March 7, 2005
By Brady James
The effects of using meth, or any kind of drug, can change the course of your life forever.
In using meth, as I have seen firsthand, you lose your sense of self, you're no longer you.
It will make life so much harder to live, you want to give up, but you realize that if you
do... no more drugs, no more “fun”. The drug not only takes over you, but it even takes
over your family, and rips it into tiny shreds, shreds that cannot be pieced back together.
The effects of meth on your body, your soul, and your family, may never, and almost
never, be corrected.
The risks you take upon yourself by using meth, will overcome you! In time you will
begin to change, change in just about every way possible. At first it's slow, you lose a
little weight here and there, but then it all comes down. Your skin, it begins to shrivel up,
and get cold and rough. You mood changes so drastically that people hate to be around
you, and try to think of excuses to get away. Then you are alone! The only thing you will
have left in your life... will be you, and sometimes... that just isn't enough. Your life will
change from good to bad the moment you put that pipe to your lips. You lose the respect
of friends, family, and even yourself! Everything you had ever achieved... disappears.
The risks you take upon yourself may seem pretty harsh, but the effect it has on your
family: is ten times worse. I myself, know of five families who have gone through this
mess. And let me tell you, nothing hurts worse than having your parents chose meth over
you... nothing! My parents used to argue in front of me, and when they would get high it
got worse, I was scared to come home, or be home. You never know what might happen,
who may hit who, or even, if one might come out alive. Try, for one second, try living in
constant fear, in constant apprehension... hard isn't it? Try waiting day after day after day,
for things to get better, and see that day after day... it just gets worse and worse. Then one
day, your kids are taken from you, and your drugged state... you almost don't care. You
think, “Now I can do whatever I want, nobody to care for now.” You don't take into
consideration how badly you are hurting the children by not caring. But as they drive
away, the parent inside you breaks out, and you realize what just happened, and all you
can do is cry in you own pity... nobody, will be there for you. It doesn't even have to be
your immediate family... you will most likely lose everyone.
On a final note, I hope that they will see what they are doing, see who they are hurting.
Not everyone is going to be forgiving; by the time they realize what they have done,
everyone is gone. So now, they have to choose. What do they really want? What do they
want in their future? They have to do it now before they get in to deep. Choose. It's your
life, do you think it's worth living?
Note: The Mayor’s Teen Advisory Council will be working on a public service
announcement about methamphetamine use in our area. If you are interested in helping
with this project, please contact the Teen Zone at 566-2201 or e-mail
teenzone@infoway.org.
Besides flirting, how do you know if a guy really likes you?
---Jennie
If you talk to this guy enough, and he even flirts with you, then I would say there is a
good chance that he might have the hots for you. I assume you can joke around with him
and maybe even tell each other your problems. It sounds like a go for you. On the other
hand, if you two only see each other in one class each day or work together, then maybe
he is opening up to you just because you are the only one around or something. If you
think that might be the case, here is what you could do to test that theory. Simply ask
him to lunch and see what he says. If he says yes, then there may be something there.
Talk to him outside of his work or school environment. If he seems to be the same
person, it’s looking good for you. Of course, you would have to be the one to bring up
what you really want to know. If he says no, then maybe you should move on. That is
okay if he acts differently. Some people are just that way. Good luck, and be grand.
---Doc Martin
Have a problem and think Doc Martin can help? Send your question to teenzone@infoway.org.
MTAC is working hard on their upcoming project. Their next project is collecting
supplies to send to the troops. We will collect supplies at area schools and give them to
the Blue Star Mothers who will send them to the troops. We especially need supplies for
the hot weather. Sunscreen and lip balm with sunscreen would be especially helpful.
Because of the hot temperature in Iraq, however, the Blue Star Mothers ask that we not
donate any chocolate. We need students to set up collection boxes in their schools to
help gather supplies. There will also be a box set up in the Farmington Public Library.
MTAC members also wanted to spread some encouraging words to the troops and will be
making a CD to send to them. We would like poetry, letters and anything else to help
encourage our men and women in the service.
If you would be interested in having the Mayor’s Teen Advisory Council help your
school to “Rally around the Troops,” please contact the Teen Zone by calling 566-2201
or e-mailing teenzone@infoway.org.
The Teen Zone has a great addition each week! Every week, we’ll ask you a question
based on "The Daily Spark" by Spark Notes. Anyone with an idea can write a response,
and send it to the Teen Zone at mtacyap@infoway.org.
Last week we asked to you to tell us about a special event you planned. Kelsey put a lot
of work into her Lord of the Rings party last year. She says:
“Last year I decided to throw a Lord of the Rings party. My brother, sister and I spent a
long time planning it, eight months in fact! Every one who came made great costumes!
At the party we had a contest and voted for who had the best costume and who said a
line from the movie the most like the character they were portraying. We had Hobbit
dances, Lord of the Rings Jeopardy, and lots of other fun games! It turned out even better
than I had planned. It was even dubbed ‘The party of the century’ by some of my friends.
It was hard to wait eight months to have it but all that planning helped it turn out great!”
Last week was Dr. Seuss’ birthday. In one of his books, “Horton Hears a Who,” Horton
finds a small dust speck on which a planet of little things live. Everybody else tells him
to throw the speck of dust away, but Horton insists that “A person is a person, no matter
how small.” What do you think? Is Horton’s quote true, or does our society undervalue
the “insignificant” people?
Send your thoughts to the Teen Zone at mtacyap@infoway.org or for more information,
call the Teen Zone at 566-2201.