There's No Place Like Home

Living in Kansas City has been a bittersweet experience for me. On one hand, it’s an amazing place to grow up, but on the other hand, you run out of things to do pretty fast. The weather here is so crazy that you can never truly store away your winter coats or summer shirts. There aren’t many outdoor activities like hiking or going to the beach, but there are still improvisations and other things to do. We have fake beaches, like Longview Beach, which are basically just a man-made lake with some sand. You can’t hike through any beautiful mountains, but a nice stroll at The Arboretum or a park is gorgeous enough. Along with these outdoor activities, there are also many other exciting things to do in the city. Even when the Royals weren’t in their prime, going to their baseball games was always a blast. There are always live concerts going on at different, unique venues with a variety of different artists performing; some of my favorite memories are outdoor summer concerts. The Kansas City Zoo is another fun, family activity that you can do any time of the year. Walking and shopping around on The Plaza is always a great time, no matter what the weather.  We also have many different festivals and carnivals throughout the year that are super fun to attend. When the temperature starts getting colder, there are still fun things to do in Kansas City. We have the only World War I museum in the United States, and we have The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Both of these museums are great places to visit on a rainy, or snowy, day. Union Station can also be a great indoor place to visit. It has many attractions including Science City, a movie theater, and different traveling exhibits. When all else fails and you have nothing to do in Kansas City, food is always a go-to option. Not only do we have amazing barbecue, but we also have great Mexican food. Kansas City is well-known for its barbecue, that’s no shocker, but we also have a place that my family and I like to call “Little Mexico” where there is an array of delicious Mexican restaurants. My personal favorite place is called Manny’s. Although nothing can beat the joy and freedom of summer, Christmas in Kansas City is truly a beautiful sight. From the Plaza lights to Crown Center, the city transforms into a winter wonderland. Being on The Plaza when they turn the lights on is an amazing experience. They have live bands, food, and thousands of people. Crown Center has a large Christmas tree and an ice-skating rink. I guess all-in-all, Kansas City isn’t such a bad place to live after all.

The Salvatore Brothers to the Rescue

Being the vulnerable person I am, if I was kidnapped, I would call the cast of The Vampire Diaries to rescue me. I would call them because they would be able to save me. They have had a lot of previous practice saving Elena because she was often kidnapped being the doppelganger. Damon and Stefan, having vampire powers, would easily be able to save me from my kidnappers. Damon and Stefan would concoct a plan to save me while staying safe. After devising a foolproof plan, they would finally come to my rescue. Stefan, distracting my kidnapper with his power of compulsion, would clear the scene and make it safe for Damon to rescue me. Damon, armed with a wooden stake in case a vampire was my kidnapper, would enter the home in which I was being held captive. He would fight off any extraneous people in the house guarding me until he found me. Picking me up and carrying me to safety, Stefan would fight off the bad guys while Damon made sure I was okay. Stefan, fighting off the bad guys, would defeat them with his superior strength and intelligence and then return to the safety of the car with Damon and me. Driving away from the scene, I finally feel safe with the two vampire brothers. They drove me to my home and I felt the need to express my gratitude for the helpfulness. Thanking them both with a kiss, they dropped me off and rode off into the distance.

The King of Pop

Michael Jackson is someone in the pop-music industry who has made a great impact on many people’s lives. He paved the way for many new artists, and had many breakthrough songs and performances that will stay relevant in the future. He was an innovative artist in both his music and his dance moves. He inspired many musicians to get into the music industry, and many people use influences from his music and dance style in their modern music. He also delivered many important messages through his music. He discussed the issue of race and loving yourself, which are very important messages for people to hear. Winning eight Grammys in one night, being awarded the Grammy Legend Award, and being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame were some monumental achievements made by Michael Jackson. These accomplishments show just how influential and loved Michael Jackson really was. He was adored by the public, and many people mourned his death when he passed. There were many memorials and tributes made to him because he was so innovative and influential in the music industry. Many people refer to him as the “King of Pop.” Pop music was a relatively new thing during his time, and he paved the way for many pop artists even to this day. A popular artist who was greatly influenced by Michael Jackson is Justin Timberlake. Timberlake uses Jackson’s style of dance and music in his performances, keeping Jackson’s legend alive. Michael Jackson is one of the most important people in the music industry, and his music will live on in the hearts of many for many years to come.

"Michael Jackson: 10 Achievements That Made Him The King Of Pop." The GRAMMYs. The Recording Academy, 24 June 2014. Web. 22 Jan. 2016.

Man Tries to Rob Bank with Bible

On January 11, 2016, a man attempted to rob a bank in Nashville, Tennessee according to Ben Hooper. The strange thing about this robbery was that the man had no weapon in his possession when he attempted to rob this bank. Sources told law enforcement that the man only held a Bible in his arms when he slid the bank teller a note demanding that he or she hands over money. The robber dropped his Bible while he was fleeing from the bank. It is interesting to me that someone would only bring a Bible with them to rob a bank, as if God was supposed to aid him in committing a crime. It is possible that he was looking to a higher power for economic help in his life and decided to go about it the wrong way. It is a good thing that he obviously intended to hurt no one, and he just wanted to get money to help himself and possibly his family. There is not much news on what occurred after the robbery, but thankfully no one was hurt during the whole debacle. With all of the current events involving the use of firearms, it is surprising that he did not think to use weaponry to get what he wanted. This also shows how desperate people can be when it comes to money and wanting a better life. Many people will do whatever it takes to better their lives, even try things that are almost guaranteed to fail.
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2016/01/11/Man-robs-bank-armed-only-with-a-Bible/2271452535716/

New Year's Resolution

2015 was a year of great change for me with many people coming into and out of my life. Although 2015 was a year with so much change, I know that 2016 will be even more so. Everything that comes with going to college, graduating, moving out, living on my own, being away from my friends and family, etc., will change my average life dramatically. With all of these upcoming changes, it is necessary to create feasible goals for myself to assure that I am not overwhelmed by these drastic changes. Some goals that I am making for 2016 are to stay connected with my close friends and family, to make new friends, to stay active mentally and physically, and to work hard at school. I think these are important goals to set for myself because without them, I could easily fall off the wagon and become overly lazy. Some obstacles that stand in my way will be time and distance. I will be far away from loved ones, but I would still like to make time to see them. I will also be very busy with school work, social life, etc., and it will be difficult to make time for myself or others. I will overcome these obstacles by prioritizing in addition to spending my time wisely. I will make sure that I make time for friends, family, studies, and myself in spite of any obstacles that may be in my way. I will measure my future success based on my own capabilities, and not by comparing myself to others. I will try my best and be satisfied with knowing that I did my best. I expect to gain a lot of life experience and wisdom by doing all of these things on my own in the new year, and I can't wait to see the new and improved person I become by applying these things to my everyday life.

Who Do You Think You Are Project

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V1UgS5c8cV5T2q52Qcn6DiPHiBrq2IKdUk3tYYoUjs8/edit?usp=sharing (interview)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ees5-HmWBofWnPxA2ZnbnTL-3VCQouwr4qQf79R8Ets/edit?usp=sharing (e-mail)

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_SG3O7hYcItSVhWdGZHMUdwSTA/edit?usp=sharing (5 Frame Story Board)

Monday, April 29

Journal - Who is the oldest family member of your family you have ever met? What do you know about your family history? Have your parents ever told you anything thing about your family history?  Do you know what kind of heritage you have? Explain as much as you can about your family and any history you have knowledge of.

The oldest person in my family that I have met is my great grandmother. She was around 89 years old when she passed away. I do not know much about my family history. My parents have told me very few things about my family history because we don't know a lot. I know that I am Native American and Irish, but I am not sure of the other things. I know that on my dad's side of the family, his mother is Native American and his father is Irish. On my mom's side of the family, there are many different European nationalities that came from both of her parents, but I do not know which ones.