Thanksgiving

I just got back from thanksgiving break, and there is a ton of things I am thankful for. I am not gonna list them though, instead im going to say "I am thankful for Thanksgiving." It is perfectly placed to give you that much needed break before Finals start up, there is TONS of food, and not normal food, the best kind, ham, mashed potatoes, fruit salad, deviled eggs. Family gets together (hopefully) without any fighting, theres football on the tv and people can play football outside or any form of sport. They have the parade, the dog show to see all the kinds of cool and wierd looking dogs, and they have the Turkey Trot (in johnson city) which is a fun 5k race that I ran. Thanksgiving is definitly an underrated holiday, people go from holloween to Christmas decorations, and the christmas "spirit" but people always take thanksgiving for granted. No matter how much we look forward to Christmas, and the music, snow, presents, santa, and tv specials, we shouldn't forget our good friend the turkey and the awesome food of Thanksgiving.

Teenagitis

Diagnosis: Teenagitis
symptoms: sleeping till noon ont he weekends, late nights without sleep, procrasination, "rebeliousness", growing interest in opposite sex, attitude, often associated with disease known as puberty
While the nation is in fear of the growing "deadly" swine flu people are missing out on the even more severe disease that is afflicting the growing youth of our great nation. Often symptoms begin to show at the ages of 10-13 and continue on for many years spreading quickly. Affecting millions of people a year teenagitis is a disease that many people miss out on due to other pandemics like aids, malaryia, and "swine flu." Often teens go years without being treated for this disease which can sometimes have permenant effects. Many kids grow out of this disease and create self cures while others are helped by parents and close friends. It's affecting more and more people each year and no known preventives are available since most have been banned by child protection agencies. Barak Obama should make this a national epidemic soon because this virus has only begun its assault on the youth of today and shows no signs of stopping.

Stalking to new heights

Keeping in touch with friends has never been so easy with cell phones, text messaging, and websites. Websites have made keeping up with how our friends are and what they do as easy as eating dinner, with new websites constantly becoming the "in" thing. From blog posts on Xanga, to commenting on your friends space on myspace, to now were you can status update on facebook and tweet on twitter. Being up to date on your friends is the way to show how cool you are. Not only now can your closest friends and acquaintances know what you are up to every minute of the day, so can the creeps, stalkers, pedophiles, sex offenders and weirdo's that you just add to have more friends without knowing anything about them. Facebook has entered a new stalkerish system updating you instantly when your friends becomes friends with people you don't know, as well as events they will be attending, when they will be attending them, and a conversation two of your friends are having because its not personal if its on facebook. The term it's only official when its on facebook has long passed its joking period and seems almost real now, despite the fact that it is just a website people (including me) have spent countless hours sitting on it doing basically nothing. Facebook has changed so much from its original form that it seems almost like a stalkers website now more so then a social gathering place to keep in touch with friends. But then again, maybe I'm just not part of the "in" crowd and knowing everything about people you talked to 3 years ago is the way to be cool...

Contextual Essay

I am going to do my essay on the trailer of the new movie 2012 coming out. I believe that "the end of the world" is such a touchy but well talked about subject and a movie about the omened december of the year 2012 is a great idea. Many different cultures and beliefs point to this date and make it a very feared but curiosity striking date. The movie also looks good with some good actors in it to make me want to see it even more. The trailer is very interesting about what it shows but it gives you a suspenseful area of the movie that looks like it may be the beginning or the climax, but doesn't show which. I believe this will be an excellent paper especially considering this date is approaching fast.

Children of Men

In English we watched the movie Children of Men, and it showed a doomed society were all women were infertile. The heroes of the story includes a pregnant female, as well as a male who is helping to have her give birth and getting her and her child to safety. The movie takes a slow transition, from civilized Britain, to a middle of no were place with hippies and farms, then to a uncivilized brutal war with what seems to be more of concentration camps then refugee camps. The movie has a lot going on throughout it, first the idea of infertility and trying to preserve humanity, secondly a war breaks out with problems arising throughout the whole thing, thirdly it shows in many ways racism and feelings of superiority towards the other nations that are in need of help. It also shows a sense of traditions, holding true depending on your wealth in England, the rich areas are unaffected and the poor areas are devastated. The movie leaves me with mixed feelings, I don't know if I really liked it or if I hated it. One thing is for sure is that it makes you think.

NCRA

In the past week and a half, North Carrick has elected it's members of NCRA(North Carrick Residents Association) and I have become one of it's members. We put on events for North Carrick or just anyone on campus that is around at the time things are going on. This Saturday during parent weekend, we are doing a program called diet Pepsi and mentos, we have tons of diet Pepsi bottles and we are having students set them off with mentos for free. Just come to presidential at 2 pm on Saturday for some fun! Now back to the main point, NCRA is putting any programs and it's the first time I have ever put myself on a organization that has so much responsibility. Maybe college has changed me, or maybe my move from California to Tennessee has broken me out of my shy shell. The fact that I am applying myself to more then just the necessary is proof that even the most shy people can break out of their shell and become out going, this program has introduced new people for me to meet, places to apply my creativity, and help people have fun while in college. Sounds like a win win situation to me.

Boomsday

Over Labor day weekend, when most people had gone home to visit their families I stayed in Knoxville and attended the annual event Boomsday, one of the biggest firework shows on this side of the Mississippi. Despite a hurting economy and rain in the morning, Boomsday had quiet a turnout for the fair and show. With 10$ parking and over priced food and drinks, and little kids begging for expensive toys that would break that night. It was shoulder to shoulder walking up and down the road that was surrounded by food stands, toy stands, a karaoke trailer, and a wake board competition; there was definitely an excitement for the upcoming show. It attracted all types, little kids, elderly couples, high school and college students, all for the excitement and the crowd. Then when the time came for the show, you either got an awesome show on one side of the bridge, or a face full of soot and ash from the downwind blow that blocked out the show with smoke. Many people from the parking garage side were disappointed and even though it was disappointing not to see it, the crowd and the pre-show activities made for a fun evening, that for most could have been devastating to the wallet. Even in these harsh times people still go out to have fun on special occasions.