Army Brat

Growing up as a military kid is different than other kids.  It taught me many things that I might not have learned if I were not the son of a soldier. 

We moved a lot.  On the positive side, I lived in and traveled to a lot of places in our country.  If my Dad had a non-military job, I probably would not have gone to some of these places.  On the negative side, I attended three different elementary schools before I was in the 5^th grade.  It is hard to always be the new kid and start over in a new school. 

My Dad was deployed a lot.  He was gone for yearlong tours in Iraq and Korea.  I am the oldest child in our household.  My Dad would always tell me that I had an important job while he was away.  I was the man of the house.  I helped my Mom with stuff around the house and kept an eye on my younger brother, which wasn’t an easy job. 

I think growing up as a military child taught me responsibility and to appreciate your family.  I am proud to be called an Army Brat. 

Semester Almost Over.

The semester is almost over...it has been a fun and busy semester. I never actually met any of the people in this class but I bet you guys are some awesome people. Despite all the technical difficulties I have and keep having with D2L on my tablet and laptop (when I have it), it's been fun. I wish you all the best in life and I hope you all go and make the world a better pace. ^^

You act white....

Today I was told that I acted white. I've gotten that before, but I never knew what that actually meant. I mean, I'm an absence of color, and this makes you want to paint me. I'm not too sure what that means. I'm an African American woman, who happens to like things that are out of I guess the social norms for a race. I never understood why we have these norms and why I am expected to act and talk a certain way just because I'm black. Once a young African American child came up to me and said that I talked white. I corrected her, and I quote.

"No, I talk like I'm educated." Now apparently that was not the right answer because her parents verbally assaulted me. Maybe I didn't have to say it like that, but still. Because I don't use slang, and I don't have an inflection I'm automatically less black than Tyrone. Who I just can't ever understand. Why are these barriers here that separate a race within a race. I don't like rap, why does that make me less black? I don't like fried chicken, I don't like bass in my speaker system, I don't really care for ridiculous weave. I happen to like anime, video games, swords, rock and other variations of it, I like to watch documentaries on dinosaurs. So why do my interest make me any less black than any other black person? I mean I used to live in the projects, but that didn't effect who I was or my interest. What makes me so out of my race??

Technology.

I was born in the era of AOL and dial-up. The first computer I got to use had Windows 95' on it that didn't even have a 1G of RAM on it, and now I use a phone that can do more than that whole computer. Today I just wanted to talk about technology, and just how much I love and hate it at the same time. I just want to shoot it sometimes, while yet I want to praise the heavens for it.

I find that despite having all these gadgets I barely use them  for anything productive, like I spend most of my time watching anime, or looking up when the next Skyrim DLC comes out, or when Bayonetta 2 will be out for the Wii U. Nothing really useful. Even when it comes to school work, I find that I prefer to use books or other people than my computer. I suppose I see my laptop and desktop more as a tool for entertainment then one of progress.  That's kind of a shame though, technology has done great things for society, yet instead of trying to help find a way to make clean energy, I wanna know why you can't find a lot of things on the Triad on China Google.

What about all of you? What do you use your computers for?

I have learned many things about finding a job, since I have been in school. The thing that troubles me the most is the fact that you have to have some type of experience, before being considered for the job. I am not expecting instant gratification. I know that a job with a degree is going to be a learning experience. It just seems that a person lucky enough to get experience without a degree will be considered before a person with degree. The only thing I am suggesting is for employers to consider the fact; there is no way I am ever going to get any experience in my field of choice is no one gives me a chance.

The Perfect Someone

Some say being in a "perfect" relationship is impossible. Well I believe I am in one. Throughout middle school and high school I never dated. It wasn't that I wasn't an admirable person, I mean I was weird child, but I was athletic, was an okay looking kid thanks to my mom, and even achieved the senior superlative of "overall favorite". I was single throughout that time because I was waiting on that right person. Yeah, probably seems cheesy, but I did meet that right someone finally in my first year of college. She is the first person I have dated and we have been together for a year and a half now. If a girl can accept and like a family as weird as mine, she is definitely a keeper! If we are to ever argue or fight it lasts a tops of a few minutes before one of us makes the other laugh. I do believe I am in a "perfect" relationship. Hopefully my man card is not revoked after this.

Looking foward to this summer

There are so many things that I want to do this summer that I hope I will be able to do all of them. However, before I do anything fun I must definitely find a job. I have yet to have any luck in my job search but I believe I have found a solution. This summer I plan on going to my grandparent's house and spending most if not the whole summer with them. While I'm there hope to get a job at Mt. Cheaha, which is about a 10 minute drive up the mountain from there house. While I'm there I plan on writing a short book but, I feel that I should do a little more reading to help me in my endeavor. It just seems like the best way to help me become a better writer and at English. I have always loved English but I have no idea why. Poetry is a great love of mine especially haiku. Just being able to capture something in just a few words is true poetry to me.

 Anyway, with all of this reading, writing and thinking I believe it can prove beneficial to me and my friend when it comes down to us writing comics of our own. Well since this is the last blog I wish everyone a happy summer.

New York

I was in New York last week. I was born and raised in New Jersey, only 15 minutes outside the city. I was there with my friend, fiance and baby girl. It is never a boring trip going home. We went to the Empire State Building and the wax museum. Last time we were in the city, we went to ground zero. I know it sounds chessy, but whenever I go to the city and they always have a memorial for 9/11. I tend to get numb. It was the reason I joined the Army and going back there everytime gets to me. I just take it very personally. My fiance has never been there and he wanted to see the reason why he has been to Iraq as well 3 times. I understand, because I deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan as well. Just standing there, emotions run through your body, that can not be explained. Just thoughts.

Basketball

The debate around the basketball community of who the best player in basketball history is. People agree it comes down to LeBron James and Michael Jordan. While they agree that the debate is down to those two players, the debate gets fierce after that. There are many things that are compared between these two.  The debate is always a fierce one and the fans of each player believe firmly that their opinion is right. In my opinion, Michael Jordan is the best player in NBA history.

In the NBA, both men have enjoyed great successes .Michael was drafted in the first round by the Chicago Bulls where he led his team to the play-offs and averaged 28 points per game.  LeBron was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 and was a first overall pick.  He averaged 27.2 points per game in the 2004-2005 season.

While the debate among the fans will continue to rage on there will never be an answer. There will always be a group of people that go against the majority. There is no real way to determine who is better when both players are equally good at what they do. The debate between LeBron and Michael will continue until a new player is added to the mix.

coming to an end...

At first this semester seemed like it would never end.
Now it is so close to ending and I feel like it should still be going. It is kind of shocking that the semester is just weeks from ending. I dont know if i want it to end.
So much to do this last month to make sure I get the grades I hope for.
Then a brief break and then start next semester.

The end of an era

I'm not really sure what to write about this time around, so I'll just muse a bit about the huge leap I am planning on making next year. I have been in the military for over 10 years; I joined shortly after the horrific events of 9/11 and I've been proudly serving my country since. My career choice has taken me all over the world, and I have experienced many things (good and bad) that have shaped me as a person. But things are changing. Now that the wars are winding down, the Army is becoming a different place. We are beginning to see the return of the "garrison military", where bureaucracy rules and leaders are more worried about appearance of uniform and proper memorandum formats then the mission we are still expected to accomplish. This troubling trend, along with the problems of our current administration, has led me to the decision to leave the military.

Although I love my job and the people that I work with (most of them anyways), I am tired of the constant deployments and the uncertain schedules. I am ready to settle down in a nice place and work toward my goal of attending medical school. I have a little over a year left before I can take my first step on this journey, and I can't wait.

Here Comes the BOOM

 

Here Comes the Boom Film Review

 

 

 

                 This movie features the actor Kevin James. Kevin plays the protagonist Scott, an ordinary high school Biology teacher. When Scott's school falls into a deficit, a friend in need becomes at risk of losing his job as the school's music teacher and will be letting his students down. Scott, the music teacher, Marty, and the school nurse, Belle, come together in order to raise enough money to save the music program. When raising the money, Scott discovers a faster way to collect money.... Mixed Martial Arts. Becoming a more skilled fighter and a more committed teacher along the way, he receives unfortunate news about how the assistant principal was embezzling their funds the whole time. Now the only way to save all that they've worked for is to fight and win in the brutal UFC.

 

 

                 If you want to know the ending you'll have to go see it! I absolutely loved it and the theme behind Here Comes the Boom and the example it sets for children and adults alike.

 

 

 

 

Don't forget to see that movie!

 

Caden Fredlake

Electronics and Society

     People have forgotten what a conversation consists of. With all the technology, blogging, texting, online video games, children have lost their sense of imagination. There is no need to go outside and play when you can sit inside and play video games all day. What happened to the times when children played with mud pies? Somehow, it's unsafe to eat mudpies these days. Although, children were doing it for years and everything was alright then.
     A sense of self comes from physical interaction amongst others. What becomes of these children if all the electronics are taken away; do they even know how to communicate otherwise? A thing I have started to do is interact with my daughter everyday, without the use of technology. We use good old fashion conversation, no laptops, cell phones, tablets...etc. I try to plan something fun or something that doesn't sound fun and make it interesting. One time we just drove around and looked at the nearby neighborhoods, getting lost and finding out how to navigate our way out turned out to be fun.She now looks forward to these days.
     I realized that something had to be done when we were sitting at home one day and my daughter asked what are we going to do today as she sit with her phone in her lap, playing video games. I got concerned and  angry. Children need to understand that writing love letters, like I use to do in high school has more meaning than a text. It's something you can look back at and see, years later. Actual interaction is more personal and rememberable than all the electronic devices. What future does society have. Before long there will be no more libraries for people who want to read a book because now everything is downloaded onto a Kindle. This is a sad truth.  

A big debate about car fanatics nationwide is which brand makes the best most dependable truck. The top three consist of Chevy, Ford, and Dodge. The order depends on the location, and preference. There are a multitude of factors that people look at when deciding what truck to purchase. These things include the features, the past reputation of the car maker, and the overall look of the vehicle its self. In my personal opinion, Dodge makes the best truck and that is why I drive a Dodge Ram. I also grew up around a Dodge dealership in my family which has made me bias toward Dodge.

 Many features that are important in a truck are the amount of weight it can haul, the engine size, gas mileage and the list go on and on. Many people use trucks as work trucks so those things are important. The owner needs to be able to haul a lot of weight and use the least amount of gas doing it due to the high gas prices. The past reputation is important because if a maker has a history of producing bad trucks then people are unlikely to buy a truck from them. If someone looks at a truck and they don’t like the look then they won’t but it, simple as that. So, truck manufactures have to make sure their truck looks presentable and people enjoy the truck overall.

People will debate this for the rest of time, there will always be people biased toward one make over the others and there is no way to stop that. This argument is more up to personal opinion rather than facts and it stands to remain that way.

Tuition Assitance for Soldiers

This ongoing issue is what has been a really problem in the past few weeks and continues to be an issue at hand as the government stopped with TA(tuition assistance) for students who are Soldiers to pay for college. It is really a hot topic right now and I can relate in so many ways. For one,  if it weren't for TA, I would of never started college. Soldiers actually join the military for school to be paid. That is a number one benefit that the military offers, and it has been taken away. I can not imagine how many Soldiers have been affected by this decision. What are these Soldiers suppose to do now?

I just read up that the Association for the US Army (AUSA) are waiting for the President of the United States signature to bring back TA. This is one good thing that an association has brought this to the table to fight for the Soldiers to be able to receive something that they so deserve. Unfortunately, what has happened in the past few weeks have left many Soldiers in debt, or not able to take classes, leaving them in a bad situation.

Soccer

"It’s the way you feel when you step on the field that lets you know you couldn’t live without this sport."

Lacing up my cleats, while peering out over the field before a match, I would be filled with such excitement. Just the thought of the ball hitting the back of the net would put butterflies in my stomach. I never felt truely at home until I stepped foot on the field, surrounded by ten of my best friends on the field with me and family watching in the stands.

Soccer wasn't just a game to me, it was not only a passion for me but also a lifestyle. Yes, I was the kid who took a ball with him wherever he went. It never left my side, well in this case feet. I played soccer all year round, and not once did I grow tired.

Soccer, football, futbol, or whatever you want to call it is my passion. I can't get enough of it.

Comic Bros. Inc. (Just an idea)

So after reading some of the New 52 comic books  and having a deep love for superheroes, especially Batman, my friend and I have come up with the great idea to create our own comic. It just came to us one day at his house. We were talking about DC comics mainly Batman and Justice League and said, "we can do this" and so we did. Currently we are still in the brainstorming process but we plan on creating our first comic by the end of the summer.

During lunch we try to think of heroes and villains and cool background stories of how they come to be but so far we have nothing. One thing we do have is the name of the superhero group which will also be the title. A few weeks ago in Professor Zieren's class we were going over the League of Nations and the document that they agreed upon titled Article X. The jest of Article X was that if any other nation was under threat the other nations that were a part of the article would converse and come to a conclusion on how to offer aid to the nation in trouble (this is a poor summary of it but you get the idea). The article basically reminded us of the JLA and Avengers because of its close similarity of how both superhero organizations work. Now, at first I didn't like the name but after a while my friend convinced me and we stuck with it.

We discussed who would do what by each others strength and weaknesses. My friend and his brother, who will also join us, have extraordinary drawing capabilities from years of practice. I on the other will be mainly be creating the story board and writing any other material because it's what I've always wanted to do and it's what I do best. They told me I should start drawing too because people with neat handwriting sometimes have a great potential of being equally great drawers. However, I declined and said that I don't really have the patience to do so but they still keep pushing me to the subject whenever we start talking about comic ideas.

We hope one day we can get our comic published by one of the major companies, but right now it's just a dream. If it doesn't work out then we talked it over and thought of moving to Japan and creating Manga because my friend said he is better at that type of drawing than the super in detail American comics. I would still do the story of course because I can't let my friend do all the work.

Only so many hours in a day

Life has become overwhelming. In the first 100 days of 2013, I have done more than I can begin to track. When the train keeps on rolling, it's easier to look toward the final destination than to appreciate every beautiful sight you see along the way. It's paramount that we take the time to appreciate the journey, and soak in every experience.

In the first 100 days of this year, I have done more than any span of 100 days in my life. I started taking the steps toward achieving my second degree by enrolling at APSU. I got married. I started playing intramural basketball and kicked off a new season playing softball. I quit my job. I found a new job where the hours are practically inexistent.

It's so easy to get distracted along the path when you have a goal in mind. All of these major events are markers... but I still take time to appreciate the little things. Every little think I do with my wife make for more valuable memories than most of the accomplishments I achieve. Every nap, every meal, every day. Each and every moment with her is more golden than the last. Everything I do in this life is better with her to share it with.

There are only 24 hours in a day. So far this year, I have started staying up to enjoy as many hours with her as I can. Truth is, 24 hours isn't enough. I want every moment I can claim with her. As the days start to bleed together, time is flying faster than ever. There is so much to do, and I'm happy to take the time to smell the roses with her at every stop. Every little event is just so much sweeter when I have her to share it with. With the map laid out toward our future, I take great comfort in knowing that we can make pit stops along the way with the woman of my dreams.

Modern Inconvenience

I have appreciated the modern conveniences provided by the internet. Communication is simpler now than when I was a child. I remember the days of writing letters by hand and waiting a week for a response to come by mail. These days, thanks to the internet, I can make a post and everyone in my inner circle knows what is currently going on in my life in a matter of seconds. Convenient, right?

The convenience of posting on Facebook recently lead to a major inconvenience for me. Last month, I took a road trip to New York City with  my girlfriend. We were engaged when we left Tennessee, and decided we should get married while we were in NYC. On the last day of our trip, we got married in Manhattan. Running low on time following the ceremony at the city clerk, we had to rush back to the hotel in order to check out on time.

We were in such a rush to hit the road that we didn't take the time to think of making phone calls to family. I wanted to tell my family face-to-face, so that they could understand how wonderful the day truly was. During the drive home, my wife posted the news on Facebook to let all of our friends know the big news. As fate would have it, my mother just so happened to make her once-a-month Facebook visit that morning. She was crushed that she found out about the wedding in such a fashion.

Initially I was upset that she was offended. I learn the vast majority of life's happenings amongst my friends through the internet. How can someone get mad about something that should be celebrated? It's easy to lose sight of the impact that modern conveniences can have on older generations. There is a personal touch that's lacking in the expression of personal news delivered on the internet. Moving forward, I will not be posting big news on Facebook. It's not worth the headache!

Tennessee Weather

I have lived in Tennessee since 1998,when I was 7 years old. All the years I've lived here the weather has always been crazy. I lived in Clarksville until 2012 and now live in Rockwood,Tn and the weather is still crazy. Just yesterday, it poured then stopped then poured again. This was all within an hour. Ha, I wonder if any more snow will be here.

I do love Tennessee though. I plan on going back home to Clarksville to live again this summer. Rockwood is nice but I miss the city I know.

Once again I am a lost for words. I have no clue what to type of share with you all, but if I had to pick something I suppose it would one of my hobbies. I greatly enjoy video games, video games are like a calling to me. It's been that way since I was a young child and the first game I ever played was Freddi Fish for the PC. The time when Windows 98 was the thing, and graphics weren't even as good as your current cell phone. So videos games the pinnacle of imagination. It allows you to be anything and everything, from a brave adventurer to an assassin   Very versatile  one of my all time favorites is the Elder Scrolls Series. I really enjoyed Morrowind, and Oblivion, but the best one they have by far is Skyrim. A giant sandbox game with limitless possibilities. I just love the game, it's huge, its adventure, it's just fun. I really don't now what else to say, I've tried blogging but it just came out as rambling. Should I just ramble? I don't know.

Target.

So can I just say that I LOVE my job at Target?

I work as a Sales Floor Team Member at Target, and I can definitely say that out of all the starting out positions, it is number one on my list of most fun jobs. All day, my job is basically to talk to guests and make sure their needs are being met through our store, and clean up the various messes that guests leave behind in a certain area of the store. On top of that, in my store, a person is allowed to cross-train into other areas of the store, so right now I could be a cashier one day, an operator on another, and just work regular sales floor too. It's pretty amazing... I have to say though, while sales floor is the most fun, cashiering is where time literally flies by. I worked a 5 hour shift last week as a cashier, and I tell you what, it felt like I hadn't even been in the store an hour by the time I went home. It's crazy how time eludes me while I'm on the checking lanes.

Not only do I have the best job ever, I get to work with AMAZING (that's our motto btw...) coworkers! I really do love our target family. I mean, there's always that one person that rubs you the wrong way on certain days, but at the end of the day, I genuinely enjoy the time I spend with each and every person that I either work for or beside. At target, we literally have each others' backs when it comes to working the floor, otherwise the store wouldn't run so smoothly. Say for instance I were to get a really heavy workload, and halfway through the night I haven't even cracked out a quarter of what I need to get done, all I would have to do is tell our lead for the night and as soon as someone else is done with their load, they come over and help me out, whether it's folding tables, putting out the clothes that were already shopped earlier that day in my area, or helping me pick up the clearance racks. My position at Target is seriously the best job I've ever had, and I love how well it compliments my personality.

When I'm at work, I adore just talking to guests, all day everyday. At Target, we're techically required to ask guests if they need help with anything every now and again, but I love talking to guests so much that I'll make conversations out of our standard greeting, and mix in my own flavor to it, especially when I'm working operator/ fitting room. It makes me really happy whenever I can assist a guest by telling them whether or not their particular item looks ravishing on them. But I never do it in a mean way, so instead of saying that it might not look so ravishing, I'll suggest a different piece and let me tell you, I have yet to have a less than a huge grin leave my presense. I just really love my job, and most days, whenever I'm not burned out, there isn't a shadow beyond a doubt that any guest wouldn't be able to tell exactly that, just by looking at my face or body language. :)

You are What You Eat

"The only place where 'success' comes before 'work' is in the dictionary."

In order to achieve success hard work must be put in. Over the last few weeks I have pushed myself in order to reach a healthier me. At first it was difficult. Cutting out fast foods along with sodas were not going to be an easy task for me. But after four weeks of not having either, I no longer have the urge for sodas or fast food, and results have certainly came my way.

Being a college student I have little time for myself between school and work. This problem always lead to me eating fast food, simply because it was fast, easy, and cheap. But where there is a problem, there is always a solution. Since I didn't have time each day to cook, I now spend each Sunday cooking my week's worth of meals. I put each meal into a container then into the freezer. This allows me to heat it up and take it on the go with me, saving lots of time while eating healthy.

I have come to learn that no matter how hard you train while working out if you are not eating the right foods your training is useless. The statement "you are what you eat" really does hold truth.

I've gained 6 pounds of muscle while still ridding away my body fat in just a couple of weeks by simply working out four days a week and eating healthy, but still allowing one cheat meal a week (which always ends up being Mexican ha ha).

You can accomplish anything if you are willing to pay the price.

The Beggining of a New Me

Male or female, every person wants to have the "perfect body", but being able to acquire this feature is not easy. From the words of my dad, "If looking good was easy, everyone would look good." About two weeks ago, I took the initiative to take my workouts and fitness in general to the next level. I would not only spend 4-5 days out of each week in the gym working out, but would also change my diet for the best.

As a college student eating healthy is nothing close to easy. Not having the convenience of home cooked meals anymore often led to resorting to fast food for the majority of my meals. It was fast, easy, and tasted good, but something I definitely needed to stray away from.

My goal is to add ten pounds of muscle mass to myself within just two months.

Stats as of 2/3/13:
5 Percent Body Fat
137 lbs
5 ft 5 in

I am pumped for my new transformation, and the beginning of a new me. I will keep you all updated on my progress.

Time

     It is crazy how fast time goes, when you realize it. How fast these past few years have gone is hitting me hard lately. My only child, Chariece, will be turning 16 in 16 days. Times that I once thought would be forever are right around the corner. She will be getting a job, a car, and eventually a life without me. These truths are very hard to come to terms with. One day soon, I will have to help her pack her belongings into her own vehicle and watch her drive away. I will call her name and she will not be there. 

     I question myself now more than ever. Have I taught her all the lessons in life and prepared for adulthood? The sad part is I know there are things that she will have to experience on her own. I am not ready for my baby to be disappointed, unhappy, sick without me. However, it is time for me to face the fact that it is coming. College applications are arriving daily, now. 

     As a parent, no one is perfect. I am confident in the manner I raised Chariece. Although I can not choose her actions, I hope she thinks of me, when in a unhealthy situation. This makes these last few years I have with her critical. I don't have much time left before she leaves the nest, so I am going to appreciate it and make it count.

Hero

 

A hero can be described in many different ways and the definition of a hero has changed over time. Many years ago a hero was someone who was almost god like. Throughout time, the definition of a hero has changed.  Now it is someone who has made a great contribution to our society or someone who has done something spectacular for someone else or for a group. While the definition may have changed, what a hero means to people will never change.

          The people in our society that are considered a hero are soldiers, firefighters, or police officers. They are all examples of someone a person could look up to as sort of a role model. In our society a role model and a hero has sort of merged together in to one. Soldiers, firefighters, and police officers all serve for the greater good of our country and they risk their lives to keep the public safe from danger. Whether it is fighting the war on terror, putting out fires and saving lives or people stuck inside burning buildings, or keeping our streets safe from criminals and making sure the public is out of harm’s way, all of these people are considered hero’s to our country.

          Another kind of hero in our society is someone who has done something spectacular and out of the ordinary. For example, a random citizen on a street sees a lady getting mugged and he comes to her rescue. He would be considered a hero and would receive much praise. Or, a hero could be a doctor who finds a cure for a life threating illness such as cancer. He would go in the history books as one of the greatest doctors of all time.

          While the definition of a hero has changed, the meaning of one will never change, and in the future the meaning will change again and our definition of a hero will be put in the past just like how we did with the old meaning.

Tattoos!

Tattoos!

             Since I was a little girl, I always watched tattoos. Butterflies, fairies, flowers, medival themes, and more, you name it I wanted it. Tattoos, to me, are more than just ink stuck into your skin. They represent life lessons, events, people, and so much more that mean things to the wearer. I currently have three tattoos and am rushing to continue. Ive got one on my outer thigh, my left wrist, and my right inner elbow. Each of them have some kind of tie to me personally.

            The tattoo located on my outer thigh is still in progress. As of now, its a black and white squid eating an anchor. When its finished it'll be an under the sea scene with a treasure chest bloing bubbles, coral, a mermaid, and it'll read I refuse to sink. That phrase to me represents my constant push to do better for myself and never let anything drag me down. This is what the squid eating the anchor symbolizes. Everything else will just enhance the picture with details and scenery.

           Next, on my left wrist is a never-ending spiral. I got this tattoo after I turned 18 in rememberance of my great grandfather that passed away from cancer. He lived a very full happy life and made sure to never make the same mistake twice and to always keep going. He taught me the most important morals and lessons of life. I do consider him my role model and he is always in my heart.

          Lastly, the tattoo located on the inside of my right elbow is an infinity symbol. My sister and I got these done together. We are three years apart, her birthday is in February of 1997. Macee, my sister, is whole-heartedly my best friend. We may bicker and get mad at each other as sisters, but we know we'll always have each other in the end. Sisters will be sisters, and I wouldn't trade mine for the world. Thats why we got infinity symbols done because we know we'll always have one another.

Caden Fredlake

day to day by Nicole Hammond

 We are rushing through the semester and it is exciting ,but last semester seemed like it too so much longer. I am still joggling online classes and work. I am proud that I am able to do so. I also still find time to be with friends and family. I also still get to watch my favorite shows(Doctor Who,The Big Bang Theory and How I met Your Mother).
 I am determined to eventually have my doctorate in Psychology. I plan on focusing and succeeding. It is the day to day of a college student.

Ava

Waking up every morning to this sweet little baby is the start to a great day. I stare at her while she lays in mommy's queen size bed. She sprawls out with her hands over her head and her legs kicked out over my legs. She seems so peaceful while little noises come from her and she begins to awake. She kicks one leg than the other and makes a funny mean grin. She putters out her lips and mommy can't help but kiss them. Finally her eyelashes begin to wiggle and she opens her big brown eyes. She looks up at me and smiles. I smile back and she giggles and she is ready to start her day.

This is what starts my day everyday, my baby Ava. She can turn anybody's frown into a smile. Just what I was thinking about how she makes me smile every morning even before she wakes up.

Star Wars Fans

I have been a Star Wars fan for pretty much most of my life. Every since I could comprehend the awesomeness that is Star Wars I have been watching it. During my younger yerars I grew up watching episodes IV, V, and VI just like the older fans who grew up watching it in the 70's. Like them episode IV was my episode I. That is until, Star Wars episode I: The Phantom Menace was released in 1999. To me this was one of the greatest movies I had ever seen. With the new cinematics and special effects it was just on a whole nother level of realness. Then espisode II was released and next episode III. With all three being awesome movies I could hardly contain myself.

Years later I came to find out that people were complaining and said that episode I sucked and that George Lucas had, "raped their childhood." I was just stunned how all these loyal fans enjoyed IV, V, and VI along with all the neat toys they created based off the movie that they would say such a thing. It's rediculous that the definative reason why they hated episode I was because of Jar Jar Binks. He wasn't all that bad people! Sure he was to comical for the movie, but thats what George Lucas wanted. He wanted to introduce a new character to the world of Star Wars and take the movie in a different direction. Forget Jar Jar there is still Qui-Gon Jinn who is played by none other than Liam Neeson the most "BA" man of all time. If you don't care for Liam Nesson (which means you're crazy) then there is still one of the coolest villians in Star Wars and thats Darth Maul. The sceen were Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi fight Dart Maul was the greastest! I almost cried when Qui-Gon Jinn died, because I couldn't see how the coolest jedi in the galaxy would die so easily.

The next thing people want to make fun of and hate is midi-chlorians. So what if they are like living organisms in our cells that are needed for life. The fact that there is biological parts to the Star Wars story is awesome, becasuse biology is awesome. I see midi-chlorians as more of a medium or radio that amplifys the Force in those who are gifted in the Force. It may take some of the mysticism out of Star Wars but a whole bunch of lore behind Star Wars that still gives it some mystery.

Moving on to dialog which is surprisingly another thing fans hate. Seriously! Just because the dialog is plain and lacks profound enlighting words means nothing. Have they payed attentiion at all to the old Star Wars movies. If you compare them there really isn't a difference. The only time there is any profound out of this world dialog is when Master Yoda is talking anyway or any other of the jedi masters.

The main thing I've been trying to bring forward from this post is for fans to chill the heck out. If you enjoyed all the memories and experinces when you were a kid and up to your adult life then George Lucas didn't rape your childhood.

Puppies

According to most people, I'm the type of person they would imagine owning a pair of large Chocolate Labs or a German Shepard. A "manly" dog that could withstand a 20 mile run and would wrestle a bear for me. Instead, they find me with two long-haired miniature Dachshunds. They are small balls of fur that seem to shed their weight in hair every 20 minutes and cost a small fortune to keep healthy. But I love the little bastards.

Today I'll introduce Luger, the oldest of the two. He is now 5 years old and sits at a meaty 15 lbs. If Luger were a full grown man, I believe we would come to fisticuffs at least every other day. He is the canine version of a Dirt Devil, but unlike the vacuum, his intake of inedible objects is not left in a neat little bag to throw in the trash. Just last year, he had to be rushed to the vet to surgically remove a bowel obstruction caused by discarded carpet, pine needles, a clump of my girlfriend's hair, rubber from one of those supposedly indestructible dog toys, and a small piece of my sanity. After a 2 day recovery period, I brought him home, and the first time I took him outside to use the bathroom, he inhaled a pine cone.

But despite being a stubborn little thing, he is an amazing dog. I'll save those stories for another time.

Just writing

As like a few other people on here, I am lost on what to write. I have never written on a blog, but there is a first for everything. Right now in my life things have been quite complicated. Actually they have always been quite rough. But I have always stayed strong to keep pushing through all the rough times I have been through. I can say I have one thing that is positive in my life and that is my 7 month old daughter, Ava. She is such a blessing. I am studying fulltime in my senior year. Just keep pushing through to graduate. I separated from the military about a year and a half ago and finding work has been so hard. I still have been looking, but I decided to keep my focus on studying and taking care of my baby. Well thats all for now, until next time.

Anyone Else

Is anyone else having the dilemma of not knowing what to write? I sat there for awhile trying to figure out what I should post in this blog. Should I be deep and physiological  Doing my best to impress my peers with my fortune cookie insight? Or should I just be humble and type about something that is lack of better words boring. So I decided to do the in between and just write my issue. It took me quite some time to actually figure out how to post in the blog. I of course had my own, and I've never commented on anyone else's before so this was new for me. I'm very tech savvy  but this actually made me feel a bit lost. So maybe I'm not that tech savvy....strange. Maybe next time I will have something a bit more deep to post.

I was thinking about how fast life can pass you by. It's like you wake up one day and you are grown and have children. Sometimes, I wonder where all that time went. I am thankful for still being alive and survived by all my siblings. I still wish I had've made better decisions in life. I somehow like thinking and actually understand that I have to take the good with the bad. I did not make it with my daughter's father. However, I can not be more grateful for the role he took, as a father. I also could not have asked for anyone better than the child that is composed of the two of us. She's silly, funny, smart and grateful. If I concentrate on what I could have done, I delete her. So I'm going to do my best to make her proud of me, while I can.

cool story bro

                Has anyone ever said “cool story bro” to you?  This has happened to me on multiple occasions. I would be telling a friend or group of friends a story and one of them says “cool story bro”.  I guarantee that none of them know where that came from. They just say it because they heard some random person say it one time.  The phrase “cool story bro” came from the 2001 movie “Zoolander”.  In this movie a character tells a long winded adventurous story and he gets the reply ”cool story bro".  Since the day that movie hit theaters it has been an obsession among many teens in high school.

                When someone says “cool story bro” to you it usually means they don’t care about your story or that your story was completely irrelevant or had no point or purpose. This phrase is used in many different situations. For example, I could be telling my friends about my weekend or something that happened to me at work  and someone who thinks they are funny blurts out” cool story bro”!  I just can’t help but laugh because it is plain and simply funny.  Many people over use this phrase or use it in the wrong situation which can lead to extreme embarrassment or scrutiny from friends. To perfectly execute a flawless “cool story bro” one must have exact timing and it must be stated with a straight face. Also, the story previously said must have been boring or pointless.

                Many people are unaware of when or how to execute a flawless “cool story bro” but the people who know the secrets of this mystery are comedians and can make a whole classroom full of people burst into laughter. In order to carry out a perfect “cool story bro” one must practice and they will go through many failed attempts.  When it is mastered said person will be a comedic genius. Forever will that moment engrain into their memory of when they finally executed a perfect “cool story bro”. The next time a person tries to embarrass you with a “cool story bro” and it is a failure, call them out on it and turn the embarrassment around on them.   If it is perfectly executed just roll with the punches, laugh it off and give them their props for pulling off such an extraordinary feat. 

A reason why I want to teach...

So I'm sitting here, trying to think of something to write, and unsurprisingly, nothing comes to mind. It seems as though every time I sit down to write, I end up staring at the screen, with the cursor just blinking away in my face. I've never really thought I was any good at composing my thoughts into a written word, but ever since I can remember, I've always been an avid reader, and I'm pretty sure that's where my extensive vocabulary came from as well. There's only one moment in time where I was under the impression that writing would've been one of my many talents. But that was back in middle school, with a teacher whom I thought was tougher than anything I had encountered yet in my lifetime.

Her name was Ms. Sands, and for an ultra petite redhead, she was as tough as they came. She had razor sharp wit and a mouth from the south, and would cut one down in front of the whole class if one crossed her path. She was a very upfront type of woman, and never once beat around the bush if there was a problem that she had, whether it was with one's work in class or with a student as a person. Ms. Sands gained respect through fear, initially, but in order to see through her rues and understand that her toughness was out of love, one had to get up close and personal with her, and that's exactly what happened that made me realize writing could be a possible talent.

A semester had come and gone by the time I finally did something about my grades in English class. Although I loved to read, I hated writing with a passion and everything that it encompassed. Ms. Sands had been breathing down my neck all last semester and she definitely hadn't let up this time around. One day in particular, Ms. Sands had called me to her desk so that she could discuss my work with me. She and I both knew that I hadn't turned in an essay once since I had been in class, so my stomach was in knots as I made my way towards the front of the room. As soon as I sat down, she gave me a very stern look and before she even said anything, I knew I was going to get chewed out and reduced to tears before all was said and done. But instead she simply said, "Krystle, you and I both know that you're a very smart girl. There is no reason why you should be flunking my class, because I know that you are incredibly intelligent and the work is not laboriously extensive in the least bit." She paused, and sternly gazed at me, trying to gauge my expression, which was full of fear of what might be said next. But to my surprise, she continued with,"I'm going to make a deal with you. If you do all five of the writing assignments from last semester, and turn in all your future assignments from here on, I will give you the highest grade that you deserve and we shall speak nothing more on this matter." I was dumbstruck with disbelief on what was just said. I couldn't believe that my fear-inducing teacher, whom I was thought was incapable of mercy and compassion, was extending a favor to me, so that I could put my lazy, procrastination filled days behind me and start anew. It was almost too good to be true.

Over the following two weeks, with her guidance, I completed all of my old assignments, along with the new, and passed my eighth grade English class with an A. Miraculously, she kept her word and we never spoke of it again, though she did give me her email address so that we could correspond back and forth as the years went along. To this day, I still can't believe that she gave me a passing grade in her class, especially since I had procrastinated half the school year away. It remains one of the nicest gestures that anyone has ever done for me, only because my future as a student was in her grasp, and instead of letting me suffer in my own demise, she coaxed me into flourishing as a beginning writer and encouraged my new found ability for the better. Because of her, I became inspired to pursue teaching as a career, and help young minds develop, just as she did for me. She will always remain one of the key reasons as to why my life played out the way that it did.

You

You were created,
In the beginning.
In your end,
You did not falter.
 
You held on,
Traveling through time.
Until the moment,
Had come for us.



You created us,
In our beginning.
In our end,
We will not falter.

We will wait,
Till the end.
When we join,
You in the stars.

Focus

Another semester has come and here I am trying to be a full-time online student and work my part-time job that usually is 20-36 hours a week depending on how Walmart schedules me. I hope I stay focused. I didn't do too bad last semester. I hope I can do it. I know I can do it. I am determined.

My Dearest Summer

With so many questions,
I can't help but to pine.
How is it that I procured
the sweetest grape from the vine?

I crush and squeeze you
until you turn into wine.
A delicious byproduct:
little pressure, lots of time.

I want to consume you,
mind and body to dine.
Tracing fingers over skin,
soaking in every line.

Sharing breath after breath,
the taste and smell so fine.
Words cannot express my thoughts,
I'm as useless as a mime.

So euphoric, this dream.
I'm waiting for a sign
that you'll stop taking chances;
your lives don't count down from nine.

You are just so precious,
I can't believe you're mine.
The trip I've been awaiting,
basking in the Summertime.

The Pace

Snare, soft toe land
Top hat, breathe in
Bass, breathe out
Push, pull from within

A click, a faster trip
Wind around me
Engulfing chills
Horizon is all I see

Gravel crunching beneathe me
Exhaling release
Sweet freedom

So I keep walking with my head held high..

Yesterday, I received the news of my great-grandfather's passing. I was devastated, and in a state of shock. I was expecting it, but didn't want to accept the fact that he was going to go any day.

Robert E. Young, one of the most amazing people I always looked up to is gone. I remember the days back years ago where I would spend all day and night with him. I would help him harvest his garden of cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots, squash, and tomatoes every year before I went back home for school. I don't exactly know how to deal with this. My heart is shattered into a millions pieces. How do you go on with your life, knowing the one person who was there for you no matter what mess you got yourself into, was gone? I don't know what to say or do. I've cried for hours on end, and keep asking God why he took him from me. But no answer is ever given. I've been so caught up in my own life these last 3 years that I never made it down there to see him, let alone let him meet his great-great-grand kids. Lexie and Levi will never get to meet the man I loved so much and looked up to as a role model to always strive for the best, never settling for anything less. I know he would have loved to meet them, and it kills me that I never took them down there to Columbus, Georgia to meet him.

I'm trying to keep my head up and to keep going because I know that's what he would have wanted. I know he would want me to succeed in school, and be the best mother that I can be. Today, I put on a smile as I remembered him for the amazing man he was and still is.

Time

It is measurable and counted
and directs your every step.
It is as good as money,
yet it's worth nothing at all.
It moves mountains and oceans and coasts.
It's up and in and out and off;
if you want to find it on,
you check your wrist or wall.

It branches out the family tree,
and it's necessary for life.
It can heal all your wounds
and pass as slowly as snails.
It is a dirty four letter word
served behind iron bars and concrete.
It's completely familiar,
but don't know what it entails.

It marks your birth and it marks your death,
but few things in between the two.
It is epic. It is lame.
It's the virtuous virtue.
It is needed to make things happen,
required for the things I do,
and yet it all means nothing
if it is not spent with you.

-Steven West-

I would hurl words into this darkness and wait for an echo, and if an echo sounded, no matter how faintly, I would send other words to tell, to march, to fight, to create a sense of hunger for life that gnaws in us all.  

~Richard Wright, American Hunger, 1977 

Welcome Students.  Lets start writing!