What is wisdom?
Or is wisdom something else—something that a person cannot take a test for? Can people without “qualifications” have wisdom? If so, how do they get it?
Finally, do you know a person or people whom you consider wise? How old are they? (Does being wise necessitate being old?) What do these people do or say to make you think they’re wise?
Write about it.
Wisdom’s dictionary definition is sagacity, discernment, or insight. To me, wisdom isn’t any of that. From experience, I think that wisdom comes from time, effort, and hard work. People that are wise have lived longer and fuller lives. Wisdom does not mean getting A’s on report cards, and it doesn’t mean graduating with a Ph.D. from a terrific university. It doesn’t mean rising to the top of a corporation. It doesn’t mean possessing photographic memory. Wisdom isn’t something you can acquire, wisdom comes to you.
One of the most wise people I know would be my grandfather. My grandpa passed away in 2001 when I was still very young, but he was what I think of when you say wise.
Another thing that I think gives a person wisdom is passed on information. For example, this weekend I made crumb cake. However, this was no normal crumb cake. I got my crumb cake recipe from Buddy Valastro's Cake Boss Book. Not only is it filled with stories about how Carlo's Bakery began, but it has original recipes that Buddy tested and made into easy recipes for the home. So I decided to read up on how to make the perfect crumb cake. When I started the recipe, I realized that you have to refer to another recipe to complete the first recipe, and then after that you have to refer to a third recipe to complete the second recipe which then completes the first and final recipe. So naturally it took me hours to make it and I was completely in over my head. Not only did I use the whole kitchen and half of the flour in the house, but when I put it in the oven, it overflowed and was pouring out of the pan and onto the bottom of the oven, making the oven smoke and smell weird. The crumb cake was supposed to bake for twenty-five minutes, but an hour later was when it was finally done. As I fought with my mom the whole time I cleaned the oven, I started to realize something: from suffering through those three recipes, I took all of Buddy's wisdom about cakes, mixed with my father's wisdom about not fighting with my mom, and then put those together with my newfound knowledge of all things baking, and I inherited that wisdom. I may not be wise, but I know a lot more and I can't wait to share that knowledge with others.
In summation, wisdom is something that has given someone a permanent knowledge of information that they might pass on in their future. Not everyone, has wisdom, in fact more people don't have wisdom then people that do. Personally, I think if you have wisdom you should pass it on and let others in on that part of your life.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Blog 21 - Relative Importance of Jobs
Is a doctor's job more important than a teacher's? Is a teacher's job more important than a bus driver's? Is a dishwasher's job more important than that of a woman who sews dresses?
How do you determine how important a job is? Obviously, some people take home bigger salaries than others: is that how job importance is rated?
In the world today, there are many jobs. You have hundreds of jobs in the school I am sitting in right now. Not only do you have plenty of teachers, but you have the principal, janitors, lunch ladies, etc. I, personally, do not think that any one person’s job is more important than another person. If you got rid of one job, such as the janitors, our school would be filthy. If you got rid of the lunch ladies, we would all be starving. If you eliminate one group, it messes up the whole order and sanity in the building. When you compare doctors versus teachers, some may say that doctors have a more important job. I think that’s nonsense. If those doctors never had teachers, they wouldn’t be doctors. They need their teachers to educate them to be a doctor, so therefore they would be useless without their teachers. And if teachers didn’t have doctors, they could be suffering a disease that they don’t know how to fix. And how would they get better? They wouldn’t. Everyone in the world and every job is a circle of life, and if you take out anyone than it ruins the order. When you compare a teacher and a bus driver, you have to think: how would students get to school if there was no teacher? And where would the bus drivers drive the children if there were no teachers? Everyone needs each other. Say you compared construction workers and professors at a college. People might think that the professor is more important because he is fully educated, probably has multiple degrees, and graduated to become someone who educates for life. That, no doubt, is an awesome job and he or she deserves a lot of praise for it. But to leave out the construction worker is wrong. That construction man worked his ass off to build a place for all those people to further their education at. He made a home to hundreds, maybe thousands, of students, teachers, administrators, counselors, janitors, prospective educators, and he needs to get recognized for all that work he put in. No one can be put down for the work that they do, because no matter what when people try it should be good enough for the world, and no one should judge them based off the job that they have. No one should be the judge of anyone else, so I can not judge any one by their occupation. My grandfather used to tell my dad that “the world needs ditch diggers, too.” When my father told me this, it sounded kind of mean and it was worded in a way that would probably come off as offensive, but I think that he meant that there is no job too small and no job that is unimportant.
How do you determine how important a job is? Obviously, some people take home bigger salaries than others: is that how job importance is rated?
In the world today, there are many jobs. You have hundreds of jobs in the school I am sitting in right now. Not only do you have plenty of teachers, but you have the principal, janitors, lunch ladies, etc. I, personally, do not think that any one person’s job is more important than another person. If you got rid of one job, such as the janitors, our school would be filthy. If you got rid of the lunch ladies, we would all be starving. If you eliminate one group, it messes up the whole order and sanity in the building. When you compare doctors versus teachers, some may say that doctors have a more important job. I think that’s nonsense. If those doctors never had teachers, they wouldn’t be doctors. They need their teachers to educate them to be a doctor, so therefore they would be useless without their teachers. And if teachers didn’t have doctors, they could be suffering a disease that they don’t know how to fix. And how would they get better? They wouldn’t. Everyone in the world and every job is a circle of life, and if you take out anyone than it ruins the order. When you compare a teacher and a bus driver, you have to think: how would students get to school if there was no teacher? And where would the bus drivers drive the children if there were no teachers? Everyone needs each other. Say you compared construction workers and professors at a college. People might think that the professor is more important because he is fully educated, probably has multiple degrees, and graduated to become someone who educates for life. That, no doubt, is an awesome job and he or she deserves a lot of praise for it. But to leave out the construction worker is wrong. That construction man worked his ass off to build a place for all those people to further their education at. He made a home to hundreds, maybe thousands, of students, teachers, administrators, counselors, janitors, prospective educators, and he needs to get recognized for all that work he put in. No one can be put down for the work that they do, because no matter what when people try it should be good enough for the world, and no one should judge them based off the job that they have. No one should be the judge of anyone else, so I can not judge any one by their occupation. My grandfather used to tell my dad that “the world needs ditch diggers, too.” When my father told me this, it sounded kind of mean and it was worded in a way that would probably come off as offensive, but I think that he meant that there is no job too small and no job that is unimportant.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Blog 20 - What is love? Baby, don't hurt me. Don't hurt me no more.
People write about love all the time, but they almost never define it.
Can love be defined? Can a person say, “Well, love, of course is ____________ and ____________ , with a little of ____________ mixed in.” (Would a simple formula like that satisfy you?)
What is love, anyway? Can you describe it? What does it look like? What does it feel like? Smell like? Sound like? Taste like?
Where does a person find it if she or he is looking for it? Is it in a certain place? Does it have certain habits or routines? If so, what are those? Is it hard to get? Easy to get? Do you need to be qualified to get it? Is there anyone who doesn’t have it? Is there anyone who can’t have it? Is there anyone who has too much of it? Is it something people eventually want to get rid of?
Write about it.
What is love? According to a dictionary, love is a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person; a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend; sexual passion or desire. But to me, a dictionary can’t tell you how to be in love. The dictionary doesn’t do the word “love” any justice. Love looks like two people genuinely and compassionately being sincere and falling for each other. It looks like the woman and man sitting on a bench in a park, holding hands, resting their heads on each other, never wanting to let go. Love smells like the perfume or cologne that you know they love so you wear it to impress them. Love sounds like music playing as he leads you in a dance in the rain that you have dreamed of all your life. Love tastes like your favorite restaurant where they take you out to enjoy a beautiful night together.
If your looking for fake love, you can go just about anywhere. You could put yourself on eHarmony and find a date in about five minutes. But that isn’t real love. You don’t need to look for true love; true love will find you when you least expect it.
To be qualified for love, you don’t need to do much – you just need to keep your heart open. If you are poor, you can fall in love. If you are rich, you can fall in love. If you are mean, you can fall in love. If you are nice, you can fall in love. Anyone in the world can find love. You might think opposites attract, or that you are exactly like the person you love. I think any of that is fine as long as you are both truly in love.
One thing that is questionable is young love. I’m not talking about my age, I’m talking about those obnoxious middle schoolers who think they have found their soul mate. I personally think that if you are that young, you haven’t found love, you have found obsession. When you take a step up into high school, you might also think you found love, but I am here to tell you that if he even mentions sleeping with you, chances are he will mention it to another girl in a month. People in high school haven’t found love, they have found lust. Occasionally, there are people that fall in love in high school and get married, but if you have that idea then you will most likely end up getting hurt.
I think that often people over use the word love. “I loooooveee this purse!” It isn’t that you have a warm personal attachment or deep affection towards the purse, you just like it.
At times in my life, I have thought I was in love. I actually don’t know if I have been or not, but I know that having someone love you is a really good feeling. It can be stressful at times and it can be a burden if you don’t know how you feel back, but in the end you feel good about yourself. For me, I find it hard to believe. I can never trust anyone and I am very cautious of letting my walls down because of my past, but recently I have been able to experience something very close to love. My friends didn’t approve, and my parents hardly like how often I was out, but I felt careless and free and I loved it.
Can love be defined? Can a person say, “Well, love, of course is ____________ and ____________ , with a little of ____________ mixed in.” (Would a simple formula like that satisfy you?)
What is love, anyway? Can you describe it? What does it look like? What does it feel like? Smell like? Sound like? Taste like?
Where does a person find it if she or he is looking for it? Is it in a certain place? Does it have certain habits or routines? If so, what are those? Is it hard to get? Easy to get? Do you need to be qualified to get it? Is there anyone who doesn’t have it? Is there anyone who can’t have it? Is there anyone who has too much of it? Is it something people eventually want to get rid of?
Write about it.
What is love? According to a dictionary, love is a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person; a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend; sexual passion or desire. But to me, a dictionary can’t tell you how to be in love. The dictionary doesn’t do the word “love” any justice. Love looks like two people genuinely and compassionately being sincere and falling for each other. It looks like the woman and man sitting on a bench in a park, holding hands, resting their heads on each other, never wanting to let go. Love smells like the perfume or cologne that you know they love so you wear it to impress them. Love sounds like music playing as he leads you in a dance in the rain that you have dreamed of all your life. Love tastes like your favorite restaurant where they take you out to enjoy a beautiful night together.
If your looking for fake love, you can go just about anywhere. You could put yourself on eHarmony and find a date in about five minutes. But that isn’t real love. You don’t need to look for true love; true love will find you when you least expect it.
To be qualified for love, you don’t need to do much – you just need to keep your heart open. If you are poor, you can fall in love. If you are rich, you can fall in love. If you are mean, you can fall in love. If you are nice, you can fall in love. Anyone in the world can find love. You might think opposites attract, or that you are exactly like the person you love. I think any of that is fine as long as you are both truly in love.
One thing that is questionable is young love. I’m not talking about my age, I’m talking about those obnoxious middle schoolers who think they have found their soul mate. I personally think that if you are that young, you haven’t found love, you have found obsession. When you take a step up into high school, you might also think you found love, but I am here to tell you that if he even mentions sleeping with you, chances are he will mention it to another girl in a month. People in high school haven’t found love, they have found lust. Occasionally, there are people that fall in love in high school and get married, but if you have that idea then you will most likely end up getting hurt.
I think that often people over use the word love. “I loooooveee this purse!” It isn’t that you have a warm personal attachment or deep affection towards the purse, you just like it.
At times in my life, I have thought I was in love. I actually don’t know if I have been or not, but I know that having someone love you is a really good feeling. It can be stressful at times and it can be a burden if you don’t know how you feel back, but in the end you feel good about yourself. For me, I find it hard to believe. I can never trust anyone and I am very cautious of letting my walls down because of my past, but recently I have been able to experience something very close to love. My friends didn’t approve, and my parents hardly like how often I was out, but I felt careless and free and I loved it.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Blog 19 - Risks Taken
What kind of risks have you taken in your life?
What chances have you taken that may or may not have come out so well? Some people your age have tried dangerous things and survived. Many others, alas, have not survived. Some have taken other kinds of risks: social risks such as trying to make new friends, for example, or personal risks, such as speaking honestly to a parent, or even academic risks: doing something in class that might get them a great grade or result in horrible failure.
What risks have you taken in your life? Write about them.
Life is all about risks, right? Throughout my life, I have taken many risks. Some have worked out perfectly, and others…not so much. Socially, people take risks all the time. Someone might get a haircut just because they think it will impress their friends. Well, I’d like to tell those people that if your friends don’t like you the way you are, you need new friends. I would never take a social risk like that, because in all honesty it just takes away who you are as a person and turns you into a fake and a phony.
I, personally, would like to take better risks. I want to bungee jump or skydive before I go to college. I want to take risks that make me catch my breath and remember how precious life is. I do not want to take risks that could possibly take my life. Those aren’t risks, those are mistakes.
When it comes to talking to my parents, I feel like that is never a risk. I am comfortable with my parents to the point where I can tell them anything. I might be a little uncomfortable at first, but I know that my parents only have my best interests at heart, and they usually know what is best.
One risk that I took recently was skipping class and going to Oh What a Bagel. Throughout my four years in high school, I had never skipped a class and just drove off. I had a substitute, and we didn’t do any work that day, so it considering those odds it wasn’t a huge risk, but it was still exhilarating and I think that everyone should skip a class before they graduate. It might have been silly, and I can never imagine skipping class and leaving on a regular basis, but I think at the same time it was still worth it, for sure. There is no doubt in my mind that I needed that. I want to be able to remember high school, and little things like pep rallies and leaving school and watching football or basketball games with friends are going to be the memories that I will tell my kids about one day.
Someday, I’ll be doing big things. I feel like if I don’t take silly risks throughout my life, the variety will be to scarce. I am the kind of person that gets so used to a set schedule with a filled agenda that I might forget to have fun sometimes. Everyone in the world should do something outrageously fun and risky and beautiful at the same time, at least once a week. Keeping variety in your life will be your key factor to success. In college, I know I won’t be studying and doing homework during the day and sleeping at night. I will spend my days in class or with friends and I will pull all-nighters doing last minute homework and papers, and that is what will keep me on my feet.
Everyone needs a little variety and risk in their life.
What chances have you taken that may or may not have come out so well? Some people your age have tried dangerous things and survived. Many others, alas, have not survived. Some have taken other kinds of risks: social risks such as trying to make new friends, for example, or personal risks, such as speaking honestly to a parent, or even academic risks: doing something in class that might get them a great grade or result in horrible failure.
What risks have you taken in your life? Write about them.
Life is all about risks, right? Throughout my life, I have taken many risks. Some have worked out perfectly, and others…not so much. Socially, people take risks all the time. Someone might get a haircut just because they think it will impress their friends. Well, I’d like to tell those people that if your friends don’t like you the way you are, you need new friends. I would never take a social risk like that, because in all honesty it just takes away who you are as a person and turns you into a fake and a phony.
I, personally, would like to take better risks. I want to bungee jump or skydive before I go to college. I want to take risks that make me catch my breath and remember how precious life is. I do not want to take risks that could possibly take my life. Those aren’t risks, those are mistakes.
When it comes to talking to my parents, I feel like that is never a risk. I am comfortable with my parents to the point where I can tell them anything. I might be a little uncomfortable at first, but I know that my parents only have my best interests at heart, and they usually know what is best.
One risk that I took recently was skipping class and going to Oh What a Bagel. Throughout my four years in high school, I had never skipped a class and just drove off. I had a substitute, and we didn’t do any work that day, so it considering those odds it wasn’t a huge risk, but it was still exhilarating and I think that everyone should skip a class before they graduate. It might have been silly, and I can never imagine skipping class and leaving on a regular basis, but I think at the same time it was still worth it, for sure. There is no doubt in my mind that I needed that. I want to be able to remember high school, and little things like pep rallies and leaving school and watching football or basketball games with friends are going to be the memories that I will tell my kids about one day.
Someday, I’ll be doing big things. I feel like if I don’t take silly risks throughout my life, the variety will be to scarce. I am the kind of person that gets so used to a set schedule with a filled agenda that I might forget to have fun sometimes. Everyone in the world should do something outrageously fun and risky and beautiful at the same time, at least once a week. Keeping variety in your life will be your key factor to success. In college, I know I won’t be studying and doing homework during the day and sleeping at night. I will spend my days in class or with friends and I will pull all-nighters doing last minute homework and papers, and that is what will keep me on my feet.
Everyone needs a little variety and risk in their life.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Blog 18 - State of the Union
Every year the President of the United States gives a speech called the "State of the Union Address." In it he (or she, one day) talks to Congress about how things are going in our country.
Today, put down some thoughts for your own State of the Union Address, if you were to make the same speech.
How are things going in our country? Are you satisfied with everything? What is working in our country, and what is not working? Think about schools, transportation, national defense, our system of health care, the arts, protection of the environment, food stamps, welfare, treatment of the elderly, and other things that make up who we are as a people.
Be the President for a day, and tell us how we are doing as a country.
“My fellow citizens, I am your president, Gina Sarah Colette Cuiffo. I am here today to tell you how our country is fairing. To say that we are doing better than ever would be an understatement. Our nation as a whole has fixed each problem that we were given. Not only have I proven myself to you as a people, but I have proven myself to other nations as well. I am satisfied with all of the progress we have made, and I couldn’t have done it without the help of the great people of the United States. Last year when I came into office, I asked that you write down each thing that you think our nation has a problem with. I took those papers and personally looked over each one. I made it my mission to attend to each problem. I did not take a vacation this year like past presidents have done. I worked hard each day to prove to you all that I am good enough to be your president. Gas prices have decreased. The health care issue has been solved. Our schools have raised their graduating rates by over four hundred percent. Our environment is no longer going through global warming and is the best it has been in centuries. Food stamps are no longer needed, because I have solved the issues of poverty. Social security is taken care of. Any aspect of the nation that I should have covered has been covered. If you have any issues that you think haven’t been covered, I welcome you to come up and ask me about it and I will tell you anything you would like to know. According to any statistics you can find, you will see that I have done nothing but good for this nation and I hope you can all see that and consider it when you are voting again this year. No other president in the past has been able to compare, and I take pride in all the accomplishments I have made. I am so happy to tell you this, and I hope that you do not take my happiness as arrogance. I hope that you are all as proud of me as I am of you for making this nation what it is. Growing up, I saw bad people in the world, and I saw how they brought on our downfall. Now, with me in office, crime and drugs and all illegal acts have been completely wiped out and the world is full of good people again, just like it should be. I want to thank you for your time and consideration, and I would sincerely like to remind you that if you have any problems or concerns, or even positive feedback, please feel free to call me at any time of the day or night. As your president, I want to be available at any time for you to count on my help for any matter, whether good or bad. Thank you again for your time, have a lovely evening.”
Today, put down some thoughts for your own State of the Union Address, if you were to make the same speech.
How are things going in our country? Are you satisfied with everything? What is working in our country, and what is not working? Think about schools, transportation, national defense, our system of health care, the arts, protection of the environment, food stamps, welfare, treatment of the elderly, and other things that make up who we are as a people.
Be the President for a day, and tell us how we are doing as a country.
“My fellow citizens, I am your president, Gina Sarah Colette Cuiffo. I am here today to tell you how our country is fairing. To say that we are doing better than ever would be an understatement. Our nation as a whole has fixed each problem that we were given. Not only have I proven myself to you as a people, but I have proven myself to other nations as well. I am satisfied with all of the progress we have made, and I couldn’t have done it without the help of the great people of the United States. Last year when I came into office, I asked that you write down each thing that you think our nation has a problem with. I took those papers and personally looked over each one. I made it my mission to attend to each problem. I did not take a vacation this year like past presidents have done. I worked hard each day to prove to you all that I am good enough to be your president. Gas prices have decreased. The health care issue has been solved. Our schools have raised their graduating rates by over four hundred percent. Our environment is no longer going through global warming and is the best it has been in centuries. Food stamps are no longer needed, because I have solved the issues of poverty. Social security is taken care of. Any aspect of the nation that I should have covered has been covered. If you have any issues that you think haven’t been covered, I welcome you to come up and ask me about it and I will tell you anything you would like to know. According to any statistics you can find, you will see that I have done nothing but good for this nation and I hope you can all see that and consider it when you are voting again this year. No other president in the past has been able to compare, and I take pride in all the accomplishments I have made. I am so happy to tell you this, and I hope that you do not take my happiness as arrogance. I hope that you are all as proud of me as I am of you for making this nation what it is. Growing up, I saw bad people in the world, and I saw how they brought on our downfall. Now, with me in office, crime and drugs and all illegal acts have been completely wiped out and the world is full of good people again, just like it should be. I want to thank you for your time and consideration, and I would sincerely like to remind you that if you have any problems or concerns, or even positive feedback, please feel free to call me at any time of the day or night. As your president, I want to be available at any time for you to count on my help for any matter, whether good or bad. Thank you again for your time, have a lovely evening.”
Friday, January 20, 2012
Blog 17 - Earliest Memory
What’s your earliest memory?
Some people have amazingly detailed memories: they remember having their diapers changed, standing up in their crib and crying, or their mother reading them a story at age one. Others have a difficult time remembering last year, let alone their early years.
Think back: is there one memory that you see in that distant past? What is it? Does it include people speaking to you, or is it just a picture? Does it have other sounds in it—for example, people laughing or shouting? Explain it in detail.
Are there other ancient memories you can bring up? Do they relate in any way to each other, or are they random?
Write about them.
I have one memory that popped into my head when I read this blog topic. At the time, I was two years old. My family lived in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Two years olds usually do not have astonishingly great memories, but I have one simple memory that always boggles my mind. My memory has no sounds. No laughing, shouting, crying, no nothing. It is one picture in my head. There are no people in this picture. The memory is actually very silly and most likely pointless, but I feel like if it was pointless why would I remember it now when I am eighteen. Sixteen years later, I always picture the doorway to my old house in Carlisle. In the way I see it, I am standing with the door open, directly in the door way facing inside. I was two, so if you try to get a visual it was only two feet up from the ground. Nothing important is in this image-memory of mine. All I see is a light green welcome mat. It doesn't have any words or cool details, just a plain old rug. I asked my parents one day, and they told me that, yes, we had a green welcome mat, why? they asked. I had absolutely positively no idea at all. I am curious to know how a rug is symbolic for anything about my old house or something from being a baby.
I know some people that can remember childhood things very well, but I am not one of them. Recently, I have been watching home videos, some from before I was even born. And then eventually, it got to nineteen ninety-four (the good ol' years) and I saw myself as a small child. I thought it was so adorable and I loved seeing myself. While I want to remember those events when I watch them happen on my television, I can't. I remember weird details that have no important meaning to me. I remember when my family moved to Lakewood, New Jersey. I remember what my old tree house looked like (mainly because it was pretty kick-ass). I remember being in kindergarten at Holy Family School, and having to do the pledge of alegiance and then pray. And then things get more vivid as I got older and I eventually moved to Bayville. I hope that I keep all of the memories that I have from all my years here, because they have been more fun than I could ever even ask for.
Some people have amazingly detailed memories: they remember having their diapers changed, standing up in their crib and crying, or their mother reading them a story at age one. Others have a difficult time remembering last year, let alone their early years.
Think back: is there one memory that you see in that distant past? What is it? Does it include people speaking to you, or is it just a picture? Does it have other sounds in it—for example, people laughing or shouting? Explain it in detail.
Are there other ancient memories you can bring up? Do they relate in any way to each other, or are they random?
Write about them.
I have one memory that popped into my head when I read this blog topic. At the time, I was two years old. My family lived in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Two years olds usually do not have astonishingly great memories, but I have one simple memory that always boggles my mind. My memory has no sounds. No laughing, shouting, crying, no nothing. It is one picture in my head. There are no people in this picture. The memory is actually very silly and most likely pointless, but I feel like if it was pointless why would I remember it now when I am eighteen. Sixteen years later, I always picture the doorway to my old house in Carlisle. In the way I see it, I am standing with the door open, directly in the door way facing inside. I was two, so if you try to get a visual it was only two feet up from the ground. Nothing important is in this image-memory of mine. All I see is a light green welcome mat. It doesn't have any words or cool details, just a plain old rug. I asked my parents one day, and they told me that, yes, we had a green welcome mat, why? they asked. I had absolutely positively no idea at all. I am curious to know how a rug is symbolic for anything about my old house or something from being a baby.
I know some people that can remember childhood things very well, but I am not one of them. Recently, I have been watching home videos, some from before I was even born. And then eventually, it got to nineteen ninety-four (the good ol' years) and I saw myself as a small child. I thought it was so adorable and I loved seeing myself. While I want to remember those events when I watch them happen on my television, I can't. I remember weird details that have no important meaning to me. I remember when my family moved to Lakewood, New Jersey. I remember what my old tree house looked like (mainly because it was pretty kick-ass). I remember being in kindergarten at Holy Family School, and having to do the pledge of alegiance and then pray. And then things get more vivid as I got older and I eventually moved to Bayville. I hope that I keep all of the memories that I have from all my years here, because they have been more fun than I could ever even ask for.
Blog 16 - Balance of Nature
You may have heard about the "balance of nature." What is the balance of nature, in your opinion? We know that nature consists of air, water, land, flora (plants), and fauna (animals). How can those things be in balance? How do you think the natural system works, in its push toward keeping itself in balance?
Do you think the natural world is in balance today? If so, what keeps it in balance? If not, what's knocking it out of balance?
And what about human beings? Where are we in the balance of nature? What are we doing or not doing to keep our balance?
Write about it.
The balance of nature can be described in many different ways. I am sure that every single different human being has a separate definition of it. Some might differ widely, and some might be quite similar in the long run. To me, the balance of nature is perfect. My religion leads me to believe that God created the Earth, and he did it in perfection because that's what he was. Each part of nature lives off of each other. For example, humans breathe oxygen that is constantly in the air, and in return we breathe out carbon dioxide that keeps the trees alive. The trees keep a lot of animals alive, and those animals that eat the trees get eaten by other meat-eating animals. Eventually, we eat those animals. As far as water, we are seventy-five percent water, so I'd say water was pretty important to the human body and to the survival of the trees and those same animals that eat the trees. I am fascinated by the fact that they all connect. When you get rid of one element, it can possibly kill of everything. If we did not breathe out carbon dioxide, trees would not exist. If trees did not exist, all herbivore animals would not exist. If herbivores did not exist, carnivores would not exist. If herbivores and carnivores did not exist, omnivores like myself would not exist. It is the cycle of life.
One thing that is really hurting this cycle or balance or whatever you want to call it is the fact that humans are starting to think about it less. At this point in time, we have an ozone layer that might just metaphorically get up and walk away. This can not be blamed on anyone but humans. We messed with the balance, and we might just have to pay for it if global warming really happens. As humans, our main job should be to protect our planet and make it the best it can be. Instead, you see litter on the roads and smog in the sky. This is not okay. Maybe before, people did not know the effects, but now we do, so there is no excuse as to why we still have harmful things that hurt the Earth. And one day, it is possible that humans will really pay for all of their wrongdoings and the Earth will be no more.
Do you think the natural world is in balance today? If so, what keeps it in balance? If not, what's knocking it out of balance?
And what about human beings? Where are we in the balance of nature? What are we doing or not doing to keep our balance?
Write about it.
The balance of nature can be described in many different ways. I am sure that every single different human being has a separate definition of it. Some might differ widely, and some might be quite similar in the long run. To me, the balance of nature is perfect. My religion leads me to believe that God created the Earth, and he did it in perfection because that's what he was. Each part of nature lives off of each other. For example, humans breathe oxygen that is constantly in the air, and in return we breathe out carbon dioxide that keeps the trees alive. The trees keep a lot of animals alive, and those animals that eat the trees get eaten by other meat-eating animals. Eventually, we eat those animals. As far as water, we are seventy-five percent water, so I'd say water was pretty important to the human body and to the survival of the trees and those same animals that eat the trees. I am fascinated by the fact that they all connect. When you get rid of one element, it can possibly kill of everything. If we did not breathe out carbon dioxide, trees would not exist. If trees did not exist, all herbivore animals would not exist. If herbivores did not exist, carnivores would not exist. If herbivores and carnivores did not exist, omnivores like myself would not exist. It is the cycle of life.
One thing that is really hurting this cycle or balance or whatever you want to call it is the fact that humans are starting to think about it less. At this point in time, we have an ozone layer that might just metaphorically get up and walk away. This can not be blamed on anyone but humans. We messed with the balance, and we might just have to pay for it if global warming really happens. As humans, our main job should be to protect our planet and make it the best it can be. Instead, you see litter on the roads and smog in the sky. This is not okay. Maybe before, people did not know the effects, but now we do, so there is no excuse as to why we still have harmful things that hurt the Earth. And one day, it is possible that humans will really pay for all of their wrongdoings and the Earth will be no more.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Blog 15 - Visit a Historical Time
What historical time do you wish you could visit?
Of course, the future is not historical yet, but think about particular times in the past. Maybe you’d like to visit ancient Egypt and live there for a while. Maybe you’d like to have been an Inca in South America, or a Roman soldier fighting Carthage, or a writer during the Italian Renaissance.
Maybe you’d only like to go back a short distance—say, to the 1960s, to visit the hippie days in San Francisco.
Write about the time you’d like to visit, why you’d like to visit that time, and what you would do while you are there.
I would really love to visit the time period of the early nineteen hundreds. Around this time, my grandmother was growing up. She always shows me pictures, and it truly fascinates me. I would love to visit here mainly to see what it was like growing up like that. A lot of people were in tough situations, considering the economy was horrible. But through all the lessons in history, the people seem genuinely happy and together. I would love it if the nation today seemed like we were ‘one,’ but I don’t think that is going to happen any time soon. I would also love to meet a boy in that time period. Then, chivalry was still well alive and it seemed as fun as ever. The movie Titanic was based on a true story from 1912, and it is one of the greatest love stories ever told. I would have loved to be on that ship (well, before it sank…) and see all the beautiful things that were in that movie, especially Leonardo DiCaprio. Another great love story is The Notebook. If I am not mistaken, the movie was portrayed to be in the early nineteen hundreds as well. I love the kinds of music they had, I love what they did for fun, I love that the people were so trusting of each other. If I could travel back to then, I would especially love to go to New York and see all the people interact. I would go to other states also, and see how things worked for all different people in different states. As much as I hate history classes, I am intrigued by stories that my grandparents tell me. I think that every older person has a few awesome stories up their sleeve. I would love to be in that time period and go to school. The curriculum probably hasn’t changed much… I would go to Times Square and see how different it is. I would go shopping (and probably spend a lot less money). I would talk to anyone I could and just listen to all the riveting stories and things they have to say. I might even meet a Noah Calhoun or a Jack Dawson, and go out on a date with a true gentleman. The specific things that I would do wouldn’t really even matter to me as long as I could be in that time period and witnessing and living through all of the things that they got to do. The time period is just interesting in general to me, and maybe seeing the way things were would knock a little sense into me and be a wakeup call. I wish that people now could act like they did in the old days, and dress like them, and speak with respect the way they did. I would have a blast from the past. :)
Of course, the future is not historical yet, but think about particular times in the past. Maybe you’d like to visit ancient Egypt and live there for a while. Maybe you’d like to have been an Inca in South America, or a Roman soldier fighting Carthage, or a writer during the Italian Renaissance.
Maybe you’d only like to go back a short distance—say, to the 1960s, to visit the hippie days in San Francisco.
Write about the time you’d like to visit, why you’d like to visit that time, and what you would do while you are there.
I would really love to visit the time period of the early nineteen hundreds. Around this time, my grandmother was growing up. She always shows me pictures, and it truly fascinates me. I would love to visit here mainly to see what it was like growing up like that. A lot of people were in tough situations, considering the economy was horrible. But through all the lessons in history, the people seem genuinely happy and together. I would love it if the nation today seemed like we were ‘one,’ but I don’t think that is going to happen any time soon. I would also love to meet a boy in that time period. Then, chivalry was still well alive and it seemed as fun as ever. The movie Titanic was based on a true story from 1912, and it is one of the greatest love stories ever told. I would have loved to be on that ship (well, before it sank…) and see all the beautiful things that were in that movie, especially Leonardo DiCaprio. Another great love story is The Notebook. If I am not mistaken, the movie was portrayed to be in the early nineteen hundreds as well. I love the kinds of music they had, I love what they did for fun, I love that the people were so trusting of each other. If I could travel back to then, I would especially love to go to New York and see all the people interact. I would go to other states also, and see how things worked for all different people in different states. As much as I hate history classes, I am intrigued by stories that my grandparents tell me. I think that every older person has a few awesome stories up their sleeve. I would love to be in that time period and go to school. The curriculum probably hasn’t changed much… I would go to Times Square and see how different it is. I would go shopping (and probably spend a lot less money). I would talk to anyone I could and just listen to all the riveting stories and things they have to say. I might even meet a Noah Calhoun or a Jack Dawson, and go out on a date with a true gentleman. The specific things that I would do wouldn’t really even matter to me as long as I could be in that time period and witnessing and living through all of the things that they got to do. The time period is just interesting in general to me, and maybe seeing the way things were would knock a little sense into me and be a wakeup call. I wish that people now could act like they did in the old days, and dress like them, and speak with respect the way they did. I would have a blast from the past. :)
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Blog 14 - Devise a Punishment/Prison System
If people do things that society says are "wrong," should they be punished? Let's assume you think they should be punished. If you think so, then how should they be punished? Should a murderer be murdered and a thief have all of his/her things taken away?
Should there be prisons? If so, how much time should people spend in prisons for various crimes? Do you believe that if someone commits a certain number of crimes he or she should spend an entire lifetime in prison? Could people be allowed out of prisons early sometimes—before their sentence is up? In what circumstances?
What would prisons be like, in your world of justice?
Write about it.
First off I’d like to say that I think people who murder are idiots. There is probably a ninety-nine percent chance that if you commit a murder or really any type of crime, you will be tracked and caught. Since our generation is so technological, it is especially hard to get away with a crime. There are security cameras in most stores, and there can be police on your tail in a minute. Stupid people, however, need to be punished. I am not talking about a slap on the wrist; I am talking about full-fledged punishment. A good punishment should make the criminal be truly sorry and regret their actions. If someone murders another person, there is no doubt in my mind that they should be tortured slowly to their death. Shooting someone is too quick and painless, and a needle is a simple, easy escape. To sit in jail is stupid, because taxpayers are paying for their air conditioning, heat, food, etc. Why would I want to pay for anyone who is committing crimes? I don’t. If you are a thief, then you will have everything taken away from you and you can sit on the streets for all I care. I clearly feel very strongly about criminals. I know of people that have killed people, and I have even heard of serial killers. I personally think that they are the scum of the earth and they deserve nothing and especially not any sympathy from anyone. There would be no need for a prison, because if I were in charge people would be paying for crimes the right way. I do not believe in second chances. If you mess up once, why wouldn’t you mess up twice? A murderer already knows the feeling of killing someone, and maybe they are some kind of psycho that likes that feeling; well screw that, they should not be allowed into our world. If someone somehow overrode the system and got a second chance and they messed up again, first of all I wouldn’t be surprised, and second of all, that person should go die in a hole. If there had to be a prison for people to stay in, I certainly wouldn’t be paying for it, along with all the other taxpayers. If money was needed to maintain the prison, it would be taken specifically from each prisoner’s personal funds. If you were lucky enough to be put into my prison, all of your money will be automatically donated to it. There would be no AC, and no heat. Your food would be paid for by you and your other fellow inmates. If I was in charge, there would be actual justice. I don’t even care if you are sorry for what you did, because you were dumb enough to do it in the first place, and the last thing we need is more dumb people. If you are serious about offering me a position as “President of Justice,” you can contact me immediately through Facebook. ;)
Should there be prisons? If so, how much time should people spend in prisons for various crimes? Do you believe that if someone commits a certain number of crimes he or she should spend an entire lifetime in prison? Could people be allowed out of prisons early sometimes—before their sentence is up? In what circumstances?
What would prisons be like, in your world of justice?
Write about it.
First off I’d like to say that I think people who murder are idiots. There is probably a ninety-nine percent chance that if you commit a murder or really any type of crime, you will be tracked and caught. Since our generation is so technological, it is especially hard to get away with a crime. There are security cameras in most stores, and there can be police on your tail in a minute. Stupid people, however, need to be punished. I am not talking about a slap on the wrist; I am talking about full-fledged punishment. A good punishment should make the criminal be truly sorry and regret their actions. If someone murders another person, there is no doubt in my mind that they should be tortured slowly to their death. Shooting someone is too quick and painless, and a needle is a simple, easy escape. To sit in jail is stupid, because taxpayers are paying for their air conditioning, heat, food, etc. Why would I want to pay for anyone who is committing crimes? I don’t. If you are a thief, then you will have everything taken away from you and you can sit on the streets for all I care. I clearly feel very strongly about criminals. I know of people that have killed people, and I have even heard of serial killers. I personally think that they are the scum of the earth and they deserve nothing and especially not any sympathy from anyone. There would be no need for a prison, because if I were in charge people would be paying for crimes the right way. I do not believe in second chances. If you mess up once, why wouldn’t you mess up twice? A murderer already knows the feeling of killing someone, and maybe they are some kind of psycho that likes that feeling; well screw that, they should not be allowed into our world. If someone somehow overrode the system and got a second chance and they messed up again, first of all I wouldn’t be surprised, and second of all, that person should go die in a hole. If there had to be a prison for people to stay in, I certainly wouldn’t be paying for it, along with all the other taxpayers. If money was needed to maintain the prison, it would be taken specifically from each prisoner’s personal funds. If you were lucky enough to be put into my prison, all of your money will be automatically donated to it. There would be no AC, and no heat. Your food would be paid for by you and your other fellow inmates. If I was in charge, there would be actual justice. I don’t even care if you are sorry for what you did, because you were dumb enough to do it in the first place, and the last thing we need is more dumb people. If you are serious about offering me a position as “President of Justice,” you can contact me immediately through Facebook. ;)
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Blog 13 - Death: A Necessary Evil (Wild Card)
Frank Cuiffo Jr II; my grandpa. Meme Dion; my great-grandma. Michael Pasarelli; my great-uncle. Ray Ray Cuiffo; my cousin. And so many more people that died too early. There are so many people that die each day. It is obviously more painful when you know and love that person, but regardless, death is the saddest thing I think anyone deals with. Death is a necessary evil. Don’t get me wrong, I hate that I had to lose so many people that I care so much about, but what would we live for if we thought this life would never end? I agree that death brings meaning. It may be a hard concept to grasp, but it is true. If we thought that people would always be around, we might not treasure their presence as much. It gets me so upset to think that people can be taken from us at any moment. My great-grandma, my grandpa, my great-uncle, they were all taken away from me when they were at an older age. But how can taking away my 18 year old cousin Ray Ray be justified? He died because of someone else’s mistake, and now he is gone forever. Not only was he the most amazing football player, but he was a very smart guy. He knew everyone, and he had so many friends and people that loved him dearly. And then one day one of his friends that decided to drink took his life. I am still not at the point where I can even consider being forgiving toward that ‘friend’ of Ray’s. It should not take a person’s life to teach a kid a lesson. Now, not only does my whole extended family and everyone that knew Ray have a burden on their shoulders and a weight in their heart, but that stupid boy who made a stupid ass decision is going to waste his life away wondering what would have happened if he didn’t drink, if he didn’t kill my cousin, if he woke up that morning and thought a little differently, would everyone have been spared the tears? I think that if I ever had that burden on my shoulders, I would make a drastic change. I would move far away. I would change myself for the better. I would dedicate my whole entire to making what I did right. And when it cannot be made right, I would keep trying. I don’t know how someone could be that stupid, but unfortunately it is not just him. I am sure that a lot of people know someone who lost a life to a drunk driver. Or in general lost a life. We all lose people, it is inevitable; it is fate. It is something that will never stop happening to this world. I could die tomorrow. I could die in two minutes. So I want to make this life worth it. I don’t want to be remembered as “young teen from small NJ town dies early,” I want the chance to change the world before I die. This thought is only possibly if you truly know that death really is a necessary evil, and that you should not take something so precious as a life for granted.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Blog 12 - Unlimited Travel
If someone gave you a plane ticket for anywhere in the world and
unlimited money for three months, what would you do? The rules: you
may visit many places—not just one—and the money must be used for
living expenses in the places to which you fly (food, hotel,
entertainment, maybe a few souvenirs).
Where would you go? Would you stay in this country, or visit others?
Which others, and why? What sights would you like to see in those
places? Would you stay in fancy hotels, or clean, inexpensive ones?
Would you try new foods? (If so, what new foods?)
Write about it.
If someone gave me a plane ticket for anywhere in the world, I would have to go to Italy first! I have always wanted to go to Italy – being Italian it is just a curiosity I have. But to lay it all out, here is how it would go. For one month, my close family and a couple good friends and I would tour Italy, France, and Rome. Then, we would head to Australia for a few weeks, and then we would be off to the North Pole for a week, just to test it out, and then we would head back and hit Japan and China. During the last month, we would tour around America and hit all of the states I’ve never been to before. We would go to all of the famous restaurants in the nation, and we could sleep in an RV just like I used to dream would be awesome when I was seven. Not only would I like to see all the famous areas, but I would want to see the hidden beauties in each place we would go to. Occasionally, when a hotel is necessary, we would stay in the worlds finest hotels and be treated like royalty. We would try new food each day and we would really get that knowledgeable feeling and be able to share our stories with all that were curious. The last trip that we would make before finally coming home would be Niagara Falls. My mother has wanted to go there since she got married to my father twenty-seven years ago, so I think she has waited long enough. There has never been a real reason to not go, besides the fact that my parents always had to worry about us kids at home. Well this time they wouldn’t have to worry, because the rest of the family would settle back down in their own households for a few days, and my parents could have the vacation that they have always dreamed of. I would finally come home, and I would throw a huge party and invite all the people that I know that are interested in traveling and sharing stories, and it would just be a huge get together. All of the people who mean anything to me would be there and they would all hear from us what a fabulous time we had, but more importantly they would hear about all of the significant places and things we learned. After traveling like that with unlimited funds, we would be so knowledgeable about various different things, and maybe we could even try to share that knowledge with more people. I think that, while this is only a blog topic and most likely never going to happen, it is an awesome idea. I wish that something like this could happen, because without every day stresses on people’s minds, the world would be a more peaceful place. It is very unlikely that people wouldn’t have to worry about money, so for an opportunity like this I’m sure it would be greatly appreciated. Whenever you feel like contributing to the travel funds, let me know ;)
unlimited money for three months, what would you do? The rules: you
may visit many places—not just one—and the money must be used for
living expenses in the places to which you fly (food, hotel,
entertainment, maybe a few souvenirs).
Where would you go? Would you stay in this country, or visit others?
Which others, and why? What sights would you like to see in those
places? Would you stay in fancy hotels, or clean, inexpensive ones?
Would you try new foods? (If so, what new foods?)
Write about it.
If someone gave me a plane ticket for anywhere in the world, I would have to go to Italy first! I have always wanted to go to Italy – being Italian it is just a curiosity I have. But to lay it all out, here is how it would go. For one month, my close family and a couple good friends and I would tour Italy, France, and Rome. Then, we would head to Australia for a few weeks, and then we would be off to the North Pole for a week, just to test it out, and then we would head back and hit Japan and China. During the last month, we would tour around America and hit all of the states I’ve never been to before. We would go to all of the famous restaurants in the nation, and we could sleep in an RV just like I used to dream would be awesome when I was seven. Not only would I like to see all the famous areas, but I would want to see the hidden beauties in each place we would go to. Occasionally, when a hotel is necessary, we would stay in the worlds finest hotels and be treated like royalty. We would try new food each day and we would really get that knowledgeable feeling and be able to share our stories with all that were curious. The last trip that we would make before finally coming home would be Niagara Falls. My mother has wanted to go there since she got married to my father twenty-seven years ago, so I think she has waited long enough. There has never been a real reason to not go, besides the fact that my parents always had to worry about us kids at home. Well this time they wouldn’t have to worry, because the rest of the family would settle back down in their own households for a few days, and my parents could have the vacation that they have always dreamed of. I would finally come home, and I would throw a huge party and invite all the people that I know that are interested in traveling and sharing stories, and it would just be a huge get together. All of the people who mean anything to me would be there and they would all hear from us what a fabulous time we had, but more importantly they would hear about all of the significant places and things we learned. After traveling like that with unlimited funds, we would be so knowledgeable about various different things, and maybe we could even try to share that knowledge with more people. I think that, while this is only a blog topic and most likely never going to happen, it is an awesome idea. I wish that something like this could happen, because without every day stresses on people’s minds, the world would be a more peaceful place. It is very unlikely that people wouldn’t have to worry about money, so for an opportunity like this I’m sure it would be greatly appreciated. Whenever you feel like contributing to the travel funds, let me know ;)
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Blog 11 - Comfort Food
Food writers sometimes use the term comfort food. Comfort food is food
that makes us feel good when we eat it: it gives us a cozy, homey
feeling.
Do you have a "comfort food"—a food that you love to eat, at certain
times of the year, or when you're feeling stress? If so, what is that
food? Why do you think it's comfort food for you? Is there something
in your past that gives you that feeling, or maybe something in your
present? What triggers that warm feeling when you eat this food?
Write about it.
To sit down and write this blog in the proper way, I started by getting my ultimate comfort food: a Reese’s sundae from Dunkin Donuts. (YUM!) There aren’t many times when I eat this, which makes it all the more delicious when I do. I limit myself to having one a month. Recently, that rule got thrown out the window…I was really stressed out from all the bullshit that happened today with my ex that I ended up feeling like a fatty but nonetheless I picked up my comfort food and headed home to see an awesome blog topic about comfort food, how ironic. I think that the reason that the Reese’s sundae is such a good comfort food is because it is warm from the fudge and cold from the ice cream, and all in all Reese’s are my favorite candy, so this masterpiece is like heaven to me. Unlike today, I usually eat this comfort food with a friend. Whether it’s Jackie or Victoria, we always head to Dunkin Donuts for a Reese’s sundae if we are in need of a vent-sesh. It doesn’t really matter where you eat this delectable snack – it will be amazing anywhere you go – but if you are in a really crappy mood, it is best when you are wearing sweats and snuggling in bed with your puppy. That fact was proven today when I felt so bad that I didn’t even ask a friend to come with me. To me, being comfortable is being in sweats – eating ice cream is an added bonus! As much as I love this little treat, there are some people that I just wouldn’t eat one with. Since I know no one will read this, I will just say it plainly: you can’t eat a Reese’s sundae with just any friend. No, a person has to truly be a best friend to eat a Reese’s sundae with. This activity is usually done at night and at the Beachwood Dunkin Donuts so that no one recognizes us and thinks we are total fatties. Not only do we sit in the parking lot and eat, but we talk about anything and everything. The past two times that I needed to have a Reese’s sundae with a friend, it was over the same guy. I feel like now that we have done this a few times, it is like our tradition. If I had an ice cream sundae every time I was upset over him, I would be a thousand pounds! No, it takes a truly messed up thing to happen for me to have to eat ice cream over it. When I am with Jackie, she is usually stressing about her ex too so this is perfect, but when I am with Vicky, she just likes to listen to me talk about how dramatic and stupid life can be. I think that it serves as such a comfort food because of all of the empty calories it holds. If anyone’s blog is about fruit or vegetables or something healthy as their comfort food, please let me know so I can treat them to a Reese’s sundae and show them what they’ve been missing!
that makes us feel good when we eat it: it gives us a cozy, homey
feeling.
Do you have a "comfort food"—a food that you love to eat, at certain
times of the year, or when you're feeling stress? If so, what is that
food? Why do you think it's comfort food for you? Is there something
in your past that gives you that feeling, or maybe something in your
present? What triggers that warm feeling when you eat this food?
Write about it.
To sit down and write this blog in the proper way, I started by getting my ultimate comfort food: a Reese’s sundae from Dunkin Donuts. (YUM!) There aren’t many times when I eat this, which makes it all the more delicious when I do. I limit myself to having one a month. Recently, that rule got thrown out the window…I was really stressed out from all the bullshit that happened today with my ex that I ended up feeling like a fatty but nonetheless I picked up my comfort food and headed home to see an awesome blog topic about comfort food, how ironic. I think that the reason that the Reese’s sundae is such a good comfort food is because it is warm from the fudge and cold from the ice cream, and all in all Reese’s are my favorite candy, so this masterpiece is like heaven to me. Unlike today, I usually eat this comfort food with a friend. Whether it’s Jackie or Victoria, we always head to Dunkin Donuts for a Reese’s sundae if we are in need of a vent-sesh. It doesn’t really matter where you eat this delectable snack – it will be amazing anywhere you go – but if you are in a really crappy mood, it is best when you are wearing sweats and snuggling in bed with your puppy. That fact was proven today when I felt so bad that I didn’t even ask a friend to come with me. To me, being comfortable is being in sweats – eating ice cream is an added bonus! As much as I love this little treat, there are some people that I just wouldn’t eat one with. Since I know no one will read this, I will just say it plainly: you can’t eat a Reese’s sundae with just any friend. No, a person has to truly be a best friend to eat a Reese’s sundae with. This activity is usually done at night and at the Beachwood Dunkin Donuts so that no one recognizes us and thinks we are total fatties. Not only do we sit in the parking lot and eat, but we talk about anything and everything. The past two times that I needed to have a Reese’s sundae with a friend, it was over the same guy. I feel like now that we have done this a few times, it is like our tradition. If I had an ice cream sundae every time I was upset over him, I would be a thousand pounds! No, it takes a truly messed up thing to happen for me to have to eat ice cream over it. When I am with Jackie, she is usually stressing about her ex too so this is perfect, but when I am with Vicky, she just likes to listen to me talk about how dramatic and stupid life can be. I think that it serves as such a comfort food because of all of the empty calories it holds. If anyone’s blog is about fruit or vegetables or something healthy as their comfort food, please let me know so I can treat them to a Reese’s sundae and show them what they’ve been missing!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Blog 10 - Litany of Deep Questions
Why do we do blogs? Why would a blog topic be about questions? Is my teacher going to do something crazy like ask us to answer all these questions? Why do we go to class? Why do we even go to school? What is the purpose of education? What do I want to be when I grow up? What college should I attend? What happens if I don’t get accepted anywhere? Will I live at home all my life? What will my parents say? Will they be ashamed of me? Why would I even think I can’t get accepted anywhere? Why do I doubt myself? When will my acceptance letters come? How can I be more positive about college and growing up? Why do I put such a negative connotation on the word “college”? What will it be like leaving home for real for the first time? How will my parents deal with not having any kids around? Will they be happy? Will they be sad? Will they miss me? Will I remember to call them a lot? Will I be homesick and call too much? Will I have so much fun I don’t call at all? What are they going to do on the nights they are both not home and no one can cook for them like I do? Why did I make such an awesome dinner tonight? Why was I that bored that I made such an extravagant meal that it took three hours to make? Why did I make amazing lasagna, Caesar salad, garlic bread, and for dessert, banana bread? Do my parents realize how good of a daughter I try to be? When did I really lose their trust in the first place? Why did I ever think it was okay to lie to them over a boy? Why would I date such a dumb asshole boy in the first place? Why are boys so tempted to lie and cheat on innocent girls like myself? What is it that I don’t have that she does? Why does he always go back to her? Why do I even care? Where is my prince charming? Will I even find someone I end up loving? Will I die next to him? Will he sweep me off my feet? Will he protect me and never let anything bad happen to me? Will he be an amazing guy like my father? Will I get married? When? Will I have children? How many? Will I live to see my children’s children? What will the world be like then? Will technology have taken over? Will the world be so advanced that I will resemble my mother and her technology-impaired behaviors? How does she not know how to check her voicemail? Why am I so ignorant to think that? What was it like back in the old days when my parents were growing up? Were they good kids, or did they give their parents grief? What was it like when my grandparents were growing up? What is it like in heaven? Why did my grandfather have to die before he knew how much I truly adored him? Why didn’t he stay alive long enough to see me grow up? What will happen when everyone around me has passed? What will happen when I die? What will happen when all of the human population is wiped out? Then who will write these blogs?
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Blog 9 - Family Member Elected to Office
If I could elect any of my family members to any type of public office, I would absolutely without a doubt elect my dad for President.
I choose my dad because he is the smartest man I know. He is not only intelligent, but he is likeable, reasonable, and he is extremely organized. My father has, in the past, organized countless information for various different jobs. For me, he even created a binder full of college information. It has color coded tabs for each college, and all of the information about them is in alphabetical order. If he can do that with a few pieces of paper from colleges, he can do wonders with things that are more important.
If my father really became President, it would not be too fun. While it would be awesome to say “My dad is President of the United States!,” it would be no fun when he had to start focusing all his time on politics and those matters. But, considering this is not going to happen any time soon, I can picture my dad doing whatever he wants.
My dad is the type of person that over thinks everything. In a position of President, however, this could work to his advantage. Not only could he turn around the economy, but he would make every aspect of life fair to each and every person living in the United States. My dad would have a separate plan to reform each suffering aspect of the US. He would start with the worst sections and improve each and every one.
I think if my dad was on the ballets he would definitely be voted for. My dad has good ideas about everything. His ideas about important politics are the most interesting to hear. He could talk for hours about plans on how to change things and make them better for everyone. My dad is a likeable guy, and he knows how to tell people his theories in a way that will have you listening for hours talking about things that would otherwise be unimportant.
I used to think that politics were boring and a waste of time, but in all honesty politics in the US have a huge impact on my life. Not only are politics important because I am getting older and approaching my college years, but for the fact that I am seventeen years old, and in about two months and five days, I will be eighteen years old. I will legally be allowed to vote. My first problem is that I have no idea who I would vote for. I would really like to research each candidate and see what types of issues we agree on. In this case, I could just listen to my dad go on a tangent about politics for a few minutes and I would be more understanding towards the candidates worth voting for. Now, if my dad was on the ballet, there would be no question that I would vote for him.
I choose my dad because he is the smartest man I know. He is not only intelligent, but he is likeable, reasonable, and he is extremely organized. My father has, in the past, organized countless information for various different jobs. For me, he even created a binder full of college information. It has color coded tabs for each college, and all of the information about them is in alphabetical order. If he can do that with a few pieces of paper from colleges, he can do wonders with things that are more important.
If my father really became President, it would not be too fun. While it would be awesome to say “My dad is President of the United States!,” it would be no fun when he had to start focusing all his time on politics and those matters. But, considering this is not going to happen any time soon, I can picture my dad doing whatever he wants.
My dad is the type of person that over thinks everything. In a position of President, however, this could work to his advantage. Not only could he turn around the economy, but he would make every aspect of life fair to each and every person living in the United States. My dad would have a separate plan to reform each suffering aspect of the US. He would start with the worst sections and improve each and every one.
I think if my dad was on the ballets he would definitely be voted for. My dad has good ideas about everything. His ideas about important politics are the most interesting to hear. He could talk for hours about plans on how to change things and make them better for everyone. My dad is a likeable guy, and he knows how to tell people his theories in a way that will have you listening for hours talking about things that would otherwise be unimportant.
I used to think that politics were boring and a waste of time, but in all honesty politics in the US have a huge impact on my life. Not only are politics important because I am getting older and approaching my college years, but for the fact that I am seventeen years old, and in about two months and five days, I will be eighteen years old. I will legally be allowed to vote. My first problem is that I have no idea who I would vote for. I would really like to research each candidate and see what types of issues we agree on. In this case, I could just listen to my dad go on a tangent about politics for a few minutes and I would be more understanding towards the candidates worth voting for. Now, if my dad was on the ballet, there would be no question that I would vote for him.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Blog 8 - What is Wild?
wild/wīld
Adverb: In an uncontrolled manner: "the bad guys shot wild".
Adjective: (of an animal or plant) Living or growing in the natural environment; not domesticated or cultivated.
Noun: A natural state or uncultivated or uninhabited region: "kiwis are virtually extinct in the wild".
Synonyms: adjective. savage - mad - feral
noun. waste
What is wild? A few things come to mind…
First to enter my head would be wild as in reckless. This is the wild that means you went crazy, did something fun, and had a blast over the weekend. Some students might use it in the connotation that they got wasted at a party after homecoming and “got wild.” To me, having a wild weekend is being able to go out and do something that you haven’t done in a long time and look back and think about how crazy and fun it ended up being.
Wild in other terms makes me think of lions, tigers, bears (oh my). This kind of wild is those uncontrolled animals that are fascinating and majestic not only because of how they look but because of their actions. These animals do things the way it was originally done in the world: they hunt their prey and make it their dinner.
Still yet, wild can be what is going on with Occupy Wall Street. In this case the word wild represents the disbelief that comes to mind when I imagine hundreds of thousands of people rioting for a cause they believe in. This, to me, is wild because they might not have things in common, but they still stand outside and protest because it is something they want to fight for because it is important to them.
As far as the wild being in each of us, I completely agree. All those times that you lash out and do something obscene that you didn’t think you could do, you are wild. Wild is really all about things that might not happen very frequently, so when they do happen we regard them as random yet amazing, whether it is amazing in a good way or amazing in a bad way.
I find wild to also mean that clear, open desert space with nothing but coyotes and cactuses. That is just another example of something that comes to mind when someone says wild.
Wild is not a singly defined word at all. Wild means a different thing to each person, depending on the context that it is being said or used in a sentence. When someone tells me “this weekend was wild!” I assume they are talking about that crazy night out they had that they will remember forever. If someone says “the wild” I assume they mean the wild that either is full of animals or the wild that is a desert-like terrain.
People will never only have one definition for a word, because each person is unique and they have different opinions and views on everything, especially words. To me wild could mean one thing and to a friend of mine it could be something that isn’t similar at all. It depends on the person to define the word.
Adverb: In an uncontrolled manner: "the bad guys shot wild".
Adjective: (of an animal or plant) Living or growing in the natural environment; not domesticated or cultivated.
Noun: A natural state or uncultivated or uninhabited region: "kiwis are virtually extinct in the wild".
Synonyms: adjective. savage - mad - feral
noun. waste
What is wild? A few things come to mind…
First to enter my head would be wild as in reckless. This is the wild that means you went crazy, did something fun, and had a blast over the weekend. Some students might use it in the connotation that they got wasted at a party after homecoming and “got wild.” To me, having a wild weekend is being able to go out and do something that you haven’t done in a long time and look back and think about how crazy and fun it ended up being.
Wild in other terms makes me think of lions, tigers, bears (oh my). This kind of wild is those uncontrolled animals that are fascinating and majestic not only because of how they look but because of their actions. These animals do things the way it was originally done in the world: they hunt their prey and make it their dinner.
Still yet, wild can be what is going on with Occupy Wall Street. In this case the word wild represents the disbelief that comes to mind when I imagine hundreds of thousands of people rioting for a cause they believe in. This, to me, is wild because they might not have things in common, but they still stand outside and protest because it is something they want to fight for because it is important to them.
As far as the wild being in each of us, I completely agree. All those times that you lash out and do something obscene that you didn’t think you could do, you are wild. Wild is really all about things that might not happen very frequently, so when they do happen we regard them as random yet amazing, whether it is amazing in a good way or amazing in a bad way.
I find wild to also mean that clear, open desert space with nothing but coyotes and cactuses. That is just another example of something that comes to mind when someone says wild.
Wild is not a singly defined word at all. Wild means a different thing to each person, depending on the context that it is being said or used in a sentence. When someone tells me “this weekend was wild!” I assume they are talking about that crazy night out they had that they will remember forever. If someone says “the wild” I assume they mean the wild that either is full of animals or the wild that is a desert-like terrain.
People will never only have one definition for a word, because each person is unique and they have different opinions and views on everything, especially words. To me wild could mean one thing and to a friend of mine it could be something that isn’t similar at all. It depends on the person to define the word.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Blog 7 - Too Much Homework
Some students, apparently, are complaining there’s too much homework and that they’re staying up until midnight completing what’s assigned.
What’s your opinion? Do you think that you have too much homework? On average how many hours (minutes?) do you spend doing homework per night? Do you usually have homework on weekends? If so, how much?
Of course, students have been complaining about homework since the days of the ancient Greeks, but have you noticed a recent change in the amount of homework required?
Finally, two things: do you sometimes learn from homework? And, are you one of those students who leaves the big stuff—reports and projects—until the very last minute?
Write about these things.
Homework: it’s not exactly my best friend, but we get along. In that sense, I mean that while homework can be a total pain in the behind, it can also be a helpful resource. Don’t get me wrong; I do not enjoy homework AT ALL. After school being six hours, field hockey being another three hours, and work until eight, at that point I am ready to go home, shower, eat, and pass out. Ha, I wish. That never happens. Most nights I am up until at least ten or eleven. If I am up until midnight, it is doing a big assignment I forgot about or just left for last minute. Sometimes, you need those assignments that keep you up late because you wake up in the morning and you have a mini reality check that puts you in your place for a few weeks and makes you get all your stuff done earlier.
Being a teenager, sleep is a necessity and if I do not get my sleep I will be in an unbearably bitchy mood. I personally can not complain about the amount of homework I have, but I have had a few late nights so far. This year, my teachers are fairly reasonable, and if I am doing something last minute I only have myself to blame. No teacher assigns a five page research paper due the next day; therefore I believe that it is a students fault if they leave a long paper or a tedious project until the night before. I try not to do this too often, but then again three are those mini reality checks…
I believe that homework is not given out as a punishment. Although it may not be a reward, you can most likely learn from the work you do at home on your own time. When you are by yourself, you should be able to do the same work. If you are struggling with homework it might be because a) your teacher can not teach for his or her life, or b) you spent more time saying, “Hey, what did you get for number fourteen?,” then actually doing class work in the class.
As far as leaving things for last minute, it is a habit that I know I can break. Unfortunately, sometimes it is more entertaining to sit on Facebook and scroll through people’s lame statuses than to do fifty math problems that take a page of work each. As much as I know that homework is helpful, sometimes I do not use it to my advantage. However, you do not need homework to reinforce what you teach in class. In my Psychology class, we never have homework, but at the same time I have a one hundred in that class, and I legitimately have a one hundred on every single assignment. I learn a lot in that class, and according to my sister who had the same teacher five years ago, you will never forget the information she teaches you.
In summation, homework does not make you a good teacher or a bad teacher. Teachers who overload on homework only get back negligence and a hidden hatred – it is something that is uncontrollable and will never stop. Therefore, you will never hear the end of the homework complaints, so just keep doing what you do as long as it is working for you, and as long as kids are understanding what you teach.
What’s your opinion? Do you think that you have too much homework? On average how many hours (minutes?) do you spend doing homework per night? Do you usually have homework on weekends? If so, how much?
Of course, students have been complaining about homework since the days of the ancient Greeks, but have you noticed a recent change in the amount of homework required?
Finally, two things: do you sometimes learn from homework? And, are you one of those students who leaves the big stuff—reports and projects—until the very last minute?
Write about these things.
Homework: it’s not exactly my best friend, but we get along. In that sense, I mean that while homework can be a total pain in the behind, it can also be a helpful resource. Don’t get me wrong; I do not enjoy homework AT ALL. After school being six hours, field hockey being another three hours, and work until eight, at that point I am ready to go home, shower, eat, and pass out. Ha, I wish. That never happens. Most nights I am up until at least ten or eleven. If I am up until midnight, it is doing a big assignment I forgot about or just left for last minute. Sometimes, you need those assignments that keep you up late because you wake up in the morning and you have a mini reality check that puts you in your place for a few weeks and makes you get all your stuff done earlier.
Being a teenager, sleep is a necessity and if I do not get my sleep I will be in an unbearably bitchy mood. I personally can not complain about the amount of homework I have, but I have had a few late nights so far. This year, my teachers are fairly reasonable, and if I am doing something last minute I only have myself to blame. No teacher assigns a five page research paper due the next day; therefore I believe that it is a students fault if they leave a long paper or a tedious project until the night before. I try not to do this too often, but then again three are those mini reality checks…
I believe that homework is not given out as a punishment. Although it may not be a reward, you can most likely learn from the work you do at home on your own time. When you are by yourself, you should be able to do the same work. If you are struggling with homework it might be because a) your teacher can not teach for his or her life, or b) you spent more time saying, “Hey, what did you get for number fourteen?,” then actually doing class work in the class.
As far as leaving things for last minute, it is a habit that I know I can break. Unfortunately, sometimes it is more entertaining to sit on Facebook and scroll through people’s lame statuses than to do fifty math problems that take a page of work each. As much as I know that homework is helpful, sometimes I do not use it to my advantage. However, you do not need homework to reinforce what you teach in class. In my Psychology class, we never have homework, but at the same time I have a one hundred in that class, and I legitimately have a one hundred on every single assignment. I learn a lot in that class, and according to my sister who had the same teacher five years ago, you will never forget the information she teaches you.
In summation, homework does not make you a good teacher or a bad teacher. Teachers who overload on homework only get back negligence and a hidden hatred – it is something that is uncontrollable and will never stop. Therefore, you will never hear the end of the homework complaints, so just keep doing what you do as long as it is working for you, and as long as kids are understanding what you teach.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Blog 6 - Being Alone
After reading this week’s blog topic, all alone in my room, I really thought about what kind of person I am when it comes to being alone. I had to come back to this after trying to figure myself out for a few days. All in all, I think I am pretty much average when it comes to being alone. During my day, I am not alone all that often. On a normal school day, my dad and my puppy wake me up at six o’clock sharp. My dad leaves for work, but my puppy lies on my bed and watches me get ready. After about an hour passes, I leave the house and go pick up friends and come to school. In Central, you are never really alone. In each class there are from 15-30 people. By the time lunch comes around, I am tired of all these people and all the useless chit chat that most seem to be a part of. I decided this year that I would rather sit alone in the media center and get homework done than be sitting in a loud cafeteria next to fake girls that I have no interest in being friends with. At first, I thought that it was crappy that I couldn’t have had better friends in my lunch, but oh well – things happen. I started to like going to the media center more and more, because it became a time for me to clear my head, and get a little bit of homework done while I’m at it. When the lunch bell rings, I go back to the craziness of all of my classes. By the end of the day, I am usually exhausted and hungry. When the final bell rings, I go straight home (by myself), let my dog out, and make a quick salad. By the time I am done eating I have to head back to the school for field hockey (alone). And from then until around five o’clock I am surrounded by all of my friends on my team. After field hockey, I drive to work (alone) and am talking and interacting with people until eight, when I drive back home (by myself). When I get home, I usually try to eat dinner, take a shower, do my homework, and go to bed. I am always exhausted by this time and am usually cranky so I try to stay away from everyone when I do homework. Bedtime comes, and I am still not alone: my puppy cuddles up next to me and falls asleep. Throughout my whole day, I never really feel alone. Even when I am in the car by myself, I tend to enjoy the quiet and I soak up my thoughts and just think to myself. However, I have never felt completely alone; my grandpa is always watching over me from heaven. If I ever did feel alone in a bad way, where I needed some companionship, I could just think of my Pop Pop and know I am not alone.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Blog 5 - Importance of Music
Music. No matter what kind of music you put on, I will know the lyrics and sing them loud and proud within a minute. It doesn't matter what type of music; any music is beautiful in its own way. Music is my favorite outlet, and you can be sure that there is a song about any situation that life deals you with. If you are heartbroken, happy, mad, or sad, you can easily find a song that will most likely describe your mood to a tee. Not only is the music good to listen to, but you also have a way to vent and heal from your problems at the same time. I often find myself liking a song so much because it describes the situations I am in. I like to feel like different artists can relate to me and things that go on in my life.
My favorite types of music are pop, techno, and rap. Kind of crazy, you might say, to have three favorites that are so widely opposite from each other, but in all reality these types of genres always get me in a good mood. To me, music is not just "something," it is everything. I listen to music from when I wake up in the morning all the way until I am falling asleep at night. Music can be many things, including very calming. No matter what I am listening to, I am, without a doubt, humming shamelessly the words that have such thought and passion inside every word, each word sewed together to make a line, and each line is weaved into the song. I truly admire artists who write their own music, which is becoming more and more rare as of recently. I feel like when an artist sings a song that has been written by someone else, it is kind of like a lie to sing it and pretend it is your own. Those are the artists that I can’t relate to; I relate more to the songwriters that put together these pieces, but get no credit for writing all of the beauty in the song.
All I really know is that music, to me, has never been considered "noise." Music is an important way to express yourself at any time of any day, and it is safe to say I would be bored out of my mind if I didn't listen to it all the time. No matter what I am doing, ninety percent of the time, my iPod touch is sitting right next to me on shuffle. Without music, the world would be bland and misunderstood. How else can people really and truly show us what they are feeling? You can write a poem or a story, but where is the beat? Where is the acoustic background that makes you bounce in your seat and sway your hips? Music is part of my daily routine, and I am pretty sure that I am unwilling to take it away, because taking away music would be taking away a part of myself.
My favorite types of music are pop, techno, and rap. Kind of crazy, you might say, to have three favorites that are so widely opposite from each other, but in all reality these types of genres always get me in a good mood. To me, music is not just "something," it is everything. I listen to music from when I wake up in the morning all the way until I am falling asleep at night. Music can be many things, including very calming. No matter what I am listening to, I am, without a doubt, humming shamelessly the words that have such thought and passion inside every word, each word sewed together to make a line, and each line is weaved into the song. I truly admire artists who write their own music, which is becoming more and more rare as of recently. I feel like when an artist sings a song that has been written by someone else, it is kind of like a lie to sing it and pretend it is your own. Those are the artists that I can’t relate to; I relate more to the songwriters that put together these pieces, but get no credit for writing all of the beauty in the song.
All I really know is that music, to me, has never been considered "noise." Music is an important way to express yourself at any time of any day, and it is safe to say I would be bored out of my mind if I didn't listen to it all the time. No matter what I am doing, ninety percent of the time, my iPod touch is sitting right next to me on shuffle. Without music, the world would be bland and misunderstood. How else can people really and truly show us what they are feeling? You can write a poem or a story, but where is the beat? Where is the acoustic background that makes you bounce in your seat and sway your hips? Music is part of my daily routine, and I am pretty sure that I am unwilling to take it away, because taking away music would be taking away a part of myself.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Blog 4 - Relationship with the Phone
What’s your relationship with the phone?
Some students hardly use their phone at all: either their parents forbid them, or their phone is always tied up by someone in the house. Others have a phone in their pocket all the time, and seem to be constantly talking on the phone—even to the exclusion of talking with their friends who are right there next to them.
Who are you in this spectrum? Do you spend hours on the phone daily, or hardly any time? What would your life be like if there were no phones, or if the entire phone network collapsed for six months?
Write about it.
The minute I logged on and saw that our blog was about my phone, I smiled. What an easy topic to write 500 words about! *PHONE CHECK* Well, my current phone and I have been together for eight long months now. We have a very strong relationship. I tell him everything. He is such a good listener, and I tell him absolutely everything. No but really, if you ask anyone, we are perfect for each other. However, my mom has something against him. Sometimes, she takes him away from me, and as pathetic as it sounds, I cry my little eyes out because life without him can be very lonely. *PHONE CHECK* As far as ignoring my friends, I am not one of those inconsiderate people that think that my phone is more important than the people surrounding you. And at the same time, you can tell who the attentive people in your life are when they actually listen to you and don’t whip out their phone every minute and a half!
Throughout the day I usually text a few different people, and when I get home before I go to sleep I talk on the phone. If I had no phone, I would probably have to bring back snail mail or emails. *PHONE CHECK* If I had no phone for six months, I would end up inventing some type of phone-only-cooler things. But hey, we are called the tech-generation for a reason!
People might associate the term tech-generation as being a bad thing, but I think that it makes our generation have better communication. *PHONE CHECK* Why pay for postage stamps and wait days when sending mail when you could shoot someone a text and get a response immediately? *PHONE CHECK* Nowadays an unlimited texting plan is fairly common, so communication is just simple.
If we are being honest right now, I don’t really consider my phone a necessity. I can function without it, but it helps a lot. *PHONE CHECK* I have a Blackberry Torch, so if I really want to know something, I can just Google almost anything I want to know. My phone comes in handy because you can do basically anything you want with it. There are apps that you can download for free, ranging from a flashlight to a ‘gas buddy’ that tells you what the cheapest gas prices are. You can even use a phone to do banking transactions. Phones are a gateway to the internet, videos, pictures, family, friends, etc etc etc. For the fact that cellphones have a negative connotation, I say, like my grandma would, that is malarkey! Phones might be a distraction to some people, but to most it is a handy and convenient way to do most things that used to take a week. *PHONE CALL* All in all, a phone has become a helpful tool, whether it is helping a teenager or an adult.
And since we are being honest, I’m starting to realize how pitiful I am with each phone check while writing this blog. *PHONE CALL*
Some students hardly use their phone at all: either their parents forbid them, or their phone is always tied up by someone in the house. Others have a phone in their pocket all the time, and seem to be constantly talking on the phone—even to the exclusion of talking with their friends who are right there next to them.
Who are you in this spectrum? Do you spend hours on the phone daily, or hardly any time? What would your life be like if there were no phones, or if the entire phone network collapsed for six months?
Write about it.
The minute I logged on and saw that our blog was about my phone, I smiled. What an easy topic to write 500 words about! *PHONE CHECK* Well, my current phone and I have been together for eight long months now. We have a very strong relationship. I tell him everything. He is such a good listener, and I tell him absolutely everything. No but really, if you ask anyone, we are perfect for each other. However, my mom has something against him. Sometimes, she takes him away from me, and as pathetic as it sounds, I cry my little eyes out because life without him can be very lonely. *PHONE CHECK* As far as ignoring my friends, I am not one of those inconsiderate people that think that my phone is more important than the people surrounding you. And at the same time, you can tell who the attentive people in your life are when they actually listen to you and don’t whip out their phone every minute and a half!
Throughout the day I usually text a few different people, and when I get home before I go to sleep I talk on the phone. If I had no phone, I would probably have to bring back snail mail or emails. *PHONE CHECK* If I had no phone for six months, I would end up inventing some type of phone-only-cooler things. But hey, we are called the tech-generation for a reason!
People might associate the term tech-generation as being a bad thing, but I think that it makes our generation have better communication. *PHONE CHECK* Why pay for postage stamps and wait days when sending mail when you could shoot someone a text and get a response immediately? *PHONE CHECK* Nowadays an unlimited texting plan is fairly common, so communication is just simple.
If we are being honest right now, I don’t really consider my phone a necessity. I can function without it, but it helps a lot. *PHONE CHECK* I have a Blackberry Torch, so if I really want to know something, I can just Google almost anything I want to know. My phone comes in handy because you can do basically anything you want with it. There are apps that you can download for free, ranging from a flashlight to a ‘gas buddy’ that tells you what the cheapest gas prices are. You can even use a phone to do banking transactions. Phones are a gateway to the internet, videos, pictures, family, friends, etc etc etc. For the fact that cellphones have a negative connotation, I say, like my grandma would, that is malarkey! Phones might be a distraction to some people, but to most it is a handy and convenient way to do most things that used to take a week. *PHONE CALL* All in all, a phone has become a helpful tool, whether it is helping a teenager or an adult.
And since we are being honest, I’m starting to realize how pitiful I am with each phone check while writing this blog. *PHONE CALL*
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Blog 3 - Noticing Drivers' Behaviors
I’ll start this blog with the scariest day of my life. It was the day of junior prom, and it couldn’t have been a more beautiful and exciting day. I was driving to Lacey to pick up my friend Amanda who would be my date for the night – stupid boys... Of course we had to rush home to get our hair and makeup done by my sister. She was waiting at my house, impatiently, I might add. I was getting calls up the wazoo to come home ASAP. However, Amanda forgot to tell me that she needed to go fake and bake before our big night out. So I drove her to the tanning salon and waited for her to burn for twelve minutes, which then seemed like an eternity. After that we really had to pedal-to-the-metal to get home in time. I was right about to turn from Route 9 onto Station Road, when the light turned yellow. I thought I could make it, but just as I was turning I watched the light turn red. I thought nothing of it, until I saw red and blue lights flashing in my rear-view. It was probably the scariest thing I had ever experienced up to that point. I said sorry to the cop and after almost peeing my pants, he let me go with a warning. As late as we were, we had to rush our hair and makeup. By the time we left my house, pictures had started about 45 minutes prior. I must admit I was rushing and maybe driving a little crazy, but when some old fart cut me off I was livid. I then did the not-so-mature thing and swerved in front of him. He then proceeded to re-cut me off! It was nuts, and it was my breaking point. I knew I wasn’t a good enough driver to be messing around like this, so I cooled my jets and just drove. Then, he put on his directional to go left. I moved to the left to pass him when he turned, and he DIDN’T TURN! He tried to trick me and I had to swerve off the road and almost hit his car! I wasn’t sure if I really hit it but I did the only thing I could think of and sped off. He followed me. It was even more scary then the cop situation that happened two hours earlier. This was clearly not my day. He kept following me, beeping and sticking a choice finger out of his window, while yelling profanity that made me blush. So I did the dumbest thing possible, and I got out of my car, heels and dress and all. As soon as the creep saw me his whole attitude changed, most likely because I was wearing a prom dress that was not too modest. I asked him what the *insert expletive here* he wanted, and he said “just be a better driver” and went on his merry way. Well, we arrived at pictures an hour late, and I was shaking too much to even take any pictures, but that whole day taught me a very valuable lesson – don’t be an asshole driver. I was more confident driving then I should have been, considering I had only had my license for five months. If I didn’t go through that, I wouldn’t have been so serious about being safe. Driving around with the windows down, shades on, music blasting, and your friends sitting next to you, you are more careless. It happens to the best of us, but you have to keep in mind that no matter what you still need to drive safely.
If you really think about it you can’t really tell who a person is by the way they drive. You can be shy, but you can be a jerk on the road. Or you can be a loudmouth, but you are the kind of person that follows all the speed limits and lets people cut you off.
You see some crazy things when driving. While driving with a friend, coming home from North Jersey, we were driving and feeling awesome speeding along, so we tried to have fun. We saw a good looking guy in a big truck, and we screamed out the window to him. He clearly liked the attention and wanted to play games. He tried to impress us by cutting off absolutely everyone and speeding so he could be ahead of us. Oh how romantic, right? Not. He was being stupid and he could have gotten all of us killed. We learned our lesson about never doing that again because we realized how dangerous it really was.
If I could mold myself into the perfect driver, I would. However, there is no such thing. People do the best they can, and that’s fine with me. Unfortunately not everyone is cautious and safe while driving, but that will never change, so I don’t dwell on it. But as for myself, I’ll be the safe one, going the speed limit and stopping at red lights like a good little girl.
If you really think about it you can’t really tell who a person is by the way they drive. You can be shy, but you can be a jerk on the road. Or you can be a loudmouth, but you are the kind of person that follows all the speed limits and lets people cut you off.
You see some crazy things when driving. While driving with a friend, coming home from North Jersey, we were driving and feeling awesome speeding along, so we tried to have fun. We saw a good looking guy in a big truck, and we screamed out the window to him. He clearly liked the attention and wanted to play games. He tried to impress us by cutting off absolutely everyone and speeding so he could be ahead of us. Oh how romantic, right? Not. He was being stupid and he could have gotten all of us killed. We learned our lesson about never doing that again because we realized how dangerous it really was.
If I could mold myself into the perfect driver, I would. However, there is no such thing. People do the best they can, and that’s fine with me. Unfortunately not everyone is cautious and safe while driving, but that will never change, so I don’t dwell on it. But as for myself, I’ll be the safe one, going the speed limit and stopping at red lights like a good little girl.
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