Ten Things I am Thankful For...

Ten Things I am Thankful For…

1. My parents- I am very thankful for my parents because they do a lot for me and they always help me if I am in need of it. They support me in everything I do including figure skating, school work, and my decisions.

2. My brothers- Although they may bug me a lot, I still love them and need them. Michael, Matthew, and Mitchell bring excitement to my life and always help me out when I am struggling with an issue.

3. My dog (Gracie) - My dog brings joy and happiness into my family. Even if I am in a bad mood or sad, she always makes me laugh. I love to be around her and I can’t imagine my life without her.

4. My grandparents- My grandparents always have been involved in my life. They have taken my family on wonderful vacations such as a cruise in the Caribbean Sea. I love having my grandparents around, especially my grandma.

5. My cat (Axel) – Axel is actually my pet not a family pet, so he is more special to be then my other cats I have had. I named him after a figure skating jump and he is very sweet to everyone. He always comforts me when I do not feel very well.

6. My home- I am thankful for my home because it brings me warmth and a feel of safety. I love my home and I never get bored in it. I like being comfortable in my home and not worry about issues at school.

7. My cousins- I really enjoy having my cousins around. Yet they can get annoying and a bit bratty (the younger ones), I still like their company. They always make me laugh and I am glad they are a part of my family.

8. My health- So far I have been very healthy in my lifetime, knock on wood! My life would be completely different if I had a terrible disease or was handicapped. I am so thankful that there haven’t been major issues with my health.

9. My friends- I love my friends and I love being around them. I always have a great time with them. We are all perfect for each other.

10. My neighbors- In the summer, my neighbors are my life. I am with them every day and we always ride our bikes up to Dairy Queen or K-Mart. Every summer day is fun and exciting when they are around.

Old Friends, New Friends:
When I came to Stevenson, I saw a lot of my old friends from St. Michaels. I also saw all of friends from Holmes Middle School such as Stephanie M., Bari B., and Isabelle G. While I was in Stevenson I also met a few new friends such as another Melissa, Morgan, Mira, Annie, and Chelsi.

SHS Activities Attended:
I haven’t been too many activities at school. I went to the Freshman Dance and that was a lot of fun (even though I didn’t dance a lot). I also have been too a few freshman football games, since my friend cheers on the freshman team. Though, at every game I have gone to the freshman have lost.

Funniest, Weirdest, Scariest Moments:
The funniest and weirdest moment at high school so far is when I went up to my brother in the hall and gave him a big hug in front of all of his friends. The scariest moment, I think, for everyone was the first day of high school at Stevenson. Also, at lunch my friend, Bari, is hilarious every day so I have had many funny moments.

Hardest, Easiest Class and Assignments:
My easiest class is definitely gym because all you do is play games. I would have to say my hardest class is biology because I do not understand osmosis and all of the cell stuff. My easiest assignment is to watch the news for G.E. History and my hardest would be the 15 paragraphs for Mrs. Bergeski. It wasn’t difficult, it just took a long time.

Top Five Current Events:
The five major stories I’d say are the death of Michael Jackson, Obama getting the Noble Peace Prize, all of the storms in the Pacific and Indian Ocean, and the Detroit Lions winning their first game in three years!! Another event is the death of Patrick Swayze from pancreatic cancer. Also, a current vaccine that came out was the H1N1 vaccine.

Faces in the News:
Some recent faces in the news are Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Ben Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas, and of course—President Obama! Others were the Hillary and Bill Clinton. One interesting face was Ardi, a skeleton found near Egypt that was millions of years old.

Interesting New Words:
Some new vocab. words that I thought were fun to say are vehemence, jubilant, and plumage. Two other fun words are peevish and lethargic. Another word that I like is dingo.

Popular or Memorable Songs:
One song that definitely got popular, even though it is an old song, is Don’t Stop Believing by Journey. Two new songs that are popular are Down by Jay Sean featuring Lil’ Wayne and Paparazzi by Lady Gaga. Two new songs that I like are Love Drunk by Boys Like Girls and Good Girls Go Bad by Cobra Starship.

Popular or Memorable Movies:
A popular movie that just came out and that I want to see is Saw VI. I am so excited to see it soon. Another popular movie that is always on television is The Notebook. Another very famous movie is Twilight. Also, New Moon (the movie after Twilight) is coming out very soon!

Rumors or Gossip:
One major story in all of the gossip magazines is about Jon and Kate, from TLC’s Jon and Kate Plus 8, getting divorce and about Jon cheating on her. Also, there is a lot of gossip going on about the Twilight actors.

Fads and Trends:
A major trend for girls is preppy. Tight skinny jeans or fitted flared jeans and clothes from Abercrombie, Hollister, PINK, Aeropostale, and Forever 21. For guys, the trend would be either sporty or preppy.

First Cultural Event:
My first cultural event was about my trip to Cancun, Mexico. I visited Tulum, a ruins of the Aztecs and I went snorkeling. Also, I went through some of the old Mexican towns. I decided to make my first cultural a creative display because I had a bunch of pictures from Mexico. Also, I made sort of a brochure.

Homecoming:
My first Homecoming was very fun. My dress was strapless and a blue color. It was from Jessica McClintock. My group was Amanda C., Amanda G., Stephanie M., Isabelle G., Bari B., and myself. We first took pictures at Stephanie's house then we ate dinner at Max and Erma's at Laurel Park Mall. Then we went to the dance. After the dance, we all slept over Bari's house.

Advice for a Freshman:
My advice for a freshman would be to do your homework and turn it in on time. Your grade will drop quickly if you don't. Also, try not to miss a lot of school. It is tough to miss several days because your are slammed with homework and all stressed out while you still don't feel too well.

What I’m Looking Forward to…:
What I'm looking forward to is Winter, Spring, and Summer Break. I'm excited for Christmas during Winter Break. In Spring Break, I am going to New Orleans, Louisiana with my entire family(like all my cousins and grandparents). And I'm going to Cancun again in my Summer Break.

Other Noteworthy Achievements or Events:
One thing that will happen in 2010 is that I will get to start driver's education in May. One other thing I'm looking forward to is the Stevenson Glow Out dance and the Coming Home dance. And I'm also excited to just relax and hangout with my friends on the weekends, especially this weekend for Halloween. Bari and I are bumblebees and Stephanie and Isabelle are ladybugs.

Culture

Culture

Have you ever been to a different country and someone came up to you and kissed both of your cheeks? And you reacted like “Whoa”. They did that because that is how they greet people in their culture. We Americans just wave, shake hands, say “Hello!”, or occasionally hug because that is how we were taught to greet someone since we were young. Some cultures may say Americans are sloppy and rude but I’d say we are laid-back and we like to have fun. Such as some Asian cultures like Korean and Japanese, they consider keeping your shoes on inside a home is rude but Americans keep their shoes on while in their homes all the time! Or like in “we” cultures where your clothing, books, music, job, and food is all decided by your family or church. On the other hand, most Americans have “me” cultures so they can choose what entertainment they like and what clothes and food they have.

However, just because I’m American that doesn’t mean I can’t celebrate other cultures too. I am very Russian and Polish so my family loves to enjoy those types’ meals like baked potatoes and kielbasas. But we love Chinese food even though we have no relation to any Asian people or cultures. My family experiences many different cultures. Such as last summer, my family went to Mexico and we went to many little Mexican towns and we went to Tulum and Chitzen Itza which are ruins made by the Aztecs. And I know other people who have been to Macedonia and to France. Also, I know many Vietnamese people who celebrate their culture by enjoying their holidays and native meals. Many people celebrate several other cultures besides American, even if they are also American.