WEEK 5

Going to college is a big step in one's life. It can help you get more experience for life and career options. The only thing is that it is very different from the 13 years of school you have already completed. College costs money and puts a lot more emphasis on you being an adult. The process of college is a complicated one. With hard work, one can succeed with flying colors. With hardly any effort at all, someone can flunk out.
When you start your classes, the teacher will hand out a syllabus basically outlining everything you will be doing for that specific semester. Everything is very direct with how many classes you can miss to the policy on late assignments. Since the work is pretty much laid out for you, all you have to do is do it. Make sure you understand the work, because if you don't ask questions, the instructor will never know you're having problems. The problem will only get bigger until you find out you're failing the class. No one will make you feel stupid if you ask questions. You are taking these classes for a degree and you need to maintain a certain grade point average.
Make sure you are in all the classes, and show up on time. Instructors count off when you are late, and especially when you don't show up. If you are paying so much for schooling, you should at least go to the classes. Participate while in class. You will understand more when you are a part of the conversation.
Study hard for your tests. Just passing the test doesn't fly very well. It means you know something, but now at much as you're supposed to. How many people will hire a medical assistant who graduated with a C average, as compared to an A average?
All you have to do is go to school, pay attention to what you are doing, ask questions if you don't understand, and go at it whole hearted. These simple steps will help you succeed in college.

Free

My daughter had a birthday party this weekend.  She turned 3 years old.  It amazes me how time flies.  I see her everyday and I can actually watch her growing into a beautiful young lady who can talk and respond like...a little person! Haha, I know that all children are obviously smaller versions of adults, but it's very hard to think of your baby that way when you spent years changing their diapers and trying hard to help them sound out their words and laughing when they somehow butcher it into something hilarious.  My younger two are even worse.  They have very determined attitudes, and now claim things as 'mine'.  They scream when Dora comes on, along with my oldest.  It's definitely a rude awakening when your children can tell you exactly what they want instead of yelling and screaming for it.  I thank God everyday for his little miracles.

Week 4

I think the first advertisment is targeting younger girls, probably junior high to college students. Girls around these ages are usually into trends and having the good looking clothes. Also, they might want to resemble the models when they picture themselves in the clothes.

The sencond ad I believe also is targeting girls to women, maybe with a wider age range from 16-30. First of all it's a woman's scent. Second, a good perfume is always a good way to make an impression without saying anything. It makes them feel better about themselves to smell nice.

The third ad is targeting brides. Brides are always thinking that they need to look absolutely perfect on their wedding day, and almost always that includes losing a few pounds so they don't look like a snow beast in their dress. (That's the thought that I had!) Slim fast is sweet and will give them something good so they don't have to give up everything.

Free

I went to the store the other day with my brother. He ws describing how the IRS had screwed him over out of 1200 on his refund. It really was sad. The cashier at Wal-Mart overheard us and told us about her story how her ex-husband was trying to keep the entire refund they had filed together, leaving her with a mere $32. She said she had been crying all afternoon, figuring out how the handle the situation.
Last night i took my daughter to the hospital. She had a few absesses on her body and I had no idea what they were. I brought her to the ER, where they took cultures to test her for MRSA. A baby came in, and he wasn't breathing well. Within 10 minutes, they had him on oxygen. Within 15 mintues, they admitted him. the mother was crying for her sick baby.

The point is, you think you have it bad, but someone always has it worse than you. Count your blessings.

TV vs. reality

I have understood before that characters on a TV show can make you so happy, and it can brighten your entire day. How is it that someone fictional can have such an impact on a person? My daughter has a thing for Dora the Explorer. It seems that she can be such a terror that day, but when I turn on that cartoon, she completely turns around with a huge smile on her face. I believe that she really wants Dora to be her friend, and for example I can list about 50 items that she has that are related to Dora. Personally, my vice is Days of Our Lives. Sometimes when I talk about the show my friends and family have to remind me that it is only a show, and these people don't exist. But if I were walking down the street one day and see Allison Sweeney, I feel like I would call her Sami and ask what's going to happen tomorrow. I know it's a show and it's all scripted, but the way TV pulls people in to believe it's real is amazing. Everyone has a favorite, a show that they wish were taking place right down the street. What's yours?

Wk. 3 - Description

A loud signal makes you jump out of your seat. If you can't hear, the light will blind you if you stare into it. Though it carries no scent, it takes a certain scent of destruction to make it active. A small, simple device that can fit in the palm of your hand warns and saves lives. When it goes off, a dry taste of fear inhabits you, as you frantically rush to safety. What am I?

Revised memory

     This is always a wonderfully funny story to recall when my sister and I get together to reminisce on old times.  We would get bored very easily as children.  Trying new things to do was a norm for us.  One of these things to do was one-legged skating.

      My parents managed to get us two pairs of roller skates we had to share. We didn’t have enough money to get a pair for all four of us kids.  One of these pairs were green speed skates for my brother, and the other was a pink set for the girls.  Usually we would take turns skating around in the basement, seeing who could go the fastest and who could do the coolest tricks.  One of us would skate all the way across the floor and turn back without falling.  Sometimes we would jump over the cracks that were in the concrete.  One day my sister and I decided to do something different.  We both wanted to skate at the same time, so we thought we could both wear one skate.  My sister and I were both in dance classes, and we thought it might also be fun to make our own dance routine. I was happy.  My sister and I had a very normal sibling rivalry, so it was nice when we got along.  This could be very fun.

     "Here Sandy, I'll give you the left skate since you are left handed.  You might skate better on that foot," said Amanda.

     "You're probably right.  I will start from that corner and we can meet in the middle and spin," I told my sister.  Our plan seemed foolproof.  Now we just had to agree on the dance.  She was in jazz and tap, while I was in ballet.  They are two very different dance genres, so it was nonetheless interesting.

     We decided that the song should be 'Sugar, Sugar' by The Archies.  We both knew parts of it, and we had to sing it because we didn’t have it on tape.  We both put on our skates and stood at opposite ends of the basement.  

I started singing, "Sugar, do do do do do do, oh, honey honey," as my sister and I rolled across towards each other.  

"You are my candy girl, and you got me wanting you," sang my sister as we tried to manage twists and turns on one leg.  

“Sandy watch out! Hang on to me!” yelled my sister.

“No! You hang on to me, I’m going to fall!” I yelled back.

     The first attempt wasn't so great--we both landed flat on our behinds.  I guess it wasn't as foolproof as we thought. My coordination was a little off with her jazzy moves, but at least I was pretty good at balancing myself.  Maybe we needed a little more practice skating on one leg before trying to add tricks to it.  We tried again and again until finally we were able to balance and do at least a small turn without taking each other out. All the while, the same two lines seemed to repeat themselves as we only knew those two lines.  

     While we weren't talented singers, dancing was always so much fun.  It was one of those things we could do together and not be at each others' throats.  We would laugh so much that we would only wish the next time would be as amusing.  Since then, my sister and I always  tried to do things together that were fun and allowed us to be silly.    It is a wonderful childhood memory I have with my best friend, who just happens to be my sister.

Life before technology

     I remember being a kid, longing to run outside as soon as the sun came up.  I didn't feel the need to plop myself in front of the television or pick up my game controller.  It was exhilarating to get some fresh air.  To be locked indoors was a form of torture, and I could never understand the days when my mom told me to stay inside.  

     Life before all of the gadgets and video games was easy going and even healthier.  They say that children should play outside for at least one hour a day.  It gives them the benefit of exercise, lets them blow off some steam, improve their social skills, and sensory learning.  I have to admit, I am guilty by being a mother who told my child to stay indoors a few times.  Some parents let their own tiredness effect the decisions they make.  Once again, guilty.  More than ever I have personally been active by leaving the house with my children so they won't be stuck indoors all day.  Weather permitting, we go to the park or go on walks.  The statistics are upsetting, and I want to be on the good side of it. 

One-legged skating

     This is always a wonderfully funny story to recall when my sister and I get together to reminisce on old times.  We would get bored very easily as children.  Trying new things to do was a norm for us.  One of these things to do was one-legged skating.

      We didn't have much many when we were growing up.  But my parents managed to get us two pairs of roller skates.  One of these pairs were green speed skates for my brother, and the other was a pink set for us girls.  Usually we would take turns skating around in the basement, seeing who could go the fastest and who could do the coolest tricks.  One of us would skate all the way across the floor and turn back without falling.  Sometimes we would jump over the cracks that were in the concrete.  One day we decided to do something different.  We thought what if we could skate at the same time?  We could both wear one skate.  What if we made a routine to it?  I was happy.  My sister and I had a very normal sibling rivalry, so it was nice when we got along.  This could be very fun.

     "Here Sandy, I'll give you the left skate since you are left handed.  You might skate better on that foot," said Amanda.

     "You're probably right.  I will start from that corner and we can meet in the middle and spin," I told my sister.  Our plan seemed foolproof.  

     We decided that the song should be 'Sugar, Sugar' by The Archies.  I can't really recall why, but we both knew parts of it.  We both put on our skates and stood at opposite ends of the basement.  

I started singing, "Sugar, do do do do do do, oh, honey honey," as my sister and I rolled across towards each other.  

"You are my candy girl, and you got me wanting you," sang my sister as we tried to manage twists and turns on one leg.  The first attempt wasn't so great--we both landed flat on our behinds.  I guess it wasn't as foolproof as we thought.  Maybe we needed a little more practice skating on one leg before trying to add tricks to it.  We tried again and again until finally we were able to balance and do at least a small turn without taking each other out. All the while, the same two lines seemed to repeat themselves as we only knew those two lines.  

     While we weren't talented singers, we had a pretty good talent for skating, that is, on two feet.  It was one of those things we could do together and not be at each others' throats.  We would laugh so much that we would only wish the next time would be as amusing.  The skating would continue until our legs started cramping up or our parents called us to dinner.  It is a wonderful childhood memory I have with my best friend, who just happens to be my sister.