Time Management

Time Management

 

 

Is blogging during class beneficial? Can you focus? Is there enough time for you to accomplish anything by the time you log on?

The answer for me is absolutely! Even if you start with 30 minutes of class time left like I am doing right now gives me enough time to get started. I can get at least half of my paper done during a blogging day if I am focused and am in “thinking mode”. One thing about blogging during class is that people around you can distract you or when they begin to start talking I get really frustrated and lose my train of thought.

Just to prove that blogging during class time is beneficial, I have been typing for 6 minutes and I already have a little over 130 words.

Coming up with ideas can go either way with it being helpful or not while sitting in a computer lab. It can be helpful with coming up with an idea or two by just simply looking around the rooms at your peers. If you just look you can find many ideas even in such a bland room, for instance; I guarantee at least one person is sitting there chomping on gum, listening to music, painting their nails or even doing other homework because they don’t think it is beneficial for them to being blogging with 30 minutes left of class. Just these simple things can turn into a huge blogging idea where you can expand onto and come up with a great purpose to match it. A not so good thing about being in such a bland computer lab and being surrounded by 20 other students can be distractions. If you like to blog and normally blog at home in your silent room then blogging at school and getting something accomplished may be difficult. One thing I dislike about blogging during class is that I will be in the middle of a great idea and a sentence into a paragraph and BOOM the bell rings and I have to try and remember my train of thought until I get home to pick up where I left off, but I never do remember…

I personally am not a big fan about blogging during class because it takes me awhile to get started. But something about me and I’m sure a lot of you are like this also. Once I begin typing I just keep going and going and going.

Instead of blogging during class because you know you physically can’t focus. Try blogging outdoors when you get home! That cool breeze and bird chirps make it easy and peaceful to write and you will be done before you know it. If you’re not going to blog during class still make you class time useful by reading other blogs or writing down topic ideas. (478)

Fun Day Sunday

Fun Day Sunday

            Sundays are my free, laid back and homework days. Some people are probably thinking right now of how crazy I am for saving all of my homework for Sundays but that is how it works for me. Don’t get me wrong if I have a free Saturday here and there I will start my homework and sometimes finish it which is good for me because that means instead of multi tasking while trying to watch the Packers I just get to relax.

            During this time of the year is when football begins to get super competitive and serious and I resist to ever missing the Packers play because they are my favorite team in the NFL. I love watching the Packers play and hopefully one of these days my dad will get us tickets to go see them for real! Seeing the packers play in real life would be a dream come true.

            For me doing homework while watching the game makes me feel like I am getting a lot more done in a smaller amount of time. I think this is, because I am balancing out doing something boring and having fun. This method works very well for me and it may work well for you too. The only problem with my time management method is that sometimes I go to a friends’ house to watch the game and I either go early to hang out for a while or stay a little later. In this case I would wake up early in the morning to finish my homework before I leave my house, that way I am not paranoid about getting my homework done in time when I get home. So then I can just relax, have fun and enjoy my time with my friends while it lasts.

            So my friends and I were having this debate on whether Sunday Night Football was better or Monday night Football. I said Sunday because you can hang out with friends and relax all day where Monday you either have school or work and you still need to get your homework done and need to get to bed at a decent hour. What do you prefer, Sunday Night Football or Monday Night Football? Leave a comment and let me know! (422)

Crime is Pride

Crime is Pride 

Think: all men make mistakes

But a good man yields when he

Knows his course is wrong,

And repairs the evil: The only

Crime is pride.

 

This excerpt does show assertiveness because it takes a stand. By saying; "All men make mistakes" is showing that it is taking a side. In modern day everyone knows that the woman is always right, even when they are wrong. When a man tries to argue with his women he normally stops and lets it go because that is the right thing to do. Instead of keeping the argument up he steps down and tries to cure it by starting with sorry I was wrong. Then he normally would say nice things to her so she is happy again.
 

When a man shows sympathy towards a woman it means great things. Especially when the men have the guts to admit they were wrong, even when they were clearly right! Some men may just play it off and hope that it doesn’t impede any more of their progress, but the only thing standing in their way is themselves. Some people are just too proud to show everyone else that they messed up. Their egos get a shot in the face, and the bad man thinks way too much of himself to let anything reshape his reputation (line 5).
 

Even though knowing the woman is always right is just a norm. God made us equal and free. No one should have to just do something just to fit in the norm or not get broken up with our frowned upon. It shouldn’t matter if it is the “gentleman thing” to do. For crying out loud he already holds the door for you… (342)

 

Summer Fun

Camping

                Ah camping camping camping. There are so many things to do while camping. For starters you get to be with your friends and family. At night time, after it gets dark and the stars come out, you can start a fire and make s’mores. If you’re a kid like me, you will ditch the dinner and have s’mores instead. Sitting around the fire, laughing and telling stories with your friends and family is always fun and entertaining and a great way to end the day. After a long night of eating s’mores and telling ghost stories around the campfire and drinking way too much alcohol (for those over the age of 21), you go back to your camper or tent and sleep to finish the night. Then in the morning you are awaken of the wonderful sounds of the birds and you walk outside just to see the beautiful sunrise.

After sitting in your lawn chair for awhile, watching the sunrise you slowly walk over to the neighborhood breakfast. The best thing about it is the breakfast is all homemade. After getting a full belly and put your swimsuit on, you are ready to hit the water. On a nice sunny hot day there are so many things to do while camping. You can go to the beach, skiing, wakeboarding, floating and jetskiing. If you decide to go to the beach you first have to decide on how you are going to get there, by boat or by jetski. Well if you don’t have one or the other than your decision is pretty easy then isn’t it? If you go by jetski don’t just take a straight shot to the beach. Have a little fun, go off the other boats waves. Then by the time you get to the beach you will be ready to relax and catch some rays. If you go by boat then crank the tunes and cruise on over to the beach while dancing, singing, and having a blast. If you want you could also go tubing off the back of the boat and get some massive air. Then when you arrive at the beach you will be so pumped up from tubing and jammin’ out that you will still be ready to keep the party going. On the beach you can play sand volleyball, football, you can make up your own games or go floating down the  river or just lay out and get some sun. After being at the beach for a while, go out on the water and try some new things. If you have never skied before than try it. You will never know if you like it or not if you don’t try it. If it is a not so nice day and you can’t go out on the water because it is raining or about to rain you can find things to do to have fun and keep yourself entertained. For instance, you can play cards, watch movies, go get pizza up the road, play in the rain, or just talk with your friends and take random pictures because that’s always fun! Just because it’s not hot and sunny doesn’t mean you can’t change your plans from lets say catching rays to playing cards with grandma.

You never know you may find things out about all sorts of stuff in just one rainy day that you thought could only go wrong. (572)

Take your pick

Presents, Homemade or Purchased? 

Would you rather receive a handmade present or a present that was bought? Okay, granted the purchased present looks better, is better quality and is in fashion. But handmade presents mean something. Receiving a handmade present really means the world and warms your heart, knowing someone put time and effort into something for you.

It’s a lot of fun making the present too! It’s like a little craft that you get to give someone and you know they will love. To make the gift extra meaningful you can make the gift you are giving to a friend and make one for you too, that way it can be a friendship ordeal. Instead of everything being a surprise you and your friend could have a craft week where you get together and make and exchange gifts. That way you get to spend time together and have fun!

For Christmas many families get together and draw names out of hats for a “secret Santa”. This is a lot of fun especially for little kids. All month, depending on when you draw names, the kids are anxious to find out who their “Santa” is. While each person is wondering what they are going to get they are also wondering what they are going to get the persons’ name whom they drew.

Of course as a kid you want that new hip toy from the coolest store. But, looking back at it wouldn’t you have wished you got something meaningful that was handmade? I know I would. I always found it cool as a child when the neighbor girl up the street that was five years older than me, made me and her matching friendship bracelets and shirts. It made me feel special that someone who I look up to would do that for me. When she would hand me my present I would have the biggest smile on my face and would think I was dreaming.

Giving people, especially younger kids, a gift that came from your heart can make their day. You will forever be remembered as an idol to that little kid. Even though they are younger than you, you made them something and said it was a friend charm just to make them feel special.  They will never forget that, trust me I know! (388)

Dogs are the Best

Why Dogs are the Best Pets

Dogs are the best pets to have at all ages because each and every dog has its’ own unique personality. No matter what your age is as an owner you can find the most perfect dog to keep you company.

The thing about dogs is that you can find the perfect one for you no matter how picky you might be. Dogs are all different sizes, from 4 lbs – 300 lbs.  There are thousands and thousands of breads and on top of that you can get a dog with sports, patches or even just a single color.

Dogs are fun to be around also. They get very energetic and wild and then they are so worn out that they sleep for hours. Dogs are very smart and they are one of few animals that you can actually play and be active with. If you want to go to the park you can take your dog and instead of driving there you can run or walk to get exercise for both your dog and you. Once you get to the part you can play fetch, throw a Frisbee or even just let your dog run and have fun. You can also train your dog to be obedient to impress your friends. Teach him or her to roll over, sit, lay down, to shake, to stand on his/her hind legs, and even how to play dead. If you take the time any dog can do these things but make sure to reward them when you are in the process of training them so they know they are doing something good.

Dogs are especially good to have around during the winter. Because at night when you are laying in your bed freezing you can have your dog come jump in bed with you no matter what their size, but the bigger the better because when they snuggle up and lay next to you they make you so warm instantly it’s cozy. The downer about have a quite large dog that likes to snuggle is that in the summer you can get really, really hot at night it is very uncomfortable.

Dogs are also very caring and loving. They can tell when you are down because they get all worried and lay by you. It’s just amazing what all a dog can do. Just think about it, police officers have a K9 unit and the dogs not only understand English but they also understand German! That’s crazy. Those dogs can smell anything and find what they are looking for in an unbelievable time, plus they save lives.

Now after putting a ton of thought into this try telling yourself and/or others that dogs are not the best pet to have.  (462)

Where is your Safe Place...

Home

Home, what is home? Yes, it’s where you live or lived but it is so much more than that.

Home is you, as a person as a friend or neighbor.  Home is something that has impacted your life forever and made you who you are today. Home can be the time when you and the neighbor boy scared the old lady from across the street on Halloween and practically gave her a heart attack. Home is about all the memories you have or will make.  It is that place you feel safe no matter what condition you are in. You can go there and feel invisible. It’s where you can have parties for your years of aging or just for having friends and family over for a good time. It’s also a place where you get grounded for breaking the house rules, but hey that’s life. No one’s perfect.

Feel no shame and be proud of where you were born and raised in what you call home. Home is what you make it. One thing you need to know, no matter where you go, keep your heart and soul in your hometown. It’s where you learn about living, it’s where you learn about love, it’s where you learn about working hard.  Home is where you learn about Jesus it’s where you learn the values of life that you keep for the rest of your life.

Home comes in all different sizes.  Some have mansions and have pools to lay out at in the summer time and have a personal maid to clean up after them and make them food.  Others are used to not having much. They come from a different side of town and to them home is their family and everyone in the neighborhood giving a hand to help one another out.  It’s the trust between neighbors and the help of lending and borrowing.  These two life styles are very different and opposite but in another way there outcome is the same.

 In another circumstance home for an old person may just simply be sitting out on the porch in a rocking chair enjoying the fresh air on a warm day. They get to hear the joy coming from the neighborhood kids, 4-square game and it may just bring back memories for them.  For kids 13 and under home is where their guardians feed and cherish every minute of their life. To some home is that soccer field down the road that was so torn up but the kids had fun anyway because they were all together. The kids learn something new every day and when they grow old they will cherish those days.  When they are the old person in the rocking chair on a warm nice day listening to their neighborhood children they once were.

Home is also a place of wishing and dreaming. At night we dream we are the best at everything and wish we could do things that in reality we cannot.  It’s staring out into the night trying to hide the pain. Going to the place where love and feeling good don’t ever cost a thing. Going home back to the place where you belong.  Don’t regret the life god chose for you because the place where you call home will be within you forever and always.  All the faces that have ever given you a helping hand are aging and soon they will need yours.  Home is what you make it. (581)

How is your Fitness?

Fitness

What is exercise? Why is it important? The answer to these questions are really simple. Exercise can simply be walking around your neighborhood or more advanced running a few miles and doing things to make you sweat. Exercise is very important for your health, for your body and it is just a good thing to do. Everyone should exercise at least once a day. It doesn’t matter how old you are, from toddlers to grandparents exercising is good for you and easy to do.

For toddlers and elementary kids exercise is extremely important. Your body is growing and you need to be outside running around even if you are just playing tag around the playground at recess. During middle school is when kids begin to stop exercising because in middle school we no longer have recess. Unless a child plays a sport for their school they only have gym to get exercise or to exercise on their own at home. To be honest not many kids just go on a run when they get home from school as of I know, they want to hang out with friends and play video games. As we get older and enter high school the population of kids that go out for sports and stick it out for all four years is a small number. High school gym classes are a joke so the kids that have to take gym because they don’t do a sport don’t get near as much exercise that their bodies need to be getting.

Playing a sport in college is extremely rare and the kids that aren’t playing a sport are so overwhelmed with the tremendous amount of homework that they have that they don’t have time to exercise and not to mention that exercising is the last thing on their mind. This is one of the reasons for the “Freshman 15”. Former high school athletes that don’t continue to play a sport in high school are probably the ones that gain the most weight in college because there body is used to running and being at practice every day burning calories. Speaking from experience; I play 4 sports competitively all year round and when I broke my foot and was out for four months, I put on at least 15 pounds. When I came back and began playing my sports again I lost the weight I gained but every move I made was just that much harder because I hadn’t exercised in what seemed like a century. 

As an elder or being 55 or older is when your body really begins to slow down. To stay in shape and keep your health up you can exercise. It’s not a hard thing to do, just walk down the street and back to get your heartbeat up and burn some calories. It may not seem like much but it will pay off in the long run. (487)

Life is a Dance

Life is a Dance

1 There is no better way to describe life without a smile.

2 A smile is the meaning of life.

3 Everyone has a different way of expressing their description.

 4 To me, “life is a dance, you learn as you go.” (Seskin, Shamblin)

5 You can’t always determine your path of life, but you are in control of it.

6 “Sometimes you lead and sometimes you follow.” (Seskin, Shamblin)

7 “Don’t worry about what you don’t know.” (Seskin, Shamblin)

8 Your life is in your own hands, “sink or swim you gotta give it a whirl.” (Seskin, Shamblin)

9 Yet life is a bewildered knowing, there is so much unlearned.

10 Life is like the weather of Iowa, you never know what is going to happen. One day you are up       11 and the next day, BOOM, it’s like a tornado hit.

12 But it’s okay because “beautiful things never last, that’s why fireflies flash.” (Pope)

13 Be that firefly glistening in the crowd and ask not what in life you can do –                                         14 ask what you can do in your life.

15 Living is rare, most people just exist.

16 Don’t be another face in the crowd, be that person who not only has a name,                                    17 but has a reason to be remembered.

18 Life is a dance. Will you learn as you go?

 

 

Line 4 is an example of a metaphor. A metaphor is when you compare two things using the word is. “ Life is a Dance, you learn as you go”, metaphorically speaking means you just have to let life flow as you keep moving on.

Line 8 is an example of a metonymy. A Metonymy is using a single featureto represent a whole. Your hands are simply the single feature representing your life being the whole.

Line 9 is an example of an oxymoron. An oxymoron is a juxtaposion of words that seem to contradict oe another. “Bewildered knowing.” Bewildered means surprised, and knowing is the opposite, but it makes since because I was simultaneously working single handed on this poem.

Line 10 is an example of a simile. A simile is when you compare two things using the words like or as. “Life is like the weather of Iowa” just like; A.P Lang is like the death of me but helpful at the same time. They’re both bipolar…

Line 11 is an example of an onomatopoeia. An onomatopeia is the sound of saying the word and the sound it makes. The word “boom”, is being used as a transition word and theoretically, the boom is what happens when the tornado hits.

Line 13 is an example of diction. Diction is unique word choice. Although it sounds super cheesy it is a stand out word choice, considering when you are glistening you really stand out! By using this surprising word choice it really makes my tone seem joyful but calm and it flows.

Lines 13 and 14 are an example of an Antimetabole. An Antimetabole is the repitetion of words in reverse order. By having this in my poem it really makes you think, and expect more from yourself.

 

Works Cited

Pope, Ron. (2008). Fireflies. Daylight [CD]. New York, NY.

Shamblin, Allen. Seskin, Steve. (1992). Life’s a Dance [Recorded by John Michael Montgomery]. Life’s a Dance [CD]. New York, NY: Atlantic Records.

It's Breakable

Glass

            Glass is made to be millions of different things and used for millions of different reasons. Glass is very breakable as my grandma would say and she still makes me use plastic cups and plates when I am at her house. Glass is also very pretty; especially those glass paintings in the museums.

Glass is used for many things. One thing glass is used for is car windows.  Car window glass is made out of glass that shatters into small pieces so it doesn’t cut you if you get into an accident. House windows keep out the weather, the cold, the rain and the snow; you have to have glass windows in your house for your protection.  You can open and close your house windows whenever you want according to the weather. Windows keep burglars out because you open them from the inside. You would have no protection in your homes or your cars without glass. 

There are many other uses for glass; like dishes, drinking glasses, vase for flowers and some tables. The most important use is the windows in your home and vehicles. (186)

Summer Fun!

Camping

                Ah camping camping camping. There are so many things to do while camping. For starters you get to be with your friends and family. At night time, after it gets dark and the stars come out, you can start a fire and make s’mores. If you’re a kid like me, you will ditch the dinner and have s’mores instead. Sitting around the fire, laughing and telling stories with your friends and family is always fun and entertaining and a great way to end the day. After a long night of eating s’mores and telling ghost stories around the campfire and drinking way too much alcohol (for those over the age of 21), you go back to your camper or tent and sleep to finish the night. Then in the morning you are awaken of the wonderful sounds of the birds and you walk outside just to see the beautiful sunrise.

After sitting in your lawn chair for awhile, watching the sunrise you slowly walk over to the neighborhood breakfast. The best thing about it is the breakfast is all homemade. After getting a full belly and put your swimsuit on, you are ready to hit the water. On a nice sunny hot day there are so many things to do while camping. You can go to the beach, skiing, wakeboarding, floating and jetskiing. If you decide to go to the beach you first have to decide on how you are going to get there, by boat or by jetski. Well if you don’t have one or the other than your decision is pretty easy then isn’t it? If you go by jetski don’t just take a straight shot to the beach. Have a little fun, go off the other boats waves. Then by the time you get to the beach you will be ready to relax and catch some rays. If you go by boat then crank the tunes and cruise on over to the beach while dancing, singing, and having a blast. If you want you could also go tubing off the back of the boat and get some massive air. Then when you arrive at the beach you will be so pumped up from tubing and jammin’ out that you will still be ready to keep the party going. On the beach you can play sand volleyball, football, you can make up your own games or go floating down the  river or just lay out and get some sun. After being at the beach for a while, go out on the water and try some new things. If you have never skied before than try it. You will never know if you like it or not if you don’t try it. If it is a not so nice day and you can’t go out on the water because it is raining or about to rain you can find things to do to have fun and keep yourself entertained. For instance, you can play cards, watch movies, go get pizza up the road, play in the rain, or just talk with your friends and take random pictures because that’s always fun! Just because it’s not hot and sunny doesn’t mean you can’t change your plans from lets say catching rays to playing cards with grandma.

You never know you may find things out about all sorts of stuff in just one rainy day that you thought could only go wrong. (572)

Fraternal and Identical Twins

The Benefits of being a Twin

            Do you know any twins? Do they act the same or totally opposite? Are they identical or fraternal? I know a lot of twins, some are fraternal and some are identical but I have found that either way they all have something unique and different about them.

            I have a set of twins on my club soccer team that are both really close to me. Of course I can tell the difference between Kattie and Meghan, but many others can’t. For example my mom still cannot tell the difference between them because she doesn’t talk to them up close a lot. It is pretty sad actually because I have been playing soccer with them for about four years now. The method my mom uses to help her try to determine the difference between them is, she has to say their jersey number along with their name and I can’t help but laugh. My mom is consistently saying Kattie 21 and Meghan 22, and she still can’t get it right. I told Meghan and Kattie about my moms’ method and how it isn’t working extremely well and they were on the floor dying of laughter.

            I know twins that finish each other’s sentences, do the same sports, have the same friends and are with each other almost one hundred percent of the time. But I also know twins that look nothing alike, one is a little bit rounder than the other, one is a total geek and the other is an all around athlete, one has a ton of friends and the other has maybe one or two, but they get along extremely well and are good friends themselves. My point being it doesn’t matter how different the twins are or how much alike they are, they will still have that special connection between them that makes them closer than the average brother and sister.

            I have always wondered if twins split up the homework they have every night or if they have a crush on the same person, what do they do? If I was a twin I would make sure I had all the same classes as him or her, not necessarily the same class periods as them but the same classes. That way we could do every project together and work around our schedules that are a lot similar than a friend that lives across town, so we can manage our time more wisely. I would also split the homework load up each night, that way we can get to bed a lot sooner and get all of our homework done. It would also be nice to have someone at home that can help you with a subject you don’t understand and you can have a mini study session before tests and final exams. That would be very beneficial to have. Having a crush on the same person may get a little tricky, because you never want a girl or boy to get between you and your siblings. So as of now I don’t know the answer to my question but maybe I will ask some of the twins I know if they have ever been stuck in a similar situation and what they did to solve it. (546)

The meaning of a word...

Baller!

When you say the word balls, it means something different to people of all ages.

Two year olds might think of nerf balls to through around in the house.  Probably a gift from an adult so when they through it they won’t break anything. They also might use them to plan in the bath tub. They fill them with water and then squeeze them so the water comes shooting out.

Three and four year olds might think of a soccer ball. Their parents take them out in the heat, the rain and the cold just to kick that ball up and down a field to get it in a net. 

Five and six year olds and not just boys might think of a football. Boys and girls go out and put flags on and run with that pig skin ball to get a touchdown.

Okay we’ve got nerf balls, soccer balls and footballs. No let’s move on to softballs and baseballs. Kids of all ages use these balls in the summer.  Volleyballs are used in schools and on the beach by both girls and boys.  They even use volleyballs in the Olympics.

College boys like to get down and dirty while throwing that rugby ball around if they aren’t padding up and throwing the football. The basketball is another ball that is used from age three all the way through college.  Now we’ve talked about all of these different ages that play with balls but what about those adults out there.  Adult’s even grandparents enjoy hitting that little white ball into a hole. Of course they also like getting in the cart to get to the ball they just hit. Adults can play with this ball for hours. Adults also like getting exercise with the racquetball and a tennis ball. Oh yes there is another little white ball that adults like hitting on a table and that is the ping pong ball. Let’s not forget the cricket ball and bowling ball. 

What would life be like without balls? There are so many balls of shapes, size and colors and all used for different sports. Without balls there would be no school sports, no club sports and no pro sports for people to watch on TV.  Just think there would be some many less events at the Olympics without balls.

So there are soccer balls, nerf balls, footballs, softballs, base balls, racquetballs, basketballs, rugby balls, golf balls, tennis balls, ping pong balls, volleyballs, cricket balls, and bowling balls. How many different types of balls can you name? (457)  

It's the Thought that Counts

Gifts

Would you rather receive a handmade present or a present that was bought? Okay, granted the purchased present looks better, is better quality and is in fashion. But handmade presents mean something. Receiving a handmade present really means the world and warms your heart, knowing someone put time and effort into something for you.

It’s a lot of fun making the present too! It’s like a little craft that you get to give someone and you know they will love. To make the gift extra meaningful you can make the gift you are giving to a friend and make one for you too, that way it can be a friendship ordeal. Instead of everything being a surprise you and your friend could have a craft week where you get together and make and exchange gifts. That way you get to spend time together and have fun!

For Christmas many families get together and draw names out of hats for a “secret Santa”. This is a lot of fun especially for little kids. All month, depending on when you draw names, the kids are anxious to find out who their “Santa” is. While each person is wondering what they are going to get they are also wondering what they are going to get the persons’ name whom they drew.

Of course as a kid you want that new hip toy from the coolest store. But, looking back at it wouldn’t you have wished you got something meaningful that was handmade? I know I would. I always found it cool as a child when the neighbor girl up the street that was five years older than me, made me and her matching friendship bracelets and shirts. It made me feel special that someone who I look up to would do that for me. When she would hand me my present I would have the biggest smile on my face and would think I was dreaming.

Giving people, especially younger kids, a gift that came from your heart can make their day. You will forever be remembered as an idol to that little kid. Even though they are younger than you, you made them something and said it was a friend charm just to make them feel special.  They will never forget that, trust me I know! (412)

BFF

Friends

            I know some of you are reading this and thinking this is a dumb topic, but some people really don’t know how to make a true friend.

            In order to become friends with a true friend or a best friend you MUST be yourself. Don’t try to impress the person you just met by telling them little white lies about yourself because they will want to be friends or not friends with the person you are describing. You must always be honest. Tell them about yourself and ask about them, find things you have in common and things you don’t because maybe they can teach you how to do things you never knew how to do. By doing this, you will have a best friend in no time. Don’t sweat it if you find a friend that doesn’t have the characteristic that your best friend should have. Just keep that friend as a close friend, you never no someday they may turn out to be your best friend.

            Treating others the way you want to be treated is one of the most important roles of friendships and life in general. Sadly it is one of the most abused also. I don’t get what is so hard about it either. Let’s say from a friend’s point of view; you were supposed to hang out with your best friend but something came up and instead of telling the truth you lie about why you have to cancel. Would you want your best friend to lie to you? Or would you want to be told the truth? If your best friend is a true friend the s/he will understand why you had to cancel. Just be honest and don’t take others for granted. If you do all of these things you will have yourself a best friend in no time, but don’t rush it. (375)

Electric

Electricity

Without electricity now a day I think it would be extremely hard to survive. Where I live we have brutal winters and steamy summers. Without electricity I wouldn’t have heat in my house to keep me warm in the winter and air conditioning to cool me off in the summer.

It’s really hard to think of things you do or use that don’t involve electricity in some sort of way. Every time you go to type that homework assignment, turn your lamp on to write an essay, make a pizza in the oven, and use the refrigerator so your milk doesn’t spoil or even to set your alarm clock in the morning so you are on time for wherever you need to go, you are using electricity.

Everyone is constantly using electricity whether you realize it or not. When you are driving at night you are only capable of doing so because of street lights and your headlights, which run off electricity.

Back in the day, laundry was washed in a sink and dried on clothes lines in the back yard. It wasn’t the greatest technique and the most cleansing. I’m glad we have washers and driers now. It makes the whole washing and drying process a whole lot quicker and a lot more sanitary. Washing machines that use electricity are also a lot better at getting stains out of your clothes than wash boards are.

For emergency purposes it is great to have a cell phone, but you also have to make sure you charge it. A plus is that you can charge your phone at home in a wall outlet or for more convenience on the go in your car. Either way you are using electricity.

You have to use electricity to cook.  You use a microwave when you are in a hurry or an electric stove if you aren’t.  Electric mixers make it easier to bake. 

You couldn’t listen to music or watch TV without electricity.  Life is a lot more fun with electricity than without it.  When there is a storm and your electricity goes out you really miss it.

As you can see, everyday tasks use electricity. Try to cut back on how many loads of laundry you do or how many cords you have plugged in and unplug them to save electricity to help the environment. (393)

Basketball Tournament

Iowa vs. Purdue

            Today, January 20, 2013 my basketball team and I attended the Iowa Women Basketball game at Carver Hawkeye Arena. When we found out we were going to the game we all got super excited! We found out we were going last week, so the week felt super long and we couldn’t wait for Sunday to come!

            When I woke up this morning at 9:00 A.M. I didn’t know what to do for the next five hours before we were going to leave to head to Iowa City. The first thing I did was texted Madi Meier! I sent her a long message that basically had no meaning and was a bunch of jibberish. She told me how she was laughing so hard and how she could not wait to get ready and leave for the game. While I managed to do some homework before leaving for the game I almost forgot to get ready! I was freaking out because I was running late but I still managed to leave with my dad on time as planned.

            When we arrived at Carver we couldn’t find a place to park, it was crazy! We had to park so far away that I froze the whole way to the doors and managed to defrost in time for the game. Right off the bat the Hawkeyes were on fire and they couldn’t be stopped. At half time the score was 41-18, Hawkeyes.

            Ever since Madi and I were little we always came to a couple of Iowa Women’s games a season. And every game when there are three minutes left in the first half we run as fast as we can up the steps in the arena to beat to ice cream rush. By the time we get to the stand the line is piling behind us as we try to order as we are heaping for air. When we get out gynormus cones of ice cream we lick them so they don’t melt all over our hands before we get back to our seats.

            Today at half time was a great surprise! They brought out all the old women basketball player from back when I was in fifth grade. I knew every single one of them because when I was little I always went to the Iowa basketball camps in the summer. My mouth dropped when they introduced them and zoomed up on them with the jumbo tron! They all look so different, I was amazed! That definitely made my day seeing all these girls and how much your life truly does change after college and how much you grow up.

            When the second half began the Hawkeyes looked sluggish. They let Purdue right back in the game. Luckily we were able to pull it out and win the game. Another exciting event took place tonight because we won; this win was Head Coach Lisa Bluters’ 600 career win! The held a mini ceremony after the final buzzer, it was pretty cool.

            When my dad and I headed up to leave we had forgotten what entrance we had come in at. We kind of began to panic because we didn’t want to be walking around out in the cold, but we took a guess and we guessed right! Before we knew it we were defrosting in my dad’s truck headed home after a day’s fun! (565)

Social Media is getting in the way

Social Media is ruining Relationships

            Social Media is really getting in the way of healthy relationships and not just couples, friendships too. I feel as if it is causing problems because too much personal information is shared on these sites such as Facebook and Twitter. When a boyfriend or a girlfriend posts on someone’s wall on Facebook their partner feels like they have to be nosey and know about everything that is going on. It becomes upsetting not on to the couple put also their close friends; causing friendships to be lost and a break up waiting to happen leaving two very depressed people on their own.

            When it comes to friendships being ruined, that is mostly due to Twitter. When you have a couple of friends that are pretty close to you and you see one of them tweet something about hanging with the girls and tagging everyone but you is when the drama all begins. You read that and become very sad and upset to even think your friends would even do such a thing so you decide to text them. Texting them isn’t always the best solution because it is just allowing them to realize what they have done and talk about you throughout the night while you aren’t around. The better solution would be to not use any social media and simply talk to them face to face about it the next time you see them and simply ask, why? What you absolutely shouldn’t do is tweet a smart remark back causing a Twitter fight; no one wants to see this stuff on their news feed so don’t be one of those people.

            Twitter is basically one big thing that leads to drama and shouldn’t be used in that way. Facebook isn’t as popular anymore but it is also something that can lead to trouble. If you know you are about to post something and you left someone out and you know that you wouldn’t want to see it if you were them, then don’t post it! Twitter and Facebook are ruining friendships all the time, don’t let it ruin yours. (355)

Jobs

Jobs

Sunday nights are the highlights of my week. It is the day where I get to sleep in and do nothing but watch Sunday night football with my dad while wearing our Packer jerseys. I love football season because it brings me that much closer to my dad. I don’t get to see my dad a lot because he works during the night and sleeps during the day. In the morning if my dad doesn’t work overtime he gets home around 7:30. Some days I don’t go to school early and am almost late just so I can stay home and eat breakfast and have a conversation with my dad in the morning.

            Some people don’t realize how difficult it is to live a normal life with a single parent but I kind of know the feeling. My dad has never once seen me play volleyball because he has to go to work before the game is even over and he is sleeping when it starts. My dad has only seen me play club soccer about ten times and I’ve been playing since I was four years old, not to mention my high school soccer games, he has only made it to a handful. Last year my high school soccer team made it to the state tournament and luckily my dad made it to all three of those games including the game that we won the state title. Having my dad there meant the world to me and I will never forget it.

            Everyone needs to have a bonding activity with their parents but I’m lucky enough to have two. Other than watching football my dad and I dance. I dance for studio dance and they offer a class called father daughter. My dad didn’t like it at first because he felt girly but he kept doing it because he knew how much it meant to me to spend that much more time with me. We have been doing this dance together for 14 years and we will continue to do it until I leave for college because it is kind of a getaway for us.

 I absolutely hate when I hear my classmates talk crap about their parents and say how they wish they would just leave, because I bet if they left the kids would have wish they never said that. Even though my dad can’t make it to all of my sporting events or my academic award assemblies I know he still cares about me the same amount as my mom. My time with him is just limited and when I am with him he shows that he does love me but he just can’t always be there to show it because of his job. That’s why when my dad is at my games and I see him in the crowd I get this huge smile on my face with warmth in my heart and play better than I have ever played before. Just because I see my dad less than three hours a day doesn’t change a thing. It just means that the hours I spend with him make it that more special. (529)

I Just don't get it

Things I Don’t Understand

I don’t understand why high school students always go to the boys’ athletic events and not the girls. People say it is not as much fun to watch girls play and it’s not as intense. Well, I’m sorry but this just may be a rumor or something (sarcasm) but I’m pretty sure the womens’ soccer team just won the 4A State Championship but yet the mens’soccer team still has way more fans. Considering the boys had a losing record and didn’t even make it to the State Tournament, you would think the games would be boring to watch but I guess boys will always be more important than girls.

 

I don’t understand the point of knocking on wood. Some people say something and they don’t want to jinx themselves, so they say knock on wood and they actually go and knock on wood. I mean I get the whole OCD, superstition thing, but why wood? What’s wrong with plastic? I mean our world is basically paper and plastic now a day and we are dropping trees like no other.

 

I don’t understand the point of posting 1,200 words a week on this blog when what we can write about is very limited. It’s like how am I supposed to write this much if I can’t tell a story? It can’t be about me and it has to be real. I don’t understand what there is left to write about! Plus this is just way too much time and effort into a three point assignment every week.

 

I don’t understand slavery. I know that sounds stupid and I don’t mean I don’t know what slavery is. I mean how come the whites were “in control” or African-Americans and it wasn’t the other way around? What made some white man think he had the power to create slavery based on another man’s color? I think it was stupid, wrong and a flat out disgrace to slave owners later on children’s children and whites in general.

I don’t understand dressing up for home games in high school. I do understand how it makes you stand out so other students know you have a game/event that night. I don’t get why we can’t just wear our team warm ups or something we chose. I personally hate dressing up and feel uncomfortable all day long. As a player wouldn’t you want to be comfortable all day so when it comes time for the game/event you don’t have blisters from those high heels you wore all day or calf cramps because you normally wear tennis shoes to school? I don’t know about you but dressing up on game days makes no sense to me. (454)

Technology

Technology

Phones have changed tremendously over the years. Before phones there were people that were sent to deliver messages and then there were letters and now there are phones. The first phone to be made was, it was about three times the size of you face and really weird looking. The latest phone that has come out is the IPhone five, it is really technical. The phone has internet, Skype, face chat and basically anything that you can think of. Honestly I think the phone is a little over the top and the company should have stopped at the IPhone four.

Now a day’s phones are just getting kids in trouble. Whether it’s with teachers or their friends causing drama or their parents. In school just about every student texts during class and miss things the teachers are teaching over some stupid conversation. Teachers act like they are strict and say they will take your phone away but what I don’t get is that kids are so addicted to their phone that they risk the chance of losing it for a whole school day.

When it comes to drama, phones are the main participant. All it takes for one stupid rumor that someone made up about another person is one button, send. Once the message gets sent, it is out there and people can forward it to others and before you know it the whole school believes this rumor before the end of the week.

Parents are the main concern of high school students. The kids don’t let anyone especially their parents touch their phone. We get super protective whether there is anything bad on it or not. Our phones I would say are our life lines and can’t go more than a few hours without, which if you think about it, is really pathetic. (305)

 

Keys

Keys Keys and Keys

Keys are very important and useful in many, but different ways. Keys that are used to lock/unlock and start a car are extremely important! Well if you don’t have a key to start your car then you can’t get anywhere, but if you unlock/lock key is different from the key that goes into the ignition and you lost it then you won’t be able to get into your car. A good way to avoid locking your car keys in your car is to; every time you got to get out, shut you door and then use your clicker to lock the door. So then you know for sure that your keys are in your hand and not on your seat while you are locked outside your car. 

I think it is very important for every family member living in your house to have a house key. That way your door can be locked everyday all day long. There are too many bad things going on in this world for people not to be locking their doors at night and leaving them unlocked during the day while they are at school or work. Think about it, how much safer would you feel if you were home alone and in the shower knowing that your front and back doors are locked? I would feel a whole lot safer if I was in that situation. Even if you know people are going to be coming and going all day, just lock your door to be on the safe side because you never know, that one time you go to walk in your house and there is someone standing there that you have never even seen before. What do you do now? Exactly, be safe and lock your doors!

Schools or my school at least is going crazy on lock downs. They I would say are little too concerned about locking their doors during the school day and during after hours. I mean come on when all 1900 of us students are rushing through the front doors trying to make it to 1^st hour on time, we are all trying to pile in 2 doors because they are the only two open!!! It’s crazy, during passing time the outside doors are open but as soon as the bell rings to begin class the door locks and you can no longer get inside. If you had to go somewhere in the main section of the school and you were on a wing you can go out the doors that are locked but you can’t get back in. Instead you have to go all the way around the halls of the school and it takes twice as long!

Personally I think my school needs to lay back the rules on the security system but hey, it’s the world we live in and this is what it has come to. (487)

H2O

H2O

Water has many purposes. We need water for ships to transport items across the ocean.  We need water so cruise ships can take people on vacations. Water is a place of employment where many fisherman work to catch fish, shrimp and other sea mammals to sell to make money for their families.

Water is important for people to drink. Athletics need water to replenish their bodies after their sporting event or after a workout. All people should drink water to replenish the water they lose daily. People make ice out of water so their drinks can be cold.  Animals drink water after they run or when they eat and they depend on their owners to give them the water.

We use water to wash our cars, boats, bikes, quads and even wash our house. Without water things would be dirty all of the time.

If there isn’t rain we depend on water to grow food, without water the farmers wouldn’t have crops to sell for people to eat. We wouldn’t be able to grow our own gardens or have flowers in our yards.  People even water their lawns when it doesn’t rain so the grass can be green.

People use water to take showers and baths.  People use water to wash their pets.

In hot climates like Arizona people carry water bottles because it is so dry there. They don’t water their grass but water is very important to them.  It doesn’t rain much there so nothing is green and they have cactus and they don’t need much water.

Water is important not only to you in general but to your body. In order to keep your daily routine up and going and functioning properly you need to stay hydrated. With lack of water it can cause many health problems one of them being dehydration. Dehydration cause many systems in your body to shut down including your digestive system. To prevent this from happening never go without water. (329)