Finial Blog

            The one person that has given me some advice is my cousin, Ashley Kelley.  She told me at the beginning of this semester “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it” or “You’re not going to make it”.  My favorite thing that she told me was “I can do whatever I set my mind to and study hard”. I have any had people tell me oh your too old to go back to school. Well, I should listen to my cousin.  There are days that I just want to give up, because I am not happy with a grade I got.  So, I think back and look at the words that she sent me and has told me.  My point is don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t do it or why are you wasting your time.  In my opinion they say that because they don’t have the desire to better themselves.  For me, that is what I really want to do.  Ashley’s word stick with me every day.  So, when someone tells you something negative just remember they are not happy with their life.  Everyone must take account for own life so, if you set your mind to something, you may get knocked down, but you are determined enough to get right back up and keep going.  Life is short and it’s what we make of it.  So, if you want to get a degree in education the set that as your goal and don’t let anything stand in your way.  If you have a disability you can overcome it and master your disability and get what you have set out to do.  For me, I am coming back to school at the age of 49and I am on oxygen, it has been a challenge for me but I have set my mind to it and I am going to get my degree in Medical Coding and Billing.  It may take me years to do it, but I will not give up and I will have met my goal.  So, I hope the words of wisdom that my cousin gave me will help you out.

Dana Thomsen

Blog #9

Drinking Age

                Should the drinking age stay at 21, that is the question between Hanson text and DeJong text.  In my opinion, I agree with Hanson.  I think they should do classes on drinking alongside of driver’s education classes.  It will make them aware of the causes and effect of what can happen if you drink and drive.  So, DeJong wants to drop the age to 18 is that really a good thing?  DeJong gives us facts about New Zealand dropping the age to 18 in 1999.  Shortly after they did a study and found out that there was a big increase in traffic crashes and injuries among 15-19 years old.  So, this argument really answers his question for him.  Drinking age should stay at 21 like Hanson has argued.  It really doesn’t matter what the age is for drinking.  If they are going to drink they are going to drink no matter the age. I a high school student is put under peer pressure they are going to join in with the drinking and the drinking games and it goes the same for college students.  Peer pressure is something you should learn to stand up to if you know what they are trying to get someone to do is wrong.  But, I am one of the teens that fell into the drinking age of 18 was legal and here is how it goes for me.  One month before I turned 18, they raised it to 20, and the right before I turned 20 they raised it to 21.  I was one of the party kids back when I was younger, so if I wanted to drink I did, and I can say there was times I should have not drove home.  I think Hanson has the right approach to this drinking age battle the is always going on.  Drinking age should remain at 21 and they should give alcohol classes alongside of Drivers Education.

The 2017 Grammys  Have No Answers

    

The 2017 Grammys have no Answers was very enlightening.  I did not watch it this year, but the artitcle was very eye opening.  Amanda Petrusich, talked about the night of what she thought was important.  First, she talked about what everyone thinks about the Grammys.  Some of her comments where she thought it was trifling.  Amanda Petrusich also thought that she hopes that the show will come together with Zeitgeist (the spirit of the age) of music and the value in art.  She also talked about the different clothing that everyone was wearing.  CeeLo Green wore a gold lame outfit and a gold face mask.  Other were wearing crystals.

Second, she talked about how Beyoncé and Adele where up for the same award and Adele won.  But, Adele attempted to give her award to Beyoncé and she would not take it.  So, Adele broke it in half and gave Beyoncé half of the award.  Frank Ocean, did not get his albums released in time to be in the running for any awards this year.  Amanda Petrusich said the most shocking contender got the biggest honor – Album of the Year- was the least known country singer Sturgill Simpson.  He was nominated alongside of Adele, Justin Bieber, Drake and Beyoncé.  Simpson sold around a hundred and fifty thousand copies of his newest album “A sailor’s Guide to Earth”.

Third, there were some rule changes this year that allowed for the inclusion of albums that where only on streaming services.  Academy members are famously conservative voters.  Amanda Petrusich said around the three-and-a-half-hour make, the Academy president said, “What we need so desperately are more reminders of all that binds us together.” 

So, my question to Amanda Petrusich is does she think they need to restructure how they pick the winner of each catorgy or does she feel like it is working the way it is?

Dana Thomsen

My Geek Out

                Fixer Upper is my geek out.  I love watching the show to see how they can take a home and totally transform it.  The best part for me is I get ideas from how Joanna decorates the house.  I get ideas from her for my house. 

                Joanna has a store in Waco, TX. Called Magnolia Market.  Joanna sells items she uses in her designs on the show and sells them in her store.  But, I am on a budget and I like finding the same things or similar things for a cheaper price.  My daughter wanted a half wind mill and they are charging upward to $100.00 and we found on at Hobby Lobby, regular price was $49.99 and we got it on sale for 50% off.  For me that is the best part is looking for items at a cheaper price.  When I find a design, I like I print the picture out whether it is from her show or somewhere else on the internet I have the design I am wanting to do.  I call this my inspiration room.

                So, the hunt begins.  I go to Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Target, and the Dollar Stores.  You would be surprised what you can find at the Dollar Stores for decorations.  Once you start purchasing your items store them until you can get all the pieces.  Then, once you have them all put your room design together.  Sometimes when you are working on a budget it might take you a while to get all your pieces together.  I have one wall I have been working on for about two months, but I am having a tough time finding some of the pieces I am looking for. 

                But, in the end it all comes together.  If you are not into the farmhouse look, then you can go on several different websites to find your inspiration room.  One of my other favorite places to look is Pinterest.   Happy decorating.

Dana Thomsen

Blog #6

How Cancer can affect you

      Cancer and how it effects people’s life. It’s funny how you think you have your whole life ahead of you and you don’t. Paul finds this out as he is nearing the end of his residency. When he found out he had cancer their whole world.  Turned upside down. In the coming months, he goes through treatments, and they have a child. He spends time writing a book and time with his family. Then he passes. Kalanithi’s, then must figure out how to go on. After she reads a book “A Grief Observed” by C.S. Lewis. Then she finds out that “bereavement is not the truncation of married love but one of its regular phases.” She then learned how to breath. She is living for her and their daughter. They go to the place where Paul lays and Kalanithi lays with Paul and their daughter plays in the flowers. They are still living a life together, but apart. Kalanithi is even taking friend with her and they are having a beer with Paul and watching the sun set.

      I have realized that there is life after death in some ways. You may not see that special person every day, but they are still in your heart. I can understand how she feels, because I have lost someone and wish everyday they were still here.

     

      Kalanithi’s strong voice is worth listen to. I would have never looked at death like she does. I am glad she has written the article “My Marriage Didn’t End When I Became a Widow.” This was an awesome article on how you can look at death in a different way.  Hopefully it will ease the hurt of losing someone. I am glad Mr. Stills assigned us these two articles to read.

April the Giraffe

Blog #5

April the Giraffe

              I have been watching April the Giraffe, she is at Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, NY.  April is pregnant and waiting to have her calf.  Giraffe are a unique animal - they are not like humans and carry a baby for nine months - they can carry a baby for 15 months. April is 15 and this will be her 4th calf.  They are also not considered to be in labor when the contractions start it's when you see the hoof has come out.  They hide their labor so when they are in the wild the predator won't attack them or their baby.  Once the calve is born it will wean itself off which normally take 6-10 months.  After it weans itself it will be sent to a different facility to start a breeding  program there. The calf cannot stay at Animal Adventure Park, as it would lead to incestuous mating and undermine the genetics of the program and species.

             Animal Adventure Park has an awesome team taking care of April, they give updates on her twice a day on her progress.  The caregivers say she loves to give kisses and she is a happy Giraffe.  There are thousands and thousands of people watching and waiting on the calf to arrive.  The park will have a place to where you can give different names for the calve and they will choose one from there, but that will not go up till after she has the calve.  It's funny how one Giraffe can have so many people watching and waiting, some people have the live feed up all day and night long just watching and waiting.  I check on her three times a day.  Watching her is better than reading all the negative stuff about what's going on in this world.  April is something happy.

            If you want to check it out you can go to Animal Adventure Park on Facebook and you can see the live stream and check the updates on her.  I have been watching for a week already.

Dana Thomsen

Blog #4
Your Trusted Recommendations
Fixer Upper

                Fixer Upper is the show I recommend to watch.  If you like to watch houses being remodeled this is the one to watch.  Chip and Joanne Gaines both graduated from Baylor University in Waco, TX.  They got married in 2003.  Joanne opened Magnolia Market in 2003 and Chip had Magnolia Homes.  With Joanne having an eye for design and Chip having experience with real estate.  Fixer Upper was born.  In April 2014, the first show aired.  I have seen show that some of the home should have been torn down and they totally transformed the home.  This is the clip I have added for you to watch.  Joanne designs the home and Chip remodels them.  Joanne then decorates them inside and out.  How she decorates is depending on the them of what the customer wants in their home.  She has done farmhouse to a contemporary look.   They remodeled homes from a shotgun house to even a houseboat which was awesome when they finished it.  If you like decorating you can get some awesome ideas from the shows for the inside of your home and the outside as well.  If you see merchandise or furniture on the shows you like they have a brand-new store in Waco and you can order online also.  I recommend you watch at least one show, they are on Tuesday night at 8 pm on HGTV.  I am a country girl, so I just love her farmhouse design and decoration.  My mom and sister has been to her store a couple of times, but for me I haven’t had the time to go yet.  But that will be a summer road trip.  I really hope you trust my opinion and watch, who knows you might just like it as well.  I am attaching two videos.  One is Joanne’s story on how she got started with her store and the other is one of my favorite show.  I hope you enjoy my favorite show.

Blog #3

Major exam

            Well, today I took my first major exam in reading. I feel good about how I did, but we will see.  When I first looked at the test my mind went blank, but as I started looking over it and writing my short answers, it starting things coming back to me as I was answer the question.  The test for the most part is what I expected.  Professor Still had given us a review sheet and told us it would be short answers.  But, I thought maybe there would have been some multiply choice for the vocabulary words.  But, all and all it was a good test.  The test questions made you think back over what we had gone over in class and what we had covered in the book, so we should have all been ready.  Guess we will see when we get it back. 

            As I studied for this exam, I really worked on the vocabulary and the words I focused on a lot where not on the exam.  But, that’s ok because I know the meaning of them and we always talk about them.  I, also made sure I studied the quotes.

            Preparing for the next major exam, I will be doing things differently.  The way I studied this time, was not as helpful as I would have liked.  So, I am going back to the way I studied and reviewed for test 15 years ago, it worked great for me then.  So, I am going back to that.  I will start making up my own test for each chapter.  I will make two different test for each chapter and flash cards for the vocabulary words, by putting the words on one card and the definitions on another.  So, hopefully I will be ready for the next one.  Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Dana Thomsen

Dear Mr. Rollins’,

            I agree with what you said in your video, Henry Rollins’ Letter to the Young American. 

It is time for us as Americans, to show a moral compass for the younger youth of America.  It

has gotten to be a world of its all about me.  What has happened to people helping others

in time of need and not getting so upset about helping?  Showing the younger Americans that

 there is still good in the world by helping others and teaching them to do the same as they grow.

It is our moral civic duty to help when others need it, rather it here in the United States or

in another country.  Showing the world that there is still good in this world will go along

way.  We have people here in the United States that are leaving on the streets because

they have hit hard times.  There are children starving that are leaving on the streets.  If

only one person would help that could make a difference in someone’s life and how they

 are living.

We as Americans should be help to a higher moral standing and be accountable.

 Showing our leadership and helping others.  We could be teaching the younger Americans to

 give and help the less fortunate.  We as Americans could do so much more then what we do.

The communities we live in could get more involved, churches, schools, and clubs.  They could

be holding food drives, clothing drives, anything to show community support and leadership.

Plus, when teaching them to do that it gives the community serves on their college application.

            So, we as Americans could really be doing more to high better morals for ourselves then

what we do.  I know after watching this video, I am going to try to get my family more involved

in the community and being better leaders.

America would be better off, if people would give each other a chance.  America is so divided, we should come together as one.  Like the pledge, says “ONE NATION UNDER GOD”.  I understand people have their own opinions, but some of the people have taken their opinions way too far.  I am all for protesting what they believe in, but there is a right way to do it.  Getting violent and destroying property is not the right way to do it.  For example, when Obama was elected there was protest, but not like it was when Trump was elected.  Protesters were walking throw the street breaking out window of business, and burning cars.  Washington was not destroyed then like it was this time.  As adults, they should be setting good examples for the children of the future, because they will one day be leading our country.  I may not always agree with who gets elected, but you must give that person a chance.  It would be no different is he was hired to be your boss.  As far as for the people of this country, we need to come together, and get this nation back on track.  I don’t always agree with what the government is doing but that’s my opinion.  Just like you may have yours.  But, opinions can be heard in a professional manner.  You can teach your children and grandchildren the right way to protest and not the wrong way. I read on the internet about the Women March that was supposed to be about women and their rights.  But, from what I saw and read it was a protest Trump.  That is not all what that march was for.  So, why would women want to down grade themselves like that.  This country is not at all what it used to be.  Sometimes, I am disappointed about how our fellow citizens act.  Maybe one day we can come together as one again.