Playing Middle Is Not Fun

Each volleyball position is difficult in different ways, each position comes with different responsibilities. People often wonder which position is truly the most difficult, i think about it in two categories. Mentally i think setter is the most difficult. However physically middle blockers have the hardest job on the court. Middles have to block and attack while distracting the opposition. They have many responsibilities which is why the middle blocker position is very physically demanding. The length of the net is about 59 feet, now think about defending the entirety of the net, that is the middles job, not fun. Think about how the setter is in control of the offense, middles are in control of the defense.

Middles are in charge of tracking the opposing teams attackers. Middles get all the blame for not closing the block even if the pins didn’t set it up correctly. As volleyball becomes more advanced the offense speeds up, meaning the sets get lower and faster the middles then have to speed up even more. Also the more competitive volleyball becomes, the more intense the attacks become which makes the middles blocking even more important. While watching university volleyball its very interesting to focus on one player at a time. Its easy to just watch the ball and not the players however if you pay attention to just the middle you’ll find how difficult their position truly is. Try watching teams like Nebraska who are extremely competitive.

Attacking as a middle means you also have to be fast to insure you don’t get blocked. For example if a middle attacks out of the same spot every time the opposition is going to figure it out pretty quick and that’s an easy block for them. The middle needs to attack from all over the court to insure they can attack without being blocked. Also when a middle is not going to attack they still have to follow the setter, this is so that they can confuse the opposing middle, if the middle just stands there its pretty obvious who the team is going to set. I admit that setter is probably the most difficult position mentally. However, as offense continues to speed up middle is physically the most difficult position in volleyball. If you want to learn more about the middle position in volleyball visit https://sportsedtv.com/blog/middle-blocker-in-volleyball.

Christmas Music is the Best Music

Christmas is the best holiday, it is such a magical time of year. I believe everyone is happier during Christmas time. Christmas is all about being happy, thankful and cheerful. It is when family and friends spend time together, for some family’s the traditions around Christmas have been going on for a long time. So what about Christmas makes everyone happier? Well there are many contributions to making people so cheerful, i think Christmas music is a big factor.

Christmas music began as being called mid winter carols. They decided it would help keep up peoples spirits up during the cold winter. The first Christmas carol was published in 1946. Since than, Christmas carols have become a staple for people during the holidays. What i think is so special about Christmas carols is how innocent they are. Other music can be hateful or sad. Christmas music is the opposite of hateful, it brings joy. You could be freezing cold during a blizzard and hating your life until you listen to Christmas music and you feel grateful for all the snow. I truly believe if you enjoy Christmas music you will be a happier person.

Not all Christmas music is the same, some artists are better than others. My personal favorite Christmas album is Alan Jacksons “Let It Be Christmas”. The album was released on October 22nd in 2002. The most popular song on the album is ironically “Let It Be Christmas” with a total of 7.5k page views. This isn’t to say I don’t enjoy other artists music as well. However I find Alan Jackson very nostalgic. Also if you want to feel even more nostalgic, choose one of your favorite Christmas movies. Than find the soundtrack for that movie. It may seem silly but the Home Alone instrumentals are pretty great. I think people forget that there is more to christmas music than Mariah Carey and the song jingle bells.

Why Mittens are better than Gloves

As the weather gets colder, its time to pull out all the winter necessities. Everyone has different gear for the winter depending on preferences. Do you use gloves, or mittens while outside in the cold temperatures? Whether you are looking into purchasing new gear before the holidays, or you are curious what other peoples opinions on this topic is, personally I believe that mittens are the better option. They keep your hands warmer, they are more comfortable and they look nicer than gloves do.

First of all, Mittens bring so much more warmth than gloves do. Mittens are warmer than gloves because your fingers can share the warmth instead of being separated. This means all your body heat stays in one compartment. Also mittens are typically made of a softer material. It is usually fuzzy, which makes it more cozy. Overall nobody wants to feel cold while they are trying to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends.

Also because mittens have a more simple design they less restrictive meaning a lot more comfortable. Gloves have more material around each finger where as mittens have less material, less material also feels less restrictive. During the winter you already have to wear so many extra layers, why add on to that feeling with uncomfortable gloves. Also not only are gloves less comftorable they are also less fashionable. Mittens look a lot nicer, meaning you dont have to ruin your outfit by putting on bulky gloves during the winter.

At the end of the day when choosing which option is better for you there is alot to think about. However mittens offer everything you would need during the winter, warmth, comfort and they look less like gear and more like an accessory. If you want a further explantion or more reasons why mittens are the better option, click here.

Romantic Comedies in the 80s

Recently i have been exploring different genres of movies, after watching plenty, i have come to the realization that old Rom Coms are the best. I believe that Romantic Comedies really began to get interesting in the late 80s early 90s. Since than romantic comedies have taken a big downfall, they are no longer interesting because they are trying so hard to make each movie completely different.

Something i hear people often say is that Rom Coms are all so alike that the movies are repetitive. People say this like its a bad thing, however i believe that’s what is so fascinating about them. Yes they might all follow the same story line but its the simple things that differentiate them from each other. I find it so interesting to watch because as soon as the movie starts i am hooked. These movies go straight into the plot, they don’t try to give a big backstory, they leave that for you to decide.

Another part of 80s Rom Coms I love is that because the storyline is so simple, the characters are always so different. In other movies i find they will often try to make a character super likeable and one super unlikable, they have a “Villain” and a “hero” in a way which feels forced. In Romantic Comedies you get to make your own observations of each character. Which lets each viewer experience a different perspective of the movie solely based on their opinions. I also think what made these movies so memorable is the legendary leads, for example, Julia Roberts, an icon who thrived in the 80s. Not to say there isn’t great actors and actresses in Rom Coms today but i don’t think they connect with the characters as well as they have in the past.

Lately i find the movies are all so politically correct, as they try to please society. Which is totally understandable however i do think it effects the movie. In the 80s they didnt care as much. Now people have to be so careful what they say, that they avoid certain topics that they wouldn’t have in the 80s. One of my all time favourites is Cant Buy Me Love. An entertainining love story from the late 80s, staring Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson. I understand that things change, including movies however I will continue to watch 90s romcoms before any of the new ones.

20 Best ’90s Romantic Comedies – Nostalgic Rom-Coms to Stream Now

Matthew Perry

On October 28 2023 the tragic death of Matthew Perry left people around the world shocked. Matthew was an iconic TV star, most known for his role on the famous sitcom “friends”, where he played a 26 year old sarcastic character who used humor as a defense mechanism. As he was such a loved person and character, his death was heart breaking to many.

Matthew was addicted to vicodin for several years, he revealed that at one point he was taking up to 55 pills a day. In 2021 Mr. Perry declared he was sober, he also claimed he had spent $9 million on this journey. After becoming sober he began writing his memoir, in this book he talks about his life, how he landed his role on “friends” and his addiction.

At first after Matthews death it was only seen as an overdose, nobody else was blamed. However on august 15 2024 a licensed physician and an alleged San Fernando Valley drug dealer were arrested in connection to his death. In total five defendants, including two doctors, have been charged. “Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people’s lives over greed, said United States attorney Martin Estrada. I believe Martin is accurate in what he has said, addicts are seen as vulnerable and drug dealers use it to their advantage. However it’s not such a simple scenario, some people may believe it was Matthew’s choice and nobody else should be blamed.

Erik Fleming pleaded guilty to one count of, conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Also Kenneth Iwamasa who conspired with Sangha, Fleming, and Plascencia to illegally obtain ketamine and distribute it to Perry. Finally, Dr. Mark Chavez, a physician at the age of 54 plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Matthew’s death has so many added layers, and many unanswered questions, for more information on the people involved in Mr. Perrys death visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/five-defendants-including-two-doctors-charged-connection-actor-matthew-perrys-fatal