College Roommates

As the months before college grow fewer, I have started thinking about all the possibilities and dangers that arise in the college setting. By coincidence, I happened to have gone to the movies the other weekend and watched The Roommate. In this movie, two college girls, Sarah and Rebecca, become roommates. Everything seems normal and pleasant in the beginning as a trusting relationship builds between the girls. Rebecca grows quite fond of Sarah as the story unfolds, but Sarah remains oblivious to the obsession Rebecca is developing. Rebacca then takes it upon herself to eliminate the people from Sarah's life she finds as a bad influence or unwanted person for Sarah. Others begin to notice that something is not right about Rebecca, so they try to find ways for Sarah to see something was wrong. Eventually Rebecca's actions become more dangerous, and some people are faced with the matter of life and death.

The climax of the film caused me to wonder if something like this could actually occur when I become a college student. Going off to college is supposed to be a great, new, and exciting experience, but how safe is this experience? I do not know who my roommate will be, nor do I know the types of people I will come into contact with on a daily basis. I am anxious to go to college and see what new experiences I will encounter, some for better while others for worse. If you are in highschool, are you worried about what experiences you will face in college? What are you looking forward to with college? if you are in college or have graduated already, what experiences stand out the most?

Vampires vs. Werewolves

Everyone knows about the Twilight saga. People have the image of mythical creatures, such as vampires and werewolves, and place those creatures into settings with humans. Ever since these books became popular, especially when they became films, people think of vampires as cold, twinkling in the sunlight, powerful, and blood-thirsty. Werewolves are seen as protectors, not so dangerous, warm, and powerful. The vampires in Twilight have some kind of ability more than strength. The werewolves are not seen as being as dangerous as vampires. However, there are other interpretations and views of vampires and werewolves found in other books, films, or television shows.

Dracula is an original vampire novel that describes the primordial qualities placed with the mythical vampires. They were seen as dangerous, seductive, blood-thirsty, and pale. These creatures were very dangerous. Other books published more recently, such as a series titled The House of Night or a series made into a show titled The Vampire Diaries. These series sows different takes on vampires, although, The Vampire Diaries displays vampires in a similar way as in Dracula. The House of Night series has vampires the burn in the sun as in Dracula, but there is also another type of vampire described that shows each vampire has a special gift, but they can live off of food and blood. The process of becoming a vampire is also different than in the other books. They are chosen by a goddess and go through a school for vampires.The show Buffy the Vampire Slayer displayed vampires as the gruesome blood-suckers

Along with the different views of vampires comes different views of werewolves. Movies have been released about werewolves being extremely dangerous and violent. The movie soon to be released titled Red Riding Hood involves a blood-hungry werewolf reeking havoc on a village. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Professor Lupin is a werewolf. Even though he is nice as a person, when he transforms, he cannot control himself. This shows that the mythical creatures known as werewolves can be just as dangerous, if not more, than the mythical vampires.

My question for you now is, if you were to become a vampire or a werewolf, which would you be? What qualities would you possess as this mythical creature? What do you think about the various forms of these creatures described in different works of literature, films, or television shows? Which creature is better in your opinion and why?

An unfortunate accident

http://abcnews.go.com/US/oregon-man-dies-emergency-room-delay-receiving-hospital/story?id=12894214

The link above is to an article about a man from Oregon. He was not feeling well, so he told his wife he was driving to the hospital. Unfortunately, he had a heart attack in the parking lot by the emergency room and crashed his car. Eventually police came and administered CPR. Some officers went inside the ER to notify them of the accident and to send help. The ER staff told police to call 911 for an ambulance. Police officers continued CPR until an ambulance came. The man died less than an hour after the time police began CPR. The man was 125 feet from the entrance of the emergency room. Somewhere along the way there was a communication mishap. This mishap may have cost the man's life. I personally cannot believe it took so long for the man to get the help he needed when he was on hospital property. Maybe the police were unclear about the accident scene, or the hospital actually has some policy about calling for an ambulance, or maybe it is the man's fault for neglecting to call 911 when he was at his own house. The man may not have known to call 911 because he may not have spoken English since his wife does not speak English. Who was in the wrong; the police, the hospital, or the man? What do you think about this article?

Musicals; making a difference, one song at a time

Whether they are seen on stage, on television, or at the movies, musicals have grown more popular over the years. The Jazz Singer was the first to appear on the big screen in the late 1920s. Since then, musicals have become staples in America. Everyone enjoys music by various artists and entertainment from various actors; therefore, when these two are combined, audiences from all over can enjoy the actions and sounds of the story being told. Grease is definitely one of the most significant musicals because this one was able to draw in the younger crowd. This musical was released in the early 1970s and has such marvelous songs that you find yourself singing even years later. This musical incorporates dancing with singing, which may have paved the way for the future interest in dance movies that have been seen. Some examples of the dance films are Dirty Dancing, which is from the late 1980s, and Step Up, which is from the 2000s.

Dance films are not the only progression from musicals into the present. More musicals have become popular, and many have been created using songs by various artists. An example is the film Mamma Mia!, which was created using songs from albums by the artist Abba. These musicals have helped spark the interest of young people to sing, dance, or learn to play instruments. The creative minds of people around the world have been opened with the help of these films. The Sound of Music is greatly recognized by many, and is especially favorable for music instructors because of the song Julie Andrews' character sings for the do re mi syllables. This film was produced in the mid 1960s, before Grease. This films actually assists in teaching the audience about music. This film and the other films previously mentioned have set the path for the future of music. Many music artists are also actors and actresses before they pursue music careers.

Movies and even television shows have become popular ways to gain fame in the music industry. The path musicals have made, from Broadway, to the big screen, to television, has created the future of musical entertainment. Shows such as Glee have even inspired schools to begin their own Glee clubs to give students more opportunities to express themselves. Musicals, in my opinion, are important aspects of our culture and are excellent ways to show people the excitement singing and dancing can bring. Broadway, films, and television shows containing music numbers all help young people find ways to pursue their dreams and be confident in their creative nature. Music and dance are important forms of communication and expression; therefore, they are essential components in each of our lives.

Music

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVBsypHzF3U

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNtTEibFvlQ

The videos above are examples of what is acceptable in the music world today. Music today has grown into quite a provocative industry. Many artists use explicit language and their videos contain images that are not suitable for children to observe. Music videos can be seen on television by anyone with a television set; therefore, children are able to view these images. Personally, I have to admit I enjoy today's music. I enjoy singing the songs, but occasionally I find some videos a little disturbing with the sexual content. This music can promote foul language among young people, especially children. The images can show children sexual behavior, violence, and drug use are acceptable, which can lead to earlier expressions of physical relationships or even violence with young people. Soon America may see a drastic increase in early pregnancies among teenagers, especially early teens. America may also find that children are more troublesome in school with the language they use and the behaviors they exemplify. Even though the music may provide catchy tunes and emotional lyrics, the music industry should consider the fact that this music can be obtained by young people. This music could corrupt the minds of the younger people before they really know and understand what the music is truly describing. I hope parents will find ways to keep the explicit content from their children if the music industry continues distributing the provocative music that is within reach of children.

Baby Immunizations

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery-health/32130-deliver-me-immunization-video.htm

This is link is to a video my partner found for our child psychology project. This video explains the importance of baby immunizations against various illnesses, such as Hepatitis B. From this video and my project, I have learned how important it is to vaccinate children. It is also important for people our age to be vaccinated as well for various illnesses. Some parents are afraid to have their children vaccinated because of the horror stories they have heard. These stories are rare, but they are big reasons parents choose to avoid vaccinations. If more parents choose to refuse vaccinations for their children, then epidemics could occur, and nearly non-existing illness may reappear, such as polio. Shots like the MMR vaccination frighten parents because of the stories that this vaccination causes autism; however, this is untrue because this vaccine does not cause autism, it brings out the traits that the child already possessed. Most side effects are merely slight fevers and redness around the area. I believe parents should consult their doctors before deciding to immunize the child. Parents need to research different vaccinations before jumping to conclusions about the vaccines based on rare side effects and faulty sources. If everyone began to choose certain vaccinations while avoiding others equally as important, or more important, then our world would be in danger. People need to understand that immunizations are important for the general and individual health of the nation and the entire world. If you were the parent of a child under three years of age, would you choose immunizations on your own, or would you consult your doctor to ensure the health of the baby before dismissing any vaccinations? Are vaccinations vital to our world?

The Holidays

Thanksgiving break has been very helpful for me. I was able to complete my application for the University of Delaware, work on my Aquinas project with my partner, finish schoolwork, and I even found time to relax in the company of my family. Unfortunately, I was unable to watch the parade on Thanksgiving this year, but I did go to the movies with my father and sisters to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part one! It was awesome! I cannot wait for part two! After the movies, I went home to help my mother prepare for dinner with many family members. It was nice to see everyone again, even though I had seen many family members Wednesday morning at Cannon's Bakery. I had helped my uncle that very chilly and breezy morning because WSTW was in the parking lot outside the bakery for their annual Turk Wii drop. I was one of the lucky ones to stay outside for six hours helping advertise for Cannon's Bakery by working the cupcake table where kids could decorate a free cupcake. It was fun, but I ended up catching a cold most likely with the help of the cold weather affecting my sinuses. I am happy I assisted that day, mainly because my uncle paid me to do so, but also because I was able to spend some time with my family.

The holidays are times for people to spend with the ones they love and care for. I was able to share laughs and good times with my family, but also with my friends on Black Friday because it was the night of another Saint Mark's vs. Salesianum game! It was exciting to watch our team rise to the top once again and I hope all goes well this coming weekend in Dover for the Division 1 State Championship! I am very excited for our football team and I will be supporting them in the stands down in Dover. After Friday, I saw many family members for the third time over the break at a birthday party for my cousin who has just turned 7 years old. I had a good time eating creepy-looking foods that went with the monster theme of the party, and I enjoyed watching the fireworks my cousin set off. It was especially entertaining to watch him run away after he lit them because I do not see him run very often. It was an enjoyable night, especially eating the elaborate monster cake my cousin made for his son's birthday. I really enjoyed my break, even though Sunday was a working day for me in order to work on my Aquinas project and my application. Overall, my break was very nice, but seemed too short. The holidays never seem to last long enough. Once you start to relax, you have to get back up and ready for school or work once again. I hope that everyone else had an enjoyable Thanksgiving break. Soon it will be Christmas break! The days just keep flying by!