Cinco de Mayo!

                             

                

Cinco de Mayo is one of the coolest non-American holidays.  I love just the thought of Cinco de Mayo, but that could be because I like the Spanish related culture.  It was originally meant to be a Holiday in Mexico, but us Americans turned it into a overrated "let's pretend we are Spanish".  Essentially: drinking and partying with piñatas, trumpets, and stupid parades.  Truthfully, it is the Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla and the military victory in 1862 over the French forces of Napoleon III.  On May 5, 1862, Mexico had victory. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in large Mexican American populations with parades and festivals.  In Mexico, it means more. There are of course festivals and parades, but they also have speeches to give true specialty. Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day.  It should not become a national holiday in the states, but just a celebration where cities or people can simply celebrate it. 

Prom

I went to prom this year and it was okay. The only thing that wasn't was probably the music because they played five songs from the same artist within one hour. Music wasn't even fun, nobody was on the dance floor. They only played a couple of group dances where everyone was mostly dancing, but other than that it was annoying. They played a couple slow songs for people but even then they weren't even good. I thought that getting ready for prom was fun because having my hair done, nails done, and doing make up was fun. I did like after prom though, I didn't feel good for a while but then it was okay. I brought the three newest Just Dance for Wii with me because they usually have outdated ones. It was fine, I was mostly playing it with friends but other people played as well. After Prom was fun nonetheless. One thing is this year they didn't have a Photo Booth and I like that from last year. They didn't have bouncy houses, they had some other stuff and but I didn't do any of it. They had pizza and cookies and pop there and that was good. Then it got time to be the raffle and I was so out of it, like I was just staring off to space. Next thing I know, I hear "Morgan Inman" and the people are looking around. I went up there and since I was the first one called, somehow I got lucky that way, I picked the mini fridge so yeah. I have a mini fridge. That was the one thing I wanted most. I Wouldn't want there to be just after prom because you know it is "after" prom and it's fun for you to go to prom and then after prom. Some people just come to after prom which is okay, but I wish they would go to prom as well. Every senior should've went to prom at least to experience it even if they didn't have date. I went with a group of friends. Going with friends is just as fun. 

Spring Break

My favorite day of spring break was the day we left for break, Friday. That was the day after school got out. We left at 6:30 am for Tennessee to stay in the rented cabin. I tried to pull an all nigher Thursday night into Friday by watching tv, but I crashed at three am. I planned on just sleeping on the way there. But after we left, the truck was a little crowded with out stuff. But I slept for probably three of the whole ten or so hour trip. 

Once in TN, we went to Smokey Moutain Knifeworks. That is one of my favorite places to shop at and go. I got some new pins for my purse in what I call the "nerd section". That is where they have collectibles like Star Wars, zombie stuff, Harry Potter, and my favorite, Lord of the Rings. I went strait to the bin with pins and got one for Friends the tv show, two for Star Trek, and two for the Hobbit. It was great. We went to this homestyle smoked/grilled place ran by just one guy and it was so good. It smelled so awesome and it tasted just as awesome. I got a pulled pork sandwhich with the greatest homemade BBQ sauce. 

Once we got to the cabin it looked cozy and relaxing. But first we had to unload all our stuff. Literally the second the last thing was unloaded and brought in, it began to storm and down pour. I love thunderstorms so it was sweet. It was cool to see the lightening flash in the sky through the windows. I got so tired of the snow this winter. 

Later on we all went off to bed and I slept well. 

National Pencil Day

Pencils have been painted yellow ever since the 1890s.  During the 1800s, the best graphite in the world came from China.  American pencil makers wanted a special way to tell people that their pencils contained Chinese graphite.  In China, the color yellow is associated with royalty and respect. American pencil manufacturers began painting their pencils bright yellow to communicate this “regal” feeling and association with China.  European producer Koh-I-Noor was the first to introduce a yellow pencil.  Today, pencils in the United States are painted yellow and what was once “regal” is now simply “common”.


I do not like using the traditional yellow pencil.  It is annoying.  The constant sharpening because the pencil becomes dull, is ridiculous.  But then, somehow it is possible to sharpen it to a point too much because it may break! Then you sharpen it again, oh joy.  What is even worse is that when you are writing with the traditional pencil, the graphite stains your finger and then there is that smudge on the side of your middle finger.  So, therefore, I use mechanical pencils.  No sharpening required, just clicking the pencil for lead to come out.  I don't use pens on a regular basis.








http://pencils.com/why-are-pencils-yellow/

My Future

I know what my life will look like, well, at least for the next four years until I graduate college in 2019.  I will be attending Central Michigan University starting in August to major in Spanish Secondary Education.  I have been keeping up on my Spanish studies so I make sure my memory is refreshed and as knowledgeable as it can be.  Hopefully by my fourth year of college I will be in Spain!  Yes, Spain!  I won't be there for long though, because I will be studying abroad only for a semester most likely.  I wish it could be longer, I truly long to visit a foreign country, Spain being my first choice.  Of course at one point I will have to do my student teaching.  After that day I graduate in 2019 from CMU, I don't know where I will be.  I sure hope I have a teaching job as soon as possible.  Then a whole new chapter in my life begins.

Portrait Photography

I think what makes a great portrait shot is one that really focuses on the person's emotion.  One that really shows the person's face and mood works best.  Even adding some retouching and effects, such as black and white improve a portrait photograph.

This baby picture depicts a good portrait picture because it shows the emotion of a baby.  It zooms in on the baby's face to show its emotion, happiness. 

It is not easy to get a good portrait shot.  It takes the perfect camera setting, angle, and zoom.  All of this is made possible with the right camera and lens as well as any edits made to the photo.


An actor's portrait shot, such as this one, shows a mood to prove how serious he is and how determined he is in acting.

Cheaters Never Win!

 

I would do nothing if I saw a friend cheating.  To keep a friend, you have to trust each other.  I know that I have great friends who are trustworthy people, so they would not majorly cheat.  But if I saw such a thing from them, I would keep it to myself.  If I saw someone cheat that was not my friend or a nice person, and I saw them cheat, maybe I would say something.  This I would do only if it was on something huge, such as a final exam or major essay.

My Breakdown of a Song

A favorite song of mine is "Map of the Problematique" by Muse.  The lyrics were written by the band's lead singer/guitarist Matthew Bellamy.  I like the way the song sounds and how the lyrics are sang.  For me, this song is about a man who is contemplating the things in life.  It seems there has been a traumatic event for the man and he is trying to figure things out.  This is my breakdown and what I think the lyrics mean:

Fear, and panic in the air
I want to be free
From desolation and despair

There is a loss of people and a loss of hope.  He is afraid and panicking that he will be the next one to go, possibly be another "loss".  He has this fear for being abandoned, and when he has this person to "be free from desolation and despair" he became desperate to keep that person by their side.

 

And I feel like everything I saw

Is being swept away

When I refuse to let you go

He refuses to let [her] go.  Letting someone special go is not that easy.  But, he knows that if he doesn't let go, he will lose her anyways.  It is a fight within himself.

I can't get it right since I met you

"I can't get it right" is that he can't find the right words to say. Everything is wrong in times like this for him. "Since I met you" - he feels that he didn't do or say the right things from the start. He's blaming himself.

Loneliness be over
When will this loneliness be over?

I find this one to sound just the way it is.  When he is pleading that the loneliness be over, he is pleading for an answer and for everything to end.  No matter what, he will always end up feeling lonely.  It will never be over.

Life will flash before my eyes
So scattered and lost
I want to touch the other side

He can see life "flash before his eyes", but it is not clear to him.  At a time like this for the man in the song, he really has to think about his life.  He starts to remember events in his life and remember old memories, perhaps the happier ones- compared to now. Touching the other side could mean finding out what's going to happen next.

And no one thinks they are to blame
Why can't we see
That when we bleed we bleed the same?
This is my favorite part of the song; I find it most powerful.  This is true not for just this song, but for the whole world.  Many people cannot take the blame for themselves and admit to their own faults- "no one thinks they are to blame".  As for "when we bleed we bleed the same", that is him saying everyone is the same in one way or another.  Yet, no one can see it and he asks "why".

 

In the end, he seems to come to a conclusion: nothing he says or does makes any difference.

 

Testing! Testing! Testing!

    It truly does seem as if we spend the first 13 years of our education being tested and I do not care for it.  I understand that it is necessary, for the most part, but really, just how much testing can one take?  Education relies to heavily on testing because that is truly the only way for schools and teachers to prove that a student has actually learned something.  If there were no tests, how would there be proof that students have learned?  Teachers could not truly know if a student has grasped a topic.  Sure, they could ask students questions or lead a class discussion, but there is no solid proof of a successful education unless it is on paper.

   Standardized testing is just a way to either make a school shine so it can bask in its glory or weaken a school's education status.  There should be a fair test, one that is not too difficult for the average student to take.  I do not like these tests.  They are lengthy in time and annoying.  I would much rather just take a regular test in class.  My testing is average.  My ACT score was average and I wish I could have done better.  All the other testing over the years, like MEAP, were OK.  I don't really remember.  For anyone who says  they "just don't do well on tests", I don't fully believe that.  Everyone is capable no matter what ways they take it.  Whether that be on their own or with some help from an Aid or tutor.

Top Four

1) Family
Family is above all, before anything else.  I would never betray a family member to get what I want.  I know it goes both ways too.

2) Education
My high school education is nearly over and next is my college education.  All education is very important as it will be very crucial to getting my college degree and job.  I will be majoring in Spanish Secondary Education at Central this fall and will be trying my best to succeed.

3) Friends
What would I do without friends?  I never want to find that out.  I am thankful for the friends I have and that we all support each other.

4) Entertainment
This includes books, movies, and TV.  I don't read books by the week because I rarely have time to do so, but when I am reading I am engrossed into the book.  I love my TV shows, though, again, I rarely have time to catch up on my show.  My favorite shows are mostly on basic cable TV like Scandal, How to Get Away..., Forever, and others.  Recently I like The Americans on FX.  I am on Season one right now as I am catching up on Amazon Instant Video.  I don't know what I would do without TV shows either.  Movies are something that rarely changes.  I am not an avid movie watcher.  I like to watch the same movies over and over that I really enjoy such as LOTR, Hugh Jackman movies, and comedy movies.

Popular President

I believe that the United States President that had the greatest impact was President George Washington.  Washington was our first President; and therefore he was the set-in-stone of most of how our government operates.  The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were written and signed during the time of Washington.  Vice Presidents and cabinet members were added because of Washington.


I think that the hardest thing about being the President is stress and pressure.  They have to think of the people and what the people want.  Yet, they also have to keep in mind what is for the good of the country.  Being President sounds too stressful to me, so I would never want to be the President.  If I were to run for President, my campaign pitch would be something along the lines of "bringing the change we wish to see".  That statement refers to our country.  I would say "we" because that includes every one, not just the government.

Charity Event

$100,000 to give away, I would give it to a charity. The charity I would give the money to would be St. Jude's Children's Hospital and wounded veterans charities. I would split the money in half so each would have $500,000. Both of those need the money, just as all charities do, but they are two that mean a lot to me. It is sad when children have cancer, and it is financially hard for families to pay for treatments. St. Jude's is a very good hospital to care for those sick children. And since my grandpa is a veteran, I'd give to a veteran charity as well. 

I Want Out of Here... to the Mountains

Right now, I would prefer to be in the mountains.  The mountains are just so peaceful and calm and away from everything else, for the most part.  Though, when I am thinking about the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee.  My family and I have been there three times and I just love it.  The cabins are amazing and last time we were there, almost two years ago, I got the room on the third floor.  All the third floor had was a full bathroom, a bed, tv, and coolest of all- the highest level deck.  I enjoyed shunning myself on the third floor, it was quite grand.  So, where would I prefer to be?  Having a grand ol' time in the Smokey Mountains, just like it was for me two years ago.

Bug Out

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Plectroctena_sp_ants.jpg

If I were an insect... ew!  I cannot stand bugs.  They are disgusting little creatures that happen to exist in the world.  If I was any type of insect, I would be an ant.  Ants are insects that seem to mind their own business.  They are lucky that they can easily hide.  They have awesome little sand hills as homes.  Of course, people ruin all their hard work and smash the ant hills sometimes, but they are awesome nonetheless.  Perhaps I am really thinking of the movie Bugs Life when thinking about ants.  In the movie, they have awesome underground tunnels... that is cool.

Final Exam

   After graduation from high school, a tool that we have learned to use in class that I would most likely be able to use after class is Google Drive. Google Drive is a collaborative Web 2.0 tool that allows people to store and share files. It has features similar to Microsoft's Word, Excel, and Powerpoint- all free with Google and Gmail. I would be able to use it if I was in a study group in college and we shared our notes through Google Drive so we could all share information.  It could even be used with any future job to write a report or I can simply have documents stored in Drive rather than carrying around a flashdrive.

 

   A tool I believe I will never use again is Podcasts.  I rarely watch or listen to podcasts because most are audio only.  I can not imagine myself just sitting there and listening to people talk.  Sure, the radio has talk shows, but podcasting is more boring.  Nor will I ever make a podcast after this class, because I have no need to.   I would rather blog about something.

Vacation Time

Christmas Break.  A whole lot of time to do just about anything.  There was nothing too exciting that I did, but I enjoyed the relaxation.  The Saturday after break began, on the 20th, I had my 18th birthday.  I had friends over that Friday night for my birthday and we went to see The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies.  I was literally the only one who was sad that it was the end.  No more Lord of the Rings and no more Hobbit.  My friends were sort of like, "oh, that was the best Hobbit of all.  Well, guess there are no more".  Then there was me, "what do I do now?  There will be no more new Lord of the Rings movies at all.  The end, I am sad".  When we got to my house, we all just talked, played Trivia Crack, and watched Netflix.  On my birthday, I wanted to go to Jackson for shopping and Olive Garden, so we did.  I got money and gift cards, nail polish, and a Muse shirt that was ordered from the U.K. 
Christmas, oh Christmas.  I woke up at six in the morning so we could open up gifts (at home at my mom's), have breakfast, chill out, then head to my dad's at noon.  It has always been that way.  

I got so many fun things for Christmas. I got money and gift cards, a Central Michigan University hoodie (that's where I am going to college), two Muse shirts, a Muse cd, Muse buttons, a coffee maker for college, some movies, clothes, and other things. 

As for New Years resolutions, I am not making any. I never do them anyways, so I will save myself the hassle of making them for no reason.