Blog #11: Blogging

When I found out that we had to make a blog for this class I was so intimidated and really not excited about it. My sister blogs all the time to keep my family updated on her daughter and I always thought her blog was so cool. I tried to make a blog for myself before this class and it lasted for about a week then I was all out of ideas leaving me nothing to write about so that was the end of that blog. However, when we started this blog, I was surprised that I actually liked it. Sometimes it was hard to come up with things to blog about, but once I got the hang of it, it became easier. 

As an assignment for this class, I do think making the blog was useful. This was a fun and more creative way to write in stead of just a traditional essay. Through blogging, I learned more more about rhetoric and more ways to write. 

Entry 9: Pink Slime.

After watching the video and reading these articles, I am completely disgusted. 

The fact that this picture of "meat" is acceptable to serve at a restaurant is completely ridiculous. Just because it is cheaper for them to make, making it cheaper for them to sell does not mean that they should. And to make it even worse, schools have to opt out of getting meat with ammonia in it. I think that it should be a given that schools don't serve McDonald's quality meat to children. Schools talk about cutting out sweets from schools because it is causing childhood obesity then serving this to them at lunch just makes no sense.

I believe that the United States needs to do what other countries do by having a standard of what the food has to be. America is the most obese country in the world and after watching this video and reading these articles, I know exactly why.

Entry #8: Being Vegan

Growing up, I spent every summer going to Iowa and staying on my aunt's farm. Being there, I saw how her farm worked and as I got older I got more interested in how other farms worked. So, when I was sixteen, I went to a "factory farm" in Iowa and saw how the animals were treated and it broke my heart. 

That day I decided that I wanted to become a vegan. I am already deathly allergic to dairy so all I had to really do was cut out meat. For the first few months, I absolutely loved it. I felt so great after eating, I was never bloated or felt "stuffed" after eating. It was great. But, after those few short months were over, I began getting really sick. Since I am allergic to so many things, my body was deprived of a lot of nutrients. When the doctor told me that I would never be able to be vegan because I need all of the nutrients from chicken I was heart broken. However, since then, I only purchase and eat meat that is grass-fed and pasture-raised.

Being vegan you still get many of the nutrients you need such as carbohydrates, potassium, magnesium, and many vitamins. 

If you are interested in becoming vegan or just how it works, here's a few super informative websites on being vegan! :)

http://www.veganurbanite.com/2010/05/04/59-health-benefits-of-being-vegan/

Entry #7: Fresh

The film Fresh is a documentary about farmers that are re-inventing our food system and they discuss the consequences of how food, especially meat, fruits, and vegetables, are being produced today.

The part of this film that stood out to me the most, was in the beginning when they have all of the baby chicks in what looked like laundry baskets and they literally just dumped them onto the ground. It was so sad. Fresh made me want to go back to being vegan and if I physically could, I would. 

This picture isn't from the movie but you get the idea.

I think this film does matter because obesity and other health related diseases are becoming more of an issue today than they ever have before. And i believe his is because not many people are monitoring hat they are putting into their bodies before they eat it. Not many people know what is in the food they are eating or how it was made. Because of this, I think Americans need to know more about what they are eating. What we put into our bodies really does matter and it really is an issue. We rely need to start caring and monitoring what we are putting into our bodies because if we aren't careful, we can end up with multiple health problems due to poor eating habits. 

Entry #5: Wall-E

I remember watching this movie as a little kid and thinking it would be so cool if technology became so advanced that life would really be like that. Now, I look at it and pray to God technology never becomes that advanced. 

This film does offer relevant commentary on our present culture and society because it shows that this is what society could come to wit ha ll the advances in technology. 

In the beginning of this clip when the two guys are sitting in their chairs next to each other, rolling down the hallway they are sitting there talking to each other through screens. THEY ARENT EVEN LOOKING AT EACH OTHER. They are five feet away from each other and they can't even turn their heads to look at one another?! They have to be talking through a screen. I hope technology never gets so advanced that when having a conversation with another person it really isn't even a conversation.

Entry #4: Drinking and Driving

Two weeks ago today one of my best friends, Amanda, was hit head on by a drunk driver. After hitting her and her friend, leaving them almost dead on the side of the road, he fled the scene. It wasn't until twenty minutes later when another car drove by, saw their car, and called for help. Luckily, their accident happened less than a quarter mile away from the Arrowhead Hospital so it didn't take long for the ambulance to get there. Once help arrived, the drunk driver came back to the scene to see if who he hit was okay. Where he was then arrested.

Once Amanda arrived at the hospital it was decided that her injuries was too extensive for that hospital's ICU. She was then put on a helicopter and flown to a hospital with a better trauma center and ICU. It was at that hospital where they found that she had 4 broken ribs, a broken leg, and a ruptured spleen; not to mention all the cuts and bruises she had all over her body. 

While in the hospital, Amanda was on a feeding tube, had multiple surgeries, and even came close to losing her life a few times. All because of someone's stupid decision to drink and drive.

A few days ago, Amanda finally got to go home. The look on her face when she pulled up to her driveway was something I will never forget.

Seeing everything my friend and her family went through really made me look at my life completely differently. It made me count my blessings one more time and realize really how great my life truly is and all of the amazing people in it. 

So please, don't drink and drive.

Here's a picture of her car from the accident:

Entry #3: Could You Give It Up?

Last week I went to my parent's house for dinner. While sitting at the dinner table, my dad yelled at my brothers, sister, and I for always being on our "gadgets." For him, he grew up in a time where technology wasn't this advanced so "family dinner" literally meant sitting down and having dinner with your family; completely uninterrupted. However, in today's society, that is completely different. 

My dad yelling at us got me thinking. Could we live without our cellphones and other technology? I know I couldn't. The first thing I do when I wake up is check my text messages, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc. Then throughout the day, I am constantly on my phone. Whether it is to call my best friend, check all my different social medias, or to listen to music when I am running. Then when I come home from work or school or wherever, I usually can be found sitting in my bed watching Netflix and scrolling through Tumblr on my laptop. I am constantly using technology.

While researching to find an article that would correspond with this topic I found this one.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/the-technologies-americans-can-and-can-t-live-without-20140227

In this article, a pole that was taken about what technology people believed would be the hardest to give up. It was concluded that 53% of people believed that Internet would be the hardest technology to give up. 

So now my question for you is, could you give it up?

Entry #2: "Get your S**t Together"

Today was the day, the first day that I got to serve at work. Unfortunately running behind I had to rush to work and it started off on the wrong foot. I ran through the front doors clocked in and tried to compose myself, but I just could not do it. Standing in the back of the kitchen having a total melt down my manager Clayton walked up and looked me straight in the eyes sayings with out a stutter," get your s**t together Hayley!" It took every last ounce inside of me to pull myself off what felt like the floor grab my note pad and get out there.

With no training and no experience in serving I had no clue where to start, but somehow I managed. Before I knew it there was three tables I was waiting on and doing it like a pro. Nothing could stop me, and I felt invisible. One table left and another sat down. With a constant flow of people I was in a complete cluster, but I continued onward until 5:15 hit and Clayton again said,"get your s**t together Hayley! You should have been out of here fifteen minutes ago!" Quickly I handed my tables off to the next waitress and ran to the time clock because it was Sunday and we all know how Saturday nights go. I said my quick goodbyes to my peers then walked as fast as I could to my car.

When I was finally in my safe zone with the cold air blowing in my face I grabbed my note pad to see how much I had made in tips during this insane day. To my surprise I counted and then continued counting until I got to 130 dollars. 130 dollars! I could not believe it so I counted again and again; over and over until I realized I had actually made all of that money in one day due to my outstanding service. Tonight I realized hard work does pay of, literally and figuratively, and just because something is new and intimidating does not mean that you won't succeed. Change is not always a bad thing.

Entry # 1: Just Blogs.

About a year and a half ago, my sister stared a blog for her little, ridiculously adorable family. While reading it I thought to myself, "this is so cute, maybe I should try it." Well, that idea lasted for about one week. So, for the sake of this class (and my grade), lets hope I can keep up with this one a little longer. 

While researching blogs this week, I found a blog that corresponds with one of my absolute favorite books: A Lifetime of Secrets: A PostSecret Book. This blog is called PostSecret. 

PostSecret is a blog where people anonymously send in post cards with one of their biggest secrets on it. One of the best things about this blog is that you can sit down and literally read for hours. You know the books where you just can't stop turning the pages because you HAVE to know whats going to happen next? Well, in this blog, you just can't stop scrolling. Some things you'll read and want to cry, while others you will laugh so hard you nearly pee your pants. 

Another blog I had the pleasure of reading was called, Dumb Little Man: Tips For Life. This blog was so true to life. I love it. It talked about everything you possibly need to know about life. From not spending all of your time (and money) on partying while you are in your twenties to learning to meditate. This is such a down to earth, truly funny, and informative blog. And what makes it even better is one of the best quotes ever is on it: 

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” - Nelson Mandea

This one is definitely worth the read.

The last blog I found was titled Getting Stamped. Honestly, when I read the title of this blog, I thought it was going to be about tattoos but to my surprise it was about traveling. Anything you would ever need to know about traveling, you can find on this blog. It literally has everything. Getting Stamped will tell you places to go, things to eat, and the best tips and tricks for vacation. But, the best article on this blog was posted by "Adam" and was titled Inside A Great White Shark Cage. In this piece, Adam talks about swimming with a great white shark in South Africa and he even posts a video of him doing it. 

Introduction Practice Entry

My name is Hayley. I am the second oldest of four kids and I have the most adorable niece imaginable. You could say I am a bit of a shopaholic and I am slightly obsessed with doing hair. But, the first step to recovery is admittance, right? Currently, I work at The Westin Kierland Resort in Scottsdale and I absolutely love it. At GCC, I hope to get my prerequisites done so I can transfer to Scottsdale Community College to get my associates degree in Hospitality: Hotel and Restaurant Management. After I finish at SCC, I hope to go to ASU and get my bachelors degree in Event Planning. My ultimate goal is to open my own event planning company where I will plan glamorous weddings and parties. Fun fact: I am allergic to pretty much everything so my diet consists of chicken tenders, pasta, and Salsa Blanca.