Just for Kicks

Hate It or Love It. The Game & 50 Cent.

On the inside, everyone’s got a little ghetto-fab. Scrolling through my iTouch, I don’t exactly have the biggest collection of R&B and rap music — it’s more along the lines of John Mayer and Coldplay.

But you’d be surprised when I plug in my iPod into some speakers and Tupac or Dre comes blaring through the system.

Under 50 Cent I have a mere three songs, I’m not exactly his number one fan. But all the tracks have that trademark attitude of 50’s: do what it takes to survive.

How could I argue with that? 50 Cent survived being shot nine times, I’m sure he could have made it through senior year at Memorial.

In 50’s collaborative song with The Game: Hate It or Love It, they rap about their successes and attitude toward those in their life that wanted to bring them down.

I don’t exactly have gang members chasing me down with guns for wearing red on the wrong side of town, but I know a little bit about haters.

No matter what zip code you’re living in, you can’t make everybody happy.

50 put it best, “hate it or love it, the underdog’s on top,” “And I’m gonna shine until my heart stops.” Success comes with consequences, but to those that have earned it, it’s a small price to pay.

My Real Senior Soundtrack

The Space Between. Dave Matthews Band.

            A friend once told me, a sense of humor is gained as an act of defense, a quality that is learned because without it, how could we survive our biggest heartbreaks?

         I am a firm believer in the power of laughter and seeing the comedy in the unlikeliest of places — some of my most embarrassing stories from the past could make me laugh till I cry when retold.

         There were times this year when I came home so frustrated that it drove me to tears; but those occasions were few and after one of my trademark 12-hour naps, I was ready to face the world again.

         It’s no coincidence that the trite quote laughter is the best medicine is so popular; speaking from experience, even the biggest sob can quickly turn into one of those familiar embarrassing laughs in which you can barely catch your breath.

        Dave Matthews put it best, the space between the tears we cry is the laughter that keeps us coming back for more.

       So, my advice? Laugh until you snort, chuckle in the face of those who would love to see you down and giggle incoherently even after strangers begin to stare – as my Mom would say, they’re just jealous.