Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Colorado 2013


The frosty air was one thing and the cute boys was another.  However, what I loved most about Colorado was that I never knew something like that existed.  A forest a snow cover trees, a resort for people of all skiing experience, and an overall friend-making place.  My dad and I caught up with some friends we hadn't seen in a year.  It was a great experience seeing them again and being so away from home, but still feeling close to them who reminded us of home.  I really liked the Gondola rides because each time I was on that lift my dad and I were able to break out a smile.  Everyone was so friendly, and I was helped the countless times I had fallen or my poles were left uphill.  I really enjoyed Colorado, however everyone was mentioning how they loved Steamboat Springs because everyone was really nice and it wasn't just a resort, but it was more like a town of cowboys and ranchers.  The first few days we went out it was sunny and it was really nice to ski, but I had such an ache in my foot, which led to constant breaks and me ceasing having fun.   The last 2 days we stayed the snow pelted our face as we went down hill.  It was painful and it made us appreciate the first two sunny days a lot more.  Besides sleeping, the next activity I constantly did was eat.  The food wasn't too bad, I had chicken noodle soup, trout, and even some mexican food.  It was decently healthy and defiantly warmed me up every time.  I used my GoPro throughout the trip and when I wasn't skiing I made sure all my devices were charging.  I am surprised the hotel room had enough plugs for my needs!  It was fun to be able to capture my experience, and also to spend time with my dad.  I enjoyed spending time with my friends and nice strangers.  The Gondola ride and the green runs were probably my favorite part of the whole trip though.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

What is a Thriller?

The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbol is classified as a thriller.  As a thriller it keeps the reader anticipating what is to come.  Thrillers consist of plot twists that thrill the reader because of the unexpected turn.  This book is not only classified this as a thriller, but as a physiological thriller.  This book is constantly playing with the reader’s head.  The chapters are divided and shuffled around, so you know what everyone is thinking after each event.  By knowing so much about each character and what they are doing makes your brain go through so many possible solution.  Thriller is a subset of horror, an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust.  A thriller specifically is a novel, play, or movie with an exciting plot, typically involving crime or espionage.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Fiction Stories: Meeting Vicky's Boy

Today, a Friday.
“Just jump come on!”  Brock’s friend Justin shouted, I really didn’t wanna do it, but Brock didn’t seem to understand.  I knew that if I jumped the community pool fence my dad would not know where I went and just assume I went back to Vicky’s place.  My parents trusted me, did I really want to break that trust?  Brock was my close friend, but I didn’t know anyone else and I would be the only girl besides Vicky who was trying to hook up with Brandon from physics.

Monday 2 Weeks Ago
This is the first week of school and I am so ready.  I woke up at 5:30AM on the dot, actually I just got out of bed because I honestly could not sleep all night. I was waiting for Vicky to drop by, she told me she was picking up Brock first and that she would be there at 6:45AM so I patiently waited clenching my schedule and imagining who would be in my class.  I already knew that for the most part thanks to Facebook where everyone posts their schedule.  I was sitting by a bench near the front door when I heard the car horn and Vicky screamed “Get in loser, we're going shopping.”  I laughed at the Mean Girls quotes and walked toward the car, of course Brock just had to mention,

“No! We are just going to school Mr. Jelenski.”  That made Vicki and I laugh even louder because he obviously did not get the joke.  I got a seat in the back next to all the book bags,

“Tomorrow I get shot gun.”  That made Brock laugh only enough to regain himself, turn to me, and say,

“No.”

“Brock you need to learn to say no to other things, not just me.”  I said jokingly and we began to talk about what we usually talk about, high school drama.

We finally got to school, found a parking spot, and made our way to school saying hi to everyone and anyone we recognized; you never know who will be your new best friend this year.  We all had physics together first period and then hopefully would find each other at lunch time.  Brock sat next to his friend Justin, meanwhile Vicky and I made our way to a lab table right behind two cute junior boys we have not seen before.  Vicky tapped them on their shoulder and they introduced themselves as Brandon and Dillon.  That was how we met Brandon.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

A Sunken Ship with a Hidden Mystery

Present Day
“It’s there!  I swear!  Don’t leave until you find it.” Avia whispers before there’s a beep and she hangs up the disposable phone.  She said she was going to throw it away after the phone call and Gavin didn’t doubt that one bit.  Avia was known to be sneaky, but very smart.  I’m completely lost in this vast parking garage.  It is their responsibility in the first place, but I know I owe Avia big time.  Avia Rosie Haldain is like a sister to me, not only because we have known each other from a toddler age, but we have helped each other through so much.  They’re so many stories that we share and if we were to write them all up than it would fill at least 5 volumes.  Of course we fight so much that there would probably be twice as many editions.  I am looking for a suitcase, she describes it as black enough to disguise blood and big enough to fit a body.  Repeating those words in my head sends chills down my spine, but I push through it because I know that Avia needs me to, along with her twin brother Daxon who has been dead for over 3 years.

Four Years Ago
“Avia!  Hussle!”  Daxon shouted from downstairs to his sister that was franticly getting ready for their weekend beach trip.  “They’re waiting for us!”  Daxon added.  Avia never really listened to her brother, but she was finally ready.  She blew a kiss to the perfect reflection in the mirror and yelled, “their gonna have to wait!”  Avia always had a top notch attitude, but thats the cost to being perfect Avia believed.  She finally made her way downstairs 15 minutes later and she was satisfied that Daxon didn’t pressure her, but then she realized Daxon was no longer there.

Avia dropped her stuff at the bottom of the stairs and looked in the driveway: the car was gone.  Quickly, she dialed her brother’s number and there was no answer.  He must have went to their house! Avia mumbled under her breath as she dialed Gavin’s number.  It was a different area code then most people in Southern California, from Idaho or some land locked state.  They’re not picking up!  She screamed to herself in the empty house.  What Avia didn’t realize was that is wasn’t over for her, but it was over for Daxon because that day was the last time she would see him.

Present Day
I don’t know why I never picked up Avia’s calls the day Daxon died.  I know now that that made me a primary suspect in the murder case, but we were all like family and there was nothing the Haldain’s did to upset me: no motive that would persuade me to commit murder.  I should have listened to the voicemail at least once before I showed up at her doorstep with a golden retriever to tag along for the road trip.  Afterwards, I realized Avia’s emotions changed throughout the messages.  It started out as angry, but finished out in tears.  The last voicemail she sent me was a long one, and all she did was cry, until finally she muttered out the words Call me and hung up the phone.  The was one of the cruelest things I have ever done in my life, and that is why I owe her and her brother big time; Daxon is our brother because they’re still my family.  I say it’s their responsibility because I feel like this is their dirty work.

I found 3 parking spaces jammed of suitcases in the corner of the lot, also they all had boarding tickets on them.  Lucky for me, it seemed like no one claimed the suitcases as theirs, so I had over fifty to look through.  Avia never specified if it was their suitcase, but I assumed it was the first time I went around looking at the tickets that were attached.  I only recognized the name Millvina Dean, but I didn’t know where I had seen that name before.  The suitcases were not only abundant, but they’re all so very full that I did not want to go through each one.  I knew that they’re all from the same trip though, because the tickets all had matching departure dates of April 10, 1912 and their departure was from France or Ireland, but everyone has the destination to New York.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Film Major!

To be or not to be a film major.  I like to tell stories, I love twist endings, and I am addicted to humor.  I feel like adding everything I like to the stories I write is key to writing good stories.  In my videos, I try to incorporate everything I like to watch, even though I barely watch TV!  I think that it is all about being truthful, telling a story, and being humorous.  Of course, it all depends on what type of video is being produced!  I am excited to go to my first film class and see what projects wet are going to get assigned.  It seems like something that will be very interesting.  I want to be a film major because I am going to do what I love now, later!

Monday, November 11, 2013

Un Mensaje Español

Las enfermedades no deberían existir.  Hoy estuve todo el día sin poder caminar. Aún así al final del día me pude levetar y sonreir... y eso me hizo pensar en esa gente que no puede caminar nunca, que ni siquiera puede leventarde de una silla... Solo por un día estuve en du lugar y sin dude deben de ser las personas más fuertes del mundo.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Friendships

Sometimes it takes time to get to know someone... but sometimes time destroys a friendship because you end up knowing to much.

I have a friend who always tells me she never has a crush and in order to get one she has to really get to know the boy to like him.  However, for me this situation is completly different.  I see a kind gesture by the boy and I am in immediate love, especially if its toward me.  I have a huge spectrum of friends because some of them are completly drawn to looks, which is not the way to go. Of course, all of the girls who are looks orientated are the ones who are completly gorgeous. 

In the end, those who want love get love.  Except me, I haven't figured out whats wrong with...

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Best Music Player?

Music is such a distraction, but for the days where your either laying back or hitting up the gym, then music becomes very useful.  I like to listen to Spotify, because I love created the personal playlists.  I love having an emotional playlist and a separate party playlist.  Pandora is a more broad type of system, but it is constantly repeating songs. Therefore, it has become one of my least favorites.  iTunes Radio plays a bunch of popular songs and in my opinion does not repeat AS MUCH as Pandora.  Out of the 3 systems its a close tie between Spotify and iTunes radio, yet in the end my favorite is Spotify.  I especially love the feature of being able to follow people and their playlists.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

What is Critical Thinking?

Looking at a piece of text and memorizing important dates is not all it takes to think critically.  Some steps must be taken to read critically and improve critical thinking.  There are several types of critical thinking, but what it boils down to is how people understand the text beyond what it says on paper.  It takes some thinking and imagining all the "what ifs?"

I have been getting low grades on tests and essays because I am missing this factor.  I am not putting forth that extra though, also I never let a problem marinate in my head, but that is something else that is very important.  It is important to let your subconscious thinking do some of the problem solving.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Judging a Book By Its Cover

Taking a quick look at an object can not determine its worth.  In order to truly understand its content, consumers and leaders alike must look beyond the superficial appearance.  Last year, a crowd of people hated the homecoming theme, but they didn't say that when they left.  I can not explain how many times I have seen people judge a book by its cover.  Personally, there are so many shirts I see in the store that I believe to be horrible yet once I try it on it looks amazing.  It is very crucial to look beyond the superficial appearance and ponder the contents of the object.

On October 2012 I went to my first homecoming dance.  The theme was Tropical, but there were a crowd of people who complained it would ruin the magical night.  They took a look at the theme and came up with the worst case scenario examples.  No one knew how the student council was going to set everything up, until the night of the dance.  When everyone arrived they were astonished.  Several people loved the way the theme was set up.  When they left after taking a look behind the word tropical they were eleated.  Looking beyond physical appearance is very important.

Over the summer coming into my sophomore year we were given choice 1 between 3 books to read.  The longest book was a comic, yet several people turned it down because of the appearance of how long it seemed.  Are you going to continue judging a book by its cover?

Friday, November 1, 2013

Life With Different History

Way back in 600 AD religions were shaping the way people in Islamic and Asian Empires lived.  Christianity slowed down Islam and stopped it from spreaded past the south of Spain.  Just to imagine what life would be like if we were more Islamically orientated makes me wonder how different my life would be.  I would probably look a lot different, considering my once Christian relatives were once Muslim.  Plus since the Americans came from Europe, my dad who was from California would probably be a Muslim as well.  Not only will all the things I do in life change, but the holidays I celebrate would be radically different.  It is interesting to change history in my head and think about what would be different.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

A Social Life?

Getting to know someone creates new opportunities.  The ability to be able to get work or get help from something also increases.  I believe having a social life is a necessity, but not a priority.  Of course, spending time with friends is different then sitting down and studying, but having a social life also has other psychological benefits.  By being able to spend time out of the house with people who you enjoy helps relieve stress; it gives the brain a break.  We shouldn't have a social event every hour, but perhaps at least once a week.  Spending time with friends and strengthening relationships is not nonsense, but it does come second to school work.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

The Symbols of The World

Symbolism is use in every day life to represent the things people are insecure about.  Sometimes symbols are used in place of words if it id a touchy subject.  Using words can sometimes seem to foward, so putting a nice ease is helpful when using symbols.  I never had problems expressing how I felt so there is no modern way for me to compare it to.  Although, I just finished reading 2 short stories and both of the authors use their characters to symbolize a part of their culture and a problem within their society.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Nacho and Doritos Galore

During lunch so many people have their choice of chips from the vending machine to snack on.  From the cheesy cheetos to the nacho cheese doritos, people enjoy their snack during break.  Personally I hate the dye color left on my fingers from the occasional snack I have.  Honestly, I beleive it is frustrated to have to wash our hands after eating.  I believe that other people feel the same way and in the end this is a factor that affects me from eating them.  Plus, these foods aren't even as healthy as one might think, so I don't understand why people still eat it.  I guess the taste is a driving force.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Buttoning It Up?

I know a lot of collage students are into the whole preppy look, but in my opinion button up isn't to classy.  There is a slideshow of different kinds of button up styles.  In my opinion, the shirts are cute and the models are gorgeous, but they aren't in style, certainty not helping an preps-ter look preppy.

Of course,  who am I to judge?  I haven't even left my teen years and I don't even own a true button up shirt, except my plaid shirts that I always leave unbuttoned.  If I could go to the store right now, I certainty would not pick up a button up shirt.  I say that the preppy look isn't for me, and I also say the button up doesn't go in the preppy category, but really, it does.


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Moto: Customizable Phone?

Motorola came out with a phone that no longer needs its colorful case, because customers can create their own outer shell for their phone.  From several different colors including blood red to lime green, there are endless possibilities.  I feel like this is almost like the iPhone 5 Color because it is interesting because of its shell color that happens to not be just black, grey, or white.  I really like this invention and I think it really makes everyone unique.  Also, it makes everyone know whose phone is whose!

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Models Under 18 Are What?

Being under 18 is considered a minor, but being a model under 18 was always ok.  There was never a big deal, until now New York is making a new bill to limit the number of hours a women under 18 works.  If she is under 18 she will be considered a child performer.  This child performer will begin to have limits on what they have the ability to do, so has the number of hours they work.  This article is very interesting as it goes to explain the nitty gritty on the new New York rule.  This is making a huge impact on the modeling career because now talent agents aren't looking for the young models because they need to go through alot of paperwork compared to the models who are young adults.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Pinterest Vs Tumblr

I feel like these two social sights are so very similar.  Almost as if they are built from each other in the design world.  I feel like there is a huge difference though, because I feel so comfortable with Pinterest then I do with Tumblr, although they both have the same concepts.  For me its confusing because I never use either of them to much, but I remember loving the red and white combo of Pinterest rather than the dark colors of Tumblr...

Honestly, I believe it depends who within your social group uses it and which one you learned to use first.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Fashion Show

Fashion shows introduce new trends and help promote new designers.  Recently in New York there was a Bridal Fashion Week for fall featuring designers such a Vera Wang.  She had great styles including an ivory gown with bright and bold confections.  There is a slide show of the unique pieces.

I have always wanted to be a model in a fashion show, or even create pieces for the models of the runway.  I am only 5'6 and one of the requirement of being a model is to be at least 5'8.  Sadly, I have tried looking for model agents and never found one that would try to deal with me because I am two inches shorter than I should be.  Thats why everyone is unique and every one is good at something.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

The Great Garden?

The Good-for-Nothing Garden is an article about a man who has a garden that he feels is useless.  I see that he has a vast amount of land and I feel like he should be using his garden.  Instead, he lets the farmers do the work, he doesn't pay attention when the garden needs maintenance and he cooks food from store bought items when he could have picked them in his garden.

I have such a small area to plant a garden and I would be thrilled to be able to plant a bunch of crops, including an aesthetic arrangement of flowers.  My idea of an ideal garden is anything that has a crop growing.  My dream garden though is a very different image; all the crops must be thriving, surrounded by gorgeous decorations like those constantly found on Pinsterest.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Lost and Found

If I didn't have my biological mother with me, instead a stranger who I grew up calling mom, then I don't know how I would feel.  I feel like I would kind of miss my biological parents, even though I had never met them yet.  I honestly believe that I would feel hate to the parents who gave me up, although I shouldn't because I am sure the feeling is much worse for them... After watching the video about a young girl who met her biological mother through facebook it made me think that social sites have such an impact in todays world.  I would not give it up for any reason.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

The Words to The Victims

It's going to look like you slacked off, even though I know you are trying to keep everything concise.  Personally, I wouldn't condone such a behavior anyways.  I want to present you with conciliatory words, but the truth is it is near impossible! You have to be noted for easy compliance after this conflagration.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

The Virtuoso

The virtuoso was observant and astute.  The talented artist did venerate the America traditions and he used some classical traditions from American artists.  The artist was very austere with anyone who tried to affiliate with his work.  Although, the artist was always doubtful and he was ascetic.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

The Girl I Hate.

The way she carried herself belied her age because she seemed like she was a well educated teen.  She  had brevity which made her appear even more put together.  This girl was able to cajole the teacher to let her get off the hook and I was so jealous.  My teacher is always in a capricious mood when it comes to grading things, except when she comes around because the teacher lets her get an A.  The teacher seems benevolent, but to me it was rude to let her get off the hook while the rest of us had to suffer.

Friday, August 30, 2013

First World Stuggles

I have the Galaxy S2 and although I  have a Case-Mate case for this phone it still managed to produce an internal crack right through the screen.  Luckily, this damage didn't create a problem of dis-function, but this isn't the only thing wrong with my high-tech phone.  Sadly, the charging port broke, so I have to physically take out the battery and charge it externally to get power for my phone.  These are some of my first world problems.  Comment below yours!

Why we take things for granted?

The things people value tend to be the things that struggle, work hard, and overall invest a surplus time into to achieve.  Value is a ranking of how much someone care and if they put forth time and effort then the product is valued more.  There are situations where I do not work hard for something and therefore I do not value it.  There are other times I work hard and value something because I had to work hard for it.  Sometimes if I am presented with a surplus of something, but I complain because it is not specifically what I am looking for it tends to be because I don’t have to work for it.

If I don’t work hard towards something, then I will not value it because I didn’t invest much time into it.  I complain about not having anything to eat, but I have fridge full of food.  Why do I do this?  I take what I have for granted and since I don’t have the food I want when I want it I say there is nothing to eat.  If I did not have an abundance of food, then I would probably see the fridge in a whole new way.  Another example of things I take for granted is that they don’t have to work hard for is clothing.  My friend and I look our closets and exclaim how we have nothing to wear when in fact every hanger is being used.  We don’t work yet and our parents provide our clothes, so it is easy for us to say that there is nothing to wear.  If we did work, and save up for our own clothes we would probably value our clothes more.

While there are somethings we take for granted there are others we strive to obtain.  There are some things that I struggle and work hard to receive which leads to me valuing it more.  I do my homework, and make sure I study so that I can get the grade I want.  When I see my accomplishment compared to how hard I work it makes me very happy.  Another thing that I work really hard at in my cheerleading.  We work 10 hours a week and break a sweet every time in order to win.  My team and I obtain our trophy we are elated.  There are situations where I really work hard to get something I really want and the results are extremely valuable to me.

There are things that I value because I have to work hard and spend time doing it.  I value what I work for more than what I am given.  I need to apply myself in everything I do, so that everything is valuable and treated with respect.  If we didn’t have the things that we take for granted we would probably have an affected quality of life.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Should Saftey Be F1RST?

Safety should always be first since being unsafe can get people injured.  If an unsafe situation could be prevented, then we could avoid traumatic situations.  Not considering safety can get people hurt in everyday situations, emotionally and physically.

People are getting injured emotionally in day to day activities.  Some people are hurt emotionally due to electronic and online communication.  Examples of ways that electronics can cause emotional injury is through cyber bulling.  Cyber bulling includes: stalking, harassment, insulting, and name calling.  They should be careful of who they talk to and what information they give out.  The scenario could be even worse if the perpetrator is a stranger.  The perpetrators could camouflage themselves to appear harmless.  Strangers, or people they meet online, and could be very dangerous, and that is why they should take precautions during all online scenarios.  There are also the threats given in person to hurt one emotionally.  When someone says a rude comment to victim in person they can end up getting hurt emotionally.  If they encounter a person-to-person attack, then they should stay calm and proceed to find an adult or authority who could be of assistance.  Of course, people can get injured physically if they are unsafe.

There are dangerous scenarios that affect people’s physical health and well being, and that is another reason that safety should always be considered.  A physical injury can be created by misusing machines.  Some people get hurt by car accidents if they use them unsafely.  If they make sure to wear a seatbelt and follow all the states laws then they will increase their chances of being safe.  People can get hurt by machines, but another way that people can be injured physically is by making mistakes in they way that they take medications.  An example would be taking someone else's medication by accident or on purpose. This causes them to be in harm’s way.  In order to increase safety, they should double check what they are taking, how much, and whether they are following the doctor’s instructions.  Everyday situations can drastically affect someone’s well being, and that is the reason that safety should always be first.

If someone is not safe they could die.  In life, accidental death is a major tragedy, and to prevent that unnecessary sadness safety should always be first.  They could keep safety first by slowing down and by paying attention.  Emotional and physical injury can be prevented if they consider safety.  They should try to avoid the everyday situations that can get them hurt.  Safety should always be first no matter what is being done.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

To Live a Happy and Productive Life...


Growth is necessary to live a happy and productive life.  People are constantly striving to live a happy life by fulfilling their wants.  They also are trying to meet everyday internal and external expectations which results in a productive lifestyle.  For example, when I want to learn a new song that makes me elated I pull out my guitar and learn it. I am also expected to cook dinner for my family.  In order to make sure that I using my time productively, I need to limit the time on my guitar.

When people have an internal goal in life they tend to take baby steps in order to achieve their goals.  Cheerleading is sport that makes me have a happy and productive life.  As a cheerleader I would be extremely joyful if I was to achieve my splits.   If I was not showing growth as a cheerleader, then I would probably not be awarded several opportunities.  If I was not growing and improving as a cheerleader then I could not live a happy and productive life because I would never see myself improving. The actions I take include stretching daily to grow into the more flexible person I want to be.  I get a kick out of seeing myself improve and focusing on new goals. It would be impossible for me to live a happy and productive life without this drive.  We play a large role in deciding what we do to make our lives happy and productive, but we are not the only ones influencing these decisions. 

Our families, corporations, and societies are constantly expecting more of us.  Meeting external expectations leads to happiness and productivity. One example of meeting societies expectation is having good hygiene.  My goal is to impress others with my hygiene, and that motivates me to care of my hair.  I noticed that once I cease to care and treat my hair with quality products, my hair falls out and overall looks dead.  I am motivated to take that extra step because I want to meet societies expectations.  Goals obviously allow people to grow because completing a “good goal” makes the goal conquerer a better person.  The reason that not meeting the expectation makes you feel unsatisfied is because you feel you are portraying an image of a weak soul and slacking spirit.  Anyone can create a goal whether they are influenced personally or by a society.

If you want to have a happy and productive life you need to balance all aspect of it.  Growing physically, mentally and emotionally are important and as you get more advanced in these areas people are awarded new responsibilities externally and internally alike.  Having responsibilities makes me feel like I am worth something, and it truly helps me lead a happy and productive life.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Do I miss school?

"Do you miss school?", I am constantly asked if I miss school followed by the question, "Are you excited to do back?"  I reply with a mere shrug of the shoulders and a smile, then they grasp my shoulder and chuckle lightly.  I always thought this question was asked because they wanted to get rid of us and the adults were ready to send up to a 7 hour day care center.  I actually do still think that or adults aren't that social and don't know what else to say.  Either way, I was never too fond of school, but my friends do make it a million times better.  I enjoy being able to go through a topic if I don't understand it with a friend, and if I am "out of luck" I love to Facebook message the cute boys from my class asking what the homework was or how to do it.  I also like school because I am not part of the dumb crowd, you see, if people need help they actually will come to me.  I like that because then I learn the information better because I am teaching it.  Sometimes, I am the one who is asking for the help because having someone repeat the information to me helps me to remember the information.  In my opinion, going to school is easier, more fun and more efficient then part taking in an online course.  I enjoy being able to give and get help from my peers in class and outside of class.  I feel one of my most useful study habits is exercised at school when I help and get help from people.  I guess its time to start saying, "Yes! I am very excited to go back to school.", because I am excited to rekindle the fire of learning.


Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Cheer HIP-HOP Conditioning

Instead of conditioning taking place in the evening it took place in the morning; us cheerleaders had to wake up bright and early.  It was definitely more fun than the previous conditioning days, but it still was a workout to remember.  We decided to take a group picture and I love how it turned out, everyone has their natural smiles and it is my first photo with the varsity cheerleaders.  I love cheer because it is exciting and I love how nice everyone is.  One of my favorite activities as a cheerleader is stunting!  Even though I am not the one who everyone is paying attention too, I love the trust between the flyer and the base.


Monday, July 29, 2013

Test Taking Tips?

If I don't have a 4.0 GPA in a class, then I evaluate what is causing my grade to be so low.  I personally realized that my test grades have been low, mainly exams over material from the whole or half the year.  I am about to have my final Spanish 3 Online exam and I have to make sure I get above a 93%!  There is a class near my house that helps students take tests better and I am looking forward to enrolling there.  I have tried the free way of looking online, but I already used up all those tricks.  Now it is time to expand my horizons and walk to a window where my dad saw a sign about Test Prep near me!  I will be sure to blog about what I learned and tip and tricks I recommend!

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Perfectionist?

If you try and failed at a task, all the world sees is that you didn't do it.  If something is done half-hearted people do notice.  What I realized was that all my favorite beauty gurus tend to have a beautiful back drop and perfect makeup.  Today I love my outfit of overalls and a black flower tank, but after filming twice I realized today isn't a filming day.  Although I should upload something I don't want to upload something that isn't good, because what use is that to my subscribers.  I want my subscriber count to grow and the only way to do that is be active and create outstanding videos.  I am turning into a perfectionist because I want a retake for the smallest problems.  Is it an issue?  I think not.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Complementing Dresses

I love the way orange looks on purple and the way gold looks on red, but I used to hate the look of pink and blue.  To me pink is a girl color, and blue was a boy color and the two never went well together.  My cousin always leans toward the color pink and I naturally always tended to fall in love with blues and greens, so we always got along on our shopping trips.  Oddly enough the dresses we picked out to wear complemented each other but were also completely different from our tastes.  While I think this is odd I would not switch our outfits because they actually do suit us well.  Of course, now I love the way pink and blue look and they are not solely girl and boy colors.







Thursday, July 25, 2013

Home is where the family is and I really feel like that is true.  Where ever my parents and my dog were was home.  When I went to Spain I was surrounded by a lot more family, including aunts, my cousins and my grandmother.  I really enjoyed this company because I know family always stands up for family.  A lot of the time I find myself trying to depend and share things with friends who could probably careless and that is why I love to visit Spain.  It is a time to spend time with a group of people who care about what happens in my life.  I hope to visit again, but next summer I am probably going to a diabetes camp while my parents take a road trip cross country!







Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Gijon in the Red

This summer during my trip to Spain I visited one of the most popular beaches in Gijon.  Taking the photo on the Gijon letter is one of the most important things when visiting the beach.  My cousin and I hoped onto the letter and my dad snapped the picture, but we had to be fast because everyone wants this photo as well to save the memories.  My cousin needed a little help getting on the O for Olaya and I failed to help, meanwhile my dad succeeded.  I was able to support myself onto the G and Olaya made a joke that it stood for Jorge, one of our very cute friends. XD



Sunday, July 21, 2013

Cheerleading At Beaches

 I was thrilled when I was first notified that my mom and I were going to Spain.  After telling my cousin the news, I asked my cousin if she would want to stunt with me.  She sounded very excited as well, but unluckily for me I wasn't able to convince any one of her friends do it with me.  I really wanted to stunt on the beach or just do a neat move.  I found a perfect back round on an island beneath the port.  I decided to try to handstand against the stone wall and my mom with her iPhone shot an amazing photo I love to this day.  Then I tried to do my scorpion on the island just a short boat ride away from Vigo, Spain.  I was so unstable and we weren't able to take a decent photo of my scorpion.  The rest of the photos were shot at the port at Gijon, Spain.  I was with my cousin, Olaya and we were just playing around and my dad was taking photos.  Here was actually the first time I achieved my heel stretch, but I do realize I was hold my foot incorrectly.  I know I need a lot more practice and to stretch daily to achieve the perfect needle.  I was also playing around and attempting to do a scorpion, but since I was on a ledge I didn't want to let go of the pole.  Yet, I really enjoy the photos of my and my cousin Olaya stretching for a scorpion because they both look very cool.  I didn't expect the photo of my bridge to turn out so great!  Although, I am not doing a cheer bridge, I love how arched my back is.  Not only do I look skinny, but I feel I achieved something after so much practice and stretching.  I can't wait for my next photo shoot at a beach, hopefully next time with a group of friends!










Saturday, July 20, 2013

Trina APPLE JUICE


The first time I had Trina was the first time I had a taste of Spanish apple juice.  After that, I tried several other flavorless and watered-downed brands and arrived at the conclusion that Trina was the best.  I love the taste of Trina and after my 2010 trip I came to the states asking around for Trina, sadly for me they didn't have it anywhere.  I love the beach its absolutely a fun time to bath in the sea and drink Trina.  With my nails pained a red hot and gold color, I am sipping away at the can.  I am enjoying every last drop of this delicious drink.  I defiantly recommend Trina to an foreigners wanting to try something new.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

What Love Is

Today was my first day back in the US and every time I fell asleep on the plane I had a dream about Angel.  You see, today was not only my first day back in the US, but it was also my first time seeing Angel in 29 days!  Angel the Maltese and I have a very special kind of chemistry and I love her to no end.  I always call Angel my baby, but sometimes we act like sisters and while it might be odd for me to call her family, in my heart it feels right.  During her stay at the Animal Hospital she became very sick and I knew it was because she was without the Draper pack.  Right when she saw me the room lite up with her tail wag and I gave her the biggest hug in the world; I almost cried.  The whole taxi ride home she was cuddled up in my arms and I knew she was so content.  Angel taught me that love is a real tough emotion to control, and sometimes it can make you very ill and not want to do anything you once enjoyed.  All in all, I know Angel is my lover. <3 :P

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

My WORST Nightmare

A lot of things don't scare me and most of the time I am really brave, but there is an exception.  I hate going to mines, mine shafts, and going to the mine museum terrified everything inside of me.  This museum was located in La Entrego, Spain and everything within the museum was spanish.  It was a bit difficult for my dad to understand, but my cousin Olaya helped us out along the way.  Within the museum, there were the real machinery and I despised it.  I saw the big drills, the mining masks and what I hated the most was the replicas of a mine collapse.  On these made shift bodies where faces of fear and bucket loads of fake blood.  One of the main attractions at the museum was to visit the mine they had there and I really didn't want to.  We went into an elevator and it felt like it was going really fast, when in actuality it was just going really slow and we later were able to just walk up the stairs to exit.  We walked around and I was fooled into believing we were 600 meters below sea level, but we were just in a basement level.  The mine didn't collapse on me and I was able to go to the gift shop and pick out a cute scarf to accessorize my bag.  My cousin picked out a few sentimental rocks for each member of the family.  This was all my dads idea and although I said I didn't want to go, I am happy he made me.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Sun Hates Me

The sun shines so bright and always finds me as its target because the sun hates me.  I am aware that I need to apply sun screen every single time I go outside; whether it be rain or shine . . . O.K I thought no sun = clouds = no sunscreen and that is where I feel apart.  I went to the beach with Olaya's school and the weather was so cold plus it was cloudy!  Being the foolish child I am, I denied applying my sunscreen and protected myself mostly with a towel from the cold air, therefore leaving my face as the only target for the sun.  My poor face became as red as a ripe cherry, I was hot and in pain for about a week until it finally healed.  Lucky for me, my aunt bought me a cream for my face so that I could heal faster and my mom made sure I applied it every single day.  I am fortunate that it only lasted for a day and I am praying I don't have any long term complications because of this bad burn in the future.  Well I will be honest here, I don't pray.



Finding My Twinnie

Going to the park is something Olaya and I do for fun.  My cousin and I like to spend time there eating, talking or eating and talking.  I always have to bring my insulin and other diabetic supplies of course because I am diabetic.  Anyways, one day we were at the park and saw a little blonde haired girl and a brown haired girl.  Right away we looked at each other because we recognized the resemblance.  Then we began asking for photos with them, because we are just that insane.  They agreed and luckily their parents didn't track us down.  It was a lot of fun playing with this girls for the remainder of the day.  It was fun finding my spanish look-alike.












Saturday, July 13, 2013

Beach Blog :)

"Today is going to be great!", I exclaimed as I packed my bag full of beach necessities.  "We can't be late if we don't want to miss the bus.", I explained to my cousin as she took her time doing everything.  I honestly would be lost and alone in the beach if I was to go without my cousin, so instead of leaving I waited for her.  If we miss the bus, we miss it together, I thought.

We left the house at a reasonable hour and came face to face with several charter buses.  I ended up sharing a seat with my cousin for the 1.5 hour ride.  We actually passed a few other beaches and they provoked me thinking we were going to stop.  The last time I saw a beach on that ride, I wasn't being provoked because we drove to it, parked and we were told to get out.  Later, me and my cousin set up our beach towels and it was actually so cold!  I didn't want to go in the water, but I did and regretted it because it just made me colder.  I stayed out of the water and played in the sand, later my cousin got bored and asked me if I wanted to explore.

We walked past the beach part of the beach to the exciting and beautiful rocks.  This was a dangerous area because the rocks were very sharp and filled with little crabs.  These crabs are not deadly, but they will hurt if they pinch you.  I tried my best to steer clear of these creatures and luckily succeeded.  My cousin and I traded places on who was photographer for the other person.  I had a lot of fun doing this, but I was still very cold.  Despite this, I went to buy an ice cream and I sat on my beach towel for the rest of the field trip and talked to the spanish girls and guys.





Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Little Insight of La Felgura

La Felgura is a cute petite city in Spain with parks, kiosks, stores, avenues and home to part of my Spanish relatives.  The weather is always either rainy or sunny; this is great news for the plants.  All the apartments in La Felgura seem to have a balcony fully decorated with flowers.  People don't tend to eat in their house, but they go outside to eat and chat with friends.  The food is tasty, but every restaurant serves the same dish and there is not much variety.  Since there is no such thing as tip in Spain, the waiters serve, take out orders and give us our check really slowly.  I love the food my grandmother makes because it always makes my tastebuds dance.  In La Fel there are 3 parks, the parque Viejo, the parque Nuevo and the parque Penin.  I used to think there were just names that kids gave the parks, but its actually what they are referenced as!  It is easy to know what park you are in because if you go to the nearest kiosk or vending machine the name is labeled clearly.  Kiosks and vending machines sell everything from sugar spiked candy to olives, while it might be fun to get a flavored ice snack it is all very fattening.  That is why I am not too sad I only have to stay here a month.  I can get away from the temptation!

Thursday, June 13, 2013

5 Days Until..

I am literally counting down the day until school ends and I hop on a plan to Spain.  Right now I have 5 days left and I am already planning what I am going to do when I get there.  I am trying to talk to my cousin more because she is the same age as me and I know we are going to be spending a lot of time together during my visit.  I am also trying to perfect my accent so that other kids can understand me too.  The last time I was in Spain was 2 years ago, and while my memory is really bad I feel like I was there just yesterday.  I have so many memories in Spain with my family and friends there, but I know that I will be making a lot more memories and friendships.  I am very excited and I am counting down the days.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Pow!

Look good in the yellow polka dot bikini; by boxing, it is the answer.  I have been boxing at least 3 times a week for 2 months and it is honestly one of the best activities to take up.  I feel very fit and I see the results already.  I am so proud of myself for finally finding a calorie killing activity at LA Boxing.  I highly recommend boxing to anyone who is looking to get fit.  If I wasn't so insecure I would post before and after photos.  If you have progress posts leave it in the comments below!  Thanks!

Monday, May 27, 2013

Evolution Theory + Famous Contributors

Charles Darwin contributed to science by observing the legendary theory about how life changes overtime.  Darwin observed characteristics of many animals and plants varied noticeably.  Darwin realized life change overtime and organisms became more adept with the society.  James Hutton and Charles Lyell helped scientists recognize that Earth is millions of years old, and in the process that changed Earth in past are the same processes that function in the present.  Lamarch proposed that by selective use or disuse or organs, organisms acquired or lost certain traits in their life time.  These traits could then be passed to their offspring.  Overtime, this process led to change in the species.  Malthus reasoned that if the human population continued to grow unchecked, sooner or later there would be insufficient living space and food for everyone.  In artificial selection, nature provided the variation, and humans selected those variation that they found useful.  Overtime, natural selection results in changes in the inherited characteristics of a population.  Darwin argued that living things have been evolving on Earth for million's of years.  Evidence for this process can be found in fossil records, the geographical distribution of living species, homologous structures of living organisms, and similarities in early development, or embryology.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Done with OFK?

The Disney version is always more friendly than the real deal.  When I was told I was to read The Once and Future King I got excited because I loved the Disney version, little did I know the book completely different.  Since it was so different, it became a very complicated and boring book.  There are parts that go on and on, basically just plain boring.  Today, I took the final test on The Once and Future King and exactly one week from now I am going to turn my essay about Guenever and Lancelot.  Whilie I might not be done yet, I sure am close to being done.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Fear.

I was scared.
Actually, I get scared easily.
When you were lost in the super market... I was lost, scared and alone.
When I found you I complained about being scared and I was upset.
I shouldn't have yelled at you.
But, I did.

Why can't I be happy.
Why can't I be nice.

I was afraid.
Actually, I am always afraid.
You didn't know I killed her.
When you were gone... I was mad, furious and I had a knife.
When you found out I just cried with you.

I am sorry.
I am not happy.
I am not nice.
I am sorry.

Authors note:  Creepy I know!  I am scaring myself.  I just wanted to try this type of writing.  Tell your friends and tell the dog!

Math Basics

Math is a fundamental subject, and within in are some basics.  A lot of vocabulary, so sit tight and enjoy the ride.  A preimage is the original figure in the transformation of a figure in a plane.  An easy way to remember this is to think of pre- in preimage and remember that that means before.  An Image is the new figure that results from the transformation of a figure in a plane.  I like to think that I upload images to my blog.  This helps me because I edit the preimage, maybe transforming it, and then once its ready I upload the image.  The word transformation has been referenced a lot in my other definitions.  Basically, its the operation that moves a preimage onto an image.  3 of the basics are reflections, rotations and translations.  A reflection is they type of transformation that uses a line that acts like a mirror with an image reflected in the line.  When ever I write a sign and try to look at it in the mirror everything is flipped.  Try it and understand reflections better.  A rotation is another transformation and it is when a figure is turned about a fixed point, called the center of rotation.  Remember!! Every rotation has 3 critical elements, a center of rotation, a direction of rotation and an angle of rotation.  The final important transformation is the translation; slides figure the same distance in the same direction.  Latin is important because I was able to pick up that trans- means across.  To wrap everything up, rigid transformation or isometry preserves lengths, angle measures, parallel lines and distance between two points.  Isometry makes sure everything is and stays equal.  Math basics are important to move forward in learning.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Emo? Emotional? Cutting?

Three words you never want to here from your best friend, son or daughter is the works, "I cut."  I am happy with my life, so I would never cut, but after serious thought over the subject I have concluded a reason for self harm.  Each cut is a very painful experience especially heart-breaking because someone is hurting themselves. I believe that the emotional pain they are feeling is confusing their body and so they associate it with physical harm by sawing at their skin.  While "sawing" may not be an appropriate word, I feel that it is very conveying and intense word choice.

Enough Water?

This post isn't about conversion of water, because frankly if that was an issue it would be on the news more often; instead it's the minuscule ad in the corner of a website.  When I say "enough water,"I mean enough water for our body, do we really drink the suggested 6-8 glasses?  I never was able to figure out how big a glass actually was, so when I was little I would drink 6 of the smallest glasses I could find and drink that: I hated water.  I was inspired today by my biology teacher who was talking about needs of animals and how people needs 6-8 glasses of water.  The whole class might have just laughed because I am pretty sure none of us drink that much water unless we are athletes or they are weirdos who never want to stop going to the restroom.  I wonder what the exact measurement of water is truly enough water.  Do you ever think of that?

Art and Government. Greek/Roman and Middle Ages.

Last semester, world civ students were educated on Greek and Roman Life, including art and government.  The Greeks and Romans were very different from the Middle Ages.  Although, the Medieval period was based on some Roman philosophies.  All in all, Germanic tribes were barbaric compared to Rome.

The Greek/Roman art included pillars, realistic glorified people who were proportional, meanwhile the golden ratio did not apply at all in the Middle ages.  There is nothing similar in these two societies except that art was created by artisans.  The government was also none in the same.

In the barbaric society, also known as the Germanic tribes, they had small bands of warriors led by lord, unwritten laws, traditions, and family ties, also ruling a large territory was impossible that made up their government.  On the other hand, Rome had a large public government, had unified laws and ruled vast territory.  Which means that all the rumors that vikings are barbaric is true!

Civ students have vast knowledge in Greek and Roman lifestyle and now they also know about the Germanic tribes.  We can conclude there is nothing that these two societies share in common in terms of government and art.  Although the Medieval was based on the Roman Heritage, Catholic Church and Germanic Tribes, that is the one of the only things that can link these two societies.

deFining Feudalism

The Vikings, Muslims and Magyars were attacking Europe.  Kings were too weak to protect the people and maintain order, because of this they granted nobles use of land from Royal Estates.  Nobles were respected, meanwhile peasants were not.  Every peasant had to give 1/3 of their produce to the King for protection by the kings knights.  There were also taxes that the peasants had to pay.  Let us not forget the serfs who were legally bound to the king's land with feudalism.

Magyar and Muslim

Magyar people were nomadic from Modern day Hungry and they attacked Italy, meanwhile Muslims attacked North Africa, Spain and Italy.  People who were conquered in the Magyer society were made slaves.  In the 800's the Muslims wanted to settle in Europe, but once a decade passed in 900's they ended up wanting to plunder (pillage/sack) Europe.  Although, the Magyers and the Muslims where not the only two groups, the celts, angels and saxons made up a large portion of the tribes.

The Crusades

The crusades defiantly changed the role of the church, because now the pope and nobles authority was weakening, meanwhile kings gained authority.  Not only did the crusade change the role, but they also were constantly changing the control over the Holy land with other Mediterranean empires.

Jerusalem was a holy city that the Christians, Jews and Muslims wanted control over.  The Christians believed that Jerusalem was holy because that was where Jesus was crucified and resurrected.  Jewish people believed it was God's own city and site of Soloman's temple.  The Muslims believed that it was 3rd holiest city and where Muhammad ascended to heaven.  The Crusade's were a Christian group that fought for the religious right of Jerusalem.

Pope Urban ignited the Crusades when he said, "Expel that wicked race from our Christian lands... Christ commands it."  Crusade actually has latin in it "crux" means cross.  The Crusades ended up being a series of nine military expeditions.  Why would people go?  Well knights could finally use the techniques they learned, peasents had freedom from feaudal lands, and anyone else that wanted to go could get instant salvation if killed, plus the chances of adventure and possible wealth were out there.

The Crusades were a series of bloody wars for religious reasons.  Pope Urban lead the people through this and everyone could get a reason to go.  Would you?

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Very important Vikings

Vikings were a Scandinavian people who thrived in the Middle Age and were famous for their quick attacks all over Europe's coast in longboats which held up to three hundred men.  They fought counties such as Ireland and France.  Erick the Red was an explorer who discovered Greenland and Iceland in 968 and founded settlements.  He named the land he discovered "Iceland" even though it was beautiful there because he wanted people to not venture there.  Ironically, Greenland was actually an icy land, even though people went there expecting it to be green and lush.  Leif Erickson, son of Erick the Red, reached North American around 1000 AD.  Viking literature included writings such as Eddas meaning long poems, and Sagas meaning long tales.  Vikings spoke Danish, Netherlandic, Swedish and Icelandic among other languages.  The Viking era was barbaric and violent, but after they turned Christian they became more civilized.

Plant Perspective: Day 9: Peas

Yesterday, I remember peaking from the soil and Alicia being so excited.  Today, all the other peas sprouted and I couldn't wait to see Alicia's reaction.  The look on her face was more excited than when she saw Angel for the first time.  Okay, maybe not THAT excited. -Taylor

Crowded Much? Plant perspective: Day 15

Today everyone has sprouted and I am making it official.  I feel like we aren't a big family because we are divided by an imaginary barrier's in the pot.  Half of us are spinach and the other half of us are peas.  I like to call them "high maintenance" because eventually the peas are going to need a little support.  I guess being a spinach has benefits like not being forced in the vine family.  The good thing is, I like being me. I am unique like any other veggie, although people aren't to fond of my taste...  That's another benefit, I will never go extinct!  I never wanted to die anyways.
-Mikie

Day 3: Plant Perspective: Spinach

I am so self conscious of my seed size.  I am so microscopic compared to the pea's... - Jamie

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Day 3: Plant Perspective: Peas

Today I was dying of thirst and right when I began to lose faith in the girl she appeared and gave us a generous drink of lukewarm water from the closet.  I love her so much, because I feel she is so perfect.  Today nothing much happened, because it's a Sunday and everyone is taking this day to relax, well everyone except the girl.  I overheard her name was Alicia and I think that is a beautiful name.  Alicia and the peas.

Day 2: Plant Perspective: Peas

4/06/13 Someone grabs us from the table and we go to the balcony.  I can smell the dirt the person is shoveling into the pot.  My heart begins to beat faster and faster.  Then I hear the scissors opening up the packet and then I see her: A young girl with brown hair smiling at us.  She pours us one by one into five special dirt valleys.  I am #3 and I didn't see who else was chosen to grow.  The rest of my family gets stored in a closet on the balcony and I am comforted in knowing they are nearby.  Before the girl leaves she gives us a fabulous drink of clean cold water.  The girl comes back about three more times to water us and she acts very gentle and kind.  I close my eyes and sleep for the night, because today was good.

Day 1: Plant Perspective: Peas

04/5/13
The paper walls almost touch each other and we are all crammed at the bottom.  It's so dark and we want to be planted.  Someone picked our pouch from the rack of packets at Home Depot and I am so grateful.  The drive to our new pot made me a bit homesick and when we got to the unfamiliar location we got placed on a table for the night to rest.

Mr. Charlemagne

During Carolingian Dynasty, that lasted from 751AD- 987AD, the throne was passed on from father to son.  Pepin the Short had three sons and Charlemagne was the one to receive the crown.

Charlemagne was Pepin the Shorts son and he had 2 major goals when he was king.  He wanted to bring all of western Germany under his control and make all the Germanic people Christians.  Which would eliminate the religious tolerance from before.  To achieve his two goals he defeated unruly mobs in Italy and he attacked the Saxons who lived in what today is northern Germany.  Charlemagne was busy attacking and even went agains the Muslims in Spain.  By 800 Charlemagne had created a large empire that included most of the Germanic territories.

Several achievements were acquired by Charlemagne.  In 800 he was crowned by the Pope the title of, "Roman Emperor."  This was important because the pope claimed the political right to crown the king. During his rule, Charlemagne limited authority of nobles, established royal agents to watch over counts, he opened a palace school and had monasteries to train future monks and priests.

After Charlemagne he crowned his son, Louis the Pious emperor.  He wasn't an effective emperor, so his three sons: Lothair, Louis the German, Charles the Bald fought for power.  Finally, the Treaty of Verdun was created and it divided the empire into 3 kingdoms and this lead to a weakened central authority and a new governing system called Feudalism.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Frank Empire Notes!!


The Middle Ages began in 500AD and lasted until 1000AD and they were based on classical Roman Heritage, Roman Catholic Church and Customs of Germanic Tribes.  Germanic tribes include the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Vandals, Angels, Saxons, Magyar, Franks and Britons.  These tribes lived in current day Spain, Africa, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Scotland and Great Britain.  The Franks, in particular, settled in current day France.

The Franks were from Gaul, also known as current day France and Switzerland.  In 511AD Clovis became the first King of the Franks who united all of Franks into one kingdom.  After praying for a victory in battle he converted to Christianity because he won.  After Clovis, someone else had to rule over the Franks.

The Kings divided land among their heirs, each generation had more rulers and therefore less land.  In 700 the position, Mayors of the Palace, became the most powerful in the Frankish Kingdom.  These Mayors controlled royal households and estates, armies and the policy.

Eventually, Charles Martel came into action in 732 AD and he defeated Muslims at the Battle of Tours, which prevented Europe from becoming part of the Muslim Empire.  Martel's son began the Carolingian Dynasty(751AD-987AD) and instead of the Mayors being most powerful, there were kings once again.

The Carolingian Dynasty from 751AD-987AD became the new kings for the Frankish Empire.  Pepin the Short was Charles Martel's son and forced Lombards out of Rome which earned the pope's appreciation.  He was made King of the Franks, appointed by Pope and the Carolingian Dynasty began.  

Friday, March 29, 2013

RS: The Once and Future King- Merlin

Magic is impossible, an illusion is realistic, and this is a fiction story.  Merlin is the magician living in the woods that Sir Ector invites to his castle after finding out he is educating the boys.  Merlin worked with Arthur first, shape shifting him into different animals to learn lessons on societal conflict.  Merlin disappears year after year because after he teaches Arthur and Kay his work is done.  Arthur and Kay grow up with Merlin like he is the crazy uncle.  As they grow up, Arthur finds interest in Merlin's magic, meanwhile Kay despises the use of magic.  Sir Ector loves Merlin for teaching the boys such valuable lessons.  Merlin never has a temper and he isn't over emotional therefore he is great at what he does and he also has a great personality.

RS: The Once and Future King- Arthur

People call him Wart, not because of acne but because he is a pathetic loser.  A lanky boy who brother to Kay.  Learn more about Kay in my last blog.  http://bridgetodrali.blogspot.com/2013/03/reading-summary-rs-once-and-future-king.html  Wart was adopted with the birth name of Arthur by Sir Ector.  Arthur is an advisor to Kay meaning he has to get whatever Kay wants.  While Arthur is looking for an animal for Kay, Arthur meets Merlin who is a wizard.  Arthur explains how he wishes he had the privileges to learn like Kay did and thats when Merlin starts to teach Arthur life lessons.  Arthur eventually does become king in place of Kay after he pulls out the sword from the stone.  Though this wouldn't have happened if Kay did not request a sword that Arthur couldn't find in town.  Arthur is more fit to be king because he is caring and compassionate.  Arthur also knows several scenarios of conflicts he has had to resolve from Merlin's teachings.  Arthur is well fit to be king instead of Kay and this does happen at the end of the book.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Reading Summary (RS): The Once and Future King- Kay.

"You're acting just like Kay!"  This is a phrase someone might be able to use if they have read The Once and Future King.  Relatives are relative and Kay is son to Sir Ector, and brother to Wart.  In the beginning of the book the young boy acts like a complete brat.  As Kay gets older he never really matures even though he is prince and will take the throne in place of Sir Ector.  Kay is a troublemaker and always starts fights with Wart, also he is very picky and doesn’t like adventures or Merlin’s magic.  He is arrogant when he uses bows to big for him though, even though he is good at shooting his arrows.  All in all, Kay will be good at ruling a kingdom because of skills he has acquired such as archery from Merlin and Arthur.  Although, he will struggle in places such as teamwork and working through a problem.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Genes: Mutations


Some selective breeders can increase genetic variation by creating mutations.  Mutations can occur spontaneously, but they can also occur with radiation and chemicals.  Many mutations are harmful, however breeders do this because they want desirable characteristics not found in the original population.  The small size of bacteria has been useful to radiate and poison all the organisms, therefore creating a higher chance of a mutation.  Oil-digesting bacteria has been mutated in laboratories.  Mutations are harmful and kill several organisms, but in the end a desired trait is achieved.  Mutations have also created polyploid plants.  Polyploid plants have many sets of chromosomes, they are usually fatal in animals.  Banana’s and some citrus fruits are polyploid.  I love banana’s!  This mutations was a good call.

Genes: Selective Breeding.

Humans have used science to produce variations of organisms.  This process is called selective breeding; the two types of selective breeding are hybridization and inbreeding.  Luther Burbank is a plant breeder known for being the greatest selective plant breeder of all time.  Burnamk used hybridization to cross different organisms together and use the best of the parent traits for the offspring.  Hybridization led to plants that had characteristics that increased food production.  Inbreeding is continued breeding of organisms with similar traits.  This is how dogs are kept pure breed and get a pedigreed certificate.  Selective breeders can use hybridization or inbreeding to create variations of organisms.