From my writing at the beginning of the semester, to my most recent paper, many changes have occurred. I am now a stronger writer and feel more comfortable reading my writing. I can come up with better, more focused thesis’ and I have better writing strategies. I can’t wait til next semester to improve my writing further!
Thanksgiving November 20, 2009
My FAVORITE part of the Thanksgiving holidays would have to be the food. My family is big into cooking and I love home cooked meals. We get the whoole family together and have tons and tons and tons of food. We eat until we can’t eat anything else. Turkey, Ham, casseroles, mashed potatoes, rolls, pumpkin pies, pecan pies, blueberry cobbler, cookies, cakes…anything you can imagine.
But the best part of the day is being with family. Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without my family there to celebrate with.
Paper #2 and #3 Thesis Statements November 13, 2009
Paper #2:
Through researching the process of banning a book and learning how the above named book became banned, the many complexities of this subject can be revealed.
Paper #3
I have become who I am today because of this significant event in my life.
My Favorite Season November 13, 2009
My favorite season would definately have to be summer. I love warm weather. I love going to the beach and swimming and just being outside in general. I don’t necessarily like the 110 degree weather, but I love a nice 75 degree day with a breeze 
I’m not sure why love the summer so much but it just seems to make me happier! I do know most of the BEST movies of the year come out during the summer season, so that is always a plus!
The Notebook: A Love Story November 6, 2009
The Notebook, a beautiful novel written by Nicholas Sparks, opens with an elderly man in a nursing home, reading a story to an elderly woman. The story is about two young lovers, Allie Hamilton and Noah Calhoun, who meet one day at a carnival. Although the two are falling in love, Allie’s parents prohibit the relationship and move Allie away. After waiting to hear from Noah from years and no response, Allie meets Lon and becomes engaged. Despite her commitment to Lon, Allie still finds that she has feelings for Noah. Subsequent to seeing his picture in the newspaper in front of a house he said he was going to restore, Allie decides to visit Noah. This house was an antique house built in the 1700s that Noah had become infatuated with and spent all of his time remodeling. When Allie and Noah reunite for the first time after years apart, it soon becomes apparent that they both still have feelings for each other. Allie now has to choose between Lon, the man she had already scheduled to marry, and Noah, the man who she subconsciously wants. Allie picks Noah, her one true love, and leaves Lon. Noah and Allie end up having a happy life and die together peacefully in the nursing home, side by side. The Notebook is a beautiful story that clearly affirms love and lifelong commitment between a man and a woman, therefore deeming this novel one of the best love stories around.
As with any romantic relationship, this book shows that things do not always work out perfectly. Noah and Allie did not hit it off immediately. In fact, in the beginning, Allie rejects Noah, but he continues religiously to pursue her. Allie’s parents also do not approve of Noah because he is “from the other side of the tracks” and doesn’t have prospects to be rich or upper class (Monroe). This factor does not stop them; in fact, it makes them want each other more because this constitutes as a “forbidden love”, such as a perfect “Romeo and Juliet” love. Their relationship is also tested once Allie is forced to move away for school. They find themselves in other relationships, but once again, it does not end their undying love for each other. When Allie became engaged to Lon, she realized that it was not right and that she needed to be with Noah. They find each other once again and let their love for one another grow. Finally, their love is tested by a heartbreaking illness at the end of the story, but even this cannot destroy their love.
In the last quarter of the book, the lifelong commitment for one another is proven. This part of the book is focused back on the elderly couple from the beginning, the man who is reading the story to the woman in the nursing home. The woman has Alzheimer’s disease and often forgets the marvelous life she shared with this elderly man. He does not give up hope, and by reading their love story to her every day, he tries to give her back her memory each day. As anyone would be, the doctors and nurses are touched by this undying love the couple has for each other. The man’s faith sometimes fools the disease, and his love gets her memory back once in a while (Coffin). The moments they share are priceless and Nicholas Sparks describes them well. The last scene of the book may bring tears to the reader.
Some readers may argue that they do not like this book and that the characters had faults. Some say that this is a story of love in its purest form. One reader, Amy Coffin, comments of her reaction to The Notebook:
…I have to confess, I was kind of annoyed with Allie. Why did she wait so long to find Noah? She was just about to get married before she figured out that she needed to see him again. Now, I suppose her place in post-war high-class society has something to do with it. However, in the rest of the book, she seems like a strong woman who says her piece. All of a sudden when it comes to Noah, she obeys her parents? Please. (Coffin)
Some readers believe that with a depiction of a love so strong, so enduring and so everlasting, it is difficult not to think of it in light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His love, like the one honored in this book, is one that will never die. And He loves us unconditionally, desiring us to know him personally and intimately, and not only in this life, but for eternity. Our earthly romances may never be as ideal as Noah and Allie’s, but there is a perfect love always being offered to us from God through His beloved Son (Monroe).
As one might conclude, there is no such thing as a perfect love story; and that is agreeable. It is for this reason that The Notebook is one of the best love stories around. Because this love story is not perfect, one can better relate to the story and it becomes more realistic to the readers. While Noah and Allie’s love is rare and idealistic, the way it comes to be draws the reader in. The Notebook affirms love in its purest form by proving that love does not always work out the way one expects. By the end of the story, when we find out that the old man reading the story to the elderly woman actually are the characters from the story, we can see that lifelong commitment is shown and one recognizes the struggles and wins of this type of commitment. This type of love is every girls dream. Where can I find one?
Halloween! November 6, 2009
What I thought was to be the most boring Halloween I’ve ever had to endure, turned out to be quite an eventful night. I had to work that day from 3-11, which of course was boring. When I got off, I had planned to just go back to my room and wait for my friends to get back. Well, my best friend Cassie wouldn’t have that! I got back and I kid you not, with in a matter of 5 minutes, I was decked out in a toga for my Halloween costume. Once she had fixed my hair and costume we went to the Pike house for a little while. The rest of the night was spent going from here to there and meeting people and just hanging out. It ended up being a great night.
ahhh…LADYBUGS! October 30, 2009
So, I know this is going to sound completely ridiculous and childish, but I am deathly scared of ladybugs. I am not exactly sure why, but every time I see a lady bug, it scares me! One time, a ladybug flew at my face and landed on my nose and I was so scared that I hit myself in the face and fell over…embarassing, I know.
But forreal, I think one of my biggest fears I have is losing the people I love. I am a Christian and believe in heaven, but it is still the fact of losing them on Earth that scares me.
Super Power! October 26, 2009
If I could have one super power, it would be the power to fly. I know it is exteremly unoriginal, but i think it would be a lot fun! I could fly anywhere I wanted at anytime on any day. One minute I could be in LA, the next minute I could be in Paris. I wouldn’t have to deal with too much traffic seeing as most people drvie to work. It would be a great experience to be able to visit so many places, especially places that I have never been to. I wouldn’t want to have wings, I would just want to be able to jump and off, off, and away I would go!
That’s about it.
Paper #3: “Everyone’s Helper” October 19, 2009
The date was June 9, 1999. A little girl was crying as she was sitting on the table at her pediatrician’s office. She was scared and had no idea what was happening. As the doctor entered the room, her mother began to break down in tears. “The diagnosis has been confirmed. Emma has Type I Juvenile Diabetes”. This made no sense to the 8 year old girl, whose life up until then had been filled with fun and happiness. It was definitely a wakeup call to her whole family.
I am now 18 years old and have been living with diabetes for over ten years now. I have become who I am today because of this event in my life. It is not only a significant event to me, but is also a passion of mine. I love teaching people about this disease and helping those who are living with it learn more about it. I was lucky to have such amazing support from my family and friends, and now I would like to give back to those who are not as fortunate as I was.
What is diabetes? Diabetes means your blood glucose, or blood sugar, is too high. With Type I Juvenile diabetes, your pancreas does not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose to get into your cells to give them energy. Without insulin, too much glucose stays in your blood. Over time, high blood glucose can lead to serious problems with your heart, eyes, kidneys, nerves, and gums and teeth. Some of the symptoms include: being very thirsty, urinating often, feeling very hungry or tired, losing weight without trying, having sores that heal slowly, having dry or itchy skin, losing the feeling in your feet or having tingling in your feet, or having blurry eyesight.
Many people think that diabetes is just about checking your blood sugar and taking shots, but there is so much more to it. At a young age, my mom made me become independent and responsible, because with this disease, you need to be. You have to be able to measure the food you eat, count the carbohydrates, equate how much insulin you need to take with the food you intake, and know how to adjust factors that influence your blood sugar levels. All of these things take time to learn and establish a routine of doing them, but after a while it becomes second nature.
For a little kid with diabetes, the struggles become even tougher. As a kid, you should be able to enjoy the simple things in life and not have to worry about a single thing. But with diabetes in your life, you have to be able to be responsible. I learned this very quickly because my mom wouldn’t let me go out with or spend the night with friends until I could take care of myself without her help. Being able to do this takes a lot of responsibility. And it also takes a lot of trust from the parents. Growing up with diabetes has made me more mature than most young adults my age and I have taken every opportunity I have been given to prove that I am responsible.
With diabetes, as with any disease, there come complications. I have been unfortunate to experience a few of these. Christmas Eve of 1999 started as a normal day. We had had a family dinner and even opened a few presents at my grandma’s house. Around 3 a.m. Christmas Day, when most kids are sleeping, dreaming of what Santa is going to leave under the tree, by blood sugar had dropped extremely low and I had a seizure. My mom knew what to do, and immediately gave me a glucagon injection, which is basically a shot full of sugar. She called the ambulance and they were there to help me within 10 minutes. Without my mom, I probably would have either gone into a diabetic coma or possibly died. To this day, my mom is still me hero.
Another common complication is DKA, or Diabetic ketoacidosis. DKA occurs when glucose is not available as a fuel source by the body and fat is used instead. Byproducts of fat breakdown, called ketones, build up in the body. On my eleventh birthday, I got extremely sick and ended up in the hospital because of dehydration due to DKA. DKA has occurred more than once to me, but not recently. It is not healthy for your body, and can lead to complications later in life, such as diabetic neuropathy or eye problems.
By living with diabetes, I have gained many opportunities that I never would have come encountered with if I had not been diagnosed. As a kid with diabetes, I attended Camp Seale Harris, which is a camp for children with diabetes in Alabama. Going to this camp helped me cope with having this disease. I met other kids just like me who were going through the same thing as I was. I used to be embarrassed by having this disease, but seeing other kids like me who were happy and making the most out of having this made me realize that I didn’t need to be afraid of what others thought. This is what made me passionate about the subject. If more people knew about and understood the disease, kids wouldn’t have a problem opening up to their peers about the disease. When I was old enough, I became a counselor at Camp Seale Harris so I could give back to kids and help them learn, just like me. I love helping the kids. I get to teach them new things about diabetes, and sometimes I even get to teach them how to give their own shots. It really makes my day to see one of my campers leave camp happy and not feeling alone with their disease.
I also participate in support groups around the community for families with children recently diagnosed with diabetes. I help work a Halloween Party associated with Huntsville Hospital every year. Instead of candy, we give out healthy snacks and other prizes. Halloween is one of those holidays, along with Easter and Valentine’s Day, which makes the kids with diabetes feel out of place. Since diabetics really aren’t supposed to have candy, we have these parties so the kids don’t feel left out. I love helping people by teaching them through my experiences and this is one of the reasons I have chosen to participate in such events.
Diabetes can be very overwhelming at times in someone’s life, which is why it is important to be informed and understand the disease. I have taken it upon myself to reach out to my friends and teach them what I know about the disease and they appreciate my help, because one day they may have to help me! One of the reasons I have chosen the career of Nursing is because of my experiences with medical professionals through my years with diabetes. I want to be able to help people just as I was helped when I was diagnosed. I hope to one day make a difference in someone’s life. Without this disease I would not be the same person I am today. So, in a way, I am thankful that I have been given the opportunity to take a bad event in my life and turn it into lifelong learning and helping others.
To Work or Not to Work…That is the Question… October 12, 2009
My fall break seemed to be pretty uneventful compared to my friends. Thursday morning at around 4 a.m. I woke up to take one of my room mates to the airport. Later on that day, my friend Cassie and I decided that we should attend a workout class in the University Fitness Center. “Step Jam”. It is exactly what you think. Working out while stepping up and down on a step. My calves are still hurting. The older ladies in the class were jamming for the whole hour! It made us realize that we needed to step up our game. So we did. We were pumping our legs and getting our heart rates up, and then all of a sudden….BAM! My clumsy self fell of the step and twisted my ankle. It hurt pretty bad but I continued to finish the class.
We go back for round 2 this Thursday.
Friday and Saturday consisted of basically the same thing: sleep, eat, work. I worked 4 p.m.-midnight on Friday, and 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Also, on Friday I had to “house sit” for this family that went out of town. So from Friday- Monday, I was basically living at their house.
Nothing too exciting happened to me over fall break.
