Monday, October 3, 2011
School Daze part 2
School is just as stressful as ever. I still have four AP classes loading me with work even though I'm sure I'm not going to pass any of my AP Exams. I have volleyball practice and its hard for me to get home and have the energy to do my homework. I've been slacking on my work and my grades aren't as a good as they should be. I've been stressing alot lately and I just need to relax and ease my mind. I'm a procastinator. I have two days to read a whole book and take a quiz on it on Wednesday. I know I'm probaly going to read it tomorrow which means I'm going to have to stay up all night after a volleyball game. I'm stressed and I need a break.
Green Teen
Cars Could Run on Recycled Newspapers
Newspapers can be just as eco-friendly as the Internet. How?
A recent study, published by Tulsa University scientists, shows that car could run on recycled newspapers!
The scientists at Tulsa University have discovered a bacterial strain, called TU-103 that can convert cellulose in papers to butanol--a biofuel that can replace gasoline.
This is a major discovery because previously, other strains of bacteria have always been killed off by oxygen, but TU-103 stands up to oxygen and still produces butanol.
Butanol is much more safe, less erosive than ethanol and can be adapted to much more easily.
Replacing the use of gasoline by butanol will prove to reduce carbon dioxie an smog emissions, compared to gas, as well as having a positive impact on landfill waste.
For more information:
Eco-tip of the (bi) week: RECYCLE! Almost everything can be recycled, you'd be surprised. Keep a separate trash bag for plastic cans, aluminum, paper, styrofoam, paper. The tabs on soda cans? Those are actually recycled to produce medical equipment (Google Ronald McDonald can tops or soda tops). So many things spend ages in the landfills, never decomposing, bringing harm and clogging up our already polluted world. Did you know? These are everyday items that are thrown away, showing how fast they decompose from least amount of time to the most:
- Paper Towels
- Newspapers
- Milk Cartons
- Plastic Bags
- Styrofoam
- Aluminum Cups
- Six-pack rings (like those on sodas and beers)
- Water bottle
- Fishing Lines
- Glass
May I Buy a Muffin?
So today at lunch I actually had money and i decided instead of eating my schools' fail at cheeseburgers I would get myself a muffin that they sell in the lines. After I put in my number I ask for a muffin so the lady gets it for me and ask begins typing it in on the new cash register.
But when she was done on the cash register she took the muffin back and told me I owe 95 cent from middle school and I couldn't buy anything while I owed them money.
Now how do I owe the cafeteria 95 cent from middle school and they don't tell me anything until my senior year when I decide to buy something from them. I would understand if they would've told me this my freshman year when I first left but nope, they decided to wait till I wanted something from them.
How did they expect me to pay it before when they didn't tell me I owed them anything, I have free lunch, it's not like I didn't pay for a couple of days. And if I didn't have free lunch why would I owe them 95 cent? What, I only had a nickel to pay for something in middle school so they took that and told me to pay the rest later when I had money?
Well today I ended up only eating some fries and drinking some juice since they decided not to just let me get the muffin so I'll have something other than the cheeseburger (or at least that's what they claim it to be) to eat. I would complain about having to pay for something I didn't buy in middle school but who cares, at least it's only a dollar. Plus, at least I don't have to pay for their crap every day.
Staying Active
Many times a week do I find myself doing homework and studying for hours on end, eating super unhealthy foods and hardly moving from my desk. It's a terrible feeling, it really is, not being active, not getting enough exercise and not enough fresh air.
I felt that way last week, and I decided to do something about it.
This past weekend i got a basketball. Now, i've never been much of a basketball player, in fact i've never actually played the sport competitively, and i've been a huge soccer and tennis fan growing up. For some reason, though, i got a basketball. My community has an awesome basketball court that I hardly see anyone using, and I decided i would make it a part of my day to visit the court and shoot some hoops. Now that it's been a few days playing, i feel so much better. I feel like i have more energy in school, I feel healthy and strong, and a cold i've had for ages is quickly passing. It's amazing what just a basketball and some determination can do to somebody!
Schools these days don't stress physical education; many of my friends get the required credit from an online class. Sure, there are cons to PE in school: getting all sweaty and not being able to shower, carrying around gym clothes, being tired for the rest of the day. But in the long run, the pros outweigh the cons. Kids these days just don't get enough exercise. Even though this topic has been stressed in so many different ways, I still feel as if it hasn't really gotten through to teenagers.
Bottom line: whether it's ping pong, or volleyball, some sort of physical exercise on a daily basis is guaranteed to make you feel better! Gather up a group of friends, walk somewhere, ride your bike around your neighborhood. Healthy living is definitely something that is not to be ignored.
I felt that way last week, and I decided to do something about it.
This past weekend i got a basketball. Now, i've never been much of a basketball player, in fact i've never actually played the sport competitively, and i've been a huge soccer and tennis fan growing up. For some reason, though, i got a basketball. My community has an awesome basketball court that I hardly see anyone using, and I decided i would make it a part of my day to visit the court and shoot some hoops. Now that it's been a few days playing, i feel so much better. I feel like i have more energy in school, I feel healthy and strong, and a cold i've had for ages is quickly passing. It's amazing what just a basketball and some determination can do to somebody!
Schools these days don't stress physical education; many of my friends get the required credit from an online class. Sure, there are cons to PE in school: getting all sweaty and not being able to shower, carrying around gym clothes, being tired for the rest of the day. But in the long run, the pros outweigh the cons. Kids these days just don't get enough exercise. Even though this topic has been stressed in so many different ways, I still feel as if it hasn't really gotten through to teenagers.
Bottom line: whether it's ping pong, or volleyball, some sort of physical exercise on a daily basis is guaranteed to make you feel better! Gather up a group of friends, walk somewhere, ride your bike around your neighborhood. Healthy living is definitely something that is not to be ignored.
Got the Munchies?
Many of us know the feeling of coming home from an extra long day at school and hungrily searching the fridge for food to eat. Of course we think the best remedy for Monday blues is food! Although we are always attracted to the junk food first, (e.g., chips, sodas, cookies), these are not the healthiest options for us.
Teens often lose their daily amounts of protein and carbs to foods with too much sodium or “hydrogenated fats”, whatever that is. Fruits and other healthy snacks help to stabilize our bodies and help us gain vital nutrients. While finding healthy snacks may be a chore for some of us, it’s simpler than it sounds.
1. Yogurt is a great snack because it may help build up vitamin C.
2. Bananas can create a healthier immune system and are natural mood enhancers.
3. Tortilla chips with salsa and queso are healthy snacks because tortilla chips are whole grain, meaning they are a good source of protein and carbs.
4. Dark chocolate is good for your heart, lowers blood pressure, and naturally makes you happier!
5. Tacos with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cheese give you a daily dose of vegetables
6. Roast Beef sub with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions for a tasty meal that’s low in calories.
Healthy food may take a little longer to prepare, but they benefit you in the long run so…Happy Snacking!
Writer by nature
My existence as a writer has just been thrown into a state of insignificance. I have just discovered, courtesy of the wisdom of Harlem Renaissance writer Gloria Naylor, that the written words I so carefully create and savor, are inferior to the spoken word. This seems like a trifle, but to someone like myself, whose emotions are most effectively and powerfully conveyed on paper, I am deeply wounded.
Naylor, in her 1986 New York Times essay "The Meanings of a Word", states that language is a mere subject, devoid of meaning without life. Until I read her essay, I never acknowledged the fact that written words, despite their poignancy and implications, are without all the feeling of reality. It is the fleeting emotions, the nuances of inflection and timing and setting that give words true meaning. It has, as of this moment, become my greatest frustration that whatever I hope to capture or create on paper will always fall short of the richness of life.
A single printed word is one-dimensional. When a word like "flower" is read, synaptic neurons fire and instantly conjure the most accessible images of petals and leaves. But a flower in the flesh is an all encompassing experience, one that ensnares the senses and temporarily stills the mind. Similarly, a passage can describe a chocolate bar for pages, but it isn't until one takes a bite that the rich flavor is truly experienced. Any writer can see the shortcoming of their trade, but refuses to face this truth. I am staring it in the face.
I have decided that my love for writing exists in dull shades of gray without the life experiences that color it. It is a sad and difficult truth, but there it is. But this doesn't mean that I lack an appreciation for life. Through my writing, I gain a more imaginative and whimsical worldview. I see beauty and mystery because I think in terms of poetry and prose. And what I cannot say, either out of fear of speaking too cryptically or lack of instantaneous inspiration, I can write. As I am now and always will.
Naylor, in her 1986 New York Times essay "The Meanings of a Word", states that language is a mere subject, devoid of meaning without life. Until I read her essay, I never acknowledged the fact that written words, despite their poignancy and implications, are without all the feeling of reality. It is the fleeting emotions, the nuances of inflection and timing and setting that give words true meaning. It has, as of this moment, become my greatest frustration that whatever I hope to capture or create on paper will always fall short of the richness of life.
A single printed word is one-dimensional. When a word like "flower" is read, synaptic neurons fire and instantly conjure the most accessible images of petals and leaves. But a flower in the flesh is an all encompassing experience, one that ensnares the senses and temporarily stills the mind. Similarly, a passage can describe a chocolate bar for pages, but it isn't until one takes a bite that the rich flavor is truly experienced. Any writer can see the shortcoming of their trade, but refuses to face this truth. I am staring it in the face.
I have decided that my love for writing exists in dull shades of gray without the life experiences that color it. It is a sad and difficult truth, but there it is. But this doesn't mean that I lack an appreciation for life. Through my writing, I gain a more imaginative and whimsical worldview. I see beauty and mystery because I think in terms of poetry and prose. And what I cannot say, either out of fear of speaking too cryptically or lack of instantaneous inspiration, I can write. As I am now and always will.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
What's the Age Limit for Trick-or-Treating?
Trick-or-treating is a widely loved activity most children (in the US) participate in during Halloween.
Who doesn't like to get candy just for dressing up as a zombie, a princess, a superhero, etc?
As for me, I've been trick-or-treating ever since I was four, and have been doing it since last Halloween.
Once you enter high school, however, the common question, " Am I too old to go trick-or-treating?" arises.
As a result, some teens do stop roaming the streets, dressed in costumes ringing doorbells for candy.
On the other hand, some do continue the old tradition of "trick-or-treating."
In my opinion, I believe "trick-or-treating" is appropriate for any age, and is great way to celebrate the once-a-year holiday with friends and family.... not to mention candy.
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