Holocaust

The story of the Auschwitz survivor was really inspiring. The Holocaust was such a terrible and sad event, probably the worst in history. Jews were treated like dirt, and they were forced to work under horrible conditions. 6 million people died from sickness, starvation, gas poisoning, and other sad reasons. Miraculously, Dr. Rabbi Murry survived the Holocaust and lived to tell his story. He is a truly heroic and inspirational person. I'm amazed that some people don't believe the Holocaust actually took place. There is so much evidence, including Dr. Rabbi Murry himself. Concentration camps like Auschwitz have been preserved and still exist for people to see. It is important for us to never forget the terrible event and honor the 6 million people who lost their lives during the Holocaust.

Gossip

I think that the pillow and feathers analogy is a good representation of gossip. It is easy to cut open a pillow and let all the feathers out, just like it is easy to gossip and let harmful words out. However, it's not so easy to take back all the feathers/words. Gossiping leaves behind a terrible mess that, like the feathers, is very hard to clean up. The person who is gossiping might feel cool about it for a few minutes, but in reality, the gossiper will be burdened with guilt. The one who is being gossiped about might hear about it and will also be negatively affected by the gossip. It will make the person very sad and lower his/her self-esteem. If I was the priest in the story, I would tell the girl to ask the boy she gossiped about for forgiveness, and suggest that she avoid gossiping in the future.

Music Genre Project

I am working on the music genre project. I chose boy bands as my topic, which kind of falls into the 90's Pop genre. I remember listening to N'Sync and the Backstreet Boys in the 90's, and I wanted to revisit my old memories of them. My project gives some history of Pop music and boy bands, and it shows some famous boy bands starting with the Jackson Five. The song selections are "I Want It That Way" and "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" by The Backstreet Boys, and "Pop" and "Bye Bye Bye" by N'Sync. I chose these songs because they were very popular in the 90's, and they seem to describe the term "boy band" very well. Although this project hasn't been easy, I hope it will turn out well in the end!

Spring Break!

My spring break was pretty awesome! I didn't go anywhere for a vacation, like to Florida (which would have been really nice), but it was still awesome. It started off with a movie with Haley, Mary Beth, Emily, and other people. It was pretty bad and really freaky, but we had a great time laughing at it afterwards. On Saturday, I went to a church where they were filming part a movie, and I got to be in the graduation scene! My cousin came in from out of town, and we got to hang out and relive old memories. I also went to a birthday party with extremely delicious Asian food, ran at track practice, and was in another movie! (But it was for the PND film festival.) I went shopping on Saturday, and then Sunday was Easter! My family and I went to mass and then met up with some extended family for lunch. On Monday, I got to see a friend's new baby girl!:) Overall, my spring break was very fun and relaxing, and I wish it would have lasted longer! But it's ok because there's only 30 more days of school left, and then it's summer!!:D

Lent

One of my Lenten promises is to no eat candy. I have been doing pretty well, but occasionally I have broken it by eating some chocolate. It's so tempting! But I will keep working on it and try to resist the temptation because that is a major part of Lent. I have also been trying to get my priorities straight and not procrastinate as much. I am a big procrastinator so it has been hard, but I've been making progress. I try to work hard and do my homework before doing other things. My goal is to put God before everything else, which would bring me closer to Him. I hope I can follow through with my promises and be a better person.

Service Project

Over the summer, I worked at the 1, 2, 3 You & Me daycare. I helped little kids with their daily activities, such as coloring, reading, playing, eating, and sleeping. I found out about this project at a freshmen meeting in the auditorium. So far, I've completed about 100 hours, but I might work there some more this summer. I find this work very rewarding and fulfilling. I love working with little kids, and they always make me smile. They're so cute and lovable!! I'll always remember this one kid Reese. He had the chubbiest cheeks and was so adorable! Most of the time, I worked in the Red Room with 2 and 3 year olds. It made my day when i walked into the room and they would all say hi and give me a hug. :) Many times they would fight, but I helped teach them to be nice to one another. It was truly rewarding to work with them and help them learn.

Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey is a famous American radio broadcaster. His career reached its high point when he began working with ABC Radio Networks. He hosted the series News and Commentary, often known as the "largest one-man network in the world," and The Rest of the Story, which provided endless amazement as Harvey explored the stories behind famous events and people. He is known for his entertaining, quirky, and enlightening commentary. Many times, he did not distinguish fact from folklore, and his use of catch phrases made him very well-known and likable. Millions of Americans listened to his familiar broadcasting voice, making his popularity so far-reaching. Throughout the years, he received numerous honors and awards, including Commentator of the Year, American of the Year, and election into the National Association of Broadcasters Radio Hall of Fame. Although I do not have a good radio voice, I admire and relate to his unique style. Sadly, he died on February 28, 2009, but his beloved memory lives on.

iPhoto Name Project

I am on working the iPhoto name project in computers. Last week I found images on the internet that I'm using to form the letters in my name. Yesterday I took some pictures at my house, and today I picked out the music and edited things. Hopefully, everything will be finished by tomorrow! I had trouble finding a "G," and I brought the wrong cord to attach my digital camera to the computer, but other than that, things have gone pretty smoothly. A lot of the images represent things that I like. For example, an ice cream cone is used for the letter "I," and the Eiffel Tower forms an "A." I will also include pictures of me, my family, and my friends.

Astronomy

The Colliding Spiral Galaxies of Arp 271
Credit & Copyright: Gemini Observatory, GMOS-South, NSF

Explanation: What will become of these galaxies? Spiral galaxies NGC 5426 and NGC 5427 are passing dangerously close to each other, but each is likely to survive this collision. Most frequently when galaxies collide, a large galaxy eats a much smaller galaxy. In this case, however, the two galaxies are quite similar, each being a sprawling spiral with expansive arms and a compact core. As the galaxies advance over the next tens of millions of years, their component stars are unlikely to collide, although new stars will form in the bunching of gas caused by gravitational tides. Close inspection of the above imagetaken by the 8-meter Gemini-South Telescope in Chile shows a bridge of material momentarily connecting the two giants. Known collectively as Arp 271, the interacting pair spans about 130,000 light years and lies about 90 million light-years away toward the constellation of Virgo. Quite possibly, our Milky Way Galaxy will undergo a similar collision with the neighboring Andromeda Galaxy in about five billion years.

Nemiroff, Robert, and Jerry Bonnell. Astronomy Picture of the Day. 19 Feb. 2009
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This picture was taken on my birthday in 2008. It caught my eye because it is so unique

and beautiful. I love the view of the stars and spiral galaxies. The two galaxies are passing

very close to each other. Although the galaxies shown in the picture are relatively small

and most likely will not collide, galaxy collisions can occur. This picture captures my

amazement and wonder for the world. It is truly amazing to me how vast the universe is.

We are merely tiny people compared to the never-ending sky that we live under.

Sometimes, especially when I am stressed, I love to just look up at the

millions of stars in the sky. It's like looking up to heaven.

Michael Phelps / A-Rod

I was really sad when I heard that Michael Phelps was caught using drugs. He is an amazing swimmer, and I, along with many others, looked up to him as a role model. It is also disappointing to hear that the baseball player Alex Rodriguez used steroids to enhance his performance. The Media, of course, has a right to report these stories; after all, it is their job. There are many ways for athletes to "let loose" and celebrate without using drugs. Since the use of performance enhancing drugs is illegal, professional athletes are obviously not entitled to use them. People like Michael Phelps and A-Rod must make responsible, healthy decisions to create a positive public image for themselves. Hopefully the negative attention they are getting will help them learn from their mistakes and make better choices in the future.

Jimmy John's Bread

I am very happy because I recently learned that Jimmy John's sells day-old bread for only fifty cents! Today, Hannah, Julie, Emily, and I went to Jimmy John's convenient location for a loaf of bread after running. It was extremely delicious, and I couldn't even tell it was a day old. Plus, it was very refreshing to fill up on carbohydrates after a long day's practice. The experience was so great that we will most likely make it a track tradition. Thank you, Jimmy John's, for the amazing and low-priced loaf of bread. It was great and made my day!

Housing Crisis

I don't know very much about the recent housing crisis; at least, I didn't until I read about it. Foreclosure, the process in which the lender of a mortgage reclaims property because the borrower has not payed the mortgage, is at an all-time high in America. This housing crisis occured because many people were attracted to loans and invested too much money in houses. As adjustable rates increased, homeowners were burdened with high mortgage payments. I think that the government should be a part of helping people keep there homes because it isn't homeowners' fault that payments increased. If my house was going to be taken by a bank, I would want the government to help support me.

France

In two days, my older sister Dominique will be going to France to study abroad. Although I will miss her terribly, I am very excited for her and the experience. She will be living with a French family and going to school in the city of Angers. She will have to talk and communicate with everyone in French. I am very jealous of all the French restaurants she will be going to and the food she will be eating: crepes, chocolate, croissants, and more. Also, she will get to see all the beautiful sites and shop in Paris! Her decision to go there has inspired me to see the world. Going to France and other countries is definitely something I want to do in the future. Dominique, I love you and know that you will have a great time!

Obama's Inauguration

Although I did not want Obama to win the presidential race, I was very impressed by his inauguration. The biggest crowd ever to attend a president's inauguration gathered in the nation's capital on January 20. Many people came to witness history as the first African-American became president. It was beautiful to see the thousands of people who came together to support Barack Obama and our country. One couple at the inauguration had gathered in the same place over fourty years ago to attend Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" Speech. They said it was truly amazing how our nation, which had once mistreated and discriminated against blacks, was now led by Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States.

Golden Globes

The 2009 Golden Globe Awards returned this year with style. Sparkling dresses, high heels, and tuxedos came down the red carpet. "Slumdog Millionaire" won four Golden Globe Awards and was honored as the Best Motion Picture-Drama. Kate Winslet earned Best Actress for her role in "Revolutionary Road," and she also won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for "The Reader." The great Heath Ledger was honored for his role as the Joker in "The Dark Knight," bringing people to their feet. "30 Rock " won the nomination for Best Musical or Comedy Televsion Series. Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin each earned an award for their roles in the comedy.