I have no fears for this course, only expectations, I expect that I will receive a great learning experience, and will end up gaining a lot of knowledge. This course will also give me a lot to do over break, so I definitely won't be bored while I'm at home doing nothing the entire winter. Thats pretty much it and now im just typing gibberish to fill up the rest. Now im typing with one hand, and it is a lot slower. I cant believe this is until 3pm, I feel like im in highschool again. Highschool was fun.
This class will be either be a unipolar problem class, or it will be a class filled with a myriad of fun things. The one fear that plagues me is procrastination. I hope that procrastination doesn't kill this course for me. I hope that I can actually follow the outline and not miss a deadline. Although, sometimes deadlines and due dates go unnoticed and without any warning. I also hope that the curse of writer's block doesn't hit me like a freight train, as it tends to do. I hope that I can renew my ability to write and my passion for reading in this class. With these fears and expectations said, I feel as though I have no reason not to enjoy taking this class. However, the same can not be said about my atmosphere class that I am also taking. Deadlines, due dates, and a rekindling of passion are what I envision for the winter session.
the bars under these tables are the worst. i feel as if i hit my shin on them one more time my legs will snap like twigs under boots in the winter. the moonshiners are the only ones who avoid the twigs. when the sun sets, the natives brew the whiskey that grows beards. brown beards with red hairs, gray beards with brown hairs. the trees overhead shelter the elders from onlookers. the trees overhead shelter the equipment from the elements. the dogs run and bark. it is time to pack up. dogs dogs dogs. my dog hates the winter. her short coat is not nearly enough to keep her warm. lucy's favorite thing to do is run, my least favorite thing to do is bathe her after she runs. i take her ball everywhere we go, she'll always play with me. it's no wonder dogs are mans' best friends. i was so nervous about the adoption, but after successfully adopting and training an aged pit bull, i consider myself primed for reality.
During this course I expect that I will be able to at least get a better understanding on how to organize my thoughts. I would like to be able to organize then in a clear manner that makes my paper flow. I think that once I am able to accomplish strong organizational skills throughout the entire paper, that it will have a positive influence on my sentence structure. I find that my papers get disorganized as a whole, and then this dribbles down through my sentences. I know that my lack of organization has affected my performance in prior classes, and do not think that it should be something that I struggle with so much. I do not wish to lose points on assignments due to poor writing skills anymore, and would like this course to fix it. I fear that my poor organization may just be a reflection of my hectic life, and that my writing may not improve or even be fixable.
Honeybees are becoming extinct in certain areas of the world, this is due to many reasons. one of them being that the honeybees used to pollinate massive crop areas are shipped around to different crop areas to be used as a whole package by the agricultural industry. another reason the honeybees are stressed is due to the increased use of experimental fertilizers in the late 1980s. the experimental fertilizers killed off many of the honeybees found normally in China, and has now lead to their very rapid decline. In some parts of China they must now hand pollinate the pear plants due to the lack of honeybees. This is done to because the pears bring in millions of dollars for these farmers, but has increased labor time and cost exponetially. Agronomy is a strange word, everyone is familiar with the concept of agriculture but few know what I mean when I say agronomy. This is probably due to the lack of interest in agriculture and plant sciences in general. The chestnut tree is being backcrossed now to make a new hybrid tree that would be 93% the original chestnut, but still maintain the resistances to the chestnut blight that is found the Chinese chestnut. the backcross is now being tested to see if there will still be enough genetic diversity within the chestnuts to maintain the crop and resistances to the chestnut blight.
My expectations of this course are that I obviously become a better writer. Isn't that why people take an english course? Other than the requirement of course. Sometime though I wonder what papers I will have to write in my major. International Studies the major that can do almost anything, where you can be anything. Sure you can go the political route, spouting that you want to help the world with your ideas and your knowledge. You can also go the environmentalist route, where you go into the Peace Corp. and help people. And then there is the route where, if your like me, you travel to a different country that you know the language and go to a small village to live and teach english for enough money to live on.
My fears about this course is the amount of work we will be expected to complete. I am not sure how much we will need to complete in 5 weeks. My hope to get better at writing while I am taking this class. This will not be my first college level English class, but my first at Millersville. This will also be my first online class, so I am uncertain how well I will adapt to this method of learning. I am good on the computer, so the technical side of this class shouldn't be an issue. The part I fear I may lack in is being able to crack into my creative side while doing all of my other activities during Winter Break. I hope it snows over break and so I can write at my desk while gazing out in the window watching the snow fall as I write my piece.
Write about your fears and expectations for this course. I decided to take English online over the Winter to get ahead in my required courses for my major. Doing this allows me to add in an extra Chemistry course in the hopes of getting a minor in Chemistry. I do, however, have a few fears about taking an online course because I have never experienced one before. It seems like a big time commitment, but in the end, I think it will be worth it. I think it will be hard to adjust from doing things in a classroom setting, where the professor and other students are there, if I have any questions or feel like discussing a topic that was covered in class. You do not get that face-to-face experience with an online course since everything is done on your own and on a computer. Everything is virtual. I do, however, have some exposure to distance learning. I had to take a Sports Medicine class, and it was all done virtually, since the course is only offered at West Chester. The professor was located on the West Chester side of the classroom and we had to communicate with the professor and other students through the television screen. It was not as bad as I thought, so I believe taking an online course will be alright as long as I log on everyday and stick with it.
One of my fears of this course is to not come out a better writer. Howeer, that shouldn’t happen because I will try my best and I succeed when I do that. I expect to at least have better control over my punctuation skills. I know I always use too many ommas and they re always in the wrong place. As my fourth grade teacher said I get comma happy. Also, I’d like to be better at phrasing my sentences. A lot of the time my essays get handed back to me and they say awkward, could’ve been better if you had rephrasd the sentence. I really hope by the end of this course to have better flow in my writings. I don’t know sometimes what goes wrong when I write but it just happens. I think I should also work on having a voice in my writing. I think that is hard because I usually write passively because I don’t have a real care about the topic I am writing about or I feel if I try to write actively it turns into a creative piece. I wish I could understand why I write so badly and then make the moves to change it. I guess that’s what this class is about so I shouldn’t be worried. This mac keyboard is very annoying to type on. I wish I had my laptop. I think I would not make so many spelling errors and type faster to go with my stream of consciousness because my fingers feel weird.
I have never particularly enjoyed writing. Especially when it has to be written without prior warning. I also really don’t want to touch this keyboard. I’ve never liked computer labs. Do they ever clean them? They say keyboards, especially shared ones are one of the things with the most germs. I never know what to write about and I dislike the finality of putting something on paper and handing it in to be judged by a peer or a professor. I can’t change anything at that point and it can’t possibly be perfect.
My fear for this class is that I will have the same experience as I did in a previous English comp class. I took English comp as a freshman and had an incredibly difficult time with it. I don’t think I am a particularly bad writer but that class made me feel pretty bad about my writing skills. I made out with a C in the class while the average hovered somewhere around a D+ for an introductory English comp class. I expect to walk away from this class having learned something about writing that I can take and apply throughout my writing career. I am a Science major and while I do have to write a lot of papers, it is the same cut and dry type of writing. I would like to expand my purpose for writing into more creative aspects and be able to write different types of pieces.
I hope that by taking this course I will be able to express myself through my writing in a way that the reader can understand and enjoy. In addition I hope to improve my skills in punctuation and in being grammatically correct through taking this course. The only fear that I really have about this course is that of failing. This is a fear that most people in this class have or that anyone has when they take any course at any university. Though I really like to write I hope that by taking this course my writing skills will improve so that people aren’t completely board when they have to read something I have written weather it is a scientific report or a creative story that I have written in my free time or a report for another class.
Fears and Expectations for this Winter 2012 English Composition
Throughout the Winter 2012 English Composition Course, I expect to read my text, digest the information, and become a better writer. I have always assumed myself to be a fairly decent writer, but my only supporting evidence would be that I understand writing mechanics and pay attention to fruitful adjectives to ‘jazz’ up the piece I may be working on. I feel that I haven’t really explored my horizons, but I believe that this course will open up my eyes to a whole new side of writing. My biggest fear for this course is how I write. I ramble a lot, and I need to work on organizing my thoughts. This not only goes for writing, but this goes for when I speak everyday. Recently, I often find myself stumbling over my words, or even forgetting the point of the story I try to convey because I always include too much back story or detail.
the things i carry with me are as follows; my big girl identification - not to be confused with a fake i.d. - also not to be confused with a license. i got a horizontal identification after my 21st birthday because i had to, not because i wanted to. i also carry a vertical license - but hold more value in my big girl i.d. i carry a lighter, because you never know where you're going to need to start a fire. my current particular lighter has a cute red fox on it and he is frolicking in the snow. i carry at least one, right now three, discount cards from puff 'n' stuff, the local unique boutique. with a $50 purchase you get 10% off! i can be found with a football shaped miller light key chain that i acquired the night i met my boyfriend. i have yet to attach it to anything, because i kind of hate it. i currently have 2 tickets in my wallet. not speeding or movie tickets, but one ticket to Hershey Park Christmas Candylane and one ticket to Umphrey's McGee at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia on Saturday, February 11th, 2012. the last thing i've pulled out of my wallet is a dollar. it's rare that I have cash on me, but when i do, it's generally less than $5.
School ID card, health insurance card, cell phone, $6 in cash I suppose I only carry the bare minimum of what I will need on a given day. I don't have any specific attachments to these particular items. I wasn't planning on going anywhere else today. I tend to pack light in general. I don't want to carry things I don't need with me.
I have a slim front-pocket wallet, and it is nice and pretty easy to keep around. The things in there are pretty minimal, because it doesn't fit much. The random things I picked out include an assortment of cards, a dollar, and an AMC Gold Ticket. The AMC Gold Ticket I have is pretty much a free movie to any of the AMC theaters, and I have had it for a long time, since there are not any AMC theaters around here. When I go back home hopefully I will have a chance to use it to see a movie I like, maybe the new Sherlock Holmes. One of the cards I carry is my millersville ID card, which was from my first year as a freshman, it also has my picture taken before I had lost a lot of weight, so I look drastically different. My other card is my medical insurance card, which I need to take around with me for when I have to make a stop at the doctors if I am sick. I have two credit cards on me, one is for the credit union at my house and the other is for the PSECU that I belong to up here, which allows me to take out money without getting surcharged at many ATMs here, whereas my other home credit union gets charged a fee.The last and most important thing I carry around is my one dollar bill. Its actually not important at all, and It is the last bit of cash I have left, because I rarely use cash, I do not like carrying around change.
You will find a few constants in life. These constants all being things that I tend to carry with my on a day to day basis, everywhere I go. My keychain holds my car keys, pepper spray, and a coach key chain. While these items may not seem to be very cohesive, they all fit quite perfectly into my life. The pepper spray is kept in a pink holder to keep the feminine appearance, and protects me when I walk to my car at night alone. I also always carry my tiny little wallet where you will be able to find my debit card that I usually have no reason to carry due to depleted funds, and a coupon for the local orchard I shop at religiously. I say I shop there religiously because, I firmly believe in supporting local economies and local farmers. I do not only choose to do this to help support the community by putting money into the system, but also because I know that their produce is fresher than any other produce you will find at a grocery store, considering that many traditional grocery stores receive produce from large companies who keep their produce in freezers for months at a time.
drivers license, money, phone, hairstylist card, student id. My license shows that i am a legal driver in the US. My hairstylist card shows that I need to make a hair appointment soon. Also my phone indicates that i like to keep in touch with people no matter were i am.
The things I carry are: my drivers license, car keys, panera rewards card, debit card, house keys, money, receipts that I have yet to shred, and my chip best friend ornament. All these things I carry in my wristlet which is beaten up by all the times I have dropped it from my car when I am in a rush to get places. You can tell that I always rush things by the way all these items are haphazardly thrown into my wristlet. From the things I carry you can judge that I like to go out with friends, although I do go visit my family a lot, hence why I have so many keys. In my wristlet I always carry at least $20 because my mother always says not to be anywhere without cash. She is also the one who insisted I carry a debit card in case my car broke down or when I got standed in college that way I would always have money. As you can tell people are an important part of my life because all the things I carry revolve around other people. My panera rewards card is always in my wristlet because my friends love to eat there. I carry a little golden chip ornament that hangs from my wristlet as a reminder of one of my best friends. She has the other chipmunk, Dale, on her purse. We got them in Disney.
Contents of my wallet: Driver's license, describes my height and provides a form of ID that is necessary for many other situations Millersville Student ID, provides proof that I attend MU, also allowed me to get a parking pass for the Prince St. garage for this last semester Health Care Provider ACLS/BLS certification, due to my background in healthcare we were required to get certified for emergency health care situations, also there is an increase likelihood of experiencing an ACLS situation in cardiology fields Lancaster County Library Card, I enjoy reading but do not want to pay Wendy George's business card, she the head of the medical laboratory technology program at LGC and was an excellent resource for clinical microbiology questions that I than apply for my independent research project here at MU Coffee Club card for outtakes, it is a coffee shop in the hospital that I frequented during the school year due to its proximity to the college Health Insurance card Cash
A can of Copenhagen long cut wintergreen, a small loop of chain with Red Bull tabs on it, a Pennsylvania State Trooper embroidered key chain, and a heavy duty caribeaner with three keys and a Gold's Gym membership keyfob. These are the things I have with me at all times. They show how simple life should be, and how I try to oversimplify everything I do. I keep track of everything, which explains the Red Bull can tabs. I have drank 11 Red Bulls since the end of the Fall semester. I stand for loyalty the pursuit of all who try to get in the way, which is shown through my PA State Trooper keychain. The Copenhagen is my escape from stress of working.
In my wallet I carry my drivers license, my mu id, a credit card, a debit card, a regal crown club card, some change, a pen, and a check that I still need to cash. I love to drive my car so I always carry my drivers license with me. The mu id says that I'm still a student, working my way through school so I can try to "make something of myself". The credit card says that I spend money a lot, which is true, because I have my own business that I need to buy and sell things. The debit card means that I make money too. And the regal card means that I love going out to the movies.
In my wallet, I am carrying a sheetz gift card, a triple A membership card, a psecu credit card, a millersville student ID card, and a drivers license. I live near a sheetz and normally stop there for gas, made to order food, and coffee. It is pretty much useless at this point, I have spent all of the money I had on it and the the ending balance is somewhere around 37 cents. I carry my triple A membership in case I get a flat tire and need a tow. My licence shows where i live, my birthday, and has been recently issued since I broke my other one accidentally.
In my wallet I have a number of things. I have my driver's license, my bank card, gift cards mainly for pacsun, a ticket stub for a Phillies game, three phone numbers of managers to contact for jobs, an Amtrak ticket stub from one of the many times I travled to Baltimore, a optic card displaying the status of my damaged eyes, and a card in memory of my Aunt Ning's funeral.
In my wallet, I carry my car keys, my drivers license, my MU Student ID card, a credit card, and a receipt from Kohl's. My car keys show that I drive a Chevy, and my initials are engraved on the key. My drivers license describes my physical features, like brown hair, hazel eyes, my height, and has a picture of me when I first got my license. My student ID shows that I go to Millersville University. My credit card shows that I don't usually carry a lot of loose money around and I have a bank account to access money. Lastly, my receipt from Kohl's shows that I like to shop and the items on the reciept are Christmas presents for other family members.
As a Millersville student, I carry a simple card holder single-fold wallet. Inside contains fifty seven dollars , two PNC debit cards, one Pennsylvania drivers license, one Millersville school identification card, one VISA Choice credit card, a United Concordia heath provider card, a receipt purchase of my text books for English, and a AAA card. My wallet is setup to carry my essentials while out. I keep it light, but have all emergency cards available. This styled wallet allows me to carry it in almost all scenarios without getting too thick, keeping things simple.
sitting at work: I am currently sitting at work with my computer and a large coffee. I work at a dominos in Lancaster and actually like this job surprisingly. Seriously, my entire job is a break. I get paid to drive my car, listen to music, and give people their food. I had a delivery earlier where the guy ordering me offered me a beer at 2 in the afternoon. I politely declined. I probably should not be on my computer now so im going to get back to work. Remember to tip the pizza man!!
I liked that you chose to write about something that you really liked doing. You are very lucky that you like the job that you have because my friends and I are always talking about jobs they have but don't like. However, I would suggest not writing on your computer at work because you could get your self into alot of trouble that way. I will remember you suggestion next time order pizza!
Bears Game I miss going to watch the Hershey Bears play at Giant Center! I used to go to almost every home game, but then I started college and being at school became more important. My family started getting season tickets to the hockey games a few years ago, instead of spending money on an expensive vacation. I love going because we go as a family. The Bears have not been playing as well as they have in previous years (like winning the Calder Cup two years in a row) but it is still really cool to watch them play and cheer them on in the stands. B-e-a-r-s Bears Bears Bears Woooo! There is a game tonight and I can't wait! Hockey will always play a big role in my life.
I too will be writing about work today, however my post will not be as enthusiastic. It is the week before Christmas and the only thing I want to do is be at home with my family. It is very rare that my siblings and the rest of my family all get to be in the same location at once. For this reason, I forget about friends and just enjoy the time I have with my family. Except, things are different this year. I have a seasonal job, which I didn't think would be anything too serious but, I was wrong. I thought I would be able to spend this week enjoying time with my family but, I have been able to work everyday. I know it doesn't seem like a true problem because I could definitely use the money, but if I want to spend time with my family that means that I would now have to commute and hour and a half to work everyday. Currently I'm trying to decide if it is really worth it. My family shares my frustration with me, and wants to just tell them that I can work, but I am not sure if I have it in me. Well, I feel a little better now that I got that off my chest. Now I am off to work!
one smells like puke it's funny the relationships that the human brain makes. as a business conversation ensues, i become aware of my surroundings. my senses kick into overdrive and as if there were a draft, i could smell the presence of the two men. "one smells like lemons." "one smells like cheese." suddenly i'm thinking of the dairy farms, wine and crackers, string cheese. i fantasize about citrus groves and fruit salad. the two men continue business, "one smells like puke."
I thought that your freewrite was interesting and true at the same time. When you are having a conversation with someone or even overhearing one your senses do kick in. I liked that you described what you smelled when you saw the two men, whom were having a conversation and what you were thinking of when you caught a whiff these two distinctive smells.
Nostalgia I didn't realize how disorienting it would be to go back to my high school today. My best friend dragged me to go back because she wanted to see our class advisers whom she was very close with. I stopped by to see my AP Psychology teacher. As happy as I was to see the man who was like my mentor for two years it just reminded me how much I miss him. We used to be able to talk about anything and he was the closest guy friend I had until I went to college. We haven't texted as much since I moved two hours away. I didn't noticed how much I used to depend on him for advice about everything. I guess it's just weird being more mature and not having him consult on my life. I miss him a lot and going back just made me feel strange. Don't get me wrong I love having my independence and new responsibilities it's just odd not seeing him everyday which I did for two years. Seeing him made me wish I could be back in his classroom learning all these psychology terms for the first time. I miss having him as a teacher.
Christmas Ornaments Christmas trees show the memories of our past from the decorations that are on the tree to the different styles that are on it. Each ornament tells a different story of a family’s past and present. Rather it’s a rich home where all the ornaments are expensive or a poor family that makes their ornaments. Every ornament tells a different story for example a wreath or ornament made by a young child shows their artistic talent as well as how much they like Christmas. Later this same ornament will remind the child of the Christmas experiences that have past and the memory behind making the ornament itself. Ornaments also help start conversations that may not have come up otherwise when someone asks about a particular ornament on that tree. They can bring groups of people together to remember the past or help to make the season brighter for those in the family that the item belongs to.
So this year my roommates and I decided to put up some Christmas lights that we have sitting around the house. So as are the people in the house we decided to try and put them up last night. What we didn't realize at the beginning of this adventure is that we didn't have any masking tape. So we decided to use scotch tape.... But the thing with scotch tape is that it doesn't stick very well to walls. So this morning when I try to go out of the house it doesn't work. Because the stinking Christmas lights were hanging in front of the door and not moving. Then we have the beauty of the outdoor lights which I tried with no avail to unravel last night. They just don't want to come apart! So now as I am writing this my one roommate is draped in outdoor Christmas lights trying to figure out how to undo them. It's actually really funny but now I feel like I should stop typing and help.
I think the cats are racist. They congregate in different areas and only associate with each other in passing, with either indifference or hostility. Three tabby. Two solid black. Two pairs of siblings. The lone old one. Four male. One female. They spend a lot more time inside now that it's cold and they'd rather eat cat food and sleep then catch birds and rodents. Are they like fish? The sort in tanks that have been selectively bred into dozens of colors and won't school with the same species of a different color? Was there some bias when they were just kittens? I don't think so. The pyrenees will chase them indiscriminately.
When Third Eye Blind comes on every now and again on iTunes, I can't help but smile and bob my head like an idiot. There is just something about the way that Stephen Jenkins serenades the listeners of his music. It's like you're front row at a concert and there isn't another soul in the arena. Each song is almost more enjoyable than the last one. It's like there is some synapse in the brain this band knows how to trigger. And as the song slowly comes to a close it's like waking up from a blackout. You're dizzy and have many questions about what had just happened. But it's still a one of the best feelings in the world. However, when shuffle is on and Wiz Khalifa comes comes through your speakers, well, then you're just really, really confused.
Today I ate wings. It was at Carlos and Charlies on Columbia Ave. Sometimes I wonder about how certain customs occur in culture. Why did wing night become a popular event in restaruants and bars. They taste good, but so do a lot of other foods. The night was good, the wings were good. The holidays are great for being with friends. A lot of my friends came to this wing night. I seem to prefer more hot than mild. Some of my friends like the barbecue. I think wings should be hot not sweet; that's why they're also know as hot wings. But to each their own.
Have you ever met that person that just has the ability to sleep whenever or wherever? Well, that is not me. I have never understood how people have that ability; actually I would consider it to be more of a talent. For some odd reason, I am not a good sleeper. I don’t know why, that’s just how it is, and has been. I often times will find myself exhausted in the middle of the day, but once night time comes it is like a burst of energy. There is no rhyme or reason to this strange occurrence, but I must say that it is pretty annoying at times. The gift of being able to ignore your body when it is screaming at you to shut your eyes really only comes in handy when I need to do late night study sessions. However, that still leaves me frustrated for the rest of the days when I did not procrastinate to such measures. Well, maybe I will have better luck sleeping over the holidays.
On Christmas Eve my family is always rushing around because we have three different pollyannas to attend. My favorite pollyanna would have to be the one with just my dad, mom, and sister. It started a few years back when my sister and I finally had money to pay for our own gifts. We collectively decided that we should do a pollyanna with the four of us because we all enjoy giving gifts to each other but it's not always so cheap. After going to both my grandparents households to do their pollyanna we come back home late at night on Christmas Eve and have our pollyanna. I really love this tradition because it's just something for the four of us and we can take the time to really appreciate the gifts instead of having to hurry up and unwrap our presents so the next person can go at the other houses. It's really nice that we created our own little tradition instead of just taking part in the traditions already set up for us.
So it's not really a tradition, but last night my roommates and I made a gingerbread house. To make it more life like we made it so it represented our house now. So we put a broken tv in the yard and a couch right in front of the house and things scattered all across the lawn. It was fun making the house, we played Millersville's unofficial theme song 'Black and Yellow' drank hot chocolate, we were even going to make s'mores, but it got a little to late to do that. But we are very proud of our little gingerbread house, and while the front of it may look like someone's face and there is a gingerbread man laying in our driveway it is a good representation of where we live. We also managed to finally unravel the outdoor Christmas lights, however we got too annoyed at them that we still haven't bothered to put them up. The good news is that we now have a use for the empty wrapping paper tubes!
I think that making a gingerbread house is a holiday tradition in a sense because at least three of my friends make a gingerbread house every year around christmas time. I liked that you added the details you put on your gingerbread house in your freewrite. I could actually invision the gingerbread house itself. I think that it's great that you and you roommate get along so well and enjoyed spending the holidays together.
I am currently in the market for a new computer since my other one conveniently crashed during finals week last semester. I have gone to a couple of stores like Best Buy and Walmart but haven't had to much luck. Everytime I try and ask an employee about a specific feature or component, they just look at me, look at the computer, and then read what is on the little card that tells you the name and about 5 things about it. Meanwhile im thinking to myself "thanks buddy, cause I didnt already read that card before I asked you." I think I give up, maybe i will have better luck looking online...
Christmas Time I always picture Christmas as a happy time with lots of family, presents, and food. Last year was probably the worst Christmas ever. For one, my grandfather was in and out of the hospital and we didn’t think that the doctors would release him on Christmas day. Secondly, my cat had tongue cancer and it got to the point where we could tell that he was in so much pain. I was praying that he would get better, but on Christmas Eve we made the decision to put him down so he could be pain free. It was so hard. Thirdly, Christmas morning, my mom got a call from the hospital. She was so upset that she handed me the phone and I received some more bad news. My aunt had passed away. It was devastating. Celebrating Christmas turned into mourning and comforting family members. The good news is that my grandfather had a speedy recovery and was released from the hospital Christmas day. I really hope this Christmas is a lot happier! Even though last year was sad, it brought everyone closer together in a time of need, but I hope we never have to go through it again.
christmas morning every christmas eve after the church service, i would lie awake relentlessly hoping that i would hear hooves on the roof and a man sliding down my chimney. i knew it was physically impossible for a man of any size to shimmy down our wonky chimney, but my adrenaline still pumped. cookies would be left out, and carrots for the reindeer. i would put out a glass of milk too. somehow i would drift off into a hazy sleep only to wake up way before the rest of my family and sit at the top of the stairs until everyone else was up and moving. with the camera all set up and my parents only half awake, my sister and i would thunder down the stairs, pit stopping at the stockings, and like a pair of hungry wolves devour the paper on our gifts under the tree.
I often wonder what a real relationship is supposed to be like. I think my view is flawed. To me a relationship should consist of two people that are best friends. When I say this I mean that these two people should share everything with each other, and by that I don’t mean going as far as the same toothbrush. I mean that these two people should tell each other about their day, share interesting information with each other, build each other up, care about each other, etc. I also believe in order to be in a successful relationship you need to do things/go out with the person every once in a while (and when I say once in awhile, I mean at least once a month). I could define ‘going out’ as a date, but I feel like there is a label on the word date because everyone thinks that dates have to cost money. Dates don’t have to cost money. Dates can be ordering Chinese food and watching a movie. Dates can be driving to a random location with no light pollution, laying down a blanket and watching the stars. My definition of a date is someone sharing a special moment with someone and it can be an kind of activity. I’m almost 20 years old, have ‘dated’ numerous people, and I have been taken out on 1
I love playing the piano. I always dabbled on our upright Story & Clark when I was a child, and I distinctly remember my first lesson when I was in 2nd grade. I walked in, nervous as all hell, and was greeted by an older woman in her late 60s. Her name was Mary Patterson. She sat me down and explained to me how she would go about teaching me, what I would be able to accomplish if I kept up my practicing, and gave me a general excitement in learning a new skill. I stopped taking lessons when I was a sophomore in high school. It defeated me on the inside a little bit, but I was dying to take guitar lessons to correctly learn how to play the instrument and my parents promised me that I could pick it up only if I quit taking piano lessons. After that day came, my parents later told me that if I really wanted to take guitar lessons that I would have to pay from them. At that time I had never had a job, nor did I have the slightest bit of time to. When I was in high school I participated in all of the music ensembles and extra curriculars: Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Concert Choir, Show Choir, Chamber Choir, Orchestra, Select Ensemble, and musicals.
Christmas Time christmas is both good and bad. its great because you get gifts, honestly who doesn't like gifts. however, the pressure to get the right gift is ridiculous. i mean really what do we expect is going to happen if we get the wrong thing for someone? i mean we have all gotten gifts before where you have to be thinking in your head hey have yay met me? when would i ever use that? but you smile say thanks and move on. if it wasn't a non-optional social convention i would not do it. wouldn't it be much more practical to just give cash, but then you would just be passing cash back and forth between your friends. i don't its a bit silly. cookies are also ridiculous. I don't want to compete over who can make better cookies with my family, I will lose ever time, really my sister is a trained pastry chef, I burn grill cheese. I do love the lights at christmas time. they are my favorite part, the twinkling white lights, that sort shower little spots of joy onto people as though they become the lights. its much better than gifts. lets just put all our money into placing more christmas lights around the neighborhood, pretty white ones. so that they will simply be sparkly.
I agree the hardest thing to figure out during the holidays isn't what to bake or where the lights need to be placed, its what to get every person on your list. I like that you stated the fact that even if someone gets a gift they don't like they always smile and except the gift any way. I liked that you brought up the fact that your favorite thing about christmas is the lights because it is also my favorite part of the holidays. I always dislike it when we have to take all the lights down after the holidays are over.
Weather 12/22/11 What happened to winter? It snowed in October. We were building snowmen and making snow angels. A week later it was too hot to walk around in a jacket. Is it ever going to get cold and stay cold? It snowed on Sunday. Almost enough to cover the ground. Earlier today it was to warm to wear a sweatshirt. December is nearly over and now it’s raining. Really? What’s going on? I don’t celebrate Christmas. No I’m not Jewish or a Jehovah’s Witness. But I like winter and I enjoy the snow. It feels like the end of the year has creeped up on me. I wasn’t expecting it because it was so warm.
Every year for Christmas Eve we always go over to my mother's parent's house. All of our family comes over. Some of my earliest memories alive include being over at this house for Christmas Eve. We eat non traditional American dishes on this night like Indonesian food including nasi and bami goreng. This tradition comes from my grandfather who is from the Netherlands and was a chef on a Dutch royal navy ship and learned many dishes from the Dutch colonies including Indonesia. My brothers and I usually help him prepare the food. I am excited for our family to get together.
I should probably say world peace but let's be honest I'm selfish. What I really want for Christmas is a german shepherd puppy. I've been in love with german shepherds because they are huge adorable dogs. Many people think german shepherds are vicious and only used for attack dogs but that's just a misconception. Part of the reason I want a german shepherd is because they are used in many police forces and being in the k9 unit is my back up career plan. I also just really love dogs. I had one growing up and it was so nice just to be able to lay down on the floor with my dog right next to me. Actually my first dog ever I got on christmas so I am hoping that maybe my parents will decide to let me buy my own german shepherd this christmas. However, even though I really want this type of dog I know I won't get it. For one I am living on campus which means I'd have no time to take care of a new puppy. Also I'm trying to save money to pay off college and shouldn't really add a new responsibility. So I know I won't get a german shepherd but I know it's for the best.
Christmas Shopping I absolutely love shopping, but not around Christmas time. The stores are always packed to the point where I can’t breathe or stand to be around people. Then, when I go to pick something up that I want to buy, the stores either don’t have it or they don’t have the right size. My dad and brother are easy to buy for. My mom, however, is the difficult one. She usually will just go buy herself what she wants instead of telling me or my dad. This year, for example, she really wanted office shelves and mentioned it to my dad. The next day, she comes home with office shelves that she bought during her lunch break. My brother told her to return them because my dad had already gotten some for her, but he was saving them for Christmas. I guess I shouldn’t blame her for always spoiling her Christmas presents because she shops for pretty much everyone in the family. Therefore, when she sees something she likes, she’ll buy it then and there in case the stores sell out before I can go and get it. I will just have to go shopping for her earlier and tell her not to buy herself anything so she won’t go out and buy herself what I already have wrapped underneath the tree.
Christmas Shopping I like to think of my self as a good gift giver, but there are some people that are difficult to buy for around the holidays. My dad is one of those people. Every year i ask him what he wants for Christmas and I don't think I have ever gotten a straight forward response. He will answer with an "I don't know" or "Just get me a gift card". This is frustrating for me because I hate giving gift cards. I am not sure why I am so opposed to giving them, they are actually a pretty sweet gift. Who doesn't like getting a gift card? I guess I don't like buying them because it just isn't very creative. I still do not know what I am going to get my dad. Ill probably just end up getting him a sweater or something, quite possibly a gift card...
Two days until Christmas and I have yet to do an ounce of shopping. Well, that is not entirely true. I bought one present for my brother. I have three other siblings so this year we decided to do secret Santa between the four of us to make things easier for ourselves. At first I was not very fond of the idea, but as time went on I began to think it was the right decision. Since we are only buying one gift, you can get away with splurging on that one person. I like this idea because it gives you the chance to buy the gift that the other person may deserve, however would not be willing to get for themselves. I hope my secret Santa is happy with my decision!
I've been having the worst back pains lately. I don't typically have aches or pains but my neck, shoulders, and back have been aching incessantly. it will tick in my neck, prickle down my left side by my ribs and even out right in the center of my lower back. It feels like my broken coccyx is being dipped in searing hot liquid metal. my mind is fleeting, hoping that I won't notice it for another couple of hours. I know it will be back in just a few minutes. the relentless twisting and turning of my muscles keeps me up at night and wakes me up in the morning. having been left skeptical of chiropractors, i find myself alone in a room of money hungry college graduates.
So what most people don't know about me is that I love animals. I have a dog, two cats, a multitude of fish, and two swans. Yes I did just say I have swans. Well yesterday as I was coming home I decided to call my mom and see if there was anything that she needed. What happened instead was me finding out that our two swans were having an identity crisis. I'm still not sure how this happened or why. The only thing that was known for sure is that the swans had a fight and one was kicked out of the pond, meaning that this swan couldn't eat. So in the effort to save this swan from starvation we came up with the plan to catch the swan that was still in the water and move it to the garage so that the other swan could eat. We figured out quickly that this was not the most practical plan, seeing how the swan would not move from the center of the pond so we could wrangle it out of the water. So we went to the next plan, fill a bucket with water and put some food in the water in the bucket. This turned out to be a much better idea, seeing as the swan did eat and the one from the pond was so curious about what was happening that it came over to the swan on land. They became friends once more. So now the swans are frolicking in the water no longer fighting. And thankfully no longer having their identity crisis.
There isn't really one thing I want for Christmas. I usually never know what I want. I always feel like I should only buy things if I need them, maybe that's why it's so hard for me to tell others to buy things for me I only want, and not need. This month I did buy a new air compressor and air tools for working on my car. It is getting too late to ask for anything now, but maybe I should get another air tool or two to add on. I think that Christmas isn't really about the gifts though. I like the family time, and I like how you know that a lot of America and parts of the world slow down a little bit. Not as many stores are open and many people have off for work. It's a nice feeling, knowing that that things are slightly more calm in the world. Every now and then people need to take a break from the busyness of life. I guess if I had to ask for one unreachable gift it would be to have the whole world take a little time for peace and quiet all at once.
So I remember this one Christmas very distinctly. When I was younger, we always used to go up to my Mime’s house (we call my grandmother Mime because she didn’t like the idea of being called ‘grandma’) in Drexel Hill. In addition, when I say ‘we’ I mean my family, my Uncle Scott’s family, which consisted of his wife Kathleen who we called Aunt Ning, my cousins Andrew and Colin, then my Aunt Nancy, Uncle Steven, and sometimes my grandmother’s sister Betty and her daughters/children- always a big crowd. My Mime used to knit like it was her job back in the day, and I believe she still does. She purposely would knit for the elderly folks in wheel chairs who lived in nursing homes so that during the winter they had a nice afghan to lay across their knees/legs to keep warm. Anyway, my cousin Andrew and I used to steal unfinished blankets all the time to play with until Mime just started knitting strips of afghan for us to play with. Once she gave them to us, we would rally all of the cousins up and we used to play a modified version of tag with a flag football kind of spin. We would tuck the 3 foot long strip of afghan in the back of our pants and run around the house trying to rip each others tails off. That’s probably one of the fondest memories I have on Christmas.
Meaning of Christmas Christmas is supposed to be about the joy of giving gifts to others and bringing good will to all. However, it seems now a days that the meaning of Christmas had somewhat derailed. More kids seem to be worried about the gifts that they will be receiving when they wake up on Christmas Morning. They are only worried about one thing; what did Santa Claus bring me? Now don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with that when you are younger but by the time you are an adult should you really be trying to buy a present on black Friday for the lowest prices, yet forget what Christmas is really about. About giving joy to others and helping those in need. How is this accomplished by pepper spraying others just to get the best deal on something, is that one object worth so much that your willing to forget that Christmas is about helping others not just helping yourself to the best deals that are in the stores or in the mall. We should help others however we can during this lovely season.
This first week of break is not any less stressful than finals. I have to work basically full-time and i have this week and this week only for Christmas shopping. It's the worst feeling in the world. With that being said, I also don't have an easy job shopping for my mother. She is the worst person to shop for because she literally has everything. When I ask her what she would like she always say something corny like "Christmas with my son!". I'm sorry Ma, but I need something more concrete than that. To which she'd reply, but Christmas is about family. Meanwhile she's been shopping for the family since September. So you know what happens every year? She gets a Yankee candle. It's the most thoughtless gift in the world, but damn it, she loves those candles.
Think of it this way, it could be worse you could have only one day to shop for all of your christmas gifts. I think that shopping for some relatives can be really hard at times especailly when your on a time limit or budget. Though I have to agree that christmas is about family it's also about showing someone how much we care about them, which we normally do by giving them a gift. I know that it's to late to suggest something you could get your mom but maybe next Christmas you could look into candle warmers which smell just as nice while providing a decorative touch.
Salmon So every year my grandmother who lives in Alaska sends us a can of salmon. This would be fine if a. anyone in our household really liked salmon and b. if the can didn't explode every year, which leaves this oily stain in the box that it comes in and all over your hands. Do you know how long it takes for the smell of salmon to come off your hands? I guess about a week, but we all say thank you chuckle our heads in laughter and get along with the rest of the festivities. Another story regarding christmas is with my now deceased great-grandfather, grandpa Erb. We would visit him once a year, and every year we would year thesame stories. My personal favorite is when he pointed to this brand new christmas tree he just got. One of those fiber-optic color changing twirling trees that have been dubbed the "gay pride christmas trees" with marketing due to the rainbow effect. My whole family is sitting there listening to the stories by Grandpa Erb, and he turns to this tree and says "have you seen my new tree Tommy? (my dad's name) look it changes colors and moves, and the best part is that it goes both ways (referring that you could make the tree turn either clockwise or counterclockwise)". Well this causes everyone else to suddenly become very interested in the ceiling, the clock, anywhere else than anyone else's face, because god help us if we see another one of us smirk, we will all lose it. At this point my father simply couldn't take anymore holiday cheer, manages to get my family out of their and into the car within fives minutes (a personal best). At which point we all howl with laughter at the obsurdity of the entire scene that has taken place.
So every year at Christmas time my family goes up to visit my grandparents. This is normally a slightly stressful time for me, I'm not quite sure why but it is. Anyway normally I have the back up of my sister so I'm not alone in the torture, this year though she had to work. So there I am sitting awkwardly with my family not knowing what to say. My family isn't really close. We only see each other a few times a year, and not for a very long time when we are together. Which is why I feel awkward when I'm with everyone in my family, or with a large family that are close with each other. Needless to say, my family Christmas isn't much of a family deal.
I had just gotten over being sick, and the feeling where you are still sort of sick has been lingering. It is quite annoying, but the overall haziness you feel when being sick is very troublesome. I never quite appreciate being healthy until after I had just got done being sick, and I do my normal things again without having to worry about medicine or getting others sick. I have decided to start being more helpful when it comes to boosting my immune system and not getting sick. Being sick nowadays is a hassle, because I can't be around friends and people as much as I would have want to, because I get very sick. Very sick to the point where I have to be on constant medication to keep the fevers down and stay better. I have been feeling better though, so I am waiting it out.
I have recently found the amazing uses of Gorilla Glue, and how much of my life I wasted by using other types of glue. Gorilla Glue is so much stronger than Krazy Glue when it comes to fixing things. The only downfall is that it takes a little while to dry, and it expands a lot, so you have to be careful about the amount you put on it. I had figured out that Gorilla Glue and Duct Tape can fix all of the worlds problems, because everyone knows that Duct Tape can fix everything, but with its partner in crime Gorilla Glue, they are unstoppable. The amount of fixing you can do with the two combined can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars from having to pay someone else to fix it or by having to buy a new thing altogether. People need to know more about the wonders of Gorilla Glue. But Gorilla Glue is fairly new compared to Duct Tape. Duct Tape has been around for generations fixing peoples stuff that was accidentally broken by their kids, or by their friends who were doing something stupid. Duct tape works so well because of the threads that are contained within the tape itself, it helps its structural integrity amazingly, and can bind many things securely.
I have finally found my love for yogurt, and that has come in the form of what they call 'Greek Yogurt'. My favorite brand of 'Greek Yogurt' is CHOBANI. I had been experimenting with different foods that are healthy for you instead of eating over-processed unhealthy foods, but have obviously found that most of it is more expensive than the unhealthier stuff. But after I stumbled upon CHOBANI a lot changed. I find myself eating some of it nearly every day, because it contains low fat and a lot of protein. It is also delicious when you combine it with natural fruit, or buy the fruit on the bottom yogurts. It is a healthy snack and it does a great job of filling you up with the protein included. It is also made of all natural ingredients so I find myself living it more and more. I had stopped eating foods that contain artificial sweeteners and sugars, because most of it is in a chemical form that isn't good for you, and isn't natural. Which brings me to the other idea of Diet Sodas, or 0 Calorie Sodas. They do not help you lose weight as much as you would think, because the additives put in the Diet and 0 Calorie sodas can make you hold more water weight, and is not as effective as drinking plain old water. The CHOBANI yogurt is very good tasting, and it is not wallet breaking, it is a great thing to eat on the go, and the taste of it may be different to you at first, but after getting used to it you can taste the freshness of it. With a lot of processed foods with artificial ingredients, you can definitely taste the difference between a natural one or non natural one. The artificial stuff just had a weird after taste and doesn't feel right, you can taste the difference with this.
In the Lab Alot of time in the lab is wasted waiting for things to continue on without any hands one action. I mean this morning I came in, got liquid nitrogen, had to wait for the container to fill. Brought back the liquid nitrogen and used it to make an extract of leaves with chloroform and petroleum ether, and then had to wait an hour while the solvent pulled things into the solution. After waiting an hour, I move the solution into another container, where I dry it down to nothing, then I can resuspend. This whole process takes about 2.5 hours, about which there is an hour and half, which I do nothing. Its alright though, I enjoy being in the lab, but sometimes it can become ackward if other people are also in the lab working, you have to do this ridiculous dance around each other to get to place, and you don't really know each other well enough to not apologize for the occasional accidental backside graze, but you do it so often you kinda of feel like saying well you're just gonna have to prepare yourself for unwanted physical contact as I move around you for the next three hours, I apologize now.
Today is New Years Day. A new year to make a difference in your own life. It seems the theme of 2011 leans negative for many people. The News constantly refers back to all the horrible events which occurred in 2011. I have optimism for 2012. I hope this upcoming year is a fortunate one for not only me but the whole country. A lot of people make positive goals for a new years resolution at the begining of each year. I wish more people were able to follow through with these goals they set out to do. I have also noticed the years seem to be moving faster. A lot of people seem to agree. The reason for this that I believe in is because as you get older, a year is an overall smaller percentage of your life. The spectrum of your idea on life expands as time goes on. This is why I think people shouldn't waste their time with unproductive actives, keeping a clear vision for their goals.
Today I ate pork and sauerkraut. I always wonder how these Pennsylvania Dutch traditions became so popular for the whole county, even those who aren't amish or Mennonite. I enjoy many of these traditions that I grew up while I was raised in Lancaster. The biggest surprise for me, that I learned through traveling to other areas of the country, is that people point out our accents. I was unaware that I had an accent, but many people hear differences in people from Lancaster's word prononciations, especially when we ask questions. I have been told that I raise the pitch of the last word when I ask a question. After this observation was pointed out to me, I decided to listen to others from this area. This characteristic seems to be a pretty common trend. There is one thing about the phrase 'Pennsylvania Dutch' that a lot of people, including those from our own area, don't really know about. Amish are not really from a Dutch heritage. They are really Germans. Once they moved to this area, it was just much easier for locals to say Dutch than Deutsch.
Where is the snow. I feel like it's only worth being cold if there is snowy weather every now and then. Tomorrow is suppose to be in the low 30's and windy, but there will be no snow! Some people hate the snow. I think that is what makes this part of our country perfect. We get to experience all four seasons truly. I never understand the overall logic some people have when they constantly complain about the snow. They knew to expect this by choosing to live in this area. Sure, when I moved to Los Angeles for school I enjoyed the moderate temperates. But when I came home for winter break, the cold weather with snow just felt necessary in order to enjoy the holiday season correctly. This is how I grew up. I thought it was so weird to hear about some of my friends from class only saw a few flurries once in their life while living in Burbank. I think our area needs a good measurable amount of snow in the upcoming future. All of this weird weather in the past few years are signs that a dramatic change in climate on our planet is occurring. I wish this some people weren't so ignorant to this idea.
I think cell phones have ruined everything. I think about it all the time. Back before cell phones were commonly used, people actually did more activities. Cell phones help make plans, but more frequently cancel plans. During the pre-cell phone age, if plans were established over a home phone or phone booth, you would have to stick to them. If you didn't, you would start to become notorious for being unreliable. Now that almost everyone has a cell phone, you can conveniently call or text for cancelations, giving people the tools for simple ways out of having to do things. Also it seems like it is common to blame the technology for not receiving a call or text, regardless if they actually did receive the information. The convienience of the phone is making people lazy, and I feel like we are loosing true in-person communication skills.
I like to eat greek yogurt too. Since it is filled with plenty of protein, it is perfect for someone like myself who enjoys going to the gym. I agree with how you like to avoid eating over processed foods. I too wish more healthy foods were cheaper.
I haven't really thought about my new years resolutions. One of the reason I haven't is becase it really hasn't felt like this year is over yet. It may have something to do with the fact that I played just dance three for two days at my best friend's house. It may have something to do with the fact that this year has gone by so fast. I can't believe that this time last year I was saying I'm going to graduate this June. Now by this June I should be a sophmore in college. It's crazy to me! Now that I am thinking about it one of my New Years resolutions is to not procastionate. Actually I think I'm doing well since this freewrite isn't due until tomorrow and yet I'm just finishing it now.
The year of 2011 held many changes, while I am not complaining this is just unusual from previous years. My life is generally pretty simple; however there have been recent changes with health, relationships, living environments that have made old habits fade and new habits appear. However, these changes have yet to make me feel overwhelmed or unhappy. For the years of 2012 I would like to get involved a little more. Since I finally feel acclimated with my environment I think that it will make simple tasks less complicated, enabling me to be more efficient. My number one goal for the 2012 semester is to get my grades under control; the curriculum for my spring semester is by no means easy. Although I know my courses will be difficult I have faith that this New Year will enable me to push myself to receive the grades I want.
I think the winner of the Republican Iowa Caucus will be Ron Paul. His views are extreme, but his supporters are even more extreme. I feel that his supporters are more likely to go out to vote compared to other candidate's supporters. His conservatism seems to match the ideals many Iowans feel. His fan base consists both of old and young voters. If it isn't him, it will most likely be what seems to be the 'obvious' choice, Mitt Romney. I don't really like him or his personality. He seems too fake. He talks down to people like he is so much superior, yet when he ran in 2008 he had to drop out somewhat early. If I were a registered Iowan Republican, I would personally vote for Jon Huntsman. He is somewhat moderate, which would help all the extreme right winged congresspeople come to more realistic terms of agreement. He also believes that Republicans should take more science into account. And since he was our Ambassador to China, he understands many of the advancements China is taking in order to become an increasingly more powerful nation. If he was President, maybe he could open up some of the minds of Republicans to look past oil for our future.
My New Year’s Resolution It is hard to believe that 2011 has come to an end. It seems that 2011 went by so fast! Even though a year has come and gone, I think it is important to look forward to what is ahead in 2012. I usually do not come up with a New Year’s Resolution, but this year I came up with a few. For one, I would like to become more outgoing and get to know more people. I am so close with the people in my hall, that I forget that there are so many more people to get to know on campus. Secondly, I would like to become more involved in school activities, like joining a sorority or going to more campus events. Becoming more involved on campus would also help me to meet new people. Lastly, I would like to do better in my classes. I did well in the previous semester but I want to push myself to do a little bit better. I look at the New Year as “You only live once, so make the most of it!”
I never make "new year resolutions." i personally struggle following through long term goals. a new year resolution that i don't make but do follow through is to make it through the year alive. i put pressures on myself daily, weekly, monthly. of course i'd like to achieve all the cliche resolutions; lose weight, quit smoking, get a raise - but those are goals that should be made in a more short-term setting. if i were to make new years resolutions, i wouldn't put a name on them, just long-term goals. my long term goals are to travel more, graduate, and follow the sun.
New Years The New Year is a time to celebrate all that we have accomplished in the past year and celebrate the experiences yet to come. It’s a time where people look back at their own past and based on what they see they decide changes that they have to make in their everyday life. They do this to hopefully improve their life. Whether it is something simple such as losing weight before the next year or something as complicated as planning to work out every day, New Years is a time when people try to make a change in their life so that they can improve how they are living. It is a time when people wish others the best in the next year and celebrate the fact that they are still here on earth to celebrate the year. New Years is happy and sad at the same time. It is happy because you can let go of everything that happened in the past year and look forward to the next year and the changes that come with it. However, it is a sad event because we realize some of the people we love were not able to celebrate the new year with us.
So I got a new XBOX for Christmas this year. I haven't had a new gaming system since the Nintendo 64 came out so it has been awhile for me. I never realized how much you can do on them. I have been streaming a bunch of movies on netflix through the XBOX which has been pretty cool. I also have the kinect with it which allows you to play games without a controller. Although I am really happy with this gift, i am worried that it will be distracting. I feel like it will occupy my time when i should be doing more productive things. Its the same reason i don't like watching new TV shows. I end up liking it and then watching all of the seasons consecutively. Hopefully the initial excitement will wear off and I wont be turned into a complete gamer. I will need to find some deep motivation to do school work rather than play gears of war or halo.
For the past two weeks I have been working my job as a residential construction contractor. Which is actually a very nice gig for a person while they're in college. Last week it was pretty comfortable to work in. I'd be so bold as to say long sleeve t-shirt weather. I like that. However today and yesterday, I've been smacked by the hand of Jack Frost all day long. I don't understand how the Earth just decides to act like a menopausal woman. It's not that I'm complaining about the weather like everyone loves to do. I'm actually complaining about how hard it is to move when you're bundled up in Carhartt insulated everything. Yeah, you're warm. But it takes twice as long to do anything. However, the cold does make a job site a whole lot less muddy. It freezes everything, including me.
In Response to Caitlin's freewrite on New Year's Resolution
I also hate resolutions. When someone asks me what mine is I say, "My resolution is to be here long enough to make another one." I think that if you have to make a goal up, why should you have to wait until new years to make it. That's just laziness.
My favorite cereal at the moment has to be the Frosted Mini Spooners, which are pretty much the knock off versions of Frosted Mini Wheats. They both taste very good though, which can be a rare thing for knock off cereals that come in the big bags from grocery stores. My favorite part about the Frosted Mini Spooners is when you get the pieces that are completely covered with frosting, which makes them taste very sugary and good. I like to eat them out of the bag often, so I find myself reaching into the bag gambling whether or not I will get one overloaded with frosting, or if I will get one with barely any frosting at all. It is a very fun game to be playing when you're hungry, but I find myself getting annoyed when I pick 5 pieces in a row that have little to no frosting at all on them. Overall they have to be in my list of favorite cereals, being next to Honey Bunches of Oats, and Fruity Pebbles. Because who doesn't love Fruity Pebbles?
Snow and Flurries I have mixed feelings about the snow. I love it the first time it snows, but after that I don’t really care for it, unless it’s just a passing flurry. Snow is awesome the first time because it brightens up the winter holidays and helps us to realize that the summer is truly over. I particularly like when we get a large enough amount to go sledding because my parents have a huge hill that is perfect for winter activities. When I was little, my brother and I would be out in the snow for hours, sledding down the hill and then taking the time to hike back up it. Now, I sled down the hill a handful of times and by the time I get back up to the top, I’d rather be inside by the fire and sip on some hot chocolate. When it begins to snow for the second time, I don’t really get excited. It’s more of a “been there, done that” kind of feeling. However, since we only got that one snow storm in late October, I wouldn’t mind having another one in January.
I love the first snow of the year everything is covered in a white blanket. I like that you included that you just want to go sledding a few times. However, my favorite part about snow is after you have cleaned it off of the driveway, sidewalk or finished sledding down the hill you get to drink the warm deliciousness that is hot chocolate! Just like you I wouldn't mind if we had another snow fall this January.
Snow The first time I remember having to explain what snow was to someone was in seventh grade. A friend of mine had moved to Pennsylvania from Florida and she had never really seen snow before. That morning everyone had been excited because the weather channel said that there was a one hundred percent chance of snow. This meant that every student in our school was hoping that we would get out early. My friend asked me why everyone was excited. I told her that it was supposed to snow that afternoon. However, the snow didn’t arrive until after school was over. I remember asking my friend the next day what her thoughts were on snow and she told me. “It’s not what everyone thinks it is in Florida. We all imagine the little puffy rain drops that are fun to make into snowballs and make snowmen out of. This is not the case at all they’re cold and make everything wet and freezing. I don’t like it because I now know that when it snows it’s going to be really cold outside.” I thought it was weird that my friend described snow as she did however as I had got older I realized that most of what she said was correct. Snow makes the roads slick and you have to shovel the drive way and afterwards you just feel cold, wet and tired.
Snow Apparently my town was graced by snow flurries yesterday. Everyone on facebook was freaking out but, none of these flurries stuck. I think it's kind of funny that we got snow in October and not in any of the usual winter months so far. As much as I love the snow I dislike shoveling it. However, I guess I won't really have to worry about that because I'll be on campus and they shovel for you which is nice. At the same time though I feel bad for my parents who have to shovel by themselves. Another thing I like about snow is when it is untouched. I love the blinding white of the snow when you first look out your window. I love having off from school because of snow. I don't think I'd ever want to live anywhere such as Colorado where they get snow all the time. I do enjoy a little bit of snow like we get here instead of the full of blizzards Colorado gets. I enjoy playing games with my friends while we drink hot chocolate instead of shoveling five inches of snow.
I am happy so far that it has been warm and we have not had a really big snow storm yet this year. I have enjoyed it so much because I have still been able to play golf when usually there would be snow of the ground by this time of year. I have to say that my love of snow has deteriorated since I have gotten older. I like snow if it melts right away. I just hate dealing with icy roads/sidewalks, snow sludge, and the fact that it makes it more difficult to run outside. I do like sledding however. I don't know who in their right mind doesn't enjoy sledding. Even though I am not a huge fan of winter I am glad that I live in an area where we get all four seasons. I think I would definitely miss it if I were to move somewhere else.
Snow is nature's special little way of ruining your day. It makes any quick trip to work a rally course race. So it causes accidents. When it's cold too it freezes everything. You can't have a drink outside without it being a slushy by noon. Snow also creates more work. Which is not fun to do on your day off. The fact that a day off even involves movement ruins it for me. I wish I could get back to my childhood and enjoy it every time it happens. Now it's just that cherry on top when it's already freezing out. This world would be much better off without snow. I mean Russia is not the best place to be, and it snows all the time. Maybe if it didn't snow, there wouldn't have been a Cold War.
I hate the internet. That’s a silly thing to say, because the internet is our biggest resource ever. I use the internet all of the time, but it can really be a huge plague, especially when an old power line fails because of ice, a router gets fried, or (insert aggravating reason why your internet has failed). I like postcards, newspapers, and sending personalized mail. I also enjoy sending homemade packages. In addition, I like printed books, cds and cassette tapes including all of the extra insiders and stickers you receive when you pre order an album, or something of the sort. I understand that the internet is supposed to be ‘efficient,’ but it’s one of the biggest problems I feel we have. The internet is very destructive to creativity in some aspects, but then again it opens up so many new windows to expand our minds creatively. The internet is inevitable, and completely unavoidable.
Snow/Ice is the absolute worst. I used to like it at some point, but as you get older, it just tends to get in the way. When I was younger, I used to always build snow forts, go sledding, have snowballs wars with all the neighborhood kids, and I used to snowboard. The best thing was coming inside to a warm house and mom waiting with blankets, hot chocolate, cookies, a good movie, and the fact that this was all occurring on a snow day from school. In present day, snow and ice do not help me out at all. Millersville rarely lets off for snow, and it’s terrible walking around to classes when there’s a bunch of black ice on the ground. Snow is an obstacle for me to overcome as I drive to work, or anywhere for that matter. Snow always seems to be in the way. I’d take a light dusting just for the effect, but no way do I want a few feet of it.
This very simple form of weather can be viewed at in many different ways. Some see it as a dangerous hazard, while others see it as a peaceful elegance. Snow can be looked at as a inconvenience for more work, while others see it as a method to get out of work. Snow is cold- but snow is fun. Sometimes snow even looks different. Snow in the country side will have a much different look than snow in an urban setting. Eventually the snow must go away, accompanied by thankfulness or sadness. Please come soon snow, I think it's needed.
It is a curse but a treasure. Why is it that, the more channels you have, the less you can find. I find my self flipping through the guide more than I actually view a program. I don't have very many favorite tv shows, but much rather prefer shows on informational pieces. I enjoy news the most. It is always interesting to think about how fast information flows. Incidences occur on the complete other side of the world, and within minutes it is being covered on TV if it is TV worthy. But what is TV for, our viewing pleasure? The whole reason the majority of things are put on TV to begin with is for advertisements. Without their funded money, most of the channels and shows would not be on. TV would be much different. From those thirty second segments, to advertisement sponsored events, to even going as far as direct product placement in programs, companies are constantly trying to get attention through this form of media.
It's interesting to think about how music is made. Depending on what style of music, there is a variety of different ways going about creating music. Typically in the new age of digital recording, an instrument is set up in front of a microphone, or several. The wire runs into a preamp, which then is either carried through a digital control board, or into a simple digital interface. The converted signal, which is just a series of 0s and 1s based on the specific frequencies and amplitudes picked up by the cone in the microphone being pushed by the sound carried through the air, is recorded through a software media. This step is repeated for different instruments and voices, sometimes at the same time, or separately. After this, the editing step comes next. Specific volumes are set for each channel (each recorded instrument/voice usually), as well as the panning (left speaker to center to right speaker or somewhere in-between). This step is also where many effects and other methods to improve the sound occur. Overall, it is a long process which involve many tedious steps in order to get the finished product.
I agree this moderate weather is so bizarre. I get mixed feelings to, I like it, but I'm confused. What is are planet coming to? Is this truly a good thing, or can it have potentially bad effects? I don't know. I am curious if the process continues if any hibernating animals will wake up early. I guess time will tell what the effects of this constant change in temperates are.
While I have always been apprehensive about our food industry, Pollan’s book has shed light on some of the deeper issues that I was never aware of. For example, I always realized carbohydrates weren’t exactly the best source of energy. Yes, they are great, and can fill you up fast. However, whenever I stopped eating them it seemed like the weight just fell off. The problem with that is, the second you slip up, and take a bite of that pasta the weight comes back even faster, and I now know why. The thing I found to be most informative from the readings was how Americans replaced their meats with carbohydrates. I subconsciously realized this process, yet never really put two and two together. I was even more surprised to find that this action was taken in order to replace the fatty meats. Even though the fat was replaced with carbohydrates, Americans continued to grow larger. Pollan’s explanation of this occurrence has made me look at pasta in a whole new way. Since pasta is filled with refined starches, he explains that there is no nutritional value to it. Upon completion of this book, I have found myself reconsidering every bite taken. It used to be that I would force myself to consume carbs, for the simple fact that I thought I needed them. I am now pleased to say, that I no longer have the desire to consume any type of grain unless it is in fact, whole grain.
snow is cold and wet. i've never invested a whole lot of interest in snow. i enjoy skiing, tubing, and generally romping around. i enjoy the hot chocolate warm up after a long day of frozen wasteland. but all of the layers, the runny noses, the icy roads; it causes more stress than joy! i miss the summer time - the jean shorts, warm creeks, camping out; live music, bare feet, windows down.
i feel grateful that i will never have to pay student loans. i won't have to begin my professional life in debt, that's more than many college seniors can say. more than the debt, i am thankful for my great aunt deedee. because of her, i have eluded college tuition and will for some time. looking around my friends, they're all sweating the grave introduction into the real world: broke. regardless of job choice post college, some of my friends are looking into debt for at least 10 years! it's unfortunate and almost unavoidable, so i consider myself lucky to have dodged the bullet on college tuition.
That sounds like an amazing thing to have. After high school, I took a year off and worked full-time as an accountant. I've been using that money for tuition ever since. Theres nothing wrong with work, but it does take up a lot of time, that I could otherwise be focusing on school. Also with that year off I had to face the facts that I would graduate a year behind everyone in my high school, which is actually alright. At least now I know I truly appreciate my opportunities.
Pollan’s book Most Americans no longer sit down and have a family meal, instead they are just grabbing what they want out of the refrigerator and sticking it in the microwave and then eating it, at least according to Pollan’s book. If I had not read this book I would not have known this was what most American meals were like because even now my family still has at least one meal together as a family were we all sit down and talk about our day. Though we might not have much to say to one another this is the time of day were we are all in the same room enjoying a meal that either of my parents cooked. When my sister and I were younger we would just eat whatever we were given. I have noticed, that as my sister got older not only did she get busier but also more aware of the different foods that she would be eating. It wasn’t until I read this book, that I realized just why my sister worried so much about the food she was eating and why it was so much more expensive than the normal food that my family would buy. This book not only taught me about why I needed to make healthy choices but also helped me to gain insight into the reasoning behind my sister’s obsession with healthy food.
If I was pulled over by a cop for speeding I would not expect to get out of the ticket. I know that by speeding I am taking a risk of being caught. If I ever am caught I would own up to the consequences. However, I'd really hope to be let off with just a warning! My dad's friend told me a story of when he got pulled over. When the cop asked him why he was speeding he replied that he was "just keeping up with the flow of traffic." After the cop commented on that there were no other cars on the road besides him my dad's friend said he was trying to catch up. I would kind of expect to be let out of a find if I came up with some witty joke like that. Especially because it probably brightened the officer's day.
In Defense of Food After reading In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan, my mind has changed about the way we eat in several ways. Pollan made me realize how bad the Western Diet is and how Americans seem to follow the latest scientific trend and food advertisements. We need to stop buying processed food and start growing our own natural food. I found myself looking at food differently the last time I went to the grocery store. Pollan points out that you should study the ingredients label when you consider whether to buy a food and avoid food that is unfamiliar, unpronounceable, contains more than five ingredients, or high in fructose corn syrup. There are so many foods at the grocery store that contain more than five ingredients and it was hard to decide what products to buy. Pollan also points out to avoid food products that make health claims, like the Frito-Lay chips that say they are healthier for your heart. Everywhere I looked around there was a food with a health claim, like “more whole grain” or “heart healthy”. Lastly, Pollan noted to shop around the edges of the grocery store and avoid the middle. The middle of the store is dominated by processed foods and the edges of the store contain more fresh food. I found myself having a hard time not to drift towards the middle of the store because of the advertising and health claims. Pollan has taught me to be more aware of processed foods and be careful when buying food.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I think that it has changed my perception on what is healthy and what is not. I have always read nutrition labels to see how "healthy" processed food claims to be but i must admit that I tend to look over what the actual ingredients are. I think that the ingredients section seemed irrelevant to me because processed packaged foods have been around throughout my lifetime. I wasn't around when you could only find whole foods in the supermarket with only a handful of ingredients. Like most Americans, I thought that if the nutrient content was there that it didn't matter how the food was made or what the ingredients were. We have been brainwashed into believing the food companies idea of healthy eating and have abandoned the traditional ways that humans have evolved to eat. This book has made me think about sticking to more natural foods on a consistent basis and ditching the processed garbage that they sell in stores. I am not completely against processed foods, I just think that they should be consumed less frequently than whole foods.
I personally have never been pulled over for speeding, technically. Although I have had other incidents. The most reoccurring theme in my state file, would be off roading. Yeah I know I'm the resident redneck in this class. but back to my point. I have over the course of my motorsport career accumulated 4 total tickets for driving off the legal road. This is a very horrible fact considering that I have never even owned a four-wheeler or dirt bike at the time of any of these run-ins. Amazingly enough I have yet to get a traffic ticket when diving my own truck. Talk about luck right? The Department of Conservation of Natural Resources definitely know me in this town along with my gang of ragtag hillbillies. It's like we are a motorcycle gang, but maybe one day.
I've been pulled over speeding, and I was given a ticket. However, I went to traffic court, tried to nice and pleaded guilty. I told the judge I truly thought I was in the next area where the speed I was going was legal, and he allowed me to just pay the fine without receiving any points. I don't really remember exactly what I said, I just remember feeling like I may die, right now.
In four years of driving I can, surprisingly, say the same. I've been pulled over a couple times but the cops have always been nice enough to let me go with warnings. I read somewhere that if you don't admit to knowingly speeding than you are less likely to be ticketed. Whenever I have been pulled over I say that I didn't realize I was speeding. Too bad that tactic doesn't work when you're drunk and walking back from Downtown Lancaster.
On rainy days everything seems darker, whether this is the case from cloud cover or everyone’s mood. I have yet to find a person who is excited or happy about it raining outside. I mean don’t get me wrong I know that it needs to rain for crops to grow and the plants not to shrivel up and die, but rainy days make everything seem gloomy. The cloud cover over head makes the outside atmosphere look darker, day light seems to go away faster because of the clouds blocking the sun. However, if it was just this maybe it wouldn’t see so bad but it is also most people’s attitudes that really gets to me. People always seem to be in a rush on rainy days as if the rain prevented them from waking up on time or leaving on time. In addition whenever you see anyone on a rainy day they always mention that they hate the rain or say sarcastically great weather we are having! They act as though rain is the biggest problem in their life. Their real problems seem heaver on rainy days to carry because of the atmosphere outside and everyone else’s attitude.
It's crazy to think that spring semester is just around the corner. Winter semester has gone by so fast, and it still barely even feels like winter. As spring is fast approaching I can't help but to start to get anxious. I know that the pace of spring semester will be much faster than other semesters due to a heavy work load, and my part time job. With one week left, I am going to enjoy winter break for what it is. For the remainder of break I plan to relax as much as possible, and mentally prepare myself for the new school year, making sure that I am ready to do my best in every class.
I totally agree, its is crazy that spring semester is about to arrive. I feel like there has been no stopping for me yet this year. gah, its tough you know working and going to school. Hopefully I will get to relax soonish. I don't though for sure with all the time research seems to take, as well my job. But it could be worse I could be in a situation where there weren't any opportunities. That would be far worse then feeling overwhelmed. The feeling of hopelessness that can arise from not being able to foresee a future.
If you are what you eat then I would have to be chicken. Chicken is my favorite type of meat. I usually eat some form of chicken every day whether it be in the form of a nugget, sandwich, or microwavable meal. When I go over my friend's house she always makes sure to have some form of chicken for us to eat. In my home there is usually at least a bag of chicken nuggets and cold cuts for us to grill, fry, or bake. Since I eat so much chicken I'd be a chicken. If I were to narrow down by assessing what type of chicken I eat the most I would probably be a chicken nugget. Chicken nuggets are usually one of the foods that you can't mess up even in a dining hall. Plus, they are quick and can be eaten on the go. My love for chicken would definitely turn me into a chicken if we are what we eat.
Beach Bum The perfect day for me would be a day spent relaxing on the beach. There is just something about listening to the seagulls and waves of the ocean that soothes me. I would first start my day off by finding the perfect spot to set up my chair and towel, where it is not too crowded, but still near the water. Then I would put on some sunscreen because I would not want to get burnt. That would turn a good day into a bad day. After that I would just sit back and relax by listening to some music, reading a good book, or watching people swim in the ocean. If I get bored, I would walk up and down the beach in search of a cool shell or starfish. If I get too hot, I would go swim in the water for a bit or put up an umbrella to create some shade from the sun. I could also go get some ice cream on the boardwalk, just as long as I eat it right away so it doesn’t melt. When lunch time rolls around, there is nothing better than getting boardwalk fries and sharing them with some friends. After I’m done on the beach, I usually walk through the shops along the boardwalk and try and find some good deals. Everything is usually overpriced, but it is still fun to at least see what the new trend is for the beach season. The beach is the perfect place to spend the perfect day.
I totally agree. I loved relaxing on the beach when I lived in LA. it was so peaceful, just listening to the waves, and feeling the sand. That would indeed be a perfect day for me too,
I have never once been pulled over for speeding, but I have been in two car accidents. I won’t lie, there have been many times that I have been speeding, but then again, who hasn’t? Sometimes when you’re on the highway, it is completely ridiculous to have to follow that 55 mph hour sign. There are parts of R422 where if you aren’t going at least 70 mph in the right lane you will get run off the road, and I have literally seen it happen before. I try to limit my driving during the middle of the day, and do my traveling in the evening. Being young has its perks because I feel like I have night vision sometimes when I drive. I love to drive in the dusk or dark even. I often worry that I may hit someone and I do come across people who do not wear the proper refectory jackets or ride bikes with reflectors which I see to be dangerous. Most of the time I also find these people to be wearing black, BLACK I TELL YOU. It’s like they’re asking to get hit by a vehicle. I’m turning this free write into a public service announcement: Please, if you are ever walking alone or riding or bike at night, please carry a flashlight with you, wear bright colors, have a reflector on your jacket and pay attention to the road and your surroundings. You never know when some crazy driver may hit you unintentionally. (I personally have had a wonderful friend die because of this, do not take this lightly).
To me, the perfect day is spending it surrounded with people that you love. The perfect day consists of sunlight, nice 65-70 degree weather with a light breeze, blue sky, and a few clouds. This day might be spent hiking or somewhere outdoors. I thoroughly enjoy what is called bouldering, which is a style of rock climbing in which you jump over boulders and climb up rocks to get further within the park. I suggest everyone check it out. The place that I have visited in the past is called Knockamixon State Park. In addition, I enjoy exploring and hiking new trails that I may find. My favorite ones lie in/near Wyomissing, PA. I like looking at all of the vegetation and beauty that nature has to offer. I like sitting in the middle of a field of green grass with just a boom box, a packed lunch, and a good read. Recipe for the perfect day: people you love, nice weather, a packed lunch, nature, laughter, and love.
Pollan made me think about food in a variety of ways. I definitely understand the many benefits of locally grown and specifically organic foods. Before I use to think it was just a trendy 'hip' thing to eat organic. But understanding that these types of foods are more nutrient packed makes much more sense to me now. It was also an extreme enlightenment to think about how deep of a process our food goes through. I was amazed to think about how even the fact that the animas being fed only corn based foods has an impact on how the meat will be. I now try to also cut back on a lot of meat, maybe only eating it for dinner rather than including it in every meal of the day. I liked fish before, but now I have been persuaded to eat more of it on a regular basis.
The perfect day for me would include waking up moderately early. Around 8-9. The sun would be shining right through my window onto my bed. I would start off with a breakfast with many of my friends at one of our favorite local diners. I would be served the perfect tasting coffee to complement the egg plater. Then I would do something that makes me feel really productive, whether it was work on something around the house, work on my car a little, or clean up my room. I would also get a great run in afterward. Followed b visiting my grandparents next-door. Towards the end of the day I would gather back up with my friends and we would all to out together.
Sometimes I wonder how I can get caught up in random staring. I will sit for minutes sometimes, paused, staring at nothing. I might be thinking of some idea, or sometimes completely nothing. I also wonder how much extra time I would have in a day if I didn't constantly procrastinate and be more productive earlier in the day. I like the feeling of finishing a task, but I also like to do nothing before for some reason. I wish I could get my brain to realize that if I finish the tasks that need done during the day earlier, I would have more time after to be more comfortably, stress-lessly lazy. If only I could think this way.
Sometimes I wish I was back in LA. Today was so cold, and there was no benefit of snow. Just blustering wind. Sometimes I wish I could be back on the beach. I use to go there to lay in the warmth every day I had off from school. I could go on barefoot runs along the coastline. From Venice all the way to the board line of Santa Monica beaches and the beginning of the private Malibu sand. I wish I could go back to the easily mobility LA had to offer with it's transit system. I could go anywhere in the city with the spare change in my pocket. During times in the year like this I really wish I could go back to that. I hope to soon go back, and visit old friends. Maybe one day I will go back, and find a graduate school to attend. I want to show all my friends the places I use to hang out, and all the things I got to see. I like it here, but I also like it there. I guess I can't have both, but I wish it was more affordable to go back. When I moved back, I drove all the way across country, and stopped at many different sites. That was an experience I will remember forever. But for now I'll stay in Lancaster, in the cold and the wind, thinking about LA.
When I grow up I have no idea what I want to be. This has been the scariest thought that comes into my mind, and recently it is something that has really been haunting me. Currently I’m studying Music Business and Technology. There are many different things that I could do with this major, but I don’t know if music is right for me. The only thing I know that I want to do is help people. I just want to be able to make sure that other people are happy and can find joy and fulfillment through various opportunities that may come their way. Through music I hope to bring children together and raise awareness about the slowed funding and cut programs within the public school system. I want to work to prove that music education is vital to maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Music relieves so much stress and we can all agree. Before I decided to go into music, I wanted to study Forensic and Toxicological Chemistry. With that field I could do so many things, my main goal being to eventually work for the FBI, but if that didn’t work out, I’d go and be a physician’s assistant or maybe be a pediatrician or a specialty doctor focusing on children. I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up, and it’s the scariest thing ever. Why can’t we just be told what our destiny is?
When I grow up I want to be in some form of law enforcement. I used to want to be an FBI Agent, but I don't think I really want to do that anymore. As fun as it would be introducing myself as a federal agent I have researched it more and it's actually more paperwork. Which is kind of obvious because the I in FBI is for investigation. When I went on a ride a long when I was sixteen I wanted to become a cop because it's an adrenaline rush. To help people while having fun sounds like the best job ever! When I grow up I definitely want to be a police officer. I've been thinking about becoming a K-9 officer. It would be fantastic to walk around with a german shepherd and catch criminals. I can't wait to grow up.
Escargot The strangest food I have ever eaten was escargot. Escargot is cooked land snails and it is a common appetizer in French restaurants. I tried it in a French class I took in high school. It was at a Mardi Gras party and everyone had to bring in a French food for the party. There was a ton of food, including French baguettes, quiches, king cake, and escargot. My teacher said she would give students who ate a snail extra credit, so me and one of my friends decided to do it. She put a snail on our plates. They were black and slimy and looked very unappetizing. On the count of three, we both put the escargot in our mouths. It was extremely chewy and salty. After we ate it, we both washed down the taste with some water. I thought that escargot would taste and look good because it is considered a very classy dish in France, however, it was the total opposite and I will never eat escargot again.
Its funny what people will do if there is an aura of sophistication or class associated with it. Escargot are snails. I know that they perfectly fine for you to eat, but the idea of eating snails should repulse everyone. Yet, France, like most European countries, is associated with being slightly more cultured then America. Which is why there is a sudden draw to put snails in your mouth.
Commercials Any time I watch a show no matter if it is a half an hour show or an hour show it seems like half of the airing time is spent on different companies advertising their product in some new and interesting way. The only problem with this is that most of the products that are being advertised are for older or younger people than myself and have nothing at all that I am interested in. On top of not being something that I particularly want or even need for that matter, they are most of the time annoying. I know that they are annoying so they catch different people’s attention by why out of an hour show does at least fifteen minutes of the hour have to be spent on showing me commercials of items. In addition to the fact that I don’t need these products most of the prices other products are outrageous and they can be found at better prices online. For this reason I think that commercials on the television are becoming obsolete. Though I realize that the companies need to advertise their products I don’t think that by having fifteen minutes of commercials on one television show does anything but annoy the audience.
When I was younger my family frequently visited the Midwest. We had family out there and would always go out to dinner since it was a vacation for us. I don’t remind every single detail, however I do know that one night while out to dinner someone order rattlesnake as the appetizer. Today I am deathly afraid of snakes, and cannot even look at them. I am not sure how but somehow and someway I tried the appetizer. The rattle snake was presented in a fried battle which is probably the only way it is tolerable. I let my guard down and tried the strange food because to me it was a once in a life time opportunity. I was with my family in beautiful Sedona, Arizona and decided why not. At this point in my life there is no way I would even consider tasting this food again. In fact, I don’t even think that I would try if someone offered to pay me to. I am older and smarter now and have no desire to eat the animal that I find to be most repulsive.
I cannot believe I am old enough that one of my favorite childhood movies is now considered a timeless classic! I am also embarassingly excited about this movie coming out into theaters! Its crazy to realize just quick it went by, time that is. I have friends who are getting married, there is talk of babies, and my younger sister is engaged. When I look at my five year old brother and realize just how quick life has gone by since I was his age, I am reminded why it is that I need to believe that there is something more than this life. My analytical side would like to believe that the greater world does not exist, that it can't proven, therefore is silly. Yet, my heart yearns to know that there is more. Who can look around and think that this is it? I don't know how to describe other than that strange tingly, pulse pounding, yet peaceful feeling that you get when you are standing outside and theres that sudden rushing of the wind that just exilerates my very fiber.
Alright if you are not familiar with the tough mudder race, its a race thats 10-12 miles long, that generally includes fire, water, electric shock, and generalized torture. Also known as the greatest thing ever. I have run marathons, been on the crew team, but I have yet to be shocked. I feel like this is an aspect pain that I must experience at some point in my life. What is it about people that makes them want to do these ridiculous tasks like the tough mudder? I can tell you what I love about it, reaching the edge. I don't know how to describe just how awesome it is to see the edge smile at, and then fall down into the darkness. To be completely consumed by pain, to no longer exist outside of it, to no longer be a person, it is fantastic when you come back. You can stand up and say "hey I've seen you, and I've dealt with you, come back when you've got more ammo".
I am entering the tough mudder this spring with my friends. My one friend did it and claimed the shocking part wasn't even the worst part, the adrenaline you have while running through it blocks out the pain. I'm excited to go through with it, should be something to look forward to
I love classical music. The fluidity of the notes as though they are being played by more than mere mortals is a fantastic feeling. When you hear its like running your hand across the top of perfectly calm water with that glass like look. You know you are getting wet, but the temptation is to great to resists. And then pandora puts on a on Olay commercial. The peace is ruined. Gah, why does the free insist on having to incorporate ads into the playlist. Probably because it is free. I wonder if the SOPA law will pass, and what the backlash will be from the general society. Will it only be younger people who are in an uproar, which I feel like is what the media is suggesting. Or will everyone be upset over the new restrictions.
I had to think about this one for a little bit. I do get irritated by man things, but it just depends on the circumstance. Obvious people smacking while they eat bothers me. People who zone out middle way through a conversation can really bug me. I also get annoyed with certain commercials. Right now the most irritating commercial is the Ford commercial, where they interview people and make jokes that aren't very funny to begin with. I don't get how these commercials are beneficial for Ford. It also bugs me when a lot of work is done, only to be ruined in the end. For example, yesterday I was working on my car. I was removing a certain part, intricately removing many bolts to get a certain part out. I got to the very last piece, and the bolt stripped. Now I have to wait several days to weeks until I can have friend come over with his welding torch get this last bolt off.
I can't believe I wrote so much in such a small period of time. These last couple of days has been making my head spin. I've had such a packed schedule, balancing my job and school work. On top of that I had a car that I need to get fixed before the spring semester starts. Today at noon will be a very relieving feeling. Ultimately it will be rewarding in the end. I emphasized many of my peers to take advantage of winter classes. I'm trying to get as many credits in as fast I can to help me in the end. I plan on taking a few summer classes as well. This class has taught me a lot about not only writing, but personal prioritizing. There are many times when I had to give up nights with friends to work on some of the papers. As frustrating as that may have been, it was well worth skipping a night hanging out to complete better writings. I'm excited for the next semester, especially with the confidence this class has boosted. With hard work and dedication, I hope to do very well in my upcoming classes.
So today in the local forcast I heard that snow was on it's way. Finally! It's about time. Even thought it might only be a few inches. It seems many parts of the country got some significant amount of snow. Luckily we have several all wheel drive cars at my house. Snow doesn't really bother us. The importance things to remember for driving in the snow is to make sure to slow down well below the speed limit. If you have anti-lock brakes, don't pump them if you start to slide. Make sure you have your headlights on. Use low gears if possible. Brake gently to avoid any sliding. Bridges tend to freeze because the concrete is colder, so be extra alert while driving over them. And stay inside if at all possible! Snow is dangerous to drive in to begin with. I feel like areas that have significant snow in the winter should some how accommodate snow driving portions in the driving test. This would prevent so many accidents I constantly see when teenagers get out of school. People just need to take it easy and not try to show off or be impatient.
Breakfast seems to be my favorite meal of the day. I usually always like to wake up earlier in the morning to make myself a cooked breakfast. Sometimes on weekend, I go all out and make a waffle, sausage, and eggs. Other times I just like eating a simple egg sandwich. Sometimes I'll make egg white omelets with a variety of vegetables inside. Whatever dish it may be, it tends to revolve around eggs. If I'm in a rush, I like a quick bowl of oatmeal, or some kind of whole grain cereal. Another morning favorite I enjoy is going out with my friends to one of our local diners in our area. I like being up early and having a productive day, while seeing every one in town that you know. Like Pollan said, food always meant to be eaten socially, not alone in a room watching the television. Some people skip breakfast, I could never see myself doing that. This is where I get my energy in the morning. On some occasions, I will have a cup of coffee. I try to avoid to much caffeine. I don't want to become addicted and always having the feeling in the morning that I need coffee to get me going.
Breakfast food is mighty tasty. I have to admit, I'm one of those people that often skips breakfast. Being a early bird must be nice. That said, one of the great qualities of breakfast food are their versatility. Whether it's 8 in the morning or 11 o'clock at night, eggs make for a tasty treat.
Alcohol. Is it worth the negatives to experience the fleeting positives? As a college student, it's easy to get caught up in the party scene. Alcohol provides a momentary reprieve from the harsh reality of becoming an adult. As a child, we are taught that the world is beautiful and you can do anything you want. While, to an extent this is true, what the authority with holds from us are the harsh realities of the "real" world. Thousands of dollars of debt, and plunging into a sinking economy can lead to a pretty bleak outlook on life. The party scene offers an escape. It allows for hardening young adults to turn away from the cruel world they had just been de-virginized to.
I'm really excited for this break so far I've gotten to see most of my good friends but already starting to miss everyone from Millersville..it would be great if everyone didn't live so far away! I just want to see everyone again. I can't wait to see my family over the break though I haven't seen some of them in a while so it should be pretty fun. I have no idea what I'm getting for christmas or what to do with myself aside from this class. Im thinking that it might not take as much time as I'm thinking it will but we'll see. I want to go back to school already because I'm so excited to start my spring classes. I get to take more classes pertaining to my major and it should be a lot of fun because I love learning about animals and chemistry was always a strong point for me along with biology. I'm wondering what my final grades are and realy want to know them now. Why does it have to be another few days? i want them now...I'm worried about how I did in biology right now. I hope I did really well in the lab portion of the class because that was my favorite class in the fall session. I can't believe my freshman year is almost over! It doesn't feel like I'm a freshman anymore and everyone is just starting to blend together. I'm really happy that I get the chance to take this class because I can just get it out of the way and be able to learn to write better. I think this class will really help me to improve and I am able to research things better. I'm wondering what kind of topics we will be writing about and what kinds of pictures I'll be able to add to my writings. I think that I might draw some pictures for the papers we are writing if I find some free time. I love drawing and hope to share them with other people too so if I can accomplish that then I will be posting some of my original work to my papers.
I am looking forward to this christmas season with my family. It gives us a time to stop our busy lives of work and craziness to reflect on our relationship. I really hope there is not any conflict because sometimes that happens with my siblings. It surprises me every year I get older how much more real my family life becomes. When I say "real" I mean from when I was a child and things were just black and white and I did not see the issues that lay behind the scenes. There is a lot I did not know about my siblings from personal things to personality traits that as I get older I learn to love or dispise. I know as we grow older we change, but sometimes I wish I could stay little so real life does not become real.. if that makes any sense. I am very greatful for my family and would not change any part of it for anything but they sure do give me a headache sometimes! Last Thanksgiving we had a huge blow up at my brothers and dinner was ruined...I really hope this doesnt happen this year for the sake of Christmas! My 1 and half year old nephew will be great to watch because he is very excited with all the lights and wrapping paper to rip off. Last christmas, he ate the wrapping paper I think this year he will be more excited about the gift inside. I plan on enjoying great food and gifts with my family this year because it is so important to spend the holiday happy and full!
Freewrite #1 My Birthday My birthday is on Friday. It really sucks having a birthday this time of the year. My parents try to have a "birthday" for me, but it always turns into a holiday party. I don't think I have ever had birthday decorations since the house is always decorated for Christmas at that point. When I see my family on Christmas day they always say oh you had a birthday. And I reply that I did. It gets frustrating but by this age I am used to it. I also get combined gifts from a lot of people. So in the end, I don't normally get a lot of things I have asked for since I just had a birthday. I wish this wouldn't happen with people like me. I never have had a true birthday without all the holiday stuff and holiday food. However, I do like the fact now that I am in college I will always be able to spend my birthday at home instead of at school. I don't know how I would like being away at college for my birthday. This year my birthday falls on a Friday which is a lot easier to do something with my friends and family than when it has been on a week day. I am excited though for my birthday for some reason, even though I am not doing anything out of the ordinary for my family on my birthday. I remember my dad telling me that he told a friend at work that I was going to be born around Christmas, and they told him what an awful time of the year to have a child. I couldn't agree more!
I guess the main topic on my mind at this point of time and probably on the minds of many others would be the shooting in Sandy Book Elementary school. My son is only two but will be entering school in two years. I almost want to home school him at this point. Elementary school don't have guards or alarms and sometimes unlocked doors. Imagining what those parents are going through is not possible even with my wildest imagination or most horrible dreams. What about Christmas for them. We have a little over two dozen families who have gifts that they bought their children and family member s that have pasted. What a horrible thing to have to revisit everyday for the rest of your life and more so around the holidays. Holidays are suppse to be hppy times. A time for families to get together, ejoyed each others company and eat lots of food. Yet, for those families one innocent day has been turned into a life time of grief. It also crossed my mind about the mentally ill. I actually work with indivduals who have disabilities and are mentally unstable. I know how hard it ca =n be to get into programs and obtaining funding for homes ect. Alot of people cannot be treated for the mental issues due to insurance and funding. Not saying that this was the issue with the man who did these horrible thing, but it is for a lot of others. There are some things that happen in life that even when they did not effect you directly, they still effect you. This was one of those things for me.I don't live there but I am in pain and I am sad. The people in that area on the other hand have to live their and feel what I feel with an exponent on the end. Its just sad to think that now-a-days, no where is really safe, not even for innocent children. My son went home that day and broke a glass cup, but i couldn't be angry or upset because I was blessed enough to have and hold my child that night.
The shelf under this desk is annoying. Im thinking about the shootings. who kills kids a whole class of kindergardnes who will never grow up. It scares me cause my brouther is around that age and it would be horrable to lose him. Is this what a jurnal is like just spewing my thoughts. Interesting, my minde shure is crouded. I think wierd things like when is the next book for song of ice and fire coming out. I wonder what the next Skyrim DLC will be and when it will come out Dawngard was neat and just beat Dragonborn Hearthfire was boring but i did git to build a house. I wonder if fable journy is any good i don't think it will be but i have to wonder. This class seams like it will be heard lots of papers and rivishions my head is going to hurt. I wonder whats for dinner. What me and Wayne will do next. Would hulk beat Iornman my brouther keps talking about it. I smell bakon man am i hungery. I need togo get this book for this class. wonder whos working. I need to get a job tried mcdonalds but that was grose. Man this bars anoying. I wonder what the next Skyrim DLC will be and when it will come out Dawngard was neat and just beat Dragonborn Hearthfire was boring but i did git to build a house. I wonder if fable journy is any good i don't think it will be but i have to wonder. I think im repeting my self o well.
This holiday season is going to be strange. Once again my aunt isnt able to come out from california to visit. its been like three years sense i have seen her. But on top of that i dont have a place to sleep in my own home this holiday season. my nana is going to have to sleep on my grandmas pull out bed. My sister and her boyfriend will be in her room, and my uncle will be sleeping in my bed. Not to even mention if long lost cray cousin hairy comes again this year. I hope he brings boobear, that fucking dog pisses off my dad so much. If Brandon gets to drunk to drive to his moms place which is a given means he will be sleeping of the sofa giving me no place to sleep. Ill just have to stay and deres pull out bed unless Caroline... well she will most likely only be back on Christmas eve so ill just cash in her bed like i normally do. That is going to tick off my parents when they find out that i wont be home on Christmas morning but then again i always wake up two hours before everyone else and make breakfest. God i can not wait for our christmas eve party
The Writing Now Book Decision Right now, I got some options to acquire the Writing Now with 2009 MLA and 2010 APA book for this week. I am trying not to pay $60 for a used or $80 new book. I ordered a used edition for $22 from Amazon and I'm glad that I did that. The only dilemma I have is that it isn't suppose to arrive at my address until sometime next week after Christmas. I really hope it arrives before then so I can answers those interesting questions in the Writing Now book. One option I have is to ask Dr. Shea to print enough questions from the book to last me the assignments of this week. I like this option because I don't have to get a book and return it and it's quick. The only downside to this option is that I might be missing some helpful information that the book has to offer. The other option that I can do is to buy the Writing Now book now from the school store and return when my book from the Amazon return or by January 2. This option would be most practical but the only thing that's making me hesitate is that I don't know I'll be available in Millersville to return the book in time. This is the toughest decision that I have ever had to make.
12/21/12 Just thinking about this Friday, its suppose to be the end of the world but is it really? honestly, i think the Mayans just got tired of writing out a calendar and died of because the Spaniards brought diseases. I also cannot wait to see some seriously angry people who have spent millions of dollars on bunkers that they did not need. I was watching the history channel and this guy is now a millionaire because he sells dooms day supplies, come on now give me a break people are just crazy! All i know is ill be partying somewhere in PA, if it's my last day im going to live it well, no doubt about it! Think ill spend the morning with my family heck maybe get a good start on those Christmas present. Then travel around eating my favorite foods across the city, and then finally spend the evening partying it out with my LCHS class of 2012 You Only Live Once crew. Cant wait to see what happens either way it's guna be a blast literally! :)
For some reason I am not as excited for presents as the following years. I guess that could be because I am pretty much broke and I can't give other people good presents. I am excited to see my family and feast hard though. I swear the best part of Christmas is opening presents with the family and grubbing out. And with the leftovers of ham and maybe turkey this year, I can make the ultimate holiday sandwich. Hopefully my mom will let me prepare or cook some of the holiday meal. I want to also see all my close buddies for some fun after the meal on Christmas. I think this Christmas will be another good year.
I completely understand the feeling of being a poor college student! However, just being able to be with family and friends is the best gift! I agree, eating a lot of food is definitely on my list! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas! You will have to blog about your ultimate sandwich! Enjoy! Merry Christmas! Taylor
Christmas Parties Well just sitting here thinking about the all the Christmas parties I have over the weekend...gotta love the ones where it's the ugly sweater apparel I find that hilarious. But what I love the most is being able to see old friends and family that only comes home on the holidays. That is probably one of the only things I truly like about Christmas; being with loved ones besides that presents don't really matter. with the way this economy is and how money is tight, who needs expensive things, all you need is love. Merry Christmas.
Perfectionist Ever since I could remember, I was a perfectionist. I have had many struggles with trying to be perfect. It starts to eat away at you. I used to be jealous of the way my friends would be able to go and hang out on the weekends while I would be doing homework and studying every hour possible. I hate that I am a perfectionist because I can never submit anything without thinking is that comma in the right place, does it sound ok, and what if what if what if. I live my life triple checking myself on everything. I think this is why I have a hard time with writing papers. Instead of focusing on my story, I constantly think well will my paper be as good as so and so and is my comma in the right place, mom will you read it six more times. I am constantly thinking of all the things I could do wrong and not the things I do right. I take little tasks and make them seem impossible because I think I am interpreting them in the wrong way. I spend hours on meaningless things because to me, I would feel like a failure if my task I did wasn't perfect. I used to get upset when I would get a 99 on a test because it was always a stupid mistake I made that caused that one point off from a 100, which is always my goal. It is who I have become. The crazy Taylor who tries to do more than she can mentally and physically complete.
Christmas Tradition It is a family tradition that we always have a Christmas eve dinner with my family from Myerstown. I normally go over to my boyfriend's house first and then come back to my house and eat even more. This year there is a little twist. My uncle is coming up also from Myerstown to spend the weekend with us. He is only staying for the weekend because his wife has a grandson that they see on Christmas. Anyway, got a little off track. After dinner, we play games and then get ready for bed. My sisters and I always sleep in the same room. Normally two of us are on an air matress and the other one gets the comfy bed. We normally talk about what is going on in our life and then fall asleep. In the morning, my mom and sister always make money break, which is sooo good! My mom also puts in the over her casserole from preparing it from the night before. My sister and I are normally jumping on the bed to wake my dad up. Yes, we are 20 and 21 years old but we still get so excited. Everyone has to be up before we go downstairs. Normally, the dogs plow themselves down the steps before we can make it down. Literally, it is like a mad dash. However, the mad dash doesn't happen until the money bread is done. See, my mom had to make a specific time until we could go downstairs because when Linds and I were little we would wake up at 5 and tell everyone to get up. Now, we have to wait until six even though we are waking everyone up when we get up. Then when the time comes, we all go downstairs and open gifts one by one. We all have our special places to sit. Then the next day, we have another dinner. Normally a couple days later, we go to my grandpa's house to be with my dad's dad and my other uncle and aunt.
The Mall So today I went to my mall for the first time in months. It actually felt like years ago went I last went there. My buddy and I went to a couple of stores. The first store we went to was F.Y.E.. The reason I was there was because I wanted to see if they had a Led Zeppelin poster because I'm gathering posters for my future apartment near Millersville. But to my disappointment, they had no posters of that sort. The next store that I went to was Footlocker. I actually looked at some fly shoes but as usual I didn't much money on me. The plus side is that I applied there, hopefully I get an interview.
Crazy Kind of Day As I am sitting here, I realize that I have so many thoughts running through my head. I figured what better way to get them all out. I am also taking an online soc class. I have been constantly doing work for that class while trying to get ahead in this class. In reality, my getting ahead didn't happen. However, I have found that I am able to write a lot faster and get my ideas figured out. Sadly, my grandparents leave tomorrow to go home. The day after Christmas always stinks because its like all of the happiness was drained out. On the plus side, my sister starts her internship Friday with the Reading Royals. I couldn't be more proud of my big sis. My other sister just moved out today. I am not sure how I feel about that. We are very close and to not have her around anymore I feel empty. I feel like my mom did when all of us went to school. I am now an "only child." I don't like it too much. I am used to coming home and playing games, watching tv, or fighting with them. Then to think school starts soon. The time flew. I just hope I pass these two classes. I have worked hard to stay caught up and spend time with my family. I feel bad because they kept asking when will you come play games or why are you still doing homework. As much as I wanted to stop, I knew I had to get my work done my midnight. In the end everything turned out better than I hoped. I am so thankful. I just hope these classes turn out that way! If I haven't confused anyone yet, this is just some of the stuff that has been running through my head. My chest does feel lighter now that I have it all out on "paper." I hope everyone else had a wonderful break!
New Years Eve Well decided to get this free write done and over with. I just got back from dinner that I had with my parents, it's a tradition that we go to the Loft in the city and they have a special menu every year; it's the greatest. My favorite food there is fried goat cheese on a salad, I know it sounds nasty but trust me the flavor is unbelievably delicious. Now that I am home, I'm just waiting around for my friends to get off work so we can hang out. New Years resolution is to get a job so I can save money up for a motorcycle and apartment, get in shape because I want to join the Navy after college, and finally start going back to church because God is very important and he should be in my life. This year has been a roller coaster of a ride from graduating high school to starting college. The great memories made and more to come. Looking forward to 2013 and nothing better than starting off with dinner at my house with my family and friends. God Bless, Hope everyone has it good in 2013! ~ I Live For The Nights I Cant Remember With The People Ill Never Forget~
Ambrosia, I am glad to hear that you had a good time! I hope you are able to find a job and get an apartment. I am also glad to hear that you want to start going to church again and join the Navy! I remember my first year going to college and the roller coaster of a ride it was. Trust me, it gets better!! I hope and wish for the best of your year of 2013!
As I look back at the year 2012, I see many struggles and accomplishments. I find the struggles I went through with my nursing classes made me even better. I lost my grandma in the year of 2012. Through many of the sad memories, I also have many good memories. I passed all my classes and I am that much closer to becoming a nurse. From resolution from last year of wanting to lose weight was a success! I have lost 10 pounds so far! For this year of 2013, I want to continue to do the best I can do with school. I want to srive to be the best I know I can be. I don't want to freak out over the small things anymore. I want to enjoy life and not spend my days freaking out and stressing out over meaningless things. I really want to get an A in my classes I am taking online. I have been putting a lot of work into them. I also want to continue to strengthen my faith and my relationship with God. Without Him, I would have never made it this far. Overall, I want to throw away the bad memories and hardships from 2012 and remember the good and create new memories this year. I want to continue to make new friends and hang on to the older relationships I have with some of my high school friends. I am ready to take on the new challenges with a smile and determination in my mind and heart. I don't want to be afraid of making mistakes. I am going to be the new and improved Taylor. The Taylor who doesn't freak out over things and is able to have fun and relax with life. The Taylor that will take on the world a little at a time.
Taylor, My friend is also in Nursing and he tells me that it is tough son of a gun. I'm sorry about your Grandma. I hear you on making mistakes. Sometimes I freak out over things but I always try to remind myself that I could always have it worse. I like your attitude and it sounds like you will be a successful person in the future. Just remember, do your thing and let God deal with your worries. Sometimes believers like me forget who's watching over us. :) By the way, am I, Ambrosia, and you the only ones on this blog? I can only see your and Ambrosia's posts.
New Years Eve Party, This New Years Eve I decided to switch it up from the usual. I usually reserve New Years Eve for family only despite invitations from friends. This past New Years Eve, I went back to Millersville University to hangout with my friend, Aayla. Aayla and I never really hangout during the school year due to our scheduling. She is actually better friends with my best friend Andy so we both made the decision to spend the lovely 31st of December with her and her friends. We watched the "Wedding Crashers", which was really funny and the countdown to the New Year on the Fox station. We made some mean meatball subs and had tons of snacks during the whole event. I'd say my New Years Eve was a success.
The NFL Playoffs (for Jan 4th) For all the non-sports fans out there please bear with me but I have to talk about football haha. These past couple of seasons in the NFL I have been disappointed with my team, The Philadelphia Eagles. I was so amped for the Philly football season up until October where they just completely collapsed. It was so terrible that Philadelphia Phillies won a game more recently than the Eagles did until their last win in early December. That is so pathetic because the Phillies' season ended in early October! But luckily for me, I can appreciate other teams in the league. Except for the Giants, Steelers (no offense to fans here), and especially the Patriots! As long as the Patriots lose in the playoffs, I am one happy pro football fan.
Jan. 4th: Reflection After reading a position paper in the Wrinting Now book, I still feel heated from all the thoughts rushing in my head. I read about Cheap Food Nation. This really showed me how our society is so messed up. Athletes get punished for taking steroids, but yet we eat them every day in a way if we the polluted meat from fast food or grocery stores. I understand that the healthy food is expensive and that many people look for the cheaper foods. However, I wish people would realize that by choosing the cheap food they are running the risk of spending the money they could have on healthy food on medical bills. As a nurse, I am seeing how important education is... true education. The media and news fills people's minds with garbage. I feel bad for the farmers who want the old farming ways back. The farmers really have no choice because if they don't conform to the new ways, then really they don't make any money. It is sad that people have to lower themselves to the cheap food because money is a problem. The government really doesn't care about the people. They care about the green stuff they get to put into their checking accounts. I hope that people start to realize the facts and stand together to fight against the government. I know this isn't easy. I tend to think in ways that would take a lot more than what I think. I know I am only 20 and don't realize everything that goes on in the world. I don't understand government... really does anyone? All I know is that, the animals are suffering horrible lives for something we can take a stand for.
Jan. 5th: Almost There I feel like a huge brick has just been lifted off my chest. I sent in my last paper for my online soc class. All I need to do is take my quiz and I am done! I have worked so hard for the past three weeks to ace that class. I am hoping for an A! I start school on Monday, so by having one of my online classes down is a great goal that I feel I have achieved. I am excited to continue to write for this class as well. I feel like I am starting to like to write because we get a choice of what to write. I am excited to start my nursing classes again and yet I'm not. I know how much work I have to do again, but we are doing maternity now! I hope I like it because this is the area I think I want. I keep telling myself how fast time has gone because I am almost done with my second year of nursing with only a year to go. Another thought that just entered my mind was that I feel I accompplished another thing by finishing my position paper yesterday. I feel like the topic some people may be bored by. However, this is something that is so important and I feel I really argued my point! I tried to make it interesting and I have lots of pictures and graphs to help with my point. Today just feels like an accomplished day. As I look back on the week, I feel like I have done so much that I should go on vacation. Maybe I will watch a movie, or be boring and go to bed early and sleep for a long, long time. This is the greatest feeling in the world. The feeling of accomplishment and knowing you are almost there at reaching your ultimate goal of being a nurse. I feel the new year of 2013 is already treating me well! I hope it stays like this!
I noticed it was time to write. I just need to get things off my chest. I find that these freewrites are a way I can let everything out. Today, I started back at school. Like every first day, my head was spinning by the end. Just hearing what projects are due and I have a quiz this Thursday already. I was ready to hit my head off a wall. Then I have to take a step back and say ok I can do this. Then after going through 164 pages of what is expected for this semester, we had two packets to go through of the reproductive system and started talking about maternity. I am excited and yet in panic mode. I don't want to lose focus in this class or nursing. I have to find a balance and keep up with both. I am worried that my papers I wrote aren't good enough. I just hope everything will be ok. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel... well just a streak of light is peaking in, but some light is better than none! I feel so bad because I used to take my dog for walks every night and not I am doing work until all hours of the night. I just want my work to be perfect. She looks at me with those big, brown puppy eyes. I feel so bad! I don't know how mothers with real children do it! I feel like I spend more time on my computer than I do anything else. I already feel a small weight lifting by just rambling on and on. My fingers are actually starting to hurt and my brain is going so fast I can't keep up. I was excited to see my one friend from high school. We talked and laughed and she helped me to see that everything will be ok. I know I will be ok. Just a few more weeks and then I can sleep with not a worry in the world.
For Jan. 9th: Blessed (7:43-7:50) Today I realized how truly blessed I am. I was driving to school and this drive can get pretty lonely, so I think about everything. Today, I realized that I am blessed with so many things that I can't tell God thank you enough. My friend was telling me today that she moved out of her house because she and her mom got in a fight. She said to me be thankful you have a mom that loves you. When my mom got home, I just had to stare at her for a minute. Then to think that I am able to have a car and a job. The job helps to pay for gas. I am blessed to have sisters who love me. They would do anything for me. I am blessed to have my dogs and a roof over my head. I have warm clothes, running water, shoes, a toothbrush, food, and a family. What more could I need? I am blessed to be able to lay my head down at night and know that my family is here and that they love me so much. Love is the basis to our existence. I am blessed to have known both sets of my grandparents. A year ago on January 9th I lost my grandma. I used to be mad about it and how dare she go before I get married and have kids. However, I am blessed to have her watching over me and guiding me. There are so many more things I have been blessed with in my life that I can't possibly list all of them in these seven minutes. I guess I can mention that I am blessed to have my boyfriend. He does so much for me and puts up with my moods when I am stressed with school. All I can say is thank you and I truly feel blessed.
Operation Iraqi Freedom (about 10 years ago): During my free time, I like to surf youtube sometimes. I came across an Operation Iraqi Freedom documentary. Me being all interested in military and those sorts, of course I had to click and watch the whole thing. Right now I'm in the middle of the film and I swear I wish I had payed close attention to watch happened when I was younger. I really couldn't believe how long ago (roughly 10 years!) the American invasion happened. Another thing is I couldn't believe how long America had military activity during the how thing. During the documentary there were reporters "Embedded" (living, eating, traveling) with Marines divisions in the whole operation. They got to experience first hand what Combat was really like from a civilian perspective. This documentary has my total interest.
For Jan 9 Pizza So i decided to get this free write while waiting for the pizza pockets that my friends and I made. The car ride to my house/ grocery store was interesting we talked about politics to gun control. One thing we all believe we have the right to bear arms and always should. We also talked about winter break coming to an end and how we've made all of these precious memories and how sad it will be to see everyone go back. All the funny moments from making a mess in my kitchen to jumping up and down throughout the house acting like children again..good times. I hope everyone else is enjoying their break as much I am. :)
Friends This part of the winter break is the most annoying part of the year. All my buddies and friends from my high school are going back to college by this weekend. I think that it is kind of weird how Millersville and other state schools like WCU and IUP get a 5-6 week long winter break. That is by far the longest compared to other schools. My stepbrother goes to Penn State Harrisburg and he already started classes thi past Monday. Don't get me wrong, I like this long break but sometimes I feel like it is too long.
When I first heard about the some PA colleges might strike I got really angry and I have every right to be. I'm paying to be here, to get a better education and then move on to find a job I love and one that I can work there for the rest of my life. No where in there did it say that the college was going to go on strike and push back my learning. Then I thought "oh great it's happening again". My freshman year in high school our school district went on strike. I guess it's a freshman year thing to go on strike. We didn't go back for what seemed like forever and to make up the lost days they took back all of our one day off days, shortened our longer breaks (except winter break) and ended up staying longer. It was no fun being out of school and it would be really nice if I didn't have to go through that again. Once was more than enough. I understand how high schools can strike, but I don't understand how colleges can strike. They both seem so different from each other. They are, but still. I'm really hoping that the PA colleges that voted to vote to go on strike vote against going on strike. Everything will work out, so going on strike is really not necessary at this time. If they do go on strike than how does that affect the semester? Would we go longer and cut breaks? I would really like to know.
Jan. 17th Time to Stop 6:06-6:13 I have worked to my limit. I am so tired of putting all my hard work and effort into things and getting no where. Today is the day I am not doing it anymore. I am sick of spending all my time doing school work and not spending time with my family. I end up not doing well anyway. This week has been nothing but crap. I didn't do well on my one quiz for my one class, I wrecked my car, I got stranded today from another car over heating, and I suck at writing. I don't know what else to do and I am not spending more time of my life trying to figure it out. There is no point. My hard work and effort doesn't pay off anyway. Tonight, I am going to bed early and not caring about anything anymore. There is no reason to care. If I fail at something, then all the better because trying or not trying I get the same result. This is why I am not a confident person and never will be. Nothing I do is good enough. Quite frankly I give up. I physically, mentally, and emotionally can't handle it anymore. Maybe I need to quit school for awhile and see where life takes me. I know everyone will be disappointed, but really I feel that way with myself anyways. I am told next week will be better, but it won't. I will never be good at writing even if I went for help. Maybe college was a joke. Maybe I am supposed to be nothing. I know everyone has a place in life, but I don't think I do... or God hates me. Either way, I will be happier not trying anymore because I end up having to redo everything anyways! As I finishing writing this, I will close the computer and begin thinking where I need to go from here with my life.
I'm really getting frustrated with my computer. I just typed this and everything got deleted so I'm attempting to freewrite again. I'm hoping this time it actually works. I hope that MU does not go on strike because I really want to go back to school already. Being home is really boring and I miss all of my friends. I feel like I'm just going crazy here by myself. Most of my friends either have went back to school already or are getting ready to. I don't know what I'm going to do over summer break because its even longer. If MU does go on strike it will also prolong graduation time and my classes. I'm happy that this semester I get to take zoology because it actually pertains to my major and I am very passionate about animals. I cannot wait! I need things to stay the way they should be so that I can keep on track with my work. So far I am very happy about the grades i've been getting in this class and am trying to revise everything in my papers to make it the best quality as possible. I'm very fortunate to have a good reviewer that is always willing to help me when my assigned ones do not. I hope with this last paper I can pull off a 3/3 right away! Here's to hoping and making the paper the best product I can.
The spring semester is coming soon! My schedule is going to be really different compared to the fall. I think the fact that I don't have marching band is going to take a lot of weight off my back. I have Piano I, Flute Lessons, Piccolo Lessons, Percussion Methods, String Methods, Wind Ensemble, Flute Choir, Flute Quintet, and Intro Lit. I am also taking Wellness online. I will be very, very busy! I am looking forward to starting over, since last semester I had a really horrible start with my surgery. Hopefully I will be able to do more things with my friends. I am a little worried because sadly, I have all 8am classes next semester, and my hall is pretty loud. If they are really loud, I won't be getting a lot of sleep because I am a light sleeper. But, I have to remember that it is only 3 months until summer!!
2nd Semester Wow I cant believe that winter break is almost over and how much time I had off. I just use to being off about a week and a half and bam back to class. college is the best for the amount of time we have off and that its scattered throughout the year. Now that the second semester will start I am excited for Chemistry because I love Chemistry in high school and we did a lot of fun labs. Therefore, I am hoping that it will be just as challenging and interesting. I am also hoping to get a job because i finally have a schedule that allows me to hold a job down. It sucks though, because it is defiantly harder to get job when your 18 compared to when you were 16. Along with all that i hope to get better grades and get some cash in my pocket. I never knew textbooks could cost so much or food on campus without a meal plan. Over all goal is to make money and save it as much as possible.
This next week is my last week being home and I want to make it a good one. I plan on doing a lot since I just realized that "Oh I've been a bum all winter break besides doing this class". I have a group of friends and right now there is only me and one other, so I plan on having fun with her and maybe scrapbook. We decided that we would scrapbook our college days together and so far it's been really awesome. I want to send time with my family because yes I'm home, but I don't really get to spend time with them since they are still working and I'm just home. I know my mom wants to see a movie. I don't know which one, but there are a lot of good ones out right now. I have things I need to take care of before I go back to college for my sophmore year in college. Hopefully I didn't put it off too long. This Monday I plan on going out with my Nanny and Poppop to do our annual trip to the candy store that sells opera fudge (that is more creamy than fudge), the Christmas Barn, to the resurante that has never ending chicken pop pie and then to the cute little shops that my Nanny loves. It's a wonderful trip that I look forward to since I never really get one on one time with them. So that is my plan for this next week. In between all of that I will be packing my brain out since I have so much to pack for college. I'm such a pack rat.
Ideas. Well I am running out of ideas of what to talk about, so i decided to rite about whatever comes to mind. the first thing that pops up into my head is that im pretty happy i still get to be a bum while my friends are already back in college with their faces shoved into a textbook studying, sike probably not somewhere partying. One thing my friends and I have in common is we hardly ever do any kind of studying but still manage to bring in good grades. However, in college that seems almost impossible which is quite a change to most of us; picking up a textbook and actually reading it..:0. Next thing that comes to mind is i picked up a new hobby or more of a new hang out place..going to hookah bars. They are pretty awesome well at least the ones in Lancaster city. They have some amazing flavor combinations like big sexy and southern comfort. You just get a good feeling tasting the flavor puff by puff enjoying the great company. Depending where you go they have some very diverse food from different cultures. Totally recommended to anyone. The last thing that comes to mind is I cant wait for Spring , so i can finally get my motorcycle licenses along with my motorcycle and if that does not happen Ill settle for getting a Mustang. I love all kind of vehicles especially one that have a lot of torque and power to them; it makes doing burn out funnier.
I'm excited I get to go to the beach this weekend! Even though its going to be cold it should be a great time. We get to stay at our grand moms condo and have fun going out Ocean City MD. I really just hope everything goes well. I also just cannot wait to finally get a break from everything. Oddly enough I just want to get back to school as well. I'm really beginning to miss school and all of my friends. I also just want to get back into school and all of my classes. I hope that classes this semester go really well and I can do just as good if not better than my last semester. I want to be able to continue with the good grades and all of my hard work. It seems to pay off with all that I do.
Jan. 18th: Brighter Side 8:00-8:07 Today was so much better! The sun was shining on my way home from school. I had a wonderful day at clinical and I got even take a nap when I got home. I am kinda nervous about writing this paper because I am having a writer's block. I am just so much happier today. I don't have all the negative thoughts running through my head! I just want to write this paper and go to bed. It's a new weekend and the week is behind me now. It's done and over with! I also went to a family friend's house tonight to celebrate her dogs' birthday. Go ahead and laugh, but I am a huge animal lover! My dog is like my baby. I talk to her and treat her like a baby. I take her with me wherever I go...within limits. She isn't a small dog. She is a beagle but mixed with a fox hound. Anyways, I had a great time eating dinner with my friend and the dogs! They were so happy to see their birthday cake! I am now home sitting here writing with a smile, because my week has turned for the better. I find it so hard to get out of a hole that you can't see the light at the top. However, I was able to make it through to the end of the week. Sure, a bucket of tears and yelling at myself inside my head, but I am at least smiling. I was told this week was supposed to be bad... Maybe I let myself believe that? I don't know. All I know is that I am going to write this paper, sleep in tomorrow, and maybe even go shopping with my mom. We need a girls day! Then I will probably sleep more! Sleep is the best thing in the world right now for my heavy eyes and fried brain!
For Jan. 21st: Refreshing 9:13-9:20 I noticed today that I just can't get my thoughts or words out. I don't know if my brain is fried and needs sleep or I am just crazy! I was talking to my mom and I noticed I just couldn't get my thoughts out! I am going to say I am tired. I got a lot done today. I was proud of myself and that I actually have been smiling! I get to see my sister and boyfriend tomorrow! I am excited for that. She moved out a little before Christmas and I miss her. As I was sitting doing my work, my dog kept scratching me and I knew what she wanted. I got up and asked her if she wanted to go for a walk and she started barking and going crazy. I got her all around and I bundled up and we headed out. My sisters tell me she is gaining weight so we walk for 30 minutes almost every day. She loves them! She loves to run so that means I have to try to keep up! As we were walking, I looked at the sky and it was beautiful. It was a orange, pink, and yellow color. I just stood there and closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It was as if all the negative energy left. I have felt such a relief today! I have a few more things I want to do and then it's movie time. Many people think this is gross, but I promised my mom I would rub her feet. She does so much for me that I thought I could do this one thing she loves. I couldn't ask for anything more. I am watching a movie with my dad, sitting here with my mom, and my dog pressed up against me. This is the life! It is so nice to just get everything out on paper, well a computer screen.
Today, like last year, my sister, Nanny, Poppop and I go out together. We started this yearly trip together because my sister has off from work and I have off from school. I love spending time with them because I don't get to that often and they are just so funny. I love their stories. This year my sister's boyfriend came because it was his birthday. I didn't think he was going to enjoy it and I don't know if he ended up enjoying it, but I sure enjoyed it. This is how our day goes: we go to this candy store to see if they have candy on sale (we didn't stop today because it wasn't open yet), next we go to the Christmas Barn where they have so many Christmas ordaments, next we go to a resturant that has all you can eat chicken pop pie( it's wonderful and I only had one bowl of it this year), next we go to a shopping center with another candy store (my Nanny loves chocolate and has in all over her house) and get Opera fudge (she likes to call it opera cream because it's nothing like fudge) and there are other little shops like clothing and a yarn one (my sister and I knit) they we head back and stop for ice cream (even though it's cold) and that's our day. I just love spending time with them. I saw them last night for dinner and the football games. I will get to see them tomorrow too because they need up cleaning up because my Poppop is going to be 82 this year and my Nanny 80 I think. My Poppop is also getting a hip replacement next month, so they really can't be climbing steps and moving stuff around. It's not a problem at all because I'd do anything for them. I love them very much.
I just got back from the beach today. I had a good mini vacation though I could have done without having to write my paper. One of the bad things about going to the beach is that I have no WiFi down there and it can get really annoying. It was a little too cold for my liking but I still had a nice time. I got to see a great sunset on the way back to the condo on saturday. I got lots of pictures and am very happy to be able to have seen that. I can't wait till we go back in the summer time when its actually nice and not windy. I've also realized that I'm so compasionate about animals that I unconsciously keep picking topics about animals. The only paper I did not do soley on animals is my poem or part of the memoir. I cannot wait till I can get a chance to work hands on with animals. I really love all different kinds of animals and they seem to love me as well. I cannot wait to get to my zoology class this semester because of what the class is...the study of animals. I can't wait! I also just want to go back to school and get everything started.
yay 2013 This weekend has been the best weekend ever. First, I got a call for an interview was mad hype, then i totally nailed it. Then just yesterday my homeboy Devin turned 19 had a heck of fun time and now getting interrupt by my best friend who happens to be lost somewhere in PA trying to get back to Maryland. Second, I got the job woo hoo check that new years goal off the list. Finally, I was watching the football game yesterday while working on that evaluation paper. I dont like either teams, but im happy the ravens won the game. I cant wait to place bets for the super bowl either. Which ironically the same of the super bowl is the same time i start training for my new job. i wonder sometimes what is the whole point of these free writes?
I have no fears for this course, only expectations, I expect that I will receive a great learning experience, and will end up gaining a lot of knowledge. This course will also give me a lot to do over break, so I definitely won't be bored while I'm at home doing nothing the entire winter. Thats pretty much it and now im just typing gibberish to fill up the rest. Now im typing with one hand, and it is a lot slower. I cant believe this is until 3pm, I feel like im in highschool again. Highschool was fun.
ReplyDeleteThis class will be either be a unipolar problem class, or it will be a class filled with a myriad of fun things. The one fear that plagues me is procrastination. I hope that procrastination doesn't kill this course for me. I hope that I can actually follow the outline and not miss a deadline. Although, sometimes deadlines and due dates go unnoticed and without any warning. I also hope that the curse of writer's block doesn't hit me like a freight train, as it tends to do. I hope that I can renew my ability to write and my passion for reading in this class. With these fears and expectations said, I feel as though I have no reason not to enjoy taking this class. However, the same can not be said about my atmosphere class that I am also taking. Deadlines, due dates, and a rekindling of passion are what I envision for the winter session.
ReplyDeletethe bars under these tables are the worst. i feel as if i hit my shin on them one more time my legs will snap like twigs under boots in the winter. the moonshiners are the only ones who avoid the twigs. when the sun sets, the natives brew the whiskey that grows beards. brown beards with red hairs, gray beards with brown hairs. the trees overhead shelter the elders from onlookers. the trees overhead shelter the equipment from the elements. the dogs run and bark. it is time to pack up.
ReplyDeletedogs dogs dogs. my dog hates the winter. her short coat is not nearly enough to keep her warm. lucy's favorite thing to do is run, my least favorite thing to do is bathe her after she runs. i take her ball everywhere we go, she'll always play with me. it's no wonder dogs are mans' best friends. i was so nervous about the adoption, but after successfully adopting and training an aged pit bull, i consider myself primed for reality.
During this course I expect that I will be able to at least get a better understanding on how to organize my thoughts. I would like to be able to organize then in a clear manner that makes my paper flow. I think that once I am able to accomplish strong organizational skills throughout the entire paper, that it will have a positive influence on my sentence structure. I find that my papers get disorganized as a whole, and then this dribbles down through my sentences. I know that my lack of organization has affected my performance in prior classes, and do not think that it should be something that I struggle with so much. I do not wish to lose points on assignments due to poor writing skills anymore, and would like this course to fix it. I fear that my poor organization may just be a reflection of my hectic life, and that my writing may not improve or even be fixable.
ReplyDeleteHoneybees are becoming extinct in certain areas of the world, this is due to many reasons. one of them being that the honeybees used to pollinate massive crop areas are shipped around to different crop areas to be used as a whole package by the agricultural industry. another reason the honeybees are stressed is due to the increased use of experimental fertilizers in the late 1980s. the experimental fertilizers killed off many of the honeybees found normally in China, and has now lead to their very rapid decline. In some parts of China they must now hand pollinate the pear plants due to the lack of honeybees. This is done to because the pears bring in millions of dollars for these farmers, but has increased labor time and cost exponetially. Agronomy is a strange word, everyone is familiar with the concept of agriculture but few know what I mean when I say agronomy. This is probably due to the lack of interest in agriculture and plant sciences in general. The chestnut tree is being backcrossed now to make a new hybrid tree that would be 93% the original chestnut, but still maintain the resistances to the chestnut blight that is found the Chinese chestnut. the backcross is now being tested to see if there will still be enough genetic diversity within the chestnuts to maintain the crop and resistances to the chestnut blight.
ReplyDeleteMy expectations of this course are that I obviously become a better writer. Isn't that why people take an english course? Other than the requirement of course. Sometime though I wonder what papers I will have to write in my major. International Studies the major that can do almost anything, where you can be anything. Sure you can go the political route, spouting that you want to help the world with your ideas and your knowledge. You can also go the environmentalist route, where you go into the Peace Corp. and help people. And then there is the route where, if your like me, you travel to a different country that you know the language and go to a small village to live and teach english for enough money to live on.
ReplyDeleteMy fears about this course is the amount of work we will be expected to complete. I am not sure how much we will need to complete in 5 weeks. My hope to get better at writing while I am taking this class. This will not be my first college level English class, but my first at Millersville. This will also be my first online class, so I am uncertain how well I will adapt to this method of learning. I am good on the computer, so the technical side of this class shouldn't be an issue. The part I fear I may lack in is being able to crack into my creative side while doing all of my other activities during Winter Break. I hope it snows over break and so I can write at my desk while gazing out in the window watching the snow fall as I write my piece.
ReplyDeleteWrite about your fears and expectations for this course.
ReplyDeleteI decided to take English online over the Winter to get ahead in my required courses for my major. Doing this allows me to add in an extra Chemistry course in the hopes of getting a minor in Chemistry. I do, however, have a few fears about taking an online course because I have never experienced one before. It seems like a big time commitment, but in the end, I think it will be worth it. I think it will be hard to adjust from doing things in a classroom setting, where the professor and other students are there, if I have any questions or feel like discussing a topic that was covered in class. You do not get that face-to-face experience with an online course since everything is done on your own and on a computer. Everything is virtual. I do, however, have some exposure to distance learning. I had to take a Sports Medicine class, and it was all done virtually, since the course is only offered at West Chester. The professor was located on the West Chester side of the classroom and we had to communicate with the professor and other students through the television screen. It was not as bad as I thought, so I believe taking an online course will be alright as long as I log on everyday and stick with it.
One of my fears of this course is to not come out a better writer. Howeer, that shouldn’t happen because I will try my best and I succeed when I do that. I expect to at least have better control over my punctuation skills. I know I always use too many ommas and they re always in the wrong place. As my fourth grade teacher said I get comma happy. Also, I’d like to be better at phrasing my sentences. A lot of the time my essays get handed back to me and they say awkward, could’ve been better if you had rephrasd the sentence. I really hope by the end of this course to have better flow in my writings. I don’t know sometimes what goes wrong when I write but it just happens. I think I should also work on having a voice in my writing. I think that is hard because I usually write passively because I don’t have a real care about the topic I am writing about or I feel if I try to write actively it turns into a creative piece. I wish I could understand why I write so badly and then make the moves to change it. I guess that’s what this class is about so I shouldn’t be worried. This mac keyboard is very annoying to type on. I wish I had my laptop. I think I would not make so many spelling errors and type faster to go with my stream of consciousness because my fingers feel weird.
ReplyDeleteI have never particularly enjoyed writing. Especially when it has to be written without prior warning. I also really don’t want to touch this keyboard. I’ve never liked computer labs. Do they ever clean them? They say keyboards, especially shared ones are one of the things with the most germs. I never know what to write about and I dislike the finality of putting something on paper and handing it in to be judged by a peer or a professor. I can’t change anything at that point and it can’t possibly be perfect.
ReplyDeleteFears and Expectations:
ReplyDeleteMy fear for this class is that I will have the same experience as I did in a previous English comp class. I took English comp as a freshman and had an incredibly difficult time with it. I don’t think I am a particularly bad writer but that class made me feel pretty bad about my writing skills. I made out with a C in the class while the average hovered somewhere around a D+ for an introductory English comp class. I expect to walk away from this class having learned something about writing that I can take and apply throughout my writing career. I am a Science major and while I do have to write a lot of papers, it is the same cut and dry type of writing. I would like to expand my purpose for writing into more creative aspects and be able to write different types of pieces.
I hope that by taking this course I will be able to express myself through my writing in a way that the reader can understand and enjoy. In addition I hope to improve my skills in punctuation and in being grammatically correct through taking this course. The only fear that I really have about this course is that of failing. This is a fear that most people in this class have or that anyone has when they take any course at any university. Though I really like to write I hope that by taking this course my writing skills will improve so that people aren’t completely board when they have to read something I have written weather it is a scientific report or a creative story that I have written in my free time or a report for another class.
ReplyDeleteI am just learning the computer and takeing this course to help with my skills to learn to learn to find my way around the computer.
ReplyDeleteFears and Expectations for this Winter 2012 English Composition
ReplyDeleteThroughout the Winter 2012 English Composition Course, I expect to read my text, digest the information, and become a better writer. I have always assumed myself to be a fairly decent writer, but my only supporting evidence would be that I understand writing mechanics and pay attention to fruitful adjectives to ‘jazz’ up the piece I may be working on. I feel that I haven’t really explored my horizons, but I believe that this course will open up my eyes to a whole new side of writing. My biggest fear for this course is how I write. I ramble a lot, and I need to work on organizing my thoughts. This not only goes for writing, but this goes for when I speak everyday. Recently, I often find myself stumbling over my words, or even forgetting the point of the story I try to convey because I always include too much back story or detail.
the things i carry with me are as follows; my big girl identification - not to be confused with a fake i.d. - also not to be confused with a license. i got a horizontal identification after my 21st birthday because i had to, not because i wanted to. i also carry a vertical license - but hold more value in my big girl i.d.
ReplyDeletei carry a lighter, because you never know where you're going to need to start a fire. my current particular lighter has a cute red fox on it and he is frolicking in the snow.
i carry at least one, right now three, discount cards from puff 'n' stuff, the local unique boutique. with a $50 purchase you get 10% off!
i can be found with a football shaped miller light key chain that i acquired the night i met my boyfriend. i have yet to attach it to anything, because i kind of hate it.
i currently have 2 tickets in my wallet. not speeding or movie tickets, but one ticket to Hershey Park Christmas Candylane and one ticket to Umphrey's McGee at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia on Saturday, February 11th, 2012.
the last thing i've pulled out of my wallet is a dollar. it's rare that I have cash on me, but when i do, it's generally less than $5.
School ID card, health insurance card, cell phone, $6 in cash
ReplyDeleteI suppose I only carry the bare minimum of what I will need on a given day. I don't have any specific attachments to these particular items. I wasn't planning on going anywhere else today. I tend to pack light in general. I don't want to carry things I don't need with me.
I have a slim front-pocket wallet, and it is nice and pretty easy to keep around. The things in there are pretty minimal, because it doesn't fit much. The random things I picked out include an assortment of cards, a dollar, and an AMC Gold Ticket. The AMC Gold Ticket I have is pretty much a free movie to any of the AMC theaters, and I have had it for a long time, since there are not any AMC theaters around here. When I go back home hopefully I will have a chance to use it to see a movie I like, maybe the new Sherlock Holmes. One of the cards I carry is my millersville ID card, which was from my first year as a freshman, it also has my picture taken before I had lost a lot of weight, so I look drastically different. My other card is my medical insurance card, which I need to take around with me for when I have to make a stop at the doctors if I am sick. I have two credit cards on me, one is for the credit union at my house and the other is for the PSECU that I belong to up here, which allows me to take out money without getting surcharged at many ATMs here, whereas my other home credit union gets charged a fee.The last and most important thing I carry around is my one dollar bill. Its actually not important at all, and It is the last bit of cash I have left, because I rarely use cash, I do not like carrying around change.
ReplyDeleteYou will find a few constants in life. These constants all being things that I tend to carry with my on a day to day basis, everywhere I go. My keychain holds my car keys, pepper spray, and a coach key chain. While these items may not seem to be very cohesive, they all fit quite perfectly into my life. The pepper spray is kept in a pink holder to keep the feminine appearance, and protects me when I walk to my car at night alone. I also always carry my tiny little wallet where you will be able to find my debit card that I usually have no reason to carry due to depleted funds, and a coupon for the local orchard I shop at religiously. I say I shop there religiously because, I firmly believe in supporting local economies and local farmers. I do not only choose to do this to help support the community by putting money into the system, but also because I know that their produce is fresher than any other produce you will find at a grocery store, considering that many traditional grocery stores receive produce from large companies who keep their produce in freezers for months at a time.
ReplyDeletedrivers license, money, phone, hairstylist card, student id. My license shows that i am a legal driver in the US. My hairstylist card shows that I need to make a hair appointment soon. Also my phone indicates that i like to keep in touch with people no matter were i am.
ReplyDeleteThe things I carry are: my drivers license, car keys, panera rewards card, debit card, house keys, money, receipts that I have yet to shred, and my chip best friend ornament. All these things I carry in my wristlet which is beaten up by all the times I have dropped it from my car when I am in a rush to get places. You can tell that I always rush things by the way all these items are haphazardly thrown into my wristlet. From the things I carry you can judge that I like to go out with friends, although I do go visit my family a lot, hence why I have so many keys. In my wristlet I always carry at least $20 because my mother always says not to be anywhere without cash. She is also the one who insisted I carry a debit card in case my car broke down or when I got standed in college that way I would always have money. As you can tell people are an important part of my life because all the things I carry revolve around other people. My panera rewards card is always in my wristlet because my friends love to eat there. I carry a little golden chip ornament that hangs from my wristlet as a reminder of one of my best friends. She has the other chipmunk, Dale, on her purse. We got them in Disney.
ReplyDeleteContents of my wallet:
ReplyDeleteDriver's license, describes my height and provides a form of ID that is necessary for many other situations
Millersville Student ID, provides proof that I attend MU, also allowed me to get a parking pass for the Prince St. garage for this last semester
Health Care Provider ACLS/BLS certification, due to my background in healthcare we were required to get certified for emergency health care situations, also there is an increase likelihood of experiencing an ACLS situation in cardiology fields
Lancaster County Library Card, I enjoy reading but do not want to pay
Wendy George's business card, she the head of the medical laboratory technology program at LGC and was an excellent resource for clinical microbiology questions that I than apply for my independent research project here at MU
Coffee Club card for outtakes, it is a coffee shop in the hospital that I frequented during the school year due to its proximity to the college
Health Insurance card
Cash
A can of Copenhagen long cut wintergreen, a small loop of chain with Red Bull tabs on it, a Pennsylvania State Trooper embroidered key chain, and a heavy duty caribeaner with three keys and a Gold's Gym membership keyfob. These are the things I have with me at all times. They show how simple life should be, and how I try to oversimplify everything I do. I keep track of everything, which explains the Red Bull can tabs. I have drank 11 Red Bulls since the end of the Fall semester. I stand for loyalty the pursuit of all who try to get in the way, which is shown through my PA State Trooper keychain. The Copenhagen is my escape from stress of working.
ReplyDeleteIn my wallet I carry my drivers license, my mu id, a credit card, a debit card, a regal crown club card, some change, a pen, and a check that I still need to cash. I love to drive my car so I always carry my drivers license with me. The mu id says that I'm still a student, working my way through school so I can try to "make something of myself". The credit card says that I spend money a lot, which is true, because I have my own business that I need to buy and sell things. The debit card means that I make money too. And the regal card means that I love going out to the movies.
ReplyDeleteIn my wallet, I am carrying a sheetz gift card, a triple A membership card, a psecu credit card, a millersville student ID card, and a drivers license.
ReplyDeleteI live near a sheetz and normally stop there for gas, made to order food, and coffee. It is pretty much useless at this point, I have spent all of the money I had on it and the the ending balance is somewhere around 37 cents. I carry my triple A membership in case I get a flat tire and need a tow. My licence shows where i live, my birthday, and has been recently issued since I broke my other one accidentally.
In my wallet I have a number of things. I have my driver's license, my bank card, gift cards mainly for pacsun, a ticket stub for a Phillies game, three phone numbers of managers to contact for jobs, an Amtrak ticket stub from one of the many times I travled to Baltimore, a optic card displaying the status of my damaged eyes, and a card in memory of my Aunt Ning's funeral.
ReplyDeleteIn my wallet, I carry my car keys, my drivers license, my MU Student ID card, a credit card, and a receipt from Kohl's. My car keys show that I drive a Chevy, and my initials are engraved on the key. My drivers license describes my physical features, like brown hair, hazel eyes, my height, and has a picture of me when I first got my license. My student ID shows that I go to Millersville University. My credit card shows that I don't usually carry a lot of loose money around and I have a bank account to access money. Lastly, my receipt from Kohl's shows that I like to shop and the items on the reciept are Christmas presents for other family members.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAs a Millersville student, I carry a simple card holder single-fold wallet. Inside contains fifty seven dollars , two PNC debit cards, one Pennsylvania drivers license, one Millersville school identification card, one VISA Choice credit card, a United Concordia heath provider card, a receipt purchase of my text books for English, and a AAA card. My wallet is setup to carry my essentials while out. I keep it light, but have all emergency cards available. This styled wallet allows me to carry it in almost all scenarios without getting too thick, keeping things simple.
ReplyDeletesitting at work:
ReplyDeleteI am currently sitting at work with my computer and a large coffee. I work at a dominos in Lancaster and actually like this job surprisingly. Seriously, my entire job is a break. I get paid to drive my car, listen to music, and give people their food. I had a delivery earlier where the guy ordering me offered me a beer at 2 in the afternoon. I politely declined. I probably should not be on my computer now so im going to get back to work. Remember to tip the pizza man!!
I liked that you chose to write about something that you really liked doing. You are very lucky that you like the job that you have because my friends and I are always talking about jobs they have but don't like. However, I would suggest not writing on your computer at work because you could get your self into alot of trouble that way. I will remember you suggestion next time order pizza!
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ReplyDeleteBears Game
ReplyDeleteI miss going to watch the Hershey Bears play at Giant Center! I used to go to almost every home game, but then I started college and being at school became more important. My family started getting season tickets to the hockey games a few years ago, instead of spending money on an expensive vacation. I love going because we go as a family. The Bears have not been playing as well as they have in previous years (like winning the Calder Cup two years in a row) but it is still really cool to watch them play and cheer them on in the stands. B-e-a-r-s Bears Bears Bears Woooo! There is a game tonight and I can't wait! Hockey will always play a big role in my life.
Freewrite: Just Trying to Enjoy the Holidays
ReplyDeleteI too will be writing about work today, however my post will not be as enthusiastic. It is the week before Christmas and the only thing I want to do is be at home with my family. It is very rare that my siblings and the rest of my family all get to be in the same location at once. For this reason, I forget about friends and just enjoy the time I have with my family. Except, things are different this year. I have a seasonal job, which I didn't think would be anything too serious but, I was wrong. I thought I would be able to spend this week enjoying time with my family but, I have been able to work everyday. I know it doesn't seem like a true problem because I could definitely use the money, but if I want to spend time with my family that means that I would now have to commute and hour and a half to work everyday. Currently I'm trying to decide if it is really worth it. My family shares my frustration with me, and wants to just tell them that I can work, but I am not sure if I have it in me. Well, I feel a little better now that I got that off my chest. Now I am off to work!
one smells like puke
ReplyDeleteit's funny the relationships that the human brain makes. as a business conversation ensues, i become aware of my surroundings. my senses kick into overdrive and as if there were a draft, i could smell the presence of the two men.
"one smells like lemons."
"one smells like cheese."
suddenly i'm thinking of the dairy farms, wine and crackers, string cheese. i fantasize about citrus groves and fruit salad.
the two men continue business, "one smells like puke."
I thought that your freewrite was interesting and true at the same time. When you are having a conversation with someone or even overhearing one your senses do kick in. I liked that you described what you smelled when you saw the two men, whom were having a conversation and what you were thinking of when you caught a whiff these two distinctive smells.
DeleteNostalgia
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize how disorienting it would be to go back to my high school today. My best friend dragged me to go back because she wanted to see our class advisers whom she was very close with. I stopped by to see my AP Psychology teacher. As happy as I was to see the man who was like my mentor for two years it just reminded me how much I miss him. We used to be able to talk about anything and he was the closest guy friend I had until I went to college. We haven't texted as much since I moved two hours away. I didn't noticed how much I used to depend on him for advice about everything. I guess it's just weird being more mature and not having him consult on my life. I miss him a lot and going back just made me feel strange. Don't get me wrong I love having my independence and new responsibilities it's just odd not seeing him everyday which I did for two years. Seeing him made me wish I could be back in his classroom learning all these psychology terms for the first time. I miss having him as a teacher.
Christmas Ornaments
ReplyDeleteChristmas trees show the memories of our past from the decorations that are on the tree to the different styles that are on it. Each ornament tells a different story of a family’s past and present. Rather it’s a rich home where all the ornaments are expensive or a poor family that makes their ornaments. Every ornament tells a different story for example a wreath or ornament made by a young child shows their artistic talent as well as how much they like Christmas. Later this same ornament will remind the child of the Christmas experiences that have past and the memory behind making the ornament itself. Ornaments also help start conversations that may not have come up otherwise when someone asks about a particular ornament on that tree. They can bring groups of people together to remember the past or help to make the season brighter for those in the family that the item belongs to.
Christmas Lights
ReplyDeleteSo this year my roommates and I decided to put up some Christmas lights that we have sitting around the house. So as are the people in the house we decided to try and put them up last night. What we didn't realize at the beginning of this adventure is that we didn't have any masking tape. So we decided to use scotch tape.... But the thing with scotch tape is that it doesn't stick very well to walls. So this morning when I try to go out of the house it doesn't work. Because the stinking Christmas lights were hanging in front of the door and not moving. Then we have the beauty of the outdoor lights which I tried with no avail to unravel last night. They just don't want to come apart! So now as I am writing this my one roommate is draped in outdoor Christmas lights trying to figure out how to undo them. It's actually really funny but now I feel like I should stop typing and help.
I think the cats are racist. They congregate in different areas and only associate with each other in passing, with either indifference or hostility. Three tabby. Two solid black. Two pairs of siblings. The lone old one. Four male. One female. They spend a lot more time inside now that it's cold and they'd rather eat cat food and sleep then catch birds and rodents. Are they like fish? The sort in tanks that have been selectively bred into dozens of colors and won't school with the same species of a different color? Was there some bias when they were just kittens? I don't think so. The pyrenees will chase them indiscriminately.
ReplyDeleteThird Eye Blind
ReplyDeleteWhen Third Eye Blind comes on every now and again on iTunes, I can't help but smile and bob my head like an idiot. There is just something about the way that Stephen Jenkins serenades the listeners of his music. It's like you're front row at a concert and there isn't another soul in the arena. Each song is almost more enjoyable than the last one. It's like there is some synapse in the brain this band knows how to trigger. And as the song slowly comes to a close it's like waking up from a blackout. You're dizzy and have many questions about what had just happened. But it's still a one of the best feelings in the world. However, when shuffle is on and Wiz Khalifa comes comes through your speakers, well, then you're just really, really confused.
Today I ate wings. It was at Carlos and Charlies on Columbia Ave. Sometimes I wonder about how certain customs occur in culture. Why did wing night become a popular event in restaruants and bars. They taste good, but so do a lot of other foods. The night was good, the wings were good. The holidays are great for being with friends. A lot of my friends came to this wing night. I seem to prefer more hot than mild. Some of my friends like the barbecue. I think wings should be hot not sweet; that's why they're also know as hot wings. But to each their own.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever met that person that just has the ability to sleep whenever or wherever? Well, that is not me. I have never understood how people have that ability; actually I would consider it to be more of a talent. For some odd reason, I am not a good sleeper. I don’t know why, that’s just how it is, and has been. I often times will find myself exhausted in the middle of the day, but once night time comes it is like a burst of energy. There is no rhyme or reason to this strange occurrence, but I must say that it is pretty annoying at times. The gift of being able to ignore your body when it is screaming at you to shut your eyes really only comes in handy when I need to do late night study sessions. However, that still leaves me frustrated for the rest of the days when I did not procrastinate to such measures. Well, maybe I will have better luck sleeping over the holidays.
ReplyDeleteChristmas Eve tradition
ReplyDeleteOn Christmas Eve my family is always rushing around because we have three different pollyannas to attend. My favorite pollyanna would have to be the one with just my dad, mom, and sister. It started a few years back when my sister and I finally had money to pay for our own gifts. We collectively decided that we should do a pollyanna with the four of us because we all enjoy giving gifts to each other but it's not always so cheap. After going to both my grandparents households to do their pollyanna we come back home late at night on Christmas Eve and have our pollyanna. I really love this tradition because it's just something for the four of us and we can take the time to really appreciate the gifts instead of having to hurry up and unwrap our presents so the next person can go at the other houses. It's really nice that we created our own little tradition instead of just taking part in the traditions already set up for us.
Gingerbread House
ReplyDeleteSo it's not really a tradition, but last night my roommates and I made a gingerbread house. To make it more life like we made it so it represented our house now. So we put a broken tv in the yard and a couch right in front of the house and things scattered all across the lawn. It was fun making the house, we played Millersville's unofficial theme song 'Black and Yellow' drank hot chocolate, we were even going to make s'mores, but it got a little to late to do that. But we are very proud of our little gingerbread house, and while the front of it may look like someone's face and there is a gingerbread man laying in our driveway it is a good representation of where we live. We also managed to finally unravel the outdoor Christmas lights, however we got too annoyed at them that we still haven't bothered to put them up. The good news is that we now have a use for the empty wrapping paper tubes!
I think that making a gingerbread house is a holiday tradition in a sense because at least three of my friends make a gingerbread house every year around christmas time. I liked that you added the details you put on your gingerbread house in your freewrite. I could actually invision the gingerbread house itself. I think that it's great that you and you roommate get along so well and enjoyed spending the holidays together.
DeleteNew computer
ReplyDeleteI am currently in the market for a new computer since my other one conveniently crashed during finals week last semester. I have gone to a couple of stores like Best Buy and Walmart but haven't had to much luck. Everytime I try and ask an employee about a specific feature or component, they just look at me, look at the computer, and then read what is on the little card that tells you the name and about 5 things about it. Meanwhile im thinking to myself "thanks buddy, cause I didnt already read that card before I asked you." I think I give up, maybe i will have better luck looking online...
Christmas Time
ReplyDeleteI always picture Christmas as a happy time with lots of family, presents, and food. Last year was probably the worst Christmas ever. For one, my grandfather was in and out of the hospital and we didn’t think that the doctors would release him on Christmas day. Secondly, my cat had tongue cancer and it got to the point where we could tell that he was in so much pain. I was praying that he would get better, but on Christmas Eve we made the decision to put him down so he could be pain free. It was so hard. Thirdly, Christmas morning, my mom got a call from the hospital. She was so upset that she handed me the phone and I received some more bad news. My aunt had passed away. It was devastating. Celebrating Christmas turned into mourning and comforting family members. The good news is that my grandfather had a speedy recovery and was released from the hospital Christmas day. I really hope this Christmas is a lot happier! Even though last year was sad, it brought everyone closer together in a time of need, but I hope we never have to go through it again.
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ReplyDeletechristmas morning
ReplyDeleteevery christmas eve after the church service, i would lie awake relentlessly hoping that i would hear hooves on the roof and a man sliding down my chimney. i knew it was physically impossible for a man of any size to shimmy down our wonky chimney, but my adrenaline still pumped. cookies would be left out, and carrots for the reindeer. i would put out a glass of milk too. somehow i would drift off into a hazy sleep only to wake up way before the rest of my family and sit at the top of the stairs until everyone else was up and moving. with the camera all set up and my parents only half awake, my sister and i would thunder down the stairs, pit stopping at the stockings, and like a pair of hungry wolves devour the paper on our gifts under the tree.
Relationships on 12/21/11
ReplyDeleteI often wonder what a real relationship is supposed to be like. I think my view is flawed. To me a relationship should consist of two people that are best friends. When I say this I mean that these two people should share everything with each other, and by that I don’t mean going as far as the same toothbrush. I mean that these two people should tell each other about their day, share interesting information with each other, build each other up, care about each other, etc. I also believe in order to be in a successful relationship you need to do things/go out with the person every once in a while (and when I say once in awhile, I mean at least once a month). I could define ‘going out’ as a date, but I feel like there is a label on the word date because everyone thinks that dates have to cost money. Dates don’t have to cost money. Dates can be ordering Chinese food and watching a movie. Dates can be driving to a random location with no light pollution, laying down a blanket and watching the stars. My definition of a date is someone sharing a special moment with someone and it can be an kind of activity. I’m almost 20 years old, have ‘dated’ numerous people, and I have been taken out on 1
Lessons on 12/22/11
ReplyDeleteI love playing the piano. I always dabbled on our upright Story & Clark when I was a child, and I distinctly remember my first lesson when I was in 2nd grade. I walked in, nervous as all hell, and was greeted by an older woman in her late 60s. Her name was Mary Patterson. She sat me down and explained to me how she would go about teaching me, what I would be able to accomplish if I kept up my practicing, and gave me a general excitement in learning a new skill. I stopped taking lessons when I was a sophomore in high school. It defeated me on the inside a little bit, but I was dying to take guitar lessons to correctly learn how to play the instrument and my parents promised me that I could pick it up only if I quit taking piano lessons. After that day came, my parents later told me that if I really wanted to take guitar lessons that I would have to pay from them. At that time I had never had a job, nor did I have the slightest bit of time to. When I was in high school I participated in all of the music ensembles and extra curriculars: Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Concert Choir, Show Choir, Chamber Choir, Orchestra, Select Ensemble, and musicals.
Christmas Time
ReplyDeletechristmas is both good and bad. its great because you get gifts, honestly who doesn't like gifts. however, the pressure to get the right gift is ridiculous. i mean really what do we expect is going to happen if we get the wrong thing for someone? i mean we have all gotten gifts before where you have to be thinking in your head hey have yay met me? when would i ever use that? but you smile say thanks and move on. if it wasn't a non-optional social convention i would not do it. wouldn't it be much more practical to just give cash, but then you would just be passing cash back and forth between your friends. i don't its a bit silly. cookies are also ridiculous. I don't want to compete over who can make better cookies with my family, I will lose ever time, really my sister is a trained pastry chef, I burn grill cheese. I do love the lights at christmas time. they are my favorite part, the twinkling white lights, that sort shower little spots of joy onto people as though they become the lights. its much better than gifts. lets just put all our money into placing more christmas lights around the neighborhood, pretty white ones. so that they will simply be sparkly.
I agree the hardest thing to figure out during the holidays isn't what to bake or where the lights need to be placed, its what to get every person on your list. I like that you stated the fact that even if someone gets a gift they don't like they always smile and except the gift any way. I liked that you brought up the fact that your favorite thing about christmas is the lights because it is also my favorite part of the holidays. I always dislike it when we have to take all the lights down after the holidays are over.
DeleteWeather 12/22/11
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to winter? It snowed in October. We were building snowmen and making snow angels. A week later it was too hot to walk around in a jacket. Is it ever going to get cold and stay cold? It snowed on Sunday. Almost enough to cover the ground. Earlier today it was to warm to wear a sweatshirt. December is nearly over and now it’s raining. Really? What’s going on? I don’t celebrate Christmas. No I’m not Jewish or a Jehovah’s Witness. But I like winter and I enjoy the snow. It feels like the end of the year has creeped up on me. I wasn’t expecting it because it was so warm.
Every year for Christmas Eve we always go over to my mother's parent's house. All of our family comes over. Some of my earliest memories alive include being over at this house for Christmas Eve. We eat non traditional American dishes on this night like Indonesian food including nasi and bami goreng. This tradition comes from my grandfather who is from the Netherlands and was a chef on a Dutch royal navy ship and learned many dishes from the Dutch colonies including Indonesia. My brothers and I usually help him prepare the food. I am excited for our family to get together.
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ReplyDeleteOne thing I want for Christmas
ReplyDeleteI should probably say world peace but let's be honest I'm selfish. What I really want for Christmas is a german shepherd puppy. I've been in love with german shepherds because they are huge adorable dogs. Many people think german shepherds are vicious and only used for attack dogs but that's just a misconception. Part of the reason I want a german shepherd is because they are used in many police forces and being in the k9 unit is my back up career plan. I also just really love dogs. I had one growing up and it was so nice just to be able to lay down on the floor with my dog right next to me. Actually my first dog ever I got on christmas so I am hoping that maybe my parents will decide to let me buy my own german shepherd this christmas. However, even though I really want this type of dog I know I won't get it. For one I am living on campus which means I'd have no time to take care of a new puppy. Also I'm trying to save money to pay off college and shouldn't really add a new responsibility. So I know I won't get a german shepherd but I know it's for the best.
Christmas Shopping
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love shopping, but not around Christmas time. The stores are always packed to the point where I can’t breathe or stand to be around people. Then, when I go to pick something up that I want to buy, the stores either don’t have it or they don’t have the right size. My dad and brother are easy to buy for. My mom, however, is the difficult one. She usually will just go buy herself what she wants instead of telling me or my dad. This year, for example, she really wanted office shelves and mentioned it to my dad. The next day, she comes home with office shelves that she bought during her lunch break. My brother told her to return them because my dad had already gotten some for her, but he was saving them for Christmas. I guess I shouldn’t blame her for always spoiling her Christmas presents because she shops for pretty much everyone in the family. Therefore, when she sees something she likes, she’ll buy it then and there in case the stores sell out before I can go and get it. I will just have to go shopping for her earlier and tell her not to buy herself anything so she won’t go out and buy herself what I already have wrapped underneath the tree.
Christmas Shopping
ReplyDeleteI like to think of my self as a good gift giver, but there are some people that are difficult to buy for around the holidays. My dad is one of those people. Every year i ask him what he wants for Christmas and I don't think I have ever gotten a straight forward response. He will answer with an "I don't know" or "Just get me a gift card". This is frustrating for me because I hate giving gift cards. I am not sure why I am so opposed to giving them, they are actually a pretty sweet gift. Who doesn't like getting a gift card? I guess I don't like buying them because it just isn't very creative. I still do not know what I am going to get my dad. Ill probably just end up getting him a sweater or something, quite possibly a gift card...
Two days until Christmas and I have yet to do an ounce of shopping. Well, that is not entirely true. I bought one present for my brother. I have three other siblings so this year we decided to do secret Santa between the four of us to make things easier for ourselves. At first I was not very fond of the idea, but as time went on I began to think it was the right decision. Since we are only buying one gift, you can get away with splurging on that one person. I like this idea because it gives you the chance to buy the gift that the other person may deserve, however would not be willing to get for themselves. I hope my secret Santa is happy with my decision!
ReplyDeleteI've been having the worst back pains lately. I don't typically have aches or pains but my neck, shoulders, and back have been aching incessantly. it will tick in my neck, prickle down my left side by my ribs and even out right in the center of my lower back. It feels like my broken coccyx is being dipped in searing hot liquid metal. my mind is fleeting, hoping that I won't notice it for another couple of hours. I know it will be back in just a few minutes. the relentless twisting and turning of my muscles keeps me up at night and wakes me up in the morning. having been left skeptical of chiropractors, i find myself alone in a room of money hungry college graduates.
ReplyDeleteIdentity Crisis
ReplyDeleteSo what most people don't know about me is that I love animals. I have a dog, two cats, a multitude of fish, and two swans. Yes I did just say I have swans. Well yesterday as I was coming home I decided to call my mom and see if there was anything that she needed. What happened instead was me finding out that our two swans were having an identity crisis. I'm still not sure how this happened or why. The only thing that was known for sure is that the swans had a fight and one was kicked out of the pond, meaning that this swan couldn't eat. So in the effort to save this swan from starvation we came up with the plan to catch the swan that was still in the water and move it to the garage so that the other swan could eat. We figured out quickly that this was not the most practical plan, seeing how the swan would not move from the center of the pond so we could wrangle it out of the water. So we went to the next plan, fill a bucket with water and put some food in the water in the bucket. This turned out to be a much better idea, seeing as the swan did eat and the one from the pond was so curious about what was happening that it came over to the swan on land. They became friends once more. So now the swans are frolicking in the water no longer fighting. And thankfully no longer having their identity crisis.
There isn't really one thing I want for Christmas. I usually never know what I want. I always feel like I should only buy things if I need them, maybe that's why it's so hard for me to tell others to buy things for me I only want, and not need. This month I did buy a new air compressor and air tools for working on my car. It is getting too late to ask for anything now, but maybe I should get another air tool or two to add on. I think that Christmas isn't really about the gifts though. I like the family time, and I like how you know that a lot of America and parts of the world slow down a little bit. Not as many stores are open and many people have off for work. It's a nice feeling, knowing that that things are slightly more calm in the world. Every now and then people need to take a break from the busyness of life. I guess if I had to ask for one unreachable gift it would be to have the whole world take a little time for peace and quiet all at once.
ReplyDeleteChristmas on 12/23/11
ReplyDeleteSo I remember this one Christmas very distinctly. When I was younger, we always used to go up to my Mime’s house (we call my grandmother Mime because she didn’t like the idea of being called ‘grandma’) in Drexel Hill. In addition, when I say ‘we’ I mean my family, my Uncle Scott’s family, which consisted of his wife Kathleen who we called Aunt Ning, my cousins Andrew and Colin, then my Aunt Nancy, Uncle Steven, and sometimes my grandmother’s sister Betty and her daughters/children- always a big crowd. My Mime used to knit like it was her job back in the day, and I believe she still does. She purposely would knit for the elderly folks in wheel chairs who lived in nursing homes so that during the winter they had a nice afghan to lay across their knees/legs to keep warm. Anyway, my cousin Andrew and I used to steal unfinished blankets all the time to play with until Mime just started knitting strips of afghan for us to play with. Once she gave them to us, we would rally all of the cousins up and we used to play a modified version of tag with a flag football kind of spin. We would tuck the 3 foot long strip of afghan in the back of our pants and run around the house trying to rip each others tails off. That’s probably one of the fondest memories I have on Christmas.
Meaning of Christmas
ReplyDeleteChristmas is supposed to be about the joy of giving gifts to others and bringing good will to all. However, it seems now a days that the meaning of Christmas had somewhat derailed. More kids seem to be worried about the gifts that they will be receiving when they wake up on Christmas Morning. They are only worried about one thing; what did Santa Claus bring me? Now don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with that when you are younger but by the time you are an adult should you really be trying to buy a present on black Friday for the lowest prices, yet forget what Christmas is really about. About giving joy to others and helping those in need. How is this accomplished by pepper spraying others just to get the best deal on something, is that one object worth so much that your willing to forget that Christmas is about helping others not just helping yourself to the best deals that are in the stores or in the mall. We should help others however we can during this lovely season.
The Worst Week of Shopping
ReplyDeleteThis first week of break is not any less stressful than finals. I have to work basically full-time and i have this week and this week only for Christmas shopping. It's the worst feeling in the world. With that being said, I also don't have an easy job shopping for my mother. She is the worst person to shop for because she literally has everything. When I ask her what she would like she always say something corny like "Christmas with my son!". I'm sorry Ma, but I need something more concrete than that. To which she'd reply, but Christmas is about family. Meanwhile she's been shopping for the family since September. So you know what happens every year? She gets a Yankee candle. It's the most thoughtless gift in the world, but damn it, she loves those candles.
Think of it this way, it could be worse you could have only one day to shop for all of your christmas gifts. I think that shopping for some relatives can be really hard at times especailly when your on a time limit or budget. Though I have to agree that christmas is about family it's also about showing someone how much we care about them, which we normally do by giving them a gift. I know that it's to late to suggest something you could get your mom but maybe next Christmas you could look into candle warmers which smell just as nice while providing a decorative touch.
DeleteSalmon
ReplyDeleteSo every year my grandmother who lives in Alaska sends us a can of salmon. This would be fine if a. anyone in our household really liked salmon and b. if the can didn't explode every year, which leaves this oily stain in the box that it comes in and all over your hands. Do you know how long it takes for the smell of salmon to come off your hands? I guess about a week, but we all say thank you chuckle our heads in laughter and get along with the rest of the festivities. Another story regarding christmas is with my now deceased great-grandfather, grandpa Erb. We would visit him once a year, and every year we would year thesame stories. My personal favorite is when he pointed to this brand new christmas tree he just got. One of those fiber-optic color changing twirling trees that have been dubbed the "gay pride christmas trees" with marketing due to the rainbow effect. My whole family is sitting there listening to the stories by Grandpa Erb, and he turns to this tree and says "have you seen my new tree Tommy? (my dad's name) look it changes colors and moves, and the best part is that it goes both ways (referring that you could make the tree turn either clockwise or counterclockwise)". Well this causes everyone else to suddenly become very interested in the ceiling, the clock, anywhere else than anyone else's face, because god help us if we see another one of us smirk, we will all lose it. At this point my father simply couldn't take anymore holiday cheer, manages to get my family out of their and into the car within fives minutes (a personal best). At which point we all howl with laughter at the obsurdity of the entire scene that has taken place.
Family Christmas
ReplyDeleteSo every year at Christmas time my family goes up to visit my grandparents. This is normally a slightly stressful time for me, I'm not quite sure why but it is. Anyway normally I have the back up of my sister so I'm not alone in the torture, this year though she had to work. So there I am sitting awkwardly with my family not knowing what to say. My family isn't really close. We only see each other a few times a year, and not for a very long time when we are together. Which is why I feel awkward when I'm with everyone in my family, or with a large family that are close with each other. Needless to say, my family Christmas isn't much of a family deal.
Being Sick
ReplyDeleteI had just gotten over being sick, and the feeling where you are still sort of sick has been lingering. It is quite annoying, but the overall haziness you feel when being sick is very troublesome. I never quite appreciate being healthy until after I had just got done being sick, and I do my normal things again without having to worry about medicine or getting others sick. I have decided to start being more helpful when it comes to boosting my immune system and not getting sick. Being sick nowadays is a hassle, because I can't be around friends and people as much as I would have want to, because I get very sick. Very sick to the point where I have to be on constant medication to keep the fevers down and stay better. I have been feeling better though, so I am waiting it out.
Gorilla Glue
ReplyDeleteI have recently found the amazing uses of Gorilla Glue, and how much of my life I wasted by using other types of glue. Gorilla Glue is so much stronger than Krazy Glue when it comes to fixing things. The only downfall is that it takes a little while to dry, and it expands a lot, so you have to be careful about the amount you put on it. I had figured out that Gorilla Glue and Duct Tape can fix all of the worlds problems, because everyone knows that Duct Tape can fix everything, but with its partner in crime Gorilla Glue, they are unstoppable. The amount of fixing you can do with the two combined can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars from having to pay someone else to fix it or by having to buy a new thing altogether. People need to know more about the wonders of Gorilla Glue. But Gorilla Glue is fairly new compared to Duct Tape. Duct Tape has been around for generations fixing peoples stuff that was accidentally broken by their kids, or by their friends who were doing something stupid. Duct tape works so well because of the threads that are contained within the tape itself, it helps its structural integrity amazingly, and can bind many things securely.
Greek Yogurt
ReplyDeleteI have finally found my love for yogurt, and that has come in the form of what they call 'Greek Yogurt'. My favorite brand of 'Greek Yogurt' is CHOBANI. I had been experimenting with different foods that are healthy for you instead of eating over-processed unhealthy foods, but have obviously found that most of it is more expensive than the unhealthier stuff. But after I stumbled upon CHOBANI a lot changed. I find myself eating some of it nearly every day, because it contains low fat and a lot of protein. It is also delicious when you combine it with natural fruit, or buy the fruit on the bottom yogurts. It is a healthy snack and it does a great job of filling you up with the protein included. It is also made of all natural ingredients so I find myself living it more and more. I had stopped eating foods that contain artificial sweeteners and sugars, because most of it is in a chemical form that isn't good for you, and isn't natural. Which brings me to the other idea of Diet Sodas, or 0 Calorie Sodas. They do not help you lose weight as much as you would think, because the additives put in the Diet and 0 Calorie sodas can make you hold more water weight, and is not as effective as drinking plain old water. The CHOBANI yogurt is very good tasting, and it is not wallet breaking, it is a great thing to eat on the go, and the taste of it may be different to you at first, but after getting used to it you can taste the freshness of it. With a lot of processed foods with artificial ingredients, you can definitely taste the difference between a natural one or non natural one. The artificial stuff just had a weird after taste and doesn't feel right, you can taste the difference with this.
In the Lab
ReplyDeleteAlot of time in the lab is wasted waiting for things to continue on without any hands one action. I mean this morning I came in, got liquid nitrogen, had to wait for the container to fill. Brought back the liquid nitrogen and used it to make an extract of leaves with chloroform and petroleum ether, and then had to wait an hour while the solvent pulled things into the solution. After waiting an hour, I move the solution into another container, where I dry it down to nothing, then I can resuspend. This whole process takes about 2.5 hours, about which there is an hour and half, which I do nothing. Its alright though, I enjoy being in the lab, but sometimes it can become ackward if other people are also in the lab working, you have to do this ridiculous dance around each other to get to place, and you don't really know each other well enough to not apologize for the occasional accidental backside graze, but you do it so often you kinda of feel like saying well you're just gonna have to prepare yourself for unwanted physical contact as I move around you for the next three hours, I apologize now.
New Year
ReplyDeleteToday is New Years Day. A new year to make a difference in your own life. It seems the theme of 2011 leans negative for many people. The News constantly refers back to all the horrible events which occurred in 2011. I have optimism for 2012. I hope this upcoming year is a fortunate one for not only me but the whole country. A lot of people make positive goals for a new years resolution at the begining of each year. I wish more people were able to follow through with these goals they set out to do. I have also noticed the years seem to be moving faster. A lot of people seem to agree. The reason for this that I believe in is because as you get older, a year is an overall smaller percentage of your life. The spectrum of your idea on life expands as time goes on. This is why I think people shouldn't waste their time with unproductive actives, keeping a clear vision for their goals.
Pennsylvania Dutch
ReplyDeleteToday I ate pork and sauerkraut. I always wonder how these Pennsylvania Dutch traditions became so popular for the whole county, even those who aren't amish or Mennonite. I enjoy many of these traditions that I grew up while I was raised in Lancaster. The biggest surprise for me, that I learned through traveling to other areas of the country, is that people point out our accents. I was unaware that I had an accent, but many people hear differences in people from Lancaster's word prononciations, especially when we ask questions. I have been told that I raise the pitch of the last word when I ask a question. After this observation was pointed out to me, I decided to listen to others from this area. This characteristic seems to be a pretty common trend. There is one thing about the phrase 'Pennsylvania Dutch' that a lot of people, including those from our own area, don't really know about. Amish are not really from a Dutch heritage. They are really Germans. Once they moved to this area, it was just much easier for locals to say Dutch than Deutsch.
Snow
ReplyDeleteWhere is the snow. I feel like it's only worth being cold if there is snowy weather every now and then. Tomorrow is suppose to be in the low 30's and windy, but there will be no snow! Some people hate the snow. I think that is what makes this part of our country perfect. We get to experience all four seasons truly. I never understand the overall logic some people have when they constantly complain about the snow. They knew to expect this by choosing to live in this area. Sure, when I moved to Los Angeles for school I enjoyed the moderate temperates. But when I came home for winter break, the cold weather with snow just felt necessary in order to enjoy the holiday season correctly. This is how I grew up. I thought it was so weird to hear about some of my friends from class only saw a few flurries once in their life while living in Burbank. I think our area needs a good measurable amount of snow in the upcoming future. All of this weird weather in the past few years are signs that a dramatic change in climate on our planet is occurring. I wish this some people weren't so ignorant to this idea.
Cell Phones
ReplyDeleteI think cell phones have ruined everything. I think about it all the time. Back before cell phones were commonly used, people actually did more activities. Cell phones help make plans, but more frequently cancel plans. During the pre-cell phone age, if plans were established over a home phone or phone booth, you would have to stick to them. If you didn't, you would start to become notorious for being unreliable. Now that almost everyone has a cell phone, you can conveniently call or text for cancelations, giving people the tools for simple ways out of having to do things. Also it seems like it is common to blame the technology for not receiving a call or text, regardless if they actually did receive the information. The convienience of the phone is making people lazy, and I feel like we are loosing true in-person communication skills.
Response to Nick on "Greek Yogurt":
ReplyDeleteI like to eat greek yogurt too. Since it is filled with plenty of protein, it is perfect for someone like myself who enjoys going to the gym. I agree with how you like to avoid eating over processed foods. I too wish more healthy foods were cheaper.
New Years Resolutions
ReplyDeleteI haven't really thought about my new years resolutions. One of the reason I haven't is becase it really hasn't felt like this year is over yet. It may have something to do with the fact that I played just dance three for two days at my best friend's house. It may have something to do with the fact that this year has gone by so fast. I can't believe that this time last year I was saying I'm going to graduate this June. Now by this June I should be a sophmore in college. It's crazy to me! Now that I am thinking about it one of my New Years resolutions is to not procastionate. Actually I think I'm doing well since this freewrite isn't due until tomorrow and yet I'm just finishing it now.
The year of 2011 held many changes, while I am not complaining this is just unusual from previous years. My life is generally pretty simple; however there have been recent changes with health, relationships, living environments that have made old habits fade and new habits appear. However, these changes have yet to make me feel overwhelmed or unhappy. For the years of 2012 I would like to get involved a little more. Since I finally feel acclimated with my environment I think that it will make simple tasks less complicated, enabling me to be more efficient. My number one goal for the 2012 semester is to get my grades under control; the curriculum for my spring semester is by no means easy. Although I know my courses will be difficult I have faith that this New Year will enable me to push myself to receive the grades I want.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think the winner of the Republican Iowa Caucus will be Ron Paul. His views are extreme, but his supporters are even more extreme. I feel that his supporters are more likely to go out to vote compared to other candidate's supporters. His conservatism seems to match the ideals many Iowans feel. His fan base consists both of old and young voters. If it isn't him, it will most likely be what seems to be the 'obvious' choice, Mitt Romney. I don't really like him or his personality. He seems too fake. He talks down to people like he is so much superior, yet when he ran in 2008 he had to drop out somewhat early. If I were a registered Iowan Republican, I would personally vote for Jon Huntsman. He is somewhat moderate, which would help all the extreme right winged congresspeople come to more realistic terms of agreement. He also believes that Republicans should take more science into account. And since he was our Ambassador to China, he understands many of the advancements China is taking in order to become an increasingly more powerful nation. If he was President, maybe he could open up some of the minds of Republicans to look past oil for our future.
ReplyDeleteMy New Year’s Resolution
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to believe that 2011 has come to an end. It seems that 2011 went by so fast! Even though a year has come and gone, I think it is important to look forward to what is ahead in 2012. I usually do not come up with a New Year’s Resolution, but this year I came up with a few. For one, I would like to become more outgoing and get to know more people. I am so close with the people in my hall, that I forget that there are so many more people to get to know on campus. Secondly, I would like to become more involved in school activities, like joining a sorority or going to more campus events. Becoming more involved on campus would also help me to meet new people. Lastly, I would like to do better in my classes. I did well in the previous semester but I want to push myself to do a little bit better. I look at the New Year as “You only live once, so make the most of it!”
I never make "new year resolutions." i personally struggle following through long term goals. a new year resolution that i don't make but do follow through is to make it through the year alive. i put pressures on myself daily, weekly, monthly. of course i'd like to achieve all the cliche resolutions; lose weight, quit smoking, get a raise - but those are goals that should be made in a more short-term setting. if i were to make new years resolutions, i wouldn't put a name on them, just long-term goals. my long term goals are to travel more, graduate, and follow the sun.
ReplyDeleteNew Years
ReplyDeleteThe New Year is a time to celebrate all that we have accomplished in the past year and celebrate the experiences yet to come. It’s a time where people look back at their own past and based on what they see they decide changes that they have to make in their everyday life. They do this to hopefully improve their life. Whether it is something simple such as losing weight before the next year or something as complicated as planning to work out every day, New Years is a time when people try to make a change in their life so that they can improve how they are living. It is a time when people wish others the best in the next year and celebrate the fact that they are still here on earth to celebrate the year. New Years is happy and sad at the same time. It is happy because you can let go of everything that happened in the past year and look forward to the next year and the changes that come with it. However, it is a sad event because we realize some of the people we love were not able to celebrate the new year with us.
XBOX
ReplyDeleteSo I got a new XBOX for Christmas this year. I haven't had a new gaming system since the Nintendo 64 came out so it has been awhile for me. I never realized how much you can do on them. I have been streaming a bunch of movies on netflix through the XBOX which has been pretty cool. I also have the kinect with it which allows you to play games without a controller. Although I am really happy with this gift, i am worried that it will be distracting. I feel like it will occupy my time when i should be doing more productive things. Its the same reason i don't like watching new TV shows. I end up liking it and then watching all of the seasons consecutively. Hopefully the initial excitement will wear off and I wont be turned into a complete gamer. I will need to find some deep motivation to do school work rather than play gears of war or halo.
Cold, What's that?
ReplyDeleteFor the past two weeks I have been working my job as a residential construction contractor. Which is actually a very nice gig for a person while they're in college. Last week it was pretty comfortable to work in. I'd be so bold as to say long sleeve t-shirt weather. I like that. However today and yesterday, I've been smacked by the hand of Jack Frost all day long. I don't understand how the Earth just decides to act like a menopausal woman. It's not that I'm complaining about the weather like everyone loves to do. I'm actually complaining about how hard it is to move when you're bundled up in Carhartt insulated everything. Yeah, you're warm. But it takes twice as long to do anything. However, the cold does make a job site a whole lot less muddy. It freezes everything, including me.
In Response to Caitlin's freewrite on New Year's Resolution
ReplyDeleteI also hate resolutions. When someone asks me what mine is I say, "My resolution is to be here long enough to make another one." I think that if you have to make a goal up, why should you have to wait until new years to make it. That's just laziness.
Frosted Mini Spooners
ReplyDeleteMy favorite cereal at the moment has to be the Frosted Mini Spooners, which are pretty much the knock off versions of Frosted Mini Wheats. They both taste very good though, which can be a rare thing for knock off cereals that come in the big bags from grocery stores. My favorite part about the Frosted Mini Spooners is when you get the pieces that are completely covered with frosting, which makes them taste very sugary and good. I like to eat them out of the bag often, so I find myself reaching into the bag gambling whether or not I will get one overloaded with frosting, or if I will get one with barely any frosting at all. It is a very fun game to be playing when you're hungry, but I find myself getting annoyed when I pick 5 pieces in a row that have little to no frosting at all on them. Overall they have to be in my list of favorite cereals, being next to Honey Bunches of Oats, and Fruity Pebbles. Because who doesn't love Fruity Pebbles?
Snow and Flurries
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings about the snow. I love it the first time it snows, but after that I don’t really care for it, unless it’s just a passing flurry. Snow is awesome the first time because it brightens up the winter holidays and helps us to realize that the summer is truly over. I particularly like when we get a large enough amount to go sledding because my parents have a huge hill that is perfect for winter activities. When I was little, my brother and I would be out in the snow for hours, sledding down the hill and then taking the time to hike back up it. Now, I sled down the hill a handful of times and by the time I get back up to the top, I’d rather be inside by the fire and sip on some hot chocolate. When it begins to snow for the second time, I don’t really get excited. It’s more of a “been there, done that” kind of feeling. However, since we only got that one snow storm in late October, I wouldn’t mind having another one in January.
I love the first snow of the year everything is covered in a white blanket. I like that you included that you just want to go sledding a few times. However, my favorite part about snow is after you have cleaned it off of the driveway, sidewalk or finished sledding down the hill you get to drink the warm deliciousness that is hot chocolate! Just like you I wouldn't mind if we had another snow fall this January.
DeleteSnow
ReplyDeleteThe first time I remember having to explain what snow was to someone was in seventh grade. A friend of mine had moved to Pennsylvania from Florida and she had never really seen snow before. That morning everyone had been excited because the weather channel said that there was a one hundred percent chance of snow. This meant that every student in our school was hoping that we would get out early. My friend asked me why everyone was excited. I told her that it was supposed to snow that afternoon. However, the snow didn’t arrive until after school was over. I remember asking my friend the next day what her thoughts were on snow and she told me. “It’s not what everyone thinks it is in Florida. We all imagine the little puffy rain drops that are fun to make into snowballs and make snowmen out of. This is not the case at all they’re cold and make everything wet and freezing. I don’t like it because I now know that when it snows it’s going to be really cold outside.” I thought it was weird that my friend described snow as she did however as I had got older I realized that most of what she said was correct. Snow makes the roads slick and you have to shovel the drive way and afterwards you just feel cold, wet and tired.
Snow
ReplyDeleteApparently my town was graced by snow flurries yesterday. Everyone on facebook was freaking out but, none of these flurries stuck. I think it's kind of funny that we got snow in October and not in any of the usual winter months so far. As much as I love the snow I dislike shoveling it. However, I guess I won't really have to worry about that because I'll be on campus and they shovel for you which is nice. At the same time though I feel bad for my parents who have to shovel by themselves. Another thing I like about snow is when it is untouched. I love the blinding white of the snow when you first look out your window. I love having off from school because of snow. I don't think I'd ever want to live anywhere such as Colorado where they get snow all the time. I do enjoy a little bit of snow like we get here instead of the full of blizzards Colorado gets. I enjoy playing games with my friends while we drink hot chocolate instead of shoveling five inches of snow.
Snow
ReplyDeleteI am happy so far that it has been warm and we have not had a really big snow storm yet this year. I have enjoyed it so much because I have still been able to play golf when usually there would be snow of the ground by this time of year. I have to say that my love of snow has deteriorated since I have gotten older. I like snow if it melts right away. I just hate dealing with icy roads/sidewalks, snow sludge, and the fact that it makes it more difficult to run outside. I do like sledding however. I don't know who in their right mind doesn't enjoy sledding. Even though I am not a huge fan of winter I am glad that I live in an area where we get all four seasons. I think I would definitely miss it if I were to move somewhere else.
Snow
ReplyDeleteSnow is nature's special little way of ruining your day. It makes any quick trip to work a rally course race. So it causes accidents. When it's cold too it freezes everything. You can't have a drink outside without it being a slushy by noon. Snow also creates more work. Which is not fun to do on your day off. The fact that a day off even involves movement ruins it for me. I wish I could get back to my childhood and enjoy it every time it happens. Now it's just that cherry on top when it's already freezing out. This world would be much better off without snow. I mean Russia is not the best place to be, and it snows all the time. Maybe if it didn't snow, there wouldn't have been a Cold War.
Internet 1/03/12
ReplyDeleteI hate the internet. That’s a silly thing to say, because the internet is our biggest resource ever. I use the internet all of the time, but it can really be a huge plague, especially when an old power line fails because of ice, a router gets fried, or (insert aggravating reason why your internet has failed). I like postcards, newspapers, and sending personalized mail. I also enjoy sending homemade packages. In addition, I like printed books, cds and cassette tapes including all of the extra insiders and stickers you receive when you pre order an album, or something of the sort. I understand that the internet is supposed to be ‘efficient,’ but it’s one of the biggest problems I feel we have. The internet is very destructive to creativity in some aspects, but then again it opens up so many new windows to expand our minds creatively. The internet is inevitable, and completely unavoidable.
Snow 1/05/12
ReplyDeleteSnow/Ice is the absolute worst. I used to like it at some point, but as you get older, it just tends to get in the way. When I was younger, I used to always build snow forts, go sledding, have snowballs wars with all the neighborhood kids, and I used to snowboard. The best thing was coming inside to a warm house and mom waiting with blankets, hot chocolate, cookies, a good movie, and the fact that this was all occurring on a snow day from school. In present day, snow and ice do not help me out at all. Millersville rarely lets off for snow, and it’s terrible walking around to classes when there’s a bunch of black ice on the ground. Snow is an obstacle for me to overcome as I drive to work, or anywhere for that matter. Snow always seems to be in the way. I’d take a light dusting just for the effect, but no way do I want a few feet of it.
Snow
ReplyDeleteThis very simple form of weather can be viewed at in many different ways. Some see it as a dangerous hazard, while others see it as a peaceful elegance. Snow can be looked at as a inconvenience for more work, while others see it as a method to get out of work. Snow is cold- but snow is fun. Sometimes snow even looks different. Snow in the country side will have a much different look than snow in an urban setting. Eventually the snow must go away, accompanied by thankfulness or sadness. Please come soon snow, I think it's needed.
TV
ReplyDeleteIt is a curse but a treasure. Why is it that, the more channels you have, the less you can find. I find my self flipping through the guide more than I actually view a program. I don't have very many favorite tv shows, but much rather prefer shows on informational pieces. I enjoy news the most. It is always interesting to think about how fast information flows. Incidences occur on the complete other side of the world, and within minutes it is being covered on TV if it is TV worthy. But what is TV for, our viewing pleasure? The whole reason the majority of things are put on TV to begin with is for advertisements. Without their funded money, most of the channels and shows would not be on. TV would be much different. From those thirty second segments, to advertisement sponsored events, to even going as far as direct product placement in programs, companies are constantly trying to get attention through this form of media.
MUSIC
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to think about how music is made. Depending on what style of music, there is a variety of different ways going about creating music. Typically in the new age of digital recording, an instrument is set up in front of a microphone, or several. The wire runs into a preamp, which then is either carried through a digital control board, or into a simple digital interface. The converted signal, which is just a series of 0s and 1s based on the specific frequencies and amplitudes picked up by the cone in the microphone being pushed by the sound carried through the air, is recorded through a software media. This step is repeated for different instruments and voices, sometimes at the same time, or separately. After this, the editing step comes next. Specific volumes are set for each channel (each recorded instrument/voice usually), as well as the panning (left speaker to center to right speaker or somewhere in-between). This step is also where many effects and other methods to improve the sound occur. Overall, it is a long process which involve many tedious steps in order to get the finished product.
Response to Kyle's "Cold, What's that?"
ReplyDeleteI agree this moderate weather is so bizarre. I get mixed feelings to, I like it, but I'm confused. What is are planet coming to? Is this truly a good thing, or can it have potentially bad effects? I don't know. I am curious if the process continues if any hibernating animals will wake up early. I guess time will tell what the effects of this constant change in temperates are.
In Defense of Food
ReplyDeleteWhile I have always been apprehensive about our food industry, Pollan’s book has shed light on some of the deeper issues that I was never aware of. For example, I always realized carbohydrates weren’t exactly the best source of energy. Yes, they are great, and can fill you up fast. However, whenever I stopped eating them it seemed like the weight just fell off. The problem with that is, the second you slip up, and take a bite of that pasta the weight comes back even faster, and I now know why. The thing I found to be most informative from the readings was how Americans replaced their meats with carbohydrates. I subconsciously realized this process, yet never really put two and two together. I was even more surprised to find that this action was taken in order to replace the fatty meats. Even though the fat was replaced with carbohydrates, Americans continued to grow larger. Pollan’s explanation of this occurrence has made me look at pasta in a whole new way. Since pasta is filled with refined starches, he explains that there is no nutritional value to it. Upon completion of this book, I have found myself reconsidering every bite taken. It used to be that I would force myself to consume carbs, for the simple fact that I thought I needed them. I am now pleased to say, that I no longer have the desire to consume any type of grain unless it is in fact, whole grain.
snow is cold and wet. i've never invested a whole lot of interest in snow. i enjoy skiing, tubing, and generally romping around. i enjoy the hot chocolate warm up after a long day of frozen wasteland. but all of the layers, the runny noses, the icy roads; it causes more stress than joy! i miss the summer time - the jean shorts, warm creeks, camping out; live music, bare feet, windows down.
ReplyDeletei feel grateful that i will never have to pay student loans. i won't have to begin my professional life in debt, that's more than many college seniors can say. more than the debt, i am thankful for my great aunt deedee. because of her, i have eluded college tuition and will for some time. looking around my friends, they're all sweating the grave introduction into the real world: broke. regardless of job choice post college, some of my friends are looking into debt for at least 10 years! it's unfortunate and almost unavoidable, so i consider myself lucky to have dodged the bullet on college tuition.
ReplyDeleteCollege Tuition
DeleteThat sounds like an amazing thing to have. After high school, I took a year off and worked full-time as an accountant. I've been using that money for tuition ever since. Theres nothing wrong with work, but it does take up a lot of time, that I could otherwise be focusing on school. Also with that year off I had to face the facts that I would graduate a year behind everyone in my high school, which is actually alright. At least now I know I truly appreciate my opportunities.
Pollan’s book
ReplyDeleteMost Americans no longer sit down and have a family meal, instead they are just grabbing what they want out of the refrigerator and sticking it in the microwave and then eating it, at least according to Pollan’s book. If I had not read this book I would not have known this was what most American meals were like because even now my family still has at least one meal together as a family were we all sit down and talk about our day. Though we might not have much to say to one another this is the time of day were we are all in the same room enjoying a meal that either of my parents cooked. When my sister and I were younger we would just eat whatever we were given. I have noticed, that as my sister got older not only did she get busier but also more aware of the different foods that she would be eating. It wasn’t until I read this book, that I realized just why my sister worried so much about the food she was eating and why it was so much more expensive than the normal food that my family would buy. This book not only taught me about why I needed to make healthy choices but also helped me to gain insight into the reasoning behind my sister’s obsession with healthy food.
Speeding
ReplyDeleteIf I was pulled over by a cop for speeding I would not expect to get out of the ticket. I know that by speeding I am taking a risk of being caught. If I ever am caught I would own up to the consequences. However, I'd really hope to be let off with just a warning! My dad's friend told me a story of when he got pulled over. When the cop asked him why he was speeding he replied that he was "just keeping up with the flow of traffic." After the cop commented on that there were no other cars on the road besides him my dad's friend said he was trying to catch up. I would kind of expect to be let out of a find if I came up with some witty joke like that. Especially because it probably brightened the officer's day.
In Defense of Food
ReplyDeleteAfter reading In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan, my mind has changed about the way we eat in several ways. Pollan made me realize how bad the Western Diet is and how Americans seem to follow the latest scientific trend and food advertisements. We need to stop buying processed food and start growing our own natural food. I found myself looking at food differently the last time I went to the grocery store. Pollan points out that you should study the ingredients label when you consider whether to buy a food and avoid food that is unfamiliar, unpronounceable, contains more than five ingredients, or high in fructose corn syrup. There are so many foods at the grocery store that contain more than five ingredients and it was hard to decide what products to buy. Pollan also points out to avoid food products that make health claims, like the Frito-Lay chips that say they are healthier for your heart. Everywhere I looked around there was a food with a health claim, like “more whole grain” or “heart healthy”. Lastly, Pollan noted to shop around the edges of the grocery store and avoid the middle. The middle of the store is dominated by processed foods and the edges of the store contain more fresh food. I found myself having a hard time not to drift towards the middle of the store because of the advertising and health claims. Pollan has taught me to be more aware of processed foods and be careful when buying food.
In the defense of Food
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this book and I think that it has changed my perception on what is healthy and what is not. I have always read nutrition labels to see how "healthy" processed food claims to be but i must admit that I tend to look over what the actual ingredients are. I think that the ingredients section seemed irrelevant to me because processed packaged foods have been around throughout my lifetime. I wasn't around when you could only find whole foods in the supermarket with only a handful of ingredients. Like most Americans, I thought that if the nutrient content was there that it didn't matter how the food was made or what the ingredients were. We have been brainwashed into believing the food companies idea of healthy eating and have abandoned the traditional ways that humans have evolved to eat. This book has made me think about sticking to more natural foods on a consistent basis and ditching the processed garbage that they sell in stores. I am not completely against processed foods, I just think that they should be consumed less frequently than whole foods.
Suggestion 2 (tweaked)
ReplyDeleteI personally have never been pulled over for speeding, technically. Although I have had other incidents. The most reoccurring theme in my state file, would be off roading. Yeah I know I'm the resident redneck in this class. but back to my point. I have over the course of my motorsport career accumulated 4 total tickets for driving off the legal road. This is a very horrible fact considering that I have never even owned a four-wheeler or dirt bike at the time of any of these run-ins. Amazingly enough I have yet to get a traffic ticket when diving my own truck. Talk about luck right? The Department of Conservation of Natural Resources definitely know me in this town along with my gang of ragtag hillbillies. It's like we are a motorcycle gang, but maybe one day.
I've been pulled over speeding, and I was given a ticket. However, I went to traffic court, tried to nice and pleaded guilty. I told the judge I truly thought I was in the next area where the speed I was going was legal, and he allowed me to just pay the fine without receiving any points. I don't really remember exactly what I said, I just remember feeling like I may die, right now.
DeleteIn four years of driving I can, surprisingly, say the same. I've been pulled over a couple times but the cops have always been nice enough to let me go with warnings. I read somewhere that if you don't admit to knowingly speeding than you are less likely to be ticketed. Whenever I have been pulled over I say that I didn't realize I was speeding. Too bad that tactic doesn't work when you're drunk and walking back from Downtown Lancaster.
DeleteRainy days
ReplyDeleteOn rainy days everything seems darker, whether this is the case from cloud cover or everyone’s mood. I have yet to find a person who is excited or happy about it raining outside. I mean don’t get me wrong I know that it needs to rain for crops to grow and the plants not to shrivel up and die, but rainy days make everything seem gloomy. The cloud cover over head makes the outside atmosphere look darker, day light seems to go away faster because of the clouds blocking the sun. However, if it was just this maybe it wouldn’t see so bad but it is also most people’s attitudes that really gets to me. People always seem to be in a rush on rainy days as if the rain prevented them from waking up on time or leaving on time. In addition whenever you see anyone on a rainy day they always mention that they hate the rain or say sarcastically great weather we are having! They act as though rain is the biggest problem in their life. Their real problems seem heaver on rainy days to carry because of the atmosphere outside and everyone else’s attitude.
It's crazy to think that spring semester is just around the corner. Winter semester has gone by so fast, and it still barely even feels like winter. As spring is fast approaching I can't help but to start to get anxious. I know that the pace of spring semester will be much faster than other semesters due to a heavy work load, and my part time job. With one week left, I am going to enjoy winter break for what it is. For the remainder of break I plan to relax as much as possible, and mentally prepare myself for the new school year, making sure that I am ready to do my best in every class.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, its is crazy that spring semester is about to arrive. I feel like there has been no stopping for me yet this year. gah, its tough you know working and going to school. Hopefully I will get to relax soonish. I don't though for sure with all the time research seems to take, as well my job. But it could be worse I could be in a situation where there weren't any opportunities. That would be far worse then feeling overwhelmed. The feeling of hopelessness that can arise from not being able to foresee a future.
DeleteAre What You Eat
ReplyDeleteIf you are what you eat then I would have to be chicken. Chicken is my favorite type of meat. I usually eat some form of chicken every day whether it be in the form of a nugget, sandwich, or microwavable meal. When I go over my friend's house she always makes sure to have some form of chicken for us to eat. In my home there is usually at least a bag of chicken nuggets and cold cuts for us to grill, fry, or bake. Since I eat so much chicken I'd be a chicken. If I were to narrow down by assessing what type of chicken I eat the most I would probably be a chicken nugget. Chicken nuggets are usually one of the foods that you can't mess up even in a dining hall. Plus, they are quick and can be eaten on the go. My love for chicken would definitely turn me into a chicken if we are what we eat.
Beach Bum
ReplyDeleteThe perfect day for me would be a day spent relaxing on the beach. There is just something about listening to the seagulls and waves of the ocean that soothes me. I would first start my day off by finding the perfect spot to set up my chair and towel, where it is not too crowded, but still near the water. Then I would put on some sunscreen because I would not want to get burnt. That would turn a good day into a bad day. After that I would just sit back and relax by listening to some music, reading a good book, or watching people swim in the ocean. If I get bored, I would walk up and down the beach in search of a cool shell or starfish. If I get too hot, I would go swim in the water for a bit or put up an umbrella to create some shade from the sun. I could also go get some ice cream on the boardwalk, just as long as I eat it right away so it doesn’t melt. When lunch time rolls around, there is nothing better than getting boardwalk fries and sharing them with some friends. After I’m done on the beach, I usually walk through the shops along the boardwalk and try and find some good deals. Everything is usually overpriced, but it is still fun to at least see what the new trend is for the beach season. The beach is the perfect place to spend the perfect day.
I totally agree. I loved relaxing on the beach when I lived in LA. it was so peaceful, just listening to the waves, and feeling the sand. That would indeed be a perfect day for me too,
DeleteSpeeding 1/11/12
ReplyDeleteI have never once been pulled over for speeding, but I have been in two car accidents. I won’t lie, there have been many times that I have been speeding, but then again, who hasn’t? Sometimes when you’re on the highway, it is completely ridiculous to have to follow that 55 mph hour sign. There are parts of R422 where if you aren’t going at least 70 mph in the right lane you will get run off the road, and I have literally seen it happen before. I try to limit my driving during the middle of the day, and do my traveling in the evening. Being young has its perks because I feel like I have night vision sometimes when I drive. I love to drive in the dusk or dark even. I often worry that I may hit someone and I do come across people who do not wear the proper refectory jackets or ride bikes with reflectors which I see to be dangerous. Most of the time I also find these people to be wearing black, BLACK I TELL YOU. It’s like they’re asking to get hit by a vehicle. I’m turning this free write into a public service announcement: Please, if you are ever walking alone or riding or bike at night, please carry a flashlight with you, wear bright colors, have a reflector on your jacket and pay attention to the road and your surroundings. You never know when some crazy driver may hit you unintentionally. (I personally have had a wonderful friend die because of this, do not take this lightly).
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DeleteThe Perfect Day 1/13/12
ReplyDeleteTo me, the perfect day is spending it surrounded with people that you love. The perfect day consists of sunlight, nice 65-70 degree weather with a light breeze, blue sky, and a few clouds. This day might be spent hiking or somewhere outdoors. I thoroughly enjoy what is called bouldering, which is a style of rock climbing in which you jump over boulders and climb up rocks to get further within the park. I suggest everyone check it out. The place that I have visited in the past is called Knockamixon State Park. In addition, I enjoy exploring and hiking new trails that I may find. My favorite ones lie in/near Wyomissing, PA. I like looking at all of the vegetation and beauty that nature has to offer. I like sitting in the middle of a field of green grass with just a boom box, a packed lunch, and a good read. Recipe for the perfect day: people you love, nice weather, a packed lunch, nature, laughter, and love.
Pollan
ReplyDeletePollan made me think about food in a variety of ways. I definitely understand the many benefits of locally grown and specifically organic foods. Before I use to think it was just a trendy 'hip' thing to eat organic. But understanding that these types of foods are more nutrient packed makes much more sense to me now. It was also an extreme enlightenment to think about how deep of a process our food goes through. I was amazed to think about how even the fact that the animas being fed only corn based foods has an impact on how the meat will be. I now try to also cut back on a lot of meat, maybe only eating it for dinner rather than including it in every meal of the day. I liked fish before, but now I have been persuaded to eat more of it on a regular basis.
Perfect Day
ReplyDeleteThe perfect day for me would include waking up moderately early. Around 8-9. The sun would be shining right through my window onto my bed. I would start off with a breakfast with many of my friends at one of our favorite local diners. I would be served the perfect tasting coffee to complement the egg plater. Then I would do something that makes me feel really productive, whether it was work on something around the house, work on my car a little, or clean up my room. I would also get a great run in afterward. Followed b visiting my grandparents next-door. Towards the end of the day I would gather back up with my friends and we would all to out together.
Laziness
ReplyDeleteSometimes I wonder how I can get caught up in random staring. I will sit for minutes sometimes, paused, staring at nothing. I might be thinking of some idea, or sometimes completely nothing. I also wonder how much extra time I would have in a day if I didn't constantly procrastinate and be more productive earlier in the day. I like the feeling of finishing a task, but I also like to do nothing before for some reason. I wish I could get my brain to realize that if I finish the tasks that need done during the day earlier, I would have more time after to be more comfortably, stress-lessly lazy. If only I could think this way.
Back to LA
ReplyDeleteSometimes I wish I was back in LA. Today was so cold, and there was no benefit of snow. Just blustering wind. Sometimes I wish I could be back on the beach. I use to go there to lay in the warmth every day I had off from school. I could go on barefoot runs along the coastline. From Venice all the way to the board line of Santa Monica beaches and the beginning of the private Malibu sand. I wish I could go back to the easily mobility LA had to offer with it's transit system. I could go anywhere in the city with the spare change in my pocket. During times in the year like this I really wish I could go back to that. I hope to soon go back, and visit old friends. Maybe one day I will go back, and find a graduate school to attend. I want to show all my friends the places I use to hang out, and all the things I got to see. I like it here, but I also like it there. I guess I can't have both, but I wish it was more affordable to go back. When I moved back, I drove all the way across country, and stopped at many different sites. That was an experience I will remember forever. But for now I'll stay in Lancaster, in the cold and the wind, thinking about LA.
When I Grow Up 1/16/12
ReplyDeleteWhen I grow up I have no idea what I want to be. This has been the scariest thought that comes into my mind, and recently it is something that has really been haunting me. Currently I’m studying Music Business and Technology. There are many different things that I could do with this major, but I don’t know if music is right for me. The only thing I know that I want to do is help people. I just want to be able to make sure that other people are happy and can find joy and fulfillment through various opportunities that may come their way. Through music I hope to bring children together and raise awareness about the slowed funding and cut programs within the public school system. I want to work to prove that music education is vital to maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Music relieves so much stress and we can all agree. Before I decided to go into music, I wanted to study Forensic and Toxicological Chemistry. With that field I could do so many things, my main goal being to eventually work for the FBI, but if that didn’t work out, I’d go and be a physician’s assistant or maybe be a pediatrician or a specialty doctor focusing on children. I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up, and it’s the scariest thing ever. Why can’t we just be told what our destiny is?
When I grow up
ReplyDeleteWhen I grow up I want to be in some form of law enforcement. I used to want to be an FBI Agent, but I don't think I really want to do that anymore. As fun as it would be introducing myself as a federal agent I have researched it more and it's actually more paperwork. Which is kind of obvious because the I in FBI is for investigation. When I went on a ride a long when I was sixteen I wanted to become a cop because it's an adrenaline rush. To help people while having fun sounds like the best job ever! When I grow up I definitely want to be a police officer. I've been thinking about becoming a K-9 officer. It would be fantastic to walk around with a german shepherd and catch criminals. I can't wait to grow up.
Escargot
ReplyDeleteThe strangest food I have ever eaten was escargot. Escargot is cooked land snails and it is a common appetizer in French restaurants. I tried it in a French class I took in high school. It was at a Mardi Gras party and everyone had to bring in a French food for the party. There was a ton of food, including French baguettes, quiches, king cake, and escargot. My teacher said she would give students who ate a snail extra credit, so me and one of my friends decided to do it. She put a snail on our plates. They were black and slimy and looked very unappetizing. On the count of three, we both put the escargot in our mouths. It was extremely chewy and salty. After we ate it, we both washed down the taste with some water. I thought that escargot would taste and look good because it is considered a very classy dish in France, however, it was the total opposite and I will never eat escargot again.
Its funny what people will do if there is an aura of sophistication or class associated with it. Escargot are snails. I know that they perfectly fine for you to eat, but the idea of eating snails should repulse everyone. Yet, France, like most European countries, is associated with being slightly more cultured then America. Which is why there is a sudden draw to put snails in your mouth.
DeleteCommercials
ReplyDeleteAny time I watch a show no matter if it is a half an hour show or an hour show it seems like half of the airing time is spent on different companies advertising their product in some new and interesting way. The only problem with this is that most of the products that are being advertised are for older or younger people than myself and have nothing at all that I am interested in. On top of not being something that I particularly want or even need for that matter, they are most of the time annoying. I know that they are annoying so they catch different people’s attention by why out of an hour show does at least fifteen minutes of the hour have to be spent on showing me commercials of items. In addition to the fact that I don’t need these products most of the prices other products are outrageous and they can be found at better prices online. For this reason I think that commercials on the television are becoming obsolete. Though I realize that the companies need to advertise their products I don’t think that by having fifteen minutes of commercials on one television show does anything but annoy the audience.
Rattlesnake
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger my family frequently visited the Midwest. We had family out there and would always go out to dinner since it was a vacation for us. I don’t remind every single detail, however I do know that one night while out to dinner someone order rattlesnake as the appetizer. Today I am deathly afraid of snakes, and cannot even look at them. I am not sure how but somehow and someway I tried the appetizer. The rattle snake was presented in a fried battle which is probably the only way it is tolerable. I let my guard down and tried the strange food because to me it was a once in a life time opportunity. I was with my family in beautiful Sedona, Arizona and decided why not. At this point in my life there is no way I would even consider tasting this food again. In fact, I don’t even think that I would try if someone offered to pay me to. I am older and smarter now and have no desire to eat the animal that I find to be most repulsive.
Beauty and the beast
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe I am old enough that one of my favorite childhood movies is now considered a timeless classic! I am also embarassingly excited about this movie coming out into theaters! Its crazy to realize just quick it went by, time that is. I have friends who are getting married, there is talk of babies, and my younger sister is engaged. When I look at my five year old brother and realize just how quick life has gone by since I was his age, I am reminded why it is that I need to believe that there is something more than this life. My analytical side would like to believe that the greater world does not exist, that it can't proven, therefore is silly. Yet, my heart yearns to know that there is more. Who can look around and think that this is it? I don't know how to describe other than that strange tingly, pulse pounding, yet peaceful feeling that you get when you are standing outside and theres that sudden rushing of the wind that just exilerates my very fiber.
Tough Mudder
ReplyDeleteAlright if you are not familiar with the tough mudder race, its a race thats 10-12 miles long, that generally includes fire, water, electric shock, and generalized torture. Also known as the greatest thing ever. I have run marathons, been on the crew team, but I have yet to be shocked. I feel like this is an aspect pain that I must experience at some point in my life. What is it about people that makes them want to do these ridiculous tasks like the tough mudder? I can tell you what I love about it, reaching the edge. I don't know how to describe just how awesome it is to see the edge smile at, and then fall down into the darkness. To be completely consumed by pain, to no longer exist outside of it, to no longer be a person, it is fantastic when you come back. You can stand up and say "hey I've seen you, and I've dealt with you, come back when you've got more ammo".
I am entering the tough mudder this spring with my friends. My one friend did it and claimed the shocking part wasn't even the worst part, the adrenaline you have while running through it blocks out the pain. I'm excited to go through with it, should be something to look forward to
DeleteChopin
ReplyDeleteI love classical music. The fluidity of the notes as though they are being played by more than mere mortals is a fantastic feeling. When you hear its like running your hand across the top of perfectly calm water with that glass like look. You know you are getting wet, but the temptation is to great to resists. And then pandora puts on a on Olay commercial. The peace is ruined. Gah, why does the free insist on having to incorporate ads into the playlist. Probably because it is free. I wonder if the SOPA law will pass, and what the backlash will be from the general society. Will it only be younger people who are in an uproar, which I feel like is what the media is suggesting. Or will everyone be upset over the new restrictions.
What bugs me
ReplyDeleteI had to think about this one for a little bit. I do get irritated by man things, but it just depends on the circumstance. Obvious people smacking while they eat bothers me. People who zone out middle way through a conversation can really bug me. I also get annoyed with certain commercials. Right now the most irritating commercial is the Ford commercial, where they interview people and make jokes that aren't very funny to begin with. I don't get how these commercials are beneficial for Ford. It also bugs me when a lot of work is done, only to be ruined in the end. For example, yesterday I was working on my car. I was removing a certain part, intricately removing many bolts to get a certain part out. I got to the very last piece, and the bolt stripped. Now I have to wait several days to weeks until I can have friend come over with his welding torch get this last bolt off.
The end of class
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I wrote so much in such a small period of time. These last couple of days has been making my head spin. I've had such a packed schedule, balancing my job and school work. On top of that I had a car that I need to get fixed before the spring semester starts. Today at noon will be a very relieving feeling. Ultimately it will be rewarding in the end. I emphasized many of my peers to take advantage of winter classes. I'm trying to get as many credits in as fast I can to help me in the end. I plan on taking a few summer classes as well. This class has taught me a lot about not only writing, but personal prioritizing. There are many times when I had to give up nights with friends to work on some of the papers. As frustrating as that may have been, it was well worth skipping a night hanging out to complete better writings. I'm excited for the next semester, especially with the confidence this class has boosted. With hard work and dedication, I hope to do very well in my upcoming classes.
Snow is on it's way
ReplyDeleteSo today in the local forcast I heard that snow was on it's way. Finally! It's about time. Even thought it might only be a few inches. It seems many parts of the country got some significant amount of snow. Luckily we have several all wheel drive cars at my house. Snow doesn't really bother us. The importance things to remember for driving in the snow is to make sure to slow down well below the speed limit. If you have anti-lock brakes, don't pump them if you start to slide. Make sure you have your headlights on. Use low gears if possible. Brake gently to avoid any sliding. Bridges tend to freeze because the concrete is colder, so be extra alert while driving over them. And stay inside if at all possible! Snow is dangerous to drive in to begin with. I feel like areas that have significant snow in the winter should some how accommodate snow driving portions in the driving test. This would prevent so many accidents I constantly see when teenagers get out of school. People just need to take it easy and not try to show off or be impatient.
Breakfast
ReplyDeleteBreakfast seems to be my favorite meal of the day. I usually always like to wake up earlier in the morning to make myself a cooked breakfast. Sometimes on weekend, I go all out and make a waffle, sausage, and eggs. Other times I just like eating a simple egg sandwich. Sometimes I'll make egg white omelets with a variety of vegetables inside. Whatever dish it may be, it tends to revolve around eggs. If I'm in a rush, I like a quick bowl of oatmeal, or some kind of whole grain cereal. Another morning favorite I enjoy is going out with my friends to one of our local diners in our area. I like being up early and having a productive day, while seeing every one in town that you know. Like Pollan said, food always meant to be eaten socially, not alone in a room watching the television. Some people skip breakfast, I could never see myself doing that. This is where I get my energy in the morning. On some occasions, I will have a cup of coffee. I try to avoid to much caffeine. I don't want to become addicted and always having the feeling in the morning that I need coffee to get me going.
Breakfast food is mighty tasty. I have to admit, I'm one of those people that often skips breakfast. Being a early bird must be nice. That said, one of the great qualities of breakfast food are their versatility. Whether it's 8 in the morning or 11 o'clock at night, eggs make for a tasty treat.
DeleteAlcohol. Is it worth the negatives to experience the fleeting positives? As a college student, it's easy to get caught up in the party scene. Alcohol provides a momentary reprieve from the harsh reality of becoming an adult. As a child, we are taught that the world is beautiful and you can do anything you want. While, to an extent this is true, what the authority with holds from us are the harsh realities of the "real" world. Thousands of dollars of debt, and plunging into a sinking economy can lead to a pretty bleak outlook on life. The party scene offers an escape. It allows for hardening young adults to turn away from the cruel world they had just been de-virginized to.
ReplyDeleteI'm really excited for this break so far I've gotten to see most of my good friends but already starting to miss everyone from Millersville..it would be great if everyone didn't live so far away! I just want to see everyone again. I can't wait to see my family over the break though I haven't seen some of them in a while so it should be pretty fun. I have no idea what I'm getting for christmas or what to do with myself aside from this class. Im thinking that it might not take as much time as I'm thinking it will but we'll see. I want to go back to school already because I'm so excited to start my spring classes. I get to take more classes pertaining to my major and it should be a lot of fun because I love learning about animals and chemistry was always a strong point for me along with biology. I'm wondering what my final grades are and realy want to know them now. Why does it have to be another few days? i want them now...I'm worried about how I did in biology right now. I hope I did really well in the lab portion of the class because that was my favorite class in the fall session. I can't believe my freshman year is almost over! It doesn't feel like I'm a freshman anymore and everyone is just starting to blend together. I'm really happy that I get the chance to take this class because I can just get it out of the way and be able to learn to write better. I think this class will really help me to improve and I am able to research things better. I'm wondering what kind of topics we will be writing about and what kinds of pictures I'll be able to add to my writings. I think that I might draw some pictures for the papers we are writing if I find some free time. I love drawing and hope to share them with other people too so if I can accomplish that then I will be posting some of my original work to my papers.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to this christmas season with my family. It gives us a time to stop our busy lives of work and craziness to reflect on our relationship. I really hope there is not any conflict because sometimes that happens with my siblings. It surprises me every year I get older how much more real my family life becomes. When I say "real" I mean from when I was a child and things were just black and white and I did not see the issues that lay behind the scenes. There is a lot I did not know about my siblings from personal things to personality traits that as I get older I learn to love or dispise. I know as we grow older we change, but sometimes I wish I could stay little so real life does not become real.. if that makes any sense. I am very greatful for my family and would not change any part of it for anything but they sure do give me a headache sometimes! Last Thanksgiving we had a huge blow up at my brothers and dinner was ruined...I really hope this doesnt happen this year for the sake of Christmas! My 1 and half year old nephew will be great to watch because he is very excited with all the lights and wrapping paper to rip off. Last christmas, he ate the wrapping paper I think this year he will be more excited about the gift inside. I plan on enjoying great food and gifts with my family this year because it is so important to spend the holiday happy and full!
ReplyDeleteFreewrite #1
ReplyDeleteMy Birthday
My birthday is on Friday. It really sucks having a birthday this time of the year. My parents try to have a "birthday" for me, but it always turns into a holiday party. I don't think I have ever had birthday decorations since the house is always decorated for Christmas at that point. When I see my family on Christmas day they always say oh you had a birthday. And I reply that I did. It gets frustrating but by this age I am used to it. I also get combined gifts from a lot of people. So in the end, I don't normally get a lot of things I have asked for since I just had a birthday. I wish this wouldn't happen with people like me. I never have had a true birthday without all the holiday stuff and holiday food. However, I do like the fact now that I am in college I will always be able to spend my birthday at home instead of at school. I don't know how I would like being away at college for my birthday. This year my birthday falls on a Friday which is a lot easier to do something with my friends and family than when it has been on a week day. I am excited though for my birthday for some reason, even though I am not doing anything out of the ordinary for my family on my birthday. I remember my dad telling me that he told a friend at work that I was going to be born around Christmas, and they told him what an awful time of the year to have a child. I couldn't agree more!
Norisa Lynch Free-Write One
ReplyDeleteSandy Grief
I guess the main topic on my mind at this point of time and probably on the minds of many others would be the shooting in Sandy Book Elementary school. My son is only two but will be entering school in two years. I almost want to home school him at this point. Elementary school don't have guards or alarms and sometimes unlocked doors. Imagining what those parents are going through is not possible even with my wildest imagination or most horrible dreams. What about Christmas for them. We have a little over two dozen families who have gifts that they bought their children and family member s that have pasted. What a horrible thing to have to revisit everyday for the rest of your life and more so around the holidays. Holidays are suppse to be hppy times. A time for families to get together, ejoyed each others company and eat lots of food. Yet, for those families one innocent day has been turned into a life time of grief. It also crossed my mind about the mentally ill. I actually work with indivduals who have disabilities and are mentally unstable. I know how hard it ca =n be to get into programs and obtaining funding for homes ect. Alot of people cannot be treated for the mental issues due to insurance and funding. Not saying that this was the issue with the man who did these horrible thing, but it is for a lot of others. There are some things that happen in life that even when they did not effect you directly, they still effect you. This was one of those things for me.I don't live there but I am in pain and I am sad. The people in that area on the other hand have to live their and feel what I feel with an exponent on the end. Its just sad to think that now-a-days, no where is really safe, not even for innocent children. My son went home that day and broke a glass cup, but i couldn't be angry or upset because I was blessed enough to have and hold my child that night.
The shelf under this desk is annoying. Im thinking about the shootings. who kills kids a whole class of kindergardnes who will never grow up. It scares me cause my brouther is around that age and it would be horrable to lose him. Is this what a jurnal is like just spewing my thoughts. Interesting, my minde shure is crouded. I think wierd things like when is the next book for song of ice and fire coming out. I wonder what the next Skyrim DLC will be and when it will come out Dawngard was neat and just beat Dragonborn Hearthfire was boring but i did git to build a house. I wonder if fable journy is any good i don't think it will be but i have to wonder. This class seams like it will be heard lots of papers and rivishions my head is going to hurt. I wonder whats for dinner. What me and Wayne will do next. Would hulk beat Iornman my brouther keps talking about it. I smell bakon man am i hungery. I need togo get this book for this class. wonder whos working. I need to get a job tried mcdonalds but that was grose. Man this bars anoying. I wonder what the next Skyrim DLC will be and when it will come out Dawngard was neat and just beat Dragonborn Hearthfire was boring but i did git to build a house. I wonder if fable journy is any good i don't think it will be but i have to wonder. I think im repeting my self o well.
ReplyDeleteThis holiday season is going to be strange. Once again my aunt isnt able to come out from california to visit. its been like three years sense i have seen her. But on top of that i dont have a place to sleep in my own home this holiday season. my nana is going to have to sleep on my grandmas pull out bed. My sister and her boyfriend will be in her room, and my uncle will be sleeping in my bed. Not to even mention if long lost cray cousin hairy comes again this year. I hope he brings boobear, that fucking dog pisses off my dad so much. If Brandon gets to drunk to drive to his moms place which is a given means he will be sleeping of the sofa giving me no place to sleep. Ill just have to stay and deres pull out bed unless Caroline... well she will most likely only be back on Christmas eve so ill just cash in her bed like i normally do. That is going to tick off my parents when they find out that i wont be home on Christmas morning but then again i always wake up two hours before everyone else and make breakfest. God i can not wait for our christmas eve party
ReplyDeleteThe Writing Now Book Decision
ReplyDeleteRight now, I got some options to acquire the Writing Now with 2009 MLA and 2010 APA book for this week. I am trying not to pay $60 for a used or $80 new book. I ordered a used edition for $22 from Amazon and I'm glad that I did that. The only dilemma I have is that it isn't suppose to arrive at my address until sometime next week after Christmas. I really hope it arrives before then so I can answers those interesting questions in the Writing Now book. One option I have is to ask Dr. Shea to print enough questions from the book to last me the assignments of this week. I like this option because I don't have to get a book and return it and it's quick. The only downside to this option is that I might be missing some helpful information that the book has to offer. The other option that I can do is to buy the Writing Now book now from the school store and return when my book from the Amazon return or by January 2. This option would be most practical but the only thing that's making me hesitate is that I don't know I'll be available in Millersville to return the book in time. This is the toughest decision that I have ever had to make.
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ReplyDelete12/21/12
ReplyDeleteJust thinking about this Friday, its suppose to be the end of the world but is it really? honestly, i think the Mayans just got tired of writing out a calendar and died of because the Spaniards brought diseases. I also cannot wait to see some seriously angry people who have spent millions of dollars on bunkers that they did not need. I was watching the history channel and this guy is now a millionaire because he sells dooms day supplies, come on now give me a break people are just crazy! All i know is ill be partying somewhere in PA, if it's my last day im going to live it well, no doubt about it! Think ill spend the morning with my family heck maybe get a good start on those Christmas present. Then travel around eating my favorite foods across the city, and then finally spend the evening partying it out with my LCHS class of 2012 You Only Live Once crew. Cant wait to see what happens either way it's guna be a blast literally! :)
For some reason I am not as excited for presents as the following years. I guess that could be because I am pretty much broke and I can't give other people good presents. I am excited to see my family and feast hard though. I swear the best part of Christmas is opening presents with the family and grubbing out. And with the leftovers of ham and maybe turkey this year, I can make the ultimate holiday sandwich. Hopefully my mom will let me prepare or cook some of the holiday meal. I want to also see all my close buddies for some fun after the meal on Christmas. I think this Christmas will be another good year.
ReplyDeleteI completely understand the feeling of being a poor college student! However, just being able to be with family and friends is the best gift! I agree, eating a lot of food is definitely on my list! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas! You will have to blog about your ultimate sandwich! Enjoy!
DeleteMerry Christmas!
Taylor
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ReplyDeleteChristmas Parties
ReplyDeleteWell just sitting here thinking about the all the Christmas parties I have over the weekend...gotta love the ones where it's the ugly sweater apparel I find that hilarious. But what I love the most is being able to see old friends and family that only comes home on the holidays. That is probably one of the only things I truly like about Christmas; being with loved ones besides that presents don't really matter. with the way this economy is and how money is tight, who needs expensive things, all you need is love. Merry Christmas.
I'm actually going to an ugly sweater get-together, it's going to be a blast. I love seeing all my old friends too.
DeletePerfectionist
ReplyDeleteEver since I could remember, I was a perfectionist. I have had many struggles with trying to be perfect. It starts to eat away at you. I used to be jealous of the way my friends would be able to go and hang out on the weekends while I would be doing homework and studying every hour possible. I hate that I am a perfectionist because I can never submit anything without thinking is that comma in the right place, does it sound ok, and what if what if what if. I live my life triple checking myself on everything. I think this is why I have a hard time with writing papers. Instead of focusing on my story, I constantly think well will my paper be as good as so and so and is my comma in the right place, mom will you read it six more times. I am constantly thinking of all the things I could do wrong and not the things I do right. I take little tasks and make them seem impossible because I think I am interpreting them in the wrong way. I spend hours on meaningless things because to me, I would feel like a failure if my task I did wasn't perfect. I used to get upset when I would get a 99 on a test because it was always a stupid mistake I made that caused that one point off from a 100, which is always my goal. It is who I have become. The crazy Taylor who tries to do more than she can mentally and physically complete.
Christmas Tradition
ReplyDeleteIt is a family tradition that we always have a Christmas eve dinner with my family from Myerstown. I normally go over to my boyfriend's house first and then come back to my house and eat even more. This year there is a little twist. My uncle is coming up also from Myerstown to spend the weekend with us. He is only staying for the weekend because his wife has a grandson that they see on Christmas. Anyway, got a little off track. After dinner, we play games and then get ready for bed. My sisters and I always sleep in the same room. Normally two of us are on an air matress and the other one gets the comfy bed. We normally talk about what is going on in our life and then fall asleep. In the morning, my mom and sister always make money break, which is sooo good! My mom also puts in the over her casserole from preparing it from the night before. My sister and I are normally jumping on the bed to wake my dad up. Yes, we are 20 and 21 years old but we still get so excited. Everyone has to be up before we go downstairs. Normally, the dogs plow themselves down the steps before we can make it down. Literally, it is like a mad dash. However, the mad dash doesn't happen until the money bread is done. See, my mom had to make a specific time until we could go downstairs because when Linds and I were little we would wake up at 5 and tell everyone to get up. Now, we have to wait until six even though we are waking everyone up when we get up. Then when the time comes, we all go downstairs and open gifts one by one. We all have our special places to sit. Then the next day, we have another dinner. Normally a couple days later, we go to my grandpa's house to be with my dad's dad and my other uncle and aunt.
The Mall
ReplyDeleteSo today I went to my mall for the first time in months. It actually felt like years ago went I last went there. My buddy and I went to a couple of stores. The first store we went to was F.Y.E.. The reason I was there was because I wanted to see if they had a Led Zeppelin poster because I'm gathering posters for my future apartment near Millersville. But to my disappointment, they had no posters of that sort. The next store that I went to was Footlocker. I actually looked at some fly shoes but as usual I didn't much money on me. The plus side is that I applied there, hopefully I get an interview.
Crazy Kind of Day
ReplyDeleteAs I am sitting here, I realize that I have so many thoughts running through my head. I figured what better way to get them all out. I am also taking an online soc class. I have been constantly doing work for that class while trying to get ahead in this class. In reality, my getting ahead didn't happen. However, I have found that I am able to write a lot faster and get my ideas figured out. Sadly, my grandparents leave tomorrow to go home. The day after Christmas always stinks because its like all of the happiness was drained out. On the plus side, my sister starts her internship Friday with the Reading Royals. I couldn't be more proud of my big sis. My other sister just moved out today. I am not sure how I feel about that. We are very close and to not have her around anymore I feel empty. I feel like my mom did when all of us went to school. I am now an "only child." I don't like it too much. I am used to coming home and playing games, watching tv, or fighting with them. Then to think school starts soon. The time flew. I just hope I pass these two classes. I have worked hard to stay caught up and spend time with my family. I feel bad because they kept asking when will you come play games or why are you still doing homework. As much as I wanted to stop, I knew I had to get my work done my midnight. In the end everything turned out better than I hoped. I am so thankful. I just hope these classes turn out that way! If I haven't confused anyone yet, this is just some of the stuff that has been running through my head. My chest does feel lighter now that I have it all out on "paper." I hope everyone else had a wonderful break!
New Years Eve
ReplyDeleteWell decided to get this free write done and over with. I just got back from dinner that I had with my parents, it's a tradition that we go to the Loft in the city and they have a special menu every year; it's the greatest. My favorite food there is fried goat cheese on a salad, I know it sounds nasty but trust me the flavor is unbelievably delicious. Now that I am home, I'm just waiting around for my friends to get off work so we can hang out. New Years resolution is to get a job so I can save money up for a motorcycle and apartment, get in shape because I want to join the Navy after college, and finally start going back to church because God is very important and he should be in my life. This year has been a roller coaster of a ride from graduating high school to starting college. The great memories made and more to come. Looking forward to 2013 and nothing better than starting off with dinner at my house with my family and friends. God Bless, Hope everyone has it good in 2013! ~
I Live For The Nights I Cant Remember With The People Ill Never Forget~
Ambrosia,
DeleteI am glad to hear that you had a good time! I hope you are able to find a job and get an apartment. I am also glad to hear that you want to start going to church again and join the Navy!
I remember my first year going to college and the roller coaster of a ride it was. Trust me, it gets better!! I hope and wish for the best of your year of 2013!
sorry i am only replying to this now but i did get a job and thanks!
Deletesorry i am only replying to this now but i did get a job and thanks!
DeleteNew Year, New Me (Jan. 3rd)
ReplyDeleteAs I look back at the year 2012, I see many struggles and accomplishments. I find the struggles I went through with my nursing classes made me even better. I lost my grandma in the year of 2012. Through many of the sad memories, I also have many good memories. I passed all my classes and I am that much closer to becoming a nurse. From resolution from last year of wanting to lose weight was a success! I have lost 10 pounds so far! For this year of 2013, I want to continue to do the best I can do with school. I want to srive to be the best I know I can be. I don't want to freak out over the small things anymore. I want to enjoy life and not spend my days freaking out and stressing out over meaningless things. I really want to get an A in my classes I am taking online. I have been putting a lot of work into them. I also want to continue to strengthen my faith and my relationship with God. Without Him, I would have never made it this far. Overall, I want to throw away the bad memories and hardships from 2012 and remember the good and create new memories this year. I want to continue to make new friends and hang on to the older relationships I have with some of my high school friends. I am ready to take on the new challenges with a smile and determination in my mind and heart. I don't want to be afraid of making mistakes. I am going to be the new and improved Taylor. The Taylor who doesn't freak out over things and is able to have fun and relax with life. The Taylor that will take on the world a little at a time.
Taylor,
DeleteMy friend is also in Nursing and he tells me that it is tough son of a gun. I'm sorry about your Grandma. I hear you on making mistakes. Sometimes I freak out over things but I always try to remind myself that I could always have it worse. I like your attitude and it sounds like you will be a successful person in the future. Just remember, do your thing and let God deal with your worries. Sometimes believers like me forget who's watching over us. :)
By the way, am I, Ambrosia, and you the only ones on this blog? I can only see your and Ambrosia's posts.
I am not sure... I post on here and under communication and blog too.
DeleteNew Years Eve Party,
ReplyDeleteThis New Years Eve I decided to switch it up from the usual. I usually reserve New Years Eve for family only despite invitations from friends. This past New Years Eve, I went back to Millersville University to hangout with my friend, Aayla. Aayla and I never really hangout during the school year due to our scheduling. She is actually better friends with my best friend Andy so we both made the decision to spend the lovely 31st of December with her and her friends. We watched the "Wedding Crashers", which was really funny and the countdown to the New Year on the Fox station. We made some mean meatball subs and had tons of snacks during the whole event. I'd say my New Years Eve was a success.
The NFL Playoffs (for Jan 4th)
ReplyDeleteFor all the non-sports fans out there please bear with me but I have to talk about football haha. These past couple of seasons in the NFL I have been disappointed with my team, The Philadelphia Eagles. I was so amped for the Philly football season up until October where they just completely collapsed. It was so terrible that Philadelphia Phillies won a game more recently than the Eagles did until their last win in early December. That is so pathetic because the Phillies' season ended in early October! But luckily for me, I can appreciate other teams in the league. Except for the Giants, Steelers (no offense to fans here), and especially the Patriots! As long as the Patriots lose in the playoffs, I am one happy pro football fan.
Jan. 4th: Reflection
ReplyDeleteAfter reading a position paper in the Wrinting Now book, I still feel heated from all the thoughts rushing in my head. I read about Cheap Food Nation. This really showed me how our society is so messed up. Athletes get punished for taking steroids, but yet we eat them every day in a way if we the polluted meat from fast food or grocery stores. I understand that the healthy food is expensive and that many people look for the cheaper foods. However, I wish people would realize that by choosing the cheap food they are running the risk of spending the money they could have on healthy food on medical bills. As a nurse, I am seeing how important education is... true education. The media and news fills people's minds with garbage. I feel bad for the farmers who want the old farming ways back. The farmers really have no choice because if they don't conform to the new ways, then really they don't make any money. It is sad that people have to lower themselves to the cheap food because money is a problem. The government really doesn't care about the people. They care about the green stuff they get to put into their checking accounts. I hope that people start to realize the facts and stand together to fight against the government. I know this isn't easy. I tend to think in ways that would take a lot more than what I think. I know I am only 20 and don't realize everything that goes on in the world. I don't understand government... really does anyone? All I know is that, the animals are suffering horrible lives for something we can take a stand for.
Jan. 5th: Almost There
ReplyDeleteI feel like a huge brick has just been lifted off my chest. I sent in my last paper for my online soc class. All I need to do is take my quiz and I am done! I have worked so hard for the past three weeks to ace that class. I am hoping for an A! I start school on Monday, so by having one of my online classes down is a great goal that I feel I have achieved. I am excited to continue to write for this class as well. I feel like I am starting to like to write because we get a choice of what to write. I am excited to start my nursing classes again and yet I'm not. I know how much work I have to do again, but we are doing maternity now! I hope I like it because this is the area I think I want. I keep telling myself how fast time has gone because I am almost done with my second year of nursing with only a year to go. Another thought that just entered my mind was that I feel I accompplished another thing by finishing my position paper yesterday. I feel like the topic some people may be bored by. However, this is something that is so important and I feel I really argued my point! I tried to make it interesting and I have lots of pictures and graphs to help with my point. Today just feels like an accomplished day. As I look back on the week, I feel like I have done so much that I should go on vacation. Maybe I will watch a movie, or be boring and go to bed early and sleep for a long, long time. This is the greatest feeling in the world. The feeling of accomplishment and knowing you are almost there at reaching your ultimate goal of being a nurse. I feel the new year of 2013 is already treating me well! I hope it stays like this!
ReplyDeleteFor Jan. 8th: Insanity
Jan 7, 2013 8:10 PM
I noticed it was time to write. I just need to get things off my chest. I find that these freewrites are a way I can let everything out. Today, I started back at school. Like every first day, my head was spinning by the end. Just hearing what projects are due and I have a quiz this Thursday already. I was ready to hit my head off a wall. Then I have to take a step back and say ok I can do this. Then after going through 164 pages of what is expected for this semester, we had two packets to go through of the reproductive system and started talking about maternity. I am excited and yet in panic mode. I don't want to lose focus in this class or nursing. I have to find a balance and keep up with both. I am worried that my papers I wrote aren't good enough. I just hope everything will be ok. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel... well just a streak of light is peaking in, but some light is better than none! I feel so bad because I used to take my dog for walks every night and not I am doing work until all hours of the night. I just want my work to be perfect. She looks at me with those big, brown puppy eyes. I feel so bad! I don't know how mothers with real children do it! I feel like I spend more time on my computer than I do anything else. I already feel a small weight lifting by just rambling on and on. My fingers are actually starting to hurt and my brain is going so fast I can't keep up. I was excited to see my one friend from high school. We talked and laughed and she helped me to see that everything will be ok. I know I will be ok. Just a few more weeks and then I can sleep with not a worry in the world.
For Jan. 9th: Blessed (7:43-7:50)
ReplyDeleteToday I realized how truly blessed I am. I was driving to school and this drive can get pretty lonely, so I think about everything. Today, I realized that I am blessed with so many things that I can't tell God thank you enough. My friend was telling me today that she moved out of her house because she and her mom got in a fight. She said to me be thankful you have a mom that loves you. When my mom got home, I just had to stare at her for a minute. Then to think that I am able to have a car and a job. The job helps to pay for gas. I am blessed to have sisters who love me. They would do anything for me. I am blessed to have my dogs and a roof over my head. I have warm clothes, running water, shoes, a toothbrush, food, and a family. What more could I need? I am blessed to be able to lay my head down at night and know that my family is here and that they love me so much. Love is the basis to our existence. I am blessed to have known both sets of my grandparents. A year ago on January 9th I lost my grandma. I used to be mad about it and how dare she go before I get married and have kids. However, I am blessed to have her watching over me and guiding me. There are so many more things I have been blessed with in my life that I can't possibly list all of them in these seven minutes. I guess I can mention that I am blessed to have my boyfriend. He does so much for me and puts up with my moods when I am stressed with school. All I can say is thank you and I truly feel blessed.
Operation Iraqi Freedom (about 10 years ago):
ReplyDeleteDuring my free time, I like to surf youtube sometimes. I came across an Operation Iraqi Freedom documentary. Me being all interested in military and those sorts, of course I had to click and watch the whole thing. Right now I'm in the middle of the film and I swear I wish I had payed close attention to watch happened when I was younger. I really couldn't believe how long ago (roughly 10 years!) the American invasion happened. Another thing is I couldn't believe how long America had military activity during the how thing. During the documentary there were reporters "Embedded" (living, eating, traveling) with Marines divisions in the whole operation. They got to experience first hand what Combat was really like from a civilian perspective. This documentary has my total interest.
For Jan 9
ReplyDeletePizza
So i decided to get this free write while waiting for the pizza pockets that my friends and I made. The car ride to my house/ grocery store was interesting we talked about politics to gun control. One thing we all believe we have the right to bear arms and always should. We also talked about winter break coming to an end and how we've made all of these precious memories and how sad it will be to see everyone go back. All the funny moments from making a mess in my kitchen to jumping up and down throughout the house acting like children again..good times. I hope everyone else is enjoying their break as much I am. :)
Friends
ReplyDeleteThis part of the winter break is the most annoying part of the year. All my buddies and friends from my high school are going back to college by this weekend. I think that it is kind of weird how Millersville and other state schools like WCU and IUP get a 5-6 week long winter break. That is by far the longest compared to other schools. My stepbrother goes to Penn State Harrisburg and he already started classes thi past Monday. Don't get me wrong, I like this long break but sometimes I feel like it is too long.
What's going on? (January 17th)
ReplyDeleteWhen I first heard about the some PA colleges might strike I got really angry and I have every right to be. I'm paying to be here, to get a better education and then move on to find a job I love and one that I can work there for the rest of my life. No where in there did it say that the college was going to go on strike and push back my learning. Then I thought "oh great it's happening again". My freshman year in high school our school district went on strike. I guess it's a freshman year thing to go on strike. We didn't go back for what seemed like forever and to make up the lost days they took back all of our one day off days, shortened our longer breaks (except winter break) and ended up staying longer. It was no fun being out of school and it would be really nice if I didn't have to go through that again. Once was more than enough. I understand how high schools can strike, but I don't understand how colleges can strike. They both seem so different from each other. They are, but still. I'm really hoping that the PA colleges that voted to vote to go on strike vote against going on strike. Everything will work out, so going on strike is really not necessary at this time. If they do go on strike than how does that affect the semester? Would we go longer and cut breaks? I would really like to know.
Jan. 17th
ReplyDeleteTime to Stop
6:06-6:13
I have worked to my limit. I am so tired of putting all my hard work and effort into things and getting no where. Today is the day I am not doing it anymore. I am sick of spending all my time doing school work and not spending time with my family. I end up not doing well anyway. This week has been nothing but crap. I didn't do well on my one quiz for my one class, I wrecked my car, I got stranded today from another car over heating, and I suck at writing. I don't know what else to do and I am not spending more time of my life trying to figure it out. There is no point. My hard work and effort doesn't pay off anyway. Tonight, I am going to bed early and not caring about anything anymore. There is no reason to care. If I fail at something, then all the better because trying or not trying I get the same result. This is why I am not a confident person and never will be. Nothing I do is good enough. Quite frankly I give up. I physically, mentally, and emotionally can't handle it anymore. Maybe I need to quit school for awhile and see where life takes me. I know everyone will be disappointed, but really I feel that way with myself anyways. I am told next week will be better, but it won't. I will never be good at writing even if I went for help. Maybe college was a joke. Maybe I am supposed to be nothing. I know everyone has a place in life, but I don't think I do... or God hates me. Either way, I will be happier not trying anymore because I end up having to redo everything anyways! As I finishing writing this, I will close the computer and begin thinking where I need to go from here with my life.
I'm really getting frustrated with my computer. I just typed this and everything got deleted so I'm attempting to freewrite again. I'm hoping this time it actually works. I hope that MU does not go on strike because I really want to go back to school already. Being home is really boring and I miss all of my friends. I feel like I'm just going crazy here by myself. Most of my friends either have went back to school already or are getting ready to. I don't know what I'm going to do over summer break because its even longer. If MU does go on strike it will also prolong graduation time and my classes. I'm happy that this semester I get to take zoology because it actually pertains to my major and I am very passionate about animals. I cannot wait! I need things to stay the way they should be so that I can keep on track with my work. So far I am very happy about the grades i've been getting in this class and am trying to revise everything in my papers to make it the best quality as possible. I'm very fortunate to have a good reviewer that is always willing to help me when my assigned ones do not. I hope with this last paper I can pull off a 3/3 right away! Here's to hoping and making the paper the best product I can.
ReplyDeleteSpring Semester
ReplyDeleteThe spring semester is coming soon! My schedule is going to be really different compared to the fall. I think the fact that I don't have marching band is going to take a lot of weight off my back. I have Piano I, Flute Lessons, Piccolo Lessons, Percussion Methods, String Methods, Wind Ensemble, Flute Choir, Flute Quintet, and Intro Lit. I am also taking Wellness online. I will be very, very busy! I am looking forward to starting over, since last semester I had a really horrible start with my surgery. Hopefully I will be able to do more things with my friends. I am a little worried because sadly, I have all 8am classes next semester, and my hall is pretty loud. If they are really loud, I won't be getting a lot of sleep because I am a light sleeper. But, I have to remember that it is only 3 months until summer!!
2nd Semester
ReplyDeleteWow I cant believe that winter break is almost over and how much time I had off. I just use to being off about a week and a half and bam back to class. college is the best for the amount of time we have off and that its scattered throughout the year. Now that the second semester will start I am excited for Chemistry because I love Chemistry in high school and we did a lot of fun labs. Therefore, I am hoping that it will be just as challenging and interesting. I am also hoping to get a job because i finally have a schedule that allows me to hold a job down. It sucks though, because it is defiantly harder to get job when your 18 compared to when you were 16. Along with all that i hope to get better grades and get some cash in my pocket. I never knew textbooks could cost so much or food on campus without a meal plan. Over all goal is to make money and save it as much as possible.
This next week is my last week being home and I want to make it a good one. I plan on doing a lot since I just realized that "Oh I've been a bum all winter break besides doing this class". I have a group of friends and right now there is only me and one other, so I plan on having fun with her and maybe scrapbook. We decided that we would scrapbook our college days together and so far it's been really awesome. I want to send time with my family because yes I'm home, but I don't really get to spend time with them since they are still working and I'm just home. I know my mom wants to see a movie. I don't know which one, but there are a lot of good ones out right now. I have things I need to take care of before I go back to college for my sophmore year in college. Hopefully I didn't put it off too long. This Monday I plan on going out with my Nanny and Poppop to do our annual trip to the candy store that sells opera fudge (that is more creamy than fudge), the Christmas Barn, to the resurante that has never ending chicken pop pie and then to the cute little shops that my Nanny loves. It's a wonderful trip that I look forward to since I never really get one on one time with them. So that is my plan for this next week. In between all of that I will be packing my brain out since I have so much to pack for college. I'm such a pack rat.
ReplyDeleteIdeas.
ReplyDeleteWell I am running out of ideas of what to talk about, so i decided to rite about whatever comes to mind. the first thing that pops up into my head is that im pretty happy i still get to be a bum while my friends are already back in college with their faces shoved into a textbook studying, sike probably not somewhere partying. One thing my friends and I have in common is we hardly ever do any kind of studying but still manage to bring in good grades. However, in college that seems almost impossible which is quite a change to most of us; picking up a textbook and actually reading it..:0. Next thing that comes to mind is i picked up a new hobby or more of a new hang out place..going to hookah bars. They are pretty awesome well at least the ones in Lancaster city. They have some amazing flavor combinations like big sexy and southern comfort. You just get a good feeling tasting the flavor puff by puff enjoying the great company. Depending where you go they have some very diverse food from different cultures. Totally recommended to anyone. The last thing that comes to mind is I cant wait for Spring , so i can finally get my motorcycle licenses along with my motorcycle and if that does not happen Ill settle for getting a Mustang. I love all kind of vehicles especially one that have a lot of torque and power to them; it makes doing burn out funnier.
I'm excited I get to go to the beach this weekend! Even though its going to be cold it should be a great time. We get to stay at our grand moms condo and have fun going out Ocean City MD. I really just hope everything goes well. I also just cannot wait to finally get a break from everything. Oddly enough I just want to get back to school as well. I'm really beginning to miss school and all of my friends. I also just want to get back into school and all of my classes. I hope that classes this semester go really well and I can do just as good if not better than my last semester. I want to be able to continue with the good grades and all of my hard work. It seems to pay off with all that I do.
ReplyDeleteJan. 18th: Brighter Side
ReplyDelete8:00-8:07
Today was so much better! The sun was shining on my way home from school. I had a wonderful day at clinical and I got even take a nap when I got home. I am kinda nervous about writing this paper because I am having a writer's block. I am just so much happier today. I don't have all the negative thoughts running through my head! I just want to write this paper and go to bed. It's a new weekend and the week is behind me now. It's done and over with! I also went to a family friend's house tonight to celebrate her dogs' birthday. Go ahead and laugh, but I am a huge animal lover! My dog is like my baby. I talk to her and treat her like a baby. I take her with me wherever I go...within limits. She isn't a small dog. She is a beagle but mixed with a fox hound. Anyways, I had a great time eating dinner with my friend and the dogs! They were so happy to see their birthday cake! I am now home sitting here writing with a smile, because my week has turned for the better. I find it so hard to get out of a hole that you can't see the light at the top. However, I was able to make it through to the end of the week. Sure, a bucket of tears and yelling at myself inside my head, but I am at least smiling. I was told this week was supposed to be bad... Maybe I let myself believe that? I don't know. All I know is that I am going to write this paper, sleep in tomorrow, and maybe even go shopping with my mom. We need a girls day! Then I will probably sleep more! Sleep is the best thing in the world right now for my heavy eyes and fried brain!
For Jan. 21st: Refreshing
ReplyDelete9:13-9:20
I noticed today that I just can't get my thoughts or words out. I don't know if my brain is fried and needs sleep or I am just crazy! I was talking to my mom and I noticed I just couldn't get my thoughts out! I am going to say I am tired. I got a lot done today. I was proud of myself and that I actually have been smiling! I get to see my sister and boyfriend tomorrow! I am excited for that. She moved out a little before Christmas and I miss her. As I was sitting doing my work, my dog kept scratching me and I knew what she wanted. I got up and asked her if she wanted to go for a walk and she started barking and going crazy. I got her all around and I bundled up and we headed out. My sisters tell me she is gaining weight so we walk for 30 minutes almost every day. She loves them! She loves to run so that means I have to try to keep up! As we were walking, I looked at the sky and it was beautiful. It was a orange, pink, and yellow color. I just stood there and closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It was as if all the negative energy left. I have felt such a relief today! I have a few more things I want to do and then it's movie time. Many people think this is gross, but I promised my mom I would rub her feet. She does so much for me that I thought I could do this one thing she loves. I couldn't ask for anything more. I am watching a movie with my dad, sitting here with my mom, and my dog pressed up against me. This is the life! It is so nice to just get everything out on paper, well a computer screen.
Today, like last year, my sister, Nanny, Poppop and I go out together. We started this yearly trip together because my sister has off from work and I have off from school. I love spending time with them because I don't get to that often and they are just so funny. I love their stories. This year my sister's boyfriend came because it was his birthday. I didn't think he was going to enjoy it and I don't know if he ended up enjoying it, but I sure enjoyed it. This is how our day goes: we go to this candy store to see if they have candy on sale (we didn't stop today because it wasn't open yet), next we go to the Christmas Barn where they have so many Christmas ordaments, next we go to a resturant that has all you can eat chicken pop pie( it's wonderful and I only had one bowl of it this year), next we go to a shopping center with another candy store (my Nanny loves chocolate and has in all over her house) and get Opera fudge (she likes to call it opera cream because it's nothing like fudge) and there are other little shops like clothing and a yarn one (my sister and I knit) they we head back and stop for ice cream (even though it's cold) and that's our day. I just love spending time with them. I saw them last night for dinner and the football games. I will get to see them tomorrow too because they need up cleaning up because my Poppop is going to be 82 this year and my Nanny 80 I think. My Poppop is also getting a hip replacement next month, so they really can't be climbing steps and moving stuff around. It's not a problem at all because I'd do anything for them. I love them very much.
ReplyDeleteI just got back from the beach today. I had a good mini vacation though I could have done without having to write my paper. One of the bad things about going to the beach is that I have no WiFi down there and it can get really annoying. It was a little too cold for my liking but I still had a nice time. I got to see a great sunset on the way back to the condo on saturday. I got lots of pictures and am very happy to be able to have seen that. I can't wait till we go back in the summer time when its actually nice and not windy. I've also realized that I'm so compasionate about animals that I unconsciously keep picking topics about animals. The only paper I did not do soley on animals is my poem or part of the memoir. I cannot wait till I can get a chance to work hands on with animals. I really love all different kinds of animals and they seem to love me as well. I cannot wait to get to my zoology class this semester because of what the class is...the study of animals. I can't wait! I also just want to go back to school and get everything started.
ReplyDeleteyay 2013
ReplyDeleteThis weekend has been the best weekend ever. First, I got a call for an interview was mad hype, then i totally nailed it. Then just yesterday my homeboy Devin turned 19 had a heck of fun time and now getting interrupt by my best friend who happens to be lost somewhere in PA trying to get back to Maryland. Second, I got the job woo hoo check that new years goal off the list. Finally, I was watching the football game yesterday while working on that evaluation paper. I dont like either teams, but im happy the ravens won the game. I cant wait to place bets for the super bowl either. Which ironically the same of the super bowl is the same time i start training for my new job. i wonder sometimes what is the whole point of these free writes?
Great Post....crowdsourcing
ReplyDelete