Friday, May 4, 2012

My Blog Reflection


Blog Reflection

            A semester flies by when you actually enjoy a class. I am currently taking an online English class. The instructor for this class is Mrs. Holly Chism. This class consisted of entries of blogs that we personally got to design and chose a topic for each entry. In this paper I am going to explain the pro’s and con’s of the blog assignments we did in class and my overall thoughts of what I learned from the blogs.

            The first initial assignment we were introduced to was the blog entries. This experience to me at first was a little intimidating, but exciting. I had never had the chance to create a blog, let alone write about a specific event or news articles. I was first scared because I am not a very good writer, but honestly I felt like it was fun to learn about news topics that were interesting to me, and also made it much easier and enjoyable for me to write. My opinion when you write about something you enjoy the writing comes a lot more painless to me.

            In the process of writing a blog I have learned that self discipline is a number one when having an online class, especially when you have a timeline to write the blogs. But also learning that I learned so much more about what was going on with the news, I felt smarter because I was more knowledgeable and confident of what was going on with the world and my surroundings.

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Another experience I gained from the blog was how my writing style was done. When you are always told how to write things I feel like you never learn how to write yourself, but how someone else wants you to write and you do not gain from it.

            The blog was a great experience to keep up with, but traditionally wanted to write about myself and my family for my family that lives across the country. But keeping up the blog if I was just writing about the news articles seems like a time consuming part in my life. I am a mother of three boys, full time school and full time job; I don’t see why I would. But if I had started out writing about my family and they enjoyed it, I could see myself still writing, and maybe when I am done with school and have time for myself to do things, blogging might become a hobby for me in the future.

            Overall, I feel like the blogging experience was a great learning experience, but scary at first. But in the end I found out how my writing style was formed into how I like to write. If I would have changed one thing about the blogging assignment it would be too write more about myself and family, so I feel more like I was being productive with information to someone else. I absolutely loved this class and I am glad that I got to take it and discover a unique way to learn but being productive at the same time.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Wedding Bells and Kids!

Today, I am writing a personal blog. My husband and I's very good friend is getting married on Saturday, and we are both super happy for them. We are back in Kansas, this is our home town, it is so beautful! Just one thing we are really nervous about, our three boys are to be in the wedding! Yes we are happy they are gonna be in the wedding, but nervous how they will act. Wait, I will take that back, we know our eight and seven year old will do great, but we have a four year old boy, woo, yep thats a different story. I am thinking right now, will he even walk down the isle, will he do something funny as soon as he gets down the isle? Needless to say, kids make the wedding right? Well, I sure hope so with him. Thank the lord he has blue eyes and blonde, curly hair. So my question is has anyone else had an onrey kid in their wedding or a child of theirs? How did they do? Was it as nerve wracking as I am? Let me know your thoughts!!! And yes I will post pictures as well for everyone!! Thanks and have a great weekend!!!

13year old boy points out mistake in museum art!

A New York City Museum, The Met, it is a museum of artistical and museum of history. A 13year old boy, Coady was at the museum and is a avid history buff noticed that a certain map, Byzantine Empire, which Coady had been studying at school. He was reviewing the map and noticed that where Spain and Africa were supposed to be some dates were missing. He went to the frond desk and tried to explain to someone but Coady's response was, "The front desk didn't believe me," he told the paper. "I'm only a kid." However, Coady did recieve a email from the museum, vice president of external affairs saying that his request had been forwarded on to the museums mideval department for further evaluation. A couple months had passed and he got another email saying that he was exactly right. They even invited him personally to tell him that they are working on getting it updated.

What did I learn from this article from Yahoo News? Never, ever underestimate a childs thoughts. They might kick you in the rear later. Mr. Coady was very correct and I am sure it made him feel good about being able to pick out something that was in the Museum that none of us could probably ever notice. I always smile back and think as well, we are teaching our children the right things. So when a 13 year old or however old tells you that something is wrong, listen to the kid, you never know he's probably right!

ROLLERCOASTER TIME!

Have you been to Dollywood? Well its about summer time and what does that mean? Themeparks, rollercoaster and fun! MSN news gives a great article on how to get that adrenaline rush. This new main attraction is in Pigeon Forge Tennessee and is the first ever winged roller coaster. This ride has the seats on the outside of the track where you have nothing underneath your feet or head, swaying you like you are just flying in air. This roller coaster goes at speeds of being on a freeway, 200 feet high and zero-gravity roll. The roller coaster is built to look like the great Tennessee's national bird.

I WANT TO GO! Was exactly my first thought, I am absolutely an adrenaline junky and love trying new exciting things. It would just be blast to feel the air through your hair and having nothing underneath your feet or head just the wind! Yes scary, but fun! My favorite rollercoaster ride is Mamba at Worlds of Fun. I hope one of these days I get the chance to go to Dollyworld! Has anyone been there or what is your favorite ride?

Goodwill into History!

Usually the things you buy at a goodwill are really not famous for anything but for yourself? Ones trash becomes someone elses treasure right? Well this article I found in Yahoo News! comes close to home for all of us. A good will that started in Oklahoma and made its way to New York in the good will internal storage was a piece of clay art that was dated all the way back to somewhere 2,000 years ago. The piece was being bid on for about 4.99 and inside the piece of art was a note that said "Found in a burial mound near Spiro Oklahoma in 1970." The Goodwill is returning it to Oklahoma in the Caddo Indian Nation.

My first thought of this article was how neat that it traveled all the way from Oklahoma to New York and to be found out that it is a piece of old art history. I am sure glad someone found that it was history as well because someone else could of got their hands on it and made some money off of it. But now its going back to Oklahoma where it belongs! Has anyone else found a piece of art or something cool that was history or had a meaning?

Cell phone Privacy Invasion at Best Buy

How many of you take your phones to a cell phone shop or Best Buy to get it fixed? I bet you will second guess this next time you need a fix on your phone. this article I found on Yahoo News explains why. A heterosexual man took his phone to Best Buy to get it fixed and accidentally left up the Facebook app on. And as soon as he recieved his new phone in replacement he brought up the Facebook page and his status read "I am gay, I am coming out". The man gave a complaint to the store and they came back with he was fired, he as well is looking into legal action with his lawyer.
I read this and was so upset for this man, I think something more legal should have happened to the man that was "just" fired.  Like the man brought up in the article this is so not right on many levels,  his words were ,"I feel I have been humiliated. My reputation has been tarnished," he said."Just having to explain it to certain people that I haven't been in contact for a while," he said. "I feel I shouldn't have to do that." So next time when you take your phone to the store I would make sure everything is deleted off there, and that is sad to say our privacy has to be eliminated that way.

2 year old enters the MENSA

In Yahoo News! the article I came across was of a 2 year old that had a IQ of a 154, she is from Canada.  The young boy is the youngest to be adopted into the program  The 2 year old can recite the alphabet forward and backward, count to 1000 and as well recite the planets in order. He is the second 2 year old to be admitted into the Mensa ever. The little boy speaks in 3 languages (English, Spanish and Romanian). At an early age of 4mths he was able to look at cards when someone would show him a few and they would say the letter C he would point at it because he could say what he wanted at the young age.

My first thought of this article was how cool is this, to have a little boy of 2 years old be entered into the Mensa, its amazing to see little ones with such a high knowledge of things, if everyone would be so involved in there kids lives I think we would have alot more children with higher IQ's. So lets all work harder with our children and see if any of them are entered into the Mensa!

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

DEA "accidently" leaves boy in cell for 4 days

In this article I found in Yahoo News! was about a student in California who was at a house smoking marijuana was hit by the DEA for a drug raid. The young man was not charged for any of the things he had done and was even told by the DEA that he would be just taken home, but was taken to a tiny holding cell and was left there for four days, with no food,water or bathroom utilites. The boy claims to had hearing other officers in rooms talking and so forth, but screamed and screamed for help and no response. He ended up drinking his own urine and tried killing him self with the glass in the lenses of his own glasses, sure that he was going to die. A DEA agent had finally found him and called a ambulance where he was taken to a hospital and put in ICU for kidney failure. The head of DEA had spoken and was give a apology for Yahoo news to publish, it contained, I extend my deepest apologies the young man and want to express that this event is not indicative of the high standards that I hold my employees to. I have personally ordered an extensive review of our policies and procedures." The young man plans on suing the DEA.

My first thought this is horrendous, at every single level, no person that was found doing drugs should be treated like that, race, sex or gender. I hope someone takes a serious look at this. Even when you could hear people outside of the room, you know they could hear you as well. I hope this is a eye awakening and people get fired because I feel horrible for this young man. And he deserves more than apology I would say from this police division. I cant even imagine a judge saying that this would be ok for a "accident" no way. What do you think was it an accident or was it on purpose?

5 things we should not say to our children!

Most of you have children on here from what I can see! I know some of you don't either but this is a great article for anyone that has kids to ones that babysit or has nieces, nephews etc. Its five things parents shouldn't say to there kids! The article explains some of the basic things we say to our children to get them to do things when they don't, such as "act your age", "say your sorry", "I don't care", "don't you get it" and my favorite "I am leaving without you", and then gives you advice why not to say it but also tips to you what to say to them to do things we want without saying those phrases! I hope you like this article that I found on Yahoo News! and it is helpful to you as much as it was to me!

My first thought was this hits right at home! My kids are super onrey and well they are boys and sometimes don't like to listen especially my four year old. I tend to use the "I am leaving with out you phrase", and it hurt me to read this because some of the article read that sometimes kids take this heart because they really don't want you to leave them and then will just get used to the fact that you say that and becomes meaningless to them. So my goal is try to void from saying "I am leaving without you". And it will be hard but definite transition that needs to be made!

NATURAL PEST CONTROL

So how many of you have those nasty aunts that come back or those little fruit fly's that always seem to be bothering you while your in the kitchen? Well we all know we have them,and I am sure you have looked every where to certain products you buy at a store that is very expensive to things your grandparents said works, but I was looking through Pinterest and found this great article on how to make your own recipe to get rid of these bad boys and had a lot of post that says they work!

Fruit Fly Trap

1 quart jar
1 piece of paper, rolled up into a funnel
tape
apple cider vinegar
small slice of banana
Fill a quart jar with a 1/2 inch of apple cider vinegar and a small piece of banana. Roll up your paper into a funnel shape (larger at the top) and tape it in place. Place the funnel into your jar and make sure all the edges are secured shut with tape. You may have to adjust the size of your funnel to make sure it fits nicely into your jar. Place the jar where the fruit flies are flying around and let it go to work. You will be amazed at how well this trap works. The fruit flies will smell the fruit and climb inside, but for some odd reason they don’t fly back up the funnel to get out. When you have caught a good supply, place the entire jar in the freezer. After a short time that flies with die and you can remove the jar from the freezer and use it again without even removing the old contents. Use repeatedly until your fruit flies are eliminated.
As you can see in my picture, this easy trap is amazingly effective!

Ant Trap

We are often plagued with ants in the summer time as well around here. We have various sorts of carpenter and sugar ants. This little concoction does the trick! Last year we had huge carpenter ants all around our kitchen. Many were coming out of our electrical saukets in our kitchen. We were blown away by how quickly they were eradicated with this recipe.
1 tsp. borax (borax is an natural laundry boosting powder available in the laundry section of the store, normally on the top shelf)
2 cups hot water
6 Tbsp sugar
folded paper towel
small shallow cup (like a creme burlee dish)
Disolve borax in hot water. Stir in sugar. Dip the folded paper towel, using tongs, in the solution till completely saturated with solution. Cram the paper towel in the dish. Place in location where you have seen the ants. This solution will be eaten by the ants and taken back to the nest to share with the other ants and thus eradicate the entire nest. Keep away from children by placing on a countertop or cupboard, if possible.

My first thought of this article was YAY! I can finally get rid of my ants!! I have three boys that are always into some kind of snack and leaving trails of crumbs all over the place! I even remember one time they left a honey bun under the bed and the aunts were covered in it and I had nightmares for a week about the ants attacking my kids! Crazy YES, but I did. So I am very excited to post this and try it and hope it works for everyone else! Enjoy and good luck.

Elephant plays harmonica!

Shanthi a elephant that has a unique gift, he plays the harmonica with her trunk. Well if you want to see this little fella you will have to go to the Smithsonian National Zoo. The zoo sent out a video of the 36 year old elephant playing the harmonica that is attached to her stall, she also likes to even play when there is no one around. Her trainer says she is musically inclined, she likes doing other different things to make music as well, like rubbing her legs together, flapping her ears, hitting the wall to just repeat sounds she hears.
The first thought I had with this article Yahoo News showed was amazing, it always is very heartful that you see a animal doing something they love especially being in a zoo. The kids even enjoy seeing this too, always puts a smile on someones face no matter what!

MOTHER CHARGED FOR PUTTING HER DAUGHTER IN THE TANNING BED!!

Yahoo News! had a article that hit me right in the face, a 44 year old mother who likes to tan, takes her daughter to tan, but this time in the tanning bed with her this time. The young girl went to school and told her friends that she got to tan with her mommy. The little girl went to the nurse and and the nurse noticed that she had burns on her body that represent from a tanning bed. The mother denies putting her in the tanning bed, and that she got the burns from swimming outside with her mother. The mother was charged with felony endangerment with a child and then was released on a 25,000 dollar bond. The father stepped in and made a comment,"It was just a misinterpreted from the teacher, it was 85 degrees outside, she got sunburned. Thats it. Thats all that happened."
My first reaction to this was wow, really a woman put her 5 year old daughter in a tanning bed? That is so wrong in every level. If you watch the video, it looks as if the mother is a little obsessed with her tanning herself, so I could definately see her putting the child in the tanning bed with  her, but I could as well see her playing outside and getting burnt, but to me you can really tell a difference in between the tans, and she deserved what she got, I guess next time for everyone's sake don't take your kids in the tanning booth with you! They are still exposed to those nasty UV's!

GIVE BACK MY 1 MILLION DOLLAR TICKET!

My article today was found in Yahoo News!, it was about a woman Sharon Jones put her lottery ticket underneath the digital scanner to see if she won, the scanner then replied back "not a winner", so what does she do? She throws it away and walks out. Well, that's not the end of it, another woman comes by Sharon Duncan and picks up a handful of tickets and has them re-rung, and what happens? SHE WINS A MILLION DOLLARS! But, there is a bad deal to do this, the lady that threw it away wants her million dollars back, and a judge has clarified she gets it back. Sharon Duncan is very upset, she has bought gifts for her children and a new truck for herself.
My first reaction to this article was very sad. I just think its ridiculous for the other lady that got it out of the trash. She is the one that picked up and had it rescanned, it was the first ladies fault she threw it away. And my second thought is she picked up a few other tickets outta the trash, how do they know that it belongs to Sharon Duncan is my question? I think this is a horrible on every level, someone needs to make a law or something, because that's just like someone dropping a ticket thinking they didn't win and someone comes along and picks it up and wins off of it. How does that work?