Pepsi and water were brought to the table as the conversation truly began.  Ryan and Paige talked about everything from childhood memories to favorite sports teams and movies.  Ryan discovered that Paige moved to Mission Viejo before eighth grade from a city near Boston.  Not only was the past discussed, but the future as well.  Both of them shared their future ambitions with one another; Ryan’s goal is to become a sports writer while Paige is still a bit indecisive.

    Let’s rewind a bit.  Paige is an extremely outgoing girl who is involved in many activities including varsity tennis and MUN.  Her light-hearted nature and extroverted personality made her a great choice.  Not only this, but she is also a big sports fan, which is perfect for Ryan.  Ryan is the sport’s editor of The Diablo Dispatch and centers his life around sports; everything from tennis to football.  He was a little nervous going into the date because it was his first time.  “It all sank in that afternoon that I wasn’t sure exactly how to act or what to say, but thankfully Paige made it much easier.”

    The conversation flowed naturally and uninterrupted as the Lakers game played on every TV in the restaurant.  Paige being the jokester that she is proceeded to tease Ryan throughout the night about the game by consistently giving him the wrong score, much to his frustration, although he was a good sport about it. 

     Ryan and Paige decided on sharing a “BJ’s Favorite” pizza, while enjoying the delicious dinner, the conversation continued effortlessly once again.  After devouring the pizza it was time for dessert.  A chocolate chip pazookie was ordered and the infamous game of twenty questions began.  The game started off well, but it ended up focusing exclusively on sports, not surprising considering how interested in sports they both are.

     At the end of the night, Ryan and Paige went their separate ways, with memories of a successful blind date. Looking back, Ryan said, “It was much more than I originally anticipated; I had a really great time.”

For those that enjoy the ocean but need an extra challenge, tow-in surfing could be for you.  This is where you need to have a jet ski that basically tows the surfer into the wave and then lets them go.  These colossal waves are so huge, the surfer appears to be an ant in comparison.  If you’re more of a land lover, how about free handed rock climbing? There’s no one at the end of your safety harness; it’s just you and the mountain.  This sport requires a lot of upper body strength and you definitely can’t be afraid of heights. It is far from those indoor facilities where you have someone holding you up, so if you fall it will be into a pit of rocks.

Extreme bike riding; photo courtesy of http://remotecontrol.mtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/16preggrp.jpg

One of the most extreme challenges is sky diving.  This combines the thrills of many sports, and allows you to travel through the air in free fall as if you’re flying before your parachute hopefully opens and glides you down to safety.  This is definitely not for those who lose their stomachs on the Tower of Terror.

If you’re a bike rider, the kind with a motor, there are many extreme sports options available.   Speed, jumps, and reaching crazy heights are just a few examples of how you can be an extreme motorcycle rider. Add in some hand stands and flips through the air and you’ve got extreme action you can be proud of.

As we move into the winter, even though here in Southern California we don’t see all the insane blizzards or snow days as in other parts of our country, you can still experience the thrill of flying down a snow-covered hill on skis or a snowboard with just a short, two hour drive to Big Bear.  If you’ve conquered skiing and need an extra challenge, try skiating, a combination of skiing and ice skating. This new sport uses small skis attached to skates to give you the freedom of movement of skates, opening many possibilities for tricks, jumps, and flips that can’t be done with regular skis.

Even more mellow sports like running, canoeing, or jumping can be made extreme for adrenaline seekers that need an extra edge. Turn your run around the track into an exciting free run where you jump off of buildings and onto railings, performing feats that would even impress Spiderman.  Turn your canoe trip extreme by taking it out of Lake Mission Viejo and into some whitewater rapids or waterfalls.  Forget your grade school jump rope days and try BASE jumping, where you use a parachute to jump from a fixed object, like a tall building, down to the earth where you’re hopefully not squashed like a bug.

If you’re more of a person who would rather watch other people risk their lives for adventure while you sit on the couch enjoying popcorn, there are plenty of options for watching extreme sports.  The X Games on ESPN are devoted to extreme sports like skateboarding, BMX biking, motocross and snowboarding.  Every year participants try to outdo each other with their insane tricks and amazing feats.

This past New Year’s Eve, Travis Pastrana, an X Games favorite, succeeded in pulling off a bizarre stunt where he jumped a rally car 269 feet onto a small platform in the Long Beach Harbor.  Of course, this is the same guy who jumped out of an airplane without a parachute, so he’s definitely an extreme sports addict.

Even the Winter Olympics, coming up in February, have some extreme sports for your viewing pleasure.  Forget the curling with the mad sweepers, and watch the snowboarders and skiers performing amazing jumps and tricks.  A new event in the 2010 Olympics is Ski Cross, which is similar to Snowboard Cross, where skiers go down an obstacle course in the fastest time possible.

Whether you’re out there trying some of these extreme sports or living vicariously watching someone else, enjoy your life, live like a champion and relish the wondrous spectacles of nature!

James Cameron's "Avatar"; photo courtesy of http://www.drafthouse.com/parknorth/admin/Images/avatar-movie-poster.jpg

Avatar is far from an original storyline, most of its plot seeming to have been taken from Pocahontas, and its ideas and morals are far from unique.  But then again, it seems that Cameron’s decade-long vision was not to renovate story writing, but instead to evolutionize the art of storytelling.  Most viewers who returned to watch the movie a second time can agree that they did not return because of the plot, but instead came to watch the story itself unfold.  From Pandora’s amazing wildlife to its Na’Vi natives down to the last flower, viewers will never find a dull blade of grass to look at.  It seems that Cameron had spent his ten year project on how to cultivate every leaf on every tree and waiting for the moment when technology could catch up with his vision.  That being said, critics have now started debating as to whether or not Cameron’s movie has become a milestone for Imax movies everywhere.

There are many critics who seem to believe that Avatar has indeed become of historical note for the world of cinematography.  As critic Kenneth Turan noted, “Avatar is not the first of the new generation of 3-D films, just as ‘Jazz Singer’ was not the first time people had spoken on screen. But like the Al Jolson vehicle, it’s the one that’s going to energize audiences about the full potential of this medium.”  In layman’s terms, it’s a big deal.  Just as the referenced Jazz Singer is considered the milestone movie for having audiences realize the potential of actors talking in movies, Avatar may have introduced viewers to a new era of three-dimensional movies that make one feel as if they’re standing right there on Pandora.

Others seem to be a bit more skeptical however, for as Dave Kehr of the New York Times wrote, “It’s a tempting analogy… but we now know that even “The Jazz Singer” was not “The Jazz Singer” of the talkie revolution. The transition from silent films to sound was not something that happened overnight, but a gradual process…If 3-D takes hold, it won’t be the exclusive doing of “Avatar,” but the result of a long series of…adjustments in audience expectations.”

However, whether or not you believe Avatar to be a breakthrough movie, it is still well worth your dollar to see.  Enjoy yourself, and if you aren’t thrilled, remember that there are far worse moons than Pandora stalking the big screen this winter.

the Diablo Dispatch does a little Myth-Busting of its own; photo courtesy of http://teachingphysics.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/mythbusters.jpg

Myth #1: This is the best time of your life. Uh, no it is not. I’m almost positive this is the worst time of my life. No thank you, Peter Pan, I do not want to stay young and become one of the lost boys. I want to grow up and study what I want to study, not learn in excruciating detail about stoichiometry. I want someone to tell me that it will all get better, that in the next year and a half before I graduate, that it will not all be for nothing. If someone told me that the pain and anxiety I am enduring now is proportionally equal to the success I will have later, high school would seem almost bearable.

Myth #2: What you are learning now will be useful later.

False. Never will I ever use what I know about fiber optics later in life. I know what I want to do and what I want to major in, but I do register that not everyone has that luxury. I understand that everyone needs a foundation in all subjects, and a bare understanding in science, math, English and history, and that’s probably the point, that you have to learn all subjects to find what you think is interesting and worth learning about for the rest of your life.

Myth #3: You have to find a clique, niche, or whatever they’re calling it these days.

You have the stereotypical groups in high school as always, but that is not all it has to offer. People say that we must find a group to fit in with, and people assume that we have a choice between jock, nerd, scene, and whatever else is out there. But most students do not fit in any category. So, make your own.

Myth #4: Teachers and parents just don’t understand.

As relatable as this fallacy is, it’s just that, false. Teachers and parents have been through the same thing, and although school is much more challenging and competitive now, they have something under the belt that we cannot deny: experience.

Myth #5: Everyone is looking at you.

No they are not. Get over yourself.

Myth #6: If you put yourself out there, you’ll make new friends.

Maybe for underclassmen, where everyone is looking to make friends, this is true. But once you hit junior and senior, everyone already knows everyone else and making new friends is difficult. Of course, we meet new people in electives and extra classes, but core classes, like AP and IB, we are stuck with the same forty some people.

Myth #7: All this matters.

Not if you don’t want it to. It does not have to define your life, because I am certain that when you want to start your own company, no one is going to ask you whether you took biology or physics, or what your GPA was in high school.

Myth #8: The Popular Kids will be the most successful.

The most hard-working will most likely achieve the most in life. The popular kids tend to peak in high school.

Myth #9: You have to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life now.

That’s what college is for! Most students switch majors in college, that’s the point.

Myth #10: Teachers gossip about students.

This one is actually true.

- A person’s appearance is a window to their character.  So for a first date, dress accordingly.  Nothing can be more problematic than being inappropriately dressed because it is something that your date will have to stare at and you will be dwelling on all night.  The main issue with girls is that they hold this misconception that worthy men are lustful beasts.  Any guy worth being with doesn’t want to be associated with a scantily dressed girl.  It draws negative attention and can be a major drawback.  Also, avoid any gaudy or noisy jewelry.  It may be stylish, but the incessant clanking of bangles or a distracting necklace is not.  For guys, girls like to see that you put some effort into preparing for the date.  Simply pressing a shirt can go miles in improving mediocre outfit.  Most importantly be neat, presentable, and unintimidating and let your personality make a statement rather than your attire.

-Keep mouthwash, gum, or mints handy.  It’s not an excuse to skip simple grooming routines, but after a meal it is nice to step into the bathroom afterwards and freshen up.  Target has an entire section devoted to miniature grooming products like deodorant, and mouth wash for only a dollar.

Photo Courtesy of http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/4721783/romanticdate-main_Full.jpg

-Assuming dinner is one of the most popular first date options be weary of what you order.  Ordering a salad, may give off the impression that you care about your figure, but awkwardly large leaves of greens force you to open your mouth in a wide and unappealing fashion, and in doing so the dressing to drip onto your face and clothes.  Sandwiches and hamburgers produce the same effect, so it is best to stick to items that require a fork and knife allowing you to control your food and appear civilized.

- Stick to what you know.  Pretention is easy to decipher and it is tiring to listen to.  If your date becomes a regular, they will soon discover the truth anyway, so save yourself the embarrassment and back pedaling.

-Silence is equally as troublesome.  Forget your inhibitions and let your date get to know you; they wouldn’t be there if they didn’t.  If all else fails, ask about them.  People love to discuss themselves and keep the conversation smooth by responding and incorporating the things they talk about into your questions and subject changes.  It will show that you are attentive and hopefully prevent those painfully awkward silences.  If something should go terribly awry, make a tasteful joke out of it.

-Ex’s and other prospects are strictly off limits.  Show your date that you are focused on them and do not have your sights somewhere else or on multiple prospects.  It is degrading to your date and defeats the purpose of the first date, which is to show you want to spend time with the object of your affection.

-Guys, be a gentleman, and girls, be a lady.  Small gestures such as opening doors or paying for a meal are monumentally revealing for a girl.  They are chivalrous, but are far from out-dated.  Girls, be respectable.  Show a guy you are deserving of their gentlemanly behavior by refraining from swearing, maintaining feminine postures, and chewing with your mouth closed.

-Lastly, be on time.  There is a little strategy behind being fashionably late; it shows you’re not too eager or desperate, but anything beyond five to seven minutes is simply rude and annoying.

Performance pay ensures that teachers whose students scored higher would receive a higher salary. The controversial nature of this issue means the President’s plan won’t pass through Congress in one piece. With teacher unions on one side opposing this plan and the general public advocating a cautious support, it is uncertain whether schools will soon adopt merit pay. The education plan fires this performance pay directly at California, a state that has legislation specifically designed to prevent schools from paying educators based on their performance.

The relative complexity of this new education plan means we won’t be seeing it anytime soon. The Saddleback Valley school district has filed a letter of intent to apply for the “Race for the Top” funds in December, 2009. Tom Turner, Assistant to SVUSD’s Superintendent clarifies that “We are not very far into this process and there are a lot of question marks.” If our school were to receive these funds however, student test scores would become part of a teacher’s evaluation. This tenet is attracting a lot of controversy among the public.

Those who support performance-based pay cite the improved quality in teachers as a reason why Obama’s education plan should be adopted. Dr. Pamela Clute, assistant vice provost at the University of California Riverside says that Obama “is right on about teachers” and the fact that “we have to look at teachers’ quality. The students need to be in the pipeline to become teachers.” Once merit pay is put into action, teachers will be more motivated in their jobs and for those more ambitious and aspiring instructors, Obama’s education plan would provide alternative pathways.

Opponents of the plan claim that test scores are not accurate reflections of a teacher’s teaching ability. One teacher may be extremely lucky and find himself/herself teaching a class of thirty miniature Stephen Hawkings’ with test scores others could only dream of achieving. Although this scenario is exaggerated, it does represent a valid concern that some have: a teacher’s teaching ability cannot be measured objectively using test scores. Conservatives also view Obama’s education plan as yet another example of the expansion of beauracracy into areas where it had never been previously. Education Secretary Duncan describes the plan as a “chance for Washington to scale up what’s working at a local level,” a feat that those opposed to big-government criticize.

Las Brisas at Laguna Beach; photo courtesy of http://www.orangecountymenus.com/images/las_brisas_restaurant.jpg

Are you still pondering the location of your special dinner date on Valentine’s Day? Now that decision is one less stress. In my quest to find the most romantic, averagely priced, and close to home restaurant for a perfect date with that special Valentine, you may come across many different romantic locations, but none even came close to the panoramic views of Las Brisas.

Located on 361 Cliff Drive, in Laguna Beach, this restaurant is second to none as far as location. But the truth is, location is only one characteristic of Las Brisas’ superior likability; their menu also has no faults. With Mexican Riviera dishes with a twist, and mouth-watering steaks and sea food, there is no way your date won’t order something not worth tasting.

From these attractive descriptions you may be wondering if your bill may be fatter than your belly by the end of the night; but you can rest assured that the prices are quite affordable with respect to the quality of the food and service. The popular Chicken Caesar Salad is only $7.00 and there signature sea food dishes at an average price of $17.00 it is obvious that your choices can vary based on your budget.

Another fact that came as a deal breaker for choosing Las Brisas as the “it” Restaurant for Valentine’s Day was the restaurant’s history. Las Brisas was first established in 1979 and has satisfied every costumer ever since.

With its breathtaking view of the Pacific Coast, its dazzling twinkling lights, and unique décor, Las Brisas is the perfect location to show how you feel about your valentine. Also when you take your special someone to Las Brisas, the night doesn’t have to end after dinner. Next to the restaurant’s terrace is a romantically lit walkway with a view of the ocean that eventually leads to the boardwalk and sandy shores of the main beach. So, make this the best Valentine’s Day yet and go take your date to Las Brisas!

If a girl takes the initiative to ask out the guy she has the “hots” for, she will defiantly miss out on how the guy acts while he is asking her. Maybe he would have been nervous and shaky, or kept his cool and been calm or maybe he would have never even asked and just said yes because he didn’t want to hurt a girls feelings, which would lead to bigger problems later on. This also cuts into some of a guy’s pride. They feel as if they accomplished something big after asking a girl out, and that feeling of greatness may be robbed from them if a girl were to ask him. One may be poked fun at by peers

Now the next point is not seen often, but when it is seen, it is well worth guys asking the other way around. Hopefully everyone has had the chance to see an extremely arrogant, sleazy guy strut over to some little lady as all of his friends watch him as he smoothly as possible asks the gal  out, but to his dismay, and everyone else’s enjoyment, she slaps him right in the face. Now, if ladies started asking guys the question, would it be funny to see them get slapped? No.

A lot of information can be pulled from how much time a boy puts into how he asks his lady-friend, whereas most every chick thinks it out for quite some time before asking. Now you might be wondering what I mean by this, and what I mean is, wouldn’t it tell you how seriously he was taking you if he asked you during the fireworks on 4th of July, than if he asked after a Big Mac? Or what if he took you to the mall as compared to a walk in your favorite park?

Now if you truly like that guy ladies, you should wait until he asks, and guys, if you wait for the gals to do it for you, you can kiss your pride goodbye. So guys get out there this Valentine’s day and ask some lucky lady out. Get you one!

Let’s face it; guys can be blind as to when a girl is interested.  If the girl does not step up and make the move, who knows if you just passed up your future love.  But it does not always have to be so serious.  Just getting to know the other person is what dates are all about anyways, whether you hit it off or not.  This is the exact reason as to why it is no big deal for the girl to ask the boy out.  There is always that set standard that the he must ask out the she.  What makes him privileged enough to hold the control of the situation?  Sometimes boys are not even capable to hold such a responsibility.  At times, guys can be too shy or scared to act on his interests, thus leaving no winners in the end.  So I am sure it would be a pleasant surprise for the guy if the girl he was too shy to ask out went ahead and got the job done for him.

Furthermore, times have changed to the point where guys sit back and wait for girls to come to them.  It does not apply to everybody, but you all know it is true.  Not to bag on guys or anything, but egos have shot up a lot, leading to no effort whatsoever towards the pursuit.  So if you are a girl feeling as if you should not ask out some boy, do not be scared and just go for it.  Guys will most likely not be against it since it has become more common.  Therefore, girls asking guys out can be greatly beneficial for both genders and easily acceptable.

Compared to past eras, the modern woman is a lot more independent and confident.  This loud confidence works its way through areas where males are dominant; one of these being dating.  The independence a woman possesses is accepted more and more in our society which employs the fact that no girl should feel it is not supported to ask out someone they like.  “Playing hard to get” and other long and drawn out games get old quick.  So whether it is the girl or guy to initiate, why can’t someone just say, “Hey, I like you. Let’s go out sometime.” Although this sounds a little too straight forward, the simplicity is the point I’m trying to get across; either gender can step up to the plate.  Overall, the whole fact of the matter of dating and who is the initiator is blown way out of proportion.  Sure you may feel you are being deprived of your manhood and sure you may face the embarrassment of going against the current, but in the end, none of it even matters.

The conclusion has been made that girls need to take more initiative, boys can be clueless, and times have changed drastically.  Merriam Webster defines the word ‘independent’ as “not subject to control by others.”  Now there we go.  Women have become more independent; therefore, we are not subject to be controlled by others which definitely applies to dating of course.  The traditions, views, and opinions of old society can not control girls into thinking that   it is not okay to ask out someone you like in hopes of them doing the favor for you, and we all know that does not happen 100 percent of the time.  I am not saying guys are not allowed to ask out a girl on a date, but just the fact that it is acceptable and proven that it is equally okay for girls to ask out a boy as well.