Snow Is Evil

  So guys, I've been bad. I haven't been posting regularly, and I feel horrible about it. I'm really sorry. But I am going to get better. So for today(more like tonight), I thought I'd tell you what is going on in my life at the moment.

  As you all know, I joined the track team. Practice has been going really well, and I think I might be a good runner. I really do. I've kept up with all of the beat runners in practice(all three practices, I know, so hardcore). Also, I've decided on 3/4 of what events I want to compete in. I want to do the 100m, the relay race, and the long jump. I think. I'm not exactly sure what I'm best in yet. So the list might change.

  As I'm sure many of you can relate to, I haven't been to school in awhile due to snow. I love the break, but I hate not being able to go to track practice, ya know?

  **Very sorry for the boring post. I will pick up the regular routien soon. Also, this post is being made from the Blogger app, so I'm not sure how it will look. Sorry, again.**

Winter Olympics!

  If you guys are like me, you have been extremely happy the past few days. Why? Because the Olympics are on! Winter Olympics that is. Now, personally, I like the Summer Olympics much better, but I love the Olympics period. 

  I love the fact that whole nations stand behind their athletes and cheer for them. I could only imagine how awesome that must feel. 

  Also, I am always in awe of how much work goes into getting the athletes to the Olympics. Countless number of hours practicing is a given when it comes to Olympics athletes. They commit their whole life to sports, and I respect that greatly. It truly encourages me to put my everything into what I love. 

  Another thing I wanted to talk about is something I saw on an Olympic Zone show. It was about how one of the athletes that got a gold medal had a brother who had a degenerative disease that took away his ability to do any type of sport. At one point, the athlete said something along the lines of, "If my brother was well, he'd have three gold medals." I cannot even begin to express how deeply this moved/motivated me. I have a healthy body. I am lucky enough to have the privilege to play and compete in a sport. (I recently joined the track team.) And that guy, who wants nothing more than to be able to compete, can't. So I took it as my responsibility to do as much as I can to be the best athlete I can be. It's not fair if I do anything less than that.  

 **So, guys. I want to know if any of you have gained/learned anything from the Olympic? I gained motivation. (So sorry for the two day absence.)**

A Revelation

  Today, I realized something very profound. I have been to Alaska two times. The first time, I was not very tan or "brown" because it was very cloudy and not sunny at all. The second time, I got very dark (in my standards) because it was a very, very sunny year for Alaska. You see, I'm part American Indian. Most of the year, you can barely tell, but in the summer, when I'm outside a lot, I get very tan.

  So on the way back from Alaska the second time, when I was very dark, I was "randomly" searched. By this I mean I was singled out of a long line and every single bit of my luggage was checked. No pocket was left unopened. I thought nothing of it at the time, but today, 6 months later, I got to thinking. I've been on 12 flights in my 16 years, and I have only been searched the one time I was darker than average.

  Now I know this could be just a coincidence, but it still has me shocked. It's one thing to hear about racial profiling, but it's another to be on the receiving end of it. I have a new look on this subject. I truly do. 

**Sorry for the short post guys! I really wanted to share this story with you. It's short but profound to me.**

Morgan's Lullaby: Part 3

     The next time Morgan opens her eyes, she is in a dark hospital room. She looks around to see what's going on. She only has a vague memory of the night before: when she took the pills. It is more like a bad dream in here mind than a true memory. 

 "No. No. No," Morgan thinks to herself, "This isn't happening to me." 

   She becomes aware of all of the different tubes attached to her body. Was she really in this bad of shape? Why did they save her? "They should have let me die," Morgan thinks furiously. A sudden urge to run down the halls of this sleeping hospital and escape overwhelms her. The last thing she wants to do is deal with her family.

  Morgan once again looks at her surroundings. This time, she notices things she hadn't seen before. There are flowers of all types littering the room. 

  "Where could those have come from?" She thinks to herself. 

  She assumes they must have been from the previous patient. There is no way they came for her. While thinking about the flowers, Morgan falls asleep and doesn't awaken until the morning. 

  "Why would she do this," she hears her mother saying. Morgan isn't sure who her mom is talking to, but she doesn't dare open her eyes. "I have no idea," she recognizes this voice. Her mom is talking to her father. "We've always known she was a little... off," her dad shoots. This sets Morgan off. 

  "How dare you?!," Morgan hisses, "I'm off? I'm normal for having such shitty parents!" 

  A deafening quiet falls on the room broken only by the sound of the machines monitoring Morgan's pulse. "We didn't know you were awake," her mom says. "Well I was," Morgan shoots back. With this, her parents leave without another word. 

   "This is going to be rough," Morgan thinks as she closes her eyes, "oh well." 

I'm a Terrible Person

    I am so ashamed that I'm having a hard time even writing this post. I CAN'T seem to make myself write what I'm supposed to write on the right days. I did not finish Morgan's Lullaby: Part Three for today. I will have it up tomorrow, like always. I'm so sorry. It will be up tomorrow. It will. 

Update!

  This is an add on from my "My Struggle's" post. I wasn't going to add on, but something of interest happened today. I joined the track team! Shocking right? I just... went for it. Conditioning starts tomorrow after school, and I couldn't be more excited. Maybe I won't be great, maybe I won't rank, but this is a pretty big achievement for me. I'm going to give it my all and hope that's enough.

 I'm sorry if you guys don't enjoy my little personal rants. I just need to let some things out. Everyone does. I want this blog to be like a conversation between you guys and me. Hopefully you all like it. I try my best to put out personable material that you guys will like. Thanks for all of the support! :) Here's a picture of a puppy for the people who hated this post.  

Hump Day How-To (Entry 3)

  Hey guys! Today I'm pretty sick and had to use a sick day for school. So I figured I'd write about how to have a proper sick day. It's more important than you would think!

Step 1: Get as many blankets as you can. Blankets are an important part of a sick day because, if you're like me, you will be leaving your bed as little as possible. 

Step 2: Gather all of the medicine you're going to need. Cough syrup, cough drops, the works. Better to round them up first thing because you'll be looking for them later, trust me!

Step 3: Get a box of tissues because you will definitely be needing them. 

Step 4: Get a lot of things that will keep you entertained. iPods, books, movies, laptops, any and everything. Between sleeping, you're gonna need something to do.  

Step 5: Get a lot of water in reach. It's important to stay hydrated especially if you have a fever!

Step 6: Shut out the world. By this, I mean lose the phone. Focus on getting better, not other people. As hard as that sounds, it helps a lot. 

**Hope this helps you guys out! Today, I really had to put it to use, and it works!!! What are your guy's sick day rituals?**

My Struggles (Entry 3)

   This week I am only going to be talking about one struggle: taking a chance. So I am a pretty athletic person, but I have never played on a sports team. Ever. Why? Because I am so extremely self-conscious and worried about everything. Several different coaches have come to me trying to convince me to play a variety of sports, but I have always backed out. I'm just always so worried about not being good enough. Does that make sense? Also, I'm worried about not being able to make friends. I don't really hang out with the "jocks," so I don't know if I'd fit in on a team. (I know. I sound like a whiny 5-year-old.)  
 
    Amongst all of this doubt lies the want to play an "official" sport before I get out of high school. (I'm a Sophomore.) I don't want to look back and regret not doing something that I might have loved. 


   I have come extremely close to joining the soccer and track team before, but right when I decided I wanted to join, it was too late. Either the team was full or the tryouts were over. This brings me to this particular week's struggle. I have the opportunity to join the tennis team. The team, frankly, isn't any good, so I don't have to worry about not being a great player. That's a plus. But then there is the main problem I'm facing. Tennis, ESPECIALLY is my school, is considered a "girls' sport." I just don't know if I want to add another item to the list of reasons why I'm weird, you know? 

   To finish this off, I have decided to play. I think. I am going to check out the details and everything; hopefully it all goes well, and I will finally play on a team. Who knows? Maybe I'll be good!

 **I hope this didn't bore anyone! I really needed to rant to get everything straight in my head. What are some struggles with taking risks that you guys have? I'd love to hear about them. Thanks everyone!**

The Awkward Person's Guide to Excuses

   Hey guys! My "The Awkward Person's Guide to Family Gatherings" post really went well, so I figured I'd continue my painful attempts at being funny. This post will give scenarios you might encounter where you'll need a great ~ or extremely confusing ~ excuse to avoid them. I hope it's at least slightly entertaining/helpful!

         The Awkward Person's Guide to Excuses

Parent: Why haven't you done your homework?

Your Response: The voices in my head tell me I don't have to. *Look your mom/dad right in the eyes* And you don't want to make the voices mad.  (They will never bug you about your homework again, but you might have to visit a special place once a week from then on.) 


Neighbor: Will you mow my lawn for me? 

Your Response: I would love to, but I'm not allowed around lawn mowers. Not since the... accident. *Burst into tears and yell, "WHY GRAMMY, WHY?!"* 


Teacher: You need to start staying after school for tutoring. Your grades have fallen significantly. 

Your Response: ...are you hitting on me right now? *Wink seductively* (That poor teacher will never bother you again.)


Parent: Where did you go last night? I heard from someone you went to a party. 

Your Response: *Laugh hysterically because you and your parents both know that you were in your room the whole night crying over a book character that died.*



Doctor: You've gained 10 pounds. I thought you said you were eating better? 

Your Response(If a girl): I'M SO SORRY I'M FAT AND NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU. I JUST CAN'T, LIKE, DEAL WITH YOUR JUDGEMENT RIGHT NOW. *Make a dramatic exit* 

**Sorry for the short post guys! I'll be adding to it later in a separate post. I'm short on time today! Comment your thoughts?** 

Australia!

  So I got no comments on the last post(come on guys!), so I had to use the only comment I've had. It's from Talie Anne on my "Top 5 Dream Destinations" post. In her comment, she mentions her liking of Australia! So shout-out to Talie Anne; thank you for contributing! Here are 5 amazing pictures of Australia! Hope you guys like. 

Morgan's Lullaby: Part Two

   At 6:30 A.M., Morgan's phone starts to vibrate: time to get ready for school. For a brief moment, she considers skipping school, but the only thing worse to her than a building full of teenage assholes is a house full of fake family members. She throws herself out of bed with a grunt and proceeds with her daily routine. Shower, clothes, make-up, breakfast, bus. Not once does she see even a trace of her family, not that she normally does. Her little brother doesn't attend school yet, and both of her parents start work late in the day. Morgan is used to solitary mornings. She actually enjoys them; they are a comforting time period where she has zero distractions.
   
   The school day goes by in a blur. Morgan doesn't talk to anyone nor does anyone talk to her. She has never felt so publicly alone. The only objectives on her mind are to keep her head down and not let anyone know something is wrong. Once home, she hurries to her bedroom, locks the door, and closes the blinds. She doesn't want to see her family and have to fake being happy like she always does. Morgan can lie to anyone, but it hurts having to lie to her parents, even if they are inconsiderate jerks.

   By the end of the day, Morgan is worn out. All she can think about is the sweet escape of sleep, but she knows that sleep is not achievable in her current state. Night is when the memories attack, gnawing at her sanity. Normally, she is strong enough to fight them off, but not tonight. Tonight, Morgan is as defenseless as a newborn antelope on the African plain. She must be cautious, for she can be easily over taken by any malicious, bitter-sweet memory lurking in the depths of her mind. All of these things Morgan knows.
  
  "But how," Morgan thinks to herself, "can I escape this hell? This unrelenting pain?" 

   Then, without warning, a memory attacks. It rips at her with unanticipated strength. It is the memory of the first time Morgan saw her Nana sick, with obvious pain painted on her face. "Oh honey, I'm fine," her Nana had said, "Nana will be OK. I won't leave you." Morgan remembers clinging to this promise frivolously, praying for her Nana to stay with her. 

    As this memory slices through Morgan like a machete, hot tears begin to stream down her face. "I can't handle this," she screams in her mind, "I can't. I can't. I can't!"  Suddenly, a wave of calm engulfs her. She has concocted an escape. Her mother keeps a large bottle of sleeping pills in the medicine cabinet, and Morgan could easily sneak them into her room. "Can I really do this," she asks herself already knowing the answer. Yes, she could. Nothing is keeping her attached to this life anymore. What does she have to live for? To hope for? Her family is detached, she is horrifyingly awkward, and the only person that ever truly loved her is dead. 

  Morgan gets out from under her blankets and makes almost the same trek she had made the night before, but instead of turning  into her parents room, she turns into the bathroom. She turns on the lights and is shocked at what she looks like under the harsh, florescent lights. Her eyes are an unnatural shade of red and her skin is taunt from dried tears. Unable to look at herself any longer, Morgan pulls open the medicine cabinet and grabs the bottle of sleeping pills. Quickly, she stuffs them into her pocket and runs back to her room.   

  Once back in the safety of her room, a weird though crosses Morgan's mind. Should she write a suicide note? She'd never considered it before. She almost laughs at the idea of her parents finding the note next to her lifeless body. Would they pretend to be sad or show their relief that they don't have to deal with her anymore? She decides she could care less. "They don't deserve a suicide note," Morgan thinks bitterly, "They don't deserve closure!" With that, she thrusts a handful of irregularly shaped sleeping pills into her mouth and swallows. They take hold of her body quickly. Soon, she falls into a deep sleep, with her Nana's voice echoing in her mind saying, "I won't leave you, honey. I love you." 

    **Hey guys! That was Morgan's Lullaby: Part Two! I hope you liked it. There will be a part three, so get ready for that! It will be posted next Friday for "Fictional Friday." Although this isn't the last addition to the Morgan's Lullaby series, I thought I should explain my reasons behind writing it. I am writing this series to tell a story you guys might relate to and to tell you guys that if you are having thoughts of hurting yourself or anything like that, reach out to someone. Talk to someone about your problems. Anything. Just don't act on any bad thoughts. People do love you and care about your well-being. I have had bad thoughts before, trust me, but life does get better. You will find people that you care about and that care about you. I promise. I have never met you guys, but I care about you. So don't feel alone. Don't let negative thoughts prevail. If you can't find anyone else to talk to, and you are thinking about doing something bad, reach out to me. I'm extremely awkward and am bad at making people feel better, but I care. I hope this post can help someone out there. I really do. So thank you for reading it everyone!**

Procrastination Wins Again/Cool Idea!

  Sometimes I can't stand myself. Really. Again, I waited till too late to start working on the "Morgan's Lullaby" series to get it up today. I promise it will be up tomorrow. It is turning out well; I just don't have it finished. I mean, it's not like you guys are sitting around waiting for my posts, but I feel an obligation to you guys to get things done on time. So I'm sorry for that. 

   Now, because of this, I came up with a way to make it up to everyone. I will be picking an idea from the comments(if I can get someone to actually comment) and using it in a post for Sunday. The idea can be a prompt, a funny picture to write about, anything. I will even do a shout-out type thing to the person whose idea I picked. I think it's a pretty cool idea. I really hope you guys participate! Please don't be shy. Thanks everyone, and, again, I'm terribly sorry for the post delay. 

50 Questions About Me!

   As if you haven't already learned enough about me, I've decided to answer 50 questions about myself, so you guys can get to know me even more. I found an awesome survey that seems more than sufficient for my purpose. I am going to answer each one 100% honestly, so I hope you guys like the honesty! 

Q: What's your name?
A: The blogging name I use is David Smart, but my real name is Mason Domke. (Can you blame me for using a fake name? Just look at my real last name.)

Q: What's your favorite sport?
A: Probably Ultimate Frisbee(Yes, that is a real sport) or Soccer 

Q: Do you have a crush?
A: Yes, I do. But I don't think she's into me. I heard she's seeing this dude named Jay Z. 

Q: What's your eye color? 
A: Brown. 

Q: If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
A: I would change my nose. It's all round and weird. 

Q: Are you allergic to anything?
A: Nope.

Q: Have you ever broken a bone?
A: Never, luckily. 

Q: What's your favorite movie?
A: 21 Jump Street!

Q: Books or Movies?
A: Movies. When I read a book, I love it. But it is rare I can actually get through one. 

Q: Favorite book?
A: The Giver

Q: What's your favorite website? 
A: Newsana is a recent discovery of mine, and I love it. Very cool. Also, Genuine Awkwardness isn't that bad... (I'm a sellout, I know.) 

Q: Favorite number?
A: 21

Q: Favorite letter?
A: I don't really have one, but if I had to choose, M.

Q: Do you know all of the words to the National Anthem?
A: Not at all. I'm a horrible citizen. 

Q: What's your favorite holiday?
A: Christmas or Easter for sure. 

Q: What song best describes your life right now?
A: It's Time by Imagine Dragons. I feel like I'm starting a new chapter in my life. 

Q: What's your favorite band/artist?
A: My favorite band is Imagine Dragons.

Q: What's your relationship status?
A: I'm so single it's not even funny. 

Q: Do you exercise?
A: Yes.

Q: Have you ever thrown up before? If so, why?
A: Yes. I had the flu. (Great subjects here on Genuine Awkwardness, right?)

Q: Are you right or left handed?
A: Right. 

Q: What's your nickname? 
A: Some people call me "Mase", but others have cooler names for me like "Ugly," "That weird kid," and "Freak." 

Q: Do you wear make-up everyday?
A: No, I'm not that cool. 

Q: When's is your birthday?
A: January/21/1998

Q: How do you feel about "YOLO"?
A: I don't see a problem with it. 

Q: What is your favorite quote?
A: "The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." ~Gandhi 

Q: What's the worst thing that has happened to you in your entire life?
A: Probably when my family got broken apart from an addiction. (Mom was on drugs... You can probably guess the rest.)

Q: If you could live in any state, what would it be and why?
A: Alaska because it is so beautiful there. 

Q: What annoys you?
A: When people tweet but don't reply to your texts. When people only look out for themselves. When your friends up and decide they don't want to be your friend anymore. When people forget your birthday. When you try your hardest at something, but everything works against you... The list goes on.

Q: What food do you hate the most?
A: BAKED POTATOES. 

Q: Do you have any pets? If so, what are their names?
A: Not anymore. They all died. 

Q: Jeans, skinny jeans, skirts, denim jeans, or crazy-patterned tights?
A: Denim jeans. 

Q: Do you wear your seat belt in the car?
A: Always.

Q: Do you like this survey?
A: So far, yes. 

Q: Who's your favorite super hero?
A: Batman!

Q: Is that your natural hair color?
A: Yes. 

Q: What color eyes would you like to have?
A: I'm gonna keep what I have cause I don't wanna mess up and make myself uglier. 

Q: Do you look like your mom or your dad?
A: Dad.

Q: What's your favorite type of food?
A: Chinese. 

Q: What are three things you can't live without?
A: Sleep, family, and water. 

Q: Who do you miss right now?
A: My really weird, crazy friend Emily. She's kinda gone down hill, and I'd love to be able to help her. Too bad I was an ass. 

Q: On a scale from 1-10, how bored are you?
A: 1. I'm not bored at all. 

Q: If something falls off your bed, do you get off your bed to get it?
A: NEVER. 

Q: How tall are you? 
A: 5' 10"

Q: What's your shoe size?
A: 12 (Men's) 

Q: How would you describe your personality?
A: Very energetic. Motivated. 

Q: What's your favorite type of cheese?
A: String. 

Q: What's your favorite ice-cream flavor? 
A: Cookie dough!!!

Q: What's your life goal?
A: To make a difference in peoples' lives. 


**Phew. That's a lot about me. In the comments, how about some of you guys answer a few of the questions from the survey about yourself?**

A Post for Support

   So to start off, this blog has become an extremely important part of my life. Everyday I'm thinking about what to write about and how to make sure you guys have a great reading experience. And the best part is I wouldn't want to be doing anything else. I feel this blog is my way to reach out into the world from my small city. More importantly, I want this to be a place where you guys come and escape from your daily problems. This brings me to the main reason for this particular post. My ultimate goal is to have this blog kinda run by you guys guiding me with what you like/don't like, but for that to happen, I need some feedback. I need a comment here and there or a tweet (@GAwkwardness) or an email(davidsmart414@gmail.com). Anything you guys can do. I am here blogging for you. So please feel completely free to reach out to me in any way to tell me your opinions or likes or anything. I'm not trying to force you guys into anything or anything like that, I just need some feedback. That's all. :) Thank you so much. Here's a picture of a baby kangaroo in pajamas because... why not? 

The Awkward Person's Guide To Family Gatherings

    Hey guys! It's time for the second entry of "Hump Day How-To's." Today's topic is: how to handle family gatherings. As I said on this week's installment of "My Struggles," I have grown to dread family gatherings. Not because I dislike my family, but because I can't stand the criticism/weird questions that come with being the teenager in a group of adult family members. So I figured I'd show you guys some possible questions you might encounter and the correct (awkward) responses to those questions. 

1. Question: So what career field have you picked out for your future?

Correct response: I heard the drug industry is booming so...

2. Question: Do you have a girlfriend/boyfriend? 

Correct response: No, but I have a cat. It's the same thing really.

3. Question: How are you doing in school?

Correct response: I haven't killed anyone yet so pretty well. 

4. Question: What music do you listen to?

Correct response: Gospel. So much gospel. PRAISE JESUS HALLELUJAH. 

5. Question: Why do you wear such weird clothes?

Correct response: Because running around naked is "indecent." 

6. Question: What college are you going to apply to?

Correct response: A very, very far away one. 

7. Question: Why don't you do more chores?

Correct response: I supply the household awesomeness thank you very much. *Walk away triumphantly*  

8. Question: Do you swear? 

Correct response: All the time. Just yesterday I swore that I'd never try to conform to your unreachable expectations... Oh. You meant like cussing? Yeah, I do that too. 

9. Question: What's your favorite book?

Correct response: When you book your flight back to where you came from... I mean, The Hunger Games. 

1o. Question: Why are you still single?

Correct response: I'm waiting for the right person... HA HA just kidding. Have you seen my face? 

11. Question: Have you been accepted into any colleges?

Correct response: Depends. Does "You're Rejected" have a hidden meaning I'm not aware of? 

12. Question: Are you sexually active?

Correct response: In my mind, yes. In reality, no. 





**That was it, guys! My first attempt at an at least remotely funny post. I really hope you guys liked it! I know it's a little short, but I really wanted a break from the depressing material. Comment your thoughts?**

My Struggles (Entry 2)

    Hey guys it's Tuesday here on Genuine Awkwardness(wow, Daily Grace much?), and that means it's time for the second entry of "My Struggles!" I think this list is a little more interesting, so get ready! 


1. Diets: Now you all probably remember this from my last "Hump Day How-To," but I'm restating for the possible new readers. OK. So I am a huge health nut, and that mixed with an obsessive personality makes for an interesting outcome. I just can't do the "normal" version of exercising/dieting. I go way too crazy with it. 

2. Family Gatherings: I used to love being with my family, but now, I really dread it. It seems my family is more like "let's see how many insults we can make about him" than "we love him" nowadays. I don't know. I might just be imagining it...

3. CHEMISTRY: I have always done well in school, but Chemistry class kicked my butt! I can't remember an iota of what I was "taught" in Chemistry at all. You would never guess my favorite subject is science. 

4. Criticism: I know everyone should be able to take constructive criticism, but when I hear someone criticizing me, I immediately get ultra defensive. I know. It's a bad quality.

5. Making People Happy: I am not the type of person who can make someone laugh or happy. When someone I know is sad/crying, I just have to give them their space because I try to help, I will inevitably make things worse. 


**Sorry for the short, crappyish post guys. I'm working on a great "Hump Day How-To" for tomorrow, so make sure to check it out!**

First Week Recap!

    As my first week running this blog comes to a close, I'm realizing just how rewarding blogging is. I haven't gotten a lot of views. I haven't gotten a lot of followers. But I enjoy writing for this blog so much. More than I ever thought I could/would. Every time I see I got even one view, I get so happy because you guys are reading something that I wrote, something that I think. Whether you guys hate my writing or love it, you saw it, and, for some odd reason, that means the world to me. So I want to thank each and every one of you that have viewed my blog/supported it in any way. I know it seems like I'm getting way too worked up over a simple week, but I can't help it. I have never been the popular kid in school or the guy everyone likes, but on here, I feel important. And that's a gift I can't be more grateful for, so thank you all. I am going to work as hard as possible to write content you will love!

Grammy Predictions!!! (Awkward Edition)

  OK guys. I have a secret to tell. I get WAY too into award shows. I go crazy when my favorites win, and I throw tantrums when they don't. It's just one of my things. As you can imagine, over the years I've gotten pretty good at predicting winners(at least in my mind). So what better to write about than my Grammy predictions??? 

Record of the Year:
Nominees: 
*Get Lucky (Daft Punk)
*Radioactive (Imagine Dragons)
*Royals (Lorde)
*Locked Out of Heaven (Bruno Mars)
*Blurred Lines (Robin Thicke Feat. T.I. & Pharrell)

Who I want to win: Radioactive by Imagine Dragons. 

Who will win: Royals by Lorde. Lorde is the talk of the music industry right now, and I don't see anyone else winning in this category. 

Album of the Year:
Nominees:
*The Blessed Unrest (Sara Bareilles)
*Random Access Memories (Daft Punk)
*Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (Kendrick Lamar)
*The Heist (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis)
*Red (Taylor Swift)

Who I want to win/who will win: The Heist by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. Macklemore has taken the music scene by storm and has covered every subject from thrift shops to gay rights. I think it's a sure win. 

Song of the Year: 
Nominees:
*Just Give Me A Reason (Pink & Nate Ruess)
*Locked Out of Heaven (Bruno Mars)
*Roar (Katy Perry)
*Royals (Lorde)
*Same Love (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Feat. Mary Lambert) 

Who I want to win: Just Give Me A Reason by Pink & Nate Ruess.

Who will win: Same Love by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Feat. Mary Lambert. I don't really have many reasons for this pick. I just think it's a winner for sure. 

Best New Artist:
Nominees:
*James Blake
*Kendrick Lamar
*Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
*Kacey Musgraves
*Ed Sheeran 

Who I want to  win: Ed Sheeran. 

Who will win: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. Who else could possibly win? 

Best Pop Solo Performance:
Nominees: 
*Brave (Sara Bareilles)
*Royals (Lorde)
*When I Was Your Man (Bruno Mars)
*Roar (Katy Perry)
*Mirrors (Justin Timberlake) 

Who I want to win: Mirrors by Justin Timberlake. 

Who will win: Roar by Katy Perry. I see Katy taking home this award, and I don't even know why. Just a feeling, I guess. (Is my awkwardness showing?)

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
Nominees:
*Get Lucky (Daft Punk)
*Just Give Me A Reason (Pink Feat. Nate Ruess)
*Stay (Rihanna Feat. Mikky Ekko)
*Blurred Lines (Robin Thicke Feat. T.I. & Pharrell)
*Suit & Tie (Justin Timberlake & Jay Z)

Who I want to win: Suit & Tie by Justin Timberlake & Jay Z. 

Who will win: Just Give Me A Reason by Pink Feat. Nate Ruess. I think the chemistry these two convey in this song will definitely be enough to get them the win. 

Best Pop Vocal Album:
Nominees: 
*Paradise (Lana Del Rey)
*Pure Heroine (Lorde)
*Unorthodox Jukebox (Bruno Mars)
*Blurred Lines (Robin Thicke)
*The 20/20 Experience - The Complete Experience (Justin Timberlake) 

Who I want to win/will win: Pure Heroine by Lorde. She definitely deserves this award. From the vocals to lyrics to the impact this album has had, it's a winner in my book.

**Don't hold me to these guys! I've been known to either be almost all right or almost all wrong. Also, I fought to get this post up before the Grammys actually started. I told you I am a horrible procrastinator. Comment your thoughts/favorite artists! Thanks guys!**

Morgan's Lullaby: Part One

    OK guys. I'm kinda springing something way different on you today. I said before that I wanted to add some fictional writing on here, but I never fully explained. Fridays will now be "Fictional Fridays." I know. The title is so tacky it's painful. I may change it in the future, but for now, it's adequate. And the blog's name IS "Genuine Awkwardness," so tacky, awkward titles are to be expected. Hopefully the content will be a little more substantial. 



                      Morgan's Lullaby: Part One 
   
   The sunlight sneaks through the tree branches like prisoners escaping prison. Morgan just watches in amazement of the world she's in. She wonders why she never noticed her true surroundings before. In the past, she's only noticed the bad: bad friends, bad mom, bad brother, bad life. But now, sitting underneath this ancient Oak tree in front of her house, Morgan can't think of a single flaw in her life. Sure she's experienced her fair share of heartbreak, but she now, in this moment, realizes she can't continue living in a bitter whirlwind. Suddenly, Morgan feels free. For the first time in two years, her heart doesn't contain the toxic hatred that she threw at anyone to even try and get close to her. You see, Morgan never built walls around her heart; she built a full-blown fortress. To fully understand why, we need to start at the beginning of the pain: when Morgan's Nana died. 
   
    It's 2 A.M. on a Thursday. Morgan wakes up to a frantic wailing. "N0! No! No!," a voice only vaguely resembling her mother's screams,"It can't be true. It can't!" Terrified, Morgan doesn't know what to do. Should she go check to see what's wrong, or should she just go back to sleep and pray this is a dream? The first of the two options wins out, and Morgan slowly climbs out of her bed to make her way down the long, dark hallway. The rapidness of her breathing suddenly becomes painfully noticeable. She tries to force herself to calm down, but of course, she can't. 
    As Morgan takes baby-step after baby-step towards her parent's room, she realizes that the hideous shouts spewing from her mother have turned into muted sobs. Carefully, Morgan turns the corner into her parent's room only to find her mother sprawled out on the bed with her dad vacantly trying to console her. Never before has Morgan seen such vulnerability from her parents. She stands with a mixer of numerous emotions welling inside her mind. Her dad is the first to notice Morgan's presence. He shoots up with surprising agility and blankly says, "Honey, go back to bed." This type of vague, unexplained statement is not nearly enough to get Morgan to do as she is told. She needs a true, raw explanation, so she does not move a muscle and simply stares emotionlessly back at her father. 
    By this time, Morgan's mother had sensed her daughter's presence and had recovered herself from the sprawled position. Morgan notes the shocking redness of her mother's eyes and wonders what could possibly cause her mother this much turmoil. "What happened?" she asks shocked by the weakness of her voice. "It's Nana, honey. She passed away," her mother says with equal weakness. A million thoughts flood Morgan's mind. Nana was her grandmother and sole supporter.  How could she live without her? She feels her lungs suddenly thrust inward as she lets out a yelp more resembling an injured cat than a human. Tears break free from their reservoir and fight to escape from behind her eyes. They fall splashing around Morgan's feet like small explosions. She looks at her parents foolishly thinking they might come comfort her, hold her, love her. But, of course, they do nothing. 
      Morgan flees to her room and slams the door. She falls into her bed and lets the waves of grief crash into her. Knives made of memories stab her heart over and over, every time charring it into stone. Without realizing it, she begins to quietly hum the lullaby Nana had made for her when she was little. Morgan's Lullaby her Nana lovingly dubbed it. "We are strong, we are here, we are together..." Morgan sings before getting choked up. Again and again she tries to finish the song, but she just can't.
    This torture continues for hours until Morgan feels the morning sun dance onto her skin. But it's too late for warmth. Cold, dark thoughts have replaced all feelings of comfort. She has been thrown into a sea of numbness. The last maddening traces of hope swim around in her mind bringing with them torture. They cause Morgan to have minute moments where she thinks, "Maybe Nana is OK. Maybe I'm OK." But then crushing reality sets in, and she sinks deeper into the sea of numbness.
     


**That's the first part of Morgan's Lullaby! I hope you guys liked it. Stories aren't my strong point, but I really enjoy this one. The following parts will be coming soon! Sorry for the depressing streak I've been on lately. Tell me what you think in the comments?**

Sorry!

   I've been scrambling to come up with a great post for you guys for the past five hours. It seems I won't be able to finish it before tomorrow, so "Fictional Friday"(An explanation for "Fictional Friday" will be posted tomorrow) will be held tomorrow. I was fully prepared to post the story today, but it has taken on a life of its own. On the bright side, I think you guys are really going to like it. It is called Morgan's Lullaby. I can't even really explain it. Hopefully, you guys will like it. I'll get on track eventually, I promise! 

We Got a Logo!

 That's right. Genuine Awkwardness now has an official Logo! As you can tell, I'm pumped about it. Hope you guys like it! I actually spent a good amount of time designing it. Comment your opinions? Oh, I also made a twitter account for the site. Feel free to go follow @GAwkwardness! 

Death and All It Entails

     Hey guys. Today's topic is going to be a little depressing. Like I said in my first post, I'm going to be writing about things that occur in daily life. Sadly, death is one of those inevitable occurrences. I learned my classmate's father passed away today, and it got me thinking about how much of an impact death has on a person. I mean, think about. What has the equivalent power that death has?
   When I was little, I used to wonder why so many people worried and basically obsessed about death. Now I understand. Death is the ultimate unknown. No one knows what will happen after death, and one thing almost everyone agrees upon is that humans hate not knowing. We all crave control and knowledge. So to compensate for our lack of control over death, we worry about it. Plan for it. Anything to gain insight or peace of mind. 
   Personally, I've never experienced a close family death, so I have no sense of how I will react if someone close to me dies. I imagine I will be one of those people that never recovers, but I hope I'm not. Hopefully, I will be able to process death in a healthy way. That brings me to the other subject I wanted to talk about: How to deal with death healthily. Now you may be wondering how I could even contribute to this subject when I've never experienced it. What I did was talk to a few family members and friends to see what they had to say about it. So I'm not just spewing randomness. 
   The most important thing to know is that any feelings you have about death are normal. Everyone reacts completely different to a tragedy. Some people become overwhelmed and cry, while some people shut down and don't cry. So don't feel upset with yourself if you don't cry or become hysterical. I would also advise you avoid trying to rationalize the death. Death doesn't make sense, and it never will. I cannot stress that enough. You could spend a lifetime thinking of reasons why it should/shouldn't have happened. The best thing I can think of to do is to just let yourself accept it as soon as possible. Accept it happened, and do your best to keep that person's memory alive. Think of the happy memories you enjoyed with the person. Who wants to be remembered by their death instead of their life? To wrap everything up, my final piece of advice is this: just process everything in a way that you feel comfortable with.

Hump Day How-To (Entry 1)

   Today, I thought I'd talk about possibly one of the most difficult things anyone can do: getting healthy. Now I am no health professional, but I have went through the process of getting healthy. With a lot of trial and error, I picked up many tips and tricks that contribute enormously to getting fit. I'll start with a list of Do's and Don'ts. 

DO: Drink water all day everyday. Water is obviously very good for your body. It's vital for almost all functions. But a less commonly known plus from drinking water is that it keeps your hunger at bay. I actually stumbled upon this trick by accident. I was starting to try and get the "optimum" amount of water a day in, and after awhile, I realized I had begun to eat less. 

DON'T: Drink any type of soda. Soda has numerous health effects that can inhibit getting in shape. Whether it is diet or regular is not important. Regular soda has an unreal amount of empty calories and diet soda has been shown to have negative neurological effects. 

DO: Replace sugar with Stevia or Splenda. There are 18 calories in 1 tablespoon one sugar, while there are 0 in a tablespoon of Stevia. Why waste the calories? Now, if you are completely against sugar substitutes, you can replace sugar with honey when possible. 

DON'T: Be too hard on yourself. This is what I struggled with more than anything. It's very difficult not to punish yourself when you falter, but don't. Punishing yourself will only make you less motivated and more self-loathing. If you mess up, just acknowledge the mistake and move on. Do not let one mistake throw off your whole process. 

DO: Surround yourself with people that will support you. This can be hard, but it is extremely important. If you are anything like me, one unsupportive friend can cause you to question yourself. If one of your close friends starts to get discouraging, tell them that you need positive friends to be successful. If they are a true friend, they will completely understand. 

DON'T: Be consumed by it. Too much focus on health can lead to dangerous eating conditions. Many people cause their-selves to become seriously sick due to too many calorie intake cuts.  

By this point, I think it's important that you hear my story about getting healthy. I think many of you can relate, and maybe it will help. I have always been the chunky kid. Not necessarily huge but always larger than "normal." One of the factors that worked against me was I didn't have anyone to teach me about getting healthy (keep in mind this all happened at the beginning of High School). I always wanted to lose weight and be healthy, but how can you do that when you have no idea of how to do it? Well, one day my aunt, a huge health nut, was visiting, and she started talking about health. Calories, grams of sugar, fat... I was shocked by the complexity of it all. Actually, the complexity almost turned me away from healthy eating completely, as it does many people. But I committed and soaked in as much information as I could. I cut soda from my diet, started eating less junk food... the works. For my birthday, I got an exercise bike which helped me exponentially. Slowly, I began to see results. I was so motivated by the results that I went into hyper-drive. Daily, I exercised at least an hour and a half. This focus on health was great... until it morphed into something dark and consuming. Healthy eating turned into not eating. I was so fixated on unreachable goals that I didn't realize how much I was depriving myself. Luckily, this dark phase got under control before I got seriously ill, and I got truly healthy. Although, I still struggle to keep it under control to this day.

 So I'm sure you weren't expecting this post to take such a serious/personal turn, but I feel like it was very important. Heath is more than being skinny or having a six pack. It's about making your body work better. That's all. If you want to be healthy and fit, follow the Do's and Don'ts I gave above, eat natural, unprocessed foods, and exercise regularly(by regularly, I mean around 30 minutes of cardio a day with weight training mixed in). It is truly that simple. You WILL see results if you follow those steps, and, best of all, you'll be getting the results the right way!