QuickWrite - Most wonderful Meal

http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/08/01/top-10-side-dish-recipes/

The most delicious meal is amazing, while it's cooking all you can do is crave it. The smell reminds me of a refresh summer breeze, or the smell of the ocean after dreaming about it for so long. All you smell is the sweet corn, and that smell will make you physically taste the juice corn, and warm soft potatoes. This is the type of meal that'll have you craving it for days! It's utterly wonderful! The taste of this meal absorbs you entirely.

QuickWrite - Eden

My Eden is beautiful! The grass is green the birds sing their soft songs, there are rolling green hills. Everyone of equal and dressed magnificently, with men in their suits and women in there dresses. Walking and biking is the main source of transportation and public entertainment consists of live shows, being plays, concerts, dance recitals. These are where people dance until their hearts are content, and are constantly smiling. There is no crime, no heartbreak and no backstabbing faces. Everyone is equal. We'll use windmills for power, seeing those giant white fans spinning round and round. We'll have solar panels on every roof using that burning hot sun to hear our dinners. Our language will be kind, you'd never hear of someone telling at you, or someone calling you a terrible name. All shall be equal. 

Favorite Quote

"Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die" - Buddah

This is one of my all time favorite quotes! I try my hardest to live by it, because I believe that life is truly to short, and every second you spend angry is a second of happiness you'll never get back. I know of so many people that have held on to anger for years and years and they seem so hateful towards everything. To be honest I spent around two years being like that.. until one day I decided that I didn't want to be mad anymore and it was shortly after making that decision that I found this quote. Its been my favorite ever since and i make sure to remind the people close to me of this constantly, because as I said earlier life is short, way to short to spend your time being mad at something that isn't even worth it. That is why I love this quote.

Skype Reflection

1) What went well in today's Skype session?

I believe that the kids seemed to be engaging a lot with all the questions we asked in the presentations. They also seemed to enjoy the many different topics used to show procedural writing they seem to truly like the time we spend skyping.


2) What is the value of collaborating with this grade 3 class?

Collaborating with this grade three class through Skype is a great way to put our worlds fancy technology to work. It is a very interesting way to see how different classes throughout the areas of Manitoba learn, and is a wonderful way to teach new things to new a younger generation. Its also a way to hand down helpful tips from one city to another.

Easter

Well as we all know Easter was this weekend, and with being 17  I was not expecting to receive anything but my mother had differet plans and surprised me Easter morning with all of this!

I love my mother so much! I honestly don't know where I would be without her. Needless to say, I had my Easter Day was made quite a bit better as I got to do my homeowrk while snacking on these wonderful treats! 

We Day - 2013

Photo Credits: Kayla Burgess

    We Day is a powerful event. It promotes a change in the world and empowers the kids of our generation to make a difference. The first photo presented here was taken a few minutes before the crowd of attendees started pouring in. I snapped this image out of pure excitement for the amazing speeches I was about to hear. That’s where the second image comes in, it is of Martin Luther King III, and was taken during his amazing speech that ended up being my favourite of the day. I’ve chosen to write about these photos because it was an incredible day that came during a hard time in my life and helped change my outlook on life and the outlook I had on myself.

Volunteering at We Day 2013 was unbelievable and unlike any experience I`ve had. Dedicating my spare time to an organization that does so much good in the world made me feel part of something so much greater then myself, and that I was actually making a difference. During the many training days that took place before the grand event I met an abundant amount of amazing people seen throughout the primary photograph presented.  There was an immense amount of excitement between my fellow crowd pumpers and I as we practiced our dances and chants while waiting for the many different schools from a crossed Manitoba to arrive. I made a ton of new friends all sharing the same passion for change as I do. Without their contribution, this Free the Children movement would not have been such a success.  

          Taking another look at the background of the initial image given, you see the We Day stage in all its glory. The brightly lit screens filled with neon lights made us even more eager for the performances from Shawn Desman and Robb Nash, not to mention the speakers such as Molly Burke, Amanda Lindhout, and Spencer West with all of their speeches that would soon have us hanging on every word. The set-up of the stage, along with the color of lights chosen for each act greatly added to the interpretation of these productions, and without all these amazing facets the show wouldn’t have been nearly as memorizing.

This second photo of Martin Luther King the III was taken during the show he was the opening speech and it was his speech that stood out the most to me. I was enchanted by his words and in the end it was what helped me to make a change and turn the corner to a new me. He spoke of needing to be the best you can be “If all your life you be a street sweeper, why go on and sweep streets. Like Michael Angelo carved marble, go on and sweep streets. Like Shakespeare wrote poetry, go on and sweep streets...” his speech gave me goose bumps, the truth behind his words “It isn’t by size that you win or you fail, you just got to be the best of what you are.” Made a lasting impression on the view I had towards the people of the world. This speech drove me to the realization that as we go through life we may never be as great as Shakespeare. We may not be as artistic as Donatello, but to find that one thing we are put on this earth to do, and put everything into fulfilling that calling, then you can live on, satisfied with knowing you’ve accomplished your best.

 In conclusion these photos are more than a representation of We Day, but a representation of a turning point in my life as well. Leading up to this event my days were filled with complications, stress, and the feeling of being utterly lost and confused with who I was. Being there, listening to the tales of hard times from these inspiring people was my release. They helped to show me the light in the middle of my storm. It was exactly what I needed; it was there that I was reminded of me. The real me, that had gotten lost in the shuffle and fast pace of high school.

By: K. Burgess

Six Word Memoir #5 - Love

I personally think this image fits perfectly with the theme love, I chose to use a filter in order to lighten up the original image and to had more texture throughout it. As for the words, I decided on this font simply because I believe looks softer and more elegant. The colors are white and red. I wanted them to stand out against their background, and I wanted the word love to stand out especially I though making it red would be a good way to go. The saying "When you love never let go" comes from my thoughts and own experience of love. I know that love can be a deeply scary thing that many people shy away from. Some people may even push away the person they care about most in order to try and protect themselves. That is why I say "when you love never let go" because you shouldn't. Love is an ability, and if your able to love someone you need to hold on to them. If they are able to carry u out of your darkest days, then they are someone worth holding on to. You can't let being a little scared get in the way of something so magical.

Six Word Memoir #6 - Growing Up

Friendships are a huge part of growing up, that is why I chose this picture of my old friend Kristin and I. This was taken in grade 3, and now being in grade 11, and having moved away from her we don't talk much. I came up with the memoir, "friendship last forever in our memories", meaning that even if you drift apart from your best friend you will alway remember that friendship. Friendships are a huge part of growing up, it is those friends that make you, who you are today. It hurts deeply knowing you use to be so close to someone, that you guys use to be eachother's other half. Yet It is then, once you accept that you are not as big part of their life anymore that you have to thank them for having been in your life, thank them for those wonderful memories and move away knowing that you both did right by eachother in that time period of friendship.

Six Word Memoir #4 - Family

   This photo is personally one of my favorite family pictures. I love how young my whole family looks and it just reminds me of the good old days, free of the stress of school, and work and any other kinds of stress I'm under now being 17. As the youngest in the family it also brings back wonderful memories of playing with my brother and sister who are both in there 20's now, all moved out and starting their own lives. It's honestly a little saddening looking back on those days of youth, and realizing that your getting older and are soon going to have a family of your own.

   I choose the saying "A families love stands through anything" for my six word memoir because there is a lot of truth behind those words. My family as been through a tremendous amount struggles over the years, and yet we never fail to love one another. Your family will love you through the thick and the thin, whether you're rich or poor, on your moody days and your happy days nothing will change that. I am very happy with this saying I came up with and very much believe that it's fit this image perfectly. 

   As for editing the photo I chose to use the filter transfer, to add more color and more if a brightness to the photo. I made the decision to have the words boxed in a color due to the fact that it would be difficult to read if I left it simply black with all the different colors in the image plus I think it looks good with a white box around the memoir. It is for these reasons that have this picture and these words for my six word memoir representing family.

Six Word Memoir #3 - Me

"Natures beauty is all around you" is the six word me or I chose to pair with this picture. I put this photo under the category me, because nature is one thing that never fails to cheer me up. I could be having the worst day, with being stressed over school, work, home life anything could be going on and nature helps to pull me back up. If you take the time to notice, if you take time out of your day to appreciate what nature as given us it'll cheer you up in no time. As you watch the snow fall softly onto the ground, or as you watch the cloud float aimlessly through the light blue sky that seems to stretch for mile and miles. Remember that life as a purpose. Remind yourself that this is just a bad day, not a bad life. Remind yourself of your hopes to see the world when your older, and your dream to ride a horse in the beach. Taking a moment out of your time to enjoy what nature as to offer, can be your renewal, and give you a refreshed outlook on the world and your life.

Reading Assignment #2

Saving Max #title (87) I wonder if Maitland is actually helping Max or if being there is just making him worse? #comment 

Danielle met a guy at the hotel bar, there’s #romance in the air. I definitely think they’re going to hook up #foreshadowing 

The doctors accidentally overdosed Max; I sense a fighting coming soon between Danielle and those specialists #mammabearsnothappy 

The #writingstyle of this book is great. Reading from the mothers point of view gives insight into the hard decisions mothers must make. 

Danielle has been to focused on succeeding in her career and hasn’t always been there enough for Max.#timetochange#comment

Reading Assignment #1

Saving Max(29) takes a look at the hardships some people must face, it definitely opens your eyes to how lucky we are in life. #intro

?- What is Danielle going to do to help Max? As her final hope to save him, will it work? #question 

I have sympathy for Danielles character, shes sweet&selfless but is having a hard time as she struggles to rescue her son.#rufflife #comment

! - I can see Danielle&Marianne becoming close friends, connecting over their life struggles, as their sons receive treatment. #prediction

This book has made me think of how easy I have it. Has anyone else ever read a novel that makes you think about how lucky we are? #discuss

Mid Semester Reflection

Six Word Memoirs

    My six word memoirs would have gone splendidly… key word being “would have” if I hadn't procrastinated and not gotten them finished. It was and easy enough assignment and I know I could have done a great job. Yet they are still not all handed in, I have 2 out of 6 memoirs posted, and I still need to find four photos for the rest of them. My self-given mark would be an incomplete. I know I could do better but my stress levels at the time this project was given was at an all-time high, making it difficult for me to focus not to mention my procrastination skills got in the way.

Ignite Presentation

    The ignite presentation has been a bit difficult to do. Choosing the topic was hard for me, I couldn't think of something that I truly loved to do. I would throw around thoughts of spreading information on puppy mills then change my mind believing it was too dark of a topic to talk about in front of my class. Then I’d think to talk about soccer, but I didn't know how I would talk about it and to be honest although I love playing it, it’s not something I’m very good at or am passionate about. Then I thought about writing a story and making pictures to go on the slides or just talking about something inspirational such as happiness. None of the topics seemed to fit. In the end it was my indecisiveness that threw me off and made this a lot harder than it should have been. Finally a week or two after getting this assignment I chose the topic of volunteering, but I chose it only a few days before having to present. I was unable to complete it in time making it late and am still trying to complete it now. My overall mark for myself is an incomplete. It was my brain that stopped me from succeeding in this project, as it usually is. For my perfectionist ways will throw me off and make me believe that what I've got so far isn't good enough.

Blogging

    My blogging throughout this class has definitely not been up to standards...  I have not been posting personal additions onto my blog like I should have been, nor have I been posting my assignments or even completing them in a timely manner. When it comes to posting on my class mates blogs I have posted one comment but have not looked at fellow classmate’s blog since. I have only added one “personal addition” to my blog, and even then I’m not sure whether it is actually considered a personal addition. Overall the grade I would give myself in this category is a zero, a D, an incomplete. I doesn't matter how you say it but my actions of posting personal additions and assignments onto my blog have not been up to par.

Connecting and Engaging:

    My connecting and engaging in class is not as high as it could. I have not commented on my class mates blogs as much as I could have nor have I even visited their blogs. This I plan to do a lot more of, I would love to see how my fellow class mates have been designing their blog. Additionally, I believe that even though I didn't read to the grade three Thompson class or speak with them directly, I was still engaging in the Skype call by listening, watching and laughing along with them. Another thing is that I have made sure to regularly attend classes. Overall I give myself a B in is category, I haven’t been perfect with my connecting and engaging in class but I have still been participating this is why I have given myself a B.

3 Course Goal

1)  Improve my mark:

    My most important goal for the rest of this semester is to greatly improve my mark.  A 63 is not a good enough mark for me, especially when I know I can do a lot better, my mark should be an 80 at the least.  It is my list of uncompleted assignments that have my mark so low, and to be honest I don’t even understand how I’ve gotten so far behind in my work but I am determined to get fully caught up.  I will accomplish this by focusing all my class time into the assignments given, asking for help if I’m stuck on what to write about or on what to do, and I will make sure  to not give into my procrastinating ways.

2) Improve my work habits

   I believe that I started off this semester working great, I was handing in all assignment in a timely fashion and paying very close attention to everything being said by the teacher. It was a few weeks in that my work started going downhill, a friend had joined the class and I got distracted big time. My class time turned into nonstop talking, and telling myself I’ll finish this later, each time I said it I always had full intention to do so, but life would get in the way. I would have work; volunteering and I constantly made the wrong choice of choosing to hang out with the boyfriend instead of doing homework. Now, for the rest of the semester I am going to improve my work habits and my work ethic.

3) Get caught up & have everything completed.

   I realize that throughout this semester I have not been putting my full 110% into this course, and to be honest it saddens me. I could do better than I have been and I would really like to show that.  So my third and final goal for the rest of this semester is to complete every assignment that I have not completed and use my class time wisely for the rest of the projects we will be given. I am determined to finish the goal of mine, and I know that I am stubborn enough to make myself do it.

Memoir #2 - The Past

    I chose this image because I thought that it was a great representation of "the light at the end if the tunnel." Meaning that no matter how ruff or challenging your past may have been the future is wide open and full of possibilities!

       I made the writing for this picture grey to fit with the black & white photo, and seeing as I am talking about the past i was hoping for it to seem as though the words were simply fading into the background similar to how moments of your past fade in your memory.

     Additionally i believe that the bricks can represent the good and bad actions of the past. The light bricks being the good, and the darker bricks being the bad. My rationalization of this analogy is that not everyday we have is strictly good, or strictly bad. We have many mixed days, which is why, in my opinion the brick n this image greatly portray each point of time in our lives. Seeing as there are a few stones that seem to be in between, showing those mixed days we have. All in all, my thoughts are as I've mentioned, that this picture is a great way to symbolize the previous days of our lives.

Memoir #1 - The Future

    I chose this photo as a representation of the future because the white walls of the hall remind me of how clean and fresh our futures are.The walls are like a blank sheet of paper waiting to be written on, similar to how the future is waiting to be played out. What the future will look like is completely up to us. 

   Another way this hallway is symbolic of the future is in it's size, the skinniness allows you to look back for only a second before you must return to looking forward, in order to make sure you do not run into another person. Much like how in order to build a successful future you must look into your past, but you cannot dwell on it. The length, also is a reminder of the future seeing as the future is long and unknowing.

  The reflection of the lights on the floor can also symbolic of reflecting upon yourself, as you move through life, you must also reflect back, acknowledging what you use to be and how you have changed for the better. 

   I decided to make the writing white as a way to make it blend with the background and not stand out to much, While I used the filter fade, to make the whiteness of the walls pop more. 

Reading Assignment #4

1 - My one night stand with a married lawyer ended in a pregnancy, never doing that again #lessonedlearned

2 - Just found out that the high end doctors I am paying to help my son, overdosed him. They don't deserve to be called doctors #pissed

3 - I miss the old days... back when Max was little everything was easier then, it was so simple.

4 - I don't know what i would do without my best friends, Georgia is my family. I would be lost without her help and dedication #loveher

5 - I wish my mother and father were still here... I need help, I dont know what to do for Max #confused #wishfulthinking

6 - Met the absolute best guy last night at the bar, I really want to see Ted again. #crushinhard

7 - Ted asked me to have dinner with him tonight.. I really want to go but my life is just too complicated to bring him into.. #conflicted 

8 - I have worked way to hard to get this partner ship my firm and if they give it to that ass kisser Matthews I'll be mad #Ideservethis

9 - The partnership at my firm is without a doubt a mans club. I hope they can look past my being a women and see the great work I've done #hopefulthinking 

10 - My son attacked another patient today, their trying to tell me that it was unprovoked but I don't know what to believe.. 

11 - I have to get this partnership! If I don't then I'm out of a job, I don't know how I'd support Max's medical bills.. 

12 - Oh I could kill E. Bartlett!! He left me out to hang in the breeze throughout all those patronizing questions!! #donewithguys #fueltomyfire

13 - Just left the partners meeting.. I have no idea how I should feel about the way it went #nervous

14 - I'm done with all of the fancy doctors never giving me a straight answer! If I can't get what I'm looking for from them, I'll have to find it myself. 

15 - I'm taking Max out of Maitland! They call themselves a high end facility yet they are the worst of the worst. I advise never to go there 

Reading Assignment #3 Text Connections

Saving Max, 95

One connection that I've made while reading Saving Max, is a text to self connection. Throughout the book Danielle's love and devotion to her son as never wavered. No matter what obstacles we thrown in there way, she was always there to support Max and help him through the dark times of self loathing and depression. Always making sure he had the best doctors, that's why when Max's thoughts switched to suicide, they went to Maitland, the highest ranked psychiatric hospital in New York. Danielle would go to te ends of the earth for the people she loves. It's in that quality that we are the same, although the hardships my family has been through are completely different then theirs. I would do absolutely anything to protect and help my family. Danielle and I would sacrifice everything to help our loved ones out of whatever trouble they've gotten into, and we would do it in a heartbeat.