June 11

If I could have any fictional character as a best friend, it would be Gemma Doyle, the main character of Libba Bray's trilogy. In Bray's novels, Gemma lives in the Victorian era, but disagrees with society's ideals, particularly those of women. I admire her strong will, intelligence, and determination and think that our two personalities complement each other. With her as a friend, I would feel confident that she would be caring, fun, thoughtful, and in general a good person. Life would never be dull as Gemma often manages to find herself in situations that require some thinking and planning. There would always be someone to rely on and trust to do their best, and I would be constantly entertained by her antics. If it's even possible to find that perfect friend that complements your personality, mannerisms, habits, behaviour, and way of thinking, it would be her. I could imagine life with few conflicts, disagreements, and many fun-filled moments with her around.

June 7

What has the world come to? You don't see kids helping out with the work around their house, or doing school work, or even playing a good old game of fetch. They're becoming as fat as a cat that's been fed too much cream and rich food before our very eyes, sitting in front of their computers, ipods, phones, and whatever all those other things they've got their hands and eyes on all the time are called. At least we know who and what to blame for all the car accidents these days.You can't even get them to look at you when you speak. No wonder all the parents are going loony and acting grumpy all the time. They're dealing with a bunch of wild monkeys. It's absurd. I remember when I was a child, we knew the value of money and worked hard for it. We were brought us up into respectable men and women. These days, kids are throwing away money like it's trash. What's gotten into them. I don't know what the future will look like with the likes of them taking over.

June 5

Explanatory:
Although it's still a mystery, in all likelihood I will be spending my summer  at home tending to the garden and household affairs and helping out at my parents' restaurant every other day or so. During my first few weeks of summer vacation I will have to take swimming lessons for a duration of five consecutive days. It's my third attempt at passing level four, so yeah, it's kind of a bummer. I'll be the oldest participant in my group. How embarrassing! At least I have the consolation of knowing that I did not volunteer for it. Once the dreaded first few weeks are over, there's not much activity. The vast majority of my time will be spent at home where the only things I can do are gardening, yard work, cleaning, reading, and surfing the web. Gardening will involve plenty of weeding, watering, and checking of plants while yard work at the worst will be mowing the lawn. If I'm bored or need to get some exercise in, I'll ride my bike to the local library and take out some books of interest. When I'm surfing the internet, I'm usually checking out flowers, animals, images, watching videos on Youtube, and researching any topic of interest. Probably every other day, my mom and I will be making the 15-20 minute trip to Riverton where I'll waitress, help cook, clean, and serve customers while trying to get the hang of using the cash register without making some mistake that is inevitable, seeing how prone I am to making such errors. If I'm lucky, we'll go on a trip somewhere, maybe Winnipeg, Gimli, or Hecla. If it's Winnipeg, we'll go shopping and return home in time for supper.

Narrative:
Sometime in the summer of 2011, our family paid a visit to the Assiniboine zoo. As habit dictates, we visit the zoo about once a year. One of the first sights we witnessed was a bird show where birds of prey were introduced to the crowd gathered on the bleachers and asked to perform tricks. The show was soon over and I was left with an entertaining memory of a baby owl flying away into a tree, far from any agitated cries of the trainers on the ground below. It was a perfect example of a trick gone wrong. Soon after landing in the tree, the owl was circled by what appeared to be crows or some other bird of prey. Luckily, no harm came to the bird and as trainers attempted to get the baby down, the show carried on. All through the performance, I'm sure everyone else and myself could see rescuers working on saving the owl in the background. It reminded me of the typical play where the show carries on despite some visible error being fixed in the background. That memory still brings a smile to my face.

Persuasive:
Dear town council,

It has come to my attention that while adults busy themselves with work and matters that concern only themselves, students are suffering from endless boredum. No wonder they're so poorly behaved when it comes to parental affairs and formal events. While parents are away, students are lounging at home with nothing to do except play video games, go on Facebook, surf the web, and engage in all manner of unproductive activities. Just because school is over for the summer, it doesn't meen students have an excuse to go brain dead and lazy.

At least bringing students together in a social setting will encourage friendship, communication, and allow students to get to know each other and make acquaintances; a great way to promote a sense of community, spirit, and enjoyment.That is why I believe the community should provide these students with the entertainment they need. A fabulous solution to the problem would be an activity centre equipped with games, computers, a T.V., books, and anything that would entertain students. At least if they must become absorbed in their web activities and internet communications, they can do it alongside others. I'm sure they would love it.

I hope you take this proposal into account and give it consideration. You won't regret it and students might even return to school with a more cheerful attitude. Thank you for your time. Once again I'd like to reiterate how much I hope you consider this.

Sincerely,

Susan song

May 31

Riding a horse on rocky trails
That nice rocking motion you can only get from riding on the strong backs of gentle equines, believe it or not, actually gives you quite a workout. Between good posture and a sore bum at the end, it's a great massage.

Reading the novel 'Hush, Hush' by Becca Fitzpatrick
All paranormal romance lovers will absolutely, well, love it. What an amazing novel with such great mystery, it'll keep you second guessing right to the end.

Eating a perfectly ripe persimmon
With a tart, astringent taste when not ripe for the picking, anyone's first encounter with this orange tomato-like fruit can leave a bitter first impression. Fear not! The fruit is yummy in your tummy when ripe and eaten properly. Its taste can be described as very sweet with a hint of tang and spice.

Making a dessert for someone else
There's no greater reward than knowing you've pleased someone with something that came straight from your own labour and work and not the nearest grocery store.

Watching fish swim
It sounds lame, sure, but it does actually have a great calming effect. All octogenarians with high blood pressure, this is for you. Watching fish swim in endless circles around the same area over and over again is sure to mellow anyone who's stressed out.

May 29

Shauna tapped her pencil rhythmically in tune to the song stuck in her head, hoping to come off nonchalant and bored. Mr. Baterd's monotonous voice droned on in the background. God, he could put any restless kid high on caffeine to sleep. It was high time she got a watch. Squirming in her seat, Shauna wanted nothing more than to jump out of her chair and pounce on the bobble headed teacher who had been talking gibberish for a full hour and a half about all the useless stuff she was never going to need. As she counted down the seconds, Mr. Baterd's voice became increasingly distant and oddly detached. Just as Shauna began to drift deeper in her reverie, A sharp bark penetrated the fog surrounding her muddled brain. She jolted upright as if struck by lightning. On high alert, complete with a look of utter surprise, Shauna glanced around the room. Everyone had their eyes trained on her. Although she wasn't certain, she sensed mockery emanating off of her class mates. "What are you looking at?" The question came out sounding vindictive, a far stretch from her intended curious tone of voice. Mr. Baterd cleared his throat. "Well?" "Well what?" Shauna replied. At that, several of her classmates snickered and made faces. "The answer." Shauna couldn't fathom what the teacher was trying to get at, but she was saved by the bell. Amidst the clamour of her classmates all trying to escape the torture of class, the answer presented itself. Perfect timing too. "The answer is blue foam" she murmured to herself.

May 23

The sounds produced by animals make me glad to be alive, especially the melodious sounds of the cheerful chatter of birds and the almost mournful sound of a horse's neighing. It rings with freedom and unbridled joy. That's what life is meant to be. As the ceaseless tinkling of bird song floats around me in the morning, I become aware of the happiness and cheerfulness of life and feel rejuvenated, ready to take on any task that comes my way. They strengthen me and encourage resilience. No sound makes me more grateful for what I have in life than a horse's neigh, snort, or rumblings. They hold such an undercurrent of power and strength that I admire so much. When a horse snorts, I'm reminded of a soft caress or gentle but firm word aimed to console. It's like reassurance and support. That feeling makes me feel like I'm not alone and life is surmountable. That knowledge makes me all the more glad to be alive. The final sound that encourages joy for life is the sound of thunder and lightning offset by the pitter patter of millions of cascading raindrops. It's like a lullaby singing me to sleep and safety. Knowing that I'm nice and cozy inside while a wild storm rages on outside, I feel secure and once again am glad to be alive.

May 18

If I were chosen to write an email to a million people about whatever I wanted, I would share a recipe for apple cake and cake decorating techniques because in my opinion it's the absolute best. Nothing beats it. I would like other people to try it and see  how good it is for themselves. As a bonus, I might get some feedback on the quality, taste, if it was enjoyable, nasty, or any suggestions to modify it. I would take the positive and negative feedback and use it to my advantage. The cake in particular is special because it was the first dessert I made on my own and whenever I saw a cake in the store adorned with icing roses, I would wonder how they did that. After some surfing on YouTube a while back I found out how. Perhaps other people are curious too.

May 16

The point the picture is making is that school is structured and has categorized the skills and education needed for life into different subjects. It is thought to be all-encompassing and the lines and boundaries between different skills and subjects is clear. In life, it's not always clear what's what and how something fits into the larger picture. It's a blur. Everything is mixed and connected, unpredictable. School isn't necessarily equipping students with everything they need to handle life. It's giving the perception that everything is clear and laid out, but the truth of the matter is that if you want to find something, you have to look for it, and life's all a jumble that you just have to navigate. It's all up to you. I think it's a very good point. Of course life won't be what you expect and it is unpredictable. Unlike school, it won't always be fair and you won't always know what's going to happen or what's next for you. I think the picture does shed some light into the matter.

To make it more like life, school could be made less like a day care and more like an "employer". There would be no teachers guiding what students learn. The students would be responsible for their own education and learning. Tests and exam dates would be the students' responsibility to find and they have to plan what courses they take. If students want to know some critical piece of information, it is up to them to find it. Instead of subjects being solely focused on one main idea or skill, they could include various skills. For example, language arts could be incorporated into math with problem questions that require that skill. All the skills students acquire will be put to use in each subject, so perhaps some health knowledge or math may come in handy in biology or chemistry.

May 14

Reinvent golf as an extreme sport.

If golf were to be an extreme sport, I would set the standard course length as five miles with 15 holes. There would be ponds and sand pits everywhere with thick bushes where it is impossible to find a golf ball. The balls themselves are two pounds in weight and must be hit with a thin pole one inch in diametre. If someone gets a hole in one, their score goes automatically to zero. The holes themselves are tubes just wide enough to fit a perfectly placed golf ball located in the middle of  pond, so if anyone wants to get the ball in, it has to be done in one shot. There are no flags to signal the location of a hole, so it becomes trickier.The course must be completed in one hour or less, and every extra minute is one point added to the final score. Of course, the lower the score the better. For every golf ball lost, two points are added to the score.

May 8

If my parents had bought me from a store, it would be the Canadian Wholesale. They frequent that store for groceries more often than any other store. It makes a bit more sense for anyone to buy a person from a store that sells food since I would categorize a person as a kind of produce rather than an item. I can't wrap my head around the idea of buying someone from a store in the first place, it's as clear to me as ditch water.

May 4

The planets get together for their annual solar system conference and retreat. Each planet has its own persona.They discuss their predictions of the future and their longevity, all the while making sure all is in order and functioning properly. Jupiter and Saturn, the head of the conference, ensure all planets aren't endangered by human space activity.  Mars chides Earth for being too lenient with the humans inhabiting him, but only after Earth described being too stuffed and over populated to handle it. Mars has heard talk of humans leaving Earth to inhabit him and hatches a plot. Making sure to appear as uninhabitable as possible during the next visit by humans or satellites so as to deter them from making themselves at home. This will remain Mars's dirty little secret for eternity. The humans are left to wonder, and the rest of the solar system will remain safely in the dark.

May 2

"Listen carefully," he said, "This won't be easy for you to hear..."

There was a baby, a baby loved more than anything in the world. It grew into a young boisterous boy finding himself in trouble all the time. His parents loved him more than anything, he was their whole world. At the tender age of 12, the boy's mother and father had a change of heart. Their  love had changed and in its place stood disgust. They wanted to eliminate their only child. They saw he was not who they had first envisioned him to be and thus decided to get rid of him. One snowy evening in December, they tricked their son into taking a ride in the woods where he was to be ambushed. Sure enough, he was captured and was to be killed, but with the help of a man escaped. That boy has since grown into a caring man and I have proof. He's listening as I speak.

April 26

The most horrible, vomit-inducing, sickly food I have ever made the mistake of bringing near my mouth is  a wheat product. My distaste runs the gauntlet from bread and buns, to pizza and taco shells. I can understand if you don't understand what I'm talking about. Well, try seeing this from my point of view. Imagine sticking a sweaty, mouldy sock that smells like fermented rice into your mouth and swallowing it down. Who would do such a thing? As soon as you stick it in your mouth and start chewing, the food, which was already sickly to start with (it can't be helped),becomes a warm, saliva-coated, gelatinous paste stuffed with spit, bile, and all the other vile pathogens you can find in your mouth. Each time I have brought a piece of white bread, bun, or any other less than five star wheat product underneath my nose, I cringe and a wave of nausea hits me. If you can't relate to this either, imagine eating the puke, vomit, and feces of someone affected with diarrhea from a public washroom, then washing it down with a long swig of highly concentrated urine. A wheat product is the absolute epitamy of inedible. It deserves the title of "worst food created by man".

April 24

Monday: It's a stressed out and grumpy business women reluctant to go to work. She has too many things on her mind and wears rumpled dress pants and a hastily thrown on blouse. She embodies the feeling of forcing yourself into a monotonous routine unwillingly because you know it's got to be done, but wishing you could abort. Her hair isn't combed and mussed up. Makeup is smeared messily around her eyes and lips while a perpetual scowl is plastered on her drawn face.

Tuesday: He's a fisherman wearing rubber boots, jacket, and cap beating out the cold on a rickety boat in the ocean. He's a humble, kindly man with a twinkle in his eyes and a joy for his job. Although he knows he's got a long day ahead of him, much like the long days after Tuesday, he is determined and patient to wait it out. Generosity abounds within him. Although a bit rough and haggard, he's a sailer at heart.

Wednesday: She's a dancer in the groove nearing the end of a long dance routine. Her hair is piled high on her head and she is fitted in a spunky outfit. Tap shoes steadily tap out a staccato rhythm hinting anticipation. She's prepared, on the ball, open-minded, and down to business.

Thursday: It's a young girl with two braids and a pretty plaid dress. Her feet are tucked soundly in a pair of black shoes. She's polite, honest, caring,  compassionate, and keeps a smile on her face wherever she goes.

Friday: It's a teenage boy with green eyes and spiked dark hair. He is clothed in sneakers, a black tee, and loose-fitting pants. A cap partially obscures his face. His can only be described as impatient, funny, and cool, while his behaviour is typical of the modern teenager. A hobby of his is skateboarding and he loves going to the park and hanging out with his friends and sipping a slushie on a hot summer's day.

Saturday: A teenage girl in comfy jeans and a t-shirt hanging out at a friend's house. She's laughing, flipping through magazines and like any teenage girl, she acts like one. Her distinct personality is impressionable, social, and friendly. She's the indoorsy type and is not a fan of the indoors. In her free time, she loves chatting with friends on the phone and eating junk food.

Sunday. He's a righteous man in his late fifties who does not take the lord's name in vain. His legs are sheathed in khakis, his feet enclosed in dress shoes, and a perfectly buttoned blouse makes for the perfect attire when he attends church. A christian, he prays before meals, bed, and carries a bible with him. Although strict, he is kind and has a reputable reputation in his neighbourhood. He's known as helpful to a neighbour in need and a proper, prim man with a good stature.

April 17

An Open Letter to my Dead Budgie Ivory

Dear Ivory,

 It has been five years since your untimely and tragic disappearance from the world of the living and I wish you the best. I may no longer mourn you, but know that I will not forget your memory. Since then another has taken your place and I cherish him as much as I still cherish you.  It is my fondest wish that you do not forget your pleasant stay with me.

 While I never quite knew what exactly became of you after your flight to freedom, I like to think that you somehow managed to survive, although it's highly unlikely. Anyway, despite my presumptions of your death, you're as alive as you'll ever be where ever you are. Hopefully you're living it up in birdie heaven and loving every moment of it. That's just how I tend to think of you as you lie in your deathbed.

 On a departing note, I'd like to wish you the best and may all your wishes come true. Don't worry about your grave, it will not be disturbed in any way, shape, or form. That I can assure you. For however long it is your soul will live, probably eternity, I won't forget you, the bird who thought she could survive, but most likely couldn't.

Sincerely Susan

I know what to trust on the internet based on the content, URL, source, and the probability of the information shown being true. The real information will not be followed by an advertisement made to collect money for the content shown. Anything that appears too good to be true in all likelihood is fake or a scam. If financial gain can be made through tempting bargains, prizes, or giving information, I would steer clear. Websites that ask for personal information, especially foreign, disreputable ones without a security policy would also warrant suspicion. For any information to be real, the same would have to be said in at least three different websites. Lastly, sources that aren't quite transparent in their intentions and seem in some ways dishonest wouldn't gain my trust. For example, a website that asks for an email address, yet does not clarify its purpose or what that information will be used for.

April 19

I decided to brainstorm a variety of options for a date and came up with leisure, restaurants, and shopping options while making the most of what we have in Arborg. The walking trails and recreational options would be entertaining, while the restaurants and treats would make a date more interesting.With one or any combination  of the options, any outing would be satisfying.

April 13

Differences: There are very few differences aside from the order the search results appear in and how my name is used in context. With quotations around my name, the search results had phrases where my name was used exactly as it is written, while without quotations, many results included parts of my name and had different words in bold. I found the results to be more scattered with less organization. Most were songs or lyrics, or songs with my name in it.

Similarities: The search results were the same, aside from their order. Both results yielded the same websites and were related in meaning. Either way, they both were about songs due to my last name.

I found a few profiles of people with the same or similar names as myself and many songs and lyrics . One song was titled "Susan" and was by the Buckinghams, while another was called "Susan's Song" by Al Jarreau.

April 11

In a media-driven world, there are temptations everywhere, and false information is just as abundant. However, when an advertisement is directed at you, it becomes hard to resist. The magazines target teenagers and have added appeal because of Jennifer Lawrence. She's the star of The Hunger Games, the popular movie made in response to the trilogy be Suzanne Collins, and big surprise, the books are also targeted toward teens. Those magazine companies know they can rack up sales by featuring her on their cover, because honestly, they know many people are crazy about her and would pick up anything with her plastered on the cover in a heartbeat. What other age group would be interested in sexy hair, awesome clothes, celebs and glamour? None other than teens thirsty for the latest scoops on their idols. A 80 year old man is certainly an unlikely candidate to be reading such magazines. Jennifer Lawrence's appearance can be summed up and described in two words; sexy and  carefree. Her body language appears to be communicating comfort and expressing confidence in herself through poses and positions that would not be done if you lacked confidence. That's what teens are looking for. For added appeal, the layout is made to entice the target audience with its flashy text and colours. A bit of messiness is fine because it looks neat to teenagers and the statements put on the cover are answers to questions that teens may have or information they want to know. Every cover is an advertisement. There is little or no difference between it and a sign advertising clothing on sale. The magazines are just promoting themselves with a superstar. They are literally using Jennifer Lawrence to advertise themselves. She's their advertising tool. The information that teens want to know is just behind the magazine cover, so no wonder they don't hesitate to buy it. I would have to say that magazine companies make the majority of their profit through the fame of others.

April 9

The five people I spend the most time with are my mom, dad, brother, and my friends Emma and Kirstin. I believe Jim Rohn's quote is correct for the most part because it's not always the case. While it is true that one is the average of the five people he or she spends the most time with in some cases, it doesn't always work that way. Rohn's quote must have been derived from how he thought that we as people all need to have people in our lives who we look up to and admire and turn to for guidance, but we also have people in our lives who empower us. We make friends with people with similar or completely opposite qualities of ourselves because we either admire those qualities they have that we lack or find ourselves attracted to someone like ourselves because it seems easiest to get along with and feel comfortable around that person. We don't feel inferior or significant to people with similar likes although it is possible to feel inferior to someone you admire. These two factors balance themselves out. No matter what, it's just human nature to feel better than certain people and not others. For that reason, people spend time with others who they see as lesser or greater than themselves. This results in one becoming the average person. Of course I believe that it is possible to spend time with people who we see as equals most often or people at one end of the scale. In a group of people, we ourselves do tend to think that we're the average out of our friends and not one extreme or the other. It's likely that any one of my friends think that they're the average in their group of friends.

April 4

The choice of topic for my research is how to raise a well-adjusted large cockatoo. I chose this because it's something I've harboured an interest in for several years now, but have not yet come to learn all I can about it. I feel that I still have along way to go and much to learn before I can say that I have learned everything about my topic. At this moment, I only know a minimal amount of knowledge in this subject and would like to take this opportunity to learn more. What I already know is the basic idea and a few facts. After doing a quick search on the web, I've found that there is sufficient information available to use in my research.

Focus Questions
1. What is parrot behaviour?
2. What's the truth about cockatoos?
3. How do you set rules and implement discipline?
4. What are the consequences of not raising a bird properly?
5. What are the bird's social needs?
References
http://www.mytoos.com/behavior.shtml
http://www.birdsnways.com/cockatoo/
www.hornbeamaviary.com

April 4

Society has become packed with thousands upon thousands of stories, songs, poems, and just about anything the human mind can create, invent, or imagine. Sorting through those things takes much consideration, especially when it comes down to just a few things. For that reason, my recommendations for what should be kept are what I consider to be most important, useful, needed, and helpful to society and everyone in it. My first recommendation is a sport that almost anybody can play and participate in, and it's one that would help keep people fit, healthy, and in good shape. For that reason, I suggest soccer be kept alive. Another recommendation is that agriculture is kept so that the population will not starve or become malnourished. A variety of vegetables, fruits, and fresh produce can be grown to sustain life. Humans need food, shelter, and water to live, and agriculture addresses the need for food. One idea I feel strongly about is our democratic system of government. Without it, how would society be run, I certainly hope it doesn't turn to dictatorship, or become so controlling that your actions and speech are monitored. How fearful would the inhabitants of a society be if their government controlled what they ate, how much they exercised, what they learned and the knowledge they acquired, or who you married? There would be no freedom. People wouldn't be able to do as they please or exercise free will as freely. A governments that monitors your dreams, chooses your job and husband or wife for you, dictates how many children you have, what you wear, and ultimately when you die is a direction that society must steer clear of at all costs. Therefore preserving our current form of government is of utmost importance, lest society be turned into dystopia. The final recommendation I make to the commission is that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Freedoms be kept and upheld. It would ensure the fair treatment of everyone and their rights. People would not have to live in a world where disrespect is rife and the quality of life is poor. I'm sure that many would agree that it would not be an enjoyable world to inhabit if nobody followed the guidelines for proper conduct and behaviour. Respect will lead to a peaceful society without any fear of war or the violation of human rights and freedoms. Order and structure can be ensured for all. Each recommendation made contributes to the well-being of society and are what I consider to be most important. The basic needs have been taken care of as well as how society is run.

April 2

Guide for Undercover Deputies

1. Be observant of student and staff behaviour
2. Behave similarly to others
3. Don't stand out or be unique, blend in
4. Appear nonchalant
5. Don't arouse suspicion
6. Follow rules
7. Adopt styles and mannerisms of those surrounding you
8. Dress similarly
9. Make a group of friends that are social and actively involved in many activities in and around school
10. Join as many different teams and after school or extra curricular activities as possible
11. Integrate yourself into school affairs and the student body
12. Speak the way you hear others around you speak. (what's up, etc.)
13. Censor and monitor your actions and what you say so as not to give any hints.
14. Don't exclude yourself
15. Be friendly
16. Follow class schedule and regular school routine
17. Follow the perceived standard and act accordingly (i.e. is it normal to wear your shirt tucked into your pants, clothes that don't conform etc.)
18. Don't do anything to attract undue attention

March 16

I consider myself to be slightly below average when it comes to my typing skills. This is because I often find myself scanning the keyboard for a particular letter, or figuring out the correct shift function to get a colon, or a percent mark. Sometimes I make mistakes and backspace and start over again. I can attribute my typing level to my lack of familiarity with the keyboard. Currently, I think I type about 25 words per minute since my speed is inconsistent and varies greatly from time to time. Therefore, the faster and slower speeds balance themselves out.
Today's lesson has taught me that my typing skills are slightly better than I thought. Instead of my predicted 25 wpm, I received a wpm of 34. I've found that typing the same letters repeatedly didn't increase my speed, but lowered it quite dramatically. Despite the fact that the program asked me to type words where the letters were found in the same area and typed with the same fingers, I found it challenging as I am not accustomed to using my left hand much, or more than one or two fingers. New goals I have set for myself are to become more familiar with the keyboard by challenging myself to not look at my fingers as I type, and learning to better use both hands while becoming more active with all of my fingers. I can try challenging myself to use more fingers by taking advantage of opportunities where using a little finger is more efficient then moving my whole hand to reach a letter with my pointer finger. In today's world, good typing skills are a valuable asset. Computers are everywhere and play important roles in many jobs and occupations. This includes secretaries, receptionists, legal and administrative assistants, and court reporters. Having good typing skills gives you a wider selection of job opportunities and increases your chances of obtaining certain jobs.

March 20

Spring reminds me of the summer and what's to come, as well as last year's spring season. The wet moisture sticking to your skin, cool crisp air unique to the season, and brown grass never fails to remind me that times are changing, and it's no longer winter. The season prompts me to think about how sterile winter is in comparison to the vividness and energy of spring. It's that energy and feeling of being alive and active that makes spring my favourite season. I love the spurts of green that pop up in some of the most unusual of places. The rain and showers bring something different to the air. It's as if the oxygen I breathe is infused with the sweet scent of nature and freshness. I find it extremely hard not to think of the season as rejuvenating and similar to a fresh start. Even in the fall where the air is cool, and in summer when it's humid, it's never the same as the air in spring. Even if these two qualities were combined, there would still be that extra newness to the season that cannot be rivaled. I like to think it's because the scent of plants, earth, and growth has been absent during winter, allowing those scents to become all the more striking. The melting snow brings that crispness to the season with that touch of cool of winter that still lingers. The wet pavement underneath your feet releases splashes of water that continuously appear to cleanse the ground, while puddles bring a certain fascination of mine to mind. when the wind stirs the surface of water collected in ditches, no matter how dirty the water is, I'm reminded of lakes, ponds, rivers, and brooks. They have a huge calming effect. Perhaps the most prominent feature of spring, or at least for me, are the short periods of time before and after a shower or rain. I can feel the amount of moisture reaching a climax leading up to rain  that brings a lucidness to the atmosphere, like tension building up into excitement. When the rain is released, it feels as if that tension is released and the air is left smelling like pure fresh rain. The raindrops are like orbs or crystals that fall in showers and cascade over the land, and bathed in the sunlight, it brings an ethereal quality. As cool rainwater collects on my palm, it feels like silk or a gentle caress, leaving me feeling soothed and fresh. Plants are plump with juices and feel tender and fragile to the touch. Opening your mouth in spring allows an invasion of moisture and a feeling of cleanliness to wash over. The taste is one of pureness and fresh life. Birds break into song and somehow their sweet tinkling notes raise my spirits and remind me once again that spring is here and winter is past. The sweet melodies transport me back to the previous year's birds and how they became so active and spirited. Spring is in my opinion a time that affords me the most opportunities to reminisce on the past and look forward to a new start. During spring storms, I love the sounds and smells, and especially the thought of myself being safe and sound indoors while a storm rages on outside. I've found that this comforts me and also surprisingly helps lull me to sleep at night.

March 14

Sally fell down on the wood, so Cat was up to his tricks that day. Too bad he will play. He had games and playthings too, but he had nothing to do. On her back she went. Sally was not tame, too bad I cannot say the same of Cat. Sally got up and shook her book at Cat. She fell on string. The poor thing. How funny is that. Sally is down in her gown. Sally got up and bent her head. She ran and fell on a ball. What a shame. Cat is not tame. He will not stop at all. On and on they will play. All day

March 12

PowerPoint Presentation Steps

1. I went to Microsoft PowerPoint and clicked on Design in the top tool bar.
2. From the selections, I chose a theme that suited Dylan and his preferences.
3. I typed in the heading 'Dylan Orbanski' in yellow since caterpillar yellow is his favourite colour in the text box provided and left justified it from the options given in the toolbar.
4. I  found pictures depicting a dad, Arborg, the colour yellow, and science from Google and pasted them on with yellow text labelling each by inserting separate text boxes from the control panel.
5. I opened up a second slide with the same theme, heading, and colours.
6. I titled the slide "Dylan Orbanski Loves:', and inserted four different pictures, each depicting a different hobby of his.
7. I inserted separate text boxes again beside each picture and labelled in yellow what hobby each picture showed.
8. I inserted a third slide with the same formatting, style, and title as the first slide.
9. I typed in yellow  text in separate text boxes if Dylan thought love or money was more important, what animal he would be, how he describes himself, and his biggest dream.
10. With each different block of text I inserted a picture to go with it with the exception of how he describes himself..
11. I looked over the PowerPoint presentation to check that it accurately portrayed Dylan.

Reflection.

The finished product looks neat, organized, and describes Dylan. It includes his hobbies, where he lives, who he admires, his best school subject, whether love or money is most important, his favourite colour, the animal he would be, how he describes himself, and his biggest dream. I think that by answering and addressing all those points, a description can be made that describes Dylan as a person. Many aspects of him can be learned through the PowerPoint and there were only a few questions left unanswered because I thought they were in some ways less significant or important. The presentation gives a clear representation of Dylan and that was the goal.

March 8

If a movie of my life were made, the title would be 'Recollection of Susan's Life' as it implies how the movie is in fact a recollection of my life and what has past.Whoever plays me in the movie should in some way have similarities with me and be able to relate to my character as well as translate that onto screen. They should be able to mimic my ways, habits, tendencies, and be convincing. In short, they would act in a way that best reflects my character. That person would be a young actress and when I think of that personality I want to envision, I think of Emily Brown who played in the movie 'Sucker Punch'. She's good at embodying various emotions and characters and most importantly meets the criteria mentioned in the preceding text. The people who should be included in the movie of my life are my brother, mom, and dad. My brother tends to be headstrong and quite bossy as well as firm in his beliefs. The actor that best brings that sense of conviction is Tom Cruise, or at least in my knowledge he is. My mom could be played by Julia Roberts with her maturer attitude that would match my mom's perfectly. Will Farrell would play my dad as he can be quite a goof at times and absentminded. He seems capable of mimicking  my dad's mannerisms.

My Internet Use: The top five things that take up my time on the net
1. Researching my interests
2.Watching videos of my interests
3. Howrse
4. Finding information
5. Looking at pictures on Google

March 2

If I were given the chance to staff a school with anyone I wanted, I would choose Evgenia Kanaeva to teach Phys. Ed. due to her extraordinary athletic ability. I'm sure that she would be able to rub off some of her work ethic onto the students. She would make gym class a fun experience with her considerate nature. A course that I would like to implement in a school is animal studies. The course would include facts on animal welfare, proper care, training, behaviour, health, and in what ways animals contribute to society. I can't think of anyone more suited to teaching the subject than Victoria Stilwell. She's a reputable dog trainer who is compassionate. With her around, I have no doubt that students would become well -educated and pay more mind to the animals they encounter in their lives. When it comes to Home Ec., Gordon Ramsay would do an awesome job at turning students into chefs. With his strict rules and high standards, students can only head in one direction; success. Ramsay's direct instruction would guarantee that students are well-taught and learn how to cook. I believe that teaching should adapt to the changing world as it becomes more modern and new developments take place. In the modern world, media is all around students and that's why it would be one of the courses at school. The best teacher of media is someone who has been in media and understands its tricks. For that reason, I would choose model Lindsey Wixson who seems very open. Being quite young herself, she would be able to relate better to students and have a better understanding of the influence media has on teenagers. Classes would definitely be much more fun with her humble attitude. Another one of the courses would be science and it would be taught by Albert Einstein. His great intellect would be beneficial to students and provide them with any help they need. He would have the answers to almost any question, and if not, he could easily solve it.  Being able to understand concepts well himself, Einstein would for sure be able to aid students in their own understanding of science. The final course I'd include in a school would be math and it would be taught by Archimedes. He is considered by many to be the greatest of all mathematicians and I'm sure he would be very capable of delivering clear lessons with his extensive understanding of the subject. Students wouldn't have to encounter times of confusion as Archimedes would clear any misunderstandings and ensure that every student grasps the content and concepts being taught. The final staff member I would include would be Gerry Dee as principal. He is quite the character and joker. His personality would enrich the school and make it a fun place to learn. Together, all these people with extensive knowledge in their area of expertise would have no problem teaching students what they know. School would become a place where subjects are taught and understood clearly and students can have a fun time.

February 29

An alarm clock beeped an irritating string of beeps as Hot dog man climbed lazily out of the frying pan. He cast one glance at the framed photo on his nightstand and immediately thought of her. He couldn't live without her. To think about it, they were made for each other. A visit would have to be arranged so he could hold her hand and profess his love. Later that day, Hot Dog man held Lady Mustard's hand as they strode casually down the street. Day dreams relentlessly showered his thoughts  as they continued their walk. Oh, how he loved her fresh taste, colour, vibrancy, and most importantly, their amazing taste when combined. They were the perfect match. He was with Lady Mustard through a marriage arranged by his father Gusto, the human eater. Gusto had raised him in a grill after he had been born at the hot dog factory and now he was one day old. A stone pebble bounced and vibrated in their path, a shadow loomed overhead, and before they knew it, Hot Dog man and Lady Mustard were snatched up in Gusto's chubby hands. Lady Mustard was smeared on top of him as he continued to daydream about her. Those red lips and red body, how he loved ketchup more than he hated mustard. The next minute, Hot dog man was dead while his wife stood weeping yellow tears.

February 27

Response
I strongly agree with Reid Smith's quote because the web is no longer a place where people go to find information, but a place where people go to do their daily activities. Some examples are how nowadays people are using their phones, iPods, Blackberries, computers, and any other form of technology with access to the web to check their mail and posts, interact with others on social networking sites, entertain themselves and play games. When the internet wasn't as modernized as it is now, people checked their mail through the mail box in the form of letters, interacted with others face to face and through the phone, and played boardgames and card games in the presence of their opponent. With the evolution of the web, people are spending their regular duties and leisure on the internet when they could do them off the web.
Not all my experiences on the web were to find information either. On several occasions I received or sent emails to friends and in that sense I did my communicating with them through the web when earlier in time, people would have had the same conversation on their phones or face to face. For a source of entertainment, I often visit YouTube and watch videos that interest me, and again, if the web was not the same, I would have watched T.V. instead.

In my opinion, Reid Smith's quote is a good thing because it exposes the truth of the web and how it's rapidly changing our lifestyles. I think people have to be aware of the changes occurring around them in order to understand the modern world and the major impact it's having on their lives. I see society facing several if not many challenges upcoming as a result of this shift in technology as people are becoming increasingly dependent on technology to solve their problems, complete tasks for them, educate themselves, and in general putting their lifestyles in the hands of technology. In some circumstances, people are so dependent on technology that when it fails, they don't realize it and blindly follow. This over dependency turns into an addiction and when technology is taken away, people become unsure how to handle themselves any more without its input in their lives. This creates difficulty for proper communication as well. When people are talking online, they are unable to immediately see the effect their comments have on a person because they have no one in front of them giving cues and bodily signals indicating a comment of theirs is hurtful or any one looking them in the face, daring them to say something inappropriate. When something is posted online it seems harmless because you don't see its immediate effects. In my daily life, technology impacts me in a number of ways. While I usually use the web to research my personal interests, I also use it to send emails and entertain myself. It affects how I communicate with others who live long distances away from me. If it weren't for emailing, I'd have to make long distance phone calls. Every so often, I go online to watch videos on YouTube and that kills some time. When I'm researching topics, information is easily found and at times I'm overwhelmed by too much information, resulting in me having to sift through what I find until I happen upon what I'm looking for. Without the web, the opposite problem would occur, I'd be  frustrated with too little information.

February 23

Pros and Cons of Technology
 Pros:
-Provides easy solution to everyday problems
-Accessible/convenient
-Portable
-Information is easily found
-Entertainment
-Kills time
-Addresses the needs of society
-Offers forms of communication (face time, texting, mobile phone)
-Connects people and countries on a universal scale

Cons
-Addicting
- Worsen social skills (face to face communication)
-Create confusion in literacy (web abbreviations, LOL, @, etc.)
-False or incorrect information and rumours are easily spread via chat rooms, Facebook
-Cyber bullying
-Exposure to fraud, cheating, false advertising
-Potentially dangerous people
-Stolen personal information
-Safety
-Used as weapon
-Distracting
-Complicate life (more tasks to complete, mail to check)

Want to Lose Your Privacy? Response
As a user of technology, the responsibilities I have seem numerous, there are definitely more than I originally thought. Before reading the article, I was ignorant of the actions some apps were conducting. Although if an app were to download my data onto their server without my permission, I would be  disappointed. It seems as if there's do much to be aware of these days concerning the safety of technology, but this article does remind me of my own experiences with apps. I don't always read the ratings and reviews as the article suggests you do, but now I am more aware of that possibility and safety precaution. The thought of an app company taking my information and downloading it onto their server kind of scares me because I can't take it back. What's done is irreversible. It feels like a violation of my privacy rights. This message is a huge eye-opener into the many tricks of app companies. I do become curious when an app asks for my information. I wonder what they could possibly want to do with it. That relates to a line in the article "What scares me about mobile apps is that they’re kind of a black box. We install them, giving them all sorts of permissions, yet we have no way of peering under their hoods to see what they’re doing." I certainly am much more open to possibilities of my information being taken, and now know what my responsibilities are. Part of being responsible is being aware of my own safety and actions, as well as knowing how to take precautions and safety measures.

10 Things Students Should Never Post on Facebook

Facebook is known worldwide for bringing people together, connecting friends, allowing users to find others who share common interests, and modernizing communication. This and many other forms of technology and social media have their pros and cons, and that's where online activities have an impact. With it's fun way of communication, Facebook seems harmless, so how bad could a wrong comment be? There's no one communicating with you face to face, no one to gauge the impact of your comments with, no one to censor what you say. Students make up a large part of social media, and knowing what not to post is needed to make the most of social media.

Responsibilities are everywhere, and Facebook is no exception. Communication and the right to freedom of speech and opinion come with a responsibility, as do all rights. Students can say what they think, but with reasonable limits. If they feel the urge to voice their opinion, it should not show disrespect to the opinions and beliefs of others. It is their responsibility that they ensure none of their posts in any way suggest superiority or rudeness. When interacting online, there's no one in front of you showing how your comments impact them, and swearing becomes a problem. Swearing is inappropriate and many may find it offensive.
Posting false rumours is another act to avoid. The victim of such behaviour could be hurt emotionally, and socially. Stalking and monitoring someone through Facebook through posts is unacceptable because it violates others' right to privacy while cyber bullying is just as bad as any other form of bullying. Hacking into someone else's account without their consent and posting inappropriate pictures of themselves or anyone else are two more things that should never make an appearance. For their own safety and security, students should refrain from posting any personal information about themselves or others including their address, phone number, etc.Unless it is desired for many to know of a particular students' social plans, private life or matters, that information should not be posted,  neither should any personal conversations. Even though it's an obvious one, passwords are not to be shared. Lying on Facebook could land students in trouble, especially when their lies contradict their actions and what they say, and with such a large network, students are likely to be found out. In general, students should never post anything on Facebook that they don't want to be shared. It's that simple.

By following these guidelines, there will most likely be less incidents on Facebook and unwanted comments. Facebook is for sharing things and like any other form of interaction, there is etiquette to be followed, although it is not as clear online. Students' security and safety are top priority, and when that's taken care of, there's less chance of danger. As long as nothing that is unintended for sharing is not posted, Facebook is fun.

February 21

If the school required uniforms and I was asked to design them, I'd have separate ones for the men, women, and staff. The mens' uniforms would consist of an earthy green sleeveless v-neck sweater with gold trimming on the collar and an ACI logo with evergreens over a black blouse. Dress pants and dress shoes would also be black. The women would similar clothes except for the dress pants that are replaced by black skirts of a moderate length with creases. Staff at ACI would dress just like the students, but in addition carry a name tag stating their name and their job.

February 15

Brain Blog
1.Opened up Microsoft word.
2.Clicked on insert;the second heading after home..
3.Selected shapes and chose the one I thought would resemble a head.
4.Sized and adjusted the shape to my liking.
5.Went back to shapes and chose an oval for my eyes.
6.Adjusted it and gave it a brown filling by left-clicking on format auto shape and choosing a colour.
7.Copy and pasted the eye to produce two identical shapes.
8.Placed the eyes on my head.
9.Returned to shapes and chose circles for my iris and pupil, and copied steps six to eight.
10.Using shapes, I chose a crescent moon under the basic shapes heading and used it as my mouth after giving it a red filling.
11.I chose the eleventh option under lines in shapes, and drew myself a nose.
12.Under lines in the shapes section, I chose the seventh option; a squiggly line, drew it using my mouse and placed it as my eyebrow.
13. Repeated step 12 for the other eyebrow
13.Under word art in insert, I chose a style that I liked and typed in whatever word I thought was in my head.
14.I adjusted the font size and clicked OK.
15.After selecting the word and left clicking on format auto shape, I went to layout and chose the option labeled in front of text.
16.I then dragged the word into my head and adjusted its angle by clicking on the green dot that appears above the picture when selected, and dragging it in the desired direction.
17. I continued doing this until I filled my head and finished.

February 13

Accept yourself
Be happy
Catch hold of opportunities
Don't discriminate
Embrace challenges
Find peace
Give more than you take
Have fun
If there's a problem, find a solution
Just be yourself
Kindness and compassion will improve your relationships with others
Lose not a chance to fly
Motivate yourself to do well
Never search for the faults of others
Open your mind
Passion will drive you
Quitting is not an option
Respect covers the potholes in life
Stand up for your beliefs and rights
Take time to reflect
Understanding is truly comprehending, but knowing is a one way road
Vacancies in your mind need to be filled
Whatever you do, do it well
X-rays see inside you, so do your friends who provide the medicine for the wound
Your youth is a dollar bill to be spent wisely
Zero is a versatile number, so be like zero

February 9

World Chaos
 The earth suddenly and unexpectedly loses all gravity, throwing the world in turmoil. People, cars, animals, and objects left untethered or stuck to the ground are floating aimlessly through the air: the scene is one of utter chaos. Questions left unanswered drift through my brain, almost like the objects floating around me; they have no solid foundation. At the moment, drowning in the disarray, all is confusion, panic, and tension. The world's leaders, military recruits, and scientists are currently in deep discussion, struggling to resolve this problematic turn of events, but the questions remained unanswered. How did this happen? Why didn't anyone see this coming? Can it be reversed? If so, will anything return to normal? Right now, any trace of normality would have been a godsend. As I scanned those around me, I noticed how helpless we all looked. Who were we really in the whole scheme of things? We were the pawns in a game controlled by the universe.

 Being lost in my thoughts, I hadn't noticed the gigantic semi slowly creeping towards me. It's shadow shielded me from the sun, throwing me into complete darkness. My mind wasn't processing this at the rate it should have been. Panic seized my body and fighting the feeling of dread, I forced myself forward. I felt like a rabbit being chased by a wolf. Feeling the ground underneath me, I ran for my life with my back pressed tightly against the truck. As I emerged into the sunlight, the absence of gravity was no longer. I was jerked upwards and fell right back down again. What had happened? Gravity had returned! People were throwing their efforts toward righting fallen objects and cleaning their yards. Behind me, the semi sat on its side. It was going to take a whole lot of manpower to fix that.

February 7

I'm comfortable around computers to a certain extent. Depending on what I'm doing, I could have no idea of how to navigate, or how to open or get a certain detail or page to show up on the computer screen. I'm average at my web surfing and information finding skills, but struggle with making full use of certain software such as Microsoft excel, power point, and word. I don't know how to use all the different aspects and applications available. Often, I have trouble familiarizing myself with the keyboard and all the different abilities of the computer. I've had a great first semester and achieved most of my goals so far. As I start the second semester, my goals are to gain an increased knowledge and understanding of computers and their functions. I hope to learn how to make full use of Microsoft excel, word, and power point through ICT.