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Solitudes of which are dreadful

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By Middle-School Blogger Penny Andreas

PVS Bloggers went in search of a compelling photograph. They were asked to tell the story behind the photograph. To answer, Why does this photograph pull you in? Penny pulled this photo because it made her afraid. To me, it looks like a scary scene out of Severance. For Penny, it’s a jumping-off place from which to discuss phobias.

Blog Advisor Zachik
Photo Source: Luanna Strawbridge at Pixy.org

Imagine yourself walking in this empty hallway. Does anything seem wrong or scary? This photograph, to most people, seems as though this is a regular hallway, with a regular ceiling, and a regular set of walls. For myself, and some other people in the world, this is absolutely terrifying. Though this might sound ridiculous, this is an actual fear, or “phobia.”  This is called “Autophobia.” Autophobia is the fear of being alone, or in solitude. And, no, this is not about relationships. It is about literally being alone in any situation, and being afraid. However, people have even reported having autophobia attacks in crowds, though it is rare. 

What is a phobia?

A phobia is pretty simple, and this word dates back to ancient Greece. “Phobia” comes from the Greek word “Phobos,” which is a Greek god that summons human fear. So, it’s pretty self explanatory; a phobia is what you simply fear. Want to read more about phobias? See what Healthline has to say:

https://www.healthline.com/health/phobia-simple-specific 

How to figure out your phobias and find anecdotes

First, there are so many phobias in this world–from the fear of long words, (Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia) to the fear of holes (Trypophobia), or even something super common such as Claustrophobia, the fear of tight spaces.  

To deal with your phobias, the first thing I would personally do is just walk around town, or around your house. If you come across something that scares you, or makes you freeze up, and makes it hard to breathe, try to find out what that object is. Keep in mind this could literally be anything:  spider, a bird, a tight space, a cliff. Once you know the source of the disturbance, I suggest researching things to help when you are scared. One thing that helps me with my autophobia is simply staying close to something I love: such as my family, my dogs, or even a heavy blanket to comfort me. Of course, do whatever comforts you the most, and what makes you feel a little less scared. 

Dino Diet

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By Junior Luke Sonderman

As our final health post, we return again to the issue of diet. Luke . . . has some concerns regarding an all-meat diet.

Hate to break it to all the vegans, but humans are supposed to eat meat. Now, if you want to hear my opinion on veganism you can read my blog article I wrote last year (“The Most Unhealthy Diet That Is Spreading Fast“). I’m here now to talk about the polar opposite of veganism: Carnivorism. 

What is a carnivore diet?

A carnivore diet is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It is a diet that consists of only animal products and excludes all vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and all other non-animal foods (health.clevelandclinic.org). To someone who loves meat, this diet may sound like heaven. But, there are lots of downsides to this diet (just like there are downsides to the vegan diet). 

Upsides to the carnivore diet

This diet consists of lots of protein and fat, but near zero carbs. 

Low carb diets are actually very popular when it comes to weight loss, but to be honest low-carb diets are just diets for people too lazy to hit the gym, jump on a Peloton, or just knock out some push ups every morning. The body transforms carbs into glucose (sugars) which can be used as energy. The thing is if you don’t use that energy (go to that spin class, do that hot yoga, hit the gym, go for a run)… then that glucose becomes fat.

The reason all of that doesn’t apply to this diet is because with the massive protein and fat diet, you can get ridiculously shredded from the amount of protein you are consuming while having energy from the fats. With no carbs, when you work out, the theory is you will keep a low body fat percentage and increase muscle mass. 

Downsides to the carnivore diet

To keep things plain and simple, this diet is considerably as deadly as Trump’s McDonald’s diet which consists of McDonald’s Egg McMuffins for breakfast, meatloaf sandwiches for lunch, and a McDonald’s order of two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish sandwiches for dinner (theculturetrip.com). But seriously, the amount of saturated fat in this diet is absolutely ridiculous. Lots of saturated fat equals a high cholesterol which will lead to heart disease. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Eating too much protein can also cause kidney issues, which is yet another reason why this diet can KILL YOU.

Beat the Heat

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By Junior Indy Behr

In our quest to keep Firebirds healthy, we at thebirdonfire.org have discussed diet, eye care, and sleep habits. As the hottest months in the desert fade, we still experience 90-degree days. Indy has some tips for keeping cool.

It’s October, so it is measurably cooler. Most mornings now, I walk outside, and I am surprised by the cooler temperatures and the subtle breezes. “Is fall actually here?” I think to myself. But then, by noon, it ends up being 90 degrees. I tend to prefer cooler temperatures because if you’re cold, all you need is a sweater, some mittens, and perhaps some longer socks to get comfortable. However, when it’s hot, it is much harder to beat the heat. There are some ways to avoid overheating, however. Here are a few!

Stay Hydrated

Junior Audrey Guess keeps water close even when testing in English.

As some of you may know, sweating is designed to cool your body. If you are dehydrated, you will not sweat as much, and as a result, you will have trouble cooling down. Drink up. Room temperature or chilled–the objective is to keep water in your body. This is one of the best ways to cool down during excessive heat.

Sunscreen

When we are experiencing extreme heat, we are at a higher risk of sun damage, so sunscreen is a must. The added benefit of applying and reapplying spray sunscreens is a short-term cooling effect that is very nice when it’s very hot out.

Spend Your Mornings Outdoors

Though the afternoons are still very hot, the mornings have started to become mild and pleasant. As a result of this, I have been trying to spend more time outdoors in the morning to take advantage of these few hours of cooler temperatures. It has been hovering around the mid 70s in the mornings lately, and this is pretty much the only time to catch good temperatures while the sun is up. I already am somewhat of a morning person, so this is personally my favorite pick for beating the heat. This is definitely my favorite time to enjoy a cup of coffee in my backyard before heading to school.

So, now you know a few ways to stay cool in the afternoon until fall really kicks in. Stay hydrated; wear sunscreen; and take a walk in the morning while we’re still in these last few weeks of heat!

Why you need more sleep than you think

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By Junior Levi Kassinove

In our focus on health and healthy living this month, we’ve blogged about good eye health and good diet. Levi reminds us you need a good night’s sleep as well.

Most people in school take sleep for granted. People think that they can just blow off sleep and not face any consequences, justifying it with their school workload. They say it is “because of school” that they stay up so late, to quote Alyna Llapitan, who says she gets “around five hours of sleep” per night. Time management is clearly the real problem. Do we not have time to eat? Do we not have time to drink? The reason why we do it is because we make time for it. We cut time out of our days for food, water, video games, AND SCHOOL. People play on their phones like a bunch of mindless robots rather than going to sleep. You cannot tell me that you stay up every single night doing homework. I’m taking four AP classes, and I still (have the ability to) go to bed by 10 p.m. I’ll admit that I’m also a mindless robot sometimes who stays up until 11 p.m. or even 12 a.m., but that’s still within the range of the recommended daily amount of sleep for teenagers, which is 8-10 hours (cdc.gov). If you go to sleep at 10 p.m., you will get 10 hours of sleep if you wake up for school at 8 a.m. 

Want more on sleep? See Levi’s previous post on astral projection. See it in “Has Levi Been to Area 51?” Photo source: livescience.com

The fact of the matter is people should be making more time for sleep. When we disregard our sleep, we get sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation is AWFUL. The world record for longest time spent awake is 11 days and 25 minutes! The man’s name is Randy Gardner, and he “reported experiencing severe insomnia decades after his sleep experiment” (whatasleep.com). I’m sure many of you pull all nighters for no particular reason. (Scarefest, anyone?) I do it, too, but it can lead to severe health problems. The MINIMUM daily hours sleep to live on is four hours (ojp.gov). Lower quality of sleep is also linked to depression, as people with insomnia have been shown to have a “tenfold higher risk of developing depression than people who get a good night’s sleep” (hopkinsmedicine.com). This might be the cause of your low grades, as depression has a strong causal link to poor academic performance (sprc.org). 

The moral of the story is this: sleep is not optional, nor is it quirky no-consequence fun to pull all-nighters. Get sleep. Do your homework when you get home or during Firebird Time. Nobody has THAT much homework. 

Eating Healthy

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In answering “How to Live a Healthy Life,” thebirdonfire.org staffers offer a few health hacks. Penny suggests we (sadly) put down the sour-cream-and-onion chips and pick up an apple or two.

By Penny Andreas, 7th grader

Fries, burgers, pizza, ice cream–these foods are so delicious, but there is one bad side to them….They are terrible for your health. Though they are tasty and hard to resist, it’s important to know what happens when you eat unhealthy foods. 

Healthy Diets

To be healthy, you don’t need to be skin-and-bone thin or be on a Keto diet. It just means getting the right nutrients for your body. Since bodies are constantly working, it really is important that you pay attention to what you eat. Harmful foods that have high sodium can give you intense headaches, migraines, acne, and more. Instead of eating junk all day, think of eating two or three servings of “growing food.” Growing food is literally things that have nutrients you need to survive–such as vitamins and minerals. 

Why is it Important to Eat Well?

Eating healthy is important because certain foods make natural “shields” to other diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Eating well also provides a good boost to life. Technically, you can live longer when healthy, and you also can be more active. Not only does eating healthy make you feel good physically, it also makes you feel good mentally. Your brain naturally releases happy hormones, but it can be quickly altered by junkie foods. 

Things to Eat

When I get home from school, most of the time I’m very hungry, and I reach for the chips and candy. Thanks to my mom, I know now that there are much better options to eat. For example, nuts and granola are way more nutritious than the good ol’ sour-cream-and-onion chips. For breakfast, yogurt, granola, and fruit are delicious AND nutritious. When you’re eating a sandwich for lunch, a good side is some fruit and popcorn. Popcorn is actually good for you, just minus the extra butter, salt, and additional candy. 

healthline.com

As you can see, eating healthy is a natural requirement of life, and it is important to watch what goes in your body. This doesn’t mean you have to be vegan or what not; it just means don’t eat junk food your whole life. An apple a day, really does keep the doctor away. 

See With A Good Eye!

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As we closed out September, the Blog Staff examined health issues. Alyna plans on doing something in Ophthalmology when she gets older. The eyes fascinate her that much. She feels the eyes are very important in the human body and to our existence. 

By Junior Alyna Rei

Our eyes are what help us humans see everything in the world. The eyes help the brain tell what kind of objects or other artifacts we are looking at. If our other senses are disabled, our eyes can still help us see what can put us in danger. Since the eyes are so important in our everyday lives, I will give you some tips on how to keep our eyes healthy and ready to see the world.

Blogger Indy Behr volunteered his eyes for this post.

Wear sunglasses:

I do this every time I go outside when it is very sunny. I try to find sunglasses that will protect me from the harsh sun. UV (ultraviolet) radiation from the sun might harm your eyes if you don’t use the proper sunglasses. Your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration increases with excessive UV exposure. Ideally, your sunglasses should block 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB radiation (webmd.com). Your eyes are better shielded from the sun by wraparound lenses. Be aware; when reducing glare while driving, polarized lenses–which are not always UV protectant–don’t always provide sufficient protection. 

Do not look at a screen for too long:

These days, looking at a screen is a very common habit. Even I fall into this habit often. When you look at a screen for too long, your eyes can strain, dry up, and can give you blurry vision. When I do look at a screen, I try to look away from the screen every 10 minutes for at least 30 seconds. You can also get glasses specifically for the screens. Some people use blue-light glasses. I have a pair. I feel the glasses lessen the effect of eye strain. The last thing that you can do if you’ve been staring at a screen for hours is blink a couple of times. If this doesn’t help, you can also use artificial tears, aka eye drops.

Go see your eye doctor:

It is always important to get a check up regularly  with your eye doctor. Since we do so much with our eyes, it’s essential our eyes get regular clean bills of health.

That Feeling

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The Blog staff’s second assignment was to “Find a cause” and share it with us, The Bird on Fire readers. Some student bloggers chose to champion their own causes, explain causes going viral, or causes brought about through environmental, political, or social change. Penny, in verse form, chose to illuminate the importance of reaching out to another.

Blog Advisor Zachik

By 7th-Grader Penny Andreas 

The school bell rings

Kids come out of the doors

I sit there waiting

Thinking had anybody come

I come back to my house

Nobody wondering if I am okay

Nobody even noticing

I sit alone with my doubts

I take a walk

By myself

Thinking would anybody notice

If I was gone

Next day I consider not waking up

Still I come to school

Then she walked up to me 

And said she wanted to talk

My classmate guided me out to the hall

She asked if I was okay

I started to cry

I started to bawl 

I told her everything

My struggles at home

I told her the feeling

Of being alone

At first she just looked at me

Then took my hand

She said it would be okay

And she understands

She helped me to my feet

And said she was sorry

She said I have felt that feeling

Of feeling solitary

I will forever thank her

For getting me to my feet

For listening to what I said

For accepting me

For somehow seeing

That feeling

The Most Poisonous Garden on Earth

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By Oliver Martinez, Middle-School Correspondent & Budding Botanist

A castor bean plant sounds harmless, even like it’s meant to be eaten. But, be careful; eating it could be catastrophic. There are lots of dangerous plants on earth. Here’s a garden full of them.

The Poison Garden in Alnwick Castle, located in the English county of Northumberland, was founded in 2006. Interesting point–this is also the place where Harry Potter and Downton Abbey were filmed. Originally, the garden was the Duchess Jane Percy’s idea, to make a garden filled with deadly plants. According to RENATURED: ANIMALS, PEOPLE AND THOSE IN BETWEEN, Duchess Percy said, “I wanted to create a garden that was beautiful yet pleasurable, educational yet not stuffy.”  She succeeded. The garden is definitely not stuffy, but it is scary. This garden has over one hundred poisonous plants: such as the Strychnine tree, deadly nightshade, Castor beans, etc. Entering and breathing this garden could actually kill you. Many people faint upon entering this garden. 

Here is what the interior of the garden looks like. 

Photo Credit: Garden Collage

Let’s look at something that sounds harmless: the castor beans. According to ScienceDirect, “Ricinus communis (castor beans) is classified as the most poisonous plant on earth for humans. The toxicity of raw castor beans is due to the presence of ricin.” Yes, ricinus communis is raw castor beans, and they are highly poisonous. According to MedicineNet, “Ricin is a toxic protein found naturally in castor beans from the castor bean plant. It can be deadly, but it depends on the dose and route of exposure.” So, it is safe to have and use castor oil, but it can cause some issues if taken internally. 

Picture of Castor Beans: source finegardening.com

Another dangerous plant is the Strychnine tree. According to Centers for Disease and Prevention, “Strychnine is a strong poison; only a small amount is needed to produce severe effects in people. Strychnine poisoning can cause extremely serious adverse health effects, including death.” So no, I would not recommend having strychnine at home. This plant is extremely dangerous.

Strychnine Tree: source inaturalist.org

Another poisonous plant found in the garden is deadly nightshade. According to all that’s interesting, “Ingesting just two to four berries can kill a human child. Ten to twenty berries can kill an adult. Even chewing on just one leaf can lead to a dirt nap. Milder symptoms of deadly nightshade poisoning include delirium and hallucinations, which appear quickly once ingested.” Owning this plant if you have kids would be ludicrous. I would say that even if you are an adult, don’t have this plant in your garden.

Deadly Nightshade: source woodlandtrust.org

I’ve asked my friends if they would go into this garden, and for how much cash: 

“I will go for 10 million dollars, and I’ll make sure I bring a good quality gas mask with me.”

Sherwin Hemmati, 8th Grade

“I won’t go at all no matter the money because that can cause me death and my life is worth more than money.”

Michael Pete, 8th Grade

“I’m going in for 10k and I’m bringing a gas mask and dodging all the plants.”

Zander Eaton, 7th Grade

Now, The Poison Garden may not seem like the best place to go for a vacation, but if I ever go to England, I want to visit the Alnwick Castle and its fascinating garden. The reason why is because I’d enjoy reading about the poisonous plants and their history, but I’d definitely bring a gas mask. 

I Had Acne, Too, & I’m Here To Help

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By Jessica Denyer, thebirdonfire.org Editor-in-Chief

No matter who you are or what you do, everyone in the entire world has had at least a pimple in  life. Acne and general skin problems are recurring issues that billions of people deal with every day. I was one of them. I know how terrible it is to feel like you need to hide your face under pounds of makeup or try a new skin product every week. For those of you still suffering, I am here to help! Please, just listen!

Throughout most of middle-school and into my high-school years, I dealt with progressively worsening acne. It was really bad. No, like really bad. I have spent many nights crying into my serums just wishing that some day one of them would finally be the magic fix I needed. I know when I write these things, I’m really personal, but I know I’m not alone here, and I seriously want to help. 

I tried Clearasil. I tried Cetaphil. I tried every drug store brand. I tried every expensive brand. I tried Microblading. I tried special facials. I tried prescription creams and pills. NOTHING. Around the end of freshman year it was really starting to take a toll on me. Mentally, I was exhausted, and it was making me depressed. I would turn down plans regularly, and people would even try to talk to me in regards to my acne. “Have you tried….?” “Do you wash your face?” “You’d be so pretty if you could just get the acne under control.” Yes, these are all real comments I would get on a regular basis. Not to be dramatic, but it was totally ruining my life. I was at my wits’ end, until I heard about a skin expert and acne specialist named Nicole and her company Meta Skin Studio which was located in downtown Palm Springs but has since moved to Borrego Springs.

Nicole Mandallaz, or as I simply know her, Nicole, has been in the esthetics industry for over 13 years and has worked on everyone from Hollywood celebrities to little old me. For her, skincare isn’t just about getting the check; it’s about helping people and making them feel as confident as possible in their own skin.

Now, of course, I was skeptical, but anyone that knows me knows that I am never one to give up. I went home and checked out her website, and it seemed promising. I booked an appointment with her, and when I got there she was so lovely, and I could tell right away she was going to help me. I remember my mom even leaned over to me and said, “I think this one might finally work!” She assessed my skin, but also went on to ask me about my diet and regular habits. She was very detailed and wanted to know everything about me. No one else had ever gone into such detail. I think the thing I liked most about Nicole was the fact that she didn’t make me feel disgusted about my skin. She made me feel comfortable and confident that she was going to get me looking right. 

So besides her wonderful personality, what makes Nicole so special?

Nicole’s products contain ethically sourced, active plant extracts and botanicals that haven’t been diluted like most skincare companies, and they have research-backed results. Her products are all cruelty free, and her packaging is all completely environmentally friendly. I started on a special acne treatment of various products that she had hand picked for me, and she told me to try cutting out sugar, as my skin was inflamed, and sugar apparently contributes to that. After doing this for only two days, I couldn’t believe the immediate results I was having. My skin was less red; the acne itself had gone down, and the rest of my face was soft and smooth. I continued my treatment for six months, and by that time my acne was completely healed. Of course, I still get the occasional zit, who doesn’t? But, overall, my skin was perfect compared to how it once was. Now I use a different set of everyday products from her to keep my skin clear. 

So, what is the point of me writing this? So that the good people of this school who may also be dealing with similar skin issues as I did can finally have some relief. Meta Skin Studio is a small business whose products really work, and I want as many people to know about it as possible both for the prosperity of your skin and her great business. 

A message from Nicole:

“You can think you’re doing everything right from what you read on the internet, but treating acne takes many things internally and externally to help you get clear. It’s not going to be as easy as taking a couple pills or using a few creams, and everyone is unique. What I do is help give you tools to manage acne for the long run. The results are all you, I just help along the way.”


Nicole has relocated recently to her beautiful new spot in Borrego Springs. If that feels too far a drive, you can have an online meeting with her and send her photos of your skin. She can give you an assessment remotely. 

If you want to learn more, reach out to Nicole at (760) 835-2004 or at www.metaskinstudio.com. 

Why do People Love to Hate?

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An Editorial and Explanation by Abigail Horwitt

According to my classmates, I am known to hate people. I wouldn’t say it’s something to be proud of, but it is something normal among people. Let me explain the reasons behind why people enjoy hating other people. 

First of all, what is hate? According to medicine.net, “Hate is the feeling of intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or a sense of injury.” Enough hatred towards a person can lead to hurting them, or even yourself.  Everyone has gone through uncomfortable hatred at some point, either after being betrayed, or hurt physically or emotionally. Yes, it is normal to have hateful thoughts sometimes, but having the feeling of hatred build up for a certain period of time can mess with your mind and body. It can also bring out more negative thoughts and feelings which can affect personal and general relationships. On the other hand, hatred can change the chemistry inside your brain by stimulating the area in your brain that is responsible for planning and putting actions into motion (medicine.net). This part of your brain will trigger aggression, causing you to either defend or attack. While that is happening, your brain will increase two of your hormones called cortisol and adrenaline which can cause things like weight gain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and other chronic illnesses (medicine.net). The feeling of hate can further trigger anxiety, restlessness, overthinking, and paranoia. Very often your brain will try and predict what the person you hate might say to defend themselves against you. Overall, hatred can take a major toll on your mind and body, to the point where if you hate for too long, it could completely affect and hurt your mental health. Your body’s nervous system, immune system, and endocrine system are also negatively affected by hating someone. Having these extreme emotions can also trigger the release of stress hormones in your brain, and over time the stress hormones can cause inflammation throughout your body that can result in serious health consequences (medicine.net). The more intense your emotions become and the more you hold on to the hatred the more it affects your body. 

Love isn’t actually the opposite of hate. Love is the feeling of deep affection towards someone. The actual opposite of hate is mental and emotional indifference. Why? The reason for hate not being the opposite of love is because hatred is a form of attachment to the thing or person you hate the most. Instead of affection towards someone, the feeling of hate can falsely inflate the ego and creates a false sense of superiority and self-righteousness against the thing or person who is hated (medicine.net). What makes you feel better about hating?

Finding someone to hate with you.

The Science of People site asks, is the cliché true that “No bond is stronger than two people who hate the same person?” (scienceofpeople.com). Research out of the University of South Florida has discovered that people who are able to share their negative feelings towards someone compared to those who share positive feelings are more likely to form a stronger bond. So, that cliche does actually have some truth to it.

Even though hatred is socially unacceptable on most occasions, it’s natural; we’ve all felt it. Careful: hatred can be intoxicating. When we hate enough to share our strong feelings, we often find like minds, and people bond–but not in a necessarily healthy way (scienceofpeople.com).

Medicine.net recommends we acknowledge our feelings of hatred and find a solution to the problem; bring down our blood pressure; understand the root cause of our hate; and do something about it. Very often, the root of hatred is insecurity and mistrust. So, build and gather the tools you need to strengthen.