Wex Journal: The Abyss (2/23/09)

The abyss, which lies within the deep craters or the ocean's bowels, is a place of darkness and untold stories. A world in which all creatures from sailor's tales come to life. Both mystic and wonderful to manipulative and black hearted.

It is in this kingdom that Byakurai resides, an adolescent merman with teal hair and sunset coloured eyes. In his mind, which is ripe for mischief and new discovery, he wants to show his world to the stranglings above the ocean's life, in the strange mental contraptions that soar above his head. The many other creatures of the abyss reject this idea with bitter hearts saying that it is the secret of their existence that keeps the so called mythical sea life from chaos and dismay but Byakurai sees in a different light.

To him it is the darkness that keeps them bound. The darkness in which they are forced to hide from man. What would anyone in the abyss know of utopia being forever trapped within the darkness of the sea for so long? They don't know what wonders exist just beyond the sea.

A strange place that seems so unreal but is just beyond the world he knows.

Advice (5/20/09)

The petite Chinese sighed and rolled onto her back as her pale green eyes traveled to the door that was a mere three feet away from where she was stationed on her bed. Her eyes began to water as she recalled all of the things that had happened, mostly all of the things she had said to Noe before the mission had ended.

Noe showing her psychopathic tendencies as she slayed the demon. Shu Fang had been thrown against the wall by the very creature and it would have killed her in an instant if Noe hadn't have intervened but the way Noe got when she killed scared her more than any demonic power on this earth or the next.

She wanted to stop imagining Noe covered in blood and laughing as the demon fell before her. That laugh made her sick to her stomach. It wasn't Noe anymore. In that moment she was just another demon. The next thing Shu Fang had an impulse to kill.

She had stopped laughing to look back at Shu Fang who was shaking in the pile of rubble she had created upon hitting the wall. Noe froze, she had completely forgotten Shu Fang was present.

"Shu..." she started, approaching the teal haired Chinese slowly as if she were trying to pet a wild animal. "Are you all right..."

"*BU SHI!!!!!!! DOU BI KAI!!!! GUAI WU!!!!!!" (No! Stay away! Monster!)

Noe quickly stepped away from her partner. The only time Shu Fang ever spoke in Chinese was when she was scared, very scared.

"I'm sorry." she stated sadly, the malice draining from her eyes as she began to walk away from the terrified Shu Fang who sat shaking and crying alone with the demon corpse for company.

'Why did I say that to her?' she questioned, her mind replaying the moment over and over like a rewinding tape. 'How could I hurt her so crassly?'

Sure Noe had scared her but it wasn't as if she never tried to make herself appear less frightening. Shu Fang didn't even fully comprehend the source of this fear. There was just something about her presence, something about her eyes that seemed fake. This falseness was what pushed her away. Without the truth of a person's eyes Shu Fang was blind. She needed that to trust.

The door creaked open causing her to jump and her thoughts to scatter. 'Was it her?' she though, immediately feeling guilt for the mental comment. She caught sight of short and choppy dirty blond hair and sighed in relief. It was Sabrina.

"Hey kiddo..." she cooed gently, shutting the door behind her softly and taking a seat next to Shu Fang who was now sitting Indian style on the bed.

"I heard what happened."

Shu Fang tensed, where was Sabi going to go with this and how could she know?

"Listen kiddo..." she started, putting an arm around the little Chinese, "Noe really doesn't mean to scare you."

"I know..." Shu Fang sighed.

Sabrina sighed aswell.

"You see, she just has difficultly feeling certain things and some of the things she does feel aren't necessarily healthy..."

She was referring to the blood lust.

"But I know she'd never hurt you."

"I'm not scared of that." Shu Fang said simply.

Sabrina's eyebrows raised a bit at the statement curiously.

"Oh?" she questioned, "Then what is it you feel hun?"

Shu Fang tensed once more, now beginning to fiddle with her over sized white shirt.

"It's not that I think she'll hurt me but," she paused, finding the words to say. "I'm afraid that...that one day..." the tears welled as she finished her statement and the fear was fully realised. "She'll hurt herself."

Sabrina smiled and hugged the younger woman tightly as she began to cry into her shoulder. She pet her head instinctively as she shushed her.

"There, there," she cooed, "I'm here, I'm here."

Sabrina rocked her gently when the crying had died down to soft whimpers and whispered in her ear, "Just remember this okay Shu Shu, Noe loves you and would never want to hurt you, inside or out."

"Uh huh." Shu Fang mumbled.

"And never forget that whenever you need us, me or Raven or Page, even Mizuo, Natsu, and Dare, we're all right here."

"Noe too?" Shu Fang whimpered.

Sabi smiled, "Noe too."

"Promise?"

"Yeah." Sabrina sighed gently wiping away the tears, "I promise."

My Boy's (A Page Story) 5/5/09 Prompt: Job

A young woman in her mid twenties approached the house's maple door with over flowing grocery bags in her cream colored arms. Struggling to turn the knob she opened the door and pushed her way inside. Her silver eyes were greeted by what seemed to be endless messes of dirty clothes and unwashed dishes.

"Honestly," she sighed exasperated, "They're just like children."

As she shut the door with her foot and began to wade over the mess, which reeked of rotten food especially take-out, and to the kitchen. This was to be expected. Hachi was still recovering from his wounds inflicted by the last demon he had fought so that left Mikobi in charge of food and cleaning: natural responses to both: take-out and don't but say you did.

A flash of white caught her attention as it darted towards her in a flurry of panic. Speak of the devil there he was.

"PAGEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!" the voice of Mikobi hollered, sounding terrified and desperate like a child about to burst into tears after having his cookie stolen.

Before she could react she was flat on her back with a horrified Mikobi clinging to her as the groceries fell around them like rain. Page sighed, sitting up and petting the whimpering dog boy as he trembled. Events like this were no surprise, not when she had him watch her twin boys Peter and Pan or as he insisted upon calling himself, Panic.

Rising she called the boy but no one came, she did not see the little head of the raven haired twin standing before her as he usually did when in trouble. Page growled menacingly, she taught him how to take the weight of his actions like a man. She took in as much air as her her lungs would allow and bellowed as no "mother" had done.

"PANIC!!!!!!!"

Mikobi winced, Hachi's eyes widened, and Peter buried his face so deep into Hachi's shoulder all you could see was his angelic blond locks. Instantly, the boy appeared before her, sensing the trouble he was in. Gently Page pulled the sparkler firework from Mikobi's fluffy snow white tail and held it in-front of the boy as she tapped her foot on the ground in a slow moving pattern.

"Panic," she started, "What have I told you about hurting Miky?"

Panic's eyes shifted to the corner to glare at the dog boy before answering the question.

"I only tied a sparkler to his tail!" the boy protested as he pouted and in one swift movement swung his head to the left. "It's not like I set his pants on fire."

"I wouldn't put that passed him." Page sighed inwardly as she knelt down to brush a strand of jet black hair from his eyes.

"What am I going to do with you?" she asked, moving her hand to ruffle the top of his head as the the boy giggled.

"Keep him away from me?" Mikobi suggested nervously as all eyes fell on him. Page chuckled, the only way to keep Panic away from his target was to chain him to a wall. Once he found something to mess with it all went down hill from there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When the messes were cleaned and the groceries in their rightful places Page began to cook. She knew full well that while Hachi was a fine cook the last mission had left him wounded and he was still trying to heal. The boys had probably not eaten something decent in days due to Mikobi's tendency to burn everything and all of the take out containers she had picked up and thrown away.

She turned on the pot and waited for the water to boil as she chopped the basil and pureed the tomatoes. The water was bubbling and she opened the pasta package and gently slid it in. The steam caused her to sweat slightly, making her lightly wipe her brow, the remainder of her hair pulled back by a lavender bandanna.

'That takes care of that.' Page whispered to herself, mentally checking the pasta off of her to do list. She moved to the cutting board and took the tomatoes from the blender as she added them to the sauce pan near by. Venturing back to the stove she put down the sauce pan and add a dash of garlic salt to the liquid already beginning to bubble. Soon dinner would be ready and the war would begin. If you have ever fed four "growing boys" you'll know what is meant by this statement. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The table was set and Page's famous spaghetti was finished. Tofu meatballs for Hachi and Peter and regular for Panic and Mikobi. Page knew better than to try and feed those two tofu, the carnavors! She allowed herself a deep breath as she prepared to call. 1, 2, 3.

"DINNERRRRRRR~~~~!!!!" she called loudly, already prepared for the stampede as Panic and Mikobi grudgingly raced down the stairs attempting to out run each other and get to the table first. It never failed to make Page smile.

Soon after the boys were seated and shooting daggers Hachi came down slowly still holding quiet little Peter in his arms. Page wondered if the two had separated at all while she was cooking.

"Okay," she began, "Who's first?"

"ME!" Mikobi and Panic shouted simultaneously, again glaring at one another as they both held their plates up high.

Hachi sat quietly in his seat as Peter shyly twirled the table cloth around his finger. Page smiled gently and picked up Peter's plate.

"Hey!" Panic yelped as spaghetti was lifted and put on his twin brother's plate.

"You two can wait." she said calmly. "Hachi and Peter are first due to the fact they did not viciously attack this table."

"AWWWWWWWWW..." they both said in unison, glaring at each-other once more.

When everyone had their food Page sat down and twirled her fork around the noodles and took a bite.

"Page?" Hachi asked in a seemingly emotionless voice.

She smiled kindly, "Yes Hachi, what is it?" There was a pause as everyone looked up from their plates.

"Are you alright?" Page's eyes widened for a split second before she regained her composure and replied.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Silence.

"Alright..." Hachi said quietly, continuing to eat his pasta.

'What was that about?' She thought, left to ponder the origin of the question even though deep down she knew what he was referring to. More of who actually.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Who wants dessert?" Page asked as she took the dirty dishes to the sink. The table erupted with happy "Me's" as she walked from the water filled sink to the refrigerator to retrieve the strawberry cake; her speciality.

As she walked back with the cake she saw Peter's normally mellow face light up with a childish glee appropriate for his age. She loved it when he smiled. It made her feel like maybe she was doing this parent thing right. Slicing the cake into five pieces she handed out the plates around the table. Peter ate his cake slowly almost a mirror image of Hachi while his twin on the other hand crazily attacked the cake with his fork as though he hadn't eaten in a year.

"Chew Panic, chew." Page said tiredly. "I don't want you to..."

She was cut off by his insane coughing due to a strawberry that had temporarily lodged itself in his throat.

"Choke."

"Hahahahahahahaha!!!!" Mikobi mocked, using this little moment to carry out his revenge. "Idiot!!!"

Before anyone could stop him Panic had thrown the remainder of his piece of cake right into Mikobi's face sending the dog boy flying out of his seat.

"Panic!" Page scolded as Mikobi stood up instantly and armed himself with the remainder of his cake. Holding it as if it were a grenade. It flew from his hand with the murderous intent to hit Panic square in the nose. A horrible miss.

"Whoops..." Mikobi mumbled as the cake collided with the side of Hachi's head.

The normally emotionless hunter ran a hand through his cake riddled hair as everyone went silent sensing his new found will to join in the throwing.

"CAKE WAR!!!!!!!!" Panic shouted as he pushed a bit of Peter's cake into his face and dived under the table for protection from the reign of fire.

Before Mikobi could choke out a sorry cake was in his face once more. Not only that but it was flying chaotically all over the kitchen.

"Boys!!!!" Page yelled in futility. "STOP NOW YOU ARE BEHAVING LIKE FIVE-YEAR-OLDS YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE EXAMPLES..."

WHACK.

Cake hit her ivory face and slid slowly to the floor. She twitched is suppressed anger.

"So you want to play, eh?" she began, now thoroughly pissed off. "Then take this!!!!" she screamed, hurling cake in the direction of Hachi who was straddling Mikobi as he shoved cake into his face. The cake hit the mark, first hitting the other clean half of Hachi's hair and falling to Mikobi's forehead.

Page laughed whole heartedly at the show before her. Cake flying, Peter and Panic deciding it was a battle of kids against adults, Hachi and Mikobi rolling around smearing cake on one another. Everything was going to be filthy but for once she didn't care. This was her family and it was the first time she had felt whole since the death of her love.

"Are you watching Seb...?" she questioned inwardly, watching the boys throw cake the they had collected on the floor at Hachi and Miky.

"I'm not alone anymore."



*This is a story I posted on a website called storywrite after I wrote it in my WEX. These are my original characters and I revised this post many times ^_^*

L.U.L.S COOKING SUPERIOR!!!!!! 8'DDDDD

Here I go!!!! So my group for the L.UL.S (Let's Use Less Stuff) project was the Sea Monkeys which consisted of Taylor W., Carli, Alex F., and myself. Together we grew French Thyme and Sweet Basil, but we also took on the class extras that were Basil and Thyme. We were so excited that we gave them all names! Our Sweet Basil was Mokona, our French Thyme was Fai, the basil was Kurogane, and the thyme was Syaoran. The reason for this garden idea was to help us better understand the concept that we were being taught; the concept that is comprised of these questions: Why don’t people live more sustainably? How can I convince them to do so? By growing our own herbs we could see that in reality it's not that difficult to grow food for ourselves. The most common excuse used by people in the question "why don't people live more sustainably" is "I can't grow things it is too hard" or it's easier to get them from a store." In growing food ourselves we can now better convince people that it is possible to grow our own foods and that it is not that difficult to achieve. It's easier to convince people to do something when you yourself have tried it. It's like this: how can a leader expect his people to follow him if he is not willing to take part in what he commands?

When it came time to harvest we Sea Monkeys looked up the proper way to harvest the leaves without killing the plant completely. For the Basils we discovered that you should take leaves from the bottom and the larger leaves from the top and middle to encourage new growth. Also we discovered that basils do well when given food like tea composts and such. This helped us better understand care for our basils. For the thyme it was a bit different. We learned that to harvest thyme one must gently remove "sprigs" while being careful not to take too many. In cooking a little thyme goes a long way. If you pull too many sprigs you could kill the plant completely. That would ultimately defeat it's purpose in being sustainable. The point was to keep them alive so they could continue to grow and give us herbs we can use for some time to come.

Cooking was one of the steps of this project I enjoyed the most! I decided on making a tomato and basil brushetta and a thyme crustinni. Here are the items I used and what I did:

Ingredients

1. Thyme Crustinni

~1 loaf of French Bread (this really depends on how much you want to make ^^)

~Salt (amount as desired)

~Pepper (amount as desired)

~Parmesan cheese, grated (about 2 large spoons)

~olive oil

~Thyme

Things you will need

~cookie sheet

~spoon

~small bowl

Steps:

1. Take your olive oil and pour some of it onto the cookie sheet and gently spread with a paper towel until the sheet is completely covered. This will toast the bread on the bottom when in the oven! :D

2. After your cookie sheet is done slice your french bread in long thin slices. To do this cut the bread at a slightly slanted angle. Then you want to take your bread and spread it out on the cookie sheet. You need not worry about spacing them out because they do not stick together. ^_^ The only thing you shouldn't do is pile them on top of one another.

3. When this is done you take your olive oil again and pour some of the bread in a drizzling manner. Be careful not to completely soak your bread! Remember the oil's purpose is to toast the bread. It probably doesn't want to go swimming. XD

4. Now comes the fun part! Take your small bowl and add the thyme. To do this you firmly hold the sprig and gently slide your fingers down it to pull off the leaves. Then you add your salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese and mix them up together. Don't worry about exact amounts of those 3 ingredients. It is basically common sense. What ever you think looks right will be fine just remember that the cheese needs to be a bit more than the salt and pepper.

5. When your "mix" is done take your cookie sheet (remember? the one with the bread :D) and sprinkle it onto the bread. You want to make sure it lands on the bread and not the cookie sheet. After it is meant for the bread so do not be afraid to put it on your bread!

6. When the bread it covered in your thyme mix you want to take your cookie sheet and put the bread in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the bread looks toasty and golden brown.

Now while the bread is toasting you want to make your brushetta! ON WARD!!!! 8DDDD

2. Tomato Basil Brushetta

Ingredients

~3 ripe tomatoes

~1 clove of garlic

~olive oil

~salt

~pepper

~sweet basil (normally it is but any basil works)

Things needed

~medium bowl

~spoon

~chopper or knife

~bread board or something to cut your tomatoes and garlic on

Steps:

1. Take your tomatoes and cut them into cubes, adding them to the bowl you have. After take the garlic (must I say you have to peel it XD) and chop it up rather finely. (ha ha I have a chopper :P) Don't stress too much about getting the garlic into tiny pieces just make sure it is small enough that it looks right. :) Add the garlic to the bowl.

2. Now you want to take your basil and lay them across one another in different directions and when they are all stacked roll them up tightly and slice them long and thin and add them to the bowl as well. When you have added the tomatoes, garlic, and basil to the bowl take your olive oil and pour some into the bowl. Pour enough in so that the tomatoes, garlic, and basil are covered with plenty but not floating in it. Then add your salt and pepper as you desire and fold the ingredients together.

Now it should be about time to check on your bread! HURRY!!! DON'T LET IT BURN!!!! D:

When your bread is all toasty and delicious looking take it out of the oven CAREFULLY and put it on the table or where ever you are working. Take your brushetta (that thing you just made XD) and gently take your spoon and put it on to the bread. Now you can put it on a plate or platter and enjoy!!!!!

Want to see it all go down!? 8D Then look down there!!!!!

This recipe was taught to me by my family and I have memorized it. :) It is fairly simple so I could remember it.

I have aways loved this recipe! It's so crunch and warm and tasty writing about it is making me hungry. XD The herbs make it so much better and I could really tasted them in this recipe because the ingredients really compliment each other. The perfect combination of salty and sweet! If I could do anything differently I would have spoken in the video. I got shy and didn't want to talk but overall I'm glad I chose the recipe I did and that I could cook this even though it's been awhile. I guess my memory isn't that fail after all!!!

I cannot say that growing these herbs was a life altering experience but it did make me want to begin growing herbs again. When I was 10 I used to grow mint, pineapple basil, apple basil, sweet basil, thyme, and purple sage. This project made me miss that and if it will help the environment to grow my own food or some of it at least why not? Besides it would mean more to me to cook with food I grew myself rather than cooking with store bought projects. I cannot be like the family in Homegrown Revolution but I can do something. This project has made me feel like I can make a difference and because of it I am inspired to grow other things I can use in the future.

This I Believe OwO

http://thisibelieve.org/dsp_ShowEssay.php?uid=18598&themelist=prejudice&yval=0&start=0

http://www.thisibelieve.org/dsp_ShowEssay.php?uid=11018&&yval=0&start=6280

http://thisibelieve.org/dsp_ShowEssay.php?uid=31711&themelist=love&yval=0&start=2100

http://thisibelieve.org/dsp_ShowEssay.php?uid=57159&topessays=2&start=0

http://www.thisibelieve.org/dsp_ShowEssay.php?uid=27928&&yval=0&start=26250

I know I picked more than one O.O; but once I got started reading I couldn't stop. I could relate to them so well and I didn't think there would be any "This I believes" like this. I could identify with these because these were women who are like me and shared some of the same struggles. It also made me realize that I am very fortunate to go to HTHMA because there I can be open about who I am and not have to worry about hiding it out of fear of hate or not being excepted. I'm glad I can openly say I am a lesbian at school and that my friends and those around me do not judge. :]

I also found two "This I believes" (bottom two) that gave me ideas about what kind of style to make my essay. I really enjoyed reading "Timothy's" (last one) because of his style and how he described things. I got lost in his words and at the end his essay made me smile. I can relate to his observing love and how love had effected him through his life. It was interesting because it did not focus on a moment but focused on all of his thoughts and ideas. It made me like it that much more because it was different. Also the second to last "This I believe" made me go "AWWWWWWWW KAWAI DESU!!!!!" (awww so cute) because I have never seen a child think this way before. It was so awesome and it made me want to hug him! XDDDDD

I AM SO PUMPED FOR THIS ESSAY!!!!!!!!!! 8'DDDD

Amazed

This makes me want to cry in the good way T~T This is Tales of the Abyss: Meaning of birth and it has been what I've been trying to learn to play. I hope I can be as good as him one day XD

Food Blogzorz Plox! :D

As I started my adventure on the interwebs I discoved these food blog 8DDDDD

---------> CLICKY there to visit the serious eats website 8D (sounds so important, yes?)


---------> CLICKY there if you want to view a vegan food blog :D

---------> CLICKY there if you want to look at a heath food blog :) Which, despite what you might think looks pretty tastey to me! ^w^

----------> What do you know! Another veg. blog!!!! ;D You so didn't see that one coming did you!? XD

----------> LOL Can you guess what this one is???

What I find cool about some of these is they actually mention how you can eat more green but still be health!!!!! Is that awesome or what!? >w<

Adventures in the "Veggie" Cook Book 8DDD (ohmaigoddess)

AS THE TITLE SAYS (heh heh >w>) THESE ARE SOME OF THE RECIPES I FOUND FOR OUR LITTLE FRIENDS 8'D! <3

Farro & tomato salad:

Ingredients:

Farro, 3/4 cup

Vegetable broth, 2 1/2 cups

Plum (Roma) tomatoes, 2 large, halved lenthwise, seeded and coarsely chopped

Fresh mozzarella balls, 1/4 lb and halved

Balsamic viniger, 2 teaspoons

Red wine vinger, 2 teaspoons

Salt and pepper

Olive oil, 1 tablespoon

Fresh basil leaves, 8 large, cut crosswiseinto thin strips

Steps:

1. Make the farro

Place farro in a bowl with 3 cups water and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Drain the farro and place in a saucepan. Add broth and bring to a boil over medium-high (? O.o bit of a contridiction, eh?) heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until farro is tender, about 30 minutes. Let stand, cover, for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.

2. Assemble the salad

Add the tomatoes and mozzarella to the farro. (everytime I write "farro" I think of Yu-Gi-Oh XD) In a small bowl, whisk together the vinigers, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Whisk in the oil. Pour the dressing over the salad, add the basil and toss with a fork. Divide amoug shallow bowls, and serve.



Kale & red bean gumbo:

Ingredients:

Kale leaves, 6 cups chopped

Green bell pepper, 1, seeded and chopped

Green (spring) onions, 1 large, white and pale green parts only, chopped

Canned tomatoes in puree, 1 cup

Vegetable broth, 4 cups

Bay leaves, 2

Dried oregano, 1 teaspoon

Thyme, 1 teaspoon

Red beans, 1 can drained and rinsed

Fresh okra, 8 pods, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, or 1 cup frozen okra

Salt and pepper

Hot pepper sauce (optional)

Steamed white rice, for serving

Steps:

1. Cook the vegetables

Combine the kale, bell pepper, green onions, tomatoes, and broth in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the bay leaves, oregano, and thyme. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the kale is tender, about 30 minutes.

2. Finish the gumbo

Add the beans and okra to the vegetables. Cover and cook until the okra is tender, about 15 minutes for fresh, 5 minutes for frozen. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce if using. Divide the rice among deep bowls and ladle the gumbo atop.



Spaghetti with spicy tomatoe sauce:

Ingredients:

For spicy tomato sauce~

Olive oil, 2 tablespoons

Garlic, 4 large cloves, chopped

Canned diced plum (Roma) tomatoes, 4 cans and drained

Dried red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon

Salt and pepper

For the pasta~

Salt

Spaghetti, 1 lb

Fresh basil, 1/4 cup thinly sliced

Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup freshlt grated

Steps:

1. Pepare the sauce (>8DDDDDDD)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and red pepper flakes, raise heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thick, about 40 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove 5 cups for storing and let cool.

2. Cook the pasta

Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt and the pasta to the boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water. Add as much of the cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce. Divide pasta among shallow bowls, top with sauce, basil, and parmesan.

That's three :3 but trust me there's so much more XDDDDDD

TO THE FARMER'S MARKET SUPERIOR!!!! 8'D

the strawberries were great! <3

Herbs 8D

TREES~





ANOTHER AKATSUKI BAG 8'DDDD

AKATSUKI BAG!!!!







<------The store with the anime bags! <3

BEHOLD TEH MIGHTY LLAMA 8D OHMAI









Irine's shop again! :D

BALLOON FIGURES!!! 8D <3 takes me back XD










YUM! Mexican food! ^w^ It smelled great!

Take a look at the booth! :D

I was very lucky in my interview! ^-^ The woman who so kindly gave me her time was really nice and peaceful! XD I was drawn to her shop because of the sea shells and ocean related items. Yes, I am an ocean girl. ^-^ I love the sea. Hahhhhhh...=w= *dreamy sigh*

That's her up there!!! :D

What is your name and your role here at the (farmers market, CSA, community garden)?

My name is Irine Schdea and I sell sea shells, air plants, and tropical items.

Why do you choose to shop here/garden here/support this CSA?

Well, I love La Jolla and the people are wonderful. Plus we have a great manager, Darcy Young ^-^

When did you first start coming here?

About 5 years ago.

Do you garden at home? Why or why not?

Yes I do. Because it's a part of me and I enjoy it very much.

How did you find out about this place?

Through a friend, yeah, she told me about it.

What would be your advice to get others to do what you do?

Well, I'd have to say there are lots of very fresh fruits and vegetables and the people here make most of the things they sell, you know, like the artisan craft tables, yeah, most of those things are hand made. You can always find unique things here!

End Interview~<3

What struck you about the location you visited? Was it what you expected, or very different?

I was definatly surprised by how many things there were there! O0O I went to the La Jolla farmer's market with Spencer and Brendon and we even found a store selling anime bags!!!!! O0O! Like an Akatsuki one that was awesome and *rambles for 30 minutes about Naruto* End ramble. Anyway I see that as a shocker because that was the last thing I would have expected! That and the video game bus! XD SUPER SMASH BROTHERS BRAWL!!!! >:D ~To Brendon and Spencer-------> DARK LINK PWNED YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!! XD We looked around a lot and found a man making balloon figures, lots of food vendors both produce and cooking like Mexican food and smoothies!!! As cheesy as this sounds I found a lot of things that I would consider magical. Like all of the ocean items and crystals. Also all of the flowers were beyond beautiful! ^w^ I can't get over just how pretty they were to be honest! <3>It was definitely better than I expected!!! I don't regret going there at all instead of the garden!

Do you think you will start going to a farmers market more often? Or using a community garden? Or supporting a CSA?

YES!!!!! XD Of course I will! There were great things there and the people were really nice! :D It was nothing like the other one I visited! This one had so much variety that I was losing my mind trying to take it all in! :'D So many wonderful fruits and flowers and shells and crystals!!!!! I never thought a farmer's market could be so much fun! Having friends with me made it better!!! ^w^ Oh by the way we saw William there too!!! XD Sorry if we scared you William! We came in peace we swears!!! D:!

How do these locations fit into our essential questions of “Why Don’t People Live More Sustainably?” and “How Can I Convince them to do So?”

It fits these questions because maybe people just don't know that shopping at a farmer's market really is more sustainable than just getting things at a main department store or grocery store. If we show them big differences in price and economy that could benefit them then perhaps we could convince them to shop at farmers markets and support CSAs and local gardens. After all, what do we have to lose by utilizing our land and resources properly?

Mission Accomplished!!! 8'D

Ecological intelligence is knowing when something is truly "green" and being conscience about what kinds of things hurt or help the world. In the article they used the example of a shirt that says 100% organic cotton. Their point was while the shirt was grown "naturally" The ink printed on it might tell a different story. Furthermore it is not efficient to use up so much land just for one T-shirt. (Please note that once cotton has been farmed from that area nothing can grow there again.) This article connects with our essential questions because it discusses why people do not live more sustainably and mentions that the reason for many people not living this way is the idea is hard to comprehend. Also the tremendous effort it would take to truly be green. This tells me that people lack the understanding and motivation to live more sustainably. I'm not quite sure if my ecological intelligence is high. Before the L.U.L.S. project I didn't think so deeply about what is truly green now, however, I find myself unable to not think of the subject. I suppose that means I went from almost no ecological intelligence to a bit more each day. An example of my intelligence (8D which is a lie~~~) would be yesterday when my mum tried to get me to eat meat. She said I had nothing to worry about because the animal was not from the states and was not mistreated like the animals here. While I appreciated that the animal may not have been tortured my next thought was is that very Eco friendly? To import meat when we could produce it here? However producing it here would mean that we must also fix the conditions of the animals so they are not tortured in the slaughter houses and mean that we would have to stop giving them hormones and genetically modifying them. I believe that that ties in to living sustainably because when we mistreat our farm animals they might not be the best they could be and the hormones we give them to get bigger faster has it's toll on us as well. How healthy can it be to eat something that's been altered so much that it's hardly natural anymore? However like most things that would be better for our environment it takes work and because people have gotten so used to the way things are now it would be hard for them to see that treating our livestock better really does make a difference.

S.O.S (props to whoever can guess what that stands 4 XD)

Data:

Q 1: Are there trash cans at the beach?

Yes-94.4% No-5.6%

Q 2: When at the Beach where do you put your garbage?

1.
Typically I put in my own trash bag until ready to leave, then I put in the beach trash can.
Fri, 3/13/09 5:11 PM

2.
the trash
Thu, 3/12/09 11:17 AM

3.
in the trash
Wed, 3/11/09 11:16 PM

4.

In the trash can

5.
In whatever bag I have with me (or in my mom's pocket) to throw away at home later.
Wed, 3/11/09 1:34 PM

6.
The trash can
Wed, 3/11/09 11:36 AM

7.
I pit my trash in the trash cans
Tue, 3/10/09 9:46 PM

8.
i don't go to the beach much and i don't have garbage when i do @__@
Tue, 3/10/09 9:24 PM

9.
Trash Can
Tue, 3/10/09 7:18 PM

10.
Trash Can

Q 3: When you see trash at the beach what do you do? Why?

1.
I really don't see much trash at the beach. Some papers every once in awhile.
Fri, 3/13/09 5:11 PM

2.
pick it up cuz it aint kool to polute our beaches and it cuts up our feet when we come into shore from surfing
Thu, 3/12/09 11:17 AM

3.
Most of the time, I just walk past it thinking about how gross people are. I would pick it up if I had a trash bag on me.
Wed, 3/11/09 11:16 PM

4.
if it looks really nasty i don't touch it but if it is a wrapper i pick it up and throw it out
Wed, 3/11/09 8:09 PM

5.
mostly I'll pick it up. Because trash on the beach is not cool, and it's not good for the environment.
Wed, 3/11/09 1:34 PM

6.
At times I leave it there because its like to pick up with your hand because a lot of it is food and and it has many nasty critters around it but if its like a plate or something I would pick it up.
Wed, 3/11/09 11:36 AM

7.
umm well if i see trash i don't pick it up.and i don't pick it up because i guess i don't care.
Tue, 3/10/09 9:46 PM

8.
I try to steer around them. Because it kinda hurts when I don't.
Tue, 3/10/09 9:24 PM

9.
Pick it up. Because its good for the environment. Lots of times if its gross I leave it be.
Tue, 3/10/09 7:18 PM

10.
avoid it, i don't know/probably don't want to know where some of it has been
Tue, 3/10/09 7:14 PM

Q 4: How often and how much trash do you see at the beach?

A. Beach is clean and spotless.
12.5% (2)
87.5% (14)
1.88
16
B. Beach has a couple pieces of trash .
56.3% (9)
43.8% (7)
1.44
16
C. Several pieces of trash are scattered Beach has a couple pieces.
72.2% (13)
27.8% (5)
1.28
18
D. Trash is everywhere.
37.5% (6)
62.5% (10)
1.63
16

Q 5: What do you think happens to wild life when it comes into contact with pollution?

1.
Typically pollution has a negative effect on animals.
Fri, 3/13/09 5:11 PM

2.
it dies
Thu, 3/12/09 11:17 AM

3.
they can get very sick.
Wed, 3/11/09 11:16 PM

4.
they get sick or even worse DIE!!!
Wed, 3/11/09 8:09 PM

5.
I know that one of the major issues is that birds and other animals get tangled in it and can seriously hurt or even kill themselves trying to escape from things like the plastic that holds together soda. Also, when fish or birds swallow it, it fills their stomachs so that they feel full and don't eat, but in fact end up starving because they haven't been able to provide their bodies with any real sustenance. And there are many more issues.
Wed, 3/11/09 1:34 PM

6.
They probably die
Wed, 3/11/09 11:36 AM

7.
um what i think happens is that i think wild life dies because the water is so polluted and they die. Like with whale garbage can get caught in there blow hole and die.
Tue, 3/10/09 9:46 PM

8.
It is no bueno. For various reasons.
Tue, 3/10/09 9:24 PM

9.
They get sick and die, like a bird swallowing a piece of plastic, metal, ECT. . . that they can't digest.
Tue, 3/10/09 7:18 PM

10.
death, sickness, choking hazards?
Tue, 3/10/09 7:14 PM

Q 6: Why do you think some people are indifferent about this subject?

1.
If it doesn't impact (s)he at that given moment, most people won't give it a second thought.
Fri, 3/13/09 5:11 PM

2.
cuz there dumb asses
Thu, 3/12/09 11:17 AM

3.
People are lazy.
Wed, 3/11/09 11:16 PM

4.
cause there stupid
Wed, 3/11/09 8:09 PM

5.
Because they are either too lazy or too fat headed to care about anyone but themselves. Ok, maybe not that harsh. I think many people care, but (like myself) don't have the time or motivation to go out and actually do something.
Wed, 3/11/09 1:34 PM

6.
They probably don't realize how much pollution there doing to wild life.
Wed, 3/11/09 11:36 AM

7.
Im not sure but i guess they just don't care about what happens.
Tue, 3/10/09 9:46 PM

8.
Because they don't go to the beach, or they simply don't care. Also people suffer from chronic not thinking about things. @__@
Tue, 3/10/09 9:24 PM

9.
Indifferent? Why would anyone think its OK to trash our world, contributing to toxic pollution's, (global warming), kill of endangered species of animals, or make species endangered. Its wrong. The animals can not adapt fast enough at this rapid pace of change. Just because you didn't drop a piece of trash doesn't mean we are all a part of this world, and thus should take care of it, no matter whose fault it is. This is our world and EVERYONE is destroying it. Not just the guy who littered at the beach.
Tue, 3/10/09 7:18 PM

10.
idk

Q 7: Have you heard of any organizations that try to help this cause?

1.
I'm sure I have but can't think of any off the top of my head.
Fri, 3/13/09 5:11 PM

2.
yes
Thu, 3/12/09 11:17 AM

3.
Yes.
Wed, 3/11/09 11:16 PM

4.
aspca World Wild life Fund
Wed, 3/11/09 8:09 PM

5.
Yes, many.
Wed, 3/11/09 1:34 PM

6.
yeah
Wed, 3/11/09 11:36 AM

7.
I think so like people go as a group and pick up in the beach.
Tue, 3/10/09 9:46 PM

8.
None in specific come to mind.
Tue, 3/10/09 9:24 PM

9.
No.
Tue, 3/10/09 7:18 PM

10.
no
Tue, 3/10/09 7:14 PM

Q 8: Do you know of any endangered species in the Ocean? If so witch ones?

1.
Green Sea Turtle, Salt Croc, Steelhead, Grey Whale, etc...
Fri, 3/13/09 5:11 PM

2.
yes wales and pingens and otters and seals and fish
Thu, 3/12/09 11:17 AM

3.
Some spieces of dolphins, some whales, a type of sea turtle, polar bears (though I don't know if that counts)
Wed, 3/11/09 11:16 PM

4.
Sea-lion, Steller (=northern) (Eumetopias jubatus) Seal, Caribbean monk (Monachus tropicalis) Seal, guadalupe fur (Arctocephalus townsendi) Seal, Hawaiian monk (Monachus schauinslandi) Seal, Mediterranean monk (Monachus monachus) Whale, blue (Balaenoptera musculus) Whale, bowhead (Balaena mysticetus) Whale, finback (Balaenoptera physalus) Whale, humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) Whale, right (Balaena glacialis (incl. australis)) Whale, Sei (Balaenoptera borealis) Whale, sperm (Physeter macrocephalus (=catodon)) Salmon, chinook (Sacramento R. winter run)Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Salmon, chinook (Snake R. spring/summer run)(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Salmon, chinook (Snake R. fall run)(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Salmon, sockeye (=red, =blueback)(Snake R., ID, stock)(Oncorhynchus nerka) Sturgeon, shortnose (Acipenser brevirostrum)
Wed, 3/11/09 8:09 PM

5.
Not that I know of specifically, but there's a bunch of different species of fish, birds, and aquatic mammals (such as whales, or polar bears but polar bears are for a different reason).
Wed, 3/11/09 1:34 PM

6.
The whale
Wed, 3/11/09 11:36 AM

7.
I think one endangered species i know is the whales.
Tue, 3/10/09 9:46 PM

8.
*which um, sea turtles? whales? uh... i'm thinking that pretty much everything in the ocean is endangered. except the krill.
Tue, 3/10/09 9:24 PM

9.
Whales, dolphins, manatee's, turtles, a whole bunch of fish.
Tue, 3/10/09 7:18 PM

10.
can't name them, but know there are some
Tue, 3/10/09 7:14 PM

Q 9: Name several human made products that would effect animals in the ocean.

1.
Plastics.
Fri, 3/13/09 5:11 PM

2.
plastic can holder thingys ummmm oil and over fishing
Thu, 3/12/09 11:17 AM

3.
Oil, plastic rings for drinks, food wrappers
Wed, 3/11/09 11:16 PM

4.
shampoo, chemicals, bleach
Wed, 3/11/09 8:09 PM

5.
water bottles, plastic bags, plastic soda holder thingies, basically anything that doesn't decompose over a short-ish amount of time. Also, of course, oil. And toxic chemicals.
Wed, 3/11/09 1:34 PM

6.
the plastic things on sodas
Wed, 3/11/09 11:36 AM

7.
Throwing your tash and it get's thrown in the swear and into the see. And when people don't pick up for themselves there trash get's caught in the waves and get's washed into the ocean.
Tue, 3/10/09 9:46 PM

8.
*affect er. any kind of nasty chemical. any kind of weird plasticky thing. basically everything nasty that you wouldn't want in the bath with your baby and a few things you might @__@
Tue, 3/10/09 9:24 PM

9.
Plastic. Soda cans. Any waste products that are not recyclable.
Tue, 3/10/09 7:18 PM

10.
cans, plastic, cigarettes, poison, oil, metal, broken glass
Tue, 3/10/09 7:14 PM

Q 10: Do you belive that you can make a difference in this cause? Why or why not?

1.
Anyone can make a difference. It's just like voting, every individual counts.
Fri, 3/13/09 5:11 PM

2.
hell yes for i is Jebis
Thu, 3/12/09 11:17 AM

3.
me alone, no. Together with a crowd, yes.
Wed, 3/11/09 11:16 PM

4.
yes i could pick up trash at the beach
Wed, 3/11/09 8:09 PM

5.
Yes. If everyone just picked up half of the pieces of trash they saw everyday, there would be a huge difference, and may as well start with myself.
Wed, 3/11/09 1:34 PM

6.
yeah by picking up trash and telling others to do so
Wed, 3/11/09 11:36 AM

7.
Yes i do because know that i relize what where doing it make's me pay attention more and think twice. So im going to watch what i do with my trash.
Tue, 3/10/09 9:46 PM

8.
I do believe I can make a difference! A few years back I participated in a beach clean up. But I guess I could be doing more... *guilt face*
Tue, 3/10/09 9:24 PM

9.
Everyone has the potential to make a difference in this world. The question is do people want to live up to there potential. I believe we should take care of our earth in a more kindly manner, starting in picking up beach trash. Yes, I think I can make a difference.
Tue, 3/10/09 7:18 PM

10.
no because i'm just one worthless life

What struck me about our data was how many people had positive out looks on our last question. Most people felt they could make a difference in beach pollution. I did not expect so may people to be so optimistic! Also I was quite surprised that on our question of "Why do you think people are indifferent about this subject" most people seem to hit the nail on the head. We received responses saying that the reason is people think in terms that if it does not effect them directly they will not care. Other results suggested that some people may not know just how much their garbage can hurt the sea life and the people who swim in the sea. Starting out my expectations for our first question of "Are there trash bins at the beach?" was pretty low. I believed that maybe the fact that trash is on our beach is due to the fact that many people just do not know that there are places to dispose of those things on the beach. However I was (gladly :] ) proved wrong. Our study shows the opposite of my initial thought. Also I hoped that most people would feel like they could make a difference and that expectation was met by the majority of positive answers. I believe that the most effective campaign would be one that encourages people to participate in beach clean ups and pick up trash when ever possible at the beach. We need to motivate people to take action and show them that this is their problem. It's not just one or two peoples' problem but our city as a whole. If we do not start taking care of our beaches then perhaps one day our ocean will be nonexistent in the future. Most people seem to understand the hazard of our waste entering the ocean and what it does to the animals that call it home. Judging from our collected data it is encouragement that the people are lacking. That is the reason why I think our campaign should focus on encouragement and maybe a bit of scaring to get people to see first hand what could become of our ocean if we let pollution get out of hand.

What strikes you about their movie?

It surprised me that they actually made growing their own food work. Most of the time when people do things like this the passion is gone in a year or so. It's astonishing that people are still capable of living this independent.

What do you think the Dervaes’ family Needs vs. Wants sheet would look like? Why?

Their list would probably be down to the really wants so to speak. Things that we take for granted like T.V. or Internet would maybe be just wants for them. They would be much simpler because they explained to us that they only buy what is absolutely needed from outside sources. They try to be as self relate as possible.

How does the Dervaes family fit into what we are studying in My Ishmael?

Well in My Ishmael we are learning about how to live sustainably and these people most definitely are. They live off the land instead of going against it and they thrive. It is one of the ways that people can help ourselves and the world in which we live. If more people did what this family has done we could undoubtedly save the world.

Overall, what are your thoughts on the way this family lives and works?

I love that way they live! :D It makes me really happy when people are in tune with nature because it makes me feel more hope for our race. It gives me some relief that not all have forgot how to live in harmony with nature. If I could I'd do that. I can't imagine the freedom they must feel.

http://www.pathtofreedom.com/ <----- clicky to be amazed 8D

Ishmael 2

1.) anthropomorphism n. Attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behavior to inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena. In this chapter it seems Ishmael is try to say that we as human beings try to make animals act similar to ourselves by giving them human characteristics like fighting over land to the death even if we know it's pointless. When animals realize there is no point to a squabble they stop and do not continue to fight. Most only live on instinct alone to survive so if they see that their is nothing left like food for example they will stop fighting because they are able to recognize truth swiftly and move on. Most humans cannot do this and reject hopeless situations with denial.

2.) a. Ishmael describes 'Erratic Retaliation' as a fair kind of pay back or way to extract vengeance. In the case of the Cawks this method works by allowing the right measures to be take for each offence. An example that could be used is this: Say a member of one tribe hurts someone from the other tribe. In order to have a fair punishment the tribe who's member was hurt would be allowed to hurt someone from that tribe. In a way it is almost like two wrongs make a right O.o

b.) 'Erratic Retaliation' is a peacekeeping method because it gives the culprit a taste of their own medicine. Someone steals a pen from you and you can steal a pen from them. It keeps people thinking, "Would I want this to happen to me?" It ties into treat others the way you wish to be treated and I suppose in this sense it keeps the peace.

c.) The Cawks do not just annihilate each other because they all want to survive and live on equal grounds so occasional attacks to get even are normal for them. I suppose it is that they see no point in completely destroying each other because this system of 'Erratic Retaliation' keeps the tribes in check. It is almost referring back to the previous text where Ishmael basically tells us "if it's not broken don't fix it." The Cawks almost seem to act like animals, being able to distinguish useless battles from ones with purpose. If one tribe annihilated another tribe it would say to the other tribes that they are free to annihilate them in return.

btw this kind of relates to the things we talk about in class.....

Ishmael

1.) The two general rules on how to identify people from our culture is one, we call ourselves accursed and often use it as an excuse and two, we lock food away from ourselves and are made to work to get it back. I do not agree with Ishmael when he says that people from all over the world are of the same culture because while we are all people and human our cultures are all very different. For example, a person from Japan would find eating an eel perfectly normal while the average American might view this dish as strange. Though we are of the same species it is our cultures that set us apart. If we all had the same culture the world would be rather dull wouldn't you say?

2.) I would actually agree with Ishmael that Mother Culture is wrong about the fact that we are all flawed because saying we are not perfect has become a greatly accepted excuse in society today. We abuse this truth to place the blame on a high power to make ourselves less guilty. While humans are imperfect it doesn't mean we are powerless to stop our wrong doing and it does not mean we are so flawed that their is nothing good about us. It is true that humans make mistakes but we have the opportunity to learn from those mistakes and make ourselves better people from it. We have a way to correct our flaws if we try.

3.) The takers and leavers are the people in our culture both good and bad. They relate to American culture because in our past we did something similar. We took the Native Americans food and made them work to get it back, just as the people from the parable made the people dance for theirs. Even now we are made to work for our food because in today's world there is no receiving without working for it. It is an exchange; our sweat and our stress for our necessities.

*my pic is supposed to show my point that even if we are not perfect we are not so flawed that nothing good can come of us ^-^ Love is one of those good things :3

Quiz from Long Ago =.=

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars (all the time...on the roof ^-^)

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis (before the tomamto swashed it O.o)

10. Sang a solo (Scary...)

11. Bungee jumped (ZoMJ!!!! ^0^ so fun!!!)

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (so pretty)

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (^-^)

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight (I want to have a sleepover now for the sole purpose of doing this now T^T)

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort (I was 6 and I hid in my little ice/snow fort all day pretending to be a winter fairy ^-^)

25. Held a lamb

26. Gold panned

27. Run a Marathon (<3)

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke (:snickers in the background: SHUT UP YOSHI D<)

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Gone without food or water for 24 hours or longer

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud (but of course ^-^)

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Stayed up for 24 hours with NO sleep at all

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (OF COURSE!!!! I could never get rid of Nanoe or Yoji!!! O0O)

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Changed a light bulb

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Mowed the lawn

84. Had your picture in the newspaper (=.= my teacher and his project pictures...)

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury (not for real...sort of)

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

yep :)

What Matters?

My friends above all else :)



1. To live sustainably is to make the most of what ever comes your way whether it be a physical resource or a situation. Also, more to me, it means that you put what matters to you first above all else. I suppose you could say that it is a way to live with little regret. If we live our life sustainably we will be happy in what we do and always cherish what means the most to us. What is truly the most important.








2. While we have quite a bit of freedom, as minors it is solely our parents who decide our fate of how much of it we get. (Oh the curses of not being 18...) It really depends on how far the guardian will hold the leash around our necks or how closely they want you to stay. So until we are 18 we have limited freedom in this world of ours. =.= Yeah...








3. As a 15 year old I can live my life more sustainably by doing my very best in everything I do. By completing all tasks in my life with the best of my abilities I can truly live without those kinds of regrets and really be the best I can be. Also to put what matters to me first above what my parents say is my priority. I now know that deciding what matters to me it my decision and not theirs. It took me awhile to see this.

Goals of the Semester

THIS IS MY DETERMINED FACE!!!!!!
And when I'm determined you'd better put on your safety helmet and put a 100 mile radious between me and you O.O Things might just explode...you have been warned...^_^'

1.) How are you different now than when you started school in August?

Wow, where do I begin!!!!!!! I'm so much different than before!!!! For one I'm happier because I've found awesome friends and secondly I got through the projects this year in one piece!!!!! *happy dances* I also feel I have grow a bit and I'm now unafraid to be me. I now have a better understanding of how things work in school and now I know what to do and what to expect. Now I'm perpared to tackle new things full force!!! >:D I'm happy with how much I've changed this year. :)

2.) What skills do you think are the most important for succeeding in Humanities? Why?

I need to stop procrastinating!!! DX It's going to kill me if I keep it up!!! Also I need to organize a bit better because my things are getting a little too crazy. Meaning I've got papers everywhere. I think that doing things a bit ahead of time and organization are the keys to suceeding in Humanities next year! I really need to incorporate some tabs and my planner and get going! I can't wait to put them to the test!

3.) One thing I would like to improve on this semester is....I am going to do this by....

I am going to stop procrastinating by willing myself to do the work a little ahead of schedule so I'm not killing myself the night before trying to complete it!!! >.<>:D *is pumped*

4.) . What are you most curious about? If you could study any topic, what would you study and why?

I'm really interested in all sorts of old herbal lore and healing techniques. XD Weird I know but I love learning new ways to help people in everyday life. I've read many books on the subject already and it's really awesome to see that back before we had all this fancy medicine we relied on what the earth had. Sometimes these remedies work better then the pills and the syrups. Something I'm particularly curious about is how people think. I've always wondered exactly what makes people behave a certain way and do the things that they do. It's intriguing really. Ask for learning about any topic, I probably wouldn't be able to decide!!! XD When it comes to learning things that I can I apply to my daily life I'm willing to learn anything!!! And go figure I'm a anime and manga nerd so I love cosplay XD

My goals this year are to get straight A's and do my best this semester!!!!! Also to have fun and make lots of great memories with everyone!!! (I already have a lot ^^) Maybe take some pictures so I don't ever forget. My main goal though is to work hard and break the habits that are weighting me down. (procrastination and cramming) NEW SEMESTER HERE I COME!!! I hope you all have your helmets and running shoes ^_^

OVER AND OUT *PAW PRINT*