Learning Styles

After I took the first quiz, I knew the answer was wrong because I have known my whole life that I am a visual learner. It told me I was an auditory learner and that is WAY OFF because there are times that I sometimes listen and some times that I do not and I usually like looking at pictures of things to make sure I am thinking the same way I am hearing...if that makes sense?

We are finishing up our project tonight and I am going to start paraphrasing what I am going to say tomorrow for our presentations.

Group Project

We are starting to actually get into the swing of things and starting to work on the website and slideshow. We have been splitting up the work and trying to get pictures and songs put together so that we can divide up the work for certain before we go on Thanksgiving break. We are making progress but we should each have a lot done after the break!

Group Project

• Our group name will be WAAT.
• Purpose: World Against Animal Testing
• Jenna Gaylor, Becca Ehlich, Kait Williams.
• Thesis: Animal testing can be harmful and even fatal to animals and we should begin to use products that do not test on animals.
• Audience: Young Adults
• Modes of Media: We will first make a website, then post a PSA on the site, and finally make an Advertisement that will also be posted on our website. We chose those types on media because our audience is more tech savvy. On the website, we will talk about the different products that do use animal testing and show the consequences of those products. Images, videos, etc. will be used to get our point across.
• We are still trying to devise a plan of splitting up the work properly. Kait is the one that knows how to create websites, but Becca and I will help her with the images and things like that. More to come about how we will split the work up!!

Wolf Hunting Now Legal but Still Controversial

Hunting of the gray wolf used to be illegal but now they have decided to lighten up on the ways that they enforce it. One reason in the article that is talked about is how gray wolves prey on farmer's sheep and that is one of the problems that happens out west where there is much more farmland and wild animals, like the gray wolf, running around. A problem that upset environmental and animal groups is that the federal government decided to take the gray wolf off of the endangered species list, which in turn led to this law to be revoked about hunting them.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/09/03/wolf.hunt/index.html

International Trade for Animals

The article, “Trade Curbs Sought for Sharks, Corals, and Bluefin Tuna”, was written on October 16, 2009 by Laura MacInnis. This is another article about how the UN is trying to limit international trade on these certain animals. There were about 40 species that have been requested to be looked at for more in depth thought on whether or not they should have international trade restrictions. The problem is that most people could lose jobs if they ban too many of these species for international trade. Losing jobs, losing money.

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE59E4TX20091015

Polar Bear Protection

The article, “US Seeks Tougher Protection for the Polar Bear”, was written on October 16, 2009 by the Associated Press. This article also pertains to my topic of endangered species because it talks about how the government is trying to put a limit on the amount of international trade of bear fur and other parts of the bear. The polar bear was classified as a threatened species just last year. There are also pointers in this article that talk about global warming as a concern for animals’ habitats in the arctic and subarctic regions.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jkFpiWu8Za6HhsuOeIJa6p2GoZYgD9BCBIQO0

Walruses

The article written on October 2, 2009 by The New York Times is titled “Walruses Suffer Substantial Losses as Sea Ice Erodes”. The main point of this article is to show that global warming has been affecting the walruses’ habitats. During the summer months, they lay on sheets of ice in the middle of the sea, but lately because of the global warming, these ice caps have melted and the walruses’ had to rest upon the shore. There have been many incidents where they have been trampled or stampeded because of the overwhelming amount of walruses’ on the land.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/science/earth/03walrus.html?_r=1

7th Person Arrested in Gang Rape of Girl After Homecoming Dance

This scared me right when I read the headline. In Richmond, California, a girl in front of her school during

the high school dance was in a gang rape of men ranging from ages 18-21. According to sources, there

were about 10 assailants involved in the rape but they still have not caught all of them. This is very scary

for me to read and hear about this because the girl was right in front of her school when the dance was

going on. That means there should have been tons of people around to see the incident, right? Guess not.

That is so scary and schools need to think about their safety precautions so things like this don't happen.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,571387,00.html?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a4:g4:r1:c0.000000:b0:z5

Killer Shark Movie May Threaten Aussie Tourism

The Great Barrier Reef is being portrayed as the hunting grounds for the killer great white sharks in

the new film titled "The Reef". In the movie, four friends are terrorized by a man-eater after their boat

capsizes. It is based on a true story and it has angered local tourism operators. They say this movie will

hurt them because other movies like "Open Water" and "Jaws" have had the same impact on their

tourism. It is hard to get money from tourists in this economy already and this movie will only help

the producers of the film and nothing else it seems like.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,571326,00.html?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a4:g4:r2:c0.000000:b0:z5

New ocean near Ethiopia to be forming soon

I found an interesting article on FoxNews.com. Surveyors in Ethiopia found a 35-mile rift in the desert and said that it will eventually become an ocean. It appeared there in 2005 but now since the rift has actually started to grow, geologists see that it very well could and will turn into an ocean. They saw that the same movements that happen at the bottom of oceans is happening to the rift as well. Not only is it happening to that rift but geologists are saying that the same thing is happening on the bottom of the Red Sea. They are also saying that this is caused by volcanoes that surround the area. It looks like we will just have to see what happens in the near future.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,571347,00.html

Music History

I'm taking music history right now this semester and it has its boring days but some of the pieces that we listen to are really beautiful. I think I like listening to some of the music because I was in band for a long time. My love for music has really grown on me all through high school and it continued to become a big fan of all types of music. I'm not saying that I like to listen to classical music all the time, but once in awhile it's very soothing to listen to. A day never goes by where I don't listen to my favorite rap songs, but it's always nice to switch it up sometimes.

texts from last night

This is probably one of the funniest websites that I look at. Pretty much all they are is texts from the night before when people do or have stupid or funny stuff happen to them. Here are some really funny ones that are my personal favorites. Some of them can be sexual but that makes them even funnier I think. And hey, we're all mature adults, right?

(773): if someone can't be won over with guacamole and tequila they are not worth your time.

(484): i even made an effort to dress like a conservative young lady who doesn't black out and throw up in her bed regularly today.

(503): Just puked into a mcdonald's cup. Didn't even swerve.

(502): so i smoked with the leasing agent of the apartment complex. of course i'm going to take this one.

(818): Party in the USA is on your top 25 most played on iTunes. you have NO RIGHT to judge me.

(217): he just booty called m in advance instead of waiting til like 3 am when he's trashed. i think that's really considerate and gentlemanlike.

(970): if i'm going to fail a midterm, I might as well be drunk while i do it.

(646): so how was awkward coffee with forgets-your-name?

(401): apparently i traded the tiffany necklace my mom bought me for 2 shots and next in line for beer pong at the frat.

(774): i just walked into a room at this party and someone yelled "dibs!"...

These are only some of the funny "texts from last night". It really is a funny site where people have hilarious texts from whatever happened to them the night before...

iPhones are AMAZING.

I absolutely love my iPhone. I love it so much that I wanted to write a blog about it. It's not only a phone, it has a GPS on it. This has saved my life daily because I always go to houses and I could not figure out where I was going. But luckily for my iPhone, I found my way. It is all touch screen and some people say they don't like it but I've gotten used to it. Texting is so easy for me and there is none of that "T9" stuff that I have to deal with. I also bought a bunch of apps that have different kinds of games on them. There are so many reasons to buy the iPhone because it is probably the best investment someone would ever make.

Family Weekend

I'm really excited for family weekend even though my family is not coming. They are actually in Nevada visiting my cousin. One of my friend's family is coming up though so it should be fun. They are bringing like the whole tailgate package and it should be fun. We are going to dinner with them in a little bit and I'm really excited to see what her parents are like.

Peer Review

I really think the most important question on the peer review is probably the question that asks if there is a progression in ideas of the analysis. I like to see how ideas build on top of one another and poems and songs usually do, so it is nice to see that comparison in people's papers. It gives me the sense of thinking that they know what they are talking about.

I Love College?

I have begun to realize what people had tried to tell me all those years in high school: study. During high school, I never really took the time to pick up the book and actually reread the chapters or retype my notes or anything like that. This habit had grown on me because I would always get a B or C+ on a test. These first few weeks at BSU have shown me that I really can't just walk into the classroom on the day of a test without studying because there will be consequences! I think it took my first week of exams to realize that. I'm really kicking it into high gear now and hopefully I will be fine for the rest of my college career. It will be hard to kick the old habit of not picking up the book before a test, but these next four years will lead into the rest of my life!

Good Ole Homecoming...

I thought I should probably make one of my blogs about this awesome week! HOMECOMING WEEK AT BALL STATE!! At any school this is always a fun time. I went to Carmel High School and homecoming week was always fun. Everyday would be spirit days. Tacky days, dress up as your favorite cartoon character days, and so many more. We would also have a trike race every year and for my junior and senior year the same team from my grade won. Good times. Then Saturday is always the Homecoming dance, but I never got to go to that because I was in band. It was sad but I always made the best out of it. It's just an awesome week for anyone and everyone!

I went to see the theater production "Hair" yesterday. Let's just say I was shocked by what had happened. Contrary to what some of my friends thought, it was very eye-opening to actually see how "free" everyone was during the 60s and 70s. Of course, one of the major talks of the show after seeing it was that everyone had taken their clothes off. Some people thought it wasn't necessary and neither did I, but that made a VERY big indication of what life was like back then. Everyone was so open and happy it seemed like. All of this also had to do with the drugs also, but overall they were very open people. I would pay again to go see this production and I encourage others to go see it also.

TV shows

Every Thursday, I HAVE to sit down and watch my favorite television shows. They are "Parks & Recreation" and "The Office" which are on NBC and "Project Runway" which is on Lifetime after "The Office". Thursday night television is one night that I cannot miss! I get very angry if I miss any of these shows. Haha.

I absolutely love Steve Carrell, Rainn Wilson, and Amy Poehler. The first 2 are in "The Office" and Poehler is in "Parks & Recreation". Both great shows and I encourage everyone who likes stupid humor to definitely watch these shows for sure.

My Roommate

Some people talk about their experiences that they had with their horrible roommates their freshman year. You never hear both sides of the story though, so you never know what exactly went down. I actually get along very well with my roommate. We have had our moments of stressing and kind of using more serious tones with each other, but there hasn't ever been a quarrel of emotions in our room so to say.

I knew Molly from high school and we were walking in the hall pretty much randomly talking when we both said we were going to BSU. I pretty much just told her that we were going to be roommates. I knew she was a very sarcastic person...same as I am, so I knew this roomie relationship would work out just fine. So far so good!

Ishmael Beah Comes to Ball State!

There were some major points that I thought seemed very important while Mr. Beah was speaking to us. First, throughout the whole speech, he really stressed the facts of why he actually wrote the book. Second, there were some things in the book that he said were not very well described. When he couldn't remember specific details about a certain situation in the book, he would not put it in the book. That's why there are some points in the book where there is not a lot of detail. Finally, something that I thought was very intriguing was the fact that he said it was more difficult to talk about his childhood before the war rather than during the war because that is something that he will never get back: his family.

Ishmael Beah

Random Facts about Ishmael Beah:
-28 years old
-had 3 younger brothers and his parents were killed during the war.
-he was remmoved from the war and put into rehab
-he spent 8 months in rehab.
-played soccer and when he lost, he became violent, he said. but after those anger sprees he started winning.
-went back to Sierra Leone for family tracing and the rest of rehab.
-when we was writing he wanted to write about how he felt.
fun fact: he discovered many things while in New York...first time he had a salad, he thought it was grass; first time he ever saw the moving sidewalks in the airport; first time he figured out how to use a shower.
-Lora became his mother around the winter of 96 when his uncle was growing ill. His uncle died in 1997
-June 1998: he wanted everyone to understand what the Sierra Leone war was like.
-talked about young people affected by the war.
-he went to college in Ohio and had 2 years of high school.
-when he first started writing he had no intention of publishing anything.
-his graduate professor told him to edit more and to show his work to some people
-he got an agent and someone published him.

Some questions that were asked...
28 years young -next step?
-he wants to go to law school
-working on 2nd book-fiction

Song of the Day #1

Heat of the Moment by AZIA

I absolutely love this song because we almost always play it on my pontoon boat when we are cruising along the lake. This is one of those songs that you have to just BLAST in order to feel the awesomeness. haha. My friend and I know every single word and it's just one of the best songs in the world.

Alot of my posts will be about songs that have been stuck in my head!! I tend to post about little things like that! hahaha.

My Top Ten Favorite Bands

(Not in any specific order...)
1. Dave Matthews
2. Journey
3. MGMT
4. Billy Idol
5. Barenaked Ladies
6. Five For Fighting
7. Relient K
8. M.I.A.
9. Jimi Hendrix
10. Van Halen