Well, 2011 is drawing to a close. And all I can say is thank god! This year has been an emotional roller coaster. Life has pitched a couple of curve balls, and although there are a whole lot of things I would have changed, whats done is done and I can not wait to move on. I'm not going to make a whole list of resolutions that I will never be able to keep, like exercise daily or get a 4.0. Because as great as those two things would be I can't even begin to promise to keep them.
So I am setting two goals for myself this year. Don't drink any soda and try to be happy. Not be happy, because that isn't something I can control. I can't mentally force myself to always be happy and anyway how can one realize the good with out living through the bad. I refuse to waste my life any more. I will not live to please everyone, but I will try my hardest not to offend them. My choices are my own, and although I'd like to be friends with everyone I will not change who I am just to please you.
I hope you all have a happy new years eve and a happy new year! Stay safe tonight y'all!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
Lets Explore Diabetes with Owls
As you guys read earlier, my dad and I went to a David Sedaris book signing. We decided to get his newest book Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk signed for my grandfather, who's sense of humor is something else. And since Christmas was still a few weeks away, my family decided to capitalize on having the book in the house by all reading it. And before anyone gets up in arms, its something my entire extend family does.
So after the book signing that night, I settled in with Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk and started to read. It is a collection of stories. Animals have been personified and it is assumed that they live like we do. And that instead of animals being different species they are somewhat like different races and can communicate with one another. It seems that only humans can not speak with the other animals. Each story is a few pages, with cleverly drawn, although somewhat gruesome, illustrations. All of the stories have a moral, and they really are like a modern funny version of Aesop's fables.
So after the book signing that night, I settled in with Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk and started to read. It is a collection of stories. Animals have been personified and it is assumed that they live like we do. And that instead of animals being different species they are somewhat like different races and can communicate with one another. It seems that only humans can not speak with the other animals. Each story is a few pages, with cleverly drawn, although somewhat gruesome, illustrations. All of the stories have a moral, and they really are like a modern funny version of Aesop's fables.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Love and War: Books I always seem to read?
Sometimes I just have this overwhelming urge to go to the library. Sometimes I slowly go through books and don't realize that I have nothing left to read. This happened a while ago when I had finished all my work early and wanted to settle in and take a long bath and read. But I had no books. So I bugged my mom to drive me to the library to get something good to read. And then I got there and saw that the upstairs was closed for some reason. And the first floor was all picture books. Luckily there are a few carts of books that need to be re shelved after being checked in. Sometimes I look through those to find something to read that I normally wouldn't have found. So that's what I did. And I found a few gems.
Next to Love by Ellen Feldman was one of those books. It drew me in and I could not pull myself away from it. It takes place in a pretty normal town somewhere in the US. I'm sure the name is told but really its unimportant. The plot line revolves around three friends, Babe, Millie, and Grace. Millie and Grace are pretty well to do, although Millie's mother and father both died when she was young. Babe however lives on the "wrong side of town" and although Graces mother did not want them to be friends, a bond was formed. The three of them all have husbands that go off to war, and the book switches perspectives between the three friends, their husbands, their children, and other people in their lives to create a full painting of their lives slightly before, during, and after the second world war. Feldman's writing is captivating and her plot lines excellent. The way they weave together truly mirror the way life works. However in life you normally don't get the privilege of seeing other peoples perspectives.
Next to Love by Ellen Feldman was one of those books. It drew me in and I could not pull myself away from it. It takes place in a pretty normal town somewhere in the US. I'm sure the name is told but really its unimportant. The plot line revolves around three friends, Babe, Millie, and Grace. Millie and Grace are pretty well to do, although Millie's mother and father both died when she was young. Babe however lives on the "wrong side of town" and although Graces mother did not want them to be friends, a bond was formed. The three of them all have husbands that go off to war, and the book switches perspectives between the three friends, their husbands, their children, and other people in their lives to create a full painting of their lives slightly before, during, and after the second world war. Feldman's writing is captivating and her plot lines excellent. The way they weave together truly mirror the way life works. However in life you normally don't get the privilege of seeing other peoples perspectives.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Quilting and War: an Interesting Combo
Handicrafts are great. Sadly they are becoming lost arts and people move to things like digital design. But I am one of the people keeping them alive by practicing them. Another way that they are being kept alive is by the serge of popular novels that center around knitting clubs and quilters. We've all spotted them in book stores and at libraries and I've been reading a few that have been catching my eye. Most of them are light and fluffy, like Harlequin but if you trade sex for needlework. And normally the plot lines are a little less generic and predictable.
But one handicraft novel that I have particularly enjoyed is The Union Quilters by Jennifer Chaverini. It takes a few things that I love, multi perspective books, historical fiction, strong independent female characters, and quilting and put them into one handy dandy novel. The Union Quilters switches its narrator between a few women in a quilting club and their spouses and lovers. It is just at the beginning of the civil war and many of the men are enlisting. And to help their troops, the women make quilts to donate and also sell them for profit and then use the money to buy supplies for the soldiers. Something pretty new in those days.
The Union Quilters also isn't all happiness and cool patterns. Not all of the women that we grow to love through the course of the book have a happy ending. There is racism, unrequited love, hate, and pain. Just like the real world. Yes there are some cliches but then again there are lots of cliches out there. It seems like my life is full of them.
After I finished The Union Quilters I discovered that it was part of a series. So I am going to read all of them, because it was so enjoyable.
But one handicraft novel that I have particularly enjoyed is The Union Quilters by Jennifer Chaverini. It takes a few things that I love, multi perspective books, historical fiction, strong independent female characters, and quilting and put them into one handy dandy novel. The Union Quilters switches its narrator between a few women in a quilting club and their spouses and lovers. It is just at the beginning of the civil war and many of the men are enlisting. And to help their troops, the women make quilts to donate and also sell them for profit and then use the money to buy supplies for the soldiers. Something pretty new in those days.
The Union Quilters also isn't all happiness and cool patterns. Not all of the women that we grow to love through the course of the book have a happy ending. There is racism, unrequited love, hate, and pain. Just like the real world. Yes there are some cliches but then again there are lots of cliches out there. It seems like my life is full of them.
After I finished The Union Quilters I discovered that it was part of a series. So I am going to read all of them, because it was so enjoyable.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
In Which I Discover My Love of Hospitals
Anyone who has been reading this blog for a while knows I want to be a doctor. If your new, quick recap. I've wanted to be a doctor since the age of nine when my mom and dad took away most of the "kid channels" aka Disney and Nickelodeon because I had developed an attitude. The only good channels were TLC, Discovery Health, and Discover Kids and so I watched a bunch of doctor shows.
So about two summers ago when I heard that the local children's hospital was offering a summer volunteer program for kids my age, I obviously applied. I filled out all of the forms, got the required teacher recommendations, mailed everything in, and waited. After a while some of my friends started to get their acceptance letters and I started to become nervous that I hadn't made the cut. But a few days later I got the letter saying I had been accepted for the summer program and that I would be working in urology and physicians billing.
After a brief orientation and TB test I had gotten my work clothes and was all ready to go. I loved spending time at the hospital. The hustle and bustle of people doing things that really made a difference put a pep in my step and I especially loved my time in physicians billing, creating charts with different prices to make things go smoothly. Urology was great but it was a lot of filing and weeding through papers. But in both places my work was really appreciated and in doing it I freed up everyone else to do more important things.
In the middle of the day I ate lunch with my friends who we in different departments and just sat around chatting. For an almost high schooler like my self it was very empowering and freeing. And I found out how much I love to be in a hospital. As long as I am not sick that is.
Oh and Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Winter Solstice, Etc.
So about two summers ago when I heard that the local children's hospital was offering a summer volunteer program for kids my age, I obviously applied. I filled out all of the forms, got the required teacher recommendations, mailed everything in, and waited. After a while some of my friends started to get their acceptance letters and I started to become nervous that I hadn't made the cut. But a few days later I got the letter saying I had been accepted for the summer program and that I would be working in urology and physicians billing.
After a brief orientation and TB test I had gotten my work clothes and was all ready to go. I loved spending time at the hospital. The hustle and bustle of people doing things that really made a difference put a pep in my step and I especially loved my time in physicians billing, creating charts with different prices to make things go smoothly. Urology was great but it was a lot of filing and weeding through papers. But in both places my work was really appreciated and in doing it I freed up everyone else to do more important things.
In the middle of the day I ate lunch with my friends who we in different departments and just sat around chatting. For an almost high schooler like my self it was very empowering and freeing. And I found out how much I love to be in a hospital. As long as I am not sick that is.
Oh and Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Winter Solstice, Etc.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Sometimes the Road Less Followed is the Best
I don't know if you guys know this but I am home schooled. I wasn't when I started this blog, and it was an interesting transition. I know I have hinted to it in the past, but since the transition was so odd I don't think that I ever came out and said it.
Regardless I am home schooled. And it's been absolutely wonderful for me. I haven't been this happy and rested in years, and I am doing wonderfully in my classes even though I started mid year. It has also helped me get more organized. When I was in a brick and mortar school I use to forget to write down assignments and even if I did I'd leave my assignment pad at home. I was always forgetting to do things or that I had a quiz the next day. But when you are home schooled, there is no room for that. The teachers are not on your back as much about work and it is really up to you to get things done and turned in in a timely mater.
So I came up with this post it note system:
Regardless I am home schooled. And it's been absolutely wonderful for me. I haven't been this happy and rested in years, and I am doing wonderfully in my classes even though I started mid year. It has also helped me get more organized. When I was in a brick and mortar school I use to forget to write down assignments and even if I did I'd leave my assignment pad at home. I was always forgetting to do things or that I had a quiz the next day. But when you are home schooled, there is no room for that. The teachers are not on your back as much about work and it is really up to you to get things done and turned in in a timely mater.
So I came up with this post it note system:
It might be hard to see, but on the calendar are all the classes for that day. On the poster board on the chair are all of my over due assignments since I started mid semester and am still catching up. Each post it note is a different color according to class and the post it note colors and binder colors are the same except in math because they do not make black post it notes to my knowledge. On the panes of glass are the key to the post it not colors, what I need to do for that day, my goals, my meetings and class connect sessions, notes if I need to email a teacher, and what I have done for that day. If I finish something I move it to the what I have done that day pane of glass. I've found that having this system has really improved my grades and organizational skills in home schooling.
Oh and let me clear something up. I am not in one of those home schooling programs where my mother sits and teaches me everything every day. I am enrolled in George Washington Universities Online High School and have teachers for all of my classes and an advisor. It is like a distance learning course more then home schooling. And if you are incredibly stressed in a brick and mortar school, I would really recommend it. Switching made my very happy.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
It May Not Be on the Top of Mine but It's On It Now
I don't know if you guys have ever heard of Post Secret. If you have hold on a second shall I explain what it is. If you haven't go check it out right after this! Basically Post Secret was started by Frank Warren as a place for people to send in their secrets on post cards as a way to release them and share them with the world, completely anonymously. Some of the best secrets are then compiled into books.
It was a post secret book, given to me by my amazing brick and mortar school big sister, that opened me up to the wonderful Post Secret community. And a few weeks ago, an app came out for it. No longer would I have to wait all week for Sundays Secrets and feel so empty when they were over. Now I could have a bunch of secrets at the touch of my finger tips when ever I wanted or needed to read them. Sure there are some duds, and a whole lot of odd pictures, but there are also a lot of amazing ones.
Such as this:
It was a post secret book, given to me by my amazing brick and mortar school big sister, that opened me up to the wonderful Post Secret community. And a few weeks ago, an app came out for it. No longer would I have to wait all week for Sundays Secrets and feel so empty when they were over. Now I could have a bunch of secrets at the touch of my finger tips when ever I wanted or needed to read them. Sure there are some duds, and a whole lot of odd pictures, but there are also a lot of amazing ones.
Such as this:
And it gave me the idea to add this to my bucket list. To take water from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. I'm sure a lot of people have done this, but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't. So on the list it goes!
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