you have to use everything in you to not turn. Not just your physical abilities but your mental strength and pain tolerance are the only thing that might save you.
Wrestling is like the challenges you must face in life. You can prepare for the moment or hope you rise to the occasion, but sometimes that will not be enough to keep you from failing. Wrestling someone bigger and more adept than you is like a life obstacle. You have to be able to cope with the pain that you will face while trying to overcome it. You have to refuse to be turned. You have to refuse to let the task beat you. Then, there are the times that it will. It will beat you down and keep you there if you allow it to. You have to have to accept the challenge and keep going, keep fighting through it, and no matter how much it hurts you, you have to keep fighting, because if you don’t then you have already lost.
Listening to a new song is like learning a new concept, equation, or problem in math. When it starts you have no idea what to expect, just like when you're first learning a new concept in math. You don't even know where to start, or how it begins. This is the same with a new song. Sometimes songs are catchy right away and they grow on you fast. This is like when you're learning a new problem and you understand it almost right away. Some songs take a while for you to get into, whether it is a few minutes in or after a few listens to it; then it starts to grow on you. This can be related to a problem you don't understand at first but after thinking or trying it over and over again makes it easier. Most songs have lyrics you must learn before a concert, just as the parts of math concepts and equations must be practiced and reviewed before a big test. Songs have many different sections just as math equations and problems have various steps. Some songs are long and complex like most classical music, others are short and simple like most pop songs. This is the same with math concepts and equations; some are long and hard, while others are short and simple. Finally, different genres of songs can appeal to different types of people just as different subjects of math can. Some people may like problems in algebra while others may enjoy proofs in geometry. Some people may enjoy catchy pop songs and others may like rock music. Listening to a new song and learning a new problem or equation in math are two surprisingly relatable processes.
picking a Snack is like writing an English paper
“From Pan to Paper”
I open the doors with excitement,
I analyze and look for the perfect snack,
So many choices, but yet so few,
Pudding, Granola, Mac and Cheese,
Theme, Metaphor, Simile,
As I ponder my appetite,
I realize I can mix anything I want
I have no lead, I cannot write without knowing my appetite
But then at a glance I see the chips, cheese, and salsa
Accidentally I connect these simple items into brilliance,
Ideas springing back and forth,
My mind is busy as a bee, but I can’t help but smile from excitement,
I run to get my fiery jalapeño’s, gleaming adjectives, sour cream, and vigorous verbs,
However I cannot possibly finish without my special tools,
I rush to get my pen, pan, grater, and paper,
Now I think what style of nachos do I want?
Persuasive, informative, or creative,
I obviously opt for creative,
But now I need original material
I scramble to find the chocolate syrup,
Now I’m really cooking (literally)
I’m running away with my ideas and will never be caught,
My ingredients are laid out, and then transformed,
Words into sentences, sentences into paragraphs,
My essay is put in the toaster-oven to make one heck of a dish,
As it cooks, I think, ”Boy, this is something special”
The oven beeps and I make my finishing touches,
I put the chili-jalapeno-chocolate nachos on paper,
Or I place the hot and ready essay onto the plate,
Then with a smirk on my face, I hand in my nachos to my English teacher,
Lastly, I wait with jittering anxiety for the glorifying approval of my privileged taste-tester.
Many people would say life is like a rollercoaster, filled with its ups and downs and many turns and spins, or a box of chocolates, as you never know what’s going to happen next. However, I perceive life a little differently; to me, life is like the ocean. The ocean is very big and mysterious, and the same is true for life; it is the biggest thing you will ever experience, and it is definitely mysterious because you never know what the future holds. The ocean is also very scary to some people, while to others it is very intriguing and presents an opportunity to explore and have an adventure. Both of these situations are very true with life, as well; many people view life as scary and overwhelming, while many others view it as exciting and as a chance to have an adventure. Personally, I am very terrified of the ocean because I think it is too big and mysterious, just as I am a little scared of life; it somewhat terrifies me that I can’t see what the future holds and that I am not able to be in control of everything that happens in my life. The ocean also represents life in that in some places it is very dark and gloomy, while in other places it is very clear and translucent. In life, there are good times and there are bad times; the good times represent the clear, translucent parts of the ocean when you can see very clearly and know exactly what is going on. The bad times represent the dark, gloomy parts of the ocean when you are unsure about everything and may just be in a bad place in life. Many people are afraid to go in the ocean because there could be dangerous creatures lurking around, such as: sharks, eels, stingrays, or jellyfish; they aren’t willing to take risks and just dive in for the experience, just as people act with life. They become so overcome by fear and apprehension of possible danger that they are not willing to try something new and experience life for what it really holds. Although many people may disagree with my views on life, the ocean really is one of the greatest representations for what life really is and what it has in store for us.
My life is like a ballet class. Early in my life and in most people’s lives, I learned to talk, walk, and act from my parents. Similarly, in a ballet class, you learn the steps of the combination from the dance instructor. Before I learned to walk, and run, I leanred to crawl of course. In a ballet class, you have to learn pieces of steps first and put them together. Children in kindergarten learn easy words and very basic skills in school before they can read classic novels and solve complicated equations. In ballet, you first start at the barre and first warm up by doing simple pliés and tendus. You can’t start off class with grande allegro, which is big jumps and leaps in the center. You have to warm up your muscles and place your body correctly before you can move on to more complicated movements. In my life, I constantly try to do my best and improve myself each day. In ballet, you have to always try to improve on your techniques and set specific goals for each class. I often try to set goals for myself, whether they are long-term or short-term. One goal that a dancer may set is to focus more on their épaulement, the movement of the upper body with coordination to the legs. A long term goal could be trying to achieve a higher arabesque.
Anyone that knows anything about cars knows they need many things to keep them up to par. An oil change is necessary to keep a vehicle running smoothly. Love is necessary to keep the heart blooming. Without love and care the car will falter, without oil the heart will stall and thrive no more. The oil keeps the metal parts of the engine from rubbing together. Abused engines are covered with a brown varnish. After a new oil change the car runs smoother. We fix potential damage to our car’s engine and ensure that it will not fail us. We clear away the potential failure and make it fresh again to instill its further life. A machine must be well oiled as the heart must be well oiled to function healthily. Without love the emotional health of the heart will falter and break down. Without the love to keep our heart running smoothly we are at risk to stall with no escape and no way to get home. When our heart does stall and fall we rely on love to fix it and make it a well running oiled machine. We are not capable of healing and making our heart whole by ourselves and we often need the help of “experts” or truly gifted people that can make us whole again. When the heart is filled with love the blemishes caused by pain are cleaned away and healed. Love is like oil fixing the engines blemishes and making it perfect again. The more we wear out our engines the sooner we need to restore our oil lost. The more pain and hardships our hearts go through, the more love and care we need to heal them and make them run smoother.
My life is like a ballet class. The beginning of class starts with exercises at the barre. These exercises can be boring and tiedous if you don’t approach them in the right way but they are mandatory basics in ballet. Just like some of my school work or work in general if I don’t approach it in the right way they work can become a pain but it is all mandatory and necessary for my life. Exercises in the center are done in the middle of class. These exercises range from easy to more difficult. The slow exercises are enjoyable and graceful; the fast exercises require quick thinking and a sharp quality. These can be compared to days in my life. Days that aren’t so busy are like the slow exercises; I can enjoy the day and see the beauty in the day. Days that fast pace and busy are like the fast exercises; I have no time to waste and have to constantly be thinking of what is coming next. Towards the end of class exercises are done across the floor. This is the best part. Going across the floor is when you get to enjoy yourself and do big extensions, jumps and turns just like every little ballerina dreamt of when she was younger. These exercises are like the exciting things I get to do once I’m done doing all my work; all the school dances, parties, and times with friends They are like play part of the saying “work hard, play hard.” At the end of class there is a sense of relief and sadness but the knowledge that tomorrow you’re going to do it all again and this time you’re going to do it better. In my life at the end of the day I’m relieved to get in bed and finish the day. I’ll rethink what I did that day and maybe I made a few mistakes but I know tomorrow I’ll do it all again and this time I’ll do it better.
The days of our lives are like singing. Before you can sing a song, you need to warm up your voice. You never know what your voice will be like on a particular day. It’s affected by all sorts of things, so the best you can do is warm up your voice to prepare it in any way you can. Preparation is key in life. There are so many factors you can’t control so why worry? Just prepare yourself for the road ahead. Now that you’ve warmed up maybe you have a specific song in mind that you want to sing, maybe one you know by heart that you could probably sing backwards if you wanted to. Singing these kinds of songs is like your ever day life. For most of us, it is like an average school day. You get up, you eat and get dressed. You know the drive to school so well you could find your way with your eyes closed. You go from class to class, eat lunch with your friends, get your things at the end of the day and go home. Same thing every day. Then there’s those times when you’re driving down the road with the windows down loudly singing along to your favorite song, not caring at all whether you’re in pitch or not. These are like the times when you’re hanging out with your friends just having fun, not caring what anybody else thinks. Repetition is a key factor in both singing and life. In singing, you have to sing something over and over again. Each time you sing it, you become better and better, not only at the melody itself, but also at following the dynamics of the song until finally you succeed in singing it exactly the way the composer or artist intended. When you fail in life, you just have to get up, regroup, and try again. Reaching for a note that’s out of your range is like working at one of your goals in life. You have to start out small and then gradually work up to it. Losing your voice or breaking on certain notes unexpectedly while you sing is like the unexpected things that pop up during your life. This could be a death of a love one or maybe a birth or marriage. While singing may not be the first thing that comes to mind to compare your life with, they are still similar in many ways.
Opening a pack of gum is like giving a card to someone. First you start in the store and seek for the perfect flavor of gum or type of card whether it be humorous or serious. Next, you start to remove the clear wrapper that encompasses your pack of gum just as you remove the card from its envelope. Next, you proceed to open the wrapper of the gum just as you do the card. But, as you start to open that wrapper and the gum becomes vissible others seem to flock in like starving seagulls looking for food. Likewise, the second you start to write that letter immediately others come pouring in asking to be able to write their names on the card as of they would like to take credit for everything that you've already done. Next, you give your gum kindly to others just like you give your whole heart to whomever you may be writing the letter to. Lastly, you finish by closing up the package of gum and placing it away just as you seal up the envelope, letter inside, and place it in the mailbox with all of its postage stamps and addresses applied ready to be shipped out.
The sound of music is the best way to describe my life. It can be exciting and fast paced like in rock music, just like when I about to get ready to start something I enjoy, like a big race. On the other hand however, it can be really slow paced as if you are playing jazz or even maybe classical music. This can probably describe how I feel when I'm doing something like homework. Music can fit right into your life, it can be used to describe almost any situation. Very fast paced music for an adventurous task, or soft music for a still point in life, where nothing seems to be going on. Just like in songs, there are the fast parts in it to describe the exciting events, and there are the slow parts in songs to show the not so exciting parts. Most songs start off big and loud, and ultimately fade out by the time the song ends, and that, can easily be related to how life is.
Trying a brand new recipe is like a brand new day. Waking up, you are always hopeful that this new day is going to be a good one. Finding a new recipe you are hopeful it will turn out delicious. As you get ready for a new day you brush your hair or teeth, get dressed, and put your clothes. Just like you get ready for a new you day, you have to get your cooking supplies ready. When you look at your schedule for the day, you know there are some parts you are going to love and some you are going to hate. When you look at the ingredients you see some that you know you like but others you are not sure will taste great. Other times, you think that day will be horrible like the first day of freshman year, but the day turns out fantastic. Sometimes you are unsure about the recipe and think it will have a bitter taste but it actually turns out to have an appetizing flavor. You should always try to make the best of your day like you could make the best out of a dish gone wrong. For example, if you get stuck in traffic for a long time you can listen to your new CD like if your cake comes out to mushy you can make it into a pudding. You share every day with your friends and family just like you could share your new food with others. When you are finally trying your food, you can taste that one ingredient is missing and that one ingredient could have changed your dish for the better. When you finish your day, you sometimes feel like something is missing, something that could have made your day better.
Friends and material items such as new pairs of shoes seem very different but in reality are metaphorically the same. For instance when you are shoe shopping and browsing for a new pair, you find shoes that you like, and others that aren’t so appealing. The shoes are like new people that you meet. When you meet a new person you might base your opinion of them on face value only. The decision to become friends with them is based on superficial traits and not on actually getting to know them. When you buy the shoes you aren’t sure if you will keep them, but you really want them because they look good. Similarly, when making friends, sometimes they are exactly as you expected them to be and sometimes not as nice as you thought. Sometimes you get along really well from the start and other times you really weren’t meant to be friends.
Friends are like shoes in the fact that they can change. Shoes change when they become crease, scuffed, old, too small, or start to hurt your feet and you now longer wear them. This can be applied to friendships as well. A friend can develop divergent values and interests or begin to exhibit behavior that you find annoying so that overtime you drift apart and lose contact with each other.
Shoes may also change for the better too. For example, if you put new laces in the shoes they might look more spruced up or they might have grown on you overtime. As a result, you develop more of an appreciation for the pair. By getting to know a person better, you’re appreciation of then can grow too. You might discover that both of you have a lot more in common than you first thought. The friendship then becomes stronger and more meaningful.
Another similarity between shoes and friends is that fact that as you acquire more shoes, it becomes harder to wear them all equally. You might start to develop a favorite pair of shoes that you like to wear more than the other shoes. This is true for your friends as well. The more friends you make the better you feel. But it isn’t always possible to spend equal time with all your friends. Your friendship becomes more distant and shallower because you don’t see them as often.
A final comparison between shoes and friends is related to the fact that a special pair of shoes means a lot to you just as a best friend does. The special pair of shoes could be the shoes that you wore in your first basketball game or favorite family vacation. These shoes mean a lot to you because you have kept them to remind you of the good memory. You love them enough to never get rid of them. This is true for your best friends. They are the ones that have supported you since the beginning of your friendship. No matter what happens, you’ll always love them and keep them in your life. If anything were to happen to the special pair of shoes you would be devastated just as you would be if you lost your best friend.
“And… Play!” The chair umpire yells to the players. “Pop” goes the ball against the server’s racquet. The screeching of shoes against the green court cuts through the silence of the crowd. The heated exchange of power and spin thunders through the stadium. Spectators gasp at the beautiful passing shot. “Fifteen, love,” the umpire says calmly. The players walk back to their respective sides to towel off and catch their breaths. The match continues, a grueling battle of physical and mental toughness. With each point comes another set of challenges the athletes must overcome, and new decisions that must be made. The last point is finished, the home crowd cheers, and the victor celebrates. “Game, set, match,” the umpire says just before shaking the players’ hands. It’s over. The players are exhausted, but they know they have to wake early tomorrow for a new day of training. Their lives move on. Years go by, and the players advance in age. Soon, their bodies cannot go through the rigorous training and play as they once could. The athletes retire from playing and live freely. It is hard, however, for the players to move on in their lives without doing the thing they love so much and have been doing all their lives. These athletes now move on to the bigger and better things that await them.
These players, tennis players, and their careers are much like my life. When I was born, it was the beginning of a long and difficult journey that would have its good and bad “points.” Every stage of my life has physical and mental difficulties to overcome, from a hard test to making friends in a new school. Just as when a well-placed shot rifles towards a tennis player, I must make split-second decisions in life that could seriously benefit or hinder me. When an outcome is determined, I must accept either my victory or defeat with humility. I need to “shake the hand” of my enemy or problem and deal with the consequences of the verdict. I may be exhausted of my responsibilities, but I need to acknowledge that I must move on and tackle the next task head-on. Just as tennis players move on in their careers and play countless amounts of matches, so must I live on through life and deal with its ups and downs, its “wins” and “losses.” After years of work and play, I will become older and less able to do all that I once could. They say being old and retired is great at times, but it is so difficult to deal with the problems that might arise. Sometimes change is extremely hard, even if I’m getting away from the stresses of life before it. When I know I am at the end of my life, I will look back at all that I had accomplished and the hardships I had overcome. Then I’ll look up to bigger and better things in Heaven.
Running a race and experiencing the ups and downs of life are very similar. Just like how grade school and college are said to prepare you for living in the real world, preparations for a race begin days out and are very important for success. Prior to a race, you learn about the features of the course, and of the opponents competing against you. Immediately before a race, you feel very anxious and nervous about the next short moment of your life. This can be related to the feeling you get before uncertain and testing times of your life, such as before taking finals or a big test. The first mile of a race, where you must pace yourself and avoid going out too fast, can be related to life when you have to remember to slow down a little and take in surroundings and rethink what you are doing. Teammates and spectators watching and cheering as you go by are like your family and friends who encourage and hope for you to succeed during your times of stress. The second mile and third mile of a race, where many choke and fall back, is similar to the times in your life when you must persevere and continue forward no matter how difficult the task at hand is. Coming into the finish, you always give all that you have left and can either be the one passing others, or be the person who is passed. This relates to life in how the people who put forth the extra effort, or “go the extra mile” are the ones who really succeed and are ultimately happy in life.
Playing cards is like being a salesman. For example, in playing cards, one has a “poker face.” They bluff and never let people know how they’re thinking. Similarly, in selling things to people, one only conveys the positive aspects of the deal, and they never reveal the negative sides of buying the product. Secondly, when playing cards, one may deal cards to other people. This is like being a salesman in two ways. One may have a network of salespeople under their command who help them to sell things. Also, one may arrange meetings between customers and other salespeople, or “deal” customers out to salespeople. Thirdly, when one plays cards, one shuffles the cards. This is analogous to salesmanship in that when trying to convince customers to buy a product, one needs to read the customer’s personality and develop a pitch that is more likely to convince that particular person. It could be said that the salesman “shuffles” his speeches in order to suit a particular customer. Fourthly, an individual is dealt his or her own hand of cards when they play cards. This is based purely on luck. When selling items to customers, one may by chance have to deal with a skeptical customer who is hard to convince, or may be lucky and receive a gullible customer who believes that he or she is getting the best deal even when they may not be. The customer is like the hand of cards dealt to the salesperson. Fifthly, in playing cards, one may win a game. This could be compared to the closing of a successful deal when selling an item to a person. Lastly, when playing card games, especially poker or similar games, one may chew gum, listen to music, or provide some distraction to the other players in order to disrupt their focus on the game. In a similar way, a salesman may distract a customer by focusing on irrelevant features that the customer may find attractive, but that they do not need. Or, the salesperson may focus on terms and features that sound good, but that the customer doesn’t fully understand. In this way, the salesperson distracts the customer from important things like the price of the item.
Life is like playing a drum. Everything is about timing. When you are born you have to learn the ropes in order to succeed. It’s no different when you first start rat-a-tat-tatting on a drum. In the beginning, you just play anything you want and don’t really know how to play a rhythm that makes sense. With a little practice, your skills become gradually more refined in technique. With a few lessons you start to understand how the rhythms come together allowing you to create your own music. You hit your teenage years and have to make many decisions about who you really want to be. Once you have learned all of the basics, you are introduced to the plethora of diverse styles of drumming. It is at this time that you figure out what you like to play and listen to from marching style to concert music, cultural drums to drum set, and all of the others. In early adulthood, you become your own person: a unique and one-of-a-kind individual. Similarly, when you hit the point where you are very comfortable playing even intricate pieces, you change a little bit. This change is usually for the better and the addition of your own personal touches. You may add a flare to it or vary the piece to make it your own. Now you are entering the adult world, a place where you have to find a job and take care of yourself. Once you have become a very experienced drummer, you can use it to make your living. You join a band or start to teach others the wonderful art of drumming. You do not like the career path you chose right out of school, so you decide to learn a new trade that interests you. You don’t like your band and decide that teaching is for you. Possibly you want to teach what you know. Though, you might also like to learn a different genre of drumming and enhance your knowledge of the percussive world. You now hit your older years and retire from your job to settle down. Once a drummer you will never be able to stop drumming. Though, you might stop teaching and playing in a band full time. Instead, you play when you so choose and can have more fun with it. Life, like playing a drum, is what you make of it. You can be regimented or free-spirited. Those that like what they do can make it all the way.
School is like a volleyball tournament. All schools have different groups of people, and volleyball tournaments have many different teams. Tournaments have a number of games played, and schools give a number of tests. All schools have teachers to make sure you know all the rules of subjects. Tournaments have officials so all the teams follow the rules. Schools have cafeterias, tournaments have snack bars. Schools have students, and tournaments have players. Schools have guidance counselors to help the students when they are in need. Tournaments have many coaches to help the players in the games. Lastly, schools have many classrooms. Tournaments have many volleyball courts. School is just like a volleyball tournament.
My life is like a football game, mostly because it’s full of hard work for a successful payoff. There are some successful plays and successful moments in life, there also bad plays and not so successful moments in life. After those bad plays and moments, you have to get up and go try again, no matter what. There is also injury; you have to deal with pain in life just like the pain of an injury. The refs don’t always give you a fair shot; they might give you bad calls, like an unfair person in life. There will always be people rooting against you like opposing fans, whether people are jealous of you or just don’t like you; some people don’t want to see you succeed. Then there are fans of your team who want to see you succeed, like your parents and family in life, they support you win or loss. Then there is your coaches, who will be hard on you, but only because they want to see you do well and learn from the sport. Then your teammates, they’re like your friends you suffer through tough situations, like giving up a sack or throwing an interception. But they are also around for the good times, like a big win. At the end of the game and the end of life, maybe its not always whether you win or lose, but whether you worked your hardest to succeed.
Girlfriends are like cars. There are a lot of varieties. There are classy cars, hot rods, over priced and reliable cars. You should certainly spend time with both and get to know them before you make a commitment. Trust is important. You have to be able to trust that your car will start on a cold morning and that your girl will stand by you in difficult times. It is important to take care of them; if you don’t treat them right they will leave you stranded on the side of the road. Don’t trash your car or girl. Take them in for service and occasionally out on the town. Gripping the wheel to tight can lead to a smothering feeling while too loose can cause you to end up in a ditch or ditched because you weren’t paying enough attention. Don’t choose one on how it looks, it is what’s under the hood or inside that counts. Appearance is nice, but more important; it is what is on the inside. A good connection is always important; it has to feel right if it is going to be a successful relationship. You have to be one with the car and girl. Girlfriends are like cars; if you choose wisely you may find one that will last you a lifetime.
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