Life’s Golden Ticket

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Life’s Golden Ticket by Brendon Burchard is a self-help book that helps readers with personal transformation and motivation. He used a fictional character to narrate actionable advice; Burchard aimed to guide readers toward a more fulfilling and purposeful life through his book using his fictional character. While the book has received praise for its inspirational content, it has also faced criticism.
I like that the author used a fictional character to teach readers how to transform their lives and even gave actionable steps.

Spoiler Alert!

In the book, a man receives a golden ticket and an opportunity to transform his life. One of the book’s best parts is the engaging narrative and how the author uses this type of narration to create a format that shows readers ways to change their lives and makes self-help concepts more engaging.

He also provides practical advice through the protagonists’ journey. In the book, the author demonstrates actionable steps, exercises, and reflections using his fictional character as the narrator. Readers can use them to identify their passions and set goals. I especially like the exercises for overcoming obstacles.

The book excels in its ability to inspire and motivate engaging stories and uplifting messages that encourage readers to take control of their lives and pursue their dreams.

The author emphasizes the importance of self-discovery and personal growth throughout the book. Life’s Golden Ticket emphasizes the importance of personal growth and self-discovery and motivates readers to reexamine their values to set more meaningful goals, continuous improvement, and development toward a more fulfilling life.

What I would have preferred about the book is that it’s predictable. While the storytelling approach is engaging, some readers may find the plot predictable and misleading. Although effective, the narrative follows a standard arc of personal transformation that may need more originality for some.

This book is helpful because of the potential impact on readers who don’t like the typical nonfiction self-help book.

The book motivates, brings self-awareness, and makes you think more profoundly about your choices, goals, and personal experiences that lead to transformation. It also encourages readers to pursue their dreams and aspirations by focusing on personal growth and goal-setting. It reinforces the idea that change is possible and that people have the power to shape their own destinies if they work hard and set actionable goals.

I think Life’s Golden Ticket offers a compelling blend of narrative and self-help advice that can inspire and motivate readers. I especially loved receiving my golden ticket at the end of the book when I finished reading it.

Here’s to your Golden Ticket!

Bella H.

Life’s Golden Ticket by Brendon Burchard is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Best Beaches in Southern California

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As Spring Break comes to a close, I reflect on all of the great memories I had over the past week. For me, Spring Break is a time to hang out with loved ones and to relax. The best place to do both of these things (in my opinion), is meeting up at the beach. As a local, I try to go to the beach as regularly as I can. There is no better feeling than taking a dip in crystal-clear water on a hot, sunny day. Below are four of my favorite beaches to visit in the springtime and summer.

  1. Heisler Park: This is my all-time favorite beach to visit. Most people and tourists flock to the main beach in Laguna. However, Heisler is more tucked away and less crowded. I’ve found that this beach consistently has clear water. Another perk of this beach is that you can also explore tidal pools and rock formations on the beach. The waves at Heisler Park can vary in size; sometimes they are mellow but quite frequently there are bigger waves. Tip: There is free parking across the street, and the walk isn’t far at all.

2. Treasure Island Beach: Though Treasure Island can often be busy at times, it is still one of my favorites to go to. This beach is very picturesque, the small staircase you walk down brings you to a beach with panoramic views of the ocean. Personally, I enjoy this beach because you can typically find an area to sit in since there is a lot of space. Like Heisler, Treasure Island has pretty water. Note: when I went to this beach, the waves were fairly small.

3. Salt Creek: Located in Dana Point, Salt Creek is one of the most popular beaches to go to in SOCAL—and for a good reason. I love this spot for watching the sunset and eating dinner. Salt Creek has a large grassy area where you can see many people having small picnics. If you enjoy walking or running, this is the beach to go to; there is a trail that goes along the beach. (If you want to run on the beach, it is about 3 miles from point to point.)

4. Victoria Beach: Victoria Beach is located in Laguna Beach (you can’t go wrong with Laguna). After parking, head down a small street that leads to Victoria Beach. When entering the beach, it looks like any other beach. However, if you walk down further to the right, you’ll see a medieval-esque tower that faces the ocean. Along your walk to the mini-castle, there is a small man-made pool that can be fun to wade in. One con to this beach is that it is very touristy; and extremely frustrating to find parking. Sometimes, you’ll have to park far away which will include a hilly walk to the beach. Nonetheless, Victoria Beach is stunning to visit and should be a staple when visiting beaches.

The Growing Epidemic of Romantisicm

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Within the recent past I feel as though there has been an upsurge in this idealistic “perfectly imperfect” life which isn’t actually at all about embracing imperfection but instead inserting a sort of “convenient imperfection” making it seem as though everyone has the perfect life by projecting the perfect kind of messiness.

Evidently this has been only exacerbated by the media. Social media is only a highlight reel, however the issue grows when it is advertised as being reality. For example, a model showing what they eat in a day being a cheeseburger and a pizza, a college student showing their day in their life studying at little cafes and going out with their friends, these are all only adding to the issue. These people are constantly talking about romanticizing their lives, always finding what is exciting and new about a given day, and showing a cookie cutter life with these “convenient imperfections” that look like nothing to the average person.

I’m not saying the issue is with finding beauty in the mundane, except I feel quite the contrary I really believe finding beauty in the mundane is essential to happiness and joy within everyday life because I think that it is there as long as you look for it. But what I am saying is that it is when these people preach an impossible standard of reality (that is really still a highlight reel) that is seemingly attainable, but in reality just simply is not, that is when the romanticist mindset turns sour.

So it isn’t that we can’t find joy in our everyday lives, even if we aren’t a celebrity, have a trust fund, or are a nepotism baby. It just is that we need to take in life exactly the way that it is given to us. Find the joy in as much as you can, it’s there you just have to be willing to receive it. Let yourself feel when things are hard or sad or disappointing, not everything is going to work out exactly then way you think they will and that is the same for everyone, but that doesn’t mean its all bad. Everything happens for a reason. Laugh and cry and smile and sing and dance and like and dislike and form opinions and look up and receive life for what it is. Because no one is going to see it the same and really that is what is so romantic about it.

Romeo and Juliet Play

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A few days ago, our class just finished reading Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, and watched both movies. It was…an experience.

I have to put it out there, this was definitely one of the more boring sections in our English Curriculum Requirements. Almost everyone has heard the story of Romeo and Juliet: two children from feuding families fall in love, and love brings them both to a terrible end.

At first when we went to check out the play from the library, I flipped through a few of the pages, and to me (and most other people in my class), the language made absolutely NO SENSE. I tried to process what the author was trying to imply, but every interpretation of what I THOUGHT it meant, was actually very different from what the actual translation was.

Throughout the daily reading sessions we had, my mind always drifted. It was almost impossible for me to focus when the language was so confusing! More questions kept popping up in my head as we read, but the most prominent one was: “How did the people during this time period understand Shakespeare’s unique language?” As we read Shakespeare’s works, we can truly see HOW our language has changed throughout several hundred years (461 to be exact!). Of course, I was thinking this while we were reading during class, which made the homework we had after a lot harder for me, but it was worth it.

Okay, on to the movies. The original one that was published in 1968 was a decent movie. It captured a majority of the plot, and the dialogue was almost exactly the same. I can most definitely say that the new version of the Romeo and Juliet movie was NOT what I expected.

For those of you who don’t know, the new version is a spin-off of Romeo and Juliet, where they are (hear me out) part of different mafia gangs. Could they have captured this any worse? Additionally, the ending was a complete shocker. This movie was quite hard to watch for me, as I feel the director lost the true meaning of what William Shakespeare was trying to convey.

Out of 5 stars, I would give the old version a solid 4 out of 5. Pretty good, but not too great. The meaning was there, although they skipped a few parts. The new version? 3 out of 5. Lost the meaning halfway through the show, but they did a decent job on the spin off, I suppose. 

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

The Sun and the Star: A Review

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Written by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro, the Sun and the Star dives into countless topics and genres– just as the main characters, Nico di Angelo and Will Solace, dive into Tartarus. One of the overarching themes is “fixing what’s broken,” and the process of doing so.

A quick plot summary: In a previous book, Bob the Titan sacrificed himself to let Annabeth and Percy escape from Tartarus. However, they neglected to think about or visit him afterward. In “The Sun and the Star,” Rachel Dare comes bearing a prophecy for Nico and Will, saying they need to save Bob. To do so, they must journey through the underworld and go to the heart, otherwise known as Tartarus. Though Nico, being a son of Hades and a previous Tartarus visitor, is an obvious choice, it’s different for Will, son of Apollo. However, he insists on coming with his boyfriend and facing the danger. Through their adventures, they find an overbearing plot and overturn it (and the primordial goddess leading it…).

One “broken” part they try to mend is Nico’s state of mind as he comes to terms with his PTSD. It’s a part of him, experiences he’s had, but it doesn’t mean he should be bound by his nature or past. In addition, he starts to understand feelings and PTSD are not weaknesses. They may be extremely difficult, but working with them is better than hiding them. Also, Will supports Nico during this time. To talk to your demons is scary, however, it’s better when you do it with someone you care about. In page 367, we see “[Will] wanted to understand Nico, even the parts that seemed difficult or sad. All Nico needed was to be seen and heard by someone he cared for, and Will was making the effort.” This also introduces the concept that relationships are a two-way street. No matter how different or similar the two may be, the most important part is accepting and working to understand one another.

Meanwhile, Bob, who also stars in the book, must work with his newly returning memories of his former self, Iapetus. Since he was dipped in the River Lethe, he became a better person (or Titan,) but he suffers from an identity crisis since remembering his dark past. Near the end of the book, he demonstrates his realization that he can never stop being a Titan, but it’s also completely possible for him to have changed.

Nico and Will are often respectively compared to darkness and light in the book. A key moral of the book, they realize they’re not just one or the other: “”There cannot be light without darkness, nor darkness without light. You must have the contrast for both to exist.”” (Riordan & Oshiro 244) Not everything is broken, even if it looks like it. Fix what’s actually broken, but treasure what isn’t.

The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Libby.

SIngle Review and Analysis: Neutron Star Collision [Love is forever]

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Throughout the winter season, a song that caught my attention is Neutron Star Collision [Love is Forever] by Muse. This Single was released on May 17th, 2010, and was not immediately popular when it was first announced, and later released. However, it did gain a resurgence of popularity in 2013.

This song stands out to me due to its piano usage at the beginning of the song in the first verse. The piano is accompanied by the vocalist, Matt Bellamy. Bellamy’s usually strong, bold, dramatic vocals begin with a more gentle, slower, approach than usual. Bellamy then picks up speed and adds more projection in his voice during the pre-chorus, then slows back down in the last line, “With no trace of fear that.”

Picking up from the last line in the pre-chorus, the Chorus continues with, “Our love would be forever. And if we die, we die together.” The vocals become increasingly stronger and more emotional, further portraying the anguish Bellamy possibly felt while reflecting on his recent breakup of the time. Finally, at the end of the Chorus, the instrumentals are completed with an added electric guitar which is essentially motif of the band during this era.

This section of the song focuses on the build-up of tension and the expression of intense feelings. Emphasis is added to phrases and words to get the message across to the listeners. My favorite component of the song is the guitar usage that conveys and maintains emotion alongside the vocals. The fluctuations in speed also make the song all the more appealing.

In the 2nd verse, the tempo is increased from the Chorus preceding it, holding a steady yet quick pace. This adds contrast and variety to the verses. Following, the pre-chorus brings back build-up by dragging out words and slowing back down again in the last line, similar to the previous pre-chorus.

This section ends with the Chorus being extremely similar to the last, nevertheless, there are small yet impactful differences in phrasing. The first Chorus refers to “Our love would be forever. And if we die, we die together. Lie, I said never. ‘Cause our love would be forever.” However, in the second chorus, Bellamy changes to “Love is forever. And we’ll die, we’ll die together. Lie, I said never. ‘Cause our love could be forever.” This single has been incredibly interesting to analyze since there are so many shifts in both mood and details. These changes stand out to me significantly, especially when looking at the lyrics carefully.

Ending the song is a guitar solo followed by the pre-chorus, chorus, and outro. The solo mimics the second verse. The sound of the guitar is high-pitch with echos and a very electric sound. Muse’s music is very appealing to me because of this aspect. My favorite part of their songs are always their guitar solos because of how they find ways to vary the sounds while still fitting the mood of the song.

After the solo is the final pre-chorus. This final pre-chorus references the first, copying it almost exactly but has now changed the message. The singer goes from using diction that details a desperate feeling, saying “I had nothing left to lose.” to “Now I’ve got nothing left to lose.” which further represents the changes that have undergone in the relationship. It also does a great job at subtly showing passage of time, going from past tense to present. We can also conclude that there is a new sense of independence and confidence when comparing lines from the first pre-chorus “Then we told each other. With no trace of fear that…” to the last pre-chorus “I can tell you now. Without a trace of fear…”

Last, the chorus is very similar to the previous choruses, making some slight changes to represent the passage of time and changed feelings. These small changes make a very large impact on the deeper meaning and truly show how people gradually move apart and fall out of love. The subtle changes may also represent how changes in a partner may not be noticeable due to being used to being around them so often, making differences in feelings and character difficult to pick up on.

Closing, The outro of the song shares characteristics with the beginning of the song. This can be seen even in the music video, where in the intro Bellamy is seen playing alone on a piano with slow, gentle vocals. The intro and outro being similar in style ties together the song even with all the variety within it. Overall, this song is one of my favorites and I never get tired of hearing it come up on my playlist.

Best Art Inspiration Sites

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Recently, I was painting with my friends and I searched up simple things to paint. In short, nothing was simple. So I decided to see if I could find a few websites to get inspiration of what to paint. To help others I decided to make a list of a few blogs/sites with the pros and cons of each one.

  1. Shihori Obata: This is one of my new favorite blogs because everything that the artist draws is really simple. There’s also step-by-step picture tutorials of drawings that are a bit more complicated. One of the only cons is that the site lags a little because of the advertisements. Overall I would rate is a 9/10.
  2. Hobbies Fun: Although I thought the title was a little silly there are tons of cute drawing ideas. My favorite things about this site are that it’s only drawings, there’s tutorials, and it’s really easy to navigate the site. Overall I would rate this site a 9.5/10.
  3. Pinterest: While this may seem obvious Pinterest is really a great app/site to find art inspiration. There’s video tutorials and also simple images to copy. Overall I would rate this site a 9/10

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS (SPOILER) BY JOHN BOYNE

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Imagine moving to a new home where everything feels strange, and no one will tell you why. That’s what happens to Bruno, a curious nine-year-old boy, in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne. One day, while exploring, he meets a boy named Shmuel sitting on the other side of a barbed-wire fence. Even though they come from different worlds, they become friends—but Bruno doesn’t realize the terrible truth about where Shmuel lives. This is a powerful and emotional story about friendship, innocence, and the horrors of the Holocaust.

One of my favorite parts of the book was Bruno’s friendship with Shmuel. Even though they live very different lives, they understand each other in a way no one else does. Bruno is curious and doesn’t see why the fence should keep them apart, while Shmuel knows more than he can say. Their friendship feels real and makes you care about both of them.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by Boyne, John (2006) Hardcover

Bruno’s family also plays an important role in the story. His father is a strict Nazi officer in charge of the camp, his mother starts to realize something is wrong, and his older sister, Gretel, slowly changes as she begins believing in the ideas of the adults around her. Then there’s Lieutenant Kotler, a young soldier who is always at Bruno’s house. He is cruel and harsh, especially to the people on the other side of the fence, showing just how unfair and dangerous the world around Bruno really is.

As the story unfolds, we learn that Shmuel is a prisoner in a concentration camp during the Holocaust, a time when millions of Jewish people were taken from their homes and sent to camps where they were treated terribly. Bruno, who doesn’t understand what’s happening, thinks the people in striped pajamas are just living another kind of life. The fence between him and Shmuel is a symbol of the way the world separates them.

One of the most intense parts of the book is the ending, which is both shocking and heartbreaking. It makes you think about how unfair and cruel the Holocaust was, especially for innocent people like Shmuel. The story stays with you long after you finish reading.

What I liked most about The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was how it showed the world through a child’s eyes. Bruno doesn’t see enemies or differences—he just sees a friend. This makes the story even sadder, but also more powerful. If you like books that make you think and feel deeply, I highly recommend The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded from Libby. 

How to Bake an Apple Crisp – for ONE

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Apple Crisps were a staple of my childhood, and this recipe was an adaptation of my grandmother’s recipe. This recipe creates a combination of sweet and tart, and if you love cinnamon-y desserts, then this recipe is for you.

Yields: 1 serving

Ingredients:

Filling:

  • 1 Granny Smith apple (or another baking apple)
  • 1 Tablespoon of Sugar
  • Pinch of Cinnamon (measure with your heart)

Topping:

  • 2 Tablespoons of Oats
  • 2 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons of Flour
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon of Butter melted or very soft

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit
  2. Peel and slice apples into slices, just under 1/4″ thick and roughly 1″ in length. In a bowl, sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the apple slices, and toss until well coated. Set aside.
  3. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, oats, brown sugar, & cinnamon)
  4. Add melted/very soft butter
  5. Mix until well combined.
  6. Place the sliced apples in a thick paper baking cup or a small oven safe bowl or ramekin.
  7. Spoon the topping “crisp” over the apples.
  8. Bake for 25 minutes or until the apples are soft (you can check with a fork) and the topping is golden and crisp.
  9. Cool as needed, but I think it tastes best while warm.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, and enjoy! Personally, I think this apple crisp recipe is pretty hard to beat. Try it for yourself!

-Jenna G.

Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones

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Earwig and the Witch is a short novel by Diana Wynne Jones. This was actually the last novel written by the author, who is well-known for her books of fantasy and science fiction. This book is about a young orphan girl named Earwig who lives at St. Morwald’s Home for Children. Earwig is content living at the orphanage, so she is surprised when a peculiar couple visits one day and decides to adopt her. When she arrives at her new home, Earwig realizes that the couple is not even really human. Earwig is now living with a witch named Bella Yaga and a nine-foot-tall demon called the Mandrake. Bella Yaga immediately makes Earwig her slave, forcing her to do most of the work around the house. However, Earwig fearlessly accepts the challenge and adapts to her new surroundings in unexpected ways.

This book is quite entertaining and filled with many amusing surprises. I enjoyed the cleverness of Earwig and her ability to handle difficult circumstances with courage and resourcefulness. This book also has good illustrations by Paul O. Zelinsky. However, I was disappointed that this book did not live up to my expectations. I greatly enjoy most of the books of Diana Wynne Jones, but this one seems unfinished and lacking in details. The ending is quite abrupt. Also, I found the characters to be unlikeable overall, even though I was entertained by the Mandrake’s antics. To be fair, this book was published posthumously, so the author may not have been able to fully complete it. Despite its negative aspects, I find this to be an enjoyable book that just falls a bit short of its potential.

Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.