I AM

I AM number 6 of 7 children.

I AM a sun-loving, California girl.

I AM fairly good at sports... mainly tennis.

I AM patient and calm... most of the time.

I AM very happy and at peace when exploring the outdoors.

I AM not very happy when being lied to or used.

I AM scared of losing the ones I love.

I AM constantly trying to be a better version of myself.

I AM trying to be optimistic about this English class... instead of dreading it :)

The Three A's of Awesome

   This is probably my favorite TED Talk. I love the message that Neil Pasricha transmitted throughout his blog posts and this talk. It's something we can all relate to... we all go through trials and hardships... we all have struggles, whether big or small. The struggles we go through are very personal and real for us, individually. I really appreciate the courage he had while telling the world of a very personal journey of his.
   I 100% agree that attitude affects everything. My day always goes better, and I am happier and generally more grateful when I make the choice to have a good attitude. He talked about looking at the world for the first time. I feel like after every trial, we are sort of forced to look at a situation or life itself with "new eyes", with a new perspective, hopefully having learned something.

Death Sentences

"...if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought."
   This phrase reminds me of another phrase, "You are what you eat"... meaning you become what you consume. In this case, you are what you say/think. Clearly our words are stemmed from our thoughts. But the idea that our thoughts can be stemmed from what we say is very interesting.
   When talking about "inappropriate language", there are many words and phrases that come to mind, such as retarded, gay, stupid, etc. I want to focus on a phrase "deaf and dumb". Calling someone who is deaf, dumb, is very inappropriate and offensive. On the other hand, sometimes I hear people being called deaf if they are acting "dumb", meaning they are acting like they are deaf, which is extremely offensive to people who have an actual disability. I like the quote, "No one has ever made himself great by showing how small someone else is" by Irvin Himmel. Often, people are so insecure that they try and put others down to make themselves seem "cooler". I think this is why people make fun of people with disabilities... because they think they are better than them since they aren't "normal". And this is terrible. This has been going on for so long that it has become socially acceptable to say those things, and even find them humorous. I think this is what "language can also corrupt thought" is referring to. Since this type of language is heard everyday, it has corrupted our thoughts into thinking that it's okay. When it is definitely not okay and very offensive.

Betsy DeVos Hearing

   My first reaction while reading this article was how annoyed politicians make me. They always know exactly how to get around a question without really answering it. Having said that, I understand that they don't want to take a definite position on a certain matter as it may depend on that issue within a certain state or whatever the case may be. But still, politicians and members within governments are supposed to be there because they supposedly have taken a stance on one side of an issue. But oh well, that's politics.
   Now to respond to the actual issues being discussed in the article. Like most of the questioners, I agree strongly that the government is kind of screwing up the education system. It's all about money and how to make more... which if fine, our country needs money... however fairness and quality in schools should be the main focus. As a taxpayer I would also like to know that my money is going to be used for good, and not just given to people that already have a lot of money. It's just frustrating.

Response to TEDTalk: Brene Brown

   I thought this was a really great topic and it really hit home for me in many ways. I thought Brene Brown touched on a few different topics/issues that I think are extremely relevant in this world. I liked how at the end she mentioned that shame plays different roles in genders. She touched on the fact that women tend to shame themselves a lot. As a girl I have definitely experienced this! There is so much media telling us women how to be the "perfect" women... how to cater to everyones' needs, including altering appearance to please others. 

   It was also interesting to listen to the differences between guilt and shame, being that shame goes far deeper and can cause disorders. However, I like that she talked about shame in an empowering way. That it is something we can conquer. That it isn't something we need to be afraid of.