The Queen of Rock

"I figured out it was a social thing, what women were allowed to do. At a very young age, I decided I was not going to follow women's rules." This quote states the very essence of why Joan Jett is my idol. She defies. She breaks rules. She rocks. We all know or have heard of Joan Jett at some point in our lives, whether you are an avid fan or not Joan Jett has made an impression on the world.
Joan Jett was born in 1958 and from an early childhood was told that women, to her distaste were not allowed to play rock and roll. She immediately decided that this was one of the most preposterous rules and defied it in every meaning of the word. Joan whether she admits it or not was the feminist of her time. She sang of this that before weren't heard of. She obviously didn't care what you thought, said, or heard of her. She was going to do what she wanted to whether you cared or not.
It always amused me that when asked of their idol or hero many people instantly convince us that Oprah or someone from the cast of The View is their hero. Joan Jett is my hero in many ways the very first being in her feminist attitude. She decided that yes, she was a woman and that wasn't going to get in her way of doing what she wanted to do. I was always raised to think that I could do whatever I wanted regardless of what others said. Also, I think my extreme feminist ideals can be linked to my parents who throughout my childhood took me hunting, fishing and on various other adventures which some would initially think to be something males only partake in. For some reason this was instilled in me and now I am a strong feminist who believes that I, regardless of gender can do whatever I believe I can.
Also, Joan Jett has been my hero for another reason,too. Joan created an industry for herself in the rock and roll world. At the time it was a man's world and she proved that she could also reach success for herself in it. This to me is a real hero, who has proved herself and worked hard to get where she is.

The Essence of Change

Nature, some can't stand it and others embrace it. My family has always been an outdoor oriented group. For, as long as I can remember we went camping every summer, and my sister and I would spring for a chance to camp in our own tent even in just the backyard. My father mostly influenced this on me I believe. I caught my first fish when I was maybe two years old, and the archery season after I turned eight there I was sitting next to my Dad in a tree stand questioning if the deer would ever show. The outdoors were always a curiosity of mine. I would collect leaves, pine cones, rocks, flowers and lay them out on the table. I would sit there and compare and contrast in my encyclopedia, a bookworm at the age of eight and decipher the classifications of my treasures. I still have this sense of curiosity, as now as I reminisce there is a jar full of white quartz that I once believed were magic. But, not everyone feels things like I do, I have learned.
Many people push nature away. They believe that it is a harm. Maybe it is the whole idea, that it lives by a hunt or be hunted survival technique. Survival is also a touchy topic. Not to sound offensive or offensive even, but people are rather pampered these days. It is not there fault anything they can do, they are raised To them maybe, it is a foreign place of nonsensical things. From the outside the forest looks all the same, the trees the animals everything. But sitting here, by the creek listening to the stillness. And then I realize there isn't a stillness. Everything is moving, changing right before our eyes and we just let the days go by.
Life is change, that is the simple truth. I experienced many changes not even a year ago, when I moved into the next town over changing houses, neighborhoods, and schools. I came back to the house I grew up in today and it felt very emotionless. I walked around looking for an adventure, a purpose. I guess I am looking for a glimpse of the past. A way to see into the past and feel what I used to feel. A happiness, a sort of carefree essence. I realize being back here that I have changed. I feel jaded now, as I search for who I used to be in this place. It makes me angry now, thinking about it, that so much happened to me just by moving away. I come to the conclusion that I will never be the same now, and maybe it is for the better. But, this is me, in the now. This is who I want to be, and now as I assume my new attitude I dare someone to stand in my way.


*The picture is of me, I took it myself.

Slice of the World Theory

Earth, it's a hard concept to imagine how many people live here right? I often find myself imagining if my school, family, state, even country is different than somewhere else. Another hard concept for me to wrap my head around is that, there is more out there. A lot. There is tons and tons of more people out there, and tons of places I haven't seen. The reason I bring this is up, is because the other day I conjured up the The Theory of Slices of the world. What I wonder is if the rest of the world is like the one I live in, if the people act the same, or if they have some common dilemma.
I developed this theory the other week on the way home form the street rods with my dad. We were on our way home, I believe it was maybe ten o'clock, and we decided to stop for ice cream. When we pulled in in my dads General Lee, some of the firemen from the station next door, started going ballistic and cheering. And while we were ordering and waiting for our sundaes' a little boy wearing a Ravens jersey, commented on my fathers Steelers' get-up. "Why are you wearing stupid Steelers," he asked my dad. His Father, also wearing Ravens' memorabilia laughed, started a casual conversation with my dad. While standing there, I had a revolutionary thought. First, I thought eww I'm talking to a Ravens' fan. Second, I thought wow. It's amazing how to people with opposing beliefs can have a mutual chat, about their teams. Looking back now I don;t know why this came as a shock to me then, but at the time it appalled me that two people, rivals even, can come together and be friends. If only the rest of the world worked like that.
Now, I realize I'll probably never see that family again. And I wonder, also, if that family remembers me in the back of their minds sometime, like I do. So, my whole theory is that the world is at peace. Most of it. There is good in the world but we, ourselves create it. Imagine the world if we all lived like this. And, it's wonderful to imagine isn't it?

The Car That Changed My Life

Did you ever have one of those things that you never knew about and then someone let's you in on it, and then you're obsessed? Well, my Dad did that to me. My Dad always worked on people's cars, and his own. I remember, mostly because I always held the light, and couldn't stop asking him questions. Earlier this spring He bought an 88' Dodge Daytona. His reasoning for buying this car was to save gas, and it did. But this car was the beginning of my passion for muscle cars, not just a car. It also just so happens that when he bought the Daytona it was painted as a miniature General Lee, from The Dukes of Hazard. And my father, being the Dukes' fan he was, embraced the car's unorthodox coat and even ordered a custom license plate rendering: "General Jr."
Of course, the car wasn't in perfect condition and it took hours to replace the steering column and gear shifter. But all those cold hours I spent freezing in the garage, him telling me to go inside if I was cold but denying it because I was so eager to learn, were worth it. Because all those times we were under, over or in the car, I got a little closer to my dad. I once asked him how an engine worked on the way home from getting parts and I was a sponge soaking up information as he talked. I'm now familiar with how an engine runs, and how to determine what's wrong with it. I also got a new best friend, my dad. Now, wherever we go when it's warm we'll take off the t-tops and wind down the windows with the music too loud, and see how many people we can pass in 74'.
The "General" as we call it also gave me good stories to tell. Once on our maiden voyage we were flying down 74'. Now, if you've never rode in this car do not, I repeat do not mock it. So we were cruising down the road when a cop goes by, it's not very hard to miss a bright orange car with an 01 on the side so we were pulled over in a parking lot. I thought the car would get laughs from the police but he was very serious. But, because the car was newly on the road we didn't have tags he let us go with a warning but my favorite part of that story is when the police officer asked what model it was and my dad exclaimed "It's the General!" I laughed so hard after we pulled away I cried a little. And, after all the work on that car and from the past and future rides, I developed a love for Mopar.
My dad takes me with him to watch the hot rods now and I love it just as much as he does. Our car changed my life inevitably. I am so much closer to my dad now, close enough to call him a best friend. And it sparked an unofficial fan club for the car at my school, and a passion I hope to pursue one day. All because, I held the light.

Fantasy World

OK, so I'm in eighth grade and my class recently finished the book, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I already saw the movie and I'm completely obsessed! My favorite character is Ponyboy because I am a lot like him, but Dallas intrigues me, too. So, I was daydreaming today and realized that I was putting myself in the story. I daydream or sort of fantasize about the story, and how I could fit into it. For instance, in my mind (wow, just realized how cheesy this sounds) I am Dallas's little sister who just moved into the city with him and I fall in love with Pony. Does anybody else find this crazy? I'm the one doing it and I'm freaked out!
But, I was talking to my friend Megan and she said she does the same exact thing! It's insane! Do I have crazy friends? And sometimes to my delight, I find that these stories, or scenarios I'm working out in my head are mostly true, or at least the things about me. Like, for example I love to dance and I love working on cars. These are all true about me, like a lot of other things. But, I also find that a make up who I want to be. A better person. In my "daydreams" I guess you could call them, I think of myself being my ideal person, an alter ego of who I want to be. This, surprisingly makes me strive towards being a better person. I see my fantasies and think that if I'm like that, all my dreams will come true. The feeling is incredulous, that you get when you look at who you are and who you want to be. Then you realize they are almost the same.

New Blog

Welcome to Mel's crazy blog! OK, so I'm pretty sure a blog is mainly related to businesses? That's what I've heard, but all my friends and family have said I'm a good writer and this is what I came up with. So a little background information, well I'm 14 live in South, Pa and I'm in eighth grade. I love to write, listen to music and my favorites are Elvis Presley, Aerosmith, Queen and some country. I'm a huge history buff and I never stop wanting to learn. I love to dance, and work on cars with my Dad. I have fiery orange-red hair, and deep blue eyes. I look exactly like my mother Betty even though I act just like my Father.

I'm going to mostly write this blog myself, maybe with suggestions or topics from friends, If you know me, you probably either hate me, or love me. I started this blog because I think I need to share my ideas and sort out my thoughts a lot. I can have a temper sometimes, and I rarely ever get emotional about something. My whole philosophy on life is very simple, but it's also the reason for people not getting along with me very well. I adopted it from my father: Pshh Whatever. That's it. I'm not going to freak out about you talking bad about me in the cafeteria. I'm not worried that you don't like my Converse. I think the world would be a lot simpler if we all thought this way.

I'll probably be writing random blog posts every few days or so about stuff I wonder about mostly. But, if you have any comments, suggestions or questions you can email me at blog.mel01@yahoo.com