You know, you remember Mario Kart 64 and Starfox 64, for none other than the Nintendo 64. Although it's such an old system, it's also a real classic. We have come out with PlayStation, Gamecube, Xbox, but none of that tops the classic gaming consoles, controllers, and games of 64.

I terribly miss knowing all the controls and little shortcuts in Mario Kart. My first game. I remember we just got the game system when I was a little girl, and I threw the control saying, "I hate this game! I keep losing!" Soon enough, guess who was the champion of the household?

I remember Starfox, and always being confused by what they were saying to each other. Enough chatting, let's get down to serious business! I always got over the water, through the city, but once it came to the last part of the game, which was facing that giant thing whose name I can barely remember to this day. Maybe thats because I never got past that part!?

Another one, Tomb Raider. I didn't play Tomb Raider on Nintendo 64, but instead, I played it on PlayStation 1. I remember being completely creeped out by that waiter who followed you everywhere. My sister mastered this game; she was going through the obstacles as fast as I've ever seen anybody virtually go.

Sigh, if only I could get my 64 back...

(true story)

In history, my teacher was telling us about the Romanov family who were the loyal Russian family from 1613 - 1917. For generations, each son took over the throne. Unfortunately, the only son who was born in one of the families to carry on as the next czar (king) was born with a terrible condition called hemophilia, which is when you get bruised or cut, your blood never stops bleeding and your body can't clot. Some people are born without it.

So, the family was ecstatic when the son came along some man who was said to have magical healing powers. He was a womanizer, he was dirty, he was a drunk. But, whenever he was around the young boy, Alexei, his nose bleeds stopped and his bruises went away. He was much better. When this man, Resputin, was forced to leave the royal family's palace because he was such a disgusting man, Alexei began getting sick and bleeding internally and externally again. The parents, Nicholas and Alexandra, called Resputin up on the phone begging for him to help their son. So, all Resputin had to do was talk to Alexei on the phone... and then he was better.

Resputin was assassinated soon after. He was poisoned several ways and lived. He was beaten down by a group of people and lived. He was shot six times while running away, and lived. The only way he died was drowning in a river. So maybe he was a magic man?

So, now the magical man is dead. The only male to take his father's place to continue to the Romanov ruling has a terrible medical condition. He could die, and the family could be taken down from leadership. But, Resputin had hypnotized Alexei on the phone. He had told him he's going to make it, and he will be strong and healthy. Although the magical man was killed, Alexei did stop bleeding and he did become healthy. He was a normal boy now.

(Despite the fact him and his whole family was killed.)

The moral of this story is that if you're really sick or if you have a medical condition like Alexei did, the strongest thing in your body to fight this is your mind. If you believe that you can defeat what's happening in your body (or not happening), it will most likely go away. People with cancer have fought their way out of it because they fought it, not doubting themselves. Patrick Swayze had pancreatic cancer for fourteen months. Usually, when diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you only have four to five weeks to live. He was strong and said this cancer wasn't going to take him. He was confident and lived another fourteen months.

My advice to anybody out there or even to myself one day is to just stay strong and confident. Always tell yourself you're going to get through it, and fight it. In the end, it really just might pay off. The power of the mind is very surprising, and much stronger than we give credit for.