Love on Maher Avenue

After Mr.Kunkle gave his somewhat inspirational story about his grandfather's spring factory, I was kind of excited to write a blog post about my own interesting family story. This tale may not be as exciting, actually it sounds like it could be another chick flick movie, but I think it's adorable, to say the least.

It all started on Maher Avenue. My mother lived at one end, and my father at the other. They "knew" each other from a very young age. My dad's cousin lived behind my mom, so he'd constantly be playing football/soccer, etc. right in her backyard! My parents weren't really friends, but they must have admired each other from afar. Their childhood went something like this, until they reached high school.

To put it mildly, my dad was dirtbikin' hippie stud by the time he reached high school. If you're wondering where I get my beautiful blonde locks from, just look at him! ha. My mom was the good girl (stellar G.P.A, goody two-shoes), and she was also the study hall monitor. My parents didn't hang out in the same clique, but they got to know each other more in study hall. Since my mom was in charge of the attendance and she thought my dad was smokin' hott, she told him that he didn't have to come to school for study hall and she'd still mark him present. After a week or two of him not showing up, my mom felt like an idiot for telling him NOT to come because then she couldn't stare at his gorgeous face!

Eventually, my mom quit being a study hall monitor and spent her study halls following my dad around. They frequently went on dates during open campus to Taco John's (they went to good ol' LaFollette) and eating 33 cent tacos, because they were apparently really cheap. They didn't have too serious of a relationship in high school, but everything changed once my dad graduated.

My parents took a stronger interest in each other as the years went on, and after breaking up and getting back together, they realized how happy they were together and BOOM! they got married. Now they have a happy life and we're the perfect family :) It's just crazy to think they've known each other since like age 7, and they ended up becoming soulmates. It's precious, actually.

I hope that happens to me someday. Oh wait, it kind of is. I think I'm having a slight repeat of my parents history.

I lived on Oakridge Street in Madison until I was three. My best friend was this boy named Connor that lived two houses down. We played all the time and our families were super good friends. But then I moved to McFarland, and he moved to Monona Grove. His parents worked in the Madison school district, so they kept in touch. However, I didn't see Connor for at least 10 years. As fate would have it, he came in with his mom to Buffalo Wild Wings when I was working, and I recognized her from their family Christmas cards. Connor looked completely different though, probably because he wasn't three anymore! We started to talk and now we are kind of dating, so maybe this will end up just like my parents neighborhood love story!

Kandinsky and Obama

As I'm writing this post, I'm wishing that I would've gone to the MMOCA to view the Apple Pie art display. Not to go on a tangent, but apple pie sounds delicious right now. Anyways, it's going to be kind of difficult for me to make some kind of legitamite connection, but I think I've got one.

Kandinsky and Obama !!

Although it's been a while since reading our wonderful 44th president's inaugural address, I clearly remember some of the main points that he made. Obama's message was full of hope and promise. He wanted to convey the message that our nation was in a mess and and need of repair. Obama was (and still is, for that matter) trying to get our nation back on top and in pristine shape.

Something about this wonderful work of art reminds me of Obama's address. Looking at it, it kind of seems like a jumbled mess with no chance of being put together again. This kind of seems like the USA. However, if you look beyond the scrambled images, you can see beautiful colors that work harmoniously together to create an aesthetic work of art. I think that people in America dwell too much on the negative and forget to see all of the beauty that surrounds them. Taking a minute or two each day to optimistically reflect on the world could make a huge difference!

The Tenth Circle

For our chosen novels, I decided to read The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult. I love her books The Pact and My Sister's Keeper. I've always wanted to read more of her books, but I could never find the time to do it. I'm glad that I finally have the chance to start another one of her books.



The feeble beware: this book is very intense (and I'm only on page 80!). It is about a girl named Trixie who clearly has some kind of hormonal imbalance in her brain that is causing her to think illogically. She is a freshman in high school and her boyfriend of three months just broke up with her. Her bad-influence friend, Zephyr, is very casual about hookups and partying, so she invites Trixie and her ex-boyfriend, Jason, to a party to see if Trixie can make him jealous and he'll want to get back together. I'm not going to give anything else away, sorry. You'll just have to read it for yourself!



I think that it's so weird to analyze these girls and look back on my freshman year. I guess that I was a little more crazy and desperate than I am now, and I'm glad that I've morphed into such a great person! A few years can make such a big difference in someone's life.

Anywhoo, this novel is incredible and I'd recommend it to anyone!!

I, Too, Sing Myself

Alright AP Compers, here's a little poem that I wrote about myself. It's not all entirely true, but I think it's humorous. Also, a special thanks to Andrew for helping me out!!

We all know that I'm a little slow.
I usually don't pick up on sarcasm or other things
unless it's about diamond rings.

I don't wanna be in schol*
I'd rather be by the pool,
chillin with Paris Hilton
because she's so cool.
And I ain't no fool!

Shoppin' for shoes
is what I like to do's.
But I got some better news:
on my ACT i got a 32's.

For all you haters out there,
I really don't care.
And I'm going to steal your underwear

You might think that I'm shallow
because my hair is yallow.
But actually I'm super nice,
and I used to have pet mice!

You think that I'm stupid but I'm not.
You're just jealous 'cause I'm hottt,
and I also don't smoke pot!
I like to shop online a lot;
I'm not a dumb blonde robot.

The point of this poem is that I'm trying to say
that I ain't tryna play.
Everything's gotta be my way.

I'll do what I want
while I flaunt
my cute little smile,
and I hope you've listened for a while.
Cause I'm the bomb,
and I really love my mom!



*Schol is supposed to be school, but was misspelled to add humor to the poem.

:)

"If you can love me for what I am, we shall be the happier"

"I cannot break myself any longer for you, or you. If you can love me for what I am, we shall be the happier. If you cannot, I will still seek to deserve that you should."

This was my favorite quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self-Reliance (located on page 104 of our course reader.) I feel like this quote really identifies with who I feel like I am as a person, and it's also how I want other people to think of me.

I'm the type of person that always stays true to myself. Sorry, but I'll never change who I am for you or anyone else, for that matter. I don't care if people don't like me or how I think, because I only care how I view myself. I do what I love and love what I do. If someone can love me for what I am, then that is real love. It's sad when people fall in love but they don't act like themselves around the other person, so it shouldn't be allowed to be called "love."

I love that Emerson brings this point up. The whole essay was about staying true to yourself, which I absolutely loved! The main argument of this notable quote is that two people can be totally happy with each other once they fully get to know and be comfortable with the significant other. If this doesn't happen, they should still try until they reach this goal.

Nothing's Changed Since The '20's.

What comes to mind when you hear 'the roaring twenties?' Well for me, not a whole lot. I know that it was a time when women got a lot more independence and lost a lot of hair and dress length. I'm guilty of not knowing very many historical facts about this time, but I just assumed that everything was still really old-fashioned and traditional. After reading The Great Gatsby, I believe that I may have been dead wrong.

I'm not a big fan of historical things (movies, books, etc.), so I wasn't really looking forward to this book. However, it seems as though F. Scott Fitzgerald is describing a dramatic love triangle drunken party scene that could have easily taken place in the 2000's. After reading the first chapter, I was totally stunned. I pictured a 1920's party as being very sophisticated with waltzing and expensive wine, not some huge drunken brawl where everyone was totally wasted. Seems more like our modern times, yet also more barbaric.

The way that the characters talk and act is also so similar to us humans now. I thought that all of the new advances in technology, etc. had completely morphed us into a whole different species. Apparently I was wrong. In the 1920's there was still cheating on spouses, fighting, and awkward conversations. I guess things never fully change!

America is . . . Gran Torino!

I have to admit that I enjoyed doing the 'America is a Movie' presentation much more than the summer chosen essay presentation that we did last quarter. I think that it is super interesting to see how my different classmates view America. Some have totally optimistic points of view, and others view America in a very pessimistic way. Usually I've noticed that everyone focuses on family, which I believe is a huge part of America (and the rest of the world, for that matter!)



(For the 4th block AP Compers, the movie that I chose was Gran Torino). Not only do I HIGHLY recommend this movie, but I think that it represents America very well. Mr.Kunkle told me a funny story about his cranky old neighbor who is really racist and he ACTUALLY told Mr. Kunkle that Gran Torino was written about him! (I guess it actually does hit home closer than I thought!)



One of the main themes of Gran Torino that I've noticed in a handful of works that we've read so far is racism. I wouldn't consider myself a racist, but in certain situations it is very hard to not notice or even discriminate against those who are of a different color than I am. I am always kind to people from other races, but it can create a barrier that makes it awkward of difficult to be completely normal around each other. America is known as the giant "melting pot," so we are surrounded by so many different races and cultures. I think that more people need to learn the history of other races (such as Walt did with the Hmong in Gran Torino) in order to fully understand others and be less judgemental! We can all improve just a little bit more to make the world a better place :)

Master Your Metabolism

Lately I've been feeling kind of "blah" in the interesting book department. I needed to delve into a book or good read that would spark my interest. Being a proud health freak, I decided to read yet another health book called Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels. I bet you're thinking this is a diet book and that I'm crazy, but you're wrong (well at least about the diet part book!)

This book is different from all other health books that I've read. The majority of them just talk about how calories matter and eat raw foods and make sure your meals are balanced. They never mentioned the importance of having your hormones in balance. Jillian describes the three steps to take control of your life: remove the toxic foods, restore the foods that make you healthy, and rebalance your hormones. So far I've only read the first step, so I'll keep you updated as I go along!

The first step (remove) was very interesting. I never knew how many different ingredients in foods can get your hormones out of whack. This is the reason why people gain weight or can never seem to lose it. I never realized any of this! I've been trying to avoid some of the bad ingredients, and I've also learned some fun facts. Attention Soda Drinkers: Do you drink soda from a plastic bottle? The majority of sodas contain either sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate. This chemical ingredient interacts negatively with plastic bottles and creates the CANCER CAUSING AGENT BENZENE. If you can, drink soda from aluminum cans instead or even better yet, avoid it all together!

The ANGRY God....Really?!?!

I have to admit that I was starting to get kind of worried after reading/annotating a few essays and discovering that I really didn't have much to say. Colonial history is not really my thing, so it was hard for me to participate in the discussions. When I opened my course reader to page 39 and saw that I was going to have to read an 11 page essay I said to myself sarcastically, "Oh boy, this is going to be a blast." Actually, I was right. I'm excited for our discussion tomorrow because I have LOTS to say about this essay.

If this essay made me one thing, it would be ANGRY. Kind of funny, isn't it? This essay described how God is an angry person, and in the end it turned me into one! I'm not the most religious person in the world, but I do know some things about God and Christianity, and I feel like this essay was definitely a counterpart to commonplace knowledge.

This essay was definitely written in a pessimistic tone, which could potentially be why it made me in such a bad mood. I pick up on those kind of things. I hated how the author constantly repeated phrases such as wrath of God and condemned to hell. Like honestly, how can he prove or back up any of the statements that he made? Did he have a one-on-one chat with God before he wrote this? I don't think so. Sure, he may have found some hell-bound and negative quotes from the Bible, but there are plenty more verses about how God forgives us and loves us unconditionally.

I did not spend more than five summers of my life at Bible Camp and hours at church to learn that God hates me. According to Edwards God apparently, "looks upon me as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire." Seriously?!? This is definitely not true. I've learned from countless songs and sermons that God loves me and everyone else--no matter what they do. We can be forgiven of our sins, no matter how bad they may be. God wants us to be happy.

Edwards essay is terrible, to be quite honest. I don't have strong emotions on many things, but this essay is definitely one of them! My religious faith has nothing to do with this argument that I'm making. Honestly, if our God was so spiteful and hated everyone like Edwards says, then our world would be a much different place and no one would have such strong beliefs or love for a God that wants everyone to burn in hell. This is ridiculous, I'm outta here!

Link: God So Does Love Us!

Final Thoughts on AP Composition

The end of the quarter is always bittersweet. It's always exciting to get new classes, but sad to reminisce on all of the fun times you've had in your current classes. Just a warning, this post is going to be random and include little blurbs on my opinions, etc.

My favorite memory (along with the rest of the class I'm sure) is when the one and only Gus Kunkle came to visit us! Mr.Kunkle if you're reading this, please bring Gus back so we can see him again! He was the cutest little kid I've ever met. That should mean a lot coming from me (the kid hater). haha

Initally, I really enjoyed reading The Things They Carried. However, I have a different opinion now. It is still very saddening to hear the effects that have lasted on the soldiers after many decades, but frankly, I'm getting tired of it. I understand the pain they've gone through, but Tim O'Brien doesn't need to keep dragging it out. I've noticed that he likes to repeat certain stories OVER AND OVER again. I'm not a big fan of redundancy, so this is slowly getting on my nerves. The first half of the book, I have to admit, was very very well-written and enjoyable to read.

I hope that I won't lose any of the valuable vocabulary, reading, and writing skills by not having this class for a whole quarter. I feel that I made some progress in the vocab & reading department, but not so much the writing portion. (Kunk, you'll read about this in my portfolio.) I don't really know where my writing is going at this point, but hopefully it's in the right direction.

The Importance of Good Health

Think of health in any way you want, it could be physical health, mental health, intellectual health, and overall health. Without your health, it's difficult to make it through the day. I've seen so many examples of poor health lately that it's been bringing me down (even though all aspects of my health are doing just fine). I thought I should get the message out and put in my two cents.

In our current book The Things They Carried, it seems to me that the soldiers are not in perfect health. They are fighting in a foreign land in a place filled with diseases (malaria, etc.) and also getting wounded or worse, killed, every day. Once soldiers return home from war, they are very likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder that will impair with their lives (Thank you, AP Psych). Clearly, war is not good for the physical or mental health of the young men and women of America.

It seems if the small fishbowl formally known as McFarland High School is fighting a war of its own: The Swine Flu! It's a rare occasion to have every single student present in a classroom because of this terrible illness. Even in our seven person AP Comp class, we usually have at least one person gone! Stock up on sanitizer everyone and wash those hands!!

On Sunday, a person who I am lucky enough to call my best friend had to go to the hospital. This person is still there three days later. I went to visit last night (as I'll continue to do every night), and it broke my heart. More than anything, my friend needs to be healthy. I've realized that there are so many unhealthy people surrounding me and in the news that I should be truly grateful for how healthy I am.

Riots in Madison, WI Hit Home for Me

A little more than forty years ago, there were student protests occurring right on our very own UW-Madison campus. As some of you may know, my grandpa Richard Osterloth (who passed away in 2006) was one of the brave police officers who was involved in the Dow riots. Sadly, he was hit in the head with a cinder block from a mean student and had to be rushed to the hospital. In his living room, he had a large photograph of him in the crowd of students right before he was attacked. In seventh grade I interviewed him about this for my history class. It meant a lot to me to watch Two Days in October because it felt like it brought me a little closer to my grandpa, whom I miss very very much!

I felt like Two Days in October really captured both sides of the Vietnam War. Actually, I didn't know anything about this war (except what my grandpa had told me), so it was nice to hear both the United States and Vietnam viewpoints instead of just the biased US one. Overall, it was a very enjoyable movie.

Our novel, The Things They Carried, is also very intriguing to read. I'm not really a war geek, but I think I'll enjoy reading this novel about the war. I felt very empathetic for Tim O'Brian when he found out that he was drafted. I would've had an IMPOSSIBLE time deciding if I should run away or leave for war and potentially die.

After reading Lampert Smith's essay, Times Have Changed For Student Protesters, I must admit that I was a little bit appalled. If students think they'd rather watch Grey's Anatomy than protest, they obviously aren't very dedicated or devoted to their cause. Clearly, they're being lazy. I think new technologies like texting and facebook would be helpful for spreading the word about protesting--but getting your lazy butt off the couch is the first step here.

Johnathon Swift...AKA Baby Eater

About a minute or two into after listening to Mr. Kunkle read a piece by Johnathon Swift, I caught on to the main argument of the essay. Frankly, it was disgusting! I couldn't believe some of his crazy ideas and statements that he made. Who would ever want to wear gloves or boots that originated from baby skin! I think that I'd heave if I even saw a pair. EW! Despite the grotesque-ness of the article, the statement "Baby skin would always be in season, but especially in March" really made me laugh. It just sounded so ludicrous! Unfortunately, I was a little too slow to catch on to his whole "satirical" nature of the essay. I figured that he was some psycho lunatic that had a craving for babies at the time. Nevertheless, it really made my day more, well, interesting.

Swift did make a valid point, though. At the time there were so many poverty-stricken women desperately trying to support a handful of children. It seemed that no matter what, they'd be dealt a life of poverty and suffering. It makes sense that if you have an abundance of something and you're lacking in money, it would be smart to sell it! However, it's DEFINITELY unethical to sell, eat, or wear babies. I suggest selling a baseball card collection or some vintage furniture.

Illegal Smuggling on the Mexican Border

For Kirsten's discussion, she chose the article "The Business of Human Smuggling on the Mexican Border." Although I did enjoy reading this article and having a classroom discussion, there were a few points I tried to make that I feel weren't taken very seriously. Luckily we have things called blogs where we can post whatever we feel like or simply want to say on the internet!

I have been visiting the Blue Plate restaurant ever since I was born (my grandparents seem to be the local celebrities there). When I was a small child, my grandma introduced me to one of the cooks, Luis. He was a very nice man despite the fact that he barely spoke English. My grandma told me that he had a daughter the same age as me living back in Mexico with the rest of the family.

"Why does he live here grandma?" I questioned
"Because he needs to make more money for himself and his family," she replied.

Her answer didn't help. I still had my questions--like why would he move to America? What's so great about it? Can't he just work in Mexico closer to his family? The answer is no. America has more job opportunities and also better wages. Mexico is plagued with poverty in virtually every town. They can't make as much money, and they have to worry about surviving every day. For many, moving to America is their only hope. Their sole intention is to work hard for their families and return once they have enough money.

I'm pretty sure that most people and government officials think otherwise. Yes, it is illegal to smuggle oneself over here, but the Mexicans don't have bad intentions in mind. In fact, if they get caught committing crimes they'll likely get in loads of trouble. I think that we shouldn't be so hard on them, given the tough life they've had to live. They're going to have our minimum wage and hard labor jobs no matter what the rules are, so we should try to make them a little more fair and give them a better opportunity.

I have also worked at Buffalo Wild Wings for two years and gotten to know the cooks very well. They're all so nice and friendly--and they also do not seem to have the intention to harm anyone. I'm very close friends with some of them and I'd hate to see anything bad happen to them. Many have moved from Mexico to support their families--some are just teenagers who moved here by themselves to make money for their parents even! I can't believe all of the harsh things that I hear being said about my friends; it's not fair to make such an unfair judgement unless you get to meet one.

Living in Poverty

I heard the sound of my heart breaking after reading the second "What is Poverty?" essay. I always hear how good I have it, and it's hard to really appreciate everything until you see or read about someone who is much less fortunate than you are. In this case, it was Jo Goodwin Parker.

I felt my eyes bulge out of my head and my jaw drop to the floor when I read about some of her living conditions. I can't imagine constantly being surrounded by tiny insects and being malnourished. I love good food! It was sad to hear that she can't use warm water because it's too expensive--and she couldn't even buy vaseline because the price went up two cents!!! That's crazy; I wouldn't even give a second thought if something I wanted went up two cents. It makes you really think about how much you want something versus how much you need it.

After reading this heart-wrenching essay, I now have more compassion for those living in poverty. It must be a big struggle for them to even have the will to wake up in the morning. I know that I would pull the plug if I had to live in such adverse conditions! At least Parker had a family that she loved to help her get through it all. At the end of the day, it all boils down to the family that you have in your life. Without them (especially in Parker's case), you've got nothing. It really makes me appreciate my parents more and how much they support me and give me everything they've got to make sure that I live the best life possible!

Gus Kunkle for President!

When I first heard that Gus Kunkle was coming to our AP Comp classroom, I have to admit that I was a tad bit frightened. (For those of you who didn't read my last blog, I am scared by children and prefer to not be in their presence.) Gus Kunkle is Kunk's awesome little son! By the time he left, I definitely put him on my short list of children I actually enjoy being around.

As Gus came into the classroom, he immediately ran over to T.J. and gave him a high-five! Then came my favorite part.

"Well guys, I'm four years old!" Gus exclaimed as he stuck out his fingers to demonstrate his age.

The class instantly fell in love with this charming young boy. We asked him why he was wearing two different colored socks.

"Because I couldn't find the other one" Gus shyly said.

Man, is this kid ever cute! He actually very closely resembles Mr. Kunkle (almost like a mini-me.)

As Kunk hands Gus his gigantic lunch box, it rapidly falls to the floor. It seemed a little too heavy for this four-year-old to handle. Nonetheless, it was still amusing and precious to watch!

When it was time for Gus to leave, the whole class had a tear in their eyes.

"It was nice meeting all of you" Gus charmingly remarked.

AWW! what a little sweetheart! :)

KUNK---BRING GUS BACK!! WE LOVE HIM!! :)

The N-Word

Last night I read/annotated this personal narrative written by a black woman professor. I found parts of her story fascinating to read, and it made me feel sorry for her at times. Obviously, I've never had the experience of growing up as a person of color and experiencing racism, but belive me, I wouldn't want to have to endure it. Bernard obviously has a lot of strength to not let harsh remarks (including the N-Word) leave a chip on her shoulder. I admire this strength in her, partly because I'm lacking in it.

I think I was probably around 10 years old the first time I heard the "N-Word." Growing up in McFarland (a mainly all-white town), I was never really around African Americans. I do belive that I was in school when I learned about it for the first time. The term confused me, mostly because I didn't understand why anyone could call another human being such a harsh name! I'm not one that's fond of swearing or saying anything cruel, so I can't remember a time when I've actually said the word. I've tried to avoid it at all costs, even if I'm in a room with all white people. I just don't feel comfortable saying it. So I understand where Bernard is coming from, because I certainly wouldn't want anyone to call me such a name!

What Scares Me

If I were to compose a list of all the things I'm afraid of, the list would extend for ten pages. To be brutally honest, I have pantophobia (a.k.a the fear of everything). I haven't been clinically diagnosed, but I just have unusual, irrational fears that I shouldn't have.

Growing up as the oldest cousin on both sides of the family, I was constantly surrounded by 12 younger cousins. Maybe it was all the babysitting or torment I endured, but now I abhor children. Especially younger children. Once they're about 9 or 10, I can handle them. Otherwise, they completely freak me out. Every time I see a little kid, I feel like they're going to attack me. Just look at them glaring at you with their evil eyes! I'm not crazy, I swear.

I'm also deathly afraid of germs. It grosses me out to see people share drinks or rub their eyes after touching a doorknob. Do you know how many common objects aren't sanitized (such as this school computer keyboard I'm touching)? EWW. I'm shuddering right now at the thought. Time to dig my sanitizer out of my purse.

Along with consuming germs, I'm also terrified of getting long-term or terminal illnesses. I would hate to suffer through cancer or diabetes. I think that's why I avoid junk food (mainly trans fat) at all costs- because I'm afraid of growing older and sicker.

If anyone wanted to knock me down, all they'd have to do is criticize me. I have such an intense fear of being negatively criticized that I frequently go far out of my way just to avoid it. I don't know why I'm so afraid of this. I'm definitely labeled as a perfectionist. Maybe that's why I hate criticism--because I don't want any bad marks that will label me "less than perfect."

Class time is up, but my list of irrational fears continues to grow as the clocks tick. Those who know me understand my fears and try (somewhat) to accommodate as much as possible.

"Seeking" brought back old memories!

I was extremely thrilled to read Melissa's essay/article called "Seeking" (really, no sarcasm here!) I took AP psychology last year (which I might add, was my favorite high school class thus far), so it's fair to call myself a huge psych nerd! It's strange how after studying psychology intensely, I notice that psychology is EVERYWHERE and applies to virtually EVERY aspect of life! This essay is no exception.

I am a victim of "seeking," just as many other classmates are as well. It's fascinating to see how we are fueled by receiving text messages and "notifications" on Facebook. I am guilty of intending to use the internet for a short period of time but end up spending a good 45 minutes to an hour simply doing "nothing." It's as if the screen has sucked me in and I become a Facebook Zombie. Once I awake from my trance, I immediately regret wasting so much time online when I could've been doing more productive and useful things.

Anyways, back to psychology. Last year, I learned all about the hypothalamus, which was frequently discussed in this article. There are two parts of the hypothalamus: the lateral and the ventromedial. The lateral hypothalamus was the star of this article, which claimed that if it was to be continually stimulated the labrats would feel so much pleasure that they'd eventually collapse. This is true! We made a little mneumonic device last year to remember the differences between the two parts of the hypothalamus. Lateral sounds like "lunch," so if it is stimulated it drives someone to eat/seek pleasure. If it is destroyed, however, the person will have no will to even eat or be motivated (this was also briefly mentioned in the essay.) Don't laugh, but the ventromedial hypothalamus sounds like "vomit," and thus, when stimulated it will produce feelings of satiety/no motivation. When it's destroyed, the person will become so hungry that they basically overeat themselves to death. (Thank Ali Carollo for coming up with these mneumonic devices! :) )

Neurotransmitters were also discussed in the essay. Dopamine was the main player in this "seeking" addiction. It is apparently released when we find all these bits of "useless" information. I wonder if those with depression (having a lack of dopamine) spend more time than usual "seeking" in order to get their neurotransmitters back in balance. This is all very interesting for me; hopefully we'll find a cure for this troubling seeking addiction!

My First Thoughts on AP Composition

I'm enjoying myself more than I thought I would in this class! I really like having a small class of seven people. Everything is a lot more personal than if you're in such a large class. I have a feeling we'll all be a lot closer once the quarter is over...

The annotations we've done in class since school started are a lot more relevant and interesting, in my opinion. I didn't really understand what the point was in reading "Skunk Dreams" over the summer, but essays like "How to Write" really pertain to AP comp. I'm really hoping I can dramatically increase my writing skill level by the time the AP test rolls around.

I have to admit that I enjoyed reading my non-fiction book Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man a lot more than I enjoyed writing the critical analysis about it. I went home on Friday completely clueless as to what this was (the powerpoint left me very confused). I spent a lot of time researching what a critical analysis should include, but it was still tremendously difficult to actually write the paper! Now that the rough draft's done, I feel like I've made it over the hill!

I'm excited to discover what else we'll be writing about and reading. I'm very glad I decided to take this class instead of some other AP ones!