Luck Around the World

Aside

Since St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated this month, I felt it appropriate to highlight what other countries’ cultures consider good luck.

Japan

On Japan’s national holiday, Kokomo-no hi (Children’s Day), colorful Koinobori (Japanese carp) are displayed on houses to guarantee their children good luck. The tradition began during the Edo Period when the Samurai class placed carp-shaped items outside their home.

In the form of an adorable white cat with a raised right paw, an owner of this statue will receive good luck. The Maneki neko is commonly found in touristy shops sold as gifts or in a business with its left paw raised to attract customers.

Brazil

According to a superstition, spotting a white butterfly at the beginning of a new year will bring one good luck. Many Brazilians may even wait in a garden before the clock strikes twelve to ensure they will receive good fortunes for the new year.

The figa, an amulet shaped into an arm with a closed fist, also brings good luck to whoever wears it. Originating from ancient Etruscan Italy, the colonization of Brazil allowed the figa to become ingrained in Brazilian culture. The owner of the figa must receive the item as a gift and may not break or lose the charm to receive its good luck.

Greece

Dating back to the Ancient Greek times, Greeks would throw a pomegranate against their new home before moving in which is still practiced today on New Year’s Day. Participating in this tradition requires the luckiest member of the household to throw the fruit after the other members share good wishes in order to bring good fortune for the new year.

Kronia, an event also originating from Ancient Greece, consisted of cakes (vasilopita) and pies baked to honor the god Kronos. A gold coin would be hidden in each for a lucky person to find and receive good luck. Today, most do not have any monetary value and can be found as jewelry or gifts in shops.

Seychelles

Although over 90% of the population consider themselves Catholics, many still use the Bonom di bwa’s (Man of the Woods) service. The man of the woods provides an individual with advice concerning supernatural encounters and bestows one with a potion or amulet containing luck.

Another form of receiving good luck according to Seychelles culture is tattooing a dot on both one’s ankle and shoulder. Frequently fishing during dreams is also another sign of good fortune to come.

Australia

Contrary to many other nations’ view on black cats, the feline in Australia’s culture actually confers a theater good luck if present in the establishment. However, if the cat turns its back on an individual or is kicked, a terrible future awaits the person.

Ancient Aborigines, natives to Australia, relied heavily on the rain to grow a plentiful amount of crops, so of course they were constantly perturbed by a lack of rainfall. Believed to bring rain, Aborigines’ anxieties concerning a shortage of water were mitigated whenever frogs were present.

Nicaragua

With over 40 volcanoes, volcanoes are crucial in Nicaraguan culture as observed on the country’s flag and a superstition. Dormant volcanoes indicate Nicaraguan citizens have not changed their behavior and therefore will continue their a good fortune streak. If however, a volcano erupts, the peoples’ behavior has altered and bad fortune has now fallen upon them.

To ring in the new year, some Nicaraguans participate in rituals such as hopping three times on the right foot or holding a drink in one’s right hand for a midnight toast to guarantee good luck. Others include sweeping out negative energy and diffusing the smell of cinnamon throughout one’s home.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

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Anyone who stays at the DoubleTree knows that the best part is the warm welcoming cookies homemade by the hotel. If you are opposed to making a reservation just for the famous cookies, this recipe is just for you.

Ingredient List:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • ▢ 1/2 pound of softened butter (2 sticks)
  • ▢ ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ▢ ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ▢ 2 large eggs
  • ▢ 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ▢ ¼ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ▢ 2 ¼ cups flour
  • ▢ 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
  • ▢ A pinch of cinnamon
  • ▢ 1 3/4 cups chopped walnuts (optional) 
  • ▢ 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chip
  • 1. Preheat the oven to 300°F
  • 2. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
  • 3. Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice, blending with a mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl.
  • 4. With the mixer on low speed, add flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, blending for about 45 seconds. Make sure not to overmix.
  • 5. Remove bowl from mixer and stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
  • 6. Portion dough with a scoop (about 3 tablespoons) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart.
  • 7. Optional: Sprinkle a pinch of salt on top of each cookie to create a salty and sweet masterpiece.
  • 8. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center is still soft.
  • 9. Remove from the oven and cool on a baking sheet.

Enjoy!

-Harrison S.

Album Review: Evermore by Taylor Swift

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In July of 2020, acclaimed singer-songwriter Taylor Swift surprise released her eighth studio album, Folklore. Fans were shocked by her abrupt dive into the alternative-indie genre after being a global icon of pop music for years. On December 11, 2020, she followed up by surprise releasing her ninth album, Evermore, shocking her fanbase once again.

Evermore is a 15-track album of alternative rock and indie folk songs. Swift collaborated with Aaron Dessner on the album, and most of it was recorded at the Long Pond Studio in the Hudson Valley. It features the bands Bon Iver, Haim, and The National. As a cottagecore-inspired escapist album, Evermore is most known for Swift’s incredible and haunting storytelling and poetic lyricism, which is backed by fingerpicked guitar, melancholy piano melodies, and soft percussion. This album is a musical storybook full of tales of marriage, infidelity, heartbreak, grief, love, and human emotion. In my opinion, the following are the most well-written songs on Evermore:

Track 2: “champagne problems” – This song is the story of a woman who turns down her partner’s marriage proposal, shocking all their family and friends. As Taylor Swift stated, the characters were “longtime college sweethearts [who] had very different plans for the same night, one to end it and one who brought a ring.”

Track 5: “tolerate it” – This beautifully written song tells of a never-ending struggle where the narrator wants love from their partner, who isn’t paying attention to the narrator at all. Swift drew inspiration from the novel Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, explaining that the young woman in the story put in much effort to impress her husband, yet he merely tolerated her love.

Track 9: “coney island ft. The National” – This song features back-and-forth conversational lyrics between two characters who were previously involved in a relationship. Through somber and nostalgic lyrics, the narrator regretfully apologizes for not loving their partner enough.

Track 10: “ivy” – In “ivy,” Swift sings about a woman falling in love with someone who is not her husband, leading to a secret affair.

Track 15: “evermore” – As the title track of the album, “evermore” is a piano ballad about the narrator’s journey from an endless stretch of deep depression to a place of hope and healing.

To conclude, Evermore is a beautiful album that stirs up emotions in listeners. I would absolutely recommend this album, especially if you enjoy reading classic literature and can appreciate the beauty of Taylor Swift’s lyricism.

Happy listening!

The question pounds my head
“What’s a lifetime of achievement?”
If I pushed you to the edge
But you were too polite to leave me
And do you miss the rogue
Who coaxed you into paradise and left you there?
Will you forgive my soul
When you’re too wise to trust me and too old to care?

-Taylor Swift, “Coney Island”

-Lam T.

US IN PROGRESS – Short Stories About Young Latinos- by Lulu Delacre

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US, in Progress, is pure heaven. I read the title as us, like the word, but my mom read it as US, like the abbreviation for the United States. I like that because both work as the title. It’s really fun. There are 12 independent stories in this book. Each has their own title and drawing that has a special meaning. 

The first story is called, The Attack, and is about a young Mexican boy named Emilio. His older brother, Tony, has epilepsy and there ends up being a problem. Emilio and José, his twin brother, try to help but it ends up worse. This story was thought-provoking and it was quite a start to this book.

*This one has spoilers 

The second story is named Selfie and the beautiful drawing is of a girl with a sugar skull painted on half of her face. That picture alone intrigued me. The girl, Marla, has a diabetic mother and she started having signs of type 2 diabetes. At school, she learns about bike programs and works to get her own bike. She then rides in the 9 mile Dia de Los Muertos ride and starts to feel better. In my opinion, it was a nice story because it had a happy ending.

*This one has spoilers 

The next story is by far my favorite one. Its name is Güera. It’s so fun! It centers around a Latina girl with pale skin and blond hair. Boy can I get that! Her giant family calls her Güera instead of her birth name, Vicky. When she gets on the subway, a guy gets up behind her. He and another man start to speak in Spanish and it starts to get negative. Luckily, our powerful Latina speaks Spanish and understands what they are saying. She does the unthinkable, she gives a snappy one liner. This story is amazing and perfect in every way.

Burrito Man is a heartbreaking and heartwarming story. A teenager, Alex, goes with her Salvadorian (only one in the whole book) dad to his job as a burrito man at his truck. She then sees how much he cares for her and knows his community when he talks to each person by name as they put money into his tip jar which has a handwritten sign that says Alex´s College Fund. I won’t finish this summary because if I do, it will make you sad.

You have to rip off band aids, especially when you read the story Band Aid. It’s such a sad story with a tear jerking ending. It all starts when Alina´s father gets deported back to Honduras. She then becomes like a mother to her siblings, all while ghosting her best friend. This story really makes you long for your parents to wrap you up in a fuzzy blanket and shove warm, gooey, chocolate chip cookies in your face.

As a firstborn child, I make fun of my brothers a ton, but I would never bully them. Firstborn is about a middle child from Puerto Rico trying to live with her bully of an older sister. Her older sister is verbally tormenting her younger sisters. Eventually, the younger sisters snap. This short story makes me really think about how I treat my younger siblings and it’s definitely an eye opening read.

Cubano Two is about the two new hosts of  the morning news show. Both of them are 8th graders and Cubanos, which you could get from the title. They spend most of the chapter talking back and forth with their spicy vocabulary. It’s a very short chapter and not my favorite one. It’s still good though.

This next short story is called Peacemaker. It is about a young boy and his fighting parents. It’s a very suspenseful story that has a happy ending that makes me question how long the peace will last. I empathize a bit with the main character because I also calm down people after fights, when I can at least. But, I can’t really understand the pain that this guy has to go through.

Following the last story, The Secret, is another happy ending. A teenage girl finds out she’s illegal and starts to isolate herself from her younger sister, the main character. The younger sister reads Esperanza´s, the older sister´s, diary and tries to find a way to help. This story is nice because Esperanza means hope and that’s what this story oozes. Hope.

Pickup Soccer is a story you have to read a bit slower because of all the peoples names! You just read name after name and so it’s a bit of a slower read. It’s also in more of a poem format so it’s fun to read aloud! It’s about a VERY energetic guy and a pickup soccer game, which are very common.

*This one has spoilers 

This next story is named Saturday School. It centers around an unofficial Spanish speaker who goes to summer school to clean up?, her Spanish. It’s funny though because she learns Argentinian Spanish and I always have to explain to my friends that there are different types of Spanish. But, there is a very nice ending with a book club!

The last story!!!!!!! It’s called 90,000 children and there’s this guy, Frank, who hates immigrants, or as he calls them, aliens. It starts out weird because Frank hates immigrants but ends nicely. 

This book is amazing in every way. I love it so much and wish I owned it!! I can’t wait for more people to read it because it has so much knowledge and emotions  and experiences in it that there is plenty to spare!

1776 by David McCullough

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1776 is a non-fiction book by the acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, David McCullough. It recounts the dramatic conflicts between the Americans and the English during the year 1776. The book draws from numerous documents and sources from the time of the Revolutionary War. It focuses mainly on the early stages of the war. McCullough describes these tumultuous events with meticulous detail. The Americans faced overwhelming odds with a small army that seemed no match for the powerful British military. Our forefathers faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles and suffered miserable conditions before they could achieve freedom.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. McCullough clearly devoted a tremendous amount of time and effort to research these historical events. This book is very informative and factual, but also presented in a highly dramatic way that makes it extremely captivating. It provides deep insight into the lives and personalities of key historical figures that makes this era feel alive to me. This book is thrilling to read, especially knowing that the events occurred in real life.

I consider this to be one of the top ten books that I have read so far. This book is extremely gripping and compelling. I was not previously aware of the intense drama and critical decision-making that occurred during the Revolutionary War. I now have much greater admiration for the courageous people who have fought for our nation’s freedom. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.

1776 by David McCullough is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Book Review: The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

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The Demon King, by Cinda Williams Chima, is the first book within the Seven Realms series. The series follows multiple protagonists with the main two being reformed thief Hanson “Cuffs” Alister and princess heir, Raisa ana’Marianna. While the two protagonists have next to nothing in common aside from living in the same city you know that almost no authors would create two protagonists and not have them interact.

I’ll start with Raisa’s P.O.V. first because I personally like it less and I want to get it over with. Being the heir to the throne in her nation Raisa is expected to marry the second she is eligible because this is fantasy medieval Europe and how else would you start teenage rebellion without giving the protagonist something to rebel against? Anyway Raisa’s half of the story basically trying to figure out what kind of Queen she wants to be and which of the two men in her life she likes more; Amon, the son of the captain of the guard and her childhood friend or Micah Bayar, son of the high wizard and a powerful mage in his own right. Ironically, Raisa can’t be with either of them due to age-old magical ceremonies as well as politics. Nothing really gets resolved in this book however because this series has four books and there wouldn’t be a plot if everything got solved in book one.

Now onto my favorite character of the novel Han. Hanson as mentioned above is a reformed thief. Not mentioned above however is the fact that Han was actually the Streetlord of Ragmarket which is basically the equivalent of being a mob boss in real life. This isn’t really relevant to what I’m going to talk about but I just wanted to mention it. Anyway Han’s half of the story is more complicated than Raisa’s which is funny because her half involves politics. Han’s story is two fold; part of it involves him trying to find a legal way to make money to support his family while the other is more complicated. Essentially one day Han and his friend Dancer were on a sacred mountain and found some wizards setting fire to it. In order to stop them Han threatens to put an arrow through their leader and makes him hand over his amulet which is the source of a wizards power in this series. The other half of Han’s story is the tragedies that start occurring because he stole said amulet. 

Personally, I think the reason I liked Han’s character so much was because of his struggle of trying to find honest work, which as someone in the latter half of high school I can sort of relate to. Or it could be my obsession with gentleman thieves showing up, one of the two.

All in all, I think that this book is a pretty good one if you like high fantasy novels.

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Day at the Museum-LACMA

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One of my favorite museums is LACMA. The LA County Museum of Art is located in Los Angeles and It is the largest art museum in the western United States. It houses a collection of over 145,000 objects and covers over 6,000 years of artistic history.  It showcases works of art from many different cultures and time periods, which is why it draws such a wide audience. For anyone 17 and under that live in Los Angeles County, admission is free! I think that is amazing because the value of the museum is priceless. Also, there’s not a lot free out there that’s cool, interesting as well as interactive.  If you’re 17 and under but live outside of LA County, the admission is ONLY $10. I say it is ONLY because there is so much to see and actually do there. 

There are five different buildings of art and experiential activities.  You can take an art class, you can take a docent tour, you can participate in a community program, and then there’s ALL that art to see. There are also music, design and film programs, as well as concerts every Friday night. That’s a lot for free, or $10 if you’re from Orange County.

If you don’t have all day to take advantage of any of the numerous programs that are offered, and just want to view the art, the exhibits at LACMA  are overwhelming (in a good way) in range and style. The permanent Picasso and Warhol exhibits are definitely highlights but past exhibits have covered everything from Monet to Yoshimoto Nara and the Obama Portraits. The ever changing exhibits are windows into different perspectives of historical and current issues, as well as beautiful or repugnant reminders of the human experience. I’ve been to many museums all across the country and for many reasons this one holds a place because I’ve been going there since I was three years old. I didn’t quite get it when I was that young but in retrospect, I believe that any cultural experience you have offers a frame of reference into your future panoramic view and that’s worth a lot more than $10. If you can take a day trip to LA, definitely make it to LACMA, even if you are not a huge museum person. You will see crazy, beautiful and completely unique things that you will not see anywhere else!

Book Review: Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder

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This book was gifted to me by my uncle, and to be honest is not the type of thing I would ever take off the shelf myself. From the outside, A book that promises a history of all of western philosophy can sound very intimidating, but I think Gaarder does a great job and breaking all of this information down into bite sizes pieces for the reader.

Also, I think Gaarder does a good job of giving just enough information about each philosopher or method of thinking to give the reader a good overall understanding of each subject, while still encouraging the reader to seek out more info about everything covered in the book. Personally, I used my notes app to write down certain ideas or philosophers I found interesting so that I could come back to them later If I ever had time.

While this book does work as a beginner’s guide to philosophy, it also has what I would say is a relatively strong story with interesting characters. Most of the philosophy in the book is taught through a character named Alberto Knox, a philosopher who slowly teaches the protagonist, Sophie, the history of philosophy piece by piece. I think this is an effective way to keep the reader engaged while they learn about these concepts, as the reader can put themselves in Sophie’s shoes for most of the book. The plot does develop later, which adds a lot more substance to the characters and the story. One thing I like about how Gaarder handles this story is that later on in the book is how we see Sophie use the same philosophical concepts both her and the reader have just learned, serving as an example of how to approach thinking like a philosopher.

This book can be a bit boring if you are not at all interested in Philosophy or have no desire to try learning about Philosophy, but I would encourage anyone else to try this book because I think It can serve a starting point for anyone to become more involved or educated about philosophy.

Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Album Review: The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd

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In the 1960s, Pink Floyd would hit the London music scene with their whimsical version of psychedelic rock with their former frontman Syd Barrett. He would sadly leave the band in 1968  due to his struggle with mental illness. The band would take some time to find their place in the world after Syd left. They’d get back on track and release their strongest album (in my opinion), The Dark Side of the Moon, in 1973, a masterclass in psychedelic-influenced progressive rock.

The album cover of The Dark Side of the Moon

The Dark Side of the Moon can be described as a work of progressive rock influenced by psychedelia. All the songs flow together very well (even the instrumental ones) and listening to the album in one sitting is an incredible experience. The production is incredible with Alan Parsons (yes, Alan Parsons of the Alan Parsons Project) contributing important things such as tape effects to the album. My favorite song on the album (and one of my favorite songs in general) has to be “Time”.

“Time” starts off with a jarring introduction of ringing clocks. We soon get guitars, bass, percussion, and synthesizers before the vocals come in. Every member of the band is playing at their best, especially David Gilmore who takes us away with an amazing, emotional guitar solo.

I recently bought The Dark Side of the Moon on vinyl, a great purchase in my opinion. It’s easily a 10/10 and is one of my favorite albums. Giving the album a look is a must!

To read about the making of The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd, check out this book from the Mission Viejo Library.

The Ivies by Alexa Donne

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“My life at Claflin has inevitably been easier, better, because of the company I keep. The Ivies opened a door, and I stepped through it.”

–Olivia Winters

Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, UPenn, Dartmouth, Cornell, and Columbia. The eight Ivy League schools for five teenage girls set on attending these schools, by any means necessary.

The Ivies by Alexa Donne is an exciting murder mystery that follows Olivia Winters, a scholarship senior at Claflin Academy, as she navigates life under the wing of the Ivies—an elite, ambitious group of girls who eliminate all chances of competition to claim first place. But karma is real… and it’s coming to get them.

Donne’s approach to the life of a high school student is overwhelmingly perceptive. From the way the characters act to the way they talk, their personality is established within the first few pages of meeting them.

This novel breaks stereotypes that center around class and social privilege. For instance, Avery Montfort, a Harvard legacy student who at first seems conceited and arrogant, offers the reader a glimpse of her not-so-perfect life and the weight she carries.

Together, the Ivies work to sabotage other top college material students. Their conniving actions reveal the ugliness behind their riches. They demonstrate just how far people go to get what they want, including murder.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading The Ivies by Alexa Donne. My suspicions jumped from person to person; I never stopped guessing until the very end. Everyone should have the opportunity to meet these brilliant, but back-stabbing girls with twisted priorities.

The Ivies by Alexa Donne is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.