Professional basketball in Indiana is as good as it's been in a while. The Indiana Pacers of the NBA (National Basketball Association) are having one of their best seasons based on their record, and because the season is still young the team has a chance to continue to have a great year and make noise. As of today, December 5, 2013, the Pacers own the best record in the NBA having won seventeen of nineteen games played. The NBA season is a total of eighty-two games not including the playoffs and if the Pacers keep on this pace (no pun intended), the team might just win sixty or more games this season. There have been a couple of factors that have contributed to the success of the team this season, which are the rise of Paul George as a star player and the commitment of the team to be the best team in the Eastern Conference. 
     Since coming into the NBA, Paul George has shown potential to be one of the greats in the league. Every season since his rookie campaign George has shown improvement, but this season seems to be his breakout year. George, who is having a career season, has lead his Pacers team to the best record in the NBA. George has already been an All-Star in his career and the way he's playing now will earn him many more All-Star appearances. George is shown on the left in the picture above along with Roy Hibbert, who has also contributed greatly to the success of the team. George combines an incredible shooting ability with great athleticism to score an average of (24.6) points per game this season. The future of Paul George as well as his Indiana Pacers team is very bright. 
     The past three seasons within the NBA, the Miami Heat have arguably been the best team within the league. Last season the Pacers met the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, which ended in a loss in the last game of the series for the Pacers. The team was heartbroken, but due to their perseverance and ambition, the team recommitted themselves to be the best team in their conference and so far their record shows that they are indeed so. The Pacers seemed to have learned from their mistakes and have perfected their play this season, showing great chemistry on the court. With George and the combined help of the other role players on the team, the Pacers are a force in the Eastern Conference of the NBA. Many NBA analysts have claimed the Pacers to be the best team as of right now, and in my opinion the team deserves it. 
     Though the Pacers are not my favorite team, I respect them and admire their hard work and dedication as a team to become one of the best. The Pacers are a joy to watch on TV, and I look forward to the continued growth of Paul George as a star within the NBA. Good luck to the Indiana Pacers the rest of the season!  

     Music means so much to me, and I primarily listen to Rap and Hip-Hop. Within these genres of music, are my favorite artists who are shown in the picture above. On the left is Jermaine Cole aka "J. Cole", and Aubrey Graham aka "Drake". Both of these artists produce and make music that inspires me. Both artists have different styles that they use when making music. For instance, both artists can be loud and thuggish, poetic and and slow and both can tell stories within their music. Though the music produced from these two artists is not always appropriate, I love it and appreciate what their music does for me. 
     I immediately began to enjoy Drake when I first heard him. I really liked his lyrics and style, and his voice was a great fit for rap. Drake is a very successful music artist. Though he wasn't well known when he first began to make music, he eventually began to become famous and now he is arguably one of the most successful rap artist there is today. Drake has three official albums under his belt, and many other side works or "mix-tapes" which are mini-albums that are not published by a record label to be sold in stores. "Thank Me Later", "Take Care", and "Nothing Was the Same" are Drake's three official album names, all of which did really great in stores and sales. Drake was awarded a Grammy for "Take Care". Drake continues to make music and recently dropped his album "Nothing Was the Same" in September of 2013. I'm more than sure that Drake will continue to be very popular in the rap genre of music. 
     When I first heard J. Cole, I honestly didn't like him that much. It wasn't until I tuned in to his station on Pandora when I started to slowly become a fan. I was a fan of him just in time for his first album "Cole World: The Sideline Story" to hit the stores. The album solidified his spot in my favorite rap artists along with Drake. J. Cole has two albums under his belt, the other being "Born Sinner" which hit stores in June of 2013. Both albums did very well in sales, making J. Cole a very successful rapper. J. Cole also has many mix-tapes under his belt. J. Cole continues to be one of my favorite rap artists, and I'm very excited for his upcoming work in the studio. 
     Both of these artists make music that I absolutely love. Whether the song is thuggish and inappropriate, the telling of a personal story, or is slow and poetic the song is always good if it comes from one of these two artists. The two even made a track together named "In the Morning" which was the hit track of one of J. Cole's mix-tapes. It was a great feeling to have my two favorites come together and mix their two styles together into one song. I love music that comes from these two, whether it

     Ahh not another cold front! I'm not a fan of cold weather for a number of reasons. For one, I'm too skinny so I get cold easily since I don't have any meat on my bones to keep me warm. Second, I always start getting back in shape around the time winter starts so I can be fit for spring break. With the cold weather, it is hard for me to run because the cold air makes my chest hurt. Running is a big part of my workouts and cold weather makes that hard on me. Finally, with the cold weather brings me sickness and growing pains that burden me throughout the season. 
     Being that the men down the line in my family tree have all been on the thinner side for the most part, I am also skinny. That being stated, I get cold very easily because I lack the body mass of others that keeps them warm. I'd honestly rather be sweating from the heat rather than shivering from the cold. I dislike being cold because I begin to shiver, which makes it hard for me to write, type, text and makes it hard for my extremities it function properly. Cold weather is a no no!     
     When the winter comes around, that means spring break is near. I always try and keep up with exercise and workouts throughout the seasonal year, but I really pick it up in the winter in an effort to see some gains for spring break. Spring break is a time for beaches and swimming pools, and I'd hate to be the person who doesn't look good physically. Working out gives me confidence and makes me feel good about myself. A big part of my workouts is running, and since I don't have an enclosed area to run in I am forced to run outdoors with the cold air and wind. The cold wind really does hurt my chest along with my throat, which makes it difficult to continue running. Cold weather is really an obstacle for me.
     With the changing of fall to winter, I get sick. Every year I catch some kind of sickness in the beginning of winter, so I'm expecting to be getting sick here in a few weeks or so. Also, I get a lot of growing pains in my legs and thighs, which are just constant aches that constantly nag me. My doctor says it hurts because I'm growing in some way, and the cold weather triggers these pains. A way to cure these pains is so simply warm up, but that's hard to do sometimes with the cold weather. Cold weather can be painful.
     Cold weather is a constant nag on me. Though many people enjoy it, I am not one of those people who gets excited for a cold front. One good thing that winter brings are the holidays, which are always a great time. I guess cold weather isn't all that bad, right?

     Finally, he's back! Russel Westbrook of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder made his debut of the season, returning from a meniscus surgery he underwent the first of October. Suffering from a partially torn meniscus last season in the playoffs which proved to be tragic for the team, Westbrook was left sidelined for the rest of the playoffs and the off-season. Having two surgeries to repair this injury, Westbrook could not participate in basketball related activities until what thought to be December, but Westbrook passed his physical and was medically cleared to play early yesterday, just in time to suit up and play in the third game of the season in his debut.
     Russel Westbrook is a top point guard in the NBA, and is vital for success of the Thunder. Along with star small-forward Kevin Durant, the two make a very dynamic duo that helps the Thunder win many games and rise to the top of the Western Conference season after season. The Thunder still had high hopes for this season knowing that Westbrook would not return until mid December, but the team new that without him the season would be difficult. Westbrook surprised the league and the team by getting cleared to play over a month early before the projected date, and opened eyes even more by being willing to play the same day of being medically cleared.
     Westbrook was ready and eager to return to basketball, and suited up and performed well last night in his debut against the Phoenix Suns. Westbrook started off sluggish, showing his rust but still ended the game with twenty-one points which lifted the Thunder to a win in Oklahoma City. With him, along with the rest of a young and healthy Oklahoma City Thunder, the team should have a great season. Now that Westbrook is back, the expectations of a championship are right back on the Thunder, who will prove to live up to the hype or not.
    I am really excited about the return of the beloved point guard because the Oklahoma City Thunder are my favorite team. Also, it's always good to see a player of Westbrook's caliber to return to action knowing what he is capable of. I am very optimistic about the young season, which is three games out of eighty two over. I am sure the Thunder will have an outstanding season, especially with the return of Russel Westbrook. I am more than sure there will be more blogs in the future regarding

     Music means so much to me. I have a love for music, music of all genres. Primarily, I enjoy listening to Rap, Hip-Hop, Rock and Country, but I also enjoy listening to other genres such as Christian, Tejano, Alternative, and any other music that sounds good. I have always loved music. I admire the amount of time, effort and dedication music artists put into their music. The amount of talent it takes to write a decent rhyme, to sing beautifully, play an instrument amazingly and make rhythms and tempos electronically always amazes me, and the end result is good sounding music that I listen to and appreciate. Music works different purposes for me. Primarily, music works as a means of getting "pumped up", an outlet of my emotions and it gives me something to keep up with and enjoy. Music is a big part of my life.
     There are different ways that I listen to music. Whether it's a stereo, radio, in my car, coming from my phone or computer, or I have my earbuds or noise canceling headphones on, I'm listening to music. My favorite way to listen to music is when I use my noise canceling headphones. Being so comfortable and having great sound quality, my headphones serve their purpose well. It feels as if there is nothing on your head or over your ears when they are worn, and when turned on, most all noise is canceled and all you can hear is the music. They are really great.
     Music serves as a tool to "pump me up." If I have a sporting event, or even if it's just recreational, I always listen to music to get my "juices flowing." I mainly listen to Rap and Hip-Hop when I get pumped, and I also listen to it very loud. Also, I love listening to music while working out, for it gives me motivation and helps keep me focused on the workout. Music seems to have a natural way to pump me up when I need it to.
     Being a very emotional person, I get down about different things quite a lot. When I do, I can be found listening to R&B, Country or Soft Rock. Listening to slow and soft songs always makes me feel better. I feel as if I can express my emotions through the music and lyrics, which has a way of lifting me up and making me feel better. I run to music to soothe myself and make myself feel better.
     I have a lot of different artists that I listen to and that are my favorite. I keep up with the music these artists put out, whether it's a hit single or an entire album. I always look for release dates of songs, music videos and albums of my favorite artists, and I anticipate them with excitement. I can always be found in a store buying the album the day it's released, or on YouTube looking at the new music video for a hit single. New music has a way of bringing me excitement.
     Music means so much to me, and plays a big role for me. My life would be dull without music, for it brings life and color to my day.

     The 2013-2014 National Basketball Association (NBA) season is upon us! Being a basketball fanatic, I am very excited for this upcoming season. There are so many events that took place this off-season: including trades between teams for players, coaching staff hirings and firings, player signings, contract extensions, and even new team names! I have been a loyal fan of the Oklahoma City Thunder ever since I began to watch the NBA, and I have high hopes for the team this coming season. I really do enjoy watching the pros compete against eachother, even if it is not the Thunder! My love for basketball translates for my love for the NBA, and every year you can find me online looking at stats or highlight videos, watching a game on the couch or even at a NBA game physically! This year in particular, I am looking forward to the performance of the Thunder, the playoff race and the come-ups of the rookies of this year's NBA Draft. 
     When I became interested in playing basketball, I also sparked an interest for watching basketball, college and the NBA, but mostly the NBA. I wanted to learn moves and tips from the pros, and at the time I did not have a favorite team like the rest of my friends did. In 2008, the Seatle SuperSonics sold the city's franchise to Oklahoma City, and decided to name the team the Thunder. When I saw this, I saw an oppurtunity to become a fan of a new team, so I did and I've been a fan ever since. The Thunder were not very good as a team when they first made the move to Oklahoma City, but with time, the youthful team grew together and began to win more games. Showing great chemistry, the Thunder rose to the top of the Western Conference in 2011, and have been a top contender since then. The Thunder made a NBA Finals appearance in 2012, but lost to the Miami Heat in a very good seven game series. This year I am hopeful for my team, go Thunder! 
     There are many great teams within the league, and this season, most of the great teams got even better. By this, I mean that the teams with good players and good coaching, signed even better players or made trades for better players over the offseason. The Western Conference is dominate over the Eastern Conference, containing most of the better players and teams. Even more star players from the Eastern Conference and other star players on the not so good teams at the bottom of the Western Conference ended up getting traded to or signed to the best teams of the West, making the West that much more difficult to compete in. The playoff race is always extremely tight towards the end of the season, and this year will be even tougher.
     There is always a lot of hype centered around the top prospects that come out of college to the NBA via the Draft, and this year is no different. NBA teams enter a lottery, based upon the team's performance the passed year. The worse the record of the team, the better the chance of a high pick in the draft. The better prospects in college get picked higher in the draft, while the lower end of the prospects get picked later in the draft. Draft picks then sign with the team they were drafted by, and continue with practice and training camps until the season starts, where they will prove themselves and the team that they were worthy of being drafted. There is a lot of talent that came into the league this year via the Draft, so I'm excited to see how they will perform.   
     Overall, I predict this season to be one for the ages. The Thunder, the playoff race and the prospects this year are all things to keep a close eye on. I love the Thunder, but on a more broad scale I love the NBA. To take it further than that, I love basketball. It's not just a gam

     I love music. All genres: Rap, Hip-Hop, R&B, Rock, Alternative, Country, Tejano and any other genres of music as long as the music sounds good. I admire the time, effort and skill artists of all genres put into their music, whether it is incredible vocals, amazing instrumentals, or jaw dropping pieces with an instrument. Music takes a lot of practice and skill. When I was a sophomore, I decided to pick up an instrument and learn to play. I wasn't sure which instrument it would be, but I knew that music was what I wanted to learn to play. 
     After hearing the famous "Hotel California" performed by the Eagles, I decided to learn how to play guitar. The guitarists in the Eagles played with such skill and passion, and I felt every note they played. I wanted to do the same: learn how to play beautiful music on the guitar with incredible skill and passion so I could move and awe people as the Eagles did to me. I received my first guitar that Christmas, and I immediately began to practice and learn basic chords, which I got better at with time. I enrolled in a guitar class my junior year, which I learned how to read basic music notes and counts. Guitar became a big hobby of mine. I would play all of the time, trying to make my own music pieces or trying to play some songs from some of my favorite Country and Rock artists. Guitar has stayed a big hobby of mine, and though I am not naturally musically talented, I try my best to play to the best of my abilities. I really do enjoy it, whether learning to play songs, playing purely from emotion or playing with friends. 
     I've always enjoyed learning famous pieces from songs that are well known. Hotel California was the first piece I learned how to play. I've observed some of my friends play songs on the guitar that are on the radio, and people always sing along and gather around, having a good time singing and listening to the guitar instrumental in the background. I wanted to be the entertainer that was able to play for people, so that was one motivation for me. Since then I've attempted to learn to play numerous songs that are well known, some pieces being more successful than others, but nonetheless I tried with the best I had. To this day I look up tutorial videos or simply listen closely to learn how to play songs.
     I've been moved by guitarists with incredible skill. I have always been quite the emotional person, and when I feel blue I always run to my guitar. Most times I play soothing chords and notes, trying to calm down or make myself feel better, and it does the trick every time. I love music so much that playing soothing pieces while I'm down seem to cheer me up every time. My guitar is always there waiting for me to pick it up when I'm feeling down. 
     I love friends, and my friends and I share a mutual love for music. I'm lucky enough to have some friends that share a love of guitar with me, and when we have our guitars with us we always play together. We have a lot of fun, and often times we end up learning how to play different songs together, whether it is two of us or five of us. Currently, we are trying to learn songs from a group called "Explosions in the Sky", a group of three individuals who all play the guitar with no vocals. I strongly recommend music from them. Anyhow, my friends and I always have fun playing together. 
     My love for music radiates through my guitar. Though I'm not the greatest player, I love playing and listening to the beautiful sounds that come from the strings. I plan on keeping guitar a close hobby of mine, and with time I will become better at it. Guitar is my passion. 

     Basketball is not just a game, it's more than that. "Use basketball, don't let it use you. Basketball is a vehicle, to get you from point A to point B" (Dru Joyce). Basketball means so much to me. It has always been there for me, whether playing with friends, myself playing alone and practicing, or an outlet of my emotions, basketball has always been there for me. In my opinion, basketball is one of the most beautiful sports there is to play. 
     My friends and I have always had a good time playing the sport we love together. This dates back to sixth grade, when I played in my very first pick up game with my friends. Ever since then, my group of friends have always enjoyed eachother's company while playing basketball. Basketball has a way of bonding people together due to to the teamwork and chemistry it takes to play together as a team, and my friends and I are a prime example of that. We have so many great memories from basketball. We have played organized basketball for our school and city, played recreationally and played just for the fun of it. No matter where we were, whether it was a gym, a pavilion, park or even at home, we always have a good time playing basketball. We always manage to have fun in some way, whether we are at practice for our team, playing a pick up game, playing mini games or having shooting contests, or even filming videos from our phones to post on our social networks so we can look "cool", we always have a good time together. 
      There has been countless times that I can recall myself sitting at home and suddenly getting the urge to play basketball, even if I was alone. So, I'd lace up my shoes, grab my ball and head outside to my backyard, where I'd practice shooting and dribbling on my portable basketball court. These urges came for no particular reason, and most times happened more than once a day. So there I was, having the time of my life, in my zone and practicing to become a better player, all alone. Being alone didn't bother me, for my love for the game was so immense that I'd have so much fun by myself. I have spent countless hours playing basketball alone, just working on my game and having fun. The best times of being alone are when I couldn't sleep in the wee hours of the night, so I'd get dressed and play in my backyard while everyone was asleep. These are the best times for me, for I'd blare my favorite music and practice for a couple of hours, before I'd come inside and showered and finally went go sleep. 
     I have always been the emotional type of person, and I consider it to be both good and bad. Anger, sadness and happiness trigger very quickly within me. When an event occurred in which changed my mood instantly, whether it was good or bad, I'd always run to basketball. It was a way to take my emotion out and calm down, or rejoice in happiness. I can recall countless times of myself doing this. Basketball means so much to me, and when I step onto a court it seems to become my sanctuary, everything being blocked out. 
    Though I am not the best player out there, I take pride in my game and how I play, but I always remember to have fun. Basketball has taught me character, and how to be mature. The court is my sanctuary. I love basketball, and it will never be just a game. 

    Alas! The now king of the Geats has been slain by a mighty dragon! Throughout the epic poem of Beowulf, Beowulf himself showed many traits and characteristics, some being good and some being bad. His courage and pride make up his good traits, while his greed and being overly proud make up his bad. In my opinion, Beowulf manages to stay a static character throughout the epic poem, that is, a character who stays necesarily the same throughout the story or poem.
    In the battle of Grendel, we see a very confident and proud Beowulf, who boasts about his power and might before the battle. Though he did not get the chance to take Grendel on one on one due to the monster's ambush, Beowulf still managed to slay Grendel, showing his great courage and fearlessness. We see this from Beowulf throughout the epic. 
    In the battle of Grendel's mother, again we see a very pround and confident Beowulf, who this time goes down into the lake to fight the monster alone. Showing great courage and pride, Beowulf manages to avoid death and slay Grendel's mother and her minion lake beasts, and while at it beheads the corpse of Grendel to bring back to Hrothgar. This may be a sign of greed, for this act was unnecessary and the arguement could be made that Beowulf had become too obsessed with fixing his family name. 
    In the final battle agaist the mighty dragon, again we see a proud and confident Beowulf for the final time within the poem. Beowulf only takes a handful of men with him to the sight of the battle, and before the battle he boasts for the final time. In an act of over confidence, Beowulf tells his men that he would enter the dragon's barrow alone, knowing of the great danger of the situation. This act, proved to be lethal for the king, who was fatally wounded from a dragon bite to the neck. One of his men named Wiglaf comes to his aid, and eventually Beowulf slays the dragon despite his injury. Beowulf, showing great greed, claims that he will be buried with the treasure that he fought the dragon for. 
    Beowulf stays necesarily the same throughout the epic poem. He is a hero who displays great strength, courage and pride, but he is not perfect. He shows greed, and at times over confidence and too much pride for his own good, which kills him towards the end of the novel. Beowulf is a static character.