How does Outliers connect to MY life?

Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell, is a nonfiction book about the success stories of many well known people. For example; Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and the Beatles. Gladwell writes his book from the point of view that no one can be where they are without help. Opportunities are the key for someone to succeed. People get lucky, “Bill Gates could accept the title genius, and leave it at that. It takes no small degree of humility for him to look back on his life and say, ‘I was lucky.’ And he was”. (285) Gladwell gives a vast variety of success stories spanning out through nine chapters and 285 pages. Each story is not like the last, and each story filled with a new clue that is part of the key to Gladwell making his overall point. All of the stories mentioned within the story are one-hundred percent real, every last clear and simple word. Gladwell speaks with and essence that is clear but capturing at the same time, “there is a beauty in saying something clearly and simply.”(299) His book was relatable to everyday life, and the wisdom was needed for me to look at life in a whole new way. Gladwell is a genius himself.

                        Gladwell’s story about the Asians and rice patties relates to me in the sense of work ethic, “No one can rise before dawn three hundred sixty days a year fails to make his family rich.” (249) The Asians tended these rice patties for almost the whole year; in season they were tending, watering, harvesting the rice and out of season these people were still tending the land and setting it up for the harvesting and growing season. They never rested, because they were determined and motivated to have the best crops because their wealth was based upon the harvest. This example relates to me because I am always up doing homework (midnight on most days, and If I’m lucky 10pm) and trying to get ahead of everything so if anything goes wrong I am ready -like the way the Asians tend the rice patties out of season so when it’s in season they are all prepared. I reread a million times over my work, get it checked by the teacher, and coming in for extra help. That is dedication, and a true desire to learn and succeed. Just like the Asians were dedicated to their crops, “Sometimes each rice shoot would be individually groomed with a bamboo comb to clear away insects. All the while, farmers have to check and recheck water levels and make sure the water didn’t get too hot in the summer sun.”(227)

                        The three lessons of Joe Flom was chapter five, and the chart on page 152, Gladwell begins explaining the theories of “Ted Friedman, the prominent litigator in the 1970’s and the 1980’s” (153) he discusses the patterns present within the family tree and the professions that each family members has. The Jewish immigrants who settled on the foreign land first seemed to have blue collar (labor) professions. While the laborers children all had white collar (upper class) professions, such as doctors, lawyers, physicians, etc. He explained that he thought it was this way because the children were early on exposed to the downfalls of having a blue collar job. They saw hard work and labor and did not exactly want the lives that their parents lived. So they tried harder and prospered within their white collar jobs. This applies to my life because with my parents neither went to college and they both have blue collar jobs. I as a child has seen what it am like, as Friedman had explained, it is not a life of luxury we area family living pay check to pay check.  So I really need to work hard in order to get a scholarship and go to college so I can be in the upper class and have a white collar job. I am working towards becoming a surgeon and I am very determined to be one of the best. I plan on going to med school for the many years (8-10) and then internship, and finally my 5-year residency. Although I don’t feel I would have been so determined if it wasn’t for my parents living the lives they live. If they did not show me what it is like to live this way than I wouldn’t have pushed myself as far and probably wouldn’t end up nearly anywhere close to where I would like myself to be. So I thank them, “the conclusion becomes inescapable: Jewish Doctors and lawyers did not become professionals in spite of their humble origins. They became professionals because of their humble origins.” (153)

Practice makes perfect! “The idea that excellence at performing a complex task requires a critical minimum level of practice surfaces again and again in studies of expertise. In fact, researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours.” (40) Wow! That’s like ten years of constant practice. But it makes sense, how are you supposed to get any better if you don’t try or even work on what needs to be fixed when learning something new? Like a sport of learning to play the violin and school, professional sports teams, composers, musicians and students all practice. I am under each of those categories in some shape or form. I’m a student in high school (so far for two years) in all Honors classes so in order so succeed studying is the key in order to ace tests and learn at the quickened pace of the class. I am also a composer/ musician, I sing. Almost every day of the week I am in the choir room singing and learning how to sing the notes for the musical correctly. It takes time. I am also on sports team and they have vigorous practices also (I play in the fall and the spring; volleyball and softball). We run plays over and over again until they are just right; we practice this many times so that it becomes natural. It needs to become second nature so you do not always have to be thinking about every move you make, because you need to be ready for any surprises that your opponent may throw at you. Practice is always necessary, if you are not willing to practice then you are not willing to succeed, “without ten thousand hours under his belt, there is no way he can ever master the skills necessary to play at the top level." (41-42)

Outliers was a very relatable book, I hung onto every word with memories and connections to my own life. It was different I am used to reading about other characters and not about another form of myself. I liked the book and really learned a lot. Today I am seeing the world in a whole new light than I was before I read this book.

Shoe Poetry Prompt- "The Boots of a Little Soldier"

http://www.photogalaxy.com/photo/nobody/1/

The Boots of a Little Soldier

Oh this little guy

all full of courage and might

couriousity killed the cat

but he sure didnt seem to care

Walking around with no worry in the world

he was pure innocence

wrapped all up in

a mighty soldier

He constantly searches for adventures

in the backyard, streets, house, forests

the world is his home

he wont stop until hes seen it all

His small footsteps move around the places hes been

like a trail

ready for solmeone else

to discover it too

he was born

the almighty king

not afraid
of anything

he was given the gift

of innnocence and curiousity

the gift of desire for learning

the gift to always want more

 even at two years old

he sees it

all his potential

to be the soldier with the great boots

Microfiction: She stared into the darkness

She stared into the darkness. Her thoughts and face filled with nothing but hope, and endless expectations. Her thoughts drifted off into the memories of him and her together. They were Young, beautiful, smart. He was pursuing his career in science, and she was working with art. The basement was their studio; He would invent while she would sculpt. His latest invention was the time machine; a large square covered in clocks, full of inspiration and the desire to learn. She remembers the day he got the time machine working. The excitement and satisfaction from his work seemed to radiate from his face. She was so proud and happy for him.

Then she remembered the night when he was in the basement alone, still excited that he got the time machine working, he was working on it endlessly. She was upstairs getting ready for bed after the long, delightful day. But when she woke up she wasn't met with the same emotions that she had gone to bed with. She was now faced with worry, loss, and heartbreak. He was gone, sucked into the time machine, flying through the space time continuum. Out of the heartbreak and wanting to find him, she turned on the machine. She didn't fully know how to work the complex machine, but she had some idea from watching her husband build it everyday down in the basement. 

Blasting through time was phenomenal. People in the past decided to attack her when she entered, people in the present were confused, and people in the future didn't seem to care that she was there; they just looked and went on with their busy days. This made her think that his invention had become patented and used everyday. She could not help but cry at the thought of him doing anything without her. She then shook off the tears and jumped back into the machine only to be blasted into another strange place that was still not home.

This went on forever; her looking for him or at least trying to find her way home where hopefully he might be. Then finally it came, she was home. She was thrown out of the large square box covered in clocks.

She is back now staring into the darkness. She still did not see what she expected. The man she had waited for was still not there. It was still empty darkness.

Disappointed she walked up to her room and waited, but ended up falling asleep. In her dreams they stood: with laughter, fun, kids, and a new life together.

And when she least expected it she heard something once again at the spot that she stared and it was there. He was there.

What she had waited for all this time, was unchanged and unfazed by time.

This was exactly where he wanted to be now; she could see it in his face.

The now old woman turned and smiled, she was so grateful to see him finally there.

My T-Shirt Vote

And I would like Chocolate Chip Cookies please :]

TU Tuesday

editorial piece that I chose: http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Young-drivers-safety-2398131.php


Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, identifying any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence


After reading "Young Drivers' Safety", I felt persuaded because towards the end of the article I began to agree with the author's point of view. He states right in the first sentence of his piece what he feels is right, "Connecticut's laws restricting young drivers in various ways have proven effective and need to be preserved."  He doesn't beat around the bush but instead gets right to the point and I liked that about the piece, it was concise and accurate. He stuck right with the facts after that. Rattling one after another; "The number of crashes in which 16- or 17-year old drivers were identified as a contributing factor was down 28 percent in 2009, compared with 2007, the year before the law went into effect, according to statistics from the state Department of Motor Vehicles." and then, "State Rep. Tony Guerrera, D-Rocky Hill, is co-chairman of the Legislature's Transportation Committee, said he's willing to look at the laws in light of the inconvenience." and so on. I feel the author partly exaggerated the success of the new law, "But Guerrera hit the nail on the head when he said "facts show the death rate and the accident rate has drastically come down. How do you argue that? Even if it saves one life, it's worth it." He also exaggerated when saying, "Parents, obviously, are the first line of defense in making the restrictions effective -- and in protecting their children's well-being." He made it seem like  their was a huge number of casualties resulting from young teen driving. Yes there is a fairly large number, but it is not catastrophic. Just 6 months of maturity in teens is not going to solve the whole problem, some adults still drive like maniacs! So if he truly thinks that his one policy has solved everything, like he has implied, then I feel he is in the wrong and needs to rethink things. This is because although it may solve just a little portion of the problem, it will not resolve the whole thing. And the author made it seem like everything was all sunshine and rainbows now when...its still not.       

Creative Contest I Blog

Pictures taken from...
-http://rendlakecollegelibraryguides.pbworks.com/w/page/30856585/Art
-http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT7JAJEYlo8QwwhRMbsaPP62Z873JAbXIOHRT3ZMKocrY2aNBru
-http://www.1280x800wallpaper.com/details/zgdkq/
-http://cookiedoughkitty377.deviantart.com/art/Splatter-paint-170836497?q=boost%3Apopular+in%3Aphotography+splatter+paint&qo=8
-http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/arts/
-http://www.wallpapersfreebackgrounds.com/3d-art-nature-desktop-wallpapers-hd.html

X= Xoloitzcuintli (aka Xolo)

Bibliography:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/xoloitzcuintle.htm

http://www.dogchannel.com/xoloitzcuintli-dogs-breed-profiles.aspx

A Toy Xoloitzcuintle  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Hairless_Dog

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hairless_and_coated_half.JPG

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/xoloitzcuintle.htm

Blanchos El Diablo Grande, Diablo for short is a Standard Coated Xolo
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/xoloitzcuintle.htm

Madeena, the coated Xolo. Photo Courtesy of Camino Xoloitzcuintle.
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/xoloitzcuintle.htm

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/xoloitzcuintle.htm

Pupe, a 2 month old Xoloitzcuntli old puppy - Mexico City.
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/xoloitzcuintle.htm

Breed Description - "The Xolo comes in three sizes, Toy, Miniature, Standard, and two varieties: The coated and the hairless. The Hairless being the more sought after and popular variety. It is very hairless with or with out a short tuffed of hair on the head and tail. The hairless Xolo should never be hairy, or possess long hair, wire hair or wavy hair. It's skin should be soft and smooth, yet hardy to the elements. The Xolo comes in a variety of colors, from black to slate, gray, bronze, brindle, red, fawn, solid or spotted. The coated variety should have a full coat of hair, short, sleek, clean, like that of a Doberman, and with regular brushing shed very little. The coated Xolo should also not possess long hair, wire, or wavy hair. It has a loyal following to those who love the breed but prefer a coat of hair on their dog. In an average litter of five. Four will be hairless and one will be coated. This is a very robust and hardy breed, with a broad skull and black or skin colored nose. Almond shaped eyes are dark or in keeping with the color of the dog. It's most noticeable character is it's large upright bat like ears, it is very keen and can hear and alert you to danger or stranger. Xolo do change colors as they mature."


Appearance/Size -"The Xolo comes in three sizes, The exact sizes vary from breed club to breed club however in general The sizes are as follows.

Toy:  Height 9-14 inches (23-36 cm.) tall at the shoulder.
Toy: Weight 5-15 pounds (2.3-6.8 kg.) In the U.S. the small Xolo is called a toy and in Mexico it is called a miniature, which can be confusing.
Miniature: Height 15-20 inches (38-51 cm.) tall at the shoulder.
Miniature: Weight 15-30 pounds (6.8-14 kg.) In the U.S. the miniature is called a miniature and in Mexico it is called an intermediate.
Standard: Height 20-30 inches (51-76 cm.) tall at the shoulder.
Standard: Weight 25-40 pounds (11-18 kg.) and up to even 60 + pounds (27 kg.)"

Diet -"The best brands [of food] in my opinion are Orijen, Acana Grain Free, and EVO and these are what I feed my Chihuahua. Wellnness/Wellness CORE, Nature's Variety Instinct, and Taste of the Wild are also great foods. These foods will only be found at a local holistic pet food store though. I never buy brands sold in grocery stores like Beneful,Kibbles N Bits, Alpo, Pedigree, Iams, Purina, Ol Roy, etc. These are full of by products, corn, soy, wheat, animal digest, and artificial flavors, colors, preservatives. Ingredients like these are nutritionally useless and have made plenty of dogs sick. Dogs are meant to eat meat and that is what you will find in high quality foods."

Temperament -"The Xolo is very intelligent, loyal, alert, athletic, and extremely loving to it's family. It is important that all family members play a role in leadership, rearing, training, and feeding the Xolo, or it will bond to the one person or people who do. It is naturally protective and aloof to strangers. With proper socializing it is very good with company and children. It is a myth that Xolo's are vegetarian's, however they do love veggies. This breed is easy to house train, and learns very quick. You must be the leader and teach the Xolo, or it will lead, and run the house for you. This breed is becoming very popular as an obedience dog, therapy, agility, great pet, and conformation. Many swear they have learned more from their Xolo than any other breed, because they are so intelligent and in tune with their family. The Xolo is often called a velcro dog, staying with it's owner at all times, it very seldom runs off or away. One owners testament claims she called and called for her Xolo only to look down and find it sitting right there looking up as if to say here I am. So she learned quickly to simply look down first and there it will be. another owner claims her Xolo loves to climb trees with the kids and ride the horses with the owner. Xolo can escape anything, climb anything only to get to were you are. However since they are so smart they can also learn to stay were you want them as long as it is not forever. Being a primitive breed with great survival skills, A Xolo will not tolerate abuse, or an unstable environment. With no shedding, no dander, and no fleas, the hairless variety is very popular with the clean, neat person, those with allergies and asthma, and with people who suffer from pain, arthritis type ailments. Being hairless, they radiate a warm, soothing, healing heat. This is only because they are hairless and not hotter. This is not a yappy or hyper breed so do listen when your Xolo alerts you. Do not let the Xolo fall victim to Small Dog Syndrome, human induced behaviors where the dog believes he is pack leader to humans. This will cause varying degrees of behavior issues. Do not treat the dog like a human. Learn canine instincts and treat the dog accordingly, not forgetting the ever so important daily pack walk. You will be rewarded many times over with a stable, well balanced dog."  

Shedding -"The Xoloitzcuintli is known for its hairless body, but there is a short-haired variety, which has sleek, straight hair. It can be any color and sheds little." And, "The coated and the hairless variety of Xolo are very easy to groom and care for. For the Hairless: Most skin problems arise from poor breeding, neglect, or over bathing and over lotioning, stripping natural protection's and clogging pores. A well bred hairless Xolo will have very fine soft skin, yet hardy. Bathe and lotion once or twice a month, or only as needed. Sunscreen as needed as you would yourself in very sunny weather. We do not recommend a ton of products to keep the skin nice, as you might read on the internet today. Products need not be expensive. An owner claims she buys her Xolos bath and lotion products at the dollar store with great success. Top breeders recommend hypo allergenic gentle human products, a nice bath, exfoliating cream, lotion and sun screen. Keep it simple. Favorite products are: Johnson's baby bath and lotion. favorite is the bedtime bath and lotion with chamomile and lavender. Very calming and soothing to skin and smells great. For the winter dry ear tips and feet,: Bag balm or udder butter. For the occasional acne or pimples especially in teenage Xolos, and to keep skin soft and remove dead skin build up: St.Ives exfoliating scrub or similar product. Exfoliate with a buff puff and bath a needed, then lotion with a nice hypo allergenic light product. There are some nice lotions with sun screen in them. Or a favorite is bull frog for baby's. People who show or if you are planning an outing and want your Xolo to look his best. Almond oil is nice, also palmers spray on oil is great for shiny skin and smells nice too! Always bath after a day out at a show or park to remove unwanted germs and or dirt and oil build up. In between baths at home a warm water rinse is best, wash dirty face and feet with warm water and wash cloth. For the coated: Bathe the coated dog as you would any coated breed, brush daily or at least weekly to keep shedding at bay. For both varieties: Clip toe nails and brush teeth weekly. Although the dark solid colors do not burn, it is wise to sunscreen any hairless breed as we would ourselves in hot weather. The spotted and white marks can and do sun burn if not protected. The hairless variety is ideal for allergy sufferers, because there is no hair to shed. The coated variety, with regular brushing sheds very little."

Health/Allergies/Vaccines –"The Xolo is a very long lived healthy breed. About 15 and up to 20 years is very common." And, "The Xolo is a very hardy and healthy breed possessing no known breed related health concern. A top breeder will keep it that way by Breeding only those specimens who have these health qualities, fine skin, temperament and conformation. A breeder who breeds for money and not the health and welfare of the breed may not be concerned with these health quality's, breeding only what they have on hand and not what they should. Breeding is a very big responsibility by the very dedicated fancier. We all know what has happened to many of our very popular breeds in the past and so we all know better than to breed for any other purpose other than the complete health and welfare of this Very rare a magnificent breed. Skin health is very important to the hairless variety, a sweater in very cold climates is recommended. Despite what many have read on the internet, the Xolo's skin is very hardy and requires very little care. In fact Over bathing can strip the skin of natural protection causing more harm than good. Also over lotioning and sun screening can clog pores and damage skin, causing acne and such. So only bath and lotion or sun screen as needed. Let the Xolo's natural protection do it's job. Dark colored and solid colored Xolos have the hardiest skin, Spotted and light colors require more care: See Grooming."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0mdoxg6Yxw&feature=player_embedded#!

Creativity Breeds Creativity

Adele - Someone like you (time-lapse painting - Say Goodbye)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBBcz1pCzmo

I also chose to do someone painting to a song.

After I saw the finished product and the process leading up to it I was just...wow.

The painting is beautiful and she did it so effortlessly.

I am amazed at the talent so people have.

Small Poetry Prompt- "The Unseen"

The Unseen

An object shared
between you and I
him and her
all of us, everyone

smaller than
the eye can see
and handed down
from our parents

slightly diffferent
for everyone
by just one
percent

they make
me, Me
you, YOU
us, US

they control
our appearance
personality
behavior

they are the masterminds
behind what we have
learned to call
ourselves

TU Tuesday Guest Speaker

**Our presenters name was Paul Grondahl**

http://mendota.english.wisc.edu/~WAC/page.jsp?id=110&c_type=category&c_id=49

Poise: Our presenter was well poised, in such a way that I felt he had made himself seem comfortable when speaking to us. For most of the conversation that we shared with him he was sitting down, so I assumed he was relaxed an that gave off a relaxed feeling to the audience. With that being said, "A second dimension of poise is the speaker’s ability to connect with the audience. A really engaging speaker makes eye contact, may invite audience participation or at least audience questions" . He did that. He allowed us to ask questions about his life and his work and when done answering he would begin to ask us similar questions.  


Clarity: He was very clear when speaking, he pronounced his words well and was heard because he projected his voice. Though at times he would stumble or stutter, but it was expected when presenting can be hard. Or he would sometimes us larger words, that I did not necessarily know the meaning of, but that was also expected considering he is a journalist and gets paid to use big, fancy, sophisticated words that describe his stories well. Also he had very interesting stories to tell, his stories were described well and said in a way that brought great understanding to the listeners. 


Volume: His volume throughout the whole conversation was a healthy medium, he did not scream nor whisper and I found that he projected his voice well. His voice also remained fairly stable throughout the presentation, I did not noticed any fluctuations in volume.  


Information: He did not have short answers, he talked for a while making sure he had fully answered the question asked while adding in some extra information relating to the topic. He is an interesting man with many great stories to tell, and the questions asked were wonderful and really made a clean path for him to shine and reflect on some of his proudest and most interesting memories. For example; Our presenter talked about one of his stories in detail, he spoke of the 9-11 event that took place at the twin towers and how he reported there. 


Organization: Our presenter did not purposely go off on tangents. He stayed on topic well, but their was this one moment while presenting where another student asked a question that stirred up some controversy. The conversation was based on whether newspapers are even necessary because we have twitter and other easy social networking sites found on the internet that cover the day-to-day current events that we need to know, these sites make it quick and easy to find information. The feud was short lived because the presenter knew that the whole audience would not appreciate him going off into a whole different conversation with a student looking for trouble and then disregarding everyone else's needs. I appreciated that and was grateful that he got around to most of my fellow classmates questions. 


My Role: I asked the question; "Within your work, Is there a moment that your are most proud of?" He didn't answer immediately but soon after rattled off a couple of moments that he was proud of in his line of work. I was glad that he had answered my question, I thought my question was thought provoking and I listened closing to the answers he gave me. Our class ran the conversation till the end, there were few moments though where we found gaps filled with silence, but towards the middle of class we all really found questions that we wanted answered and nearly half of the classes hands flew up every time we thought he was ready to call on someone again. Although there was always a specific group of people that repeatedly raised there hands, and others did not. It is sad that they did not try to participate because this was a great opportunity. And although we did have limited time some people should have at least raised their hands and tried to ask this talented man a question.


Recommendation: I would recommend Paul Grondahl to speak again because this man has many interesting stories to tell and our class alone did not even touch on half of them, and I feel these stories need to be shared. 

TU TUESDAY #4

1) http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Despite-operation-to-cut-her-in-half-Angel-2227298.php
Have Terry Lincoln and together long before the surgery?
How Did Terry Lincoln and her son feel about the dangerous surgery?
How old is Angel's son now?
Where is everyone now?
Did Angel become a "sit-down comedian" like she wanted?

-I feel this story is very inspiring and one can learn from Angel's optimistic outlook on life and its value.
-I feel it is very touching the amount of love, time, and care that Terry and Angel's son give to Angel on a daily basis, she wouldn't be alive without them.
-I think the surgery is amazing and I would have loved to be in the operating room witnessing this incredible procedure in progress.

2) http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/The-consummate-curmudgeon-at-his-summer-house-2237375.php
How long had Rooney been writing and wood making?
What are the awards that he won?
How long had Rooney and Margie been together?
How many kids do Rooney and Margie have?
What was Margie's profession?

-I like Rooney's passion for writing, it makes me want to have that much passion and desire while working in my field.
-I like that Rooney likes his job so much that he never wants to retire.
-I wonder how Rooney is so wealthy. With his big sports car and relaxing days spent in the pentagon I would say he has a pretty luxurious life with minimal work.
-I want a marriage like Rooney and Margie's. Their marriage seems like one that would be put in a movie, typical classroom sweethearts.

3) http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Everyman-voice-Rooney-dies-at-92-2253697.php
What did Rooney have surgery for?
How did Rooney take Margies death (emotionally)?

-I was really sad when I read that Margie died; "Mrs. Munson's dancing school was also where Rooney met the great love of his life, future wife Marguerite Howard Rooney. She died in 2004 at 84 of heart failure. They were married for 62 years."
-This answered one of my previous questions from the second article I read; "Rooney is survived by four children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren."
-This also answers one of my questions that I asked from article two; "he published 16 books and won three Emmys, and set a record with six annual awards for best TV script by the Writers Guild"
-This answers my second question asked from this article; "When his wife died, he fell into a profound grief and became unmoored, friends said, until he found a partner and caretaker in recent years in Beryl Pfizer, who had been a "Today" show producer in the 1950s."
-This answered one of my previous questions from the second article I read; "He toiled and fussed and sweated over each creation, be it an occasional end table or the 800-word columns and three-minute TV pieces that made him a wealthy man."

***IMPORTANT*****

Today (11/25/11) I have been having problems uploading the video. I tried yesterday but no luck. Ask Mrs. Boyce, I interviewed her on Tuesday the day before break started. The computer at my house will not accept the cord that is used to exchange media, so can we please talk Tuesday (11/29/11) about possible ways to get the video up? Im not super tech-savvy and I have no idea how to get it up.
Thank you.

Thankful Four

I am very proud of my turkey :)

Opinion Prompt #­6

We should have a king instead of a president.


First of all there is a reason why we do not have a king ruling, it didn't work! Throughout history many main powers have taken a stab at the titanic known as a "totalitarian system". China today is involved with communism and Karl Marx suggested Marxism for the theory of equality, but in reality his theory ended up being a dictatorship. And France beginning in the 1600's and lasting for centuries used absolutism, while England had a king and queen ruling. People are greedy, mean, selfish, and cruel -a theory created by Thomas Hobbes. People want to rule and be in control compared to the other way around, where we are living in the slums doing manual labor barely making enough money to put food on our own table. But how would we decide who has that much power? Through a dynasty(family of rulers)? And who says they are fit to rule? Would we base this dynasties' time of rule upon a silly belief or theory(the divine right theory [France] or the mandate of heaven [China])? And how would we avoid reforms or revolutions? We take Global and US History to learn the ways of the past and learn how to avoid the reproduction of the terrible events from the past. Such as; wars, revolutions, massacres, sick (minded) people ruling, nationalism, lack of freedom, etc. The list could go on and on. But with our human race being able to live on, we are given a second chance. And we are expected to use that second chance to get things right. Not create the same debacles all over again. Insanity would spread, we would be reproducing an event an expecting different results. It's not logical to expect something different because if the circumstances are similar enough wouldn't you get the same results? Great leaders have led and watched all their hard work be thrown away because of silly wars and battles. Their goals might have not been met but they did succeed in teaching a lesson; what is done is done, don't go searching for a different answer. It did not work, so we shouldn't expect it to be different this time around. 
Now although I don't like the political strategy suggested, I am not a full fan of democracy either (or our current leader). Today more people are involved in the choices of a larger mass of people. While before one, two, or small group would be ruling. That is not enough to keep eyes all over the region and watch everyone. With the decreasing amount of people ruling, the corruption of the government increases. Although there is small 'grey area' because today our system in the US (a large group of people having a say) doesn't seeming to be working to well. People become politicians and all of our money, through taxes, ends up funding their new hummers or summer condos on the side of Costa Rica. Government will always be corrupt it seems, so our goal should be to find the most efficient way to lessen the amount of corruption. We are still being given second chances, and we are still being given the time to try new ways of running our society. So the real question is; How long will it take before we find the right one? 

I Want to Write About # 96

An important lesson/piece of wisdom I've learned in life is...


"Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" -Winston Churchill


My new motto! To me this quote means 'keep trying' or 'never give up'. A really important lesson that isn't stressed enough. Depression is on the rise, because people are constantly having daily debacles and not being able to move on from them and try again. One must try everyday with the highest ability and enthusiasm possible. If you start getting hard on yourself, then when an opportunity that you really need comes around you won't have enough courage, confidence, or motivation to move yourself forward and get yourself to where you need to be. Everyone makes mistakes, we aren't born with a brain full of knowledge. We are born with nothing. We are born to learn. We do that from watching others, and through trial and error. So here is something we have to learn; get back up! We are all human, and guess what humans make mistakes. Some people make more than others, but they are still mistakes. Big or small, still mistakes. It does not matter what it is, how it was made, when, or where. All that matters is what you take from it, the lesson. 

Magnetic Poetry: "Wake Up"

http://play.magpogames.com/create.cfm?k=1
(because it is really hard to  read I'm going to also type in what the poem says...)

"Wake Up"

you questioned me

like fresh steam secretly worrys 

about a slow cloud broken by a breeze

perhaps you a boy whos desire is change

to be wild and explore

yesterday we were prisoners

squirmed when thinking to go away

like life is a ghost haunting 

saying we rob our lives

our worry poison 

present we are warm & free

embrace every morning 

waking up to your young smile and moist kiss

brings and eternity of celebration

as blush surrounds like air 

we have healed

W= Washington DC

Places to see:
http://www.viator.com/tours/Washington-DC/Washington-DC-Guided-Day-Tour/d657-3411ALL


1)  The White House: 
<------ http://www.viator.com/photos/Washington-DC-tours/Washington-DC-Guided-Day-Tour/997883 


"The White House is the official residence of the President of the United States, recognized worldwide as a symbol of the prestige of the presidency. Built between 1792 and 1800, the sprawling 132-room mansion has been used as a home by every President since John Adams. The East Wing of the White House principally serves as offices for the First Lady and her staff. The First Family's quarters, located on the second and third floor of the historic White House, provide them with privacy and comfort away from the public spotlight. The West Wing is home to the President's office and those of his top staff. On the pages that follow, you can learn more about the President's office, the many state rooms, and the grounds and history of America's most famous home." <----- http://www.whitehouse.gov/about 


2)  US Capitol Building:

<----- http://www.viator.com/photos/Washington-DC-tours/Washington-DC-Guided-Day-Tour/1005018


"The United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., is a symbol of the American people and their government, the meeting place of the nation's legislature. The Capitol also houses an important collection of American art, and it is an architectural achievement in its own right. It is a working office building as well as a tourist attraction visited by millions every year." and "The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center is the newest addition to this historic complex. At nearly 580,000 square feet, the Visitor Center is the largest project in the Capitol's more than two-century history and is approximately three quarters the size of the Capitol itself. The entire facility is located underground on the east side of the Capitol so as not to detract from the appearance of the Capitol and the grounds designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1874."          ^http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/aboutthecapitol/


3)  Washington Monument:

<------ http://www.viator.com/photos/Washington-DC-tours/Washington-DC-Guided-Day-Tour/1005021


"The Washington Monument is the most prominent structure in Washington, D.C. and one of the city's early attractions. It was built in honor of George Washington, who led the country to independence and then became its first President. The Monument is shaped like an Egyptian obelisk, stands 555' 5 1/8" tall, and offers views in excess of thirty miles. It was finished on December 6, 1884."  ^http://www.nps.gov/wamo/index.htm








4)  World War II Memorial: 

<------ http://www.viator.com/photos/Washington-DC-tours/Washington-DC-Guided-Day-Tour/1358762


"The World War II Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home. Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people. The Second World War is the only 20th Century event commemorated on the National Mall’s central axis." and "The memorial opened to the public on April 29, 2004 and was dedicated one month later on May 29. It is located on 17th Street, between Constitution and Independence Avenues, and is flanked by the Washington Monument to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west. The memorial is operated by the National Park Service and is open to visitors 24 hours a day, seven days a week." 
 ^http://www.wwiimemorial.com/


5)  US Marine Corp War Memorial:

<----- http://www.viator.com/photos/Washington-DC-tours/Washington-DC-Guided-Day-Tour/991871


"The United States Marine Corps War Memorial stands as a symbol of this grateful nation's esteem for the honored dead of the U.S. Marine Corps. While the statue depicts one of the most famous incidents of World War II, the memorial is dedicated to all Marines who have given their lives in the defense of the United States since 1775." and "Every summer, the Marines host Sunset Parades on the Parade Deck of the Memorial. During the one hour performance, the U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps presents music from "the Commandant's Own" and the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon showcases precision drills. The Sunset Parade is open to the public at no charge.

Visitors are welcome to bring lawn chairs, blankets, strollers, and picnics. Driving access and parking for the Memorial will be closed off starting several hours before each parade. Parking is available at Arlington National Cemetery for a small fee. A shuttle will run from the Arlington National Cemetery Visitor Center from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and return 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m." <---- http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/marinecorpswarmemorial.htm 

6)  Lincoln Memorial:

<----- http://www.viator.com/photos/Washington-DC-tours/Washington-DC-Guided-Day-Tour/1494952


"Beneath these words, the 16th President of the United States-the Great Emancipator and preserver of the nation during the Civil War-sits immortalized in marble. As an enduring symbol of freedom, the Lincoln Memorial attracts anyone who seeks inspiration and hope." 
 ^http://www.nps.gov/linc/planyourvisit/hours.htm 










7)  FDR Memorial:

<------ http://www.viator.com/photos/Washington-DC-tours/Washington-DC-Guided-Day-Tour/1358761


""The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." These are the words of our 32nd President, a man who embodied the meaning of the word courage. Despite being stricken with polio at age 39 and paralyzed from the waist down, he emerged as a true leader, guiding our country through some dark times: the Great Depression and World War II. The memorial honors this man, his story, and his era." and "As President of the United States during World War II, Franklin Roosevelt probably reflected on an address he delivered in 1936 describing what he saw in Europe following the First World War." <--- http://www.nps.gov/frde/index.htm 


I have never visited Washington DC and I feel it would be a great experience to be able to see the rich history of our nation.

A good man is hard to find

Females as young girls and mature adults, often create well developed envisions of their future soul mates. We do not usually take into account the places that we find these men, our emotions at the time, our age, the weather-the circumstances. We just think about them and what life is supposed to be like after we have found that special loved one that makes all our secret envisions come true. And that is what makes finding that jaw-dropping-take-a-second-look-I-am-head-over-heels kinda guy so hard. We build these perfect people that do not exist. Not a single person on this earth is perfect. Life would be way to easy, and the universe likes balance. People have come close to perfect and others are far from it, but there is a balance. Once we have found these people we know they are the one. The world does seem to stop and it does seem like they are the only other person with you in a room full of people. And that feeling of lust and love, gives you some "leeway" when being with this person. This person has faults and you come to love them, better yet you embrace them. You see them for who they are, and not what ever your hormone-filled teenage mind came up with. You are in love and image could not come in the way of that. It is hard going through the process and putting your future in fait's hands but once you find the right person that you want to spend the rest of your life with, it is far from difficult to let go of the image you have dreamt of and hold onto the moments you have now with the new and improved image of the love of your life.

Halloween

It was the night before Halloween ...
and all the little goblins and ghouls were sleeping tight under their warm covers. Dreaming of what tomorrow would bring; fear, treats, or maybe tricks. The wind was slow and steady, moving trees in rhythm filled patterns. Not a single soul was to be seen out of the citizens home before halloween, for it was the meeting ground of the feared ghosts, witches, werewolves, and vampires. They would meet at midnight so that the moonlight shine upon their terrifying faces, awakening their inner demons. As the demons arose nightmares flew into the mind of all the sleepy, excited children. Squirming around in their beds, the feared creatures listened and watched. Gradually taking in every drop of discontentment and fear. Some kids were stuck so bad that they were awoken, screaming. Soon after startled parents came flashing into the room, ready to rescue their young from the unseen dangers. Not yet satisfied the creatures creeped into the homes of the gentle town folk, and hid in their closets and under their beds. Once found they scared the living daylights out of these folk. These creatures believed that it was tradition to scare on halloween, not a single october 30th or 31st would be complete without it. So every year make sure you lock your doors and windows. Don't open you closets or look under your beds. Try your best to dream happy thoughts. And whatever you do...Don't. Get. Scared. 

Kryptonite (Letter Poetry Prompt)

Kryptonite


I was your kryptonite

The few days spent together
seemed to take my breathe away
I had wished that those moments
would have lasted forever
had they not ended yesterday

I look at you and see what could have been
your sweet words still linger in my mind
I said no to the thought of staying with you
my confusion was just a nasty sin
I cry at the beautiful things I left behind

When around me you changed
a new, improved person
you were happier, smilier, and more humorous
we thought that a small date should be arranged
followed with my surprising deflection

A teenage girl wanting what she couldn't get
but now that she could
and it was right in front of her ready
ready for the taking, but wait, not yet
she no longer desired him, she says just wait for another bid

The romantic scenes are over
but you are still sadly left in my mind
seeming that you have moved on
there is no possible way I can recover
he was one of a kind

Now all I want is you
Why can't you just see?
no one else is allowed
so please say you want me too
because you were and always will be

My kryptonite