Blog #1 - Topic Discussion

Listening to everyone share their topics in class on Tuesday was really enlightening. It was crazy to think about all of these issues and even crazier to think, "well what can we do about it?" All of the topics were great and it will be tough to decide which one I want to focus on for my own project. I think I'm leaning toward the following three: food insecurity, overeating, and obesity.

The first topic, food insecurity, is the one that I initially researched and presented. I was introduced to this idea when I watched a documentary called A Place At the Table. It was an extremely well-made documentary and really opened my eyes to this issue. Someone who is food insecure doesn't have any idea where their next meal will come from. This could be because their financial situation doesn't allow them to buy enough food for themselves and/or their families. In this case the victim would most likely rely on food stamps. The food stamps, however, only provide them with about $1.25 for each day's worth of food. Another cause of food insecurity is what's called a food desert. Food deserts are areas in which people live with no access to real whole food (like fruits and vegetables). Both of these causes (food stamps and food deserts) often lead to obesity. When all that you have access to or can afford is junk food, obviously you aren't going to stay thin. In addition, this leads to many other health problems. People need healthy food in their lives or they won't make it. It's important to combat food insecurity because it is an issue that impacts people all over the country. It might even apply to people in our own town without us being aware of it. And while we do have a local food pantry, plus the hunger drive and other charities, that doesn't solve the problem. Donating canned goods and snack bars to hungry people is a temporary fix. It's definitely better than nothing, but we need to find a way to give people the opportunity and the ability to eat real food. Everyone deserves that chance. Ways to make this happen will start with raising awareness. People are hungry all around us and we might not even know it. We need to brainstorm ideas to make healthier options more available to more people. Another thing that would help is if Congress would raise the limits on people's food stamps. But this leads to many other issues and more controversy, so that would take a lot of thought as well.

The second topic I've chosen is overeating. People who suffer from binge eating disorder are prone to overeating. For these people, overeating is regular and uncontrollable. They eat to deal with stress and other negative emotions. Often they eat even when they aren't hungry, and continue to eat after they're full. Afterwards, they're likely to feel worse than they did before they started eating. This process is almost like bulimia, except that there is no attempt to get rid of the food by intentionally vomiting. Besides the negative psychological effects that result from overeating, there is also quite a list of health problems. Some of these are obesity, type II diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, and even certain types of cancer. Obesity is most likely of these. Because of the constant eating, people who suffer from overeating are likely to gain a lot of weight over time. It's important to raise awareness of this issue, because people who overeat need to know that they are not alone and that they have nothing to be ashamed of. They need to know that they can overcome this. 

The third topic I've chosen is obesity. All three of these topics relate to each other. Food insecurity and overeating are just two of the causes of obesity; but there are even more. Another reason is that people have less time to exercise regularly, and less time to plan and prepare healthy meals. People's lack of time leads them to rely on fast food or unhealthy restaurant food, which often is served in way too large of a portion. The American way these days is to eat huge amounts of food. Our genes and family history can even lead to obesity. In addition, obesity leads to other health problems, like diabetes or heart disease. This issue has definitely impacted our country. We hear about America's high obesity rate all the time. So people are already aware of it. Now we need to think of things that we can do about it. Maybe we could help people learn how to make time in their day to exercise or eat healthier. We'd need to brainstorm this one as well.

I chose these three topics because they all sort of fit together. The first two are causes of obesity. But obesity could be a cause of the other two as well. Someone who is considered obese might feel bad about themselves and resort to overeating to try and feel better. There are many ways in which these three topics relate to each other, so it would be interesting to combine them and figure out a way to raise awareness about all of them, and find a way to fix them.

Blog #6 - Brainstorming Persuasive Essay Topics

Now that we've finally made it to writing an essay about controversial topics, I think I would like to write about artifical sweeteners. Originally I wanted to write about this for my informative essay, but realized that it was too argumentative of a topic. Now that the whole point of the essay is to persuade the reader, I would like to discuss the dangers of artificial sweeteners and try to persuade the reader not to consume them. My stance on artificial sweeteners comes from something that happened when I was still in elementary school. My mother had been drinking a Diet Pepsi at work and had a seizure. After undergoing some tests they decided that it had been caused by an allergic reaction to the aspartame found in the soda. For a while she switched to only using Splenda (sucralose), until that caused her to experience migraines as well. Meanwhile, the artificial sweeteners triggered headaches for me too. Finally we threw out and stopped buying anything with an artificial sweetener in its ingredients. Now artificial sweeteners are like taboos in my home. Since then, I've done my own research about these fake sugars. I don't like anything I've read. They actually could be linked to many health problems and diseases. Also tests have shown that they actually make people want to eat more, causing more weight gain. With more thorough research I think I could write a really good essay on this topic. It's something I feel very strongly about and I'd really like to share what I know.

My backup topic is factory farming. This is also a topic that I am against. It is one of the contributing factors to my vegetarianism. I don't know a ton about it, but I've read some really graphic horror stories. From what I've read so far, I believe that factory farming is cruel, unsafe, unsanitary, and disgusting. I would definitely need to do some more research on this topic, but I think I would be able to sway the readers with what I have to say.

Either of my topics would work for this essay, but I think the first would be best. I already have such a strong opinion on it that I would be able to say more. The second topic is important to me as well, but the first affects so many people. I really want to share the information and help some people out.

Blog #5 - Informative Essay Topic

For my informative essay I think I want to write about the dangers of artificial sweeteners, such as Aspertame or Splenda. To me, this a very interesting topic. It's also one that people really need to know more about. I've read up on this topic a lot already, and am still amazed by all of the health problems linked to artificial sweeteners. The terms "sugar-free" and "zero-calorie" are everywhere and people think those terms make a food or drink healthy, but in reality it makes it very unhealthy. I think that if I write this paper well, it could help educate people. The problems with this topic are: 1. People might not want to believe what I have to say; and 2. It's something I feel very strongly about so I fear that I will unintentionally insert my own opinion.
For my essay I think I will start with what exactly an artifical sweetener is, and give some examples. I'll discuss the dangers of consuming these sweeteners, and also where they can be found (both in obvious places and also sneaky ones). I'd also like to discuss the companies that manufacture the sweeteners, and how everything is really kind of sketchy. For example, the makers of Aspertame fund a lot of medical associations, so they aren't allowed to say anything bad about the product, even though it could be making their patients sick.
I definitely need to do a lot of research to get some solid information on this topic, but in the end I think it will be easy for me to write about, and I'm excited to share the knowlege with people later.

Holy Guacamole! (Blog #4)

Your stomach is growling like a lion or a tiger. You know you need to eat, and soon. Unfortuately, it's too late for lunch, and too early for dinner. You need a snack! You could just head to the gas station and buy a candy bar or some other unhealthy prepackaged item, but where's the fun in that? If you're looking for something that is simultaneously healthy and delicious (plus quick and easy!), homemade guacamole is a good way to go.
The most important ingredient in guacamole is avacados. They mash up beautifully and are a lovely green color. You will need three of them that aren't too ripe, but not too hard either. But set these asside until the end. The other necessary ingredients are: half of any kind of onion, two Roma tomatoes, a teaspoon of minced garlic, three tablespoons of cilantro, the juice of one whole lime, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and salt to taste if desired.
You could dice up each ingredient by hand; however, that would take much longer. It is easiest to use a blender or a food processor. To avoid getting the processor all messy and sticky from the beginning, start off by dicing up the onion. If you first chop it into medium sized pieces, you can then throw it into the bowl of the processor. Next add in the cilantro. Pulse it until the pieces are somewhat evenly diced. Empty the mixture into a container. Next chop the tomatoes into similar sized pieces as the onion. Then add those into the bowl and pulse until they are diced as well. Empty them into the container. Now you can add in the minced garlic and the cayenne pepper. Then cut the lime into four pieces, to make squeezing out the juice easier. Stir until it's all combined. Right now it should resemble something like pico de gallo. The final step is to blend the avacados. The easiest way to open an avacado is to first cut it all the way around with a knife. Hold one half firmly without squishing it, then pull the halves apart. Scoop out the pit and then scoop the green fruit into the processor bowl. Do this for each avacado. Finally, blend the avacados until they are more of a paste. Add it to the "pico" and stir everything together until it's well combined. If you want to, add salt. Enjoy your snack with some tortilla chips or on a quesadilla and you're good to go!

Blog #3 - Pre-Writing for a Personal Essay

I'm still very young and nothing really "life-changing" has happened to me. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.. Perhaps it's a little of both. But there are some things that have helped define who I am.
One thing I could write about is how I came to be so passionate about food, nutrition, and healthy living. It's a big part of who I am now. I'm a vegetarian and I do my best to eat mostly healthy food (moderation, not perfection...plus desserts are pretty much my favorite thing ever). There are so many lies fed from the food industry to the world and I want to help spread the truth. I think nutrition is fascinating and I can't wait to start my path and become a certified health coach.
Another thing I could write about is how my dad moving across the country has impacted my life. When I was only in about second or third grade, my dad transferred from NIU to Penn State to be a grad-student and get some other degree.  That's a lot of miles and a whole time zone away from here, which is a lot for a little girl to take in. Ever since, I've only been able to see him during Christmas Break and for a week every summer. I think this situation helped me grow up a lot quicker. It also caused me to have some commitment and trust issues, which I'm just starting to get over. Fortunately my dad and I have always been on good terms and we still talk on a regular basis. But as I get older things get more awkward. Most of our conversations are about school and movies or books. At the end of the day, though, I love my dad and I've never been upset with him for living that far away from me. It's kind of nice not having to live a double life and switch houses every weekend, like a lot of other kids with divorced parents do. And I also have an awesome step-dad, so it's kind of like I get two dads, which is pretty cool.
The problem with both of these ideas is that they aren't really stories. So I'm not sure where I'd begin with either of them. I like them both equally so I'm not sure which to choose. I didn't realize how much I had to say about the second until I started writing. This might be silly, but I'm afraid if I choose the second, my dad will eventually read it and it will make him sad, and I don't want that. I also don't know if either of them would pass the "so what?" test. I'm very indecisive..

A Lovely Beach Day..

I am not a very relaxed person. I enjoy relaxing (obviously... who doesn't?), but I'm not very good at it. Especially when I'm out of my element like I was during my trip to Delaware.
Every summer I fly out to Washington D.C. to visit my dad. Usually we tour the city, eat at cool restaurants, and watch movies. But starting last summer we added another person to the week - my new step-mom. Fortunately she and her family were very welcoming of me and they invited me to their beach week at Bethany Beach, Delaware. They've gone the last 32 summers to stay in a beach house at their favorite beach. I accepted the invitation; however, as the vacation date approached, I got more nervous about it. I knew I would be lonely and homesick since I didn't know these people very well. But I boarded the plane anyway.
It was a long day of traveling but I was happy to see the ocean. There was a perfect sunset the first night, full of oranges and pinks and blues. I felt more at ease when I was by the water. When I was with my group, on the other hand, I felt anxious and lonely because they were so different from me. They talked differently, seemed a lot smarter than me, and they didn't quite understand my daily diet. I also missed my family and friends back home. I knew I had a long six days ahead of me.
The first beach day was so uncomfortably hot. It was also crowded because it was the Sunday after the fourth of July. I attempted to lay out on a blanket and get a tan, but the blanket was covered in sand. Since I was sweating so much, the sand stuck to me and made my skin feel gritty and gross. I wasn't exactly sad when we headed back to the house.
A second beach day went by, which was better but still not much fun. My dad, step-mom, and I decided to take a break from the water and go mini golfing. It ended up being a lot of fun, plus we got free ice cream. That night our whole group (twelve of us all together) went out for dinner. It was the first night I actually enjoyed myself. There was good conversation, delicious food, and a fun environment. I finally felt like things were looking up.
The fourth day was another beach day, and it was perfect. It was a sunny day but it wasn't too hot. We set up our umbrellas, chairs, and blankets, ate a picnic lunch, and tried to enjoy the day. I ended up falling asleep on one of the blankets, which was a first for me that week. When I woke up I decided to sit in a chair and just relax. I focused on the waves, the hot air, and the unusually cool breeze coming off the ocean. I tried not to think about anything on the trip that was bothering me or making me feel anxious. I just breathed. An hour later I realized I had fallen asleep again. I was amazed at myself for actually feeling content for once. We packed up and headed home, and got ready for another group dinner.
The rest of the week got better and better. After a day of shopping, a few more great meals, and a rainy day spent inside, I felt so much calmer. I now know that there really was no need to worry. I'm looking forward to joining them for beach week again next year.

Blog #1: Your Abilities as a Writer

Because we've been on summer break for the last two and a half months, I feel that I am a little rusty when it comes to writing. Hopefully it won't take long to get back on track. Besides that, when comparing my current writing abilities to those of a year ago, I feel confident that I've improved; however, there are many things I'd like to improve upon further. Firstly, I need to get a handle on my procrastination problems (yes, I've still got those...*sigh*). Getting on top of assignments right away is my biggest goal for this year. I'd also like to continue learning about the use of correct grammar, and I want to expand my vocabulary as well. For example, I need to discover some new substitues for the word "however." Another thing I have trouble with is knowing where to separate my ideas into paragraphs. I have a tendency to just write one huge paragraph that jumps all over the place, and that's an issue. One thing I feel better about, though, is the process of writing. Taking Honors III last year helped me out a lot in that. I learned that I need to start with a general idea of what I'm going to write about, form more ideas with a graphic organizer of some kind, and also revise, revise, and revise some more. And not just in English classes - all of my classes! That's something I've never quite grasped until now.
I'm really excited that I have the opportunity to take this class, as well as psych and speech. It makes me feel like I'm a step ahead for once. I think this is going to prepare me for college much better than regular English 4. I am still a bit sad that I didn't get to take AP...I had been looking forward to that since freshman year. But honestly I think this class will be great. It will definitely be a lot of work, but it will be worth it. I'm looking forward to learning about different types of essays, and also expanding my knowlege and writing skills.