American politics and giving back to the community.

10/31/10 Sunday, 12:08 PM I'll start with Les Miserables.

All the way back in 2003, we were looking to buy a house. Our realtor bought us tickets to two New Trier productions: Les Mis, and a Jazz Ensemble concert. It was these shows, above anything else, that made me want to move to this district, and my opinion moved my parents. This is my 7th year living here, and I have never regretted choosing New Trier.

So this year New Trier is doing Les Mis again, and first I thought "I should go and see it!" Chamber Orchestra is the pit orch for this show, and I've always wanted to do Chamber, but I've never had time. No one plays piano in orchestra right now - I want to be the pianist for this show. That means I'll have to talk to Rosh, Flanigan, and probably a lot of other people to work this out. My parents already have agreed, since it's second semester and college apps will be done. The first thing will be to get the music, and Rosh has agreed to that, at least. He said it would be awesome if I could do it, but he's rather doubtful about my schedule, since Early Bird is when they practice.

That brings us to...college essays.

Princeton really emphasizes giving back to the community. I haven't done that much volunteering, so I didn't know what to write about for my essay. Talking to my dad, I realized that doing Les Mis IS giving back to the community, and it would be doing something I love and also at the same time a great experience. Les Mis started New Trier for me, and it would be amazing to end with Les Mis, also. It brings my high school experience full circle, and right now, I'm feeling pretty determined about making this work.

I'm a nature person, rather than a people person. That can be argued, I think. But either way, I feel like my service to the world will be preserving nature for future generations and gaining knowledge. All those National Parks I've been to, and working at the Grove this summer proves that. In terms of conservation...

At the Farmer's Market this summer, I was talking to a woman about preserving marine species. Specifically: fish. She wanted Japan to stop eating fish, and I was like "You're completely undermining their culture!" Last year at school, there was a poster saying something like "Japan kills this many tons of fish every year! What can we do about it?" I've always wanted to retort -yeah, and how many do WE eat? We have more people. They don't have the land for agriculture the way we do. They can't raise cows and pigs for eating like us. They have a different culture. They don't stuff chickens in cages and fatten them up for eating. That woman wanted a culture to give up their traditions to fit conservationism. There are many people like that here, in America, where everything is good and everyone's a hypocrite. Especially Al Gore.

Dad told me that lately Al Gore was in Sweden to give a speech on conservation. He requested that everyone who went to listen use public transportation. Makes sense so far, right? He personally, however, rented a car and drove to the speech-giving, which lasted an hour. What's more, his car was idling outside for the full hour, breaking Swedish law about the maximum idling time being 60 seconds. He was fined. It's such a fail.

America is always talking about how China needs to cut down on CO2 emmissions. That's great except, who leads the world in CO2 emmission? Why, America does. In terms of CO2 per person, America far exceeds China. If every single person in China used as much electricity, gasoline, and coal as each American person, the world would not be able to survive. China currently leads the world in using solar energy to heat water in homes. Germany leads in terms of electricity. Why can't America change its ways? Because of politics.

It's election time again! We see signs in yards for the candidate, each saying "vote for change!" When Bush left, we voted for change, and got Obama. Where are we changing to, now? Back to the way it was before? Change is difficult in a democracy. Things doing get done. Obama had some great ideas - health care, immigration, energy - but he can't carry them out because of opposing parties. He just doesn't have the votes for it. Americans hate China's system of government, but China has the power to make everyone turn off their air conditioning before the Olympics, and to keep every other car off the streets every other day. In a democracy, that's not possible. Why in the world would Americans use public transportation when everyone has a car? Or 5? Who's going to make me walk/bike/take the bus? Not the government; it violates my rights. Why should I do it then? I have the money for gas? Logically, I shouldn't. That's because humans are short-sighted selfish idiots.

How's that, humanity?