Oxygen is Overrated

When most people talk about swimming, they instantly think of Michael Phelps. Or those people who always smell like chlorine. But to a swimmer, it is much, much more than that. It is a lifestyle, a family, a sport, and the greatest thing in the whole world. For me to go without swimming is like a fish without water-- unnatural and insane.
My older sister inspired me to swim, and I really haven’t stopped ever since. She swam for seven years, and I have been swimming for six. She taught me how to swim in a lake up north and I fell in love. Although we have never actually swum together on a team because of our age difference, it is a common interest, and it is nice to have someone to talk to about it who understands.
There is something about the water that is so calming and enjoyable that makes me jump in every day year-round. Swimming is not something you can do just on the side, it is a major commitment. Practice is six days a week for two hours. In high school swimming you have practice nine practices a week and five days of “dry-land”. Swimming is kind of like a hate-love relationship. You love it, but at the same time you hate the hard sets and morning practices. Meets are a three day event over the weekend. They can last from anywhere from three hours to five, depending on the size. High school swim meets are only an hour, but they are much more important and have faster competition. Swimming takes up a lot of your time and energy, so it becomes a sort of lifestyle. Eat, sleep, swim, that is basically how it is for most of us—especially during high school season.
Your team becomes like your unofficial second family. Even more so, the other people in your lane. You spend about all of your time with them, for morning and night practices, meets, team bonding trips, staying overnight for a meet, you name it—we are always together. Your lane mates know you when you are crabby, hyper, sad, frustrated, happy, and hurting. They go through those long painful sets with you, and make it so much better. It’s hard to say whether or not I could make it through those practices without my friends by my side. It’s what makes even the hardest practices, or the most disappointing races worth it and bearable.
Swimming has taught me some of the most important lessons in life, and given me the greatest experiences. I have learned discipline, getting up at quarter to five in the morning for practice before school, and then trudging it right back to the pool again for yet another practice—without complaining (too much). I have learned good sportsmanship, and how to be a winner and a loser. Not every race can be your best race and I have learned how to deal with that disappointment. I have learned what it is like to be on top, and modesty. I have made the best of friends through swimming. Not only on my own team, but from competing against other teams from all over. I have been able to travel all over the state, and see different places because of meets. I have been able to reach my fullest potential in something that I love and do something to be proud of myself. It is something that I love and will do for a long time.

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Big Fish!

Walking around the lake up north had always been a family tradition for my cousins and I. It was miles around and would take the whole day to go completely around. I was really young the first time my mom let me walk around with my cousins, maybe six or seven; I was crazy and naive. It was so hot that day, almost ninety degrees without a cloud in the sky to hide the blistering sun. We walked along the sandy shore, not expecting a single thing to go wrong.
We had barley gone past a couple cottages when we reached an old man pouring fresh, wet cement into a pit. His dog sat, panting beside him. The scruffy dog smelled a cat though, and took off running. The old man set down his cement supplies and ran after his dog, leaving the wet cement totally unattended. Being seven, and curious, I decided to stick my hands into the cement making a perfect outline. Only as soon as I tried to pull them out-- they were stuck. Just then, the old man came back with his dog, and saw me squatted next to his wet cement, with my hands stuck in them.
"You!" He yelled, and ran towards me, his dog on his heels. I pulled and I yanked, but the quick-dry cement was almost hardened. My cousins yanked me up, and the whole cement tablet came with it attached to my hands. Pulling me along, my cousins raced out of his yard and just kept running, not paying attention to where we were going. The heavy cement weighed down on my weak hands and arms, but I could still hear the man running after us, and the dog barking so I didn't dare stop.
When we finally lost him, and got a chance to look around at our surroundings, we realized that we had no idea where we were. The sandy beach had turned into a muddy swamp, and willow trees blocked out much of the sunlight. An old, withered, red cabin hid behind the shadows of the trees. The windows were boarded up, and no light shown through. The only noise was my small whimpering of pain from the heavy cement still glued to my hands.
"Oh Sarah, come here," my oldest cousin said, holding a big stick. He began hitting the edges of the cement to break it off, and the noise echoed throughout the swamp. Suddenly, we heard a faint, eerie call coming from the cabin. Our heads all snapped up to see the door to the cabin slowly opening. At first, it seemed as if just the wind blew it open, no one was there. But after a minute a short, wrinkly, old woman appeared on the porch.
"It's a witch! It's a witch, and this is her haunted house!" I whispered to my cousin.
"No I'm not," the woman on the porch crackled. I gasped, amazed that she heard me. She came down the steps, across the lawn, and right up to me. She tapped three times on the piece of cement and it instantly crumbled into dust. I gasped, and my eyes widened to the size of watermelons.
"If you're lost, go straight back behind my house, and continue walking until you reach the dirt road. Turn left, and just keep walking," she croaked. But none of us moved, we just continued to stare, wide eyed and wondering.
"Go on now, I can tell-- your parents are worried".
Too scared to move, but too scared to stay we slowly stood up and began to walk away. I could hear her crackle of a laugh as we walked on, still questioning if she was telling us the honest truth or not; but it was better than still sitting in front of her house.
Sure enough, the road led us back to our cabin, and our parents were worried. Of course they didn't believe that a real witch lived on the lake, but we would always believe.

The Battle for the Sea & the Islands

China should negotiate with other countries about the ownership of the Paracel Islands.
China will have a better relationship with the countries around them. In the New York Times article, "Vietnam Enlists Allies to Stave Off China's Reach" it says that five other countries are claiming parts of the islands, or the South China Sea: Taiwan, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. That is a lot of countries. It is important for China to either continue, or build a strong relationship with these countries. They are neighbors and always be connected by these islands and waterways. It would be good to have a positive attitude towards each other. Also stated in the same New York Times article, that the Vietnamese and Chinese governments have labeled this year to be their "Year of Friendship". This is not a good way to start off. Being a super power to Vietnam will not help Chinese appearance, or the relationship with Vietnam.
China is being over controlling with Vietnam in the South China Sea. Having military presence in the area, and taking unneeded action are two completey different things. Chinese military has controlled the perimeter since 1974. It may be time that China steps back though, and looks at the force . "Detaining Vietnamese fishermen, warning foreign oil companies away from working with Vietnam ... seizing fishermen and vessels..." is all apart of the action China is taking against Vietnam. It is not right and not fair. Such abrupt actions needn't take place when Vietnam is continuously asking for negotiations and discussions between Vietnam and the other countries, as said in the New York Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/world/asia/05hanoi.html?ref=world&pagewanted=print).
China does not have the right to continue taking control of the area. Since there is no legit ownership, or country claims for the islands, why is it China's and not any one else's? Just because their military is there? If the islands and waterways are not any more closer to one country than another, who is it for China to decide it can be theirs? Negotiations should take place to help evenly decide the sovereignty issues there.