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