LIke My Mother Does

In English class we were asked to read The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Our final project was to write an essay about how a family member has influenced us greatly. I picked my mother. Not only is my mother the only parent I have had in my life, but she is probably the most influential person in my life. So here is my essay. I did not write this for people to judge my mother or myself. If you actually know me in real life, you may see these qualities that my mother has given me.

Like My Mother Does

In life, there are always people who influence you in some way. These people teach you lessons, morals, and ideas. My mother has been there my whole life and she has taught me everything I know. She has taught me all of my morals, lessons and attitudes. She has been the most influential person in my life and I am happy that I am like her. She and I are protective, organized, and stubborn.

My mother has always protected me. When I was younger she never let me out of her sight. She was determined to keep me safe and not let anything happen to me. There were times when older kids would tease me because I could not do something, like swim. My mother stood up for me against anyone who threatened me. For this reason I am also very protective. I stand up for my friends and I always look out for them. When I am unable to protect those who are important to me I feel like I have failed them. My mother has taught me to be protective.

In addition, my mother is very stubborn. I see her stubbornness as one of her best qualities, and thankfully she has passed it on to me. My mother’s stubbornness has helped me stay out of trouble my whole life. She has never budged with my curfew, and thanks to that, I always have time for homework and sleep. School is something that she believes is very important. She insists that I stay in school and do my best. I sometimes have trouble being stubborn and effective at the same time, but I am working on it. Stubbornness has helped me stand up for what I believe and what I think is right. I am thankful that I am stubborn.

Without a doubt, my mother is organized. Her thoughts, activities, and possessions are never out of place. My mother always has a list of things to do. She taught me that when you know what to do, it gets done faster. Organization helps the mind to think and understand; at least that’s what she has taught me. At a young age I couldn’t think straight. My thoughts jumped around, got lost, and sometimes altogether stopped. I learned to focus and concentrate, thanks to my mother and her organization. I find that in my life now, that I am extremely thankful for my mother’s organization. When others need help with things then I am able to help. I use the organization skills my mother taught me, to help others understand certain things and become more organized themselves.

My mother has influenced my life greatly and I am thankful for it. My mother taught me everything that she thought I needed to know. I am organized, stubborn, and protective. Life will always be filled with people who impact our lives greatly. These people teach us the values of life that create our well-being and make us who we are. For me that person is my mother.

Appreciate

What is your biggest wish? What would your life be like if you got that wish? Would you miss what you had before you got your wish?
Say your wish was world peace. Your life would be so perfect and problem free that you wouldn't know what to do. I think that the average person would miss the conflicts and the drama.
Now think of your favorite memory. How old were you? Who was involved?  Would you want to be you, but without that memory?
Let's pretend you were five and your memory was the first time your parents showed that they were proud of you. Your parents were involved. Now imagine what your life would be like if you didn't have that memory or if it never happened. A whole list of things could've happened. You might not have a very good relationship with your parents. Your self esteem might be extremely low. For all anybody knows you could be in the slums scavenging for food.
Everything we have, everything we want, everything we need, we need to learn to appreciate. We need to understand that every little thing has an impact on who you are now and who you will be. From the bus you missed last week to your highschool relationships. Everything is something.

My First Love Story

For my English class we had an assignment to write a short story. I have to say that writing is not my thing. I stress over it and I have trouble getting my thoughts on to paper. With the help of my mom and a couple friends I was able to write an amazing story. So far I think this is my best one. Here it is. Please enjoy.

Eye Contact

We have been compared. Not in a bad way but not in a good way either. Many of our friends have compared us to the age old love story

Matter of Personal Opinion

Today I had a discussion with one of my friends about a certain opinion of mine. I will start off with saying that I love talking about opinions because it helps you understand yourself and others. The opinion we discussed has no importance but I believe that no matter what opinion it was it should be respected. I am not saying that everyone should worship my opinions, because I would hate that, but I think that we all need to respect that others have different opinions.
What I am trying to get to is the fact that one of my friends attacked an opinion of mine. Friend started off the conversation by saying that we all have our own opinions. Friend then continued to attack me with a million reasons why my opinion was wrong and why I was not allowed to think that. For those of you who know me on a personal level, you may know that if I believe in something then I will defend it to the death.
My first reaction was to retaliate by defending my opinion, and sadly I did. I now regret that because some of my thoughts got mixed up when they were translated into words. I have been close with Friend for a while now and I didn't want to lose that friendship. I told Friend that I was sorry that Friend felt that way about my opinion, and that I understood that our opinions were different. After saying that, I felt like our discussion had come to a conclusion. Little did I know that Friend apparently not only felt harshly towards my opinion but Friend stated that Friend felt the same way about my personality.
On a closing note I am not sure how my personality and my opinion are connected. I have learned that I need to not defend my opinion as much, and not share my blog URL with people. From now on people shall find my strange thoughts, opinions, and poems by surfing the web.

False Advertisement

Growing up everyone has tried sour gum. It is the ultimate test to tell who is "tough". Every now and then I have a childish moment when I see a package of gum that says "EXTRA Sour Bubble Gum". While at a convenience store my friend and I decided to challenge each other. So we decided to buy "Cry Baby Extra SOUR Bubble Gum". After we bought the gum we got into a super competitive mode (well at least I did). The package said "Caution: Sour may last for 40 seconds!". Much to our surprise the gum wasn't even sour after 4 seconds and it had lost ALL flavor by 40 seconds. I am very disappointed in the bubble gum but on the bright side the package is also a piggy bank.

Homophobia

Lately there has been a lot of talk about being gay, lesbian or having any other sexual orientation. There are lots of people who don't agree with the lifestyle that people lead. Unfortunately when someone states that they disagree with the lifestyle, people who live that lifestyle become offended and jump to the conclusion that they are homophobic. There are many people who are homophobic but not everyone who does not agree with the homosexual lifestyle is homophobic.

If you look up the definition of homophobia you will get something like: intense hatred or fear of homosexuals or homosexuality. This is where personal definitions come into play. Hatred or fear do not mean disagreeing, although they almost always require a disagreement. Some people show their difference of opinion very verbally and that can cause others to believe that you have hatred towards the lifestyle or sexuality.
A lot of homosexuals attack the church and claim that the church hates them. I do go to church and I am here to say that the church or religion does not hate homosexuals. There is a part of our faith that does not agree with the lifestyle. Some Christians do hate homosexuals but they do not hate because of their faith, it is because of their own personal reasons. Christianity teaches that you should love everybody as your brother. That means that a devote Christian should look past the sexual orientation of a person and love them as we are told to do.
This is just my opinion and view about how some people accuse others of being homophobic. I am not homophobic in any way. Some of my best friends have been gay even though I do not agree with the lifestyle.

Room By Emma Donoghue

Recently I bought "Room By Emma Donoghue" and I read it in 2 days. I absolutely love this book. It is a very unique book, not because of its plot but because of the narrator. This book is written from the point of view of a five year old. the boy's name is Jack and he is the sweetest thing. I don't want to ruin the book for those who may read it in the future. All I will say is that the book is very captivating, clean, and creative. After reading the book I discovered that this is not the first book that Emma Donoghue has written. I look forward to reading some of her other work with hope that it is as amazing as this one. I love to read and I have read many books this summer but most of them I read with a desire to know what happens next. When I read Room I had that same desire but at the same time I didn't want to finish the book. I wanted the book to continue. I wanted to learn more about Jack, Ma, Gandma, and Steppa. This book will forever be on my top ten favorites.

The English Language

A great poster embodying some common frustrations with the English language. Are there any others that get under your skin?

Author

I am officially a published author. My grade 10 class decided to create a book filled with some of our best poems, stories and essays. I'm not sure how we published it but my teacher was able to provide everyone with a copy of it. The book is called "Writing by Tens" and it can be purchased online. I am very happy that I have work published and I am very proud of my class.

Market Rage

Dear Market Shoppers,
I wake up at 6. I spent 8 hours at the market for your convenience. Please treat me with respect. I smile, say thank you, do everything you ask all day. I believe that I deserve some respect. I do not like it when you step up the the table and start yelling at me right away. Demanding that you "get service today!" does not make me want to help you. Another thing is please consider the time of day. When it is 9 in the morning I am not going to bargain with you on prices. The prices do not start dropping until the end of the day and everyone knows that. When I am clearly helping someone else or am busy please do not shout at me. Shouting does not ensure that you will be helped immediately.

Love

Many people think that men and women love differently. I don't think that they do. I think that they expect different things. A woman is more compassionate therefore she expects compassion, kindness, and understanding. A man on the other hand doesn't connect with his emotions as much. I am not a man so I can't really say what is going through a man's mind. The difference in how someone loves could also be affected by their definition of love. Love can be seen as an action, a feeling, insanity, and other things. If you have the mind set that it is just an action then you are going to expect different things than someone who thinks it's insanity.

Home

For a while now I have been living in a big city. I must say that I do not like it at all. I miss the small towns in the middle of nowhere. Many of you "city folk" may think I am crazy. Some things I don't like about the big city are:
     - the never ending streets
     - lack of trees
     - all the pollution
     - all the PEOPLE
     - the rush
These are just a few of the many things that I can't stand about the city. The things I love about the country are the exact opposite of the previous list.
     - lack of actual streets
     - knowing everyone because there are so few people
     - abundant trees
     - cleaner air
     - the relaxed atmosphere
Normally you would expect something like this from someone who grew up in the country. But that's not true for me. I only liked in the country for five years. I know that's ridiculous. But when I moved to a small town I fell in love with it. 

Sayings and Phrases

Throughout the day many people use certain sayings and phrases. But did you know that you are probably saying them wrong? Or that they make absolutely no sense at all?

"I could care less." While there are probably a million other things that you could care less about. The saying is actually "I couldn't care less." If you say the first one (the wrong one) you are implying that you do care and that it is possible for you to care less about that specific topic. The second one (the right one) implies that you do not care about the topic at all and that there is no way you could care less.

"With all intensive purposes." Many people say this and if you think about it, this doesn't make sense. The proper way to say it is "with all intents and purposes."

"I did a complete 360, and I turned my life around." This right here is a contradiction. The first half implies that you are in fact facing the same way. While the second part implies that you only turned around.

"On tender hooks." This phrase is very commonly misspelled. First off, what exactly is a tender hook? It doesn’t seem logical does it? Well – that is because it isn’t. The phrase is actually “on tenterhooks”. A tenter was a medieval tool used for making cloth – the tenterhooks were small hooks to which the fabric would be stretched in the manufacturing process. To be on tenterhooks means to be left hanging – or to be in a state of suspense.

"I’ll take a raincheck." This phrase is usually meant to mean “I won’t do it now but I will later”. This is the commonly accepted meaning (and has been for a long time) so it is now considered to be correct. It is included here merely out of interest because its original meaning was slightly different. Initially, a raincheck was offered to people who had tickets to a baseball game that was rained out – they would offered a “raincheck” which was a ticket for a game at a later date to make up for the missed game. This eventually found its way into shopping jargon in general where a raincheck was an offer to sell an out-of-stock good when it arrived back in stock. The meaning has eventually broadened to a point that it is not an offer any longer but a response.

Maybe this is the first time you have heard these sayings. If you are considering on adding them to your vocabulary then use them right!!! And for those of you who are saying them wrong (you know who you are) you're welcome for helping you see the light.

Jenn Murray

Jenn Murray, came to our class to talk to us about her job as an Environmental Professor and stewardess. she spent many years as a stewardess. Being a stewardess allowed her to travel the world and have many vacations. She had a major career change but I believe that she enjoys being a professor. Before she became a professor she had to complete more than 10 additional years of school after high school. She mentioned that it was very expensive. On top of being expensive, the job takes much of your time. She spends hours preparing for class and marking assignments and tests. Talking to her was not the most interesting thing to do. She was very quiet and her children were with her and that was very distracting. I do want to pursue a career in teaching but being a college professor will not be my first choice.

Scott Wahl

The Vice President of RIM came and talked to my careers class. He talked about what it was like to work for RIM. We asked he lots of questions concerning many different aspects of the job and about RIM. When we asked about new products and some problems but he was very brief on both subjects. Scott Wahl was very relaxed and he seemed to have fun talking to our class. One cool anything about his job is that he has the chance to get every new blackberry and software before they hit the market. Working a a place where my job is dependent on products being sold isn't really something that I want to do. I wouldn't like being worried about losing my job because of the stock and sales markets.

Ann Liebau

One of the stranger careers that we have talked about is being a Midwife. Ann Liebau came into our class and she also brought one of her students. They talked about the differences between a doctor and a midwife. The differences are minor but they still count as differences. The job requires you to be on call 24/7 and I would not enjoy that very much. There seems to be a lot of pressure considering that two lives are in your hands. Having a strong stomach is also required for obvious reasons. Normally I do have a strong stomach but when it comes to things that a midwife would deal with does not work well with my stomach. This is not a career that I will pursue but it was nice to learn about being a midwife.

Poet

In my careers class we have been talking a lot about well careers. I have spent lots of time trying to figure out some careers that I would like and that would suit me. Something clicked in my head the other day. I realized that I love writing poetry and that I could attempt to do it as a job. Poetry is something that is harder to write because you need sounds, actions, words with emotion triggers, and so much more. Also, poetry very rarely gets the writer famous before they die. Most of the poets that people know about are all dead and have had many years for their writing to become famous. I think that being a poet would be a very good job for me because I love writing poetry. I love the way that poetry can be so simple and yet so complex. I realize that I don't post many poems but that doesn't mean I don't write them. I have a lot of work to do if I do want this to be my career. Being a poet is probably the most unrealistic career choice but I think that I would enjoy it and that's what really matters.

Amy Beamer

Because we are talking a lot about careers, we had a lady come in named Amy Beamer. Her job title is a Human Resource worker. She talked about where she has worked, like M&M Meat Shop. She now works at the local library, and assists with choosing who to hire. When she first came in, I was under the impression that it was her job to hire people but I was wrong. Her job is to sort through resumes and pick people who would be a good match for the job. Then she would mention them the the manager or the one doing the hiring. We also talked about our jobs and different things that we don't think are right or fair. While we were on the topic of complaints in the workplace she shared with us some of the outrageous complaints. She mentioned that there was an adult who complained about her work and how she didn't like the toilet paper. This was one of my favorite guest speakers because it was casual and funny, but there was a serious aspect that I got something from.

Protection

I want to be closer but I push you away
Our trust and feelings are the strongest I have ever known
At your doing my heart skipped a beat
It fluttered, I stuttered
But I have built up a wall
Stronger than cement and steel
To protect me from everything
My fears and tears
My failures and past hurt

Trying too hard

On Sundays, I volunteer on a bus that picks up kids for church. Many of the kids on the bus annoy me but they do listen. There is one child who has the amazing ability to annoy everyone on the bus within seconds from picking him up. I do not believe he realizes that he does this. It usually starts when someone laughs at his jokes. When this happens he doesn't realize that he crosses the line from funny to annoying really fast. This makes me unbelievable sad. I don't like that he doesn't realize he is bugging people or that he feels he has to be funny for people to like him. This is just one example of someone trying too hard. If you take the time to really look around you will see that many people are also doing this. A lot of us get the idea that we need to fit in into our head. People try too hard and they don't realize that everyone is trying too hard. The majority of people today are being someone they are not. They might be being someone to make people happy or to fit in. What we don't realize is that if we all acted like ourselves, not someone else, then I think that more of us would fit in. My main point here is fit in with yourself. If you are you then you will find people who like you, not the mask.

And to quote the amazing and one of a kind Dr. Seuss 
         Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.

Melissa Durrell

We recently had a politician and former TV news reporter, Melissa Durrell, (same person) come to our class and talk about her job(s).  She talked about different projects that she is part of in the community and why she is working on them. A lot of the projects had an environmental aspect to them and it gave me the idea that she is concerned about saving the environment. She really inspired me to follow my dreams and to not be afraid of the future.

Judith Koeller

In class we had a Math Lecturer come to talk about her job at the University of Waterloo. She talked about what she did to get this job. She also talked about how it wasn't what she really wanted. When she was younger she always wanted to be a teacher and as she got older, math stood out. She went to college to be a high school math teacher but there weren't any jobs available. She then got a job as a programmer and she did that for a number of years. After a period of time she became a lecturer. She enjoys her working hours and her job. She also mentioned that she enjoyed the small and unexpected jobs that she has over the years.

Political

Recently in my Civics class, we talked about the different political parties and what they stand for. I have never really been a fan of the Conservatives. I found out that my views are very similar to what the Conservatives believe and want. Luckily, I still have a few years to figure out who I will vote for. Views can change a lot in a couple of years. My location can change too, which will affect who I can vote for.
But my location and views don't control who I vote for, but they are going to play a big part.
But, if I could vote today, then I would most likely vote Conservatives. I don't really like the people who run the party but I believe a lot of what they believe. Sometimes what you believe has to come before the people you like or dislike.
I do not like politics at all. I think that they are grown men and women who act as bratty as my 3 year old brother. Because I feel this way, I will never consider being a politician. I don't want to become a spoiled adult and I do not believe that politicians are not people that kids should look up to.

Her

All the little things that you do
Every thought you imply
I notice but so does she

Those private conversations

And hidden meanings         

Are ours and hers              

On display we appear to be

She knows about us           

She knows about me          

Suicide

I think that suicide is a very cowardly and selfish thing to do. I understand that you may have a horrible life. You may be bullied, depressed or anything else but that does not mean that you should kill yourself. There is almost always someone who has it worse than you, but they are still living.
Suicide is something that you can't take back. It may be something that you decide to do in a split second and then its over. You are dead with no chance of getting your life back.
Suicide is something that even I have thought about once,but I know that for one I would never have the guts to actually harm myself, and two I wouldn't want to leave my life, everything that I've worked for, behind. In a time of trial you may think of ending it but you don't have to kill yourself. There are so many better options than killing yourself. Talk to someone, remove yourself from the situation, anything, but don't kill yourself. You will leave behind friends, family, a life, a future, everything and you wont ever be able to get it back.

V for Vendetta

In class, we recently watched V for Vendetta. This movie is very different from movies that I usually watch. The movie had parts about government conspiracy and romance.
In the movie the government experiments on people and they claim that it is for the good of humanity. I think that this is totally wrong. People should not be put through inhumane procedures just so that another person down the line will be saved.
A promise to find a cure is usually the reason that experiments start. Unfortunately most people don't realized that the big problems were caused by those who are looking for a cure. Many of the diseases and health problems wouldn't exist if it weren't for the curious scientists.
We should stop trying to make human genes more resistant and focus on keeping ourselves health, naturally. 
That may sound harsh, but I was taught to speak my mind. 

Future Forums

The reason that I have this blog is because it is part of a class requirement. Every week I am supposed to blog twice, which I am not doing so well with. Although I am having difficulty with blogging, I think that it is one of the amazing things about the course. It helps with our writing and some times our grammar. One of our most recent projects is completely our choice. We get to choose if we want to work with others, what our project is and what is it about. I like that we have free reign on this, but it is a lot of work. Coming up with an idea is hard, but then turning it into an amazing project is very hard. I plan on sticking with the traditional research project with a summary essay (yes I know it's boring).
I love how our class is independently working together. We are all working towards our credits, but some people are getting there on a slightly different path. Many of our projects can be done in a different way, but only if you have a strong case.
I think that more teachers should allow the students to make minor changes in the curriculum to suit their learning style or interests. I believe that this would get more students interested in school because it is more tailored to what they want, with in reason.
At the beginning, I was worried that this course would be the death of me. Normally I wouldn't describe myself as self-motivated or creative. With this course you need to be self-motivated and mildly creative. So far I have learned that I can be very self-motivated and creative. Also I now have the opportunity to voice my opinion and let people know what I care about and why.
I would recommend this course for EVERYONE. Even if you don't think that you can motivate yourself or that you won't ever be interested in school. This course brings out interesting qualities and skills that you might not have realized that you ever had.

St. Pierre et Miquelon

Everyone grows up with a place, in their mind, that they want to go to. I never really wanted to go anywhere. I was always happy with the place I was at. Well, until grade 6. I remember sitting in class and my teacher mentioning a group of islands off the coast of Newfoundland, that were owned by France. St. Pierre and Miquelon seemed very out of place but I found them very interesting. Over the years I have done a lot of research of the islands.

There is a total of eight islands but only two of them are inhabited. The islands are bare and rocky but that hasn't stopped people from living there. Fishing is a very common source of money for those living there; mainly because you can't grow crops in a rocky area.

The currency is the euro but the Canadian dollar is widely accepted. The small islands have also used their own stamp since 1885. The population of St. Pierre was 6,345 and Miquelon was 638, as of January 2009. The official language of the islands is French, as are the customs. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic. French patriotism is very strong on the islands. Streets do not usually have names but directions are usually given by a nickname and the names of nearby residents.

This is only some of the fascinating information about St. Pierre and Miquelon. So if you asked me where i would go if i could go anywhere; it would be there.

Carrie Snyder

We recently had Carrie Snyder, come to our class and talk about her new book and what it is like to be an author. Her newest book is called The Juliet Stories. The book is about a girl, named Juliet, who has to deal with situations like moving to Nicaragua during the height of the post-revolutionary war, her brother becoming sick with cancer, and many other interesting twists. The book is over a large time period but the book is very well put together. The book sounds very interesting and I hope that I will be able to read it soon.

The MONSTER Under My Bed

This feeling consumes me

I don’t know what it is or what causes it

I only know it NEVER leaves

It controls my every waking thought

My reality?

It has been altered

And I shall NEVER return to the old me

This feeling that I

Dread, Desire, Disgust

Has changed the things that I place around myself

FOREVER

This feeling that had brought me so much uncertainty

Makes me doubt if I can live without

Welcome to what I wanted

Wait, no, what I needed

I used to believe that air was the most important thing

I realize that I was WRONG

This feeling has convinced me that air comes in second

As I examine who I have become

I no longer see daddy’s little girl

Instead, I have become the thing that I was most afraid of

The MONSTER under my bed

KONY 2012

     Lately, there has been a lot of talk about a man named Joseph Kony. Unfortunately it is all too late. This man has stopped being a major concern in Uganda in the past four or five years.
     The video that was made by Invisible Children claims that people don't know who Kony is, but that is false. Many newspapers have written articles about Uganda, many of which are on the front page and about Kony.
     There have been so many people using incorrect information, and not tell the whole truth, that it is hard to create an educated opinion on the topic.
     Invisible Children has claimed to have made the public aware of Joseph Kony, and they state that they will help. On their website you can buy posters, brackets and t-shirts to help raise awareness for the cause. These things are not very cheap and the organization claims that the money raise will go to helping people evade Kony. A Kony 2012 bracelet alone, is $10.00. At the beginning most people assumed that almost all of the money would go towards helping the cause, unfortunately they were wrong. The majority of the money is actually kept by the Invisible Children foundation and only about 30% of the money raised is used to help.
     I find it very sad that this organization has convinced so many people that they are doing their best to help capture Kony. They have used false information, not told the whole truth, and worst of all they have kept the money that was to be used to capture Kony. I do not agree with the Invisible Children organization because of the way they are doing it. The cause is a great cause but they need to tell people the truth and not hide anything, because the truth always comes out.
  

One Life

Everyone gets one life. You get your chance to make mistakes, learn, regret, be happy and so forth. Unfortunately there are many parents that seem to think that they can have a second chance through their children. They decide what their kid is going to be before they can even talk for themselves.

I do agree that parents should have a say in what you do with your life but they shouldn't be able to live your life. It is called YOUR life and you should be able to make YOUR mistakes, regrets, discoveries, and so forth. We have parents to show and help us and protect us but if they don't let us see, or tell us, what they are protecting us from then we will never understand.

I am definitely not saying that you should go against your parents wishes, but I am saying that you need to make your thoughts known. If you don't, you will never have a chance to go for what you want. Dream about what you want, even if it's not exactly what your parents are dreaming for you.

If you haven't told your parents, or the authority in your life, what you want from your life then you need to do it. Just be careful. There are two ways that you can voice your thoughts. Disrespectfully or with respect. Chances are that if you are disrespectful, your thoughts wont be considered.

Respect isn't the only thing that you need for your thoughts to be considered. You also need facts. You need to have a reason for what you are saying and why. If you don't take the time to back up what you think then people won't take the time to consider it.

It's your life, live it, deal with the consequences, and make your thoughts about YOUR life known.

Stutter Social

I recently read an article about an online chat that bring people with speaking disabilities together. They talk about their stories, experiences and some of their coping techniques. This is an amazing way for them to communicate and reassure each other that they are not alone.
In society, people are isolated because they are different. We need to realize that they aren't much different. It's not a big deal that they can't speak properly, or don't understand basic concepts; they are still people.
A stutter can be very embarrassing, especially when you are trying to make a point and all people hear is the stutter. People laugh, criticize, and judge because of a stutter; its like being bullied all over again.

Am I ugly?

There is a new topic of videos being uploaded to the internet, especially YouTube. Kids, girls and boys alike, are asking viewers to tell them if they are ugly or pretty. Putting videos like this on-line, is just asking for people to be mean to you. No one in school thinks that they are pretty, even the so called "perfect" ones. If you have self-esteem issues and you decide to post a video on YouTube to make yourself feel better, it wont work. All my life I have been told that anything put on-line, will never disappear. I do not understand why these kids are asking complete strangers if they think they are ugly or not.

One of my favourite sayings is: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This is very true. The only "beholder" that you should care about is yourself. All your life you are going to run into someone who thinks that you are ugly. But does their opinion matter? No, it doesn't. The sooner you start to love, or at least like yourself, what other people think wont matter.

Everyone is so worried about what people think of them. Unfortunately they are forgetting to get the opinion of the person that matters most: themselves.

Been bullied?

We've all been in a class where the teacher says, "Put up your hand if you've ever been bullied." How many kids usually put up their hand? None. Unfortunately we all know that's not true. We have all been bullied in some form or another, whether it is by a sibling or by a class mate.

If we've all been bullied then why are we so afraid to admit it? Perhaps because we are only focusing on one  reason why people are being bullied, being gay. We often forget about other reasons like being socially awkward, mental capacity, looks, speech patterns, religious views, and so many more reasons than we can fathom.

I would never say that some bullying is more or less important than another. What I will say is that some is not talked about enough. The media does not talk much about bullying unless it has to do with someone being gay. I think that this is a main reason why kids are afraid to admit that they are being bullied. Children don't feel like they can talk about being bullied because they don't think people will listen, believe them, or care. Another fear could also be that talking about it would make it worse.

On top of all the fears that a child may have about talking about being bullied, there are people that think that being bullied is part of growing up. I am hear to say that bullying is NOT part of growing up. Many kids get bullied from a young age and they get bullied all their life but that doesn't make it part of growing up. Being bullied starts at a certain point in time because of an event, effecting the bully or the one being bullied.

When a kid starts to be bullied they change in many ways. Their attitude toward school changes, or life, eating habits can change, grades can drop, and so many more things. Unfortunately people don't pay attention to these signs. I am not saying that if you see any of this that a kid is being bullied but you should be paying enough attention to notice when something is wrong.

When I was younger I was often bullied, but not in a way that most people would notice. I would be alienated from a group of kids, people would say comments that would insult me, and on sports teams people would ignore me. I also had a friend who turned out to be not my friend at all. Never did I think that it would ever stop. But the bullying did stop and I started to notice others being bullied.

I am proud not to admit that I was bullied, but that I allowed myself not to care. It took a lot of will power, friends who were true friends, and a family who I could talk to. I used find myself picking on someone the way that I was bullied. Luckily I put a stop to it and I started using my anger and shame to stand up for others.

The point of my ranting is to say that other reasons for being bullied are put on the back burner. People would rather talk about someone being bullied because they are gay than because they spoke differently. I am not saying that one type of bullying is worse or less important than others. All I want is to make it so that all reasons for being bullied are talked about (even if there are a lot). I want kids not to be ashamed because they were bullied.

Three A's of Awesome

Recently I watched a TED Talks video, with one of my classes, about being able to appreciate and be thankful for all the small things in life. While watching the video we were instructed to participate in a chat about the video. The idea of discussing the video was a great one, unfortunately it distracted many of us. Many students had started chatting before the video had started and that caused them to be distracted before anything happened. Reading the comments also took time away from watching the video because there were many conversations going on at once. There were many things that distracted us, but next time the chat will benefit us more.

My next read

At school we are doing a book club with other schools. Instead of reading the same book as the whole class, we get to pick a book from a list. This list includes books recommended by other schools. When I went through the list of books, I looked at the review and there were a couple that immediately get crossed off. There was a book about Mt. Everest and one about vampires and witches. In the past I have read books with similar topics and they did not grab my attention. There are others that I have either already read, or seen a movie based on the book. The two books that I have chosen as my top two are Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher and Wake by Robert Sawyer. These two books are very different but I believe that I would enjoy them both. Of the two Wake by Robert Sawyer interests me more. I like the idea of reading a book from the point of view of a blind person. Not many books that I have read, deal with being blind. Wake is also part of a series and I enjoy reading series. When I pick a book it is usually part of a series or is a new concept. Hopefully I will get to read the book and I hope that I will enjoy it as well.

re:Parenting

In my previous post I talked about a father who shot his daughters laptop. At the time I was not able to access the YouTube video. I just finished watching the video. My views on what he did remain the same, but I do understand why he was so angry now. What I don't understand is why she complained about making her OWN bed, doing her OWN laundry, putting the dishes in the DISHWASHER and sweeping the floor! That is nothing compared what many people have to do daily, like doing their OWN laundry, sweeping the WHOLE house, doing the dishes BY HAND, cooking for the WHOLE family, taking care of kids, and WORKING a FULL-TIME job. This generation of kids are spoiled. We don't know what hard work is, or what work really is compared to what our parents had to go through.

Parenting

I recently read this article about a Dad's strange way of punishing his daughter. His Daughter had written a post on Facebook, complaining about her home life. Her dad found the post and decided that he should punish her publicly. The father recorded himself reading the post his daughter had made and then shooting her laptop 9 times. He then posted the video on YouTube.

Being a teenager myself I think that his punishment is harsh. I would have understood if he just took away her laptop for a period of time, but shooting the laptop was taking it a little too far. His punishment was also very childish. He is supposed to be the one setting an example for his daughter. Shooting the laptop, video taping it, and posting it on YouTube, is something that a teenager would have done, not a grown man with children.

If I think about this as an adult I would come to the same conclusion. Punishment is very important while someone is growing up, especially in the teen years. There are many different ways to punish your child, and I'm not saying he is a horrible father for doing this, but this is not excellent means of punishment. She may not run to a social media site anymore to let her feelings out, but ruining her laptop, which he probably bought, was not the best or only way to punish her. He claims that what he did was "tough love", unfortunately it sounds more like a lack of control.

This day in age everyone has their own idea of healthy(effective) punishment. I think that most people would agree that you need to think before you punish your children. And when you are punishing your teenager you probably shouldn't act like one yourself.

Grade 11

With every new year of school comes new challenges. This year it happens to be finding courses that I want to take. After high school I would like to become a teacher. Getting the opportunity to teach young children the knowledge and wonder of the world is what interests me. I have almost met all the requirements for courses. Choosing the electives is so hard when I don't know what I need. I think that I will take some courses that focus on the early years. Hopefully I will get all the courses I need.

Intelligence

Next time someone tells you that you are stupid, that you are a waste of time, that there's no hope for your future, I beg of you, remember this. Intelligence does not only come in the form of book smarts. Knowledge is unique to each and every person.

Medical Death

Euthanasia should be made medically legal. When someone is on their death bed and suffering, they should be able to end their life. Allowing someone to end their life is humane if they are in more pain than they can handle. Euthanasia should only be done under certain circumstances and only by a doctor. The possibility of ending someones life should only arise if they can not recover from what is causing them pain. Also, if someone is in a coma and they will not come out of it, their family should have the right to pull the plug. A patient or their family should be able to choose between a life of suffering and a humane death.

Flying

If I could fly

What would I do?

Where would I go?

The only way to find out is to try

So when it all came down to it

I closed my eyes and jumped

I reached out my arms

Hoping just hoping

That I would soar into the night sky

Waiting for my life to end

When my body and the ground gracefully met

The moment never came

So I opened my eyes and saw the world

From the view

Of the birds of the sky

At that moment I longed to see

The world in that way everyday

A doubt jumps into my mind
 I could really fly

Or was just a dream

I went up to the balcony

Praying that it was real

And jumped

Words

Ostracize : to exclude, by general consent, from society, conversation, privileges, or friendship

Cleave has two opposite meanings: to part into
                                                      to cling to

I don't have an attitude! I have a personality that you can't handle!

Barking up the wrong tree.

Minding your P's and Q's

Til the cows come home.

Fat chance and Slim chance mean the same thing.

If you knew what you were doing, you'd be bored.

They're only trying to make me LOOK paranoid.

Finnimbrun : a trinket or knick-knack

Confuffled

halfpace: a platform of a staircase where the stair turns back in exactly the reverse direction of the lower flight

nudiustertian: the day before yesterday
HIGH ON THE HOG
         Meaning: Luxurious, prosperous.
         Origin: The tastiest parts of a hog are its upper parts. If you're living high on the hog, you've got the best it has to offer.

Literary Devices

I noticed irony in "Out of Control" by John Reuben
     ... Irony, I had to suffocate before I could breathe...

Winston Churchill loved paraprosdokains. Here is the definition: a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence is surprising or unexpected; frequently used in a humorous situation.
      To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.

There is a simile Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran
     ...and I'm hungry like the wolf...

Metaphor in Naturally by Selena Gomez and The Scene
     ....you are the thunder and I am the lightning

Personification in Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars
    ....the whole world stops and stares for a while.....

Repetition in Romeo and Juliet
      "Romeo, Romeo, Where art thou Romeo" 

Oxymoron in Romeo and Juliet
    "Beautiful tyrant! fiend angelical!"

Punny Book titles
      Now I'm in Business!: M. B. Yay
      Get Up, Lazybones: Y. R. Yewsleeping

Alliteration in the book "Wake"
      "Locals walking, tourists gawking, vendors hawking."

Personification can be found in a P.C. Financial ad
      Hungry for a better way to bank?

Links to comments

I got the pleasure to read a lovely poem that was very inspirational.

I love reading people's opinions on touchy subjects.

There is now another book that I need to read.

High school is not something that I would love to do forever. It looks as if a fifth year will also not last forever.

I don't think I could EVER do this.

The government seems to think that all these new bills are good.

The courage to admit you have problems and to ask for help.

Creativity at its finest.

I love my weekends.

Somethings that people can't live without.

Pick up lines after my own heart.

Cutest stuffed animal stories.

Just some quotes.

Amazing poetry.

Not the" twinkle twinkle little star" I grew up with.

Clothing affects the way you are treated.

Bad guys.

Learning?