“Humor helps us to think out of the box. The average child laughs about 400 times per day, the average adult laughs only 15 times per day...

...What happened to the other 385 laughs?"

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Such a cliche question, that it's almost been trademarked. I, personally, don't mind that question because I've known what I want to do since as far back as I can remember. Even in kindergarten, when I'd firmly tell the teacher that when I grew up I was going to be a clown, not one of those fake clowns, I'd tell her, but a real wholesome clown. I also had on my list that I was going to be a figure skater, a doctor, a gymnast, a lawyer, and a teacher.

Then my teacher, with a smile on her face, would ask me how I was going to operate on patients with a big red nose.

I quickly dropped those plans. The point is, my aspirations to be a lawyer have always been somewhere in the mix, and as those other occupations dropped away I was left with that.

That's what I want to do when I grow up. Who I want to be is something completely different.

We've all, every one of us, has had that teacher, sub, uncle, counselor or friend's parent whose coolness has completely touched us. Their ability to laugh off something that any other adult would freak over or give us some "knucks" when we told a really good joke caught our attention. Their chill factor is what makes them so amiable.

That's who I want to be. I want to be somebody who's at ease and relaxed. People who're a party. Uptight adults scare me. Well, they don't frighten me, per se, but they're just an absolute bore to be around.

Take for example, my mother. God knows I love that woman, but she can sometimes be a bit too strict when it comes to hygiene, cleanliness, and organization. I try to explain to her that part of being a teenager is having a messy room, but no matter what I say she still feels like I should abide by her standards of neatness.

One of my friends's parents is probably one of the coolest adults I know. Actually, probably THE coolest. They both share the same interests in music, they go to concerts and shows together, and she and her father both love Urban Outfitters, and will oftentimes go shopping together. Sometimes I'll call her up and ask her to go out some weekend, and she'll decline saying that she's hanging out with her folks.

I know many people who'd say that kind of lax parenting isn't good for a child. In fact, I'd say just the opposite. Her being my only example, doesn't exactly make this scientific, but she's one of those genuine good kids. Her reasoning for getting in trouble isn't that she's afraid she'll get caught, but it's that she knows something's wrong, or she knows that she'll really disappoint her parents.

That's what I want to be, not just when I grow up, but obviously in general. Somebody who's easy to relate to, knows how to have a good time, and is an all around liked person.

“Fashion fades, only style remains the same.”

-Coco Chanel

Why can't I live in the 60's? Or at least dress like I do. Every single aspect of that era attracts me. The music, the fashion, the lifestyle. In every part of the nation, in every year of the era. From the early 60's to the late 60's. From Boston to Haight Street. From Francoise Hardy to Simon & Garfunkel. Even the literature was good.

From folk, to rock, to jazz, I have yet to hear some music from the 60's that I don't like. Well, actually, I take that back. I'm not all the fond of The Who. Their music's a little too pretentious for me, and I can never quite get into their songs.

I love The Supremes. A group of three female singers of the early 60's. Their sound's straight from Motown, and yet is classy in a way that I could easily imagine dancing to Stoned Love in any high end dance joint.

I also love the easy anthem songs, like San Fransisco by Scott Mckenzie and Twelve Thirty by the Mama's and the Papa's. And of course, who doesn't love the Beatles?

And how bout that fashion? Hm? The 60's took the best from the 40's and 50's and incorporated it into their every day wear. They had such a classy flair.

The 60's gave birth to skinny jeans. They were introduced by Audrey Hepburn in the pants that she wore for Funny Face (my personal favorite Hepburn movie). Now, although it's a fad that's begun fading, they've become a popular thing again. They also brought about the mini skirt. Throughout history skirts have always been acceptable below or at the knee, and then BANG. The mini skirt. There's never been a time since then where there hasn't been some sort of an acceptable mini.

Now, I don't know too much about fashion in general, but I do know that what I've seen I have from the 60's I've really liked. I almost wish fashion would have just stopped its progression since then.

"Dream like you'll live forever, live like you'll die tomorrow."

-James Dean

Teens are stereotyped. Everybody has some sort of conception, or depending on who you talk to, misconception about teens. Don't tell me you've never heard an adult sigh, and say "Oh, teenagers."

We're known for our parties, sex, and contraband. I don't know anybody my age who's never lied to their parents about one thing or another. It's inevitable, really.

But, really, I think teens really do deserve all the flack that's thrown at us. Ask yourself this, do you have enough fingers and toes to count all the people you know, under the age of 18, who've either drank or done drugs?

Personally, I can't.

It's pretty crazy, really. We can't accept good clean fun. We've gotta dirty it up.

But is that little bit of thrilling fun really worth the unavoidable consequences?

Many times in our life have we been constantly reminded of what will happen to our lungs, our brain, our appearances if we flood our system with these gross chemicals.

Athletes can't, or rather shouldn't, do it because they've got their lungs and breathing to think about. Singers can't afford to dry out their vocal chords. Brainy kids need to keep up their thinking abilities, which diminish from use of narcotics.

Schools bring in doctors and scientists to tell us all about these dangers. Counselors who've worked with screwed up kids will come in and share their stories. Sometimes, those kids themselves will be convinced to talk to us and try to sway us from following in their own tragically mislead footsteps.

Only, maybe not in so many words.

Really. After all they show us, I sit in my seat and think, how can some people be so stupid as to ignore all this evidence and go on with their recklessness? Why when you know you could damning yourself to emotional, physical, and mental problems would you go ahead with this?

When you smoke marijuana you're inhaling over 400 chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic, which means cancer causing. It's also found that pot smokers are more likely to become suicidal and have anxiety issues than people who don't use the drug. Schizophrenics should be especially careful, as the drug can increase psychotic symptoms.

Weed can also cause increased heart rate and paranoia among its users.

We've all seen pictures of blackened, burned-looking lungs. We've been shown pictures of livers that have been mutilated by over consumption of alcohol. We know that all this may very well be the consequences of a reckless lifestyle, and yet, we ignore these specialists, statistics, and testimonials and we dive right into it all.

We should do what they tell us, guys. We should follow the rules and guidelines they've set down for us. Is that little bit of fun worth cancer and all that other gross stuff? Hm?

The answer is no. We've gotta be smart kids and we've gotta be good kids. Let's join together and make this goal a reality!

This lady through her extensive abuse of cocaine, fucked herself up.