Tiny Furniture

This weekend I went down to midtown to watch a movie called Tiny Furniture. I love going to midtown because they have movies that are not typically in local theaters. There are some movies that are international and independent films! It's also kind of nice to watch a movie that you can leave thinking about what you just watched. They have movies that are about current events happening in the world or it displays a certain message that everyone needs to know. I find these films very inspiring.

Tiny Furniture is about a girl that graduated from college and majored in film. She came back home without a job and had just broken up with her boyfriend. She was a typical college graduate that had to figure out what was the next step in her life. Tiny Furniture was interesting because it was based on a true story and about her life. The filmed the movie herself and was in the movie as well. She used her mom, sister, and her house to film her movie and wrote the script. For her first movie it was pretty good and it has now become a hit.

My mom thought it was good for me to watch Tiny Furniture because eventually this is when I graduate, I will be going to school for the same thing. I will be learning how to make movies, write scripts, and edit films as well. She has given me more confidence about what I would like to do in the future and maybe one day I could do the same thing! Who would have ever thought her film was going to become so popular? She used her skills and knowledge that she learned in school in produced something great.

Jaws

In El-Arish, Egypt there was a German tourist who was attacked by a shark at an Egyptian Red Sea Resort. The shark tour off the tourist's arm and almost killed her instantly! Apparently this attack had not been the first incident. After this attack, there were another four attacks to four other tourists. The woman was swimming in the water when the event happened. There was also another attack when an elderly woman's hand was ripped off and another woman's leg was torn off. Eventually the resort and beaches were closed down. This could be detrimental to tourism in Egypt because 66% of Egypt's total income comes from tourism. By the end of 2011 Egypt is expected to earn &12.3 million by tourism itself. After reading this article I don't know if I have to go to the Red Sea Resort, what about you?


http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/tourist-dies-in-another-shark-attack-at-egyptian-resort-of-sharm-el-sheikh/19746824

A New Hallelujah

Today the Daraja Children's Choir came to school. They have been coming for the past three years and I love it! The children of the choir are from Kenya! I have always wanted to go there. Every year they perform I have more of a desire to visit! This week also included a model of how a school would be in Kenya. It was very interesting to see how small the schools were and how many kids were expected to fit. A school in Kenya is less than the size of a typical class room. There are maybe a few desks where about 3-5 kids will sit and some may have to sit on the floor. There weren't enough books for the students as well.

I know that I am blessed with so many things but I tend to forget to be grateful. During the presentation they showed kids walking to school. Some kids it would take them an hour or two to get to school. Their only transportation was walking. Or if a child was not able to go to school it would be because they were getting water for the day for their family. As long as I've been in school, I almost feel as if I'm supposed to school. It's something that every person does even though they may not like it. In Kenya education is their way out. Education is where they find hope.

Today I really enjoyed watching the Daraja Children's Choir Sing. And even though they may not have a lot, they still had a smile on their face. They find their inner happiness rather than dwelling on the negative things that are happening around them. The children also had so much energy and I was not bored for one second. Not only were they a group of kids that were singing, you could see each child had a story by their expressions when they were singing. I felt everything that they sang even though they were singing in another language. I learned that even though someone may be from the other side of the world and doesn't speak you're language, there is always something that can bring everyone together.

Make It Easy by Using IWeb

IWeb is an application that Apple provides with macs. IWeb gives people the opportunity to make your own personal website. The first version of IWeb came out on January 10,2006 and is currently progressing. It gives users the opportunity to produce websites and blogs and are given the opportunity to customize as they please. IWeb is useful for making websites for business or personal purposes such as family. There is also an opportunity to link your websites through Facebook and Youtube.

Students can use Iweb as well. Students can produce podcasts or blogs. Blogging has become very popular and has progressed greatly. A student can communicate with his/her community about topics that they like to talk about. There are other sites online such as blogger.com to make a personal blog but Iweb gives the opportunity to make a blog, layout, or website to be customize rather than what is already provided. Young people are also starting to get more involved with issues around the world such as Africa or things such as fundraising. Young teens are beginning to be more proactive and participating and communicating with people around the world. IWeb can make this possible depending on what subject you like and what you want people to know. Get yourself out there!

IWeb consists of several different themes and layouts for your website. There a several different templates to choose from including your theme. It includes welcome, movie, blank, blog, blank, about me, my albums, and photo layouts. Depending on how complex your website will be. You can add more pages as you would like but it’s not required. IWeb is flexible to what you are trying to accomplish in your site. Features include, music, movies, photos, countdowns, etc. When you are finished with your website remember to edit your page and check everything before you publish it. Once you publish your site you have made a footprint online.

http://www.webhosteditor.com/tag/iweb/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IWeb

http://www.apple.com/ilife/iweb/

Mo Money, Mo Problems

This weekend I went to the movies with one of my friends. It had been awhile since I had been to the movies. The last time I went the price was around $9-$10. Last night the price was $11! I couldn't believe how expensive my ticket was. When she told me the price, I felt like my eyes were about to pop out of my socket! I had also gotten gas at the beginning of the day. By that time I had spent over $30. This didn't even count dinner, which blows my mind. I know that the economy is horrible right now but $11 for a movie is ridiculous! Especially if a whole family went to the movies together, that would be at $50 total and if you bought food at the concession stand, you could spend over $100 in a couple of hours.

When I received my debit card I looked at money a lot differently than I used to because instead of it being my mom's money it was the money I earned. So, the value of the money that I have looks a lot different. Especially because I do not have that much at all therefore I need to use it wisely. I started to write down the things I was spending my card with and it didn't make any sense. So I started to cut back on what I was buying and if I didn't need it right then and there, than I won't get it. I also needed to do this soon before I would start spending money that I knew I didn't have.

Now I understand why my mom is not a fan of using credit cards. She uses debit more than credit. I have also learned that money is not something you messed around with. One minute you may all the money in the world. But if you don't keep up with what you're spending and spending it on unnecessary things, it will be gone before you know it.

In class the other day we learned how to make a screen cast! I thought it was going to be really hard and complicated but it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be! You can either do a screen cast on your computer screen or record yourself. It's really cool actually. No wonder people on youtube can whip out a video every day! It amazes me how much you can do on a mac. Doing this has also made me more aware of how I speak and how I represent myself.

When I recorded myself for the first time I hated the way my voice sounded. I couldn't believe I actually sound the way I do. I was actually getting annoyed by my own voice! It has taught me to watch how I say things and especially to say all of my words clearly. I recorded myself at least three times until I heard one where I thought my voice was decent for this little project. I have more of an interest in screen casting, now that I have done one of my own. Maybe I will play around with it a little bit more.

Well, to give you guys a fair warning this video is rough because it's my first one. So remember E for effort on this one. :)

TiK ToK

For the past couple of months I realized how important it is not to waste time and how valuable it is. The older I get I feel as if time is moving faster. Before I know it graduation will be coming up and senior year will be over and will be getting ready for college. It's scary but at the same time exciting! New people, new places, new experiences.

I have also learned how important it is to make time for yourself. If we are constantly around people and going everywhere we never get a chance to grow. It is also hard for people to get time to themselves because of school, work, and extra curricular activities. Last year I was always doing something, going somewhere, school, or work. By the end of the year I was burned out! Giving time to myself has helped me grow and I feel that I have matured and have grown as a better person.

When you let yourself grow it is a big eye opener. I see things differently and view life differently as well. There will always be changes that are positive, but there will also be negative changes. You just have to role with the punches sometimes but it's okay.

Another thing that I am experiencing is inner happiness. I have found an inner happiness in myself and I love it. I don't let the little things bother me anymore. If something wasn't for me or it didn't work out, then that's how it is and move on. There are going to be people that come into your life and stay, and some that go out. You can't rely on people to make you happy or fill in the empty space that you may feel inside because in some cases it will not be there anymore. That is how it's going to be in the real world and it's something that I have gotten used to, quickly. Negative energy wastes too much time and it's not worth it. If it is for you, things will work out in itself. If not, than it's not good for you.