Blogging for English 101 was an interesting experience. I believe it is a great idea to take advantage of the technology  available to us and utilize it to benefit education. The majority of teens these days are already on laptops and their smart phones, so blogging for an English class can't be too difficult.

    I enjoyed my blogging experience because the topics we were assigned to write about were subjects that should be relevant to most people. I found the assigned topics very intriguing, so writing about them was not just to get an A in my English class,

but also to further my thoughts about what is going on in today's society. Knowing what goes in the world we live in is crucial; therefore, I found our blogging topics to be very valuable. While researching the topics we were assigned and the self generated entries, I discovered a lot of information. At first, the self generated entries were a struggle for me, but once I picked each topic, it was not as stressful. The most important part of having successful entries is doing the research. Before writing each entry, it is necessary to have a full understanding of its purpose and knowledge on the topic being talked about. 

Having the option of what to write about turned out to be very useful in many occasions because I got to choose what I felt was important for other people to know. A lot of people may not view our blogs, but our entries have still given us students an opportunity to share our thoughts. I took the research aspect of blogging very seriously but when it came to writing my actual blogs I just had a little fun. I believe the point of blogging was to have more fun with the writing portion, but still incorporate what we learn in class. 

The word essay has such a negative connotation to some college students, but I believe Chris did a great job on finding a way for his students to show him what we learn from his class without always writing essays. Blogging in English class may seem a little silly, but because it is to incorporate what we learn in class, it is important to utilize all new writing knowledge. Also, assigning the blog entries in segments was very helpful because it wasn't as overwhelming. The last 8 weeks flew by quicker than I thought they would, so staying up to date with each week makes the grading periods flow a lot smoother.

As long as students prioritize their time wisely, which means utilizing each checkpoint that a draft is due and setting aside time for only English, these quick 8 weeks will be tremendously less stressful. I am so grateful I had an English teacher as great as Chris. He kept the class very involved, organized, and up to speed. This English 102 course definitely pushed my writing skills to the limit and I am pleased with the amount of knowledge I will be bringing with me to my next step in life. I enjoyed many aspects of this course and I send the best wishes to future bloggers! Good luck!  

Entry #10: Hydrating This Time of Year

Since temperatures are finally dropping I found it very appropriate to discuss the importance of staying hydrated this time of the year. When it is cold outside, many people develop a misconception that it is not as important to drink a lot of water.

Well surprisingly enough it should actually become more of priority during the winter than the summer. This is due to fact that during the winter time the air is actually drier, making it a little harder for our bodies to intake moisture. In summer, it is more obvious we are losing water because of sweat. According to Women Health, 2014 and Web MD, during cold weather seasons water is used to seal in the hydration used to fight off sickness and boost the immune system. Just like any time of the year drinking water helps with clearer and brighter skin, detoxing the body, and energy for those days we feel sluggish. Water is essential for a healthy life and no matter the season, we should always keep our bodies properly hydrated. 

Entry #8: San Bernardino

The recent shooting in San Bernardino is very tragic. During this massacre 14 people were murdered and 21 were injured. Words can not express how devastating this tragedy is.

*Moment of silence 

Those numbers do not include everyone else who is effected by the death of loved ones and others thinking about our country's fate.  

There have been many comments and reports to stay away from crowded public areas because the two shooter may have been related to ISIS.

 Some of the actions people do now a days are just sad. It is very depressing to think about the fact people can take away someone's life so nonchalantly. I believe the best thing for us to do is live a life full of happiness because living everyday being scared of what might happen next will just consume a whole lifetime. Nobody can avoid the inevitable so we might as well embrace the lives we're living and hope for the best. Still we must pay attention to all of our surroundings and avoid crowded areas. 

Entry #9: Power of Media

   In today's society, the power of media is mentally consuming all of its users. While on social media I have noticed how famous social media females get worshipped on their pages. It is sad, because the other females on her page will comment saying, "GOALS," meaning one of their goals in life is to look like that females. In my opinion, I disagree with people drooling over someone else, praying their bodies will become what is worshipped on social media. 

The guys commenting also have an influence on what some females believe is necessary for a male to find them attractive. This has also led guys to desiring someone like the social media "whores". But obviously if they follow them on social media, but have never met them how exactly can a male tell what their instagram or twitter goddess is "like"? That was a trick question, because it not always possible to get a full grasp of someone's personality through social media. One thing is possible though-body image. This is the only for sure thing males see when they make statements pertaining to having a girlfriend that is "like" (which really means looks like) the social media goddess. It is completely okay to admire other people's beauty or lifestyles, but a line should be drawn when people can't focus or be happy with their own lives because they are too wrapped up into their social media "GOALS".

Entry #7: Dumb Men

After perusing The Dumb Men website, I found it to be very interesting. It portrayed men as dumb fathers, boyfriends, and husbands. What the site was trying to do was present stereotypical commercials and advertisement of the average man, but honestly I have never met a man who behaves like any of the men in the videos. The author used a lot of comedy when creating this site, so I did find some of the commercials a little funny. I believe the purpose of the blog was to make fun of the different stereotypes about men and the audience is anyone who can relate to these commercials and advertisements. That could include men, their wives, or even children.  

 This commercial is advertising Doritos. A man finishes a bag of Doritos then apologizes to another man after he eats them all. The second man was okay with the bag of chips being gone because there was still cheesiness left on the first man's fingers. So he finds it okay to suck the cheese off the man's fingers. In the next scene of the commercial a man wipes his cheesy hands on his pants and the same man from the scene before comes along, rips he man's pants off, and sniffs where the leftover doritos were on the pants. As much as I love doritos I wouldn't lick them off of a coworkers hand or sniff them off someone's pants. The commercial is saying doritos taste so good that a man would go as far as sucking on another man's hand and ripping off another man's pants just to get one last taste. 

Entry #6: Stop Being LaZZZy

This may seem a little contradicting but you should get up or get off! If your'e on a computer or laptop stop sitting on your behind and get up! And for those of you on a cell phone or tablet possibly walking around, get off your electronics. It's time for Americans to become more active, physically and mentally. I'm not a doctor(YET), but staring at a screen for 80% of your day can't possibly be beneficial for human health. 

 Yeah, yeah your'e probably thinking I'm the one who is spending time blogging but the time I use with electronics is very limited. I am really concerned with the time wasted on material items when everyone could be out exploring. 

For some people money may be an issue when it comes to taking trips but not all adventures cost money. Finding a mountain to hike or even just stepping outside your front door and recognizing the beauty in the most simplest things is better than spending all day tweeting or watching Judge Judy. Movement is essential for the human body and seeing art within nature can relieve stress soooo....GET UP or GET OFF!

Blog Entry #5: One Step Closer

    In response to Arizona State University adding more variety to their classes, I believe seven in a half week classes are one of the best options. These classes allow students to earn the credits they need in a shorter period of time. In most cases, the regular 15 week class and 7.5 week class are the same material, just at a faster pace. That being said, students who prefer completing assignments in longer increments of time should not enroll in 7.5 week courses. Due to the fact that the courses end after only 7 weeks, it is very easy to fall behind.  

 I have taken 3 short courses, and I would recommend them for anyone who is very well organized. I love the fact that I can get the credits I need in half a semester. For math and science classes I would stick to the normal 15 weeks, because many people already struggle with understanding the material in a full semester. One more area I would recommend staying in a 15 week class are any subjects that students want to get the full grasp. A full semester would give students time for the information to sink in. So besides those two areas short courses are very convent and perfect for anyone looking to complete fast credits. In the end, no matter how long the course, students are still one step closer to fulfilling their dreams. 

Entry #4: Taste the Rainbow

 

Many people underestimate the power of a healthy diet. Food is what supplies our bodies with the nutrition they need to survive and we should pay conscious attention to what we consume. A combination of a healthy diet and exercise has many health benefits.

   Fruits and vegetables have many vitamins that are very beneficial for the human body. Some vitamins can actually control someone's mood. More healthy people are actually happier with themselves than people who eat foods that come from fast food restaurants. People unhappy with themselves are more likely to also project their anger on the people around them. I don't know about you, but I prefer my friends and family to be in a happy mood.
     Not everyone can afford to spend thousands of dollars on beauty products. Even if I had a budget that I could spend tons of money on such products, I wouldn't want to, because some vitamins found in fruits and vegetables are also capable of enhancing natural beauty such as the growth of hair and the radiance of skin. Who wouldn't want to be both, healthier and even more beautiful just by eating fruits and veggies? 
   Sometimes time is an issue when it comes to making a healthy meal. But I just made

 Easy and Delicious Meals 

easy to access. All you have to do is click on the link! 

      A healthy diet also boosts energy levels significantly. This is because the body is being fueled properly with everything that it is begging for when it feels fatigued. When it is time to get some sleep the nutrients in a healthy diet promote a better sleep by helping the body fall asleep faster, resulting in a deeper sleep. 

    All these benefits combined create a healthier person and can increase a lifespan. Due to the easy access of fast food, people have become more lazy and forget how important it actually is to eat healthy. So the next time you want to stop by the drive thru at McDonalds, think about the needs of your body, not the wants of your taste buds. 

Entry #3: Slanted Reporting

Slanted reporting is reporting that is done in a way that gives more attention or support to a particular person, group, or idea. It is a technique that speakers use when they only want a certain part of the story to be known. After the arrest of Sandra Bland, the officer who arrested her, Brian Encinia,   reported back to his Sergeant with lies and only part of the story. He wanted to make sure that he didn't make himself seem like the "bad" guy. While reporting back to his sergeant he down played his actions and exaggerated most of Sandra's. At first, the story he told could be very believable, but after watching the video recording of the whole situation anyone can conclude that the officer was lying. Because cops have so much authority, it is very easy for them to get away with false stories. Officer 

Encinia wanted to portray Sandra Bland as a citizen who was not cooperating and resisting an arrest. What he reported to his Sergeant could of successfully made Ms. Bland seem like a problem. As shown in the beginning of the video, Sandra Bland was not doing anything to harm the officer, but he took the situation to an unnecessary level. Officer Encinia told his sergeant this, this, and this about Sandra, but failed to mention his extra comments that initiated the escalation of the arrest. So was Sandra really causing problems or was Officer Encinia making things extra difficult? According to his report back to his sergeant, Sandra Bland was the one turned the situation into a bigger ordeal. Officers who lie in order to protect themselves from looking bad can not be considered credible sources. Instead of telling the complete truth they will make the civilian look defiant. 

Slanted reporting is used very often. It is our job, as citizens to make sure we have a story with all the facts before jumping to conclusions. Recognizing slanted reporting will keep us aware of what is actually going on, rather than just believing little lies or incomplete stories. This is just one example, but pay attention to different news channels and how they all report about the same situation, but with a bias spin on the story. I hope this was helpful!

Entry #2: Child: 0 VS Technology: 1

A child and her mother walked into Sally's and I greeted the two how I greet everyone who walks into our store, "Hello, welcome to Sally's! Can we help you find anything today?" The mother did say anything or even make eye contact because her mind was occupied by whatever was going on, on her phone. Her six year old daughter looked at me and smiled as they walked to the direction of the color aisle. Two minutes later the daughter begins

knocking products off of our organized shelves. The mother, who is still too busy looking thru our colors and whatever is on her phone, didn't even acknowledge her child's actions. They continue shopping but the mom is still on her smart phone while carrying her basket and slowly switching aisles hoping she doesn't run into anything while her head is down. The second time her child knocks something off the shelf she sternly snapped at her daughter, "Honey, stop!" The four other customers in our store, my coworker, and I turned ours necks with curiosity and to our surprise the mother's face was still glued to her device. "Ummm excuse me lady, your daughter is tearing up our store," is what I thought to myself.

According to http://www.nbcnews.com/health/parenting/put-down-cellphone-study-finds-parents-distracted-devices-n47431 it has become a common thing for parents to be distracted on their cellphones instead of providing their child with the right amount of parenting a child deserves. When parents are too occupied with their devices they "don't have time" to spend a minute or two to give their child the attention they need. Children often

misbehave in order to receive more attention from the people they look up to, but parents who spend the majority of their time on their smart phones don't realize how much their actually neglecting their child. Attention is something that children need while growing up in order to develop communication skills and direction is something they need in order not to end up in jail. It is sad because children just want acknowledgment, but snappy replies can make them feel unloved. They shouldn't have to compete with a device for the attention of their own parents.

Entry #1: My Opinion on Blogs

There are so many blogs on the internet, it's all just a matter of personal preference when choosing which ones to return to. For this blog entry I did quite a bit of research. I found some pages I really enjoyed and some pages I wish I didn't waste 30 seconds of my life reading. http://trent.blogspot.com/ was one of the blogs I found uninteresting. It gives a lot of detailed information about celebrities I don't know or don't care about. A blog that I did enjoy reading was http://postsecret.com/. Within this blog were secrets sent in by anonymous strangers. I found this blog interesting because everyone has secrets but sometimes no one to share those secrets with. Post Secret gives people the opportunity to share their random thoughts, secrets, and insecurities with the whole world.

I believe blogs are a GREAT way for people to share ideas, interests, and information. They don't always entail a person blabbing on and on about themselves but through a blog you can get to know a lot about a person. The pictures, music, and even the font created on the webpage, all give readers an idea of what kind of person is behind the keyboard. When it comes to who is doing the typing I'd rather not waste my time on reading someone's blog who just bashes other people. By saying other people I am including everyone from little ole' me to A list celebrities. I do enjoy staying updating on what's new in the life of a celebrity but I know how to create my own opinion. I disagree with public trash talk and if what is being stating aren't facts or a positive opinion then I believe it should stay offline. Yay to blogs! Nay to negativity.

Introduction Entry

       Hello, everyone! My name is Chayla and I am 18 years old. I have 3 younger brothers, a mom, dad, step dad, and step mom. My dad lives in Texas, so I have spent my last 5 summers in Dallas, where I have met many wonderful people. This is my first semester in actual college but credit wise I am a sophomore because of all the dual enrollment courses I completed throughout my last three years of high school. I am taking this class to complete my degree in biochemistry. By majoring in biochemistry, I plan to become an anesthesiologist. I am pretty smart and very athletic which leads me to tell you guys about my goals here at Glendale Community College. Two of my goals are to keep my presidential scholarship by maintaining a 4.0 grade point average and performing extraordinary on the track to keep my athletic scholarship. My junior in high school my relay team and I were state champions and for all the years i ran track in high school, I went to state all three years. I also played basketball and one season of tennis the year I didn't run track. I love sports and being active and with that I also love food, music, sleeping and watching my favorite tv shows. I also cherish spending time with family, friends, and church family. My academic scholarship is for two years, but I am hoping to run so fast this season of track that I earn a full ride athletic scholarship to one of the top track colleges with a high qualified medical program. I consider myself a very exciting person, so I hope you guys enjoy my blog!