Sentence Fixes

My sentences faced some serious fixing.

Research Paper Progress

My research topic is Nuclear Energy and the positives and negatives associated with harnessing its power.

The first link I found useful was http://casenergy.org/nuclear-energy/energy-in-your-state/nuclear-energy-in-louisiana/. This link is useful to me because it's an article published by CASEnergy Coalition. Even though this website is technically "biased" because it only provides the positive uses and effects of nuclear energy, all of the information provided is accurate and relevant. I would consider the website a reasonable source even though it doesn't clearly state both sides of the coin of nuclear energy.

The second link I discovered is http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter13.html. This link brings you to a page that is relatively simple but interactive. All the information is straightforward and could be geared towards middle school kids with how easy it is to comprehend. I liked this website in particular because it has two links that describe the differences between nuclear fusion and fission in comprehensive language. Often times when one looks for information comparing and contrasting fusion and fission they are escorted to websites that have information written for scientists or in a very complex fashion. I enjoyed this website for the reason that it is user friendly to the common person while still providing useful and accurate information.

Perhaps the best source I have found so far is http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Physical_Chemistry/Nuclear_Chemistry/Fission_and_Fusion. I like this source because it is a sub page within the UC Davis website with accurate information provided by the college's school of chemistry. Even though my research paper is on Nuclear Energy, one must understand the sub topics of fusion and fission to better understand the chemistry of how Nuclear Energy is created. Within this website virtually everything about fusion and fission is explained. From the abstract ideas for harnessing its power, down to the science of the very atoms that start the chain reactions producing electricity. This website shows no bias towards the use of Nuclear Energy and has scientific data and links to back up its substance. I found this website the most informative so far as well as the most complex. I predict this will be the website I use most to support my research.

http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/07/is-nuclear-power-good-for-you.html

This is another website I found, it's from a reputable science journal. In the page the author of the article explains why nuclear energy could in fact be beneficial to humans as a population. This article focuses on the idea that nuclear energy produces "cleaner" energy and is better for the environment than other forms of energy.

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/assets/docs_f_o/nuclear_energy_the_good_the_bad_and_the_debatable.pdf

The title of this article basically explains it "The Good the Bad and the Debatable" It basically emphasizes the idea that the exploration of nuclear energy is a very controversial prospect. It explains that what we already know about nuclear energy has greatly advanced our ability to create clean environmentally friendly energy. What the article also explains is that although nuclear energy is a "clean" form of energy, it has severe negatives. The thing I like best about this article is that it completely discusses the scientific reasoning and creation behind nuclear energy. It not only describes the process of how nuclear energy is made but also the exact amounts of waste it creates and how we could dispose of that waste. I think this source will be very useful in providing specific scientific research to support my ideas in my paper.

Defining Imagination

The Imagination is a powerful tool.

Senior Project Update

As I mentioned In my previous blog, my senior project entails computer programming. Although I haven't been given a chance to work on it recently, most of my field hours have been completed. I have logged over 50 hours at this point. I am waiting to fully pick my mentor. Originally I had planned on contacting the creator of the C++ manual I read. I recently realized that this is an unrealistic goal because he is a very busy well-renowned man and the chances of him contacting me back are slim to none. My uncle is a computer programmer and works with a few well established programmers and my aunt also has connections with computer programmers in the bay area. The only problem is that my uncle lives in southern california and having him as my mentor would mean that I would need to skype him or work primarily with him over the phone and computer. If I use one of my aunt's programming friends as my mentor they may be more accessible on a regular basis for meeting in person and helping me when needed.

Besides trying to figure out who to contact and ask to be my mentor, I have started thinking about what to do for my reserch. I realize that research and information is important not only to the structure of my research paper, but to help me learn and understand the components of programming as well. I look forward to conducting my research and continuing to move my senior project along.

Nuclear Energy

1.) The topic I have chosen for my senior research paper is nuclear energy and its benefits as well as its negatives.

2.) My topic is controversial because it can be seen as a type of energy that will reduce the amount of pollution in the air, and it is generally a "cleaner" energy but many also see its pollution as having negative effects on the environment. 

3.) To conduct my research the sources I will use are my Uncle who is a nuclear engineer, but I will also use the Napa County Library databases as well as other online databases and books.

4.) My emotional investment in this paper is the fact that my uncle is a nuclear engineer and he is frowned upon by many people but he is a firm believer that nuclear energy is a cleaner more sustainable form of energy.

5.) I do not think this research topic is very popular, but my touch that will make it unique is the fact that my uncle works directly with nuclear power plants in Lousiana as a head operator. My connection to him will allow my research to be more personal as well as accurate.

6.) I do not have any questions.

Gore Vidal : Drugs; Critical Writing Response

I agree wholeheartedly agree with Vidal's statement "Each man has the right to do what he wants with this own life". When he connects this statement to the idea that each man has the right to do drugs, or kill himself, or partake in any activities he wants, as long as they do not interfere with his neighbors pursuit of happiness, my opinion changes. I think as Americans, the promise of the pursuit of happiness is something we cherish greatly. When one being interferes with another human being happiness, they are taking away an inalienable right endowed to that individual by our country. Many people who do drugs don't try them once and then leave them alone. Many drugs are addictive and often times people who started them don't stop them for a long time.

Vidal's assumption that drugs are not necessarily threats to the neighbors of the abusers is inaccurate. People all over america hear stories of drug deals and break-ins gone bad. In the particular story I linked, an entire neighborhood was negatively affected by "squatters" or drug dealers who took up residence in a bank owned house. The drug dealers turned the neighborhood into a crime spree zone, there were countless acts of robberies and violence during the time the squatters inhabited the house. Their presence reduced the desire of Detroit citizens to want to move into the neighborhood, and also caused the families that lived in the nieghborhood to be scared to leave their homes. The article I posted is a perfect example of how one drug dealer, or many, can cause strife to not only one neighbor but an entire neighborhood. Even if the abuser doesn't have ranking of a drug dealer, they are still a threat to their neighbors. What if they are in debt to their dealer? Or have bad blood with a particular group of people? One wrong step on the part of the abuser could set an entire neighborhood at risk.

Essay on Banneker's Letter.

Here is my essay.

PC Blog Post #2: Italian Salmon with Jasmine Rice and Fresh Greens

Italian Salmon with Jasmine Rice and Fresh Greens:

Last night I made a hearty meal that was healthy as well as satisfying to the common palette. Personally I find salmon to be a total comfort food. What is comfort food? Comfort food is food that humans consume or create because it provides warmth and contentment along with the normal satisfaction associated with a meal. The most common comfort foods are chocolate, cookies, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, ice cream, pasta, rice, and soup. Another great thing about salmon is that it satifys Health Organizations and the National Department of Agriculture's suggestion that people consume two servings of fatty fish per week. Salmon is full of healthy fats, vitamins, proteins, and various minerals as noted in this link.

To many people, salmon may not seem comforting or simple, but it is one of my favorite dishes to prepare, and fairly simple to make. When buying the items needed to prepare this dish, it is important to buy a larger fillet of salmon, one that is fairly fresh and has a healthy pinkish orange tint to it. Depending on how many people the chef is intending to cook for, it is straightforward to accurately judge how much salmon is needed. Unlike certain foods, when cooked in this particular fashion, the Salmon does not reduce in size after being cooked. Any type of rice can be purchased to compliment this meal. Some people prefer brown rice or wild rice, my preference is to gravitate towards plain white jasmine rice. The seasoning and dressing we will be adding to the salmon provides delicate flavor such that no extra seasoning needs to be put in the rice. I would recommend against wild rice because it is crucial that when choosing a type of rice, it has consistent texture. Brown rice or white rice are the two different types I recommend. There are many different sides that can accompany the salmon and rice. For my particular meal I picked fresh lettuce with tomatoes and fresh sliced avocado. My favorite side to accompany the two other foods is asparagus. Salmon, rice and asparagus all complement each other perfectly, and asparagus can easily be steamed right on top of the rice. If asparagus isn’t a favorite of the chef or the meal’s consumers, any form of salad or garden vegetable is satisfactory as well.

Ingredients:
1 Fillet of Salmon (Size dependent on number of consumers)
2 cups of Rice (brown or white)
2 cups of water
1 Bushel of Asparagus (Or assorted Greens)
1 Bottle of Newman’s Own Italian Dressing
1 ½ Cups of Butter
            The first step in creating this simple meal is to turn on the rice cooker and heat the oven to 425. Put two cups of rice into the rice cooker along with two cups of water. Set the rice cooker mode to “steam”. If choosing to prepare Asparagus instead of greens, place the asparagus in a tray above the rice and steam as well. The next step is to prepare the dish for the salmon. Choose a large baking sheet and set on the counter. Obtain tin foil and lay out a large sheet on the baking sheet, repeat this step so that there are two layers of tin foil. Lay the salmon on the tin foil, place 3/4^th of a stick of butter onto the salmon in squares spread evenly along the top. Bring the sides of the tin foil up and pinch together over the top of the salmon, thus creating a cocoon shape. Make sure that the salmon is completely sealed inside the tin foil, with all of the edges pinched and curled together. Once the seal has been fortified, open a part of the seal and pour in 3/4ths of the bottle of Newman’s own Italian dressing, if a larger fillet of salmon guarantee that the dressing covers the entire salmon. Once the preparation of the salmon is done, place it in the oven to cook for 25 to 30 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking the salmon, prepare any greens and vegetables. Once the timer completes, set the salmon on the counter still wrapped in tin foil. Do not open the tin foil seal until the rice is completely finished steaming. After the rice is done steaming, place the remainder of butter over the rice. Once all the components are ready, place all three on a plate. Spoon the salmon marinade onto the rice as needed. The hearty salmon, rice and greens meal is now ready to be served!

"Teenager" in Imitation of "Girl"

This is my essay imitating "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid.

I Want a Husband

I want a husband for the same reason every woman seems to want a husband. I want a husband who buy's me expensive shoes in the wrong size and reminds me that it's the thought that counts. I want a husband who spends his money on useless possessions that are anything but useless to him. I want a husband who spends most of his free time in his garage working on the four cars he certainly doesn't need. I want a husband who will flirt with the waitress when he takes me out to a nice breakfast at Gilwoods. I want a husband who will assert his dominance over me by readily claiming the TV remote every time we sit down on the couch. I want a husband who will put on football despite my forceful remindings that a new episode of real housewives is on. I want a husband who complains that work is difficult but the money is good while he surfs the computer for cheap hotels in florida.
I want a husband who complains that the electric bill, and phone bill are too high, over a text, while he's in the living room and I'm in the kitchen. I want a husband who complains that the sink is broken and chooses not to make the problem worse by not doing anything at all. I want a husband who hands me the rench to fix the sink and explains how to do it.
I want a husband who will snore all night and convince me that the passing freight train outside will leave a noise complaint. I want a husband who pulls all the covers off me when we sleep and wakes up yawning about having cold feet. I want a husband who compliments how good he looks while dressing himself in the clothes I picked out for him. I want a husband who splatters toothpaste across the mirror as he describes to me how dirty the bathroom is. I want a husband who leaves the toilet seat up and forgets to flush. I want a husband who critiques my cooking and explains to me the correct way to cook according to his last experience in the kitchen three years ago. I want a husband who will drive the kids to school and call me on the ride home to make sure it is a school day. I want a husband who forgets to pick the kids up at three. I want a husband who tells me the baby has a dirty diaper and hands him off to me to clean it. I want a husband who puts the kids to bed without reminding them to brush their teeth and picking out the barbie and transformer pajamas from the dirty laundry bin. I want a husband who notices that I forgot to color coordinate his ties and complains the laundry hasn't been done. I want a husband who asks to spend more time with me and says I work too much around the household. With all the perks of having a husband I don't know who wouldn't want a husband.

Swing Dancing Essay

Learning to Swing Dance as a class was a fun and relaxing experience, but quite the process.

Quick-Freezing the Dead

Also known as the Cryonics movement, "quick-freezing" the dead is a method that some scientists have experimented with in hope of achieving the phenomenon of resurrection. Robert Ettinger was the brain behind the Cryonics movement. He himself has been frozen in liquid nitrogen (the material used to keep subjects frozen) and was the first "test subject". He was frozen at 92 years of age, in the hope that with various advancements in technology and science he would some day be revived and cured of his illnesses. Ettinger prefered the term "Immortalist" for people who chose this path for their bodies. Many scientists believe that "neurological suspension" (freezing of the brain and head) is the only way to preserve indefinite life.

Macs VS PCs

Macs vs. PCs, which is better?

Additional Writing Topics (Some Machines do have Personalities)

Here is the link to my essay Cars have "Strong" Personalities .

The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society Response

Jonathan Kozol makes it abundantly clear that he is sympathetic towards people that "suffer" from illiteracy. Kozol's purpose in writing this essay was to show people who aren't illiterate how to understand the life of those who are. Although Kozol himself is clearly literate, he shows deep passion and understanding for those who aren't, and sets out to prove this through his use of syntax but also repition and real-life examples.

Perhaps one of the strongest parts of Kozol's essay is his use of syntax. Some of his sentences are elegant and well formed. The reader often sees this when he tries to explain or prove a point about people who are illiterate. Some of his sentences however are short and choppy and seem to almost personify and make clear the confusion and thought process of people who are illiterate. Imagine being immersed in a world where nothing makes sense, and there are few means available to try and learn the language necessary to be able to adapt. Although the illiterate people could certainly go and take classes to be able to understand the languages around them, the point Kozol tries to prove is that how are the expected to function in society in the meantime? Does their inability to adapt to their surroundings perpetuate their problem? Does this problem get carried down from generation to generation? These are all questions that Kozol tries to answer through his writing.

Another tool that Kozol utilizes extensively is repition. The clearest form of repetition in his essay is in paragraphs 16 through 24. In each of these paragraphs either the first word or the first sentence contains the word "illiterate". When one sees the word illiterate they imagine a person who doesn't speak a language necessary to prosper in their surroundings. Through Kozol's use of reptition, the word "illiteracy" is used to create almost a though of chronic dissability. These people are no longer in control of their life or actions and are helpless to change their path. Kozol wants them to be seen as victims of society and people who are literate. Instead of focusing on how the illiterate people could potentionally fix their problem, Kozol focuses on the problems created for them due to their "illiterate dissability". Through the repetition of the word Illiteracy, the reader can understand the pain and hardships illiterate people have to experience. The word becomes more powerful with each mention in the essay.

My favorite part about Kozol's essay is his use of real-life examples. Through the real life examples the reader can really imagine what life must be like for people who are illiterate. Although Kozol uses many powerful tools in his writing, it is the real life examples from illiterate people that brings his point home. When someone relays information to a third party it only leaves a minute impact. When that third party is forced to read and analyze instances and experiences from people who have suffered from being illiterate, it provides for an entirely new level of intensity. When Kozol brings up the fact about childbirth, and illiteracy being carried down from generation to generation, it leaves a lasting impact.

Narrative Essay Link!

Riding (Narrative essay emulating Digging)

Random Thing: HEALTHY but TASTY Food

     As an athlete it is my absolute MAIN goal to treat my body like a temple. Obviously sometimes I cheat, I may have a soda here or there, or perhaps as piece of chocolate or a cookie, but for the most part I try to eat healthily. My biggest challenge in eating healthy is that I can never find foods I like, that taste good, and provide me with the balanced meal I need. The main part about eating and creating healthy meals is that you know what proportions are necessary, what abouts of carbs, sugars, wheats, etc. My goal for this year, and for this posts as well as others, is to maintain a "healthy tasty diet" of sorts. I will include foods in my diet but only foods that are good for you in some way, either mentally or physically. I will occaisonally have cheat days, perhaps once a week, but for the most part I will stick to my healthy tasty diet. I will be tracking my progress and posting pictures and recipes of foods that I create or make that are delicious and nutritious.
     One great tool I will be using to evalutate the health properties of my meals, stay strict to my diet, and track my progress is an app on my phone called "My Fitness Pal". One aspect about it I love is that you can add all the individual different components of your meal onto a list, and then the app calibrates how many calories are present in that meal. For example, If I add 1 oz of butter, 3 cherry tomatoes, and 1/2 cup of cheese to a meal, it will calculate how many calories are created by those items as well as how much exercise it will take to burn off. I have tried many different fitness apps and this one is my favorite because it doesn't tell me that I eat too much or too little or work out to little or anything that could dampen my morale, instead it helps me create and work with a fitness plan and diet that works best for me.
     While I will be posting blog posts filled with some of my healthy meals, I will be tracking my daily and weekly progress with my fitness pal. I hope to post about dishes that are both healthy and tasty. There are many ways to "cheat" and make meals taste absolutely delicious but still be healthy and have components necessary to mainting a balanced diet. I hope to post weekly about my meals or at least monthly, If I post monthly then I will include a list of various meals and their components, the outcomes, and the overall taste and benefit of the food. As for tonight, I set out on an adventure to make pasta with vegetables from my garden, butter instead of olive oil, but healthy in all other areas.

Greasy Lake Blog Post

Clearly Innocent Boys at Greasy Lake

    In the essay “Greasy Lake” by T.C. Boyle, three main characters, Jeff, Digby and the Narrator travel to a remote lake looking for some trouble. The narrator explains that him and the boys are cool customers, and are bad characters not to be messed with. It is made clear in the first few paragraphs of the essay that the boys aren’t tough, bad, or even cool, but quite the opposite. The narrator desires to be seen as a “bad character” and talks about sniffing glue and ether, wearing torn up leather jackets and drinking gin and fruit juice to prove his point. Through information presented, the boys show us that their “Greasy Appearance” is only a facade hiding their true weak and innocent nature.
    In the initial description of the boys, the narrator intends his information to be taken as “serious” and “tough” when in reality every piece of information presented oozes with inauthentic “badness”. The first “tough” piece of information the narrator presents is when he says “we wheeled our parents’ whining station wagons out into the street we left a patch of rubber half a block long”.  The patch of rubber the narrator is referring to is often called a “burn out” and happens when one floors the gas pedal from a dead stop. This first piece of information given to the reader clearly illustrates the narrator’s attempt to be cool because any “bad Character” would have referred to the marks as the result of a burn out, nevermind the fact that the burnouts were done in suburban housewife station wagons. I am not sure what greasy character would want to be seen in a station wagon, or even bring attention to it. Another example displaying the boys true nature is “ ..in the company of two dangerous characters...headshop proprietor”. The fact that Digby got into Cornell, and Ivy League College proves that he is not remotely a “bad character”. He had to have maintained good grades, be wealthy, and enroll in hard classes to get into cornell, and none of these aspects prove him a bad character but rather instead a good character. As for Jeff, the narrator mentions the possibility of him becoming a “headshop proprietor” in other words, a drug dealer, and no true greasy character would admit or suggest their friend is or is aspiring to become a drug dealer.
    The events that take place in the rest of the essay further prove that the narrator and his friends aren’t bad characters, but weak innocent young men desperately trying to fit in. Their reckless behavior and false appearances get them into trouble at Greasy Lake that leads them to realize they are pretending to be something they aren’t. The final proof of their true innocent nature is in the final paragraph of the essay when a woman offers them some form of drugs and invites them to hang out. The boys quickly decline the invitation. This just further supports the idea that the boys aren’t true greasy characters, and probably won’t act as such after being traumatized by the severe events at greasy lake. They realize that their desire to be bad and fit in isn’t worth enduring such gruesome circumstances.

What I Know Essay

All things are significant, great or small.

A Single Fleck of Red and Green

      All of the half-cut wine barrels on campus are filled with beautiful flowers that glisten with hues of pink and red. Their leaves are healthy and their roots are strong. One barrel stands out among the rest. Its tendrils are weak, its petals wilting and its hues showing ever so faintly. Tragedy has been experienced by this plant. It's soil looks just as rich and nourished as the others, yet its flower continues to weaken. The stem is covered in drapes of brown, with patterns of green trying to fight their way through. As the stem grows weaker, the spectrum of colors on the petals grows darker, some petals have lost their color completely, wasting away in a sea of taupe. The only color standing out on the once spectacular plant is a single green stem with a head of red flowers. The plant is clearly dead, but not malnourished. One branch of the plant has managed to survive, its colors shining brightly enough to illuminate the entire structure. The image of death is weakened by the one striving branch. The liveliness of the green and the brightness of the red produces hope that the plant has not given up the fight to live. Until the green shine dissapears completely, and the red vanishes, the plant will not be forgotten. In a sea of brown, with such beautiful neighbors, a single branch illuminates the quad.

Box Man Discussion Debrief

1.) New thing you learned?
I learned that many homeless people may not necessarily dislike being homeless, they may enjoy the various aspects of homelessness, the main one being the solitude. In the Box Man, he enjoys solutide and welcomes it readily, he disregards the help offered to him. I also learned why the author puts the thesis towards the end of the story, she does this because she wants us to come to our own conclusion about what the story means, and then verify it instead of telling us what the story is about and trying to convince us of such.

2.) Something I wish we would have talked about?
I wish we would have talked about why the Box Man makes his home in a doorway, where people can see him and acknowledge his condition. It seems like most homeless people like to live in conditions away from people where they can't be seen. The Box Man welcomes solitude so why would he make his "home" where people can see him readily.

3.) What I wish I would have said?
I wish I would have talked more about why the thesis was placed towards the end, the thesis itself is very unique and the placement really illustrates the author's point. I wish I could have shared my thoughts with the class further because I really like the author's choice of placement. By placing the thesis at the end it just verifys and supports the thesis' we came up with during our own reading of the story.

"I Am" Paper

I Am A Barbie

Long Form

Here is the Long Form my  for The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

Senior Project: Computer Programing

For my senior project, I decided to focus on computer programming, more specifically the language C++. I have been interested in computers and computer gaming since I was very young. I knew that for my senior project I needed to pick a topic that would allow me to invest a lot of hours, but also keep me entertained and excited. I have done some programming in the past but only small amounts sporadically. I want to pursue computer science as a major in college so it seemed like an intelligent decision to focus on programming for my project.

When considering possibilities for my project, I mulled over a few different ideas. At first I was inclined to do something horse-related. As mentioned before in my "About Me", I have been around horses my entire life, and my mom is a large animal veterinarian. It would have been very simple for me to focus my project around horse therapy or becoming a veterinary technician. However, accessible as those options were, I decided to try something that I knew would not only be a great challenge, but a goal far more technically complex than I had attempted before.

Perhaps the most difficult part about my project is finding a mentor that will be able to provide the wisdom and advice I need. My uncle majored in computer science and computer programming and works for a well-respected company, the unfortunate part is that he lives in Southern California. I could manage web-chats and online conversation but it would be far more convienent if I could find help from someone local. Another challenging part about this project was finding a computer capable of maintaining and running the software needed to program. I started programming on my household computer, logging more than 40 hours in a single week, only to find that my computer couldn't handle the strain programming placed on it. The computer crashed and I am still at this point, desperately attempting to re-build it. I am currently typing this blog on the computer located at my work in my free time, as I have no access to any other computer to be able to complete my work. At the rate things are going I forsee myself needing to purchase a high-end laptop with enough RAM and Hardrive to run Codeblocks and other utility programs neccessary for programming with C++.

The final result of my project should be a complex functioning program. I have not yet decided what the base for the program will be, whether it will be game-related or app-related. I do know however that my measly 40 hours logged will not be nearly enough to make a dent in the process. I predict I will log over 150 hours before my goal can be brought to reality. I had made a few programs before my computer crashed, just basic surveys and utilities, I hope to pursue more complex functions once I build or purchase a functioning computer.

My project thus far, although challenging and problematic, has brought me a great sense of accomplishment, and I look forward to seeing it reach its end result.

About Me

Hello! My name is Molly Northrup. Although I am not a stranger to the world of computers and technology, blogging is a new language for me. As I adventure into this new world of "blogging" I am sure that the mechanics of it will become decreasingly less foreign and more enjoyable. I am a student eager to learn, I have never been one to shy away from commitments (class courses) labeled as rigourous. I am greatly looking forward to this year's class due to the fact that school Literature and English subjects are not just classes to me, but chances to spend "mandatory" time at school participating in enjoyable discussion and beneficial learning that allows me to forget that I am, in reality, at school.

I believe in making education enjoyable. I have always been able to find some sort of humor or entertainment in any learning process, as a young girl who's mind works in a technical fashion, I enjoy mental stimulation. I think perhaps what I enjoy most in my english classes is the discussions that take place over controversial and heated subjects brought to light in our books or our learning. English is my passion, If I knew I was the type of person who could sit at a desk or a certain space for countless hours and stay focused, I would happily become a writer. I however believe that honesty is the best policy and would be lying to myself if I said that I knew I was capable of such a profession and hobby. For my senior year I have enrolled in multiple AP classes and I am very excited as I expect my year to be very rigorous but also very rewarding. I am the most excited about this class, and the least excited about my AP calculus class, I expect it will be very challenging, and many hours will be spent in tutoring and on studying, but I know at the end of the year I will be thankful that I pushed myself to take on such a class. Math as you may have noted is NOT my forte.

Outside of the time I spend in school and completeting school related activities, I have hobbies that I adore and spend most of my time on. My main passion is horseback riding, the specific type I compete and train in is English Show Jumping. I have been riding horses since the age of four. My mom introduced me to the world of horseback riding as early as possible because she had ridden horses her whole life. She was a team captain on the Tufts Equestrian Team and was a lead competitior at multiple national championships. She transfered to UC Davis in her mid twenties to pursue her goal of becoming a veterinarian and became the Team Captain of that equestrian team as well. Horseback riding is in my blood, and is the one element that my life completely revolves around. My first horse was bought by my mother when I was 6, she was a stunning paint quarter horse mare named Lena that had been winning in the west coast show circuit for numerous years. I still have the mare and she is sitting out fat and happy in the back pasture of our current property. Over the years I have acquired numerous show horses, none of which, fortunately, I have had to sell. I love each and every one of my horses, they are my bestfriends, some of which I even call my guardian angels, they are truly magnificent creatures that have changed my life in ways I can't describe. I am currently at a standstill with my horseback riding. I had been riding with a very well-renowned trainer in Calistoga at the barn Diamond Mountain Stables. Her sole purpose in my riding career was to help me get to young riders, which is the equestrian world equivalent of Junior Olympics. Unfortunately my trainer had a severe miscommunication with my mother and myself which lead us to no longer ride at Diamond Mountain Stables. My mother and I decided that the relationship between my trainer and I was no longer healthy or mutually beneficial and that it was time for a change. I am currently searching for a barn in which my trainer will share my love for riding, and want me to succeed as much as I want to succeed. I have never been a person to be selfish or walk away from a challenge, horseback riding is my passion and my life, and although I am aware there will always be bumps in the road, I look forward to the day when I find a trainer who not only adores horses, and the sport, but her riders as well. Even though I have endured many dissapointments in my riding, I will never lose my passion for it. When you jump over an obstacle on a horse, it's like you're flying. The fact that a 1500 pound animal can soar over a jump with such grace and stability, without wings, is truly fascinating to me. Horses are the closest things that humans can find to perfection. My ultimate dream would be to make it into Stanford, pursue computer science and engineering, and join the Stanford Equestrian Team.

One of my other passions is engineering and learning the mechanics of things. I share a strong love for cars and computers because both are such complex objects, that once you find the mechanics of them, are truly impressive. Since I was a very young girl I have enjoyed playing computer games and video games and actually helped my dad build my first computer at the age of 9. Even though math isn't my strong suit, dealing with formulas and basic mechanics is something I enjoy doing. I crave constant mental stimulation, and when one works with a computer or car, you learn that everything is connected in some way or another. The connection may be as small as two components that are connected by a single bolt, or so complex as that of an engine, or hard drive, where no one piece can function without the support of another. My family holds a long line of mechanics and engineers. I find pleasure in two main things when it comes to engineering, fixing a problem, and creating something completely original. Within the last year I have started computer programming. Programming is not only interesting to me, but rewarding. When I complete a program, or fix an error in a program that keeps it from running, I feel ecstatic.

This blog posting was designed to be a simple "about me" but as you can tell by the long paragraphs, and frequent ranting, I am still learning the "blogging" language. I greatly look forward to spending time in this year's AP Language and Composition class, and know it will be a wonderful experience!