In 2014 Taylor Swift released her album 1989, which was the mark of her full transfer to pop after being a country singer. It received a lot of praise and it brought out so many emotions that her fans absolutely loved.
She has been rerecording her albums to regain control of her older music and on October 27, 2023 she released 1989 (Taylor’s Version). The album had all of the re-recorded versions of her 1989 songs, but also some new songs called Sl*t” Say Don’t Go, Suburban Legends, and Now That We Don’t Talk. The new tracks she added were amazing but I believe that they didn’t fit the 1989 “vibe.” To me, the songs were too “chill” and they didn’t have the feel of 1989. Taylor Swift is fully capable of making a completely new album including those songs rather than adding them to a re-recorded version of an old album. I am also highly aware that many fans disagree with me, for I have had many small arguments with my friends on this topic.
All in all, I truly loved this album and I think that Taylor Swift has really achieved so many great things in life.
When looking through an active artist’s discography, you may find that their current sound has strayed from their original music. Other times, you may feel disappointed that your favorite song from an artist is nothing like their other work. For better or worse, this phenomenon is all too common for most artists. However, the Japanese indie rock band Lamp often releases projects that reflect their distinct musical approaches. This remains true for their latest album, Dusk to Dawn.
Album Cover for Dusk to Dawn by Lamp
The Shibuya-Kei trio known as Lamp first formed in the year 2000 during the members’ college years in Japan. Since then, a sum of eight albums have been released to date. Through twenty years of activity, Lamp has gained a massive fanbase in domestic and international regions, thanks to their extensive discography. The release of their latest album, Dusk to Dawn, was long-awaited, to say the least, but was met with a wonderful response. A large part of this positive reaction is because this album perfectly blends Lamp’s diverse musical styles.
Those who listen to Lamp are primarily aware of the band’s bouncy, playful sounds of bossa nova. After all, this genre of music is prominent in their 2003 debut album, Soyokaze Apartment Room 201. The first half of Dusk to Dawn allows Lamp to revisit their love for bossa nova and soft jazz through tracks such as “August Calendar” and “Weekend.” Lamp also creates a more urban atmosphere through lighter songs like “As Time Goes By” and “Her Watch.” For avid listeners of city pop, this project has exactly what you are looking for.
My favorite aspect of Lamp’s discography is their soft and soothing acoustic instrumentals, which were primarily seen in their 2008 project Lamp Genso. To my surprise, Lamp delved back into this mellow, hypnotic sound in the second half of Dusk to Dawn. Throughout the latter section of this album, Lamp beautifully delivered their unique guitar melodies without overshadowing other elements of each song. Moreover, the band’s ethereal, gentle vocals radiate alongside their impressive instrumentals. Together, these elements intertwine to create blissful and serene soundscapes, as seen in tracks like “Autumn Letter” and “Summer Triangle,” which are by far my favorite songs of this album.
Dusk to Dawn is an album of nostalgia that encapsulates the band’s feelings that resurface as time passes. Through this musical project, the band reflects on their lingering memories associated with each yearly season or time of day. If you are looking for an abundance of new music, there are twenty exceptional tracks on Dusk to Dawn that are waiting for you!
With lots of assignments and tests piling up, I as a student have been very stressed out recently. Stressing all the time hasn’t helped my productivity or time management; I think I’ve spent more time worrying about schoolwork than actually completing it. Thus, I’ve been trying new study methods, and one has really worked for me.
The Pomodoro Technique is a study method for time management that breaks long study hours into 25-minute periods of focused work followed by 5-minute breaks. Here are the steps in a more detailed form:
Step 1: Identify the assignments you need to work on.
Step 2: Set a timer for 25 minutes and work on an assignment without getting sidetracked.
Step 3: When the timer goes off, take a 5-minute break.
Step 4: Work for 3 more work intervals, or pomodoros.
Step 5: Take a 30-minute break and begin the study sequence again.
This study technique worked really well for me! I was able to complete many assignments I had been procrastinating on and not get distracted by my phone or other distractions the entire time. Something that helped me was making a to-do list and highlighting the tasks of the highest priority. With my phone as the timer, I found that I was much less distracted by it, because each time I opened my phone, I saw the timer and was reminded to keep working. Using a timer works very well for me, as it motivates me to concentrate and get as much work done as possible before the timer sounds. Also, I think a 5-minute break is a great time frame to get up, stretch, and get a quick snack before getting back to work without getting distracted.
All in all, the Pomodoro Technique was a very helpful and successful study technique in my experience. It allowed me to stay motivated and productive while working for multiple hours and completing many assignments without getting sidetracked. Hopefully, it works for you too! If you’ve been feeling stressed or have trouble managing your time efficiently, give it a try!
One of my favorite books that I have recently read is the book Humble Pi by Matt Parker. It is a very interesting book about how math mistakes affect the real world. I also found it very humorous and funny, and it was very interesting how it described many real-life examples in detail as well.
One thing that I liked most about the book was how detailed the descriptions are, giving a great deal of information on each of the various topics. I found it interesting about how it talked about how math affects and can even cause problems in the real world. I also liked how the topic was unique, as it talked about many things not covered in most books. It gives many good explanations for countless areas and topics, and it is sure to provide you with a very interesting, intriguing read.
The book is also very humorous and funny, also helping to make it an entertaining read. It has a very witty, delightful sense of humor, making for a lot of laughs. I found the book to be very amusing and entertaining overall, merging a funny, comic tone with fascinating descriptions. I also liked how it used many drawings and images to explain the different ideas and causes behind the events in the book.
One of my favorite sections from Humble Pi is about how math can go wrong in video games and other computer programs. I found it intriguing about how much math is used in everyday things like computers, and how important it is in the real world. I was surprised by how much math and numbers are used in things like programming. In addition, I found the book as a whole to be very educational, as it taught many ideas about how math and the real world interact.
Overall, Humble Pi is a great book to read as it is interesting, entertaining, funny, and educational. It has been one of my favorite books to read, and it’s sure that you’ll enjoy it as well. I would recommend this book to someone who wants to learn more or just wants an interesting read. If you enjoy this book, I would also recommend the other books by Matt Parker which cover math in a similar way to this book, and Math With Bad Drawings by Ben Orlin, which provides another fun, entertaining take on math. So don’t forget to check these books out for yourself sometime!
Business Proposal is a South Korean romantic comedy show that was released in 2022 after it was adapted from the Webtoon version of Business Proposal. It can be seen on Netflix and other streaming sites. It features the main lead actors Kim Se Jeong Ahn Hyeo Sop, Kim Min Gue, and Seol In Ah.
The story starts off with Kim Se Jeong who plays the role of Shin Ha Ri who goes as her friend, Jin Young Seo on a blind date for money. On the previous blind dates, Shin Ha Ri effortlessly made sure that the blind dates would not want to get together with her friend, Jin Young Seo. However, this time, Shin Ha Ri ends up on a blind date with Kang Tae Moo, who ends up being the peculiar boss of her work. Shin Ha Ri tries her very best to get him to reject her so that her deed is done but despite what she does, Kang Tae Moo does not seem to be declining her. Instead, since Kang Tae Moo is pressured by his grandfather to get married, Kang Tae Moo decides that he wants to get with Shin Ha Ri.
This causes a problem for Shin Ha Ri because Jin Young Seo starts to complain to her and interrogate her. Shin Ha Ri denies her accusations and says that Kang Tae Moo is the odd one. After this, Jin Young Seo ends up setting her up for one more fake date, and she confesses that she did this for money. As a result, Kang Tae Moo threatens Shin Ha Ri and orders her to act as his fiance. After a while into this “fake” relationship, they start to develop feelings for each other but soon Kang Tae Moo finds the real identity of Shin Ha Ri and finds out that she is an employee of his company, GoFood. Due to his frustrations and his trust being broken, Kang Tae Moo decides to get “revenge” by overworking Shin Ha Ri. In the end, they both confess their feelings and get together.
Personally, I liked watching this show in 2022. I have never read the Webtoon version of it, but thanks to the show adaptation, I might consider reading it. This show really brought me joy. Usually, watching long videos tends to bore me but watching these episodes, time went by so fast and it felt like 10 minutes instead of an hour. This show was really entertaining and I liked the plot a lot. I definitely recommend watching or reading Business Proposal.
As finals slowly approach, I have often found myself stressed with school and sports. Balancing school, sports, and extracurriculars has proven to be a struggle in my life and many others. Learning how to manage time has proven to be a beneficial skill in life, but it is challenging to learn.
Here are two ways you can master time management:
Creating a To-Do List
There’s a reason why creating a To-Do list is so popular: using a To-Do list can help you keep track of homework, upcoming projects/tests, and chores around the house. To-Do list lets you plan your study time and mark what you complete. Using a list helps you monitor your assignments. A bonus is that checking off a task is a motivator to finish homework.
If you prefer to keep track of your To-Do list online, there are many websites (and apps) to do so. I enjoy Pomofocus; this website has a To-Do list and a Pomodoro timer. This leads me to my second point–use a timing system!
Benefits: Checking off tasks creates a sense of accomplishment, limits stress, and lessens procrastination.
Utilizing Timing Techniques
A timing system allows for the allotted time of working and breaks. The Pomodoro Strategy arranges 25 minutes of work time and 5-15 minutes of rest time. This enables users to have time for work and breaks. Studies have shown that people with gaps between study sessions are more productive than those without.
The Pomodoro Technique has helped me set realistic goals when studying by creating small steps that gradually build up to my main objective.
Benefits: Increases accountability, reduces distractions, and improves productivity.
An extra note: Looking ahead in the next week or two is essential when planning your study time. This can help you stay on top of upcoming tests and projects.
Final Notes!
Since I have used these strategies in school, I have never missed an assignment and had time to study for exams. Though these two tips seem like small factors in the large scheme of things, setting a To-Do list and timing techniques significantly improve time management.
Organizing your time is essential to being a successful student, employee, and athlete. Using these methods will help you maximize your productivity in a small amount of time.
Today, I had the opportunity to go to Laguna Hills Beach and swim with dolphins! It was an incredible experience I could never forget!
I swim competitively for a team called Evolution, and every Saturday, our team picks a specific beach to swim at and have fun. Usually, I hate morning practice because I have to wake up early, but today, my sister convinced me to go saying, “it will be a fun experience!”.
At first, I thought “yeah, sure it will”, but as soon as we started warming up I couldn’t help but keep staring at the sea and seeing fins pop up and out of the water and quickly go back under the waves. I was startled, because at first I thought it was a shark, but I soon realized sharks don’t surface to breathe very often, and soon came to a conclusion that they were dolphins!
Everyone on my swim team was talking and were excited to see the dolphins, but not me. They were swimming awfully close to the beach, and I heard from someone once that dolphins liked to swim near people, and could bite you. Because of this, I was thinking about not swimming at all. But my coach kept telling me that dolphins won’t bother you unless you bother them. I started calming down, so I ran into the waves and started swimming.
We had to swim past 3 buoys in the water, which was around 1000 yards, since we also had to swim back to the sand. Just my luck that I went in late that day, and I was the last person swimming, trying to catch up with the group. I was swimming for a good 5 minutes when suddenly, a huge figure popped out of the water and I was on the verge of screaming. It was a dolphin, and as soon as it appeared, it disappeared under the waves. That dolphin was HUGE! It was so close I could almost touch it! I was fearful, and started sprinting to catch up with the group. My heart beat was extremely high, and every thought in my head was “catch up with the group, get back to shore”. After about 5 minutes, I was so close to catching up with the group, almost 20 meters, until I took a breath and looked down. Something was moving below me and I was so terrified! I finally managed to catch up with the group, dead last and shaking.
I know many students nowadays are stacking up on AP courses, especially the AP sciences: AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Environmental Science, and even AP Physics.
There are other AP classes of course, but I guess I just wanted to give some advice if you are taking AP Bio this year as well as how to pass the exam and get good grades in the class. I took AP Bio last year (got an A in both semesters and a 4 on the AP test). Overall, I thought it was a really meaningful class and is something you can learn and use the rest of your life. So, here are some tips:
The most important thing in AP Bio is not actually memorizing material! Yes, there are a lot of processes that you have to remember (Krebs Cycle, DNA replication…etc..), but it’s more important to understand the logical processes. How does this work? How does that work with this system? One process that worked for me was to read through the textbook and then brain dump everything I remembered. Then, for the things you forget, you can go back and fill your notes in! It’s a great way to practice your active memorization skills.
I would say the other important thing is to use your AP Bio Princeton Review Books if you have them. I think there are some used ones in the library that are very cheap! They are great, especially for summarizing the most important materials. I would recommend using your school provided textbook and the AP Bio reviews at the same time, so that you can have 1. double the amount of information 2. It acts as a great review!
The quizlets, Khan Academy videos, as well as some of the online free AP Bio tests are great to use to practice as well. Use the quizlets for the class tests! (p.s some of the questions actually popped up on the exam!) Also, the Khan Academy is great for when you don’t understand a topic since they honestly oversimplify everything. There are good online free AP Bio tests that you can use from Varsity Tutors. Nearing the day of the AP test, there is a public 2013 MCQ and FRQ exam posted from College Board (it was very helpful btw and also contained an answer key!)
To be honest, if you really love science, then you will really have a fun time with this class! The labs were really meticulous, but they are tested on the AP exam, so I would also just recommend looking over those before the exam as well. Good luck!
This is a list of some of my favorite baseball players–not necessarily picked based on their talent level. I first became captivated by the sport in May of this year when my family and I went to see a game where the Los Angeles Angels were playing the Minnesota Twins, and I haven’t lost interest since. While the Angels are definitely the favorite in my family, not all of the players on this list are from the team.
#1: Zach Neto:
The Angels’ twenty-two-year-old rookie shortstop wasn’t originally one of my favorites. To me, he was just another new player that I had to remember. But as I’ve watched him play throughout the season, I’ve definitely changed my opinion. The reason for this is not just because he’s fun to watch–although he undeniably is. It’s because he’s young and eager and while he’s not always the most patient at the plate, he has talent and potential. He’s unquestionably someone to watch out for in the years to come.
#2: Adley Rutschman:
This is one of the many non-Angels players that I like. This young player is unarguably talented–he’s one of the Baltimore Orioles’ best catchers, if not their very best. He was named one of the American League All-Stars this year and got the opportunity to be one of the youngest All-Stars of the modern era. He ended the year with twenty home runs and a batting average of about .275 for this season–and he’s only been playing in the major leagues for a few years.
#3: Andrew Velazquez:
He’s a veteran player and has been playing in the major leagues for years, getting bounced around from team to team. He only has twelve home runs in his entire career, and his batting average is well below .200, but the aspect of him I like is that he’s always willing to step in where he’s needed, whether that be at second base or center field, and always plays with a smile on his face. He’s currently with the Atlanta Braves, one of the best teams in the game, although he played most of his games this season with the Angels.
#4: Randal Grichuk:
He’s another veteran player and one of the Angels’ outfielders. He was traded to the Angels in July from the Colorado Rockies along with teammate C.J. Cron for a couple of the Angels’ pitchers. The Angels were desperately in need of outfielders at one point this season after losing left fielder Taylor Ward and center fielder Mike Trout to injuries, so Grichuk was their substitution. He’s been playing in the major leagues for almost a decade and shows every sign of continuing his career next season.
As you can probably see, I haven’t chosen all of these players for their talent or what team they play for. I like their attitude about the game and I love watching them play. Please tell me in the comments who your favorite players are!
Olivia Rodrigo came out with her second studio album, GUTS, recently. Now most have heard her chart-breaking songs from her last album, SOUR, like “Drivers License” and “Deja Vu”, with the album as a whole hitting around 300 million streams. But her new song “Vampire” itself has reached about 100 million streams and the album, GUTS is at 200 million streams so far with an upcoming world tour to it. At only 20 years old she has had a very successful acting and music career winning 3 Grammys. On her new album there are 12 songs. My personal favorite songs are “Lacy” and “Get Him Back!”
Lacy, is a 2:57 minute song which dives deeper into comparing oneself to this perfect type of person named Lacy. I love this song because of how relatable it can be and the metaphors she uses in the song like, “skin like puff pastry” and “eyes white as daisies” portraying the amount of effort and potential time she put into this song. It is more of a mellow song with amazing lyrics.
Get Him Back!, a 3:31 minute song dives deeper into the idea of a toxic ex knowing all the bad or annoying things he did but also remembering the fun times with him and deciding if you really want them back or if you just miss the idea of them. The song is very upbeat, fun, and not to structured which gives a unique vibe to it.
I personally love this artist but her new album does not impress me as much as her old one, SOUR. She is overall a very talented artist with so much more to give! I recommend you check out her new music and even her old music!
Mission Viejo Library Teen Voice 