Magic Number Fifty...

Well, this would be my last post... :(

I'd like to write out all of my blog titles and say which each were about, to maybe make this a little easier for Mrs. Piro to grade. :)

From Oldest to Newest, here they are.

Wait... What? - Misc.
It was like... BAM - career path.
So let me tell you about Mr. Casey... -other classes.
Work!Work!Work! - misc.
Secondhand bookseller - RR.
In class 1 -IC
In class 2- IC
Red canary of death- RR
c-c-c-career path! -career path
the c-word! -misc.
how i met your mother-IC
ten minute writing -IC
Girl in Red... -misc.
once upon a time-IC
fuzzy wuzzy-misc
that girl-misc
in class 6 -IC
career path-career path
cal-q-luz - other classes
seeyle-RR
lantry's -RR
2b or not 2b-(this is where we wrote about our readings from TSIS... i think it was RR)
toothfairy's scottish adventure- IC
aw snap. -IC
so let me get this straight-career path/misc
oops...-IC
in class-in class
other classes-other classes
in class 10-in class
remix video-in class
hopkins's essay-RR
food art-in class
other classes-other classes
in class 14-IC
tornado-misc
lessons from fifty shades -misc
career path(dreams) -career path
happy thanksgiving-misc
other classes-other classes
burnette's essay-RR
in class 15-IC
frack this! -misc
family traditions-misc
what i learned in boating school is- misc
welcome to all things scottish- misc
another class and broken glass- other classes
caring... -misc
careering - career path
what i learned in english comp is... THIS class:)

magic number fifty...misc

Well, that makes fifty! I do have one complaint though, it seems that when I edited some of these blogs, it changed the date on them? And the dates are off, like so many hours behind. Oh well, it's not like I sat here and wrote fifty blogs in one night.

I would just like to end on a good note, that I really enjoyed this class more than I thought I ever would. It was challenging in a very positive way and made me think like I have never thought before... like a writer.

Hopefully, I can reflect on what I have learned in this class in the future when I am taking other classes. And I will take with me all the self confidence I have gained. I hope everyone is preparing for their final exam and working really hard! I know I am... I bought a poster board and everything. I'm so ready! Let's do this!

WHAT I LEARNED IN english composition IS...

Admit it. We all seen that episode of Spongebob...

Well, I can relate to that. Spongebob can't drive. I can't write.

Well, it's not so much as I can't write, obviously I know how. I just don't think I am very good at it. This class was intended, in my opinion, to find out a little bit about oneself. I got to know myself in a writing perspective very well. I learned a lot along the way too. I learned new strategies for writing in my other classes which will help me tremendously. I learned not to procrastinate...  I learned how to look at things from a different perspective and write for the intended audience. All of these things are great skills, but I also learned that I hate writing recreationally. Honestly. I feel like I am horrible at it! I hate the rules that come with academic writing and I'd rather just free write   for any assignment I do. I realize that this is unrealistic, but a girl can dream right? I write as if I were talking, and I like reading pieces that do the same. Unfortunately, that isn't how the world works. Everyone has to do something that they do not like to do, but that's life. And for these occasions, I feel more prepared than I ever have. I like how writing in this class was a process, and it all didn't happen overnight. I have found out that creating an outline helps me with the whole writing process so that I don't have to pull paragraphs out of thin air, and that they appear to sound more natural. No matter what class I'm writing for, I will always continue to recite, "One paragraph, One focus," over and over in my head. That helped me a lot too. 

This class helped me in more ways than I ever thought it would. I would like to thank our instructor, Mrs. Piro, for all of her hard work and effort put forth in this class and for teaching me new things I probably never would have found out on my own. This class wasn't about writing, it was about other classes too, and it will continue to help me through out my entire college career.

careering.

I can remember being in eighth grade and wanting to be a tattoo artist.

Don't get me wrong, I was a good artist, er, still am today, but I can't believe I wanted to do something so... permanent. My mother, a strong-willed Christian woman, was outraged by this.  She told all of her friends that I wanted to be a doctor, but when they asked me in person, I would say tattoo artist, and I would see steam shooting out of her ears like she was in an old cartoon. Isn't it crazy something of of the things we wanted to do when we were younger?

You could always remember your parents talking about their rebel years from the eighties and how they used to dress and what kind of music they used to listen to. I feel like now that our generation and the generations ahead of us grew up/are growing up way too fast. I'm close to eighteen years old and I can look back at how much I've grown in just the past few years. I've come a long way, really. I went from crazy fourteen year old to decent seventeen year old. I guess you could say I went from young and stupid to less young and less stupid. But haven't we all?

I want a real job that I can be proud of. A job where a percentage of my paycheck doesn't come from a tip jar. Or a g-string. (Oh my God, did I just write that?)

Ha! I guess you could say I want to be a respectable adult. I just want to pack my bags for further education and work in a real lab with real chemicals. Well It's not like I don't work with those now, but you know what I meant. I want to be able to rent a car and have my insurance go down. I want to be even less young and less stupid. . .

Caring... Everyone Should!

Hello!

Okay, so I was at work today when a one of the "newer" members of our staff was NOT doing a very good job at, well, doing his job.

The supervisor that was on duty at the time, Dee, (who is incidentally my cousin) is a very clean and organized person. She does not like messes or people who slack off. This guy, whose name I won't mention, was walking around, not cleaning things, not doing dishes, letting coffees expire, and pretty much doing nothing. Finally, Dee had enough and just went OFF on this kid. He was old enough to know better and had been working at Panera for a long enough time to not slack off. I don't blame her because he was being ridiculously lazy, and I'm surprised she didn't fire him on the spot. His main problem was that he didn't care. Which is where I'm going with all of this.

If you don't care about what you're doing, whether it's school work, a job, or about anything else, you aren't going to do a good job. You should do a good job in whatever you do and give 110% every single time. This worker was going on about how he didn't know id he was going to keep this job because he might be moving out of town anyway. It doesn't matter! Maybe it has something to do with me growing up on a farm and doing a lot of hard work. I was raised to do something until it was done right and go above and beyond. I just believe you should always care about what you do and do it to the best of your ability.

It's all about dedication. You have to be dedicated to what you do, or it's gonna get sloppy, whether it's working at a minimum wage job or being the executive CEO at a company, you should always do your best. Keep working hard, everyone! We're almost there!

x.x
Leah:)

another class and broken glass!

Hello all!

Friday was kind of a crazy day for me.

It all started when I was in my chemistry class taught by one of my favorite teachers, Mr. Casey. We were doing a lab that involved nitric acid and iron chloride. (FeCl3) These are both very corrosive and dangerous materials! One has to be very careful when dealing with these chemicals. Any way, My lab partner, Kylee, and I were using our bunson burner when a very unsettling sound came from the lab station across from us. CRASH!

I guess their lab drawer was open, which was full of Pyrex™ glass, and the tall, clumsy kid stood up and the hinges on the drawer broke and glass went flying every where! I bet at least two hundred dollars worth of glass must have been shattered. Mr. Casey, who is a very easy going, "accidents happen" kind-of-guy, told them it was okay and to clean up their mess carefully. It was a good thing me and Kylee weren't mixing chemicals at the time, or we might have blew up the lab! I jumped so bad i almost set us ablaze!

Even later that night at work when I was doing dishes, one of the new managers was putting some soup cups into the sink that didn't have any water in it, and literally broke four dishes in a row. After about the second or third one, he kept laughing and was like, "What's wrong with me?" And then broke another one and was like "These dang things are so slippery. I'm sorry but my clumsiness is not allowing me to help you, ha ha!" It made my day and I started busting up laughing. As clumsy as I am, I'm surprised I didn't break anything!

Welcome to all things Scottish, our slogan here is if it's not Scottish, IT'S CRAP.

When the Pixar movie, Brave, came out, I was so excited for an animated Scottish film. I've seen it probably six times and I love it so very much. I guess I love it so much is because I am Scottish. I am so Scottish that both sides of my family are 100% pure scotch bloodlines. It's kind of crazy if you think about it. America is supposed to be the melting pot of the world, for all immigrants from all different countries to come to and live the American dream. Well, after all these years of my family living here, I'm still... well really Scottish.

My last name, McCollum, was originally MacCallum. It was changed on my ancestor's way to America. My mother's last name, McLean, originally MacLean, was also changed. Both clans were originally from the Highlands of Scotland. My mom's family lived of the Isle of Mull, and to this day owns the Duart Castle, or the MacLean Castle.

Another thing I love about Scottish history is the Tartans! I'm sorry to be throwing all of this terminology at you, a "Tartan" (TAR-TAHN) is a plaid-like pattern that represents each clan of Scotland. My mom's is a red color and my dad's is a blue. They're both beautiful.

MacLean Tartan

MacCallum Tartan

The castles are a true beauty as well. As far as my father's castle, it lays in ruin. My mom's castle, however, is in excellent condition. It's called the Duart (Du-art) castle and it's still owned in the MacLean name today.

Two different views of the castle. 

WHAT I LEARNED IN BOATING SCHOOL IS...

Haha, I could 't think of something to write about so the first thing that popped into my head was good, ol' Spongebob Squarepants.

You can say what you want about this little sponge, but all the 90s kids remember this guy and have subconsciously learned lessons from him. 

The most relatable  episode to my life right now would be the episode where Spongebob had to write an essay for boating school. He procrastinated until he was up all night with writer's block. Eventually, he fell asleep and had nightmares about his his house burning down and him not being able to finish his essay. He wakes up just in time to finish his essay when he runs into school to hand his boating instructor, Miss Puff, the essay when she says, "Didn't you hear, Spongebob? We're going on a field trip instead." And Spongebob is all like . . .

This relates to me because in the past, I would stare blankly at a computer screen at one in the morning and wait for inspiration to pour out of me. Usually, it didn't. And I was like...

Anyway, my point is is that we can all learn lessons from Spongebob like: using your imagination, help out your friends, be careful when you're selling chocolate, don't procrastinate, Don't neglect your pet snail, don't be greedy, and so many more. My favorite episode of all time? BAND GEEKS!!!!

What have you learned from Spongebob?