Last Blog!

Looking back at the start of this semester, I was not looking forward to creating my own blog for this class. I actually hated the idea of everyone seeing my personal business out in public. I know that this is the same thing as facebook and every other social network but I did not like that what I write would be graded. As the semester went on however, I started feeling more comfortable letting all my ideas and writings be seen. I honestly don’t think that I will keep my blog going but it was a good experience and I’m glad I got to read everyone else’s stories and interests. I had a lot of fun this semester with this blog and hopefully ill be willing to try this again sometime on my own. It has been a great semester and I hope everyone else gets some positive experience out of this too! Happy holidays everyone, the semester is over! Hooray!!

San Diego

            There have been many fun things that I have done this past year, but out of all of them I think I would have to say I had the most fun in San Diego with my friends and my boyfriend. We stayed the weekend in San Diego in the spring and we had a chance to visit the town and also to go to Sea World. It wasn’t the first time I had been there but it was my first time going to Sea World. We got to San Diego like around the afternoon and we relaxed for a little in our hotel rooms. Later that night, we decided to explore the town so we went downtown and walked around for a bit and then we decided to go to a nightclub. We went to this really nice place and we stayed there for a bit until we finally got tired and went to sleep.

            The next morning, we got up and we were ready to go to Sea World. The park itself I think is not so big so we got to do everything really early. Surprisingly, I didn’t think that Sea World was that fun but I enjoyed the experience and I did get to see some pretty cool things. Overall, I think I liked this trip so much because I got to spend time with my friends and boyfriend and kind of just take some time to have fun. I think they are the reason this trip was one of the best trips I have ever taken.

Important People

                My mom is one person who has been very important to my life. She is a kind and generous woman and everything about her makes me feel happy to call her my mother. She is a short woman and not that strong since she has aged over the years, but she doesn’t let that stop her from keeping everything in order. I believe she is a strong hard working woman and she inspires me to do great things with my life. I never once heard her complain about all the things she could have done if she didn’t go on and have six kids. She will always be an inspiration to me.

                Another person I look up to is my dad. He is the most patient man I know and I think that is partly because he had to raise six daughters. I am so surprised that me and my sisters didn’t drive him insane growing up but I am glad that he tried his hardest to take care of us. Like my mom, I never once heard him complain about anything. He is also very old and he is not as healthy as he once was but he never let that stop him from working hard long hours every day to keep the food on the table. Without my dad, i would not be the person I am today.

                I have three older sisters and each one of them played an important role in my life growing up but it is my oldest sister who always knew what to say to make me feel better and encourage me to do well. She is like a second mom to me because I am able to relate a lot of my problems to her since I am not so great at speaking Spanish with my mom. Growing up, she was the one I always went to for help.

Yoga

Everyone has their own methods to say in shape. Personally, I don’t like doing a lot of weight training. I occasionally run or go to the gym and use some of the machines there for my cardio workouts. The one thing that I would encourage everyone to try besides eating healthy is to do yoga. The first time I did yoga was the first year I attended college. I decided to sign up for the class because I heard that it was very relaxing and I figured I would need relaxing with my busy schedule. At first, I thought it was pretty easy and I would even get really tired because we didn’t really do much. After a couple weeks I realized it wasn’t going to be as easy as I thought. Yoga is very relaxing but you also have to have a lot of concentration and balance. Also, it gives you a lot of upper body and lower body strength.  I enjoyed the way I felt physically and emotionally every time I finished class. After I finished the class I was so satisfied that I tried signing up for it again but I was informed it was getting cut and I was totally bummed.

                I would encourage everyone to try taking a class somewhere that offers yoga because everyone needs a little relaxation and stability in their lives once in awhile. I can guarantee that it will be something different than the usual way to work out and you will definitely see some results. It is also great because it doesn’t just affect your physical appearance but also your emotional appearance. You will feel a lot happier about yourself and be more positive about life. It might not be for everyone, but you will never know unless you try!

Fast Food Nation

After reading the book Fast Food Nation, I definitely feel a lot different about fast food and fast food chains. For me, it was kind of an eye opener because I did not feel like it was that bad to have so much fast food when I was younger and even now. I was very disturbed after reading some of the things mentioned in this book. I was especially disgusted when I found out how they treat the animals they kill. I don’t feel like I can ever eat meat again. Although I probably won’t stop eating meat forever, I definitely plan on cutting back. I definitely do not want to support this type of animal cruelty. I also do not want to eat meat that has already been contaminated with other unknown ingredients. I think it is safe to say that after reading this book, I definitely got the authors message. If we got more people to read this book or even tried sharing some of the information we now know, I am almost positive we can prevent fast food chains from expanding. Just like the author, I too will remain very optimistic.

School

My truth from last week’s blog post was that I got stung by a wasp once. I’m surprised nobody guessed it right!

                This semester has been a very successful semester for me. I enjoy most of the classes that I am taking and I am getting really good grades on all the work I turn in for the most part. The only thing I would change about this semester would be my weight training class. I don’t really need the credits for this class I just enjoy staying active. I have taken three physical education classes since I started college. I took holistic movement, yoga, and weight training at Ventura College. The reason I don’t like the weight training class at Oxnard College is because we are required to stay in the class for two hours as opposed to Ventura College where we just have to complete a certain amount of hours per week at our own free time. I thought it would be the same thing and even though it wasn’t, I am still sticking to the class.

                Next semester, I will remember to read thoroughly through the classes I choose to take because sometimes it may not be the one that I think is right for me. I would have to say the only thing keeping me motivated in school is my parents. I feel that if I get a good education I will be able to get a good job and I will be able to treat my parents the way they deserve to be treated (moneywise). My parents mean the world to me and nothing would make my life worth living than seeing them be worry- free and stress- free financially. I hope I will accomplish my goals for them because then my mission in life will be complete.

 

Truth?

1.       I have three sisters and three brothers.

2.       My favorite color is red.

3.       My hair is naturally blonde.

4.       My dog knows how to bark the alphabet.

5.       I got stung by a wasp once.

6.       I have a cat.

Yesterday

I thought I saw you yesterday
But I didn't stop, 'cause you was walkin' the opposite way
I guess I could've shouted out your name
But even if it was you, I don't know what I would say
We could sit and reminisce about the old school
Maybe share a cigarette, because we both fools
Chop it up and compare perspectives
Life, love, stress and set-backs, yes
So you could tell me how hard you had it
And you could show me all the scars to back it
And we could analyze each complaint
Break it down and explain these mistakes I make
I like to tangle up the strings of the puppetry
But you knew me back when I was a younger me
You seen Sean in all types of light
And I've been meanin' to ask you if I'm doin' alright

[Chorus x2]
Yesterday
Was that you? Looked just like you
Strange thangs my imagination might do
Take a breath, reflect on what we been through
Or am I just goin' crazy 'cause I miss you?

[V2]
I'm shook, I know, I pushed when I should've pulled
Took it all back if I could, I put that on my soul
And I would make a top-notch good listener
If you could block-off a little time out to give it here
Since we went our separate paths
I've hit a couple snags that remind me of the past
I can't front, I'm havin' a blast
But damned if I ain't afraid of how long it's gonna last
Sittin' here wishin' we could kick it
Give me your opinions, I do miss the criticisms
I didn't mean to be distant, make a visit
I'll wait up and keep the coffee brewin' in the kitchen
But who am I jokin' with?
There's no way that you and I will ever get to re-open it
It doesn't matter, this is more than love
And maybe if I'm lucky, get to see you out the corner of

[Chorus x2]
Yesterday
Was that you? Looked just like you
Strange thangs my imagination might do
Take a breath, reflect on what we been through
Or am I just goin' crazy 'cause I miss you?

[V3]
And when you left, I didn't see it comin'
I guess I slept, it ain't like you was runnin'
You crept out the front door slow
And I was so self-absorbed I didn't even know
And by the time I looked up it was booked up
Put it all behind you, the bad and the good stuff
A whole house full of dreams and steps
I think you'd be impressed with the pieces I kept
You disappeared but the history is still here
It's why I try not to cry over spilt beer
I can't even get mad that you're gone
Leavin' me was probably the best thing you ever taught me
I'm sorry, it's official
I was a fist-full, I didn't keep it simple
Chip on the shoulder, anger in my veins
Had so much hatred, now it brings me shame
Never thought about the world without you
And I promise that I'll never say another bad word about you
I thought I saw you yesterday
But I knew it wasn't you, 'cause you passed away, dad

Looked just like you
Strange thangs my imagination might do
Take a breath, reflect on what we been through
Or am I just goin' crazy 'cause I miss you?


-Atmosphere

Changes

I think everyone has a right to their own opinion about everything in life. Nobody really has to agree on whether something is good or bad. For example, when I noticed some of my friends getting piercings and tattoos I did not agree with their decision to permanently destroy their bodies like that. I think I felt this way because when I was growing up, my parents would always tell me that it was a very bad thing to do. I started agreeing with their views and opinions and I also came to believe that it was a bad thing to get these things done to your own body. It wasn’t until one of my older sisters sent me a picture of her tattoo that I started to change my mind about them.

                One day, my sister sent me a text with a picture of her tattoo and at first I was kind of disappointed, this was not her first one but I understood she was just trying to rebel against my parents when she did her first one. I asked her what her tattoo meant and then I realized that she got 5 little hearts each with a letter inside. She got our first initials tattooed (all my sisters including myself). She explained that she did it because she wanted to show us all that we will permanently be attatched to her body and soul for as long as we live. I know she didn’t need a tattoo to prove that to us, but it made me realize that sometimes if people really believe in something, they express their feelings in their own ways. Most people just get tattoos for the looks but I know there are some out there who have a story behind it and I think that is pretty interesting. Since then, I have also gotten a tattoo and it wasn’t just for the looks, it helped me deal with some emotional things in my past. It inspires me everyday to be strong and it gives me motivation to be a better person every day. Tattoos aren’t for everyone, but I can admit that I have changed my view on them over the years.

Famliy

Growing up, I was always surrounded by my family and I guess that is because I have a big family. I have five sisters, three older and two younger, and they always played an important role in my life. My parents both do not speak much English so it was easier to explain something I had trouble in at school to my sisters rather than my parents. I think in a way my older sisters were like my parents. Since I stopped taking bilingual classes after fifth grade, I have kind of drifted away from speaking a lot of Spanish which made it harder to explain things to my parents. My sisters, on the other hand, knew a lot more than I did when it came to school so I would always go to them.

Although I hardly see my older sisters now due to all of our busy schedules and to long distances, I know I can still count on them to be there for me whenever I need help with something important. I think that my little sisters are glad that I don’t live far away like my other sisters do because they know they always have me if they ever need help. I can honestly say I love my family. I know that we are not perfect and that I have trouble communicating with my parents sometimes, but in the end, we all share laughs and smiles and we love to have fun when we are all together. I think I am very lucky to have so many people in my life that I love so much. My sisters will always be the people that I look up to and also my parents for putting up with all of us and always staying by our sides.  

My parents will always know that I appreciate everything that they have done for me and I hope one day I can repay them for all their hard work they did while raising us all. I really think they deserve it. I love my parents for always trying to support all of us and for giving us a place to live, but I also love them for giving me such great older sisters that I can always count on for anything I ever need. Whether it is my parents or my sisters, I know that I will always be there for them like they are always there for me.

Far Away from Home

       Traveling the world has always been a dream of mine. Ever since I was ten years old, I realized that this was something I wanted to do. When I was ten years old, I had the opportunity to visit my mother’s hometown in Mexico. I had the chance to visit my mom’s childhood home, my grandpa’s current home, and other places in Mexico as well. Although I was very young and I didn’t really understand much, it is a time in my life that I will never forget.

       My mom was always eager to show us where our roots came from and she always hoped that we would one day go to Mexico. It was really hard for us to save money because we did not have that much but eventually we made it happen. When my mom finally saved enough money to go, she was thrilled. My two little sisters also got to go with us. My aunt and uncle and cousins also went but they didn’t go on the plane with us they drove there. My dad and three older sisters stayed behind but if we had the money I know they would have gone with us too. Even though I didn’t really want to go because I was scared of flying, I tried looking at the bright side. I would get to be somewhere in the world that I have never been to before. I knew it would be an experience that would be worth it in the end. After a few hours we were right where we were supposed to be; we were in Mexico City.

       The first place we got to visit was my grandparent’s current home in Cuernavaca, Morelos. My grandpa has a house there along with two other rented homes inside his gated home. My two younger sisters and my mom stayed in my grandpa’s house and my aunt and cousin stayed in the guest house right next door. I realized that things in Mexico were very different than the US right away. There were dirt roads everywhere and all the stores were very close to each other. In fact, my grandpa owned a store right next door to his own houses. There was also no grass inside my grandpa’s gated home, just that made everything look as dry as a desert. As soon as we got there and settled in, I knew I was not going to enjoy my time there at all.

       For the next couple weeks, my mom would take us around her whole town. She showed us where the market was, where everyone went to go get the best ice cream and more. She also showed us where the mall was but it was a long way from everything else that was so close together. I remember thinking to myself, how could anyone live like this? I was so used to how things were in the US that everything in Mexico seemed very strange to me. If things were that much different in Mexico I was really worried about wanting to ever be outside of the US again. The fact that my cousins also went with us to experience all of this made me feel better because it made me feel less of an outcast. By the end of the month, things had become a little more easier to get used to.

       Just when I thought that I could get used to staying in Mexico for another month, my mom told us that we are going to visit her childhood home that was a great deal farther than where we already were. I was devastated; I did not want to go to a whole new place and see all the different things there. I was not so big on change. When we got to her childhood house, I realized my mom was really lucky to even have a home. The town was very poor. There were dirt roads everywhere and there were chickens and pigs walking around like it was a regular thing to do. There were no cars just horses and little wagons. The people looked like they hadn’t seen new clothes in months. I was ecstatic when my mom had told me that we were only staying in this place for three days. The people and buildings in this town were memories that I will always remember.

       The whole trip to Mexico was coming to a close, and I still hadn’t found anything that I would really be willing to go back for. My mom told us that we would be making one more stop before we went back home. I had no idea she was talking about a beautiful place with an actual beach. We all had made it to Acapulco for the first time. The beaches were nice and clean and the waves were small and clear. The water was so clear you could see your feet underneath. The water was not so cold and it made us feel like we could be in there forever. This place was what I thought to be the highlight of our whole vacation.

       As we said goodbye to all my aunts and uncles that we had met for the first time, I started to realize that there was more meaning to this trip. The whole trip I was thinking negatively and not seeing things from my mom’s point of view. It wasn’t just for me and my sisters to enjoy ourselves but it was a chance for my mom to look back at her childhood. It made me feel proud to have experienced this moment with her. It has been 10 years since we have gone back and although my mom will probably never have the opportunity to go back, I made a promise to myself that I will try to go back with her. It is not the place that we will be holding on to, but rather the memories that those places contain that will always be a part of me.

interview

     I would like to introduce you all to one of my classmates Joe Espiritu. Joe has lived in Oxnard and also Ventura his whole life. He is half Filipino and half white.  He spends most of his family time with his sister and parents on the weekends due to his hectic work and school schedule. Currently, he lives by himself although eventually he would like to own a condo after he has finished school and gotten a better job. He would like to follow his uncle’s footsteps and become a successful man in the future. Joe is a responsible, funny, and also quiet person but his dedication to his schoolwork and future career plans also make him a very successful person. We should all learn from him and follow his examples to reach our own paths to success.

Texting

                In today’s youth, everyone is pretty much aware of texting on their phones. I have seen even 13 year old kids texting and having their own personal iphones. It is very surprising to me that these little kids have cell phones and they text each other more than they actually see each other. Back when I was 13, I was still having sleepovers and I didn’t know anyone, except my older sisters, who even owned a cell phone. I guess it’s a different generation and I know some things eventually change but I think cell phones and texting are not supposed to be for children that are 13.

                Texting at a young age can damage a child’s social skills and it is a very bad habit. I know I overdo it with texting many times. I don’t think it is a smart idea for parents to give their kids at a very young age. I have a younger sister that is very addicted to texting and I can imagine how other kids her age are with their cell phones. If grown adults have a hard time as it is preventing texting while driving, I can’t imagine how the children that start texting at a young age are going to be by the time they get older.

Reality TV

There are probably well over 50 different reality TV shows on television nowadays.  Personally, I think reality TV is a waste of time. Who would really want to sit down for an hour and watch someone else’s troubled life on television? Well as much as I hate to admit it that used to be me. Normally, I don’t get interested in watching any reality shows because they look fake and just plain boring to me. It just amazes me why people would want to share some of their private moments with billions of people around the world. It is really crazy what lengths people will go through to become rich and famous.  But I think it is probably even crazier that people actually see these so called “stars” as actual celebrities. I don’t believe that people should film a bunch of nonsense and call it a show. What ever happened to creativity?

These types of shows are harming our society. There are billions of children that watch these shows and that learn all the crazy things that people do in them. Some people may argue that they can just block certain channels from children on television, but I don’t think that is enough. Children watch more television than most of us and I believe that there are other ways that they can get access to watching these shows. Also, I don’t believe that reality TV shows should consider their cast members “actors”. I heard a story a couple days ago about Kim Kardashian wanting her name on a star in the walk of fame in Hollywood. I personally think that this is very ridiculous because there are actual legendary people that have actually made an impact to the pop culture and history of America. The last time I checked Kim doesn’t have real talent or inspiration to give to society. Its things like this that make me question where our society is heading and also having children to raise in the future.

Although I am guilty of watching some of these shows, especially because I have five sisters and about half of them are almost addicted, I feel like it is something that we should all try to stop. I have one little sister and I personally do not like the fact that some of these shows are starting to rub off on her. I want her to grow up around people that actually value themselves enough to not make a fool out of themselves like the people on television. I am sure that some of us may watch these shows for fun and to laugh but we need to realize that these shows are damaging our culture and also our future. We shouldn’t be praising these people, we should be going out there and living our own lives. I hope one day in the future everyone will realize how ridiculous these shows are. For the sake of our children’s children, do your future kids a favor and quit it now!