Going, Going, Done!

I can't believe how fast this semester has gone by, and since I am also is my senior year of high school, and I trying to keep up with both!

I have learned so much this semester from all of my teachers. I feel like I have come a long way as a writer. I still am not that into writing and blogging because writing isn't really my thing. I feel more confident about my writing, and I feel like I could write about anything, now.

This semester has gone by so fast, but I am glad that it is almost done. :)

A Modest Proposal

Wow. When I started reading A Modest Proposal I was SO confused! There are so many spelling and grammatical errors that made it hard to read! There were commas in the middle of the sentence that didn't make sense. He started by talking about poor women with many children. Then he made it sound like he was going to eat babies! I still don't understand what point he was trying to get at.

Some social problems that could be like A Modest Proposal in America are:
Abortion
Prayer in school
Evolution
Gay marriage
Breast feeding in public
Cloning

Thanksgiving!

I LOVE THANKSGIVING!
This year, Thanksgiving is going to be very difficult for my family. It is not going to be the same without my great grandma, and I am not thankful for losing her. But with that said, I am still very thankful to have my great grandpa. Not many people my age can say that they still have a great grandparents.

My mom makes the best food for thanksgiving out of all three meals. We also have a spiral sliced ham, a turkey, devilled eggs, potato salad, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, potatoes and gravy, corn, and (my favorite) stuffing!

My favorite part of thanksgiving is, of course, the food! Since my parents are divorced I have two thanksgivings to go to. I have been with my boyfriend for almost three years, so I also have his thanksgiving. That gives me three huge meals! I love to eat and I can eat quite a bit, but I usually can't eat all thee meals.

Required College Courses

While I was reading through all the essays in chapter nine of The Prentice Hall Reader, I found the story about college courses the most interesting. Why should students take so many required courses that do not have anything to do with their career? I agree that it would lower the cost of college and it could even make you better at what you want to do.

Even though I agree completely with everything in the essay, I can't help but think, "Well, maybe after I get my degree I will realize why I needed to take that course." I will go to school to get my associates degree in Dental Assisting and I really do not understand why I need to take a writing class. I do know that there is a lot of paperwork associated with the dental field, but it is as simple as writing down what has been done at the appointment. I don't understand why I need to know how to write essays to be a dental assistant; it just doesn't make sense to me.

I am hoping that after I graduate from college and get a job I will realize why I needed to take a writing class.

Cell Phones & Texting

Should it be illegal to text while driving? Should it be illegal to talk on the phone while driving? Should cell phones be illegal to use in any way while driving?

Texting while driving should be illegal. Someone that is constantly looking down at their cell phone to text while driving is not only putting themselves in danger, but other drivers too. I went to La Crosse, Wisconsin, a couple days and when I got to a red light, the guy driving next to me went right through the light. I watched him drive by, and he was texting. I felt relieved that this guy wasn't driving behind me, and even though nobody got hurt, he was putting everyone around him in harms way.

As we read the short essay called, "Driving Us to Distraction," we found that drivers are still distracted while talking on the phone. They tend to focus straight forward while talking on the phone and driving. Some people get so into their conversations while they are driving that they don't realize how bad they are really driving.

The use of a hands free device should be legal while driving. Some people have jobs that require them to talk on the phone while driving. If they at least have a blue tooth head set they aren't just using one hand to operate their vehicles.

The Glass Castle

After finally finishing The Glass Caste, I would have to say that it is my new favorite book. Right from the beginning it had my attention, and through the whole book I really didn't know what was going to come next.

One of the main reasons that I like this book is because it shows how dysfunctional a family can really be. If my mother was mentally ill and my father was a raging alcoholic I don't think I would even be able to think about leading a normal life. But, the success Jeannette made of her life is very inspiring. It makes you think that anything can be possible if you want something bad enough and try for it hard enough. She came from her family with practically nothing, and ended up making something of her life. It is truly inspiring!

Blogging

Why is blogging so addictive? Why do people feel the need to blog about random moments of their lives? What effects does it have on that person, and other bloggers?

All three of these question are questions I ask myself whenever I go to blogging websites. What makes blogging so addictive to me is that it is kind of like a public diary. Whatever you want to right, you can. I wouldn't put my whole personal like into a blog like I have seen some people do before, but for some people, blogging and social networking in general is their whole life. I like to blog because if I am having a bad day, I can explain my day, and afterwords I feel a lot better. Another reason I like to blog is because I have so much family that live far away. I like to let them know what is going on in my life by blogging about it.

Finally, the effect blogging has on people can be anything! Some people may take certain posts offensive, some may applaud that same post. Some people may only blog to let out anger, or stress, and some people may blog just because they like to. I didn't really get into blogging until I started this English class. But once I start a blog, I just let my mind run free!

Irreplaceable!

"If you ever need a quiet place to come do homework, or if you want to make a couple bucks, or if you just want to come visit, you know you're always welcome here, Amer." -Elaine Vickerman

This morning was a very tragic day for me and my family. When my grandpa went to wake up my grandma to give her insulin before heading to La Crosse this morning, he felt her cold body. She was 81 years old, and had an amazing life. She's always been there for me whenever I needed anything. She will be greatly missed. I love you, Gram!

Elaine Vickerman 3/31/1930 - 10/20/2011

I love my family!

I think all families have both functional and dysfunctional elements. Personally, I believe that nothing is perfect. The key to making any relationship work with a boyfriend/girlfriend, a best friend, or a family member is communication. If you don't develop a comfortable level in which you can communicate with your family, there won't be that great of a connection. I also believe that if a family is to be functional, they all need to have that special connection that makes them a family.

In order for a family to be dysfunctional, there is no communication and no connection. There are no rules for the family at all, and everyone just does their own thing. I don't think family need really strict rules to be functional, but when there are no rules there doesn't seem to be much of a function.

Friday Night Lights!

Every Friday night, my best friend, Tara, and I are freeze our tails off to watch my boyfriend's football team play! We always get to the football field at about 6:30 p.m. to watch the warm ups. At about 6:50 p.m. there is the National Anthem. Finally, it's game time!

Football starts at 7 o'clock. We've been going to the games for about two years, and we still see the same, dedicated fans (us being two of them). At half time, we either go back to my car to get out of the cold or we take a trip to Kwik Trip for some hot chocolate! Once we return to the game, we get back into our places to watch the rest of the game. Once the game is over Tara will usually come to my house and stay the night, and we will repeat these events every Friday night!

Tara and I at the football game on September 30, 2011

Social Networking

Almost everyone I know has Facebook. I too, am a victim of the addicting social network! I also, have Myspace, Bebo, and MSN Messenger. Although I never use these three accounts, I am HOOKED on Facebook. Every day when I am going to sign into my school, I somehow end up on Facebook first. I always check my notifications, go to my boyfriend's page, then go to my sister-in-law's page. She always has something interesting on her page. I still can't figure out what always drags me back to Facebook. Even before I started my blog I was on Faebook. I look at Facebook like a train wreck. There is always some kind of drama going on.

I like to use Facebook as a way to stay connected to my family and friends that I don't get to see very often.  have a lot of family in California so it is nice to be able to keep up with their lives while I am in Minnesota!

Welcome to Minnesota!

In September 2006, I met my brother, Paul, for the first time! Before he got back in contact with my dad's side of the family, he only knew that he had one sister. Once he talked to our dad for the first time in 15 years, he found out that he had two other sisters!

Paul is a Marine. In March 2009, Paul showed up at my school and surprised me! I didn't know he was coming to Minnesota! His wife's name is Tiffanie and they have two kids together.

                On their second vacation to Minnesota in 2009, we all took family pictures.

Back row: Kyler, Dad(Paul Sr.), Tiffanie, Paul Jr., Mom(Cristal), Alannah

Front Row: Shelby, Me, Taylor

Their vacation went by way too fast, and they had to go back to California. :(

Paul left for Afghanistan in July 2010, and returned in August 201! Paul and his family are now in Minnesota for their third vacation. I can't believe how much the kids have grown since I saw them last summer!

Paul and his family got to Minnesota on September 19th. I have been having a great time spending time with my niece and nephew, crocheting and sewing with Tiffanie, and spending time with Paul!

Paul and I in 2010, on the way to the airport.

My boyfriend, Daniel, and Alannah at Paul's house in Temecula, CA, on our 2010 vacation!

Cristal Adkins

When I saw what Nikka posted for our blog assignment this week, I thought of my mom.

My mom's name is Cristal. She's short(like me) and has long, brown hair. Every morning while she's getting ready for work, she has a specific routine. She wakes up at 5:15 A.M., goes into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee, then goes back to her room. In her room, she sits on the end of her bed while she puts on her makeup(which takes forever). After her makeup is all finished, she moves to the bathroom to do her hair. She has a very unique hairstyle that ALWAYS looks the same. She has the 80s style bangs that I call "the poof." After she's is done getting herself ready, she comes back to the kitchen, pours a cup of coffee, packs her lunch and goes to work.

I am always able to pick out my mom in a crowd because I have never seen anyone who still has "the poof." She always wears the same perfume called Love Spell. I love this perfume! I will never smell it again without thinking of my mom!

Live Like You Were Dying

"Someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying." sang Tim McGraw in his song
"Live Like You Were Dying." This song really inspires and motivates me to do things that I wouldn't usually do. I think that life is too short to waste it sitting around, and acting depressed.

I am the kind of person that gets VERY attached to my pets. On July 27, 2011, I left Minnesota for a bowing trip in Kentucky. I was having a great time, and I was meeting a lot of new people. When I got some free time, I decided I'd log into Facebook. The first thing I saw in my news feed was a post made by my younger sister that said "Well, looks like it's goodbye forever Babykitty.:(" (Babykitty is cat that showed up at my house in the middle of a thunderstorm when she was only about a month old. I eventually tamed her, and she grew on me as my own!) As soon as I read my sister's post I called her. She said that Babykitty had been attacked, and her back legs were so badly torn up that trying to save her would only make her suffer. At that moment, I felt like I had lost the world. I didn't even get to say goodbye to her before I left, and I felt so crushed. She was put down on July 29th.

When my mom saw me bawling frantically, she told me that the best thing to do was put her down because we didn't want her to suffer. She reminded me of the amazing life I gave her for the past year, and that made me a little more happy. It's still hard for me today not be sad about the accident, but I know that my life is too short to sit around and be sad about the loss of my pet. Every time I think about that day, I remind myself that my life isn't over, and that I should live like I'm dying.

School!

Starting back when I was in kindergarten, I was always excited to go back to school after a long summer. Once I hit my eighth grade year, the desire to go sit in a hot, sticky school all day was not my cup of tea! Even though I didn't like going to school, I still did my best. I have been in 90's Club for three years, and National Honors Society for one year. Now, I am on my senior year of High School! I am nervous, excited, and anxious! I know that my senior year will be very very busy, and I don't think I am ready for it yet!

At the end of my junior year in High School, I decided that I wanted to go into the dental field. Every time I went to the orthodontist to get the wires from my braces changed, I would catch myself paying close attention to what they were saying about my teeth, what all of the technical terms are, and what they actually did. I didn't know why this interested me, but it did!

After I graduate from my tiny little High School and I am thrown out into the real world, I would like to attend RCTC for Dental Assisting!