Facebook

I am a facebook user. I really can't quite remember when I joined. Probably junior or senior year of high school. I joined mostly on the urging of my family, who all live at least an hour from me. So just like the Myspace fad, I joined.

I currently have 208 friends, of which I maybe talk to a handful. I do know everyone on my facebook, I either went to high school, cosmetology school, church or camp with them. It is mostly a way to keep in touch and check in every once in a while.  I am very cautious about my facebook. Only my friends can see anything I have on there and I am always cautious about what I say. I never put anything on the internet I would not say to my grandmother.

Since I do not have a computer at home, I maybe check my facebook three times in a week.I do believe some people are addicted to it, they constantly are on and get worried when they can't check in.

As for future employers, I am divided. Most companies run a background check and social networking sites are a part of it. As I said I am cautious about what I say, because I know it can and will be looked at. On the other hand, I hate that they can. Facebook is another form of expressing yourself and it shoulf be protected. You can say almost anything you want, why can't you post it. Also I get uncomfortable because to me it feels like an invasion of privacy. I can see both sides, but I'm not completely with either one.a

Facbook can also be scary with people using it for the wrong reasons, like pedifiles and stalkers. It also contributes to cyber-bullying. It can be very dangerous if someone decides to use it in a wrong way.

I think televisions and businesses joining is smart. They make their company seem more accessible and trustworthy because the consumer has a direct line to them.

All in all I think Facebook is a pretty good thing, but just like anything else, people can use it for the wrong thing. My advice is to be cautious but to have fun; life is too short to not enjoy yourself.

Teaching to Fish

I am an English Education major. I chose this field because I have always loved the proverb, "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and feed him for a lifetime." This has always resonated with me.

I love seeing someone's face light up when they finally get something they have struggled with or something they find interesting. I had about five teaachers who really infleunced me, made me want to learn more, and who were techers just because they love to teach. On the other hand, I have had some really bad teachers; they did not care how you did in their class, they were there because it was a secure job or they were a coach that had to teach to justify why they were there and they had no material of their own, they would just borrow from another teacher.

I want to be the teacher that will change a life, maybe not in a profound way, but enough to improve their life. I want to show them they have infinate potential, they can do what they set their minds to do.

I am a patient person, and have had much experience in reaching those who are troubled. I am a good writer and public speaker and I have a genuine want to help people.

When I graduate, I really am not concerned where I would go to teach. An option I am interested in, is the inner-city/underprivaledged school tuition forgiveness. I would love to help those who reall are in a difficult situation in life. I would like to move to a different state, I have always wanted to go west.

UnPlug America

If we could unplug all the TV sets in America, our children would grow up to be healthier, better educated, and more independent human beings. 

           I do not believe this is a correct statement. It is not television itself that is the issue. The real issues are what we let our children watch and how long they watch it.

           Parents are checked out when it comes to monitoring what their children are up to. Many kids are watching too adult of shows because parents turn on the television as a babysitter. If more parents took advantage of the V-chip and the options of blocking channels, children would not be exposed to inappropriate ideas.

           Also parents are not teaching their children to play outside. We all have a fear of kidnapping and pedofiles. We can't protect our children forever and we have to teach them good values to avoid those situations. The world will not change on it's own, we have to be the forces of change. Instead, due to our busy lives, parents are letting their kids have entirely too much time on front of the TV.

           Last not all television is bad. The Discovery, History, DIY, and PBS are all good channels to bring education to the household. If we unplugged every television we would deprive our children of some wonderful resources.

         What needs to happen is not to completely take away TV, but to make sure what we watch is meaningful and worthwhile.

In Bed: The Kiss by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

This piece is one I have always loved. I think it is one of the few paintings of this time to show something as intimate as a kiss between a man and a woman in bed. It is daring and revolutionary, much like the painting style Lautrec employed. He was one to push the envelope and see what he could get away with. He was changing the norm and fitting what was “in style” to suit what he wanted to express. He gave us a look into something not really painted before.

The color palette he chose was bright with yellow and red yet subdued by all the blue, green and gray. His colors are brighter right around the subjects, but fade away into the background. This effect makes me think it is dark out. The way he paints is reminiscent of looking through a warped or dirty window or even of a pane of glass with rain running down it. The dark slashes of paint near the bottom and around the edges are what make me think of dirt or warping, they seem to send an invisible barrier up between the painting and the viewer, reinforcing the feel of looking in.

The couple seem oblivious to any spectators they may have; they are completely wrapped up in each other. The hold is tender yet fierce as if they are afraid to let go of each other. The painting, for me, shows what being hopelessly in love looks like. They are lost in a world of their own, just happy to have a moment together