Positively Blog Worthy

Blogging allows people a space to express their thoughts, opinions and ideas about various subjects.  They can publicize their writing so that other people are able to give their thoughts and opinions on your writing and what you said.  It is a good way to gain constructive criticism so that a blogger can build and strengthen their argument. 

When fellow bloggers give negative opinions and thoughts in their comments, it allows the writer to consider their argument and expand on the idea.  It is good for people to bring new ideas to the table so that the writer can have the ability to refute and support any conflicting comments they may receive.  Negative comments can be hard to take, but they are a good way for the writer to build their argument. 

With positive comments on blog posts, the writer does not always get anything constructive.  Some fellow bloggers will simply comment that they like the post and list the points that they agree with.  It is nice to know that people agree with and like a post, but it does not contribute to the construction of the argument.  It is good when fellow bloggers bring new ideas to the table for the writer to contemplate. 

Blogging is a growing trend and it is a great way for people to express and share their thoughts and opinions.  It is technological advancements like this that contribute to the knowledge and comprehension of our society as a whole.  We should continue to blog: gaining knowledge from all different perspectives and building on our persuasive skills.  

Summertime Diet advice to keep you Safe/Happy/Healthy

           For those of you thinking about doing what EVERYONE does this time of year and jump on a “crash” or “fad diet” you may want to read this, and then decide…. Right now about ½ of American women are on some kind of diet and ¼ of American men. While their intentions are good, their desire for “Instant Results” is what gets most people in trouble in the dieting realm. If you don’t know what you are doing, ask someone who does! I have a background in Personal Training, and I  love helping people achieve their goals, but it’s the nature of our society to dismiss what sounds difficult as not worth it, and try and take the easy route. Think about it logically, if you were to ask someone in great shape how to achieve similar or whatever results are desired that person will likely tell you something horrifying… The TRUTH! But people seem to find out the truth and insist on inventing their own method that will inevitably FAIL.

            I used to explain to my clients when I would instruct them on what to eat, when to eat it, and why(they usually ignored the “why”). I made up this analogy; Think of your metabolism as fire and you have a 3 big pieces of wood(Meal) and an ax. What’s the quickest most efficient way to burn those 3 logs? Throw one on, wait forever for it to burn (that’s your metabolism taking forever to process a meal) and repeat the process. Sounds like the good ole’ “Three Squares A-day line.” What if you were to do THIS instead using the same size wood & and ax. I would Cut each of the 3 logs in ½ or even 1/3, this would allow me to put a little bit on at a time and allow it to burn up quicker and more efficiently. Hopefully that helps make sense of the eat more often but smaller meals thing.

            There is an abundance of resources online, in-store, and everywhere that you can find information on how to properly lose weight, lose it in a healthy way, and keep it off! Because it varies for men and women here are two great places to get you started down the right path to dropping and keeping those extra pounds off!

Women: Wonderful site for women with ample information and explanations!

Men: Tons of info on getting started for ANY GUY!

WARNING: Annoyed Blogger

Blogging is technology’s way of allowing people to express and share their thoughts and opinions on, well, on anything.  It’s like, oh I don’t know, a public diary?  But diaries are supposed to be private:  They are places where people write their personal thoughts, opinions and feelings about various subjects.  It is where they vent about their stance on certain issues.  

Personally, I never mind if people read my diary- in private.  But I do not want to hear their criticism in exchange.  I also do not want to hear them complaining about my opinion and dissecting the way I write or the things I choose to write.  I wrote them because I wanted to; do not try to sway me against my clear stance.  I do not care for their negative opinions.

Of course, if they have something nice to say, I am happy to have a positive, constructive conversation about the topic, shared opinions, or other related issues.  This can help us expand and develop on our core ideas and opinions.  It creates an immediate connection with the other person, giving a sense of understanding with one another.  

I cannot understand how blogging has become so popular.  I- for one- cannot handle the trolling and negativity that comes with blogging.  I am a generally positive person, and I do not like having to constantly be on the defense.  In fact, I am bad at playing defense.

This is why blogging is not for me: I do not want your damn cynical opinion of my stance on any given subject.  If bloggers do not have anything nice to say, they shouldn’t say anything at all.  If they have something bad to say, they should make their own blog and bitch about it with other people that agree with them, because clearly I do not. 

Fill up your tank without breaking the bank!

Gas prices are on the rise and will continue to do so as they do every summer when people are out and about more. There is plenty of ways that you can stretch your dollars at the pump, and make them last! I drive an SUV unfortunately for me, it’s a small one but it was a slap in the face the other day when I filled it up only to see the meter climb to $78.00, and it was gone three short days later. The easiest way to save some money at the pump is to drive a fuel efficient vehicle, duh right? Well if you’re like me you can’t afford to go out and buy a new Hybrid and have to stick with what you have you can STILL follow some simple tips and make some pretty minor adjustments to help save you some money. The best thing about these changes is they require little effort on your part and will allow you to stretch your cars MPG (Miles Per Gallon). Just to be clear these are my own personal knowledge tips that are REALLY easy to do. Doing just one or two won’t do much for you, it’s combining several of them that will help you get more out of every gallon. Jot down a list of a few of the techniques and tape them to your steering wheel or dash board (not a window or something) because constant awareness is the key to successfully saving on gas.

            Here are some of my own techniques and simple tips that are easy to remember, and below them will be some more dedicated methods that take improving gas mileage to a new level…. But let’s start with the easy ones first. For starters try not to drive like a maniac; anticipating when you will need to accelerate and decelerate or brake is very important because doing those steadily and gradually consumes far less gas. For those that aren’t aware a simple “Tune-Up” can really help not only your gas mileage, but the overall performance of the car. A huge killer that people seem to forget is tire pressure, the higher the pressure in your tire(stay within reason of the owners manual), this reduces rolling resistance from too much rubber contacting the road. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! I don’t know if it’s common knowledge, but I was taught the three click rule when filling up when I was a kid, so turn the cap until it clicks three times or more. Not properly tightening your cap is just going to allow gas to evaporate. I have been practicing most of these & recently became a customer of Price Chopper(Like Stop & Shop) they have a gas saving program & for every $50 you spend you get $10 off per gallon, which accumulates and you could be like me because I got 50cents off a gallon the other day! And I always try and find gas stations in groups, the competition usually means lower prices, and if you don’t know where to go for the cheapest gas get your phone out(not while driving) and download one of several FREE Apps. For your android or i-phone, I personally use “GasBuddy.”

            For any of you looking to take your gas saving to the extreme, making it a way of life here is a great resource about a technique called “Hypermiling” in which drivers use some questionable techniques such as “Drafting on the Highway”. But it’s still worth a look. Good luck and have a safe and happy summer people!

           

Procrastination Expert

Do you ever have that paper that you are just dreading to write so you put it off until the very last minute? Are you always studying the night before an exam, cramming your brain with all the information long enough to pass the test? If you’re like me, a procrastinator, it happens to you all the time. Procrastinating school work is a reoccurring thing in my life that I always vow to change yet somehow I always find a reason to push it off just one-more-day.

It seems we always know what we should do and when we should do. But knowing and doing are two completely different things. For example, if I know something is do in one week I don’t think that I should get it done soon so it is ready but instead think that I have six days before I have to start it. It is all too easy to ignore the task when something more important or interesting is presented to you in the mean time. It is extremely easy for me to procrastinate when it is something I don’t want to do.

As I’m sure many of you do, I feel like procrastinating brings a lot of stress to my life. When you wait until the last minute to do everything you are often not prepared for the things you didn’t expect. This usually leads to a time crunch where you don’t do your best work or you don’t finish.

I found a blog article written by Henrik Edberg called, How to Stop Procrastinating: 7 Timeless Tips which highlights some great points to help hinder procrastinating. Tip #3 is my favorite, Just Take the First Step. This is often the hardest thing for me to do. After I have finished a school assignment, I usually think, “that wasn’t so bad” and regret not starting it earlier. Procrastinating taking the first step of a task can happen because you are thinking about how hard or long the task may be. It’s like psyching yourself out before a big game.

Procrastination has become a habit of my academic career. I think I may read this article over and over until I make some changes to stop procrastinating. Even today as I sit here writing this blog, an hour before it’s due, I think to myself, “I wish I had just started it earlier, it really wasn’t so bad.”

Summer's here... EVERYONE PANIC

           It’s that time of year everyone, school’s getting out, the weather is getting warmer, and the layers of clothes are being stripped away. There is one inevitable truth about what is about to occur…. Mass panic and hysteria by pretty much everyone when they come to the realization that yes, summer is here! Everyone gets excited for summer and looks forward to some time off from work, spending time with friends and family, enjoying the outdoors, and hitting the beach…. Oh My God! The Beech! YES, that means you have to get that beech body ASAP! What’s the quickest way to lose that few extra pounds? Fad Diets, I mean why not follow the “trends” and just crash diet at the last minute in a desperate attempt to look good for summer disregarding the health risks and the inevitable fact that you’ll gain it all back, PLUS SOME!

            If people would just take care of their bodies by eating relatively healthy year round, there wouldn’t be such a panic to drop those pounds last minute. Not only is the risk to your health severe but, when you crash diet you are more than likely going to gain any weight lost plus several pounds because of the metabolic effect. If you don’t believe me just look here for: The effects of crash dieting on your metabolism. I used to be a personal trainer, and I work out year round and stay in great shape(Not for the beach, but because I just want to) so I get very annoyed around this time of year when everyone runs to me for advice. They usually say something like “Hey, how can I lose 20lbs by next month?” I usually tell them that’s not possible to do in a healthy way, which then leads to THEM being the expert and telling I don’t know what I’m talking about. The solution is to hop on “Google” or ask a friend what they do or have done to lose weight. Then people tend to “Diet” by starving themselves and deprive their body of vital nutrients until they reach their desired weight. THEN when they reach their goal and start eating the same crap as before, all that weight they lost piles right back on, plus some. This can lead to one of several eating disorders.

            It is pretty disturbing to see the lengths people will go to simply drop some weight before summer. We live in such a convenience filled society that it is becoming a cultural norm to put your health at risk and damage your body to “Look Good.” Just the names of some Fad diets alone are so ridiculous its amazing people try them. From the “Blue Glasses Diet” - You wear blue glasses EVERYWHERE & the blue tint makes food undesirable to the brain. Or you could try a “Tapeworm Diet”- This ones tough and pricey, you gotta go to Mexico to pay someone $2,000 for a tapeworm egg, and let it grow inside you… Up to 25 ft. in length & must be excreted…. Oh and it can kill you. That’s just two of  the “Top Ten Diet Fads of Varying Effectiveness”. If people would take care of their bodies year round this wouldn’t be an issue. It’s not that difficult to eat small meals 4-6 times a day(the frequency keeps your metabolism going & the proper portions prevent you from taking in extra calories that would be stored as fat) and get some exercise for 30 minutes a day (It’s great stress relief too), and drink plenty of water…. Let’s call that the “Everyone knows it works, but no one actually does it Diet!”

The Reality of The Kardashians

Earlier this week, as I walked into work I went to the TV room to see what the children I nanny for were doing.  I was pretty pissed to find their eyes glued to Snooki.  This happens all too frequently, that children aren't monitored in front of the TV or internet and fall into the trap of Reality TV.  

Shows like Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Jersey Shore, those Baby Mama Shows and other meaningless "reality" crap are everywhere we look.  We, as college students are able to (for the most part) keep these shows in perspective, not allowing them to shape our view of the world and influence who we think we should be.  We are old enough to recognize these shows for what they are; trashy, meaningless, entertainment.

Children, however do not have the ability to differentiate what is real and what is "reality TV" or how warped this entertainment really is.  They think that Snooki and Kim Kardashian are all over the TV and magazines because they're worth the attention, and that to get attention that's how they need to act.  It's sending the complete wrong message to young teens.  I was walking in the mall a few weeks ago and saw the new Kardashian line of clothing.  Most of their clothes look like they aim to expose cleavage or draw attention to female's chest by writing "Kardashian" in these awful obnoxious rhinestones.  Is this really what the media is trying to tell todays youth they need to wear to be popular?

Middle and high schoolers have no reason to watch fake boobed bimbo's get trashed and hook up with random people on TV.  Or allow them to make a mockery of the institution of marriage.  I will admit, I had watched "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" a few times for mindless entertainment (under no circumstance will I ever watch Jersey Shore) and a had few laughs.  But I can do that because I take it for what it is; mindless entertainment.  Impressionable middle and high school students can't see this.  No good can come from them watching shows like this.  They don't send good messages to kids, and they don't portray a good imagine of what it takes to be famous - which is what most of these kids want to be when they grow up.

So let's not allow the Kardashians, Snooki or pregnant teens influence todays children.  Don't let the kids you babysit for watch that "reality" crap on TV.  Tell your friends how ridiculous it is to allow their children to watch it.  Don't let America's youth think that the reality TV lifestyle is something to aim for. 

Let Trainers in the Water with Shamu!

It's been two years since Dawn Brancheau was killed by Shamu, SeaWorlds most popular attraction.  The rumors of the cause of Shamu's aggression spread like wildfire.  Some say that he had been overly aggressive that morning, and they never should have put him in the show.  Others say he was playful and thought his trainer's pony-tail was a toy.  The truth is, we will never know what happened between the Orca and his trainer under the water before he gripped her by the hair.  We, the public, only know what we are told - and what has happened since Brancheau's tragic death.  

I went to SeaWorld last year and was surprised when none of the Orca trainers got in the water with the animals.  Shamu's show, which used to be SeaWorlds claim to fame, was really quite lame.  The trainers spent more time clapping their hands, dancing, and trying to get the audience involved than working with the animals.  I then found out that the trainers are no longer able to interact with the whales in the water due to Brancheau's death and the ongoing lawsuit her family has against SeaWorld.

This is completely ridiculous.  SeaWorld has less than two openings for Orca trainers per year with thousands of applicants.  From this, it's safe to determine that it's one of the most difficult jobs to get.  These trainers don't spend their entire career working toward this goal without realizing they could die in the same way Brancheau did.  This is the same with those entering the military or police force.  Death is a possibility.  You simply don't enter a dangerous field without accepting this reality.  

I realize that SeaWorld is trying to cover their "behind" and help prevent future instances like Brancheau's.  However, it's unfair to strip what other trainers have worked their life for.  Interacting with whales in the water are what these trainer live to do.  In a field as competitive as Marine Mammal Training, the sacrifices can be extreme and the dedication they must have to the field and animals is unimaginable.  These trainers deserve to do what they have worked incredibly hard to accomplish.  Dawn Brancheau knew exactly what the dangers of her job were, and willingly went to work every day.  Being killed by a whale is a reality in her job field.  Don't make all the other trainers pay for an unfortunate reality of the job.

There is a Bad in Everything

Uniforms are common in many private schools but now they are becoming popular in public schools too. Many more public schools are now realizing that wearing a uniform could be good for the students, however, the negatives weigh out the positives.

There are many things that play into school uniforms like the cost, loss of self-expression, and comfort. Every student needs regular clothes to add to their school uniforms and that can add up. There are some second hand shops that will carry uniforms but it would just be easier for families if the students could just wear the same clothes they have to begin with. Loss of self-expression is a big problem that I have with school uniforms. I feel that every student needs to be able to express themselves in a school system because that is where they can really find themselves. It is different in school because that allows the students to get to know a large amount of kids their same age, and truly find friends. Your style is not only clothes but it reflects your personality, something uniforms would mask. I also believe that comfort is very important in learning. School uniforms will often be uncomfortable and nobody wants to learn in those cases. I am not saying that wearing your pajamas to class is okay, because it is not, but for some girls, including myself, it can be uncomfortable and distracting. The negatives to school uniforms could go on and on. Uniforms create more problems for these students rather than helping the issues in the public schools.

Uniforms are okay to be in private schools but not in public schools. 

Wednesday? Night Football

I was surprised to hear that the NFL would be starting the season on a Wednesday this year for the first time in history. I read an article on the Huffington Post which said that the reason was to avoid conflict with Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention. This reasoning made me raise an eyebrow about the NFL’s decision and the motivation behind it.  

Maybe the NFL doesn’t want to compete for the viewer’s attention on this night but I have a feeling that isn’t the whole story. We are enduring a long road to the presidency and will endure it for the next nine months to come. After that I believe that NFL fans and others would happily choose to watch the game even if the President was talking at the same time.  Along with many NFL fans, I myself am counting down the weeks to opening night and could care less about some Democratic National Convention.

The real threat is to Obama and the Democratic Party, who would be losing viewers due to the opening game. If the game was scheduled during the Republican National Convention would it have been re-scheduled? I wonder if even respect would have been given to both political parties or if the NFL organization would have shown favoritism. I guess we’ll never know. But for hypothetical thought, maybe Obama spoke with the Commissioner of the NFL and requested the opening game be changed. And how could one ignore a request from the President of the United States? It should be the NFL’s turn to make accommodations anyway, after last year when President Obama moved a speech on his new job plans up an hour early not to conflict with the NFL season opener.

Whatever the reason behind this change in date, the NFL will play a game on a Wednesday for the first time in history and that is one less day football fans have to wait for the season to start.