Tom, Dick and Harry.

Projects are stressful, annoying, and most importantly, BORING. Especially when you have one due RIGHT before your vacations.

By the time June arrives, you realize that it won't rain cats and dogs anymore, and you're sweating like a pig. You also realize that the 'A' you have been aiming for is a dime in the dozen, and you are simply a drop in the bucket. So you decide it'll be cool if you just include loads of diagrams in your project, after all, a picture is worth a thousand words. However, later when reality screams that you're against the clock, you realize that you're simply adding fuel to the fire, and nothing is a piece of cake anymore.

So you follow the lead of every other Tom, Dick, and Harry, and go offtrack.

Lol.

...So are you freaked out yet by my oh so many idiomatic references? Idk why, but these days they just come naturally to me. "So Ramona, you just came to school out of the blue! I thought you were sick as a dog!"

Well, the dog days of summer are here, my friend. Before you think that I should be moved to a funny farm, I shall begin my graveyard shift. Okay, that's not making sense anymore. Wait. I mean, that's all Greek to me now. Haha. Crap. I can't stop. Make it stop. STAHHP. Agh.

Okay, so the point is, WIKIPEDIA IS AWESOME AND I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU DWEEBS THINK. When I was younger, I was told by my teachers that Wikipedia is unreliable and has stuff that may not be edited properly. So we weren't allowed to list that in our bibliographies, or just use Wikipedia in general. 

But I beg to differ. 

In fact, my laptop also begs to differ. 

I mean, just now when I typed "wikipedia" it corrected me saying it should be "Wikipedia" instead. I mean, gawwh, look at the amount of respect (W)ikipedia's getting, you wackos! 

It is so easy to find everything you need in Wikipedia. A blink of an eye, and voila! From the history to contemporary to major events to death to everything- it's all in one place, that's what I love about Wikipedia. And if you're so picky about references, you should notice those tiny hyperlink-able numbers they have above each alleged fact that takes you to that particular reference page. And if you're still gonna be picky, you can always suggest a reference, and someone will always heed you. 

To show my support, I have actually made this little tribute-thingy for Wiki. (don'tjudge)

But again, that's not the point. 

The point is, Tom, Dick and Harry. I was reading someone's wordpress which had some eco info, when suddenly I saw the guy mention something like "every Tom, Dick, and Harry knows that". Then I remembered someone's mom on Facebook had also mentioned "Tom, Dick and Harry" on some comment somewhere (I have a weird memory), and it struck me. Why is everyone so obsessed with Tom, Dick and Harry? 

Keeping the school-girl snickers aside on the name in the middle, I did some research. (This is the part where I got distracted and bored of researching eco). 

I encountered.... a.... (guesss) ....(drumroll)... WIKIPEDIA PAGE! And guess what? It had everything I was looking for. Don't believe me? Here, take a look.

Then my mind once again flashbacked to my SAT textbook. Princeton Review brings up a fictional character called "Joe Bloggs" who is an average teenager who gets average grades. And I found out that, just like TD&H, JB (not Justin Bieber) also is a similar reference term that has been in use since.. well... a long time.

Another interesting fact I learned is the name sequence. It so happens that the English people apparently use a word sequence in which the shortest word comes first, and the longest word comes last, hence Tom (which is the shortest) comes first, and Harry (which is the longest and has more syllables) comes last! I had NEVER noticed that before, I mean why do people usually say "tall, dark and handsome"? 

But of course, I wanted more examples. I tried thinking of more, but all I could remember was Forever 21 (For-ev-er Tw-en-ty-one.) And that also doesn't really count if you don't count 'tw' as one syllable. So that was disappointing. However, I shall be on lookout. 

Besides my word woes, I also found out that there was one.. actually 2 movies by the same name.

1) Tom, Dick and Harry (1941)- Couldn't find a proper trailer, but oh well, here's a Wikipedia(!) (which is at least more detailed that imdb actually), click here

2) A Bollywood (am I surprised -.- ) movie. Found a trailer. (because blogger is moodswinging and not letting me properly upload the video to my blog). 

Maybe there are more. But I think that's enough for now. 

Tom, Dick and Harry, I also learned, were rather common names in the 17th century. But these days, how often you encounter a guy named "Dick", let alone Tom or Harry? In fact, I have a theory that after the success of Harry Potter, parents were probably too scared to name their children Harry, because then people may compare him to Harry Potter, giving the child inferiority issues (because Harry Potter is kinda unbeatable). 

Sorry, just felt that^ image is appropriate.

And maybe the same happened to Tom, after Tom Riddle. Or maybe Tom and Jerry. And Dick? If that's your name, you must be a really, really brave guy. Btw, you should check out dick figures. Totally unrelated to what we're talking about here, but go ahead, just look it up on youtube, funniest videos ever. 

But also, on the other hand, if your name actually is Tom, Dick, Harry, or maybe Joe Bloggs, you know I didn't mean to hurt you in any way! If I did, I offer my sincerest apologies. At least you should be happy that your names are pretty much representing the human race. Why do you think people always say (or used to say) "every Tom, Dick, and Harry out there"? That's right, you freakin world conquerors! 

Well, on an ending note, I know that you may think that I'm a blessing in disguise, but actually, I'm just a leopard who can't change her spots. Now if you will please excuse me, I'm going to go eat like a pig, and I'll try to keep in mind that you are what you eat. 

Oh god, I'm never gonna get over this xD 

See ya later alligator.  (It's a song!!!!) 

As we near the conclusion.

A few minutes ago, for some unfathomable reason, I was suddenly struck by the fact that this is it. This is the beginning of the end- the last year of highschool.

And as I sit in my room, avoiding all my homework like evading tax, I think of where I'll end up; next year and beyond. There are times when I feel as if I will never have enough time. Sometimes, during a random happy moment at school, I look around myself, wherever I am, and wonder, where will I be at the same time next year? Will the same people surround me? Will I be the same? Will my life be better or worse? And as I wonder, it strikes me. I only have one year left of school. School; the place where I spend 7 hours 5 times a week and face drama. School, no matter how many times I've shifted, no matter how many times I have claimed to hate, has been so powerfully blended with my life for the past 14 years, that I simply can't imagine life without school. I just can't.

So the day when I will conclude my last essay, wear my uncomfortable uniform for the last time, and take a one last glimpse at the building I have made my partial home/day shelter, I don't want to feel regret. At the night of graduation, I don't want to be sitting in a corner, moping about not having enjoyed school to my fullest, not having utilized time properly, regretting, lamenting, pacing around the past, all the people I couldn't get to know, all the studying that I didn't do, all the grudges I didn't let go of, all the occasions of avoidable embarrassment, feeling unfulfilled and dissatisfied, and lonely, clad in my graduation gown. That's my biggest fear, I have realized. Now, I don't know if this fear is what will push me to make the best out of my school life, or my own road to disaster. If I start my amend-making straight away, I'll still run out of time. It is at the last minute, nearing the conclusion, when you figure out that there is simply no time! There is so much I want to do... I don't know if I'm really ready to let go of school, to let go of everything that comes with school.

I guess today is the day when I'll finally start attempting to make the best use of time.