We shared the joy
And shared the pain
Of four forgotten years
And as my heart
Recalls the joys
My eyes recall the tears
For although life
Is never perfect
And things were not quite right
I miss the silence
And the peace
I felt deep in the night
In our great plans
Of future
There was a tiny flaw
You grew to know me
As no other
And rejected what you saw
This rejection come
Has filled me with
Despair and uncertainty
And I’ll spend my days
Searching my soul
In hopes of finding me
I feel to be
So unimportant
To future and to history
I matter not
To the World
And least of all to me
The feelings of
Incompetence
They fill me up inside
And leave me wishing
That I could
Just lay down and die
I feel to be
Not good enough
For our society
I want to erase
My own existence
From future history
I feel to be
Simply not worth
The effort took to kill
For broken hearts
And shattered dreams
Have took with them my will
I felt that my
Profound words
Would help someone, someday
And now I turn
To them myself
And try to find the way
I felt to be
Going somewhere
Some great destiny in time
But now I feel
There’s nothing left
In this destiny of mine
I once taught that
Everyone’s life
Regardless of how bland
Was still worth living
If nothing else
To see the beauty in the Land
But now the Land
It has been changed
And it holds beauty not
It holds instead
The piercing pain
The future’s presence brought
I was a man
Of simple dreams
Who held my life so dear
I held a vision
Of the World
As someplace very near
But now the World
It seems so small
So distant and obscure
And my purpose here
Within the World
Is something that’s unsure
My purpose once
Was to show the World
Some peace and serenity
But now the meaning
Of life and world
Seems utter insanity
When we were married
We were so young
But we loved all through the tears
But then one day
As prophesy fulfilled
You left me lonely to face the years
And we had problems
Throughout the times
Yet still we held the love
And then one day
You forgot the times
And quietly died the dove
And we had children
From our love
Their faces shown so bright
And as I think of all
The events I’ll miss
I cry through the long night
For they shall never
Know me well
Although they’ll come to see
But I’ll not be “Daddy”
In my children’s eyes
Just a piece of history
I’ll not be important
In their lives
Just an old forgotten toy
I’ll not get to share
The everyday
Sadness and the joy
They’re innocence
And dancing eyes
Is something I will miss
A little hug
An “I love you Dad”
A daughter’s goodnight kiss
The quietness of
A saddened heart
When life’s not understood
When things could not
Be explained
They’d know that Daddy would
I long so much
To see their eyes
And hold them oh so tight
As they tell me of
A child’s broken heart
In the stillness of the night
Just to be there
Every morning
Every night and every day
To hold them and
To love them so
And to quietly guide their way
To know the pleasures
That come with
Being Father of my girls
And to know that it
Will never be
Puts heartache in my world
But of all the things
That hurt me so
I still don’t understand
What took my life
Away and left
Me alone to face this land
For although love
Is never perfect
I thought ours to be strong
Until the day
You came to me
And said it was all wrong
And then you turned
And walked away
And you took my future too
But what hurts me most
Is the pain I feel
Matters not at all to you
I do not know
What made you change
And do these things to me
But the promises
Of love we made
Hurts me ironically
The promises and
The love we made
It filled my life with verse
And now the same
Which brought life joy
Brings to my life a curse
Im cursed to walk
My life in pain
In fear again to care
‘Cause if Im hurt
Like this again
My soul will disappear
And though I know
That you care not
Of my future History
I ask that when you see the moon
You’ll quietly think of me
For somewhere out there
In that night
Lies a man who loved you so
A small and feeble
Little man
With a broken heart of gold
And although he’s
Been all used up
And struggles with each day
He’d give up for you
His very life
Then quietly go away
So I will live
My life alone
And try to wait patiently
And I’ll always hope
Against the odds
Someday you’ll return to me
So now that time
Has ended
And all my days stand still
I leave with you
In honest hope
My last testament and will
To you I will
My smiling eyes
You saw at mornings light
And for my girls
I will to them
A soul of endless flight
Please keep and guard
Them closely
As you pass throughout your years
When you see the moon
Recall a man
Who’s living dead and filled with tears
And in my heart
There holds the hope
Of a beautiful white dove
But until that time
Could be again
I’ll just say…Goodbye My Love

Prompt 12

From Rags to Riches

Whenever you hear a story where a person who came from nothing, pulls their self up by their bootstraps and make it big you can’t help but be happy for them. It is heartwarming and encouraging to see someone make something out of nothing. Hearing success stories like that gives you the hope to do the same and maybe even better.

There are numerous ways to become rich and famous, from acting to politics to athletic ability to inventive ability. There is no excuse for anyone of any age race or demographic to feel as though they can’t obtain fame and fortune because they are Black or Hispanic or to short or whatever the situation maybe. There is at least one rich/famous person in the world that is just like you. It isn’t the 1800’s no one is excluded from “The Dream” because of who they are. We have a biracial (Black and White) president, which is something that has been unthinkable for centuries. We have females and minorities in political and entertainment positions that would have never been able to obtain just 20 years ago. To put it simple it isn’t very hard to be someone and make it somewhere if you really try hard. There is no longer any excuse for why you can’t succeed.

I also think it changes a person’s life usually for the absolute better when they obtain fame and fortune. You no longer have to struggle, scrap and scrounge. You and your family can live happily and comfortably without financial worries, which in my opinion is great. Like I said though that is the usual, fame and fortune can also turn a person for the bad. You can become greedy and your mind can get polluted by the fame and fortune. So I guess it just depends on the person and situation.

Prompt 11

Acid Deposition

When you hear the words acid deposition what do you think of? Chances are whatever you think about isn’t good. In fact you probably think of something extremely scary and dangerous. Well you should think about that because acid deposition is severely hazardous and not to mention terrifying.

The exact definition of acid deposition is any combination of airborne dry acidic particles and precipitation that fall to the earth. It occurs in forms such as rain, snow, mist, and fog. It can imply both wet and gaseous precipitation. Acid deposition is growing large in danger because of the numerous industries throughout the world. The two types of acid deposition are natural emissions and anthropogenic. Natural emissions include volcano eruptions and lightning, while anthropogenic ones are basically man made pollution. Theses emissions mix with water vapors in the air and combine at unusual proportions that create acid rain (snow, mist or fog). Acid deposition affects buildings by causing corrosion, it affects our plants, soil, water, our fish and other animals and it is also detrimental to us as people. Acid deposition causes problems like asthma, bronchitis and lung edema.

There are some options as to stop acid deposition like coal washing to remove sulfur before the coal is burned, fuel switching, reductions in energy consumption. There are other resolutions these are only a few; keep in mind even though these look like good ideas they are far from simple, and have effects of their own and require a lot of consideration before being put into affect.

Prompt 10

Sexual Violence

           

There are many public health issues out that require immediate attention, but I think sexual violence (SV) is an issue that is under represented even though it is a prevalent issue.

According to cdc.gov sexual violence refers to sexual activity that is not consensual or freely given. Although anyone can be a victim of SV most times the victims are female and the person responsible for it is usually a male and known to the victim. SV covers a widespread of concerns including rape, sexual harassment, sexual molestation, threats, peeping, and taking nude photos. Sexual violence causes many health issues. For example chronic pains and STD’s, but it also causes anxiety, anger, stress and depression; it makes it more likely for the victim to engage in smoking, drinking, drug abuse and risky sexual behavior. SV can lead to problems like eating disorders or suicidal thoughts, maybe even actions.

            Some statistics brought forth by the CDC include: among high school students about 8% reported having been forced to have sex. The percentage of those having been forced to ever have sex was higher among female (11%) than male (5%) students.

An estimated 20% to 25% of college women in the United States experience attempted or complete rape during their college career. In the United States, 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men reported experiencing an attempted or completed rape at some time in their lives.

These numbers underestimate the problem. Many cases are not reported because victims are afraid to tell the police, friends, or family about the abuse. Victims also think that their stories of abuse will not be believed and that police cannot help them. They may be ashamed or embarrassed. Victims may also keep quiet because they have been threatened with further harm if they tell anyone.

            I think the only way to address this problem is to teach not only healthy relationship education in school but also to programs within schools and the work place that address sexual harassment appropriately.

Prompt 9

Don’t Light it up

            According to the CDC 3,000 kids smoke their first cigarette each day. Three thousand children a day is an enormous amount. In fact it is an obscene amount. And the scary part is tobacco use begins in the early adolescent years, at about 16 to be exact. So that means the majority of first time users try it before high school graduation.

            To say the least there is nothing fancy about cigarettes. In my personal opinion they are stinky and very unattractive. But yet still 20 percent of American teens smoke. These teens smoke despite the fact that they know smoking is addictive and leads to many diseases and ailments. They smoke even though it is proven that at least 80% of teen smokers will die prematurely due to smoking before age 70.  According to the Surgeon’s General smoking is also a precursor to other serious problems like the use of alcohol at a rate three times higher. And it makes you eight times more likely to use marijuana and 22 times more likely to use cocaine. To think all this can root from teenage smoking!  More risks of smoking include blood clots, strokes, bad lung function, cough and phlegm production, decrease in physical production and many others.

            Since the smoking age is 18 you may be curious as to how young adolescent smoking is so prevalent. Well according to a 2001 survey nearly 70% of teens report never being asked for proof of age when buying cigarettes. Further more 62.4% of teens say even after the retailer knew they were underage they still sold them cigarettes. Maybe it’s because retailers and parents alike don’t think smoking cigarettes are a big deal. After all it’s not drugs or alcohol, right? No wrong, yes cigarettes may be considered the lesser evil but they are still extremely addictive and dangerous. They cause problems just as bad if not worse than other drugs. Cigarettes are very bad and it’s high time we shine a light on their malice.

Prompt 8

Math

From kindergarten to the first few years in college you know that you will always have math and English classes. English is easy to understand as to why you need so many years of it, you will make it nowhere in life without the ability to read and write, simply put. Math on the other hand doesn’t seem to be that important. You often here people saying things along the lines of “When will I ever use this in real life?” True not all math will show up again outside your math class but that doesn’t change the fact that math is still very important.

            People don’t really think about it but they use math everyday, usually multiple times a day. When you go to the store you have to estimate how much your products will cost you, then you have to see if you have enough money for the actual product and taxes. In that moment you added and subtracted without probably noticing. We all remember learning fractions and being taught using that pie example. It happens to be very accurate though for example, when you have a medium pizza that comes with about 8 slices and you need to feed 4 people what do you do? Pretty simple you divide the eight slices by four people, which makes the fraction 8/4, and you end with a result of 2. Each person is able to get 2 slices of pizza.

            As you can tell simple math is all around us; from a trip to the store to eating dinner. We find ourselves using math numerous times a day multiple times a day. In fact I used math in writing this paper. My paper had to be 250 or more words, by the time I got to my conclusion I had 242 words, so I subtracted and figured I needed at least 8 more words to reach my quota.

Prompt 7

Persnickety

            People everywhere are different. We all know that; we know some people like to watch television while others prefer to go play outside. We know some folk like colorful things and others like to keep it simple with black and white. And some like foods other people may consider disgusting. It all depends on your unique individual criterion.

            The reason for how and why certain people choose the foods they eat are vast. It can be the result of anything form religion reasons to just plain and simple desire. For instance a person of Muslim faith cannot eat red meat (pork, beef etc.). That doesn’t necessarily mean that that person doesn’t like red meat it just means they will never eat it. Allergies also play a factor in what a person eats. Many people are allergic to seafood, chocolate, nuts, dairy, etc. so that is another set of people who can’t consume all types of food, therefore forcing them to choose particular foods.

            Like a said before though, the choice of a particular food by a particular person can ultimately come down to their specific likes and dislikes. If you enjoy peanuts then it can be safe to assume you probably enjoy foods that contain peanuts. Same goes for when you don’t like the taste of something. Take myself for an example, I’m not allergic to anything (that I know of), but I highly dislike bologna. So chances are you will never catch me eating a bologna sandwich.

            As you can see there is no clear cut answer to why different people like to est different things. It all depends on you.

Persuasive Essay 3

Ashley Haughton

10-21-10

Wallace

Per.5

Creative Writing

The Lion King

            Some movies are just plain awesome. They don’t have to be extra bloody or sexually explicit. They don’t use any inappropriate language nor do these movies demean or hurt anyone or anything. There may not be a lot of really good movies out there that fit these criteria, but trust me there are a few. One of them happens to be my favorite movie of all times, The Lion King.

            In my opinion, The Lion King is Disney’s best movie to date (after The Lion King is Mulan aka my second favorite movie). This movie combines suspense, comedy and action in one all while keeping it G rated. The Lion King teaches a wonderful lesson about life through the eyes of a young lion named Simba. Throughout the movie we travel with Simba through hardships, the death of his father Mufasa, and good times like when he returns to Pride Rock and reclaims his throne. Even though this movie is specific to animals, it breaks down some of the most difficult situations of life.

            In the beginning of the movie Mufasa has a conversation with Simba in which he discusses “the circle of life”. Mufasa explains how everyone and everything are all connected in the circle of life. He says we are all apart of one another, soon after this scene he utters the famous “Remember who you are” line. A few scenes later Mufasa is killed and Simba is so scared he runs away from home. In this part of the movie we learn about the pain and guilt of the death of a loved one. Even though the death of his father scared Simba for many years he was still able to forgive himself and move on. In the end Simba was able to over come his past and all his doubts, he married the love of his life and ruled over his kingdom just as good as his father had done.

            The Lion King may appear to be an animated film whose sole purpose was to entertain children, but it is so much deeper than that. The Lion King speaks on issues so profound it’s a wonder why it’s even a children’s film. In fact if you were to keep the concept, but just change it around to fit humans it would probably be just as good. This movie is a coming of age movie if I ever did see one; it helps children understand issues that you normally couldn’t explain in an age appropriate way to them (i.e. death). Not only is it a guiding light for kids, but it’s a heart warmer for us older kids (and kids at heart) alike.

The first time I saw this movie was actually in the womb because my mom went to go see it when she was pregnant with me *laughs*. No, really the first time I saw it was when I was about 4 and I still remember it, and then I saw the play at about 6 years old. I have seen this movie so many times and each time is like the first; I still cry when Mufasa dies and I still laugh at Timon and Pumba’s silly but helpful antics. It is just one of those damn good movies you just can’t get enough of. No matter how many times you see it, even when you’re able to repeat the lines verbatim, you can always watch it one more time. To put it as simple as can be, The Lion King is the absolute, most astounding, can not be topped, world-class, most amazing, utterly perfect movie ever created. And although I can’t imagine anyone not having seen it, if you have not been so fortunate as to see this film, there is no question about it, go now and watch it!

I sit here now
And I look back
At my life across the years
I recall the joys
And all the pains
The laughter and the tears
The mistakes I’ve made
The lessons learned
The times that I’ve been wrong
As well as all
The happy times
That life did bring along
Im amazed
That Im alive
I think I should be dead
From all the things
That’s happened here
Both to my heart and head
So now I sit
And try to think
Just what life means to me
Both what life is
And what I hope
The future years will be
Life is such
A confusing thing
As you sow, so shall you reap
You must pay a price
For what you learn
And the answers don’t come cheap
And we’ve all had dreams
That slowly died
As the hourglass passed its sands
And it’s true that life
Is what happens while
You’re making other plans
For the dreams do not
Always come true
That rarely is the case
And as soon as you
Get to your feet
You fall back on your face
Then there are those
Who’ll gladly take
Your dreams and hopes from you
Then leave you standing
As an empty shell
Not knowing what to do
They’ll take your heart
Then take your soul
They’ll promise to be around
Then at first sign
Of troubled times
They’ll drop them to the ground
Then as you pick
The pieces up
From all over the place
The one who said
They’ll always care
Laughs right in your face
And as you stand
With teary eyes
And a sad and broken heart
You can only watch
The one you loved
As they turn and they depart
For there is no way
To keep them close
Or do what they will not do
Just as you can’t
Will a rose to bloom
You can’t make them love you
So you let them go
Even though it hurts
You must let them go away
For it’s to no avail
If you’re not wanted
To try to make love stay
And then begins
The empty nights
And the long and hollow days
But the road back to
A healthy heart
Can take so many ways
It can take you down
So many paths
With only one as the right trail
And the times you’ve made
A wrong turn or two
Are impossible to tell
But with the help
Of Special Ones
And from God above
You reclaim yourself
As you reclaim
The capacity to love
Yet still you fear
To love again
To give freely from the heart
‘Cause you’re so afraid
One day they’ll leave
So you hesitate to start
But deep inside
You know that
To give it any less
Would only be
An invitation
To make good love a mess
So here Im
My Sweet Angel
I stand before you now
Offering to you
All that I am
I hope it’s enough somehow
‘Cause even though
I sometimes fear
I know you do not lie
And I entrust to you
My heart each time
That I look into your eyes
Please know my love
That every time
I touch your auburn hair
And look into
Those smiling eyes
I see my place in there
And when I draw you
Close to me
As your breath mixes with mine
I taste your lips
And I know
I could stand by you through time
Then all at once
From deep inside
I feel things I’ve never felt
And Im so glad
I’ve played the cards
That life so cruelly dealt
For without them
I would not be
The man that Im now
And to love someone
So totally
I just would not know how
And if we’d met
Before all of that
Before life made us search our heart
The precious love
That we have found
You or I would tear apart
But perhaps now
That we both know
Of the pain that love can give
We’ll play no games
With the other’s heart
Just share the life we live
I once said I
Would live my life
In fear again to care
For if Im hurt
Like that again
My soul would disappear
But I now say
That’s a chance I’ll take
Just to be with you
‘Cause nothing ventured
Nothing lost
Means nothing is gained too
Despite the fears
Im not one
To live my life alone
I’ve always wanted
That Special One
And a kind and gentle home
And it’s not a question
Of being afraid
To have no one by my side
It’s just that it’s
Not who I am
And from it I will not hide
And you have a Son
From your own past
I accept him as my own
I hope he will
Accept me as Dad
So we’ll have a happy home
For we both have
Our troubled pasts
That we must both forgive
And learn to accept
If side by side
We ever hope to live
I’ll never be
A wealthy man
I knew it years ago
I can’t offer you
An easy life
As through the years we go
And Im not perfect
I have my faults
I don’t ride a gallant steed
Im not a knight
In shining armor
Just a human being with needs
But I’ll give to you
A gentle hand
And two arms to hold you tight
And I’ll try my best
To let you know
I love you day and night
To promise more
Would not be right
Just promises in vain
We’ve had enough
Of them broken
We know that cutting pain
So with a lump
Stuck in my throat
With nervous, shaky hands
I offer you all
The love I have
From a bruised, big hearted man
If you can live
With all I am
With all the good and bad
Then I can live
With yours My Love
Through the happy and the sad
I’ve no idea
Where we would live
And how I do not know
But I have faith
The Lord shall provide
As through the years we go
Now I ask you
To stand by me
As the years do pass us by
And know that I
Do love you so
And that I do not lie
For when I say
‘Till death do us part”
I pray that it shall be
I know not what else
To say except…
Cindy, will you marry me?

As I think of all
The years gone by
Of the dreams that time did bend
I can’t help but wonder
Where and when
This trail will come to end
Will I be forced
To stand alone
As I try to face the day
Or will I find love
And a gentle touch
To help me find the way
There was a time
Of hopeful dreams
And joy came with each day
And though it was
But years ago
It seems a lifetime away
I do not know
Where that young man went
His eyes did shine so bright
But I miss him
Just as I miss her
Each and every night
In the days of youth
The world was but
An oyster in its shell
With each failed attempt
To open it…
I found another kind of Hell
I found the Hell
Of knowing that
All I held so dear
I couldn’t have
Despite my dreams
But, God, it felt so near
It felt so close
I was so sure
I could touch it any day
But now it feels
Within my heart
So very far away
What I wanted most
Was just someone
Special to call my own
And I’d hold her close
Through every night
And we’d have a happy home
I had not dreams
Of grand design
Nor of mansions in the air
Just an honest love
To withstand time
But I find there’s no one there
Every night I lie
In my bed alone
And I rise each day the same
I have no one
To share my life
No one to share my name
I walk the days
With a painted smile
And I feign a happy heart
And when someone says
“Friend, how are you?”
I gladly play the part
But deep inside
Im so alone
And though surrounded by my friends
I have an empty
Void inside
And the bottom never ends
My friends are great
I love them all
And I know that they mean well
But when they say
“Friend, how are you?”
They don’t want me to tell
For as long as I
Say all is fine
Then they don’t have to deal
With the emptiness
With the loneliness
That every night I have to feel
So I spare them
For if I say
How I really feel
I know they’ll say
“Oh, it’s all right,
It’s really no big deal”
But they go home
To where they live
To where they have a spouse
And I go home
To sleep alone again
In this empty little house
You see for me
It’s a “big deal”
I face it every day
Every night I face
The empty void
Of wanting love to stay
I can’t run away
And hide from it
Although I’d like to try
For every night
When I look at it
A piece of my soul dies
And I don’t know
How many nights
I can take and still be me
Im afraid one day
The man I am
Will be a part of history
He’ll be replace
By someone else
Someone who shows emptiness
The once gentle eyes
Will be replaced
By ones of bitterness
The lonely nights
They do strange things
To a man once brave and bold
They take the laughter,
The warmth of heart
Then turn it to something cold
I don’t want to be
That man I see
Standing down that lonely path
But he comes closer
Every night
And that tears my heart in half
For there’s so much love
Inside of me
I have so much to give
But shattered dreams
And broken hearts
Have took my will to live
Yet I live on
Despite the pain
Though no one can understand
I fake a smile
While deep inside
Im a hurt and broken man
Now I find you
And you give me hope
Even though Im afraid to share
You let me stay
Or you let me go
And you’ve got the nerve to care
You see my Love
I’ve been so hurt
That Im afraid to let it go
And only when
We’re both alone
Can I let my feelings show
It scares me so
To even think
Of letting you inside
‘Cause I’ve done it before
And when she left
The man I was then died
I don’t see why
You hang on to me
Do you see a diamond in the rough?
Or will you come
To me one day
And say you’ve had enough
Then will you leave
And take with you
My heart, my very soul
Knowing all along
I must face it
Every night as I grow old
Oh, why does love
Come to an end
Why does it always go away?
Why can’t I have
That Special One
To hold precious every day
But for now I’ll stay
Just where I am
And keep distance from you
It’s not because
I do not care
I just know not what else to do
But I want you to know
That every night
As I lay down to sleep
I pray to God
To stop the pain
And give me someone to keep
Are you her?
I do not know
And Im afraid to say
But every night
I face the void
Then struggle through the day
So when you see me
Once again
Tell me in your special way
That it’s all right
For me to feel the pain
But that I’ll be OK
Then give to me
That loving kiss
Let me feel that special touch
Then look at me
For what I am
With those eyes I love so much
Let me know
That Im allowed
To grieve for something dead
To feel the pain
Then to let it go
And get it out of my head
Don’t be like the rest
Please look with me
Stand beside and hold my hand
For I can’t face it
All alone
Not in this empty land
‘Cause it’s not all right
Part of me died
But it would help more than you know
To have someone
Who’ll stand beside
And to know she will not go
For I can never love
With all my heart
I can never let it be
‘Till Im allowed
To feel the pain
Then put it behind me
‘Til I can say
“It’s no big deal”
I can not allow myself
To love again
I must put my dream
To gather dust upon a shelf
I do not know
How long that will take
I dare not to even guess
For every night
When I face that void
It makes my soul a mess
You see every night
When I look down
Into that empty space
I see the remains
Of what life was
And tears come to my face
Then I cry so hard
From so deep inside
Though no one else can hear
When I see the love
That could have been
And I shed a silent tear
But perhaps one day
When I trust again
And can believe it to be right
I’ll put aside the pain
And be allowed to feel
Your loving arms…Every Night

Prompt 4

Paradise

            It is an inevitable fact of life that at some point you will be stressed out. You will want to just throw in the towel and give up. There will be days somewhere along the line where you know that you can’t take anymore. These are the days that you probably just sit back and wish and envision your paradise. The dream vacation place that you know you will probably never get to, but that fact aside you still think about it. Well, at least that is what I do.

             My vision of an ideal vacation would be first off a place where I am alone! That is the number one rule. It will not, and I repeat will not be a family affair. This vacation is an Ashley by herself thing. Secondly, I would like it to be sunny and warm, not scorching and hot, just sunny and warm. My day would start with breakfast in bed, something new each morning. Then I would spend my days lying on the temperate white sand (even though I really don’t like sand) reading a book or something or just listening to my iPod. After a while of that I would go swimming, more or less floating, in the clear cool ocean water. In the afternoons I would enjoy a wonderful meal lunch and then go take a nap. When I awake from my refreshing nap I would go to a beach party or some type of entertainment and stay out all night long. I would repeat this pattern everyday, well for about a week because after that I would be so bored and lonely. But the point is for that week I would have had the most relaxing and enjoyable time of my life.

           

Prompt 5

Don’t Be Like the Dinosaurs

            My mom is always telling me “Girl you better be able to change and adapt, ‘cuz if you can’t you going to end up like the dinosaurs.” I usually just say something along the lines of “Yeah, mom okay”. But her words hold a lot more truth than I give her credit for; one of the reasons the dinosaurs are said to be extinct is due to the fact they couldn’t adapt to the changing world. The inability to be able to move with the times did the dinos in, and has also been the downfall of many people and civilizations over the centuries.

            Sometimes unexpected trials come up, you didn’t plan for them and it totally throws your whole agenda. But hey, that’s life what else can be said. Nothing in life is certain but death, meaning every thing from now till then is susceptible to change. If you can’t deal with that then you are just plain out of luck, because that is how it’s going to be.

            I think a personal example will do this prompt good. Okay so when you travel by plane there is this standby system called “buddy passes”. Buddy passes are literally passes given to airline employees that allow them to let a buddy/buddies fly free of charge on standby. Sounds too good to be true? Well you’re right it is, buddy passes are based on seniority scale. Meaning the longer the employee has been working on that airline the, more legit the pass is and the better chance you have at getting on the flight. So, my mom and I were going to Atlanta earlier this year and we were flying on buddy passes. The guy who we got the passes from had been working on the airline for 15 years. You would think that put us closer to top priority, it didn’t. We had been waiting for hours and the plane had already boarded, we were just about to go check on another flight when one of the ticket people said “all remaining passengers quickly go find a seat” . Now in all my years of flying I have never experienced anything like that. All the remaining passengers were rushing to get on the plane, the attendants were taking our carryon’s because there was no more space for them so they would have to be shipped. Complete chaos, but in the end we got on the flight and everything was good. Point of the story being we had to quickly change our plans from what we originally decided. If my mom and I had become too flustered and frustrated we would have probably missed our flight. But we stayed cool and collected; we were not going to be the dinosaurs in this situation.

Prompt 3

Fat Nation

Obesity has evolved from a little problem effecting a few people to a huge (no pun intended) problem effecting a lot of people. Not only is it bad for the individual, but it also takes a toll on us as a society. 

When a person is obese it means that they have a much higher level of body fat than is considered healthy. Obesity causes major health risks including but not limited to, heart disease, liver disease, bone and joint fragility, gallstones, diabetes and also certain cancers. Not only does obesity effect a person physically health wise, but obesity can harm a person mentally. Obese individuals tend to have psychological and emotional problems, according to Dr. Arthur Schoenstadt of www.MedTv .com.

As for the effects of obesity on society that is more of an economical downfall. When you are obese you are bound to have serious health issues, these health issues are going to require more doctors visits than the average person. With more doctors visits insurance rates are going to rise. Insurance companies have no choice but to increase the premiums due to the fact that obese people need more treatment. As consumers we feel this rise in the insurance rates in our wallets. Also we are hit as a society when the manufactures of, let’s say, seats -cars, planes, trains, etc. - have to increase the size of the seats they are making. Yes, each individual seat is not being increased all that much, but when you put it all in perspective you can see the big picture. The big picture being that that Ford that was once $6,000 just rose to $6,050 (www.weightofobesity.info). 

So you see obesity isn't just a personal issue, not anymore at least. It has become a societal problem that needs to be addressed and reformed for the sake of everyone in our nation.

 Bibliography

The Effects of Obesity on Society as a Whole.

Web. 7 January 2009 <http://www.weightofobesity.info/obesity/the-effects-of-obesity-on-society-as-a-whole-17/>

Health Effects of Obesity. “An Overview of the Health Effects of Obesity”

Web. 28 April 2009 <http://weight-loss.emedtv.com/obesity/health-effects-of-obesity.html>

Prompt 2

Opposites Attract

            Have you ever seen that episode of Tom and Jerry where Tom and Jerry teamed up to stop that one stray cat that kept trying to eat Jerry and kept messing with Tom? If you have ever seen this old cartoon then you know that Tom (a cat) and Jerry (a mouse) are basically sworn enemies and during every episode Tom is trying to catch and eat Jerry, and every episode Tom fails and Jerry gets away. So why in this particular episode does Tom help Jerry and vice versa? Well because, even though Tom and Jerry are complete opposites and normally have nothing in common in this situation they had common ground.

It has been proven throughout history that when put to the test enemies will join together to defeat the bigger evil. For example, The Civil War; the slaves banded with the Northerners to defeat the South. The slaves knew that even if they fought with the North that in the end they would still be discriminated against, but it was a lot better than being in slavery. This has proven to be the outcome in many cases, specifically in wars. You find people working together who under normal circumstances wouldn’t, all for the sake of a just cause. Another example where different people come together and become allies, usually in the name of justice, was the Civil Rights Movement. Minorities weren’t the only ones protesting, but there were white people also. White people who never experienced racism or discrimination before in their lives were there defending the same rights as the minorities.  

This analogy isn’t specified directly towards large groups, but it can also stand true for individuals. I, being an African-American young lady, who grew up in Inglewood, CA can amalgamate with a Caucasian young man from Kentucky. All we need is common ground and a cause to fight for. That’s all it takes.

Prompt 1

From the Big City to the Great Outdoors

            Living in the city is great; everything is really close and convenient. But at times let’s face it city life can be very fast paced. Nonstop, just going and going; sooner or later you will need a break. And the perfect place to get a break from the hectic city life is spending some time outdoors. Take a breather and go hiking in Lone Pine or spend a week camping out in Lake Arrowhead. Also you can go canoeing, fishing or mountain biking. As you can see there are lots of fun ways to relax all while experiencing a whole new adventure.

            If you are athletic and don’t mind physical exertion then hiking is your outdoors endeavor. You can go backpacking (trekking), this is where you spend several days walking through a scenic but arduous path (usually mountains). Or if you’re more into the fitness aspect of hiking then you can try Nordic walking, you basically are walking with poles similar to ski poles, and in doing this you are able to burn loads of calories. These are only a couple of the dozens of hiking types though so, if none of these interest you don’t worry there are many more to choose from. And if you would rather get your fix by biking through the mountains and trails than from walking through them, go ahead. There are lots of bike trails around and with all that wide open space you won’t ever have to worry about getting ran over by a car or anything for that matter.

            Like I said there are a lot of outdoor activities to enjoy so, if you like you can play it less active and just go camping. Camping is a range of activities that usually involves fishing, canoeing, etc. Being form the city you probably have never gone camping before so the best type of camping for you would probably be recreational vehicle(RV) camping. This is when you rent an RV that comes equipped with electricity, shower, toilet, heat you know all that good stuff. This form of camping is recommended for those who want to try the new adventure of camping but aren’t ready to give up all the “luxuries” they have become accustomed to (i.e. a shower).

            So, give city life a break and come kick it with us out here in the great outdoors. Where you can get just what the doctor ordered: fresh air, exercise, new adventures and most of all a little R & R.

Power trip

   A time when I was deluded with my own power was in 2000, Mrs. Riely's Kindergarten class. Whenever Mrs. Riley would have a substitute teacher, she would always assign a student helper.
  The only way you could become a student helper would be if you had five stars on the star board, you would of had to be in lead on the "Reading Racetrack", and most important your behavior card would of had to have been green all week. So as you can see standards for becoming a student helper were very high.Since the beginning of the year I had been trying my very hardest to become a helper. I was always so close,but my behavior card never seemed to be able to stay on green. But you see it wasn't even my fault. Every time I tried to stay out of trouble Kevin Gregor would always mess it up for me. He was always talking to me or making noises beside me, and get this, he always hit me first! But anyway, the day finally arrived. I was finally student helper! As student helper it was my job to lead the class line into class in the morning, out to nutrition at 10am and out to the yard at the end of the school day. My duties also included leading the ABC's and 123's songs and 
distributing the play time toys before nutrition. It was about 9:45 and I was doing really well with my responsibilities. No, scratch that I was doing exceptionally well with my responsibilities. The time was now about 9:50, around ten minutes before nutrition. It was time to hand out the toys.There were no assigned toys for anyone in particular, but everyone had a specific toy they particularly liked.So, as I was handing out the toys I came a across Kevin's favorite toy, a red 'Hotwheels' racer. I never cared for cars and in fact I still didn't, but just to spite Kevin I picked up the toy and put it in my cubby for myself. As you can imagine when it was Kevin's turn to pick his toy he was extremely irate. He began to yell and in turn I told the teacher. Not only did I tell the teacher but I innocently suggested that he be put on a time out in the R and R corner (reflect and reconcile corner). 
  In the end I did abuse mt student helper position, but I can't help but admit that I had a lot of funny in the process.

I sit here now
And I look back
At my life across the years
I recall the joys
And all the pains
The laughter and the tears
The mistakes I’ve made
The lessons learned
The times that I’ve been wrong
As well as all
The happy times
That life did bring along
Im amazed
That Im alive
I think I should be dead
From all the things
That’s happened here
Both to my heart and head
So now I sit
And try to think
Just what life means to me
Both what life is
And what I hope
The future years will be
Life is such
A confusing thing
As you sow, so shall you reap
You must pay a price
For what you learn
And the answers don’t come cheap
And we’ve all had dreams
That slowly died
As the hourglass passed its sands
And it’s true that life
Is what happens while
You’re making other plans
For the dreams do not
Always come true
That rarely is the case
And as soon as you
Get to your feet
You fall back on your face
Then there are those
Who’ll gladly take
Your dreams and hopes from you
Then leave you standing
As an empty shell
Not knowing what to do
They’ll take your heart
Then take your soul
They’ll promise to be around
Then at first sign
Of troubled times
They’ll drop them to the ground
Then as you pick
The pieces up
From all over the place
The one who said
They’ll always care
Laughs right in your face
And as you stand
With teary eyes
And a sad and broken heart
You can only watch
The one you loved
As they turn and they depart
For there is no way
To keep them close
Or do what they will not do
Just as you can’t
Will a rose to bloom
You can’t make them love you
So you let them go
Even though it hurts
You must let them go away
For it’s to no avail
If you’re not wanted
To try to make love stay
And then begins
The empty nights
And the long and hollow days
But the road back to
A healthy heart
Can take so many ways
It can take you down
So many paths
With only one as the right trail
And the times you’ve made
A wrong turn or two
Are impossible to tell
But with the help
Of Special Ones
And from God above
You reclaim yourself
As you reclaim
The capacity to love
Yet still you fear
To love again
To give freely from the heart
‘Cause you’re so afraid
One day they’ll leave
So you hesitate to start
But deep inside
You know that
To give it any less
Would only be
An invitation
To make good love a mess
So here Im
My Sweet Angel
I stand before you now
Offering to you
All that I am
I hope it’s enough somehow
‘Cause even though
I sometimes fear
I know you do not lie
And I entrust to you
My heart each time
That I look into your eyes
Please know my love
That every time
I touch your auburn hair
And look into
Those smiling eyes
I see my place in there
And when I draw you
Close to me
As your breath mixes with mine
I taste your lips
And I know
I could stand by you through time
Then all at once
From deep inside
I feel things I’ve never felt
And Im so glad
I’ve played the cards
That life so cruelly dealt
For without them
I would not be
The man that Im now
And to love someone
So totally
I just would not know how
And if we’d met
Before all of that
Before life made us search our heart
The precious love
That we have found
You or I would tear apart
But perhaps now
That we both know
Of the pain that love can give
We’ll play no games
With the other’s heart
Just share the life we live
I once said I
Would live my life
In fear again to care
For if Im hurt
Like that again
My soul would disappear
But I now say
That’s a chance I’ll take
Just to be with you
‘Cause nothing ventured
Nothing lost
Means nothing is gained too
Despite the fears
Im not one
To live my life alone
I’ve always wanted
That Special One
And a kind and gentle home
And it’s not a question
Of being afraid
To have no one by my side
It’s just that it’s
Not who I am
And from it I will not hide
And you have a Son
From your own past
I accept him as my own
I hope he will
Accept me as Dad
So we’ll have a happy home
For we both have
Our troubled pasts
That we must both forgive
And learn to accept
If side by side
We ever hope to live
I’ll never be
A wealthy man
I knew it years ago
I can’t offer you
An easy life
As through the years we go
And Im not perfect
I have my faults
I don’t ride a gallant steed
Im not a knight
In shining armor
Just a human being with needs
But I’ll give to you
A gentle hand
And two arms to hold you tight
And I’ll try my best
To let you know
I love you day and night
To promise more
Would not be right
Just promises in vain
We’ve had enough
Of them broken
We know that cutting pain
So with a lump
Stuck in my throat
With nervous, shaky hands
I offer you all
The love I have
From a bruised, big hearted man
If you can live
With all I am
With all the good and bad
Then I can live
With yours My Love
Through the happy and the sad
I’ve no idea
Where we would live
And how I do not know
But I have faith
The Lord shall provide
As through the years we go
Now I ask you
To stand by me
As the years do pass us by
And know that I
Do love you so
And that I do not lie
For when I say
‘Till death do us part”
I pray that it shall be
I know not what else
To say except…
Cindy, will you marry me?

2nd Persuasive Essay

When is Enough, Enough?

            Safety in school is an important issue for all schools, not just public ones. Safety should never be put on the backburner, but when does safety cross the line? When does it become less about the well being of the students, and more about institutionalizing us? Institutionalizing in the sense of a jail instead of a school, making it feel as though we are being prepared for the penitentiary instead of the work force.

            In my opinion, that line is crossed when 5 or more security guards are placed in a school of 1,000 or less students. Or when the first thing a student sees when they walk in the door of their school is a metal detector, and around every corner a surveillance camera. How are you supposed to be productive when you are in an environment that treats you basically, like a criminal?  The answer is you can’t, your environment is one of the prime benefactors in the way you develop and grow. In a way, this harsh school environment can be seen as a self-fulfilling prophecy, if you are being treated like a delinquent your whole academic life, what’s to stop you from becoming an aberrant civilian afterwards.

            Another reason why I feel as though too much security can become domineering is because it makes schools seem more like prisons than actual schools. I mean what other institution has security guards, surveillance cameras and metal detectors? They say we are being prepared for the “real world” what with the time schedules and all but I have personally never seen a business office with a metal detector. And not even in high security banks do I see so many security guards. Unless you plan on having a profession with TSA you probably will never be exposed to so many security precautions at the same time.

            Some maybe able to argue the point that the reason schools need to have such strict security policies is simply because of and for the safety of the students. True, it is a possibility that the major security threats within the schools are brought forth because of the actual students. But we all know that violence in school has been around since the beginning of time. And yes, I do agree times have changed, but all in all kids will be kids. And some kids do some way out things (i.e. bringing weapons to school). Furthermore, with that point you might be able to dispute exactly why we need to protect the innocent students. But I don’t think this methodology is accurate. By subjecting the blameless and deranged to the same treatment wouldn’t you suppose lines would become blurred? The argument can be made that by condemning everyone to the same policy the guilty are weeded out and the innocent are protected, but in actuality the guilty will only sometimes be discovered and the innocent will stay being subjectified. And as history will prove the longer you subjectify the innocent sooner or later they will become dejected. And if they become to deject there is no telling, but these same innocent students might turn into the guilty ones you were trying to protect them from.

            So, in closing I believe stringent security precautions do more harm than good. They create a stigma in the minds of the students. These safety regulations lead children to believe they are being watched, like criminals. It no longer is about security but, I personally believe, about restraint.  

1st Peruasive essay

New Nationwide Grading System

            When you get back an assignment you worked really hard on and it has an F on it how do you feel? Probably like you wasted your time and that you should just give up on ever passing the class. And who’s to blame you for feeling like this? How else should you feel after trying your best on, lets say an essay, and you still fail? Saying “Try harder next time” doesn’t help either, because you did try your hardest but it just wasn’t up to par. School should be a learning environment where students feel comfortable, not a dreaded place where you are being marred with fails or passes. I think the grading system shouldn’t be one of grades per say, but one of regular written and oral evaluations to determine your learning process.

            In my opinion schools nationwide need to reform their grading scale. Children of this generation are going through so much more than those of previous generations, and the old school “fail” or “pass” system is doing more harm than good to us. For instance with all the pressures of dropping out of school do you think receiving a big, fat, red F on an assignment is going to work for or against a student deciding whether to stay in or quit school? The current grading system is just, to put it in laymen’s terms, to old. Think about it, it was invented back in the day where school and life were much simpler. The complexity of this era is just too vast for a plain A, B, C, D or F; there are too many gray areas that need to be accounted for now a days.

            Another reason the current rubric is in need of reformation is because all students don’t learn and process information the same way. In saying this how can it be expected to be able to accurately grade them on a universal scale? If a student is a verbal learner and you respect that and teach him with that in mind, what sense does it make to give him a written test and then expect him to do well? None, right? I understand the importance of teaching adjustability and instilling that you aren’t always going to be able to have things presented in your favor, but this system is setting children up for failure I believe.

            Also just think of what these grades do to student’s confidence. We all know if you get an F on something your obviously going to be upset and slightly depressed depending on how much effort you put into the assignment, but what about the “A students”. When you are used to pulling A’s all the time what happens when you drop? When you go from an average of A’s to a C or D or God forbid F, it really, really hurts. And depending upon the student, a drop like that can even be detrimental to their physical or mental health. Now, I’m not saying students shouldn’t strive for the best, but when you are labeled an A student and you mess up and receive a lower grade it can be a serious issue.

            In closing I would like to reiterate that the present grading scheme puts an unneeded pressure on students to get A’s or be flawed as a failure. It takes away from actually learning the material and puts more emphasis on receiving an A. What’s the point of having a grading system to measure students learning if they aren’t really learning anymore?

How many days
Do we each have
To walk upon this Earth
The only thing
For sure is Death
From the moment of our birth
This one question
And others still
They plague us all it seems
They’ve shown up in
Near every culture
They slip into our dreams
From early on
We feel something
Inside we can’t explain
And we search to find
Our purpose here
As we feel all that life brings
Just a little something
Always there
We can’t quite figure out
What it is we’re
Searching for
What our life is all about
So we take a path
Into the World
We go in our own way
Some will leave
Our place of birth
And others yet will stay
We watch the World
Around us change
As we recall yesterday
We reminisce
For things we lost
Somewhere along the way
Yet still we laugh
And still we love
And hold hope in our heart
That we’ve touched
Someone’s life
And played a special part
Perhaps we hope
Somehow we can
Survive our own mortality
By touching those
With whom we’re close
Long after we’re history
To be recalled
With misty eyes
In someone’s mind one day
To help them through
Some troubled time
That life has brought their way
No greater thing
Could be achieved
Than to help someone
Some memory stored
Then taken out
Long after we are gone
And still we strive
To find the thing
That inside tugs our soul
As we see the face
In the morning mirror
Slowly growing old
What is our life
To be all about
What is our purpose here
What is the thing
We are searching for
The answer’s never clear
We spend our time
In a waking dream
As we wonder through our life
We rejoice in good
We cry in bad
Throughout the joys and strife
And many times
With a troubled heart
As we try to think it right
We’ve sat alone
In a darkened room
In the stillness of the night
Attempting to make
Some sense of life
To put things in their place
To find some kind
Of inner peace
As tears roll down our face
Oh, what is this
That tugs as us
What is it that we feel
Is it destiny
That calls our name
Or is it even real
And all the thoughts
Fill us inside
As they race through our mind
But some force there
Keeps us going forward
With something yet to find
Then morning comes
And at first light
Yet another day begins
And so we rise
To face the day
But the longing never ends
We have special moments
From time to time
We each have hopes and fears
Then as we blink
We discover that
Days have turned into years
We’ve lived our lives
Being all caught up
In just getting through each day
That something we
Were searching for
Got lost along the way
Then quite at once
The face we see
In the mirror says we’re old
That yearning which
We once knew well
Comes back a thousand fold
As we look back
And see our years
And all the things we’ve done
We know the joy
And feel the pain
Of knowing our race is run
In our offspring
We took delight
As we’ve watched them grow
And make the same
Discoveries we’d
Forgotten years ago
Did we ever find
That something deep
That called out to us so
I can not answer
For every one
But as for me I know
I know my life
Was for me to live
No special purpose ever there
The only design
Was of my own
To let someone know I cared
To find someone
In a troubled time
Who’s longing heart does yearn
To give something
Of my own heart
And expect nothing in return
To try to give
Some inner peace
To know they’ve got a friend
Who cares for them
And they’re not alone
Until the bitter end
Just to give
Some one a hug
Is the greatest gift to give
I believe that’s what
Our lives are for
And the reason why we live
‘Cause nothing else
Says we were here
When all is said and done
Like the lives we touch
And the warmth we give
To our Daughters and our Sons
All else we do
It matters not
After our days come to end
It is swept off on
The wings of time
As the dust blows in the wind
So give of yourselves
Give the warmth inside
To someone that you see
When they need it most
Lend a caring hand
And quietly think of me
You’ll never know
Who’s life you’ll touch
If you never even dare
To freely give
To someone in need
And tell them that you care
For me that’s what
My life’s about
No finer thing to do
Than to be the friend
I’d like to have
So I give this now to you
So when it’s your time
To sit alone
In the stillness of the night
Please know that you
Are not alone
And things will be all right
This is the gift
I give to you
It’s all I have to give
A piece of me
To take with you
As through your days you live
I hope that it’s
Enough to help you
Through some troubled time
To know that someone
Out there cared
And it gives you peace of mind
Then pass it on
To someone else
Who’s hurting deep inside
Just give a quiet
Spoken word
Long after I have died

I’ve saw this land
From coast to coast
I’ve done so many things
I sit here now
As my mind reflects
On the memories it brings
The experiences
Of forty years
Come back a thousand fold
My treasures are
The memories
I’ll keep as I grow old
I sit here now
As I take them out
And I view this life of mine
I see all the things
That brought me here
To this moment in time
But of all the things
Reflected here
That brought to my life joy
By far the best
Without a doubt
Has been you My Boy
All the rest
Seems quite small
When compared to you
When I think of life
Without my Monkey Boy
I don’t know what I’d do
When I met your Mom
You were but five
Such a tiny little boy
And though so small
You were full of life
And you’ve brought to mine such joy
I recall one night
At a carnival
As you talked about some ride
The first time ever
You called me “Dad”
As you filled my heart with pride
For any man
Who’s worth his salt
Couldn’t help but love a child
With little eyes
So full of life
Whose antics were so wild
You’ve always had
To be in the middle
And you would always bring
A great big smile
And a crazy joke
To most any happening
With a unique way
Of seeing things
And humor always found
You’d make us laugh
‘Til our eyes would tear
As we rolled upon the ground
I sit here now
As I think of you
And all the times that we did share
From “Spotty Dogs”
To watching you
Dance in your underwear
I’m glad you were gone
The day Oscar died
To spare you from that pain
We’ll always miss
You’re Dalmatian “Dawg
With Spotted Shit For Brains”
And my heart it fills
‘Til it overflows
As the tears roll down my face
‘Cause I laugh so much
Yet I want to cry
Both at once in the same place
For words can not
Begin to express
All the things I feel inside
The memories
I’ll hold so dear
And I’ll treasure ‘till I die
There’s been no man
Ever more blessed
To greater prize was won
Than the gift that you
Have given me
To have you for My Son
And I’ll never forget
The day we wed
It made everybody smile
I lifted you up
In just one arm as
We three walked down that aisle
‘Cause on that day
By the grace of God
We started a new family
I can only hope
I gave back part
Of the love you’ve gave to me
And despite all
Your craziness
I know your thoughts run deep
But worry not
I’ll tell no one
For it’s our secret to keep
You see My Son
I know your heart
And with every thing you do
With every laugh
And every joke
Your shining heart shows through
You’ve always been
Such a delight
Our precious Monkey Boy
You’ve touched us all
To the very core
With your warmth and with your joy
And now I see you
Standing there
In your Army uniform
At six feet tall
Wearing the patch
Of the 82nd Airborne
And I’d love so much
To have you stay
But I know that you must go
You’ve got your own
Adventures to have
For our little boy has grown
Then in my mind
I recall the years
Through all the good and bad
The Lord He blessed
My life with you
The greatest gift I’ve ever had
And I know
Beyond a doubt
That all I did before
Is nothing in
Comparison to
When you walk through the door
No greater thing
I’ve ever done
No finer thing to be
Then to be the Dad
Of the fine young man
Standing right in front of me
And I’m amazed
To have been a part
Of the man that I see now
I hope I gave
Just something back
And enriched your life somehow
To pay you back
In some small way
In your debt I’ll always be
The laughter and
The warmth of heart
The hugs you gave to me
And if I gave
You anything
If I helped with any part
I pray it’s with
Your laughter and
Your loving warmth of heart
And when I’m gone
I quietly pray
Think of me from time to time
And know you’ve had
A special place
In this old heart of mine
‘Cause when I’m gone
I hope I’ll have
Some corner in your heart
My precious boy
Who’s meant so much
To me from the start
Now it’s your turn
To have adventures
As around the World you go
So Mom and I will
Keep the porch light on
And My Son we’ll miss you so
And I’ve got some things
You can take with you
If they’ll fit in your suitcase
Here’s your memories
Of growing up
In this simple country place
And here’s a hug
From all of us
To carry in your heart
We can’t give you
All of our love
You’ve had that from the start
And here’s a laugh
To keep inside
Save it for a rainy day
It’ll get you through
The darkest hours
That life will bring your way
So though we didn’t
Live in lavish style
Please take with you as you go
The memories made
In these old hills
Of a warm and loving home
Please keep and guard them
Close My Boy
For they will help you through
The good times and
The bad that life
Will surely bring to you
So pass my love
On down the line
And give it to your son
Give a laugh
And a hug from me
And Death will not have won
I owe so much
To you My Son
For all the warmth and joy
So Andy I say it
Loud and clear
“I love you, Monkey Boy”

Obstetrician- "Paging Dr. Ashley"

If you were a doctor, what kind of doctor would you be (examples: children's doctor, veterinarian, eye doctor, dentist)? Tell what your job would be like

I actually do want to become a doctor, specifically an obstetrician. First off an obstetrician, most commonly referred to as an OB/GYN, is a baby doctor. OB's deliver and care for babies within the first few weeks. I want to become an obstetrician because I really love babies and I want to be around them. I would really like to work in the NICU/PICU so that I can help and save as many babies as possible. There is nothing more innocent than a newborn baby and it would be God's gift to me if I was able to be around them all the time.