Well, it looks like my last blog was totally in vain...

One of the things I want to talk about in THIS blog would be my annoyance of the school district to decide to split the Junior High into two high schools. What does that do?? Splitting all of the students, for the sole reason of boundaries and distance, isn't a good idea, as the ninth graders need the support from the friends they've had three years to make!! In the future, I really hope they change that boundary majiggr.....

I'd actually like to post this poem I found in my english class. Pretty good...

Smile
Barbara Hauck

She smiled at a sorrowful stranger.
The smile seemed to make him feel better.
He remembered past kindnesses of a friend
and wrote him a thank-you letter.

The friend was so pleased with the thank-you
that he left a large tip after lunch.
The waitress, surprised by the size of the tip,
bet the whole thing on a hunch.

The next day she picked up her winnings,
and gave part to a man on the street.
The man on the street was grateful;
For two days he'd had nothing to eat.

After he finished his dinner,
he left for his small dingy room.
(He didn't know at that moment
that he might be facing his doom.)

On the way he picked up a shivering puppy
and took him home to get warm.
The puppy was very grateful
to be in out of the storm.

That night the house caught on fire.
The puppy barked the alarm.
He barked 'til he woke the whole household
and saved everybody from harm.

One of the boys that he rescued
grew up to be President.
All this because of a simple smile
that hadn't cost a cent.



I really liked this poem, because this is pretty much exactly what this world needs. We all don't realize that if every one of us helps out even in the teeniest way, we can change the world so greatly.

And here's just another random poem.

Sharpen, Sharpen, Sharpen
Sharpen, sharpen, sharpen.
I crank the handle fast.
Sharpen, sharpen, sharpen.
Until it's sharp at last.

Scribble, scribble, scribble.
Hey wait! It still won't write.
Sharpen, sharpen, sharpen.
I crank with all my might.

Sharpen, sharpen, sharpen.
It must be done, I guess.
Scribble, scribble, dribble.
Oh goodness, what a mess!

Darn it, darn it, darn it.
I guess I'll start again.
Teacher! Teacher! Teacher!
I need another pen.
--Kenn Nesbitt


Last words....

Well, as this is (really, this time) the last time I'm going to be "blog"ing, i'd just like to say goodbye, and I'll miss you all, thanks for replying (you can take that sarcastically if you want), and see you in high school if you're going to the one i'm going.

I'll miss you all!

Since this is probably one of the last blogs I'm going to write, I'd just like to impress upon all y'all the fact that I don't have to write here anymore, which means this'll probably be the last you'll get to hear from me!! MWUHAHAHA!

(Oh, and I meant, "I don't GET to write here...." because, of course, I just LOVE writing about 500 maniacal words here every darn week!

Just Kidding, Thompson, I LOVE writing here....don't get me wrong.....

anyways....... four score and seven years ago, our teacher, Thompson, brought upon this course, a new task, conceived in tediousness, and dedicated to the fact that he just loves to torture us!!!

Kiddin', again!!

But seriously though, I'd like to spend this blog, this last, precious blog, to mess around, which has been what I've always wanted to do this whole year, but scared to because my grade was in jeapordy......

but...when life gives you the last blog of the year.... shove it in everyone's face!! yeah!!

Last blog, last blog, last blog, last blog, last discussion topic!! That was typed insanely fast by the way, which is really ironic because the "insanely fast" part was typed at literally half a word a minute.

I think I really am hyper right now, although I haven't had anything to eat yet, although it's in the early afternoon!!!

So what the heck am I doing here!!?? see you all layta!!! I'm outa here.......
























Oh, and I seriously love and am going to miss you all!

seriously :P

Science Olympiad NATIONALS!!

These past few days, I've been in Georgia, for the National Science Olympiad tournament, and I'd like to post here my stressful yet fun and pleasing experience over there!

Thursday

I wouldn't call it a day, as we left at about three in the morning, and I had only gotten no more than two hours of sleep the previous day/next early morning. So, I pack and get ready for the tournament until about one in the morning on Thursday, then take a rest and wake up only a couple hours later.

You can imagine what it would be like that day, having only two hours of sleep.

The airport went ok, except for the fact that the device I built for one of my events was so big even when we took it half-apart, that we had to pay around one hundred and ninety dollars to get it over to Georgie! Now, imagine the size of the package, and imagine me carrying this big as a truck piece of cardboard through the airport!

The flight, overall, went pretty well, and was very exciting, even though I've been on tens of flights over the pacific before. The takeoff and landing didn't bug my ears at all, which was a surprise and relief to me because the most recent flight I had before that hurt my ears so bad that they were still hurting after I had gotten out of the airport!

We arrived in Georgia mid-day, and begun our long and tedious drive to the city where the tournament was, since the place where we were headed didn't have an airport. After about three or four hours, we arrived at the hotel we were staying at and we checked in. The rest of the day was mostly just relaxing and waiting for the next day...

Friday

I got up at about five in the morning, to do my usual morning routine and eat the free breakfast provided by the hotel. At around seven, we took the device my partner and I built and we went to the place where we would compete to calibrate it. Unfortunately, the temperature and humidity, and other factors, were very different from Utah, and we had to start over on the calibrations. And, to add even more issues to the already stressful and big problem, halfway through our FIRST try at our new calibration, the air conditioning was turned on, which changed every one of our calibrated marks again! The material we used for the device wasn't very constant, varying very much with the slightest changes, so the calibration went bad, leaving all of us nervous for the next morning, when the competition was.

The calibration ended at about two, and we headed back to the hotel, staying there for a couple of hours, before it was time to go to the opening ceremonies of the tournament.

So, the team went (in separate cars) to the college that was hosting the event, Augusta State University, and we entered the auditorium. Now, this wasn't your normal auditorium. This auditorium was GINORMOUS! And, if you think about it, it'd have to be in order to fit 60 or so teams from about 46 states!

After the opening ceremonies, there was a trade-off, where you brought random things and traded them with others. It was fun, and it was also the most chaotic thing I've ever been a part of. You had no idea where you were, and you could literally get run over by a stampede. But, luckily, no one died. ;)

Saturday

Saturday was the day of the competition, which I'll skip unless you'll want to be reading this for another five hours.

The competing ended at about four, and we went outside of a building for pictures. The award ceremony was at night, and it lasted until ten at night. After the awards, we went back to the hotel, and all the kids got in one room, and trust me, it was chaos. But, with us teenagers, all chaos is fun. (Unless, of course, you're so loud that someone opens their door and asks all the parents to keep the kids quiet. Yes, that really happened. But, I don't think we were any quieter. XD)

Sunday.

Early in the morning, we drove to the airport, and on the way, stopped at a restaurant, which took so much time that we were in a BIG hurry to get on the plane. Talk about even more stress! The plane ride was as good as the first one, and we arrived at about three in the afternoon, arriving home at four.

And from that point on, I've just been doing my homework, which was stockpiled from the two days of school that I missed.

Tomorrow is NOT going to be good!! (I also missed my CRTS!!!!!)

The trip was fun, and was a great experience for everyone.

Mothers! Yay!

So, since it's Mother's Day, I'd like to spend some time to talk about my dearest....



dad..




haha joking.



anyways..I guess we all know it's true when we hear that our mothers are the ones that love us the most. There are millions and billions of examples every single one of us could give about certain times or circumstances where our mothers have sacrificed everything for our own good.

Mothers are the center of this world, and without their teaching and constant guidance to point us in the right direction, this world would be lost.

I can recall so many times when, if I needed serious aid, such as forgetting something at school, or needing help on an assignment, my mom was always there, spending hours more than I would myself to help me.

Mothers are the center of every home. Without their teachings, a child wouldn't know good from bad.

The best kid would not be so good if is mother didn't care about him. There is a very close comparison between how much a mother cares, loves, and teaches her child and the way that the child turns out in the future. How and what a child becomes in his life is a reflection of what his mother has done, and so far in my life, my mother has done the best she can do, sacrificing everything she has for me, so that I can have a better life than she had, so that i wouldn't have to go through the hardships and trials she had to go through.

My mother would, without question, sacrifice anything, including all their time, efforts, and even money for their children. Whenever I needed anything in my life, whether it be a small toy, a small snack, or tools for a school project, my mom would, without any hesitation, go out and get it right away. She is always selfless and cares nothing about buying too many things for herself. She always puts her sons and daughter first before anything else, and is, in fact, right now on her way to send my sister over back to BYU, on Mother's Day, when her day should, in fact, be spent on relaxing and enjoying her time. But instead, she is taking care of her daughter, and is so selfless that she can take several hours out of her time so that her daughter can go and study to get a good grade, which will lead to a perfect and healthy life.

Mothers are never selfish towards their kids, and always put them first. They are loving, kind, and teach their children the values and standards they want them to know. They are always looking out for them and they would go through anything to see them lead healthy, happy lives.

A New World

This is the essay I wrote for the CHANGE MY WORLD essay contest. Feel free to comment on any errors I might have (and probably have) made, and to express your own opinions on how to change any passage. Here it is!


Imagine a world of harmony. Imagine a world where all individuals show compassion, express love, and exercise charity. Imagine a world of peace, where wars and battles are unheard of and where people go out of the way of their own lives to help those in need. This dream, the hope that this world could be a better place, is in the hearts of every single individual living on this earth. Therefore, if I could change one thing in this world, I would give everyone the mutual understanding they so clearly lack, to have them realize that, in the end, their hearts all desire the same thing – a peaceful world of harmony and love.
In this world, there are many rumors and predictions of wars, as well as battles taking place this very moment. Ask yourself, “Why do we fight and murder?” “What can be so different between countries that it results in bloodshed and ruthlessness?” All these conflicting countries need is just some mutual understanding towards each other. So what if countries disagree on certain things? So what if one country has issues and problems? Is any reason to fight enough to make up for the hundreds and thousands and millions of lives murdered in war? We, as one unified people, need to think. We need to learn from past mistakes, not live them over again. Weren’t World War I and World War II enough lives lost? We are fools if we think that fighting is the only way to overcome worldly problems. If we are given the ability to solve problems and issues with compassion and reason, instead of wars and slaughter, we will certainly make this world a better place, where each and every country coexists in peace.
Not only do we need to work together in peace as a world, but also in our own separate nations. Civil wars have split many countries apart, resulting in more deaths and more conflicts. One could understand why nations fight and go to war, but why would a nation go against itself? Take the United States campaign parties for example. Why are the Republican, the Democratic, the Constitution, the Green, the Libertarian parties and all those others fighting and fighting, when they all want the same thing? Doesn’t each party want the best for America and its citizens? If we exercise mutual respect and tolerance toward each other, we would be one, understanding each other and working together towards a common goal – the good of the people and the nation.
Finally, we also need to have a more mutual understanding and greater kindness in our families and personal friendships. In my life, I have experience several, several times where conflicts and discomfort resulted in fights, whether verbal or physical. Surprisingly, however, most of these arguments were caused by small problems, ranging from stealing a potato chip to beating someone at a video game. It isn’t worth it to cause so much pain over such little things. If we understood each other’s values and standpoints, we could very well see life in a brother or friend’s point of view, thus resulting in peace and love. If we are patient and tolerant towards those we are close to, we will be sure to greatly diminish, if not eliminate, the times we fight and argue.
In conclusion, I would give everyone the love, tolerance, and understanding to know that the right solution to a problem, no matter how large or small, is not fighting. It is not an argument, and is most definitely not murder and war. It is finding peace within ourselves to see and use reason to solve problems to create a world we all dream to have. If every individual realizes this, that understanding and loving one another is better than fighting, than the world will truly, finally, be a better place.

Slower agin? (Magazine Review for Science)

Ranjana Mehta, “Survival Mode That Protects Cells When Oxygen Is Low Also Slows Aging”, Science Daily
A possible way to slow aging and fight old age disease?? Might that really be possible?? The answer is yes; a biochemical pathway that helps keep cells alive when oxygen is low also plays a role in longevity and resistance against some diseases of old age, which researchers are trying to use to find a way to not only slow age, but fight diseases.
Researchers at the University of Washington (UW) have found that nematode worms live longer if their genetic make-up permits their cells to turn on the hypoxic response, a cell's protective reaction to a drop in oxygen, under normal oxygen conditions. Not only do these worms live longer, the researchers noted, but their cells are relatively free from the toxic proteins that accumulate and clump together as an animal ages. Researchers state that defining cellular mechanisms that prevent accumulation of these proteins may point to new therapeutic targets for devastating diseases that often accompany old age in people.
This being said, I think it is amazing how science is evolving and changing. It is breath-taking how we are on the verge of maybe finding a way to longer life spans. This research and technology, if successful, could and should be used to help those who wish to prolong their life and definitely those who are suffering from a disease caused by old age.
This new technology and research would be terrific, as it would greatly benefit those suffering from old age diseases. In the article, a researcher states, "What we're focused on now is figuring out how HIF is protecting the animals from aging. In both worms and people.” Kaeberlein agrees. "This is a completely new pathway for aging and age-associated disease. If we can understand at a very detailed level how HIF is slowing aging, we may be able to use that information to develop effective therapies for treating age-associated diseases in people."
In conclusion, it would be marvelous if scientists and researchers succeeded in finding the way to prolong age and maybe halt old age diseases. There are many who are dying from these diseases every day, who suffer from Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, and several other degenerative conditions that afflict the elderly. This new method and technology could change the world as we know it.

Day of the Play

In our French class, the third years have to prepare French plays, and perform with the Spanish class (who, obiously, prepare Spanish plays) for a whole school day! The plays were about a month ago, and it was probably one of the most rushed and stressful days of my month! I'll tell you why.

Unfortunately, the day of the play was on a monday, and, as we all know, mondays are the most likely days to forget about important events, due to the stressless and fun weekend. Well, the day started out pretty casually, with me getting up and doing my usual stuff. I left home at about 7:30, which is when I usually depart, and I went to my first period class (science) and just chilled.

Well, being the careless person that I am ( XD ), I didn't realize why so many people were gone from our class, and it wasn't until some minutes into reading time when two of my friends entered into the room, with their French costumes on, looking at me like some maniac; I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE PLAYS!

Now, the last day of the week before the day of the play, friday, we were practicing in the activity room, and since I had finished all of my parts, and I had nothing left to do except wait and wait for the bell to ring so I could go to lunch, I had decided to leave early as some people had already. Little did I know that before class ended, during the period that I was gone, the teacher had told us to come about an hour and a half earlier on the day of the play - monday. Although there were texts going around, and Facebook was smothered with reminders, I still didn't know about coming early on Monday.

So, after my two friends came in to get me, I sprinted down to the activity room, to find that the whole class was already dressed up in their costumes. I wasn't in my costume, and the plays were starting in about ten minutes!! Talk about STRESSFUL!

Surprisingly, though, I wasn't the only one who forgot. Another friend, who played two parts in our four French plays also forgot, and we were both in the same situation.

But, although the day was crammed, and I had to make up a ton of homework, not to mention a test I had to take in Algebra II, the day went by quickly, and it was a blast. The plays went well, and we were all very pleased. It was a highlight of the class!