Essay Review

You know for a first time blogger I don't think I did too bad. The essay types were great, I got to write A lot about what I was feeling, and that is some thing I have a hard time writing down and expressing. It felt good to get emotion out and down on paper, but still be able to control what I said in the drafts. Struggling with some topics is always going to be a sore point with me, because I always over think things i am writing, and wonder whether it makes sense or if I am just rambling to no end. Some of the essays gave me issues, like the division essay, which came out half like a process, and took me longer to write I think than any other essay. I also think the times essays taught to manage my time a lot better and kept me on track a lot more after falling behind. I really enjoyed the process essay and contrast essay, getting to write about people i love, or things i love to do are always fun, especially when I can out in my own quirkiness in to twist the writings a little. Over all I enjoyed the writings, and so did my mother who nosily started reading them on thanks giving hahaha.

Division Essay Rewrite

      I live in an apartment, it's not where I want to live, or want to raise a family. But anyone starting out and in college, has to start some where. There are roads that need to be taken in life in order to be able to go from living in an apartment to a beautiful home. You need to be able to save money, its take months of searching, and then there is the moving and unpacking, all are the roads to moving into your first house.
     Josh and I have been looking for a house for four months now, we are having trouble saving money and that is the most import part when looking for a house. Most of the time when you are saving for a house you have to save double the money; one half for the deposit, and the other half for the first months rent. Right now we have a rent to pay with the apartment we are in, and we have other bills that take up our checks. Saving is hard now a days when your bills come first, but with the holidays, it becomes a little easier with bigger checks, we need to save about eight hundred for both payments.
    We started our search before our lease was even half way up, we really want to into our own house. The search has not been easy, but we know the basics of what we want. it needs to be either a one bedroom or a two bedroom, have a yard, not on a main road, and maybe have some utilities included. most importantly it needs to be right in our price range of under eight hundred dollars, especially if nothing is included. The search has been long, and hard, we haven't really found that one house yet, that meets or exceeds what we are looking for.
    The one thing i hate about moving, is oh.... MOVING. The packing, lifting, lugging, and repeat. That is how your life is for about a month during your "moving period" But if didn't move there would never be that step to your own house. Moving this time would be a little easier, just because our apartment is one the first floor, so it saves us from having to climb up and down stairs. It's lighter step than saving the money to be able to afford the place, and your mind can at rest after that, and actually choosing the place is over, and done with.  Also we will have a lot of movers to help aka a lot of friends and family, that I will sucker in with my kind words, and food, and maybe a little beer at the end of the day.
     Altogether moving and getting your own house is not easy, there are tools that you need to think of when wanting to be on your own and the responsibility that comes with that house you want. We are looking at two houses right now, both are at the top of our price range, and we have had to think really hard about what we can afford, and what we can't at this point in our life. It's a big step to take, they comes with many twists and turns, especially in the roads ahead that lead our path in life.

Division Essay

     There are always going to troubles, and complications in any relationship, whether you have a man and woman, or same sex couples. Its how you handle and solve those problems that make the difference between a successful relationship and a failing relationship. Sitting here and thinking about relationships there are some things that are needed in everyone, you need a whole lot of trust, be able to talk to each other, and always have fun together.
      When ever I would look at my ex-boyfriends phone I would always think, "why am I not trusting him?" The answer came out of my mouth, in that question, I don't trust him. That was the end of the relationship. Now I know that trust is something someone has to earn, something that is not to played with, like a person's heart shouldn't be played with. I found that out the hard after several men had came and gone in my life. Each had either cheated, mentally abused, or just plainly not cared about me in any way. But chose to be with me and toy with me. New to dating, I always took it, losing confidence in my self, and what I thought was suppose to be a great relationship turned into a non-trusting and abusive life.
     Communication is always apart of life, used in jobs, families, and relationships. When there is no communication the relationships are tough, and most of the time fail. Josh, whom is my boyfriend now, is learning to communicate more with me on things he doesn't find he likes, maybe about what I say or do some times. He wasn't good at communicating a year ago, and we almost ended our relationship because we couldn't talk about our relationship without getting into a heated battle. Now almost a year later we are talking out our problems, and discussing issues, and asking each other for opinions. Knowing I can turn to him and talk to him with out a fight is a weight lifted off my chest, and bring me back to the thought that was brought up trust.
      Memories pop into my head when I think of the word Fun. going camping when it drizzling, and maybe 60 degrees out. Learning to shoot a gun, while trying not to scare the pants off my boyfriend. When my relationship is at its best, is when I know my boyfriend and I are having a great time together. I know when he smiles that there is a memory in the making, and something that will stay with me forever, Fun and laughter is needed to keep anyone sane, especially when you live in the same house, and see each other everyday, it keeps the relationship new, and exiting even after two years.
      My mother always told me "there are plenty of fish in the sea." Never to settle for any relationship that wasn't working. I have followed that to the relationship I am in now with Josh. We argue from time to time, and always talk about our problems until they are solved. I would trust him to take a bullet for me. if it ever happened, a trust that has been built over time. But our relationship would be nothing if we didn't laugh, whether it be at each other or together. We laugh, cry, and live life together.

Process Essay

      There are many things that go into the process of being a Black Friday shopper and/or worker. This Black Friday I was going to be prepared! The planning starts months in advance, with the first major obstacle, if you work in the retail industry, what shift are you going to pick? Then the picking of stores, they can be picked by the best deals from ads. And last but not least, that day arrives, and the shopping commences but you need to make sure you always stay on time, and stay within the budget.
     The planning starts with what time do I want to work during Black Friday, and there are several that I could choose from, midnight, morning, afternoon, or night shifts. I decided months ago that just like in 2011 I was going to do the midnight shift until nine in the morning. I know what your thinking but then you are going to miss the early door buster deals. Not necessarily, you see I get an hour lunch with that shift and i can shop on that hour break, plus another twenty minute break that is paid, I can make it to the in mall store that are having the wonderful door buster deals, and still will be able to shop at the stores outside of the mall when i get out of work at nine, and get the door buster deals before one o'clock.
     At first I didn't really know what stores I was going to hit first, most of all because, I didn't know what I want to shop for? I kept going back and forth on do I want to get a TV for eighty-eight dollars at sears, or do I want to hit up the trendy clothing stores, like Hollister, American Eagle, and Aeropostale. Then the flyer's came out and I got a chance to look those over and see the best deals. I X'd out the TV, and decided I needed to shop for almost everything else I needed, starting at the Ulta Beauty store for my lovely co-workers, and then game stop for the boyfriend, next was Joann fabrics for some ornaments and mommy shopping, and the last stores are the big retailers Walmart, Target, and Lowe's for my dad, and my grandparents. A great plan and if I can keep myself on track like I want, I should hit them all before 1pm of Black Friday.
      Aaahhh after all the planning that day arrives, and shopping is in the air. I just keep reminding myself to stay on time, make it to work, and remember to stay within budget, and make it to every store. My budget is one hundred dollars, maybe one hundred and forty dollars if I can finish my scorecard at work today, and get forty dollars extra. I also need to make sure I take my lunches half an hour each about two hours apart to maximize time at work for sales, and make time to get all the great sales. Also I need to eat so the snacks are behind the counter at work and the count down begins to the store opening and the shopping commencing.
      Last year I didn't rally shop the early morning sales too well. This year I made sure i would hit all the sales, and get what i wanted for Christmas gifts for my family and friends. i planned months in advanced in order to get the shift at work i wanted, and made sure i kept that shift. I made it to all the stores I wanted to keeping in the back of my mind the time i had, and the money I was allowing myself to spend in each store, and all together. My budget ended up staying right on track and I spent just about one hundred and twenty dollars altogether on Black Friday. All in all it was a successful day and I can say that i got home I was so exhausted I passed out on my bed at nine o'clock that night and slept until ten that Saturday morning! As a Twitter tag would go #ShoppedOut/ShoppingAddictionProblems.

Effects Essay

     A knock at the door, I stare at it, thinking to myself "I'm not expecting any company, or any packages." slow I creep to the door and peer out, ever so slowly as to not make any noise. There is a woman standing outside, she is the lady who showed me the apartment, and is in charge of paperwork, I know why she is here, but I am not answering the door. She posts to things on my door, and walks up stairs, I still don't open the door until I know she has left our building entirely. Then I open it grab the pieces of paper and close it again, very quickly encase she comes back. It's a final notice about rent. We are behind four hundred and forty-six dollars, and trying to catch up as quick as we can, but not quick enough, we have 7 days. It is starting to set in we may not have a place to live next week. There are several effects that come into play, panic, sadness/madness, and the will to overcome.
      It is my worst nightmare getting behind on bills, especially on rent because that is your home. The sheer terror of reading that, knowing that i need to come up with that money between now and next Tuesday is scary. it instantly sends me into panic mode seeing where I can come up with the money, what I have to postpone for a week for bills in order to pay it, and how I'm going to ask my boyfriend for money knowing he has been trying his best to give me more money for the bills.
     The panicking just makes me even for frustrated, and i don't know what I am more sad or mad. I know my boyfriend tries hard to make money for us, and still go to school full time, but the job he has is not helping with bills, and this eviction notice is the icing on the cake. I know I said he is trying his best, and he is, but when is your best not good enough any more. I work full time and go to school part time, and i can pay my half just fine. It makes me sad to think that i have to talk to him about bills again, and let him down knowing i have tried my best, and he has tried all he can to help.
      After finding this out today and getting over the panic and shock of knowing i may not have a place to live, and thinking about talking to my boyfriend, and getting all the anger and sadness out to a great friend. I have found new hope, my ability to plan bills out and catch up on things has started to kick in and I have new faith that we will over come our struggles. In one week we need to come up with $446 which doesn't sound easy but its the holiday and my checks are big, and maybe he will have busy days. That is what I can hope for, and that helps my spirits perk up. I started to edit the bill plans, and see where i could cut out a bill here or there, and how big I thought my checks would be in the weeks to come, so we aren't behind again. Because lord knows i don't want to go through all the emotions i have today ever again.
     I'm always going to panic and get frustrated when things go wrong, especially when it comes to rent, and other bills. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to them, i need to know what I'm spending, and if I am paying on time. It's something i need to work on, and it isn't always a bad thing, but it does stress me out to a point where I go into a all out freak mode. I know in the end everything will be okay its the en-between  that worry, that panicky feeling that way me down beforehand, and that will to over come my obstacles that gets me through day to day.

Process Essay

      What is a successful woman today? To me it is a woman that has gone through many woe's in her life, pretty much known as the steps of life. She prevails through those steps, grows from them. There are three life steps i have taken in the last five years, and they helped mold me into the young woman I am today. Psychological, Financial, and motivational. Three things that every woman or man goes through, and it can make or break them in the end.
     The night my dad came to gather my things and load them up into a moving van to take back home, he had to face me, a broken down, piece of nothing, or at least that is what I felt like then. My world had fallen apart. I was psychologically broken down, I had tried everything, going to teachers, the dean of education, and even the president of Husson. My last efforts even had teachers calling out other students, whom in their eyes didn't deserve to be there over me. I had a 3.2 GPA, I was a Husson Cheerleader, and involved in the community, I stayed out of trouble and always had my homework in on time. But I couldn't and still don't understand how I could have been kicked out after all my hard work just because I couldn't pay, It was a life lesson that I was learning the hard way. That not everything is handed to you, you have to work hard to achieve them, and you are going to be let down some times.
    Not paying leads to the next phase, into the financial woes of what is Tiffany's situation then and now. I owe Husson University at this point about six thousand dollars, and yes you read that right six thousand dollars. The amount sounds horrible but it was almost twelve thousand five years ago, so I have been able to pay off a bunch of it. But having that not payed off now is taking a toll on my bank account. See until I have that paid off Husson won't budge on giving me my transcripts. So these classes I am taking at EMCC I pay for out of my pocket, why? Well without that transcript I can't fully enroll, which means no financial aid once again! There fore the past three months out of the semester that I want to take classes, I have to pay three hundred dollars each month for my classes. There is a down side to paying for classes, Rent is usually a week late because at least one week my whole check goes to the school, except for gas money. sounds fun doesn't it, NOT! but if I want to take classes and be able to say I have a degree, I have to take the hit and pay, another big life lesson, i call it life lesson phase two, in becoming a more responsible adult. handling your finances on your own.
     I was very motivated in college, and leaving college early had a more than sour affect on me. For the first couple of days I was unmotivated, didn't want to do anything, just laid there in bed thinking woe is me. That didn't last to long. Because adding the first phases together, you come up with the motivational phase, a phase that brings you back to life. In the end all the psychological, and financial parts led me into a greater path. I didn't see it but even before I left the school, I was already creating a motivational phase. See before I left I met with all my teachers, and planned on doing all the work from home, and coming to classes at least twice a month, in doing that I proved to myself that I didn't need to be up there to succeed. I could be at home, and still take my classes. It was hard work, and I had to be motivated to do my best. I had 5 classes to worry about back then. In the end I had a 3.23 GPA, while spending 4 months of that semester at home. I kicked motivations butt, and showed my parents and my self that I could do it.
     I still have the motivation to fight for what I want out of my education, I've made changes, and grown up...A lot. and I have taken the steps to overcome what has happened to me through the phases of life. Whether if it was psychological, motivational, or financial, I had to over come them. I will succeed in life, I will have a degree, or two, or three. Nothing will stand in my way, not Husson, Not the money issue, and I will never be un-motivational towards getting my education. I want my children to know that there mom fought to get her education, that she took the steps to overcome the obstacles in front of her to get what she wanted, and she did not give up until her dream was reached.

Process Essay Intro

   What is a successful woman today? To me it is a woman that has gone through many woe's in her life, pretty much known as the steps of life. She prevails through those steps, grows from them. There are three life steps i have taken in the last five years, and they helped mold me into the young woman I am today. Psychological, Financial, and motivational. Three things that every woman or man goes through, and it can make or break them in the end.

Effects Essay

     Ever since I was little my dream was to one day graduate high school, and go to college. I mean every child wants her parents to see her succeed and find an exciting job after 4 years of college and working towards her degree. That was how my senior year went at Waterville High School, and how my freshman year was going at Husson, until one day it was crumbling on the floor where I was standing. I wan't getting any financial aid, my parents didn't have the credit to get a loan, and I didn't qualify for work study. My worst nightmare had come true I wasn't going to be able to complete my college dream. The effects of this situation were immediate and have molded me into the woman I am today.  Psychological, Financial, and motivational.
     My dad has never seen me break down, and almost collapse to the ground in frustration, exhaustion, and depression. But the he came to gather my things and load them up into a moving van to take back home, he had to face me a broken down, piece of nothing, or at least that is what I felt like then. My world had fallen apart. I had felt like I was nothing any more, like I should be living on the bottom of the ocean with the scum of the earth. A little harsh? is what your thinking, it wan't harsh then. I was psychologically broken down, I had tried everything, going to teachers, the dean of education, and even the president of Husson. My last efforts even had teachers calling out other students, whom in their eyes didn't deserve to be there over me. I had a 3.2 GPA, I was a Husson Cheerleader, and involved in the community, I stayed out of trouble and always had my homework in on time. But I couldn't and still don't understand how I could have been kicked out after all my hard work just because I couldn't pay.
    Not paying leads me into the financial woes of what is Tiffany's situation then and now. I owe Husson University at this point about six thousand dollars, and yes you read that right six thousand dollars. The amount sounds horrible but it was almost twelve thousand 5 years ago, so I have been able to pay off a bunch of it. But having that not payed off now is taking a toll on my bank account, because the effect of not paying Husson off fast enough means I have to pay more out of my wallet. You see until I have that paid off Husson won't budge on giving me my transcripts. So these classes I am taking at EMCC i am paying for out of my pocket, why? Because without that transcript I can't fully enroll, which means no financial aid once again! So for three months out of the semester that I want to take classes I have to pay about three hundred dollars each month to pay off my classes that I take, which yes is good because at least I don't have to worry about loans this time, but it does take a toll on everything else i have to pay for. For three months rent is usually a week late because at least one of those week almost my whole check goes to the school, except for gas money. sounds fun doesn't it, NOT! but if I want to take classes and be able to say I have a degree, I have to take the hit and pay.
     I was very motivated in college, and leaving college early had a more than grand effect on me. For the first couple of days I was unmotivated, didn't want to do anything, just laid there in bed thinking woe is me. That didn't last to long. In the end all the psychological, and financial parts led me into a greater path. See before I left I got with all my teachers and planned on doing all the work from home, and making it up to classes at least twice a month, in doing that I proved to myself that I didn't need to be up there to succeed in my first year of college, I could be at home and still take my classes. It was hard work and the motivation had to be there for me to do my best. I had 5 classes to worry about, and a clinical that needed to happen as well. in the end I had a 3.23 GPA by the end of spring semester, while spending 4 months of that semester at home. I kicked motivations butt, and showed my parents and my self that I could do it.
     I still have the motivation to fight for what I want out of my education, I've made changes, and grown up...A lot. and all the effects of what has happened to me whether psychological, motivational, or financial, I have over come them. Shown that life is growing whether i have the tools, or need to find them. I will succeed in life, I will have a degree, or two, or three. Nothing will stand in my way, not Husson, Not the money issue, and I will never be un-motivational towards getting my education. I want my children to know that there mom fought to get her education and overcame the obstacles in front of her to get what she wanted, and she did not give up until her dream was reached.

Example Essay

     In my house there are three meals that are examples of meals from the heart, that mean family and memories. We have them on a weekly basis: Spaghetti, Macaroni and Cheese with Hot Dogs, and Shepard's Pie.  We will occasionally have other meals like Chop Suey, Ham and Potatoes, but those first three meals are made every week, Why you ask? Well, that is pretty much what is in my cook book, that can be made, and is edible, and that everyone likes from my boyfriend to my parents. I'm not saying that I'm a bad cook or to lazy to look up other recipes, but I have set the fire alarm off in my apartment way to many times to venture too far from my normal cooking, so the examples are short and yummy: Spaghetti, Macaroni and Cheese with Hot Dogs, and Shepard's Pie.
     When I was younger, my parents split up for a year. My dad would always do the comfort food dinners, mostly Macaroni and Cheese with Hot Dogs. Now that I have grown up, I have taken that idea and run with it, as an every week meal. Easy, Simple, and dummy proof. I mean who could mess up boiling water, well as long as the water doesn't boil over the pan. Adding the noodles so they get tender and chewy, but not mooshie. Then the best part and the one I use to love doing as a kid, adding the Milk, Butter, and the Cheese. Now the last step is always the one I could and some times do mess up, especially when I don't add enough milk, or we don't have any milk in the house, and my boyfriend suggests we use water instead (Mind you he adds cold water). Then it becomes a messy, cold, blah meal, with no taste. But Hey, at least the house is safe from harm, and I didn't burn it down that night.
     There is one meal that is a way to a mans heart and that is Shepard's Pie. I couldn't tell you how happy my boyfriend was to have it the first time I tried making it. It was the one meal he looked forward to when growing up, with just his dad and sister in the house, his dad grew to be a very good cook, and shepards pie was one of their favorites to make. The difficult part of shepards pie is always the broiling part, to get that nice looking golden crust on top with out smoking out the oven and setting the alarm off. My dad could do it, My roommate from years ago could could do it, so my first cooking, why the heck couldn't I do it. Well because i am easily distracted, so that first attempt equaled black crust, not golden. Since then i have gotten really great at making Shepard's pie, I stayed focused when cooking it, and set the timer for less time in the broiler.
    One of my mothers favorite meals to cook at home is Spaghetti. All the meals mentioned have a significant meaning to me but this dinner reminds me of my family, and what I want my new family memories to be. This is what my grandmother would cook when ever we would go down to Jay, Me, where my mom is from, she would even bring it to a family celebration. Spaghetti always reminds me of the togetherness my family had when I was younger. Now it is a new beginning for my boyfriend and I. This is one of those smell good, feel good type of meals, it warms your heart, and your tummy. It brings my new family to the table, and taste is superb, and I haven't ruined a spaghetti dinner yet.
    People always say that food brings everyone around the table, as I've grown up i have come to believe that. There dare so many times that my parents and I or my boyfriend and I have sat around the table to enjoy Macaroni and Cheese, Spaghetti, or Shepard's Pie. enjoying the company not having to talk but just sitting around the table having a meal together, that is when the statement is true that food brings a family together. In the the memories make for the best recipes,a s long as you don't burn them.
   

Example Essay Intro

In my house there are three meals that we have on a weekly basis Spaghetti, Macaroni and Cheese with Hot Dogs, and Shepard's Pie. We will occasionally have other meals like Chop Suey, or Ham and Potatoes, but those first three meals are made ever week, Why you ask? Well, that is pretty much what is in my cook book that can be made, and is edible. I am not saying that I'm a bad cook, but I have set the fire alarm off in my apartment way to many times to venture too far from my normal cooking, so the list is short and yummy: Spaghetti, Macaroni and Cheese with Hot Dogs, and Shepard's Pie.  

Annotated Bibliography

n.p. "What Is Migraine? What Causes Migraines?." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 30 Apr. 2009. Web.
3 Nov. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/148373.php>
This Site was great to get a migraines for dummies point of view, on causes, treatments, and symptoms.
BMJ 2012; 345 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e5027 (Published 8 August 2012)

Medical journal that has done research on women that have migraines, and they have had a cognitive decline over time. this journal is really interesting because it shows the studies, and outcomes.

"Transient monocular visual loss and retinal migraine" December 6, 2005 vol. 173 no. 12 <http://www.cmaj.ca/content/173/12/1441.short#ref-list-1>

Medical journal on two types of migraines monocular and binocular, I have never heard of binocular migraines, its an interesting read. A lot of these symptoms I have weekly. Not sure if this is right for the bibliography, but I could not find all the information for this last article.

Contrast Essay

My mother is my rock, she is there during the bad times, and always there to cheer me on during the good times. We are look alike twins, if I didn't have my long hair you would need to do a double take. Just ask my boyfriend, he always says" you look just like your mother." Mostly he does it to get a kick out of watching me steam every time. But my mother and I looking a like is almost the only thing we have in common. My mother is the classic woman with a tom boy twist, and a big case of working too hard. I on the other hand am your typical girly girl, cheerleader, and shopper. Now you see, there are several differences between us too: the way we look, how we handle responsibilities, and holidays."

       There are families of all different sizes, and when I say sizes, I'm not meaning how many members. i talking about height, weight, and looks. My mother is slightly over weight, I'm slightly skinny. We are both petite, my mom stands about 5'3", and I come in at a whopping 5' 1/2", no that is not little size. But the differences between us can be seen every day, not just our heights, but looks as well. My mom has the tom boy look, and has kept the same look pretty much since high school. Short hair, always wearing pants, except at her and my dads wedding, and t-shirts, or button up blouses. Still girly, but with a tom boy twist. So what are the differences between us? I'm as girly as they come, I have long brown hair, and I always straighten it, I have make up on at least 12 hours out of the day, and I am addicted to dresses. My mother loves me that way, and she has seen me with out make up on, and has always said to me"you don't have make up on, you look sick." But she loves my fashion ideas, and when i pick out her clothes, unless its a dress that is a deal breakers. She always says no to dresses except maybe on my wedding day.

       My mom, and bills should never be in the same sentence, why? Because she almost never pays them on time, or she forgets about them entirely. Then who ends up paying them you ask? My dad or myself, if I get mad enough about my cellphone not working. I know what your saying, why is a 24 year year old getting mad that her cellphone is off, and she isn't the one paying for it. Well, my cellphone bill is the only payment I am not making on my own, and lets face it; I am like every other girl, and that cellphone is my life line. I pay all my other bills, rent, electric, cable, and car, and so forth, and I am always a stickler about getting them in on time. I plan my bills out at least 4 to 6 months ahead a time, and will always work extra hours to make sure those payments are made on time. Unlike my mother, the thought, and stress of a bill being over due would worry me more than anything. Which to her, a bill being over due just means she can pay next week.

       I was at work, sitting, and organizing drawers, trying to think of other ways that my mom and I differ from each other. Then it happened, the first Christmas song came over the Macy's radio. It hit me, Decorations and Holidays. When to put up the decorations, and how much we put up. See my mom is one of those holiday people, who always puts up her decorations super early, pretty much right after Halloween. It's not that I don't love the holiday but my mother goes over board, lights, wreaths, window stickers, and she always overloads the tree with bulbs, ornaments from the Christmas tree shop, and lights that blink, or twinkle. My decorating only consists of a tree, that is put up about a week or two before Christmas.Then I have a place to store gifts, and maybe some Christmas candles to light. I don't have time, nor do i want to put in the effort, like my mother does, to get a load of decorations, and decorate my entire apartment.

     My mother and I are extremely like each other in looks, and we love each other dearly. This is something that will never change between us, through thick and thin we are their for one another. With the Christmas decorations going over board every year without exception I appreciate the hard work and effort that she puts into the things that she cares about, like myself. My thoughts of how we differ may be different in her eyes if she ever reads this piece on the differences between the two of us, but I think it's as close to spot on as I can make it without being bias. Although she tends to be more of a tom boy than me of course, she is my blood and I will always love everything she does, and support whatever decisions that she makes.

Contrast Essay #2 Paragraph

          My mother is slightly over weight, you wouldn't believe it if you watched her run around all day, and watch her work out. but that is the way she was built, and that is why she was always better at certain sports than I was in high school, she did softball, basketball, and field hockey. Then you look at me, a petite, tiny figured lady, with hair down to her butt. I did cheerleading all through high school, along with gymnastics (Talk about both us being over achievers). my mom has always been a workaholic whom can't leave her work at home, and she always comes back to the same type of job she started with, which is working with children and adults with metal disabilities. I can't make up my mind what I want to do with my life, I want to teach, open my own cheer gym, and work in the health field, with a big dose of raising a family in the middle of all that. two people, different goals, still over doing it.

Isearch progress

I haven't done too much on the Isearch. To be perfectly honesty, I have a case of the unmotivated bug. I did however have an appointment with a doctor, not about migraines, but bounced the, what could cause, or trigger a migraine? off the doctor to see if I could get her opinion on it to use in the Isearch. I've also learned of a shot that can be given to stop migraines, but that as well does not always work. So although I haven't been doing too much, book and Internet searching so far, I have been doing personal searching, and getting opinion from others. Hopefully my motivation kicks in to high gear, and get going on this Isearch more then I have going now.

Contrast Intros

My mother and I are certainly two of a kind when it comes to looks, just ask my boyfriend, he always says" you look just like your mother." Mostly he does it to get a kick out of watching me steam every time. But my mother and i looking a like is almost the only thing we have in common. My mother is the classic woman with a tom boy twist, and a big case of working too hard. I on the hand am your typical girly girl, cheerleader, and shopper.

My mother is my rock, she is there during the bad times, and always there to cheer me on during the good times. We are look alike twins, if I didn't have my long hair you would need to do a double take. But my mother and I are not the same other than our looks.you look at her you see your classic tom boy, and you look at me you see a make up loving, shopaholic young woman. There are several differences between us clothing, interests, and jobs.

Classification Essay

         A Preteen, Teenager, and a Woman; they are all unique, but a fragrance is unique to a woman, its more the fragrance picks the woman, conforming to a woman's scent. I always know how to spot a person that I know is looking for a fragrance, They pick up one spray, wafting,  pick up another bottle, stop and repeat. But finding that right fragrance for every person is a challenge, there is always three differences between scents. Fresh, Floral, and Warm. There are also certain selling points any beauty adviser must ask when showing, and selling a fragrance. First, you look for the signals that the client is interested in a perfume, and not just strolling by the counter and taking a sniff before they head on their merry way. I ask "Hi, How are you? I see you are looking at Lancome's premiere fragrances, what is your ideal scent?" "Fresh, Floral, or Warm."
         Now a days the search begins in middle school, when wearing a fragrance becomes more common. You start out liking fresh scents, your nose not yet developed for stronger smells. You try body sprays (Ralph Lauren Polo 1-4), scented lotions Justin Bieber, Viva La Juicy. During my middle school days I always liked the sweet scents from Bath and Body Works: Cucumber Melon, and Warm Vanilla Sugar. Still all fresh scents, in the category of fruity, sweet, with a hint of floral. Soon, I bought my first real perfume, Curious by Britney Spears, a sweet, bright scent. Over time my love of perfume is not limited to one perfume at a time, as I soon became addicted to the beautiful, fruit scents, I need more when ever I went to the store. To satisfy my palette I would purchase the perfumes, try them out, and if I decided I didn't like them, I started giving them as gifts, only to realize that buying and giving perfumes don't always go hand in hand buying perfume is a very personal purchase.
         A scent reflects who you are, how you want people to see you.  Are you a Chanel Chance Eau De Parfum? A floral fragrance, with beautiful hints of grapefruit and quince(An Innocent fragrance, surround by intoxicating notes.) as Sephora says. Maybe you are Versace Yellow Diamond, A warm floral fragrance, with a hint of vanilla,(glamorous, and chic). Every thing a teenager wants to wear around high school, attracting the opposite sex with a light floral scent. Maybe you are a Miss Dior Cherie, a favorite scent of mine, but not every person can wear it.  A spicy floral blend of mandarin, caramel, patchouli, chic and youthful.
         Each of my perfumes reflects me. Right now working at Lancome, and knowing that I am growing into a more mature woman, my scents are more towards the Warm side now. Sometimes layering a Warm fragrance, with another light, warm fragrance, putting a Body by Burberry lotion to bring out the spicy patchouli side, and mixing my new counter perfume La Vie Belle, with the bottom notes of vanilla, cedar wood, and musk, basically creating a new perfume, while other days I like to wear the pure perfume, which has always been a favorite on the counter for years Tresor, a Vanilla and Patchouli Fragrance. My fragrance usually reflects How i am feeling that day, and what mood I am in. I have serious scents and fun scents, intriguing scents and simpler scents. After all, Working at a make up counter always has the best perks, you get to learn, play, and find what works for you.
          Younger generations, older generations, they each have their own scents, the fruity smells, the floral smells, to the warm smells. Could be Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, or Taylor swift, Opium, Hypnose, Miracle, O De Lancome. Just because I tend to move towards the Warm scents, rather than YSL, Versace, or Chanel which are all along the lines of Floral scents doesn't mean my next customer will like the same thing. Every smell is different, every pallet is unique. It is all about your choice, and Chemistry with the fragrance, almost like the chemistry you need with your partner, your fragrance is your new partner.

Classification Outro

Fresh scents are more me, I tend to go towards the fruity, less floral, with a hint of vanilla. I'm a free spirit, with a young heart. Younger generations like the fruity smells, like Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, or Taylor swift. I tend to move towards those, rather than YSL, Versace, or Chanel. Every smell is different, every pallet is unique. It is all about your choice, and Chemistry with the fragrance, almost like the chemistry you need with your partner, your fragrance is your new partner.

Classification Intros

A woman is unique, but a fragrance is unique to a woman, its more the fragrance picks the woman, conforming to a woman's scent. I always know how to spot a person that I know is looking for a fragrance, They pick up one spray, wafting,  pick up another bottle, stop and repeat. But finding that right fragrance for every person is a challenge, there is always three differences between scents. Fresh, Floral, and Warm.

There are certain selling points any beauty adviser must ask when showing, and selling a fragrance. First, you look for the signals that the client is interested in a perfume, and not just strolling by the counter and taking a sniff before they head on their merry way. I ask "Hi, How are you? I see you are looking at Lancome's premiere fragrances, what is your ideal scent?" Fresh, Floral, or Warm.

Reaction to Cause Essay Comments

This Essay became more difficult for me than I think it should have been. That is what happens when I start writing and i let my mind run free with ideas. My sentences just start making no sense, which is where you saw paragraphs 4 and 5 get all boggled into a ball. I think my head was in the right place but with distractions around me, I would focus one second, and less lose all thought the next. I'm glad i picked that topic, and that I was able to sort of get my point across to you, and hopefully the rewrite is a little better to understand.

Rewrite Cause Essay

There are people that come and go in my life, that I have thought, 'wow I thought I meant more to them.' I had known my best friend since 4^th grade, there was only one year that I can remember us not being friends, and that was fifth grade. Puberty and girls being girls got the best of us, we would write the horrible things on notebooks and share them with other friends; “You don’t want to be friends with her, she smells.” “Did you see her clothes today.” And the worst one you could say to someone, “If your friends with her, then you aren’t friends with me.” But girls always make up in the end, you could snap your fingers together and BAM, they are friends, like nothing ever happened. Lorraine and I became more than just friends after we made up that year, we were sisters. I am now growing into a young woman, taking charge of my life, without my parents’ advice always guiding me. This is the time where I need my friends, whom are more like my sisters to help guide me through the hard ships that come with growing up. But I have learned that even the strongest bonds between sisters just can’t stand some trials that life throws at us. Lorraine and I talk now every month or two, it now depends on when something good happens in our lives, or when she needs something from me, but now I have gone through so much, and have grown with the new friends in my life. There are reasons why I love the friends I have in my life, three specific reasons that go with each of my three best friends. Trust, Caring, Compassion.

Family ties and bonds are hard to come by, and when they are friends that are more like family, the trust is all you want to be there. So when you’re best friend asks you to go get a tattoo with her secretly against her mother’s wishes, you don’t think twice! The answer is “Yes.” She is trusting in you that for the next two years you won’t tell a soul, and you will get the tattoo somewhere that is covered; so, her mother doesn’t curse you out either for getting one. This is the memory that always floods my mind when I think of the person I trust most in my life, Amanda. Her parents so strict, that she would only tell my mother that she wanted a tattoo, and that on Easter day her and I were going to get one each. When her parents find out that she is still seeing the guy they don’t want her around, instead of the well rounded college football player that she dated in high school, Amanda runs to my house with the wind blowing behind, because she knows that if her mother calls, I won’t say she is sitting right beside me, even though her mother already knows she is. That is the trust she and I have with each other, it is a bond between sisters. There are ups and downs, bottles dumped on my head, and curse words at her from me, family members thinking that after pageants we would never be friends. But that is what a bond of trust is, we know each other in and out, the secrets are held inside us, carefully tucked away in our minds.

When the word caring pops into my mind, Katelin is the definition.Out of anyone I know she cares more about family and friends, before herself. Her heart is ten times bigger than anyone in this world. When ever I have gotten on facebook, and have seen all the statuses that friends post about their day, or what is troubling them, this is what Katelin posts, “Emma vayo, you are your mommies everything already I can't even imagine the moment you are in my arms, I promise to make you proud to have me as your mother, I promise to love you unconditionally and to give you everything you need and never let you go without, you are mommies whole world I can't wait to finally meet your precious face in 8 weeks or less♥ I love you emma, thank you god for blessing me with such a beautiful gift, and family ♥♥.” She cares about that little girl inside of her more than any person she could have met in her life, she is dealing with a bacterial infection in her lungs, and she won’t take all the medications because she is so worried about that little bun in oven. I love Katelin, she is a part of my little close knit family, and I know that when I need her and something bad has happened she is always there because she cares about whom ever is in her life.

Putting others before you, caring about everyone else before you care about yourself, the trust and caring you have for a person all together turns you into a compassionate person. You live for someone else besides yourself, Leeann does just that. She was the person that lifted weight off my shoulders, when life was too much to handle. Leeann would be there despite anything in her way. Family and friends before yourself that is what life comes down to. Leeann was very passionate about her job, like she was about the daughter she had on the way almost a year ago, when Audiranna came into her life she flourished in her new role as a mother but even more as a person.  She came to visit me at work today, and her just standing in front of me was enough to lighten my day, after a start that was less than spectacular to begin with, But just her being there and the feeling that she gave was enough to make my day feel a little less stressful, She is the person I can always turn to when I need to talk and need a friend who cares. She is the friend where all three reasons are built into one person, she is a true friend, whom I could trust with my most deepest secrets, the friend who cares more about everyone else, before putting herself first, and the friend that could show compassion for her best friend, and still show that same compassion for her worst enemy.

"Make New Friends but Keep the old." Katelin, Leeann, and Amanda, they are my rock. These three girls are not only a part of life; they are a part of me. I take a piece of them with me, as they do of me. I always know I can go to them, talk to them, vent to them. There to listen, to comfort, to yell when need. They are trust I look for in a Sister, the caring I want in and have in my family, the compassion that comes with years of friendship, years of heart break, accidents, they are the sisters that get me through life no matter how difficult it gets as we grow and start our lives out of our families, and creating our new families.

Classification Reaction

Classification not going to be my strong point in writing, I understand what the assignment is but I think picking a topic, staying on that topic is going to be hard for me. I like the tuna idea you gave, chunky, shredded, or grated. and different ways to use that specific tuna in meals. I also was surprised to read one on  relationships, more specifically on the guys in relationships. I have dated the snake before as well, so to read some one else point of view on it was great, I don't think i've ever dated the puppy dog, I go for the guys who think they tough, and have cocky attitudes, but are very motivated.  writing about my reaction to there classification essay's makes me wonder if maybe I won't have a hard time after all, because I can relate to so many of essays that were written, and the ideas are just following in and out of my brain.

Meta Graf

I was sitting at the table, sitting on the bed, then moved to the couch. though after thought starts flowing into my head, first graf not good, I knew I needed to dig deeper, find what really means a lot to me. I try not to get distracted from the writing, but its very hard when you are 24, a girl, and into facebook, netflix, and shopping online, every little distraction edges into the writing time. When I open the screen to start writing I do the bad habit, especially during this cause essay and stare at the screen, just stare straight ahead and think what can I write. I don't want to have to rewrite, so i want to think it out first. BAD IDEA! I am over think so much, where do I add detail and where do I not put detail in. My mind is turning and twisting into a big ball of mush and the though aren't pouring out into the writing I am thinking of. I am getting frustrated, I know i can write a great paper, but I am having a time management problem, along with a major brain cramp. Finally it hits me, take a deep breathe, and start moving the fingers one bye one! There it is done an Essay about what is really important to me my non-blood family, that is little but has a big impact on every aspect of my life.

Cause Essay

There are people that come and go in my life, that I have thought, 'wow I thought I meant more to them.' I had known my best friend since 4^th grade, there was only one year that I can remember us not being friends, and that was fifth grade. Puberty and girls being girls got the best of us, we would write the horrible things on notebooks and share them with other friends; “You don’t want to be friends with her, she smells.” “Did you see her clothes today.” And the worst one you could say to someone, “If your friends with her, then you aren’t friends with me.” But girls always make up in the end, you could snap your fingers together and BAM, they are friends, like nothing ever happened. Lorraine and I became more than just friends after we made up that year, we were sisters. I am now growing into a young woman, taking charge of my life, without my parents’ advice always guiding me. This is the time where I need my friends, whom are more like my sisters to help guide me through the hard ships that come with growing up. But I have learned that even the strongest bonds between sisters just can’t stand some trials that life throws at us. Lorraine and I talk now every month or two, it now depends on when something good happens in our lives, or when she needs something from me, but now I have gone through so much, and have grown with the new friends in my life. There are reasons why I love the friends I have in my life, three specific reasons that go with each of my three best friends. Trust, Caring, Compassion.

Family ties and bonds are hard to come by, and when they are friends that are more like family, the trust is all you want to be there. So when you’re best friend asks you to go get a tattoo with her secretly against her mother’s wishes, you don’t think twice! The answer is “Yes.” She is trusting in you that for the next two years you won’t tell a soul, and you will get the tattoo somewhere that is covered; so, her mother doesn’t curse you out either for getting one. This is the memory that always floods my mind when I think of the person I trust most in my life, Amanda. Her parents so strict, that she would only tell my mother that she wanted a tattoo, and that on Easter day her and I were going to get one each. When her parents find out that she is still seeing the guy they don’t want her around, instead of the well rounded college football player that she dated in high school, Amanda runs to my house with the wind blowing behind, because she knows that if her mother calls, I won’t say she is sitting right beside me, even though her mother already knows she is. That is the trust she and I have with each other, it is a bond between sisters. There are ups and downs, bottles dumped on my head, and curse words at her from me, family members thinking that after pageants we would never be friends. But that is what a bond of trust is, we know each other in and out, the secrets are held inside us, carefully tucked away in our minds.

When the word caring pops into my mind, Katelin is the definition.Out of anyone I know she cares more about family and friends, before herself. Her heart is ten times bigger than anyone in this world. When ever I have gotten on facebook, and have seen all the statuses that friends post about their day, or what is troubling them, this is what Katelin posts, “Emma vayo, you are your mommies everything already I can't even imagine the moment you are in my arms, I promise to make you proud to have me as your mother, I promise to love you unconditionally and to give you everything you need and never let you go without, you are mommies whole world I can't wait to finally meet your precious face in 8 weeks or less♥ I love you emma, thank you god for blessing me with such a beautiful gift, and family ♥♥.” She cares about that little girl inside of her more than any person she could have met in her life, she is dealing with a bacterial infection in her lungs, and she won’t take all the medications because she is so worried about that little bun in oven. I love Katelin, she is a part of my little close knit family, and I know that when I need her and something bad has happened she is always there because she cares about whom ever is in her life.

Putting others before you, caring about everyone else before you care about yourself, the trust and caring you have for a person all together turns you into a compassionate person. You live for someone else besides yourself, Leeann does just that. She was the person that lifted weight off my shoulders, when life was too much to handle. Leeann would be there despite anything in her way. Family and friends before yourself that is what life comes down to. Leeann was very passionate about her job, like she was about the daughter she had on the way almost a year ago, when Audiranna came into her life she flourished in her new role as a mother but even more as a person.  She came to visit me at work today, and her just standing in front of me was enough to lighten my day, after a start that was less than spectacular to begin with, But just her being there and the feeling that she gave was enough to make my day feel a little less stressful, She is the person I can always turn to when I need to talk and need a friend who cares. She is the friend where all three reasons are built into one person, she is a true friend, whom I could trust with my most deepest secrets, the friend who cares more about everyone else, before putting herself first, and the friend that could show compassion for her best friend, and still show that same compassion for her worst enemy.

"Make New Friends but Keep the old." Katelin, Leeann, and Amanda, they are my rock. These three girls are not only a part of life; they are a part of me. I take a piece of them with me, as they do of me. I always know I can go to them, talk to them, vent to them. There to listen, to comfort, to yell when need. They are trust I look for in a Sister, the caring I want in and have in my family, the compassion that comes with years of friendship, years of heart break, accidents, they are the sisters that get me through life no matter how difficult it gets as we grow and start our lives out of our families, and creating our new families.

Research Plan

For my Isearch I want to look at different medical journals, to get a doctors point of view, and see trials that have been done. I'm intrigued to read about and explore the different home remedies, I may even try a few to test them and put my own spin on them. I will be using the internet to find out the more simple answers and make them more in-depth, for example chocolate, why it effects migraines so much besides the caffeine and sugar in it. I think I'm going to run into issues when it comes to talking to people about migraines besides doctors, and making appointments for doctors is always a challenge, if you have ever made a doctors appointment before and they can't get you in until next November some time, that always works. In the end I think I will be able to find the answers to my questions, or find more questions that I will need to find in my search for the first questions. There are always going to be challenges when researching, and I am probably going to hit road blocks and have to dig a little deeper to find what I am looking for. But that is what research is all about and the discovery of those answers is always worth the wait and search, especially when you are dealing with your search topic personally.

What I Know

Knowing how Migraines effect me, and knowing about migraines medically is completely different to me. I             know little medically about migraines. I know some medications, food, drinks, life style, and stress triggers that can effect migraines, can make them worse, or can make them go away. I know of some myths, fables, and some home remedies that people have told me, and some that I have read up on through the years. But I have never dived deep into the world of migraines like I am now.
        When I know I have a migraine coming on my first instinct is I need to find some thing to drink, or eat but I stay away from certain foods. I don't get chocolate, although I have been told that when you have a migraine chocolate is good to eat because it helps the blood sugar, and it has some caffeine in it as well. I have heard conflicting stories about caffeine, it's been said that caffeine can cause a migraine to go, in not so many words OUT OF CONTROL. Whether it's coffee, tea, soda, chocolate, all are caffeinated and sugary, they taste good but are not for people like me who have migraines every week.
       Did you know that treatments of migraines can include anti-depressants, and powerful pain medications (Vicodin, Oxycodon, Excedrin, Tylenol, Ibuprofen). When I was tested for which type of migraine i may have, the doctor prescribed me an anti-depressant called Amitriptyline, it's a powerful anti-depressant that is addictive, and can have side affects that include dizziness, drowsiness, you are warned not to drive a car when you have taken the medication, alcohol can increase all the side affects. Does this sound like something you would want to take every night? Not for me, I would never take anything that my doctor would tell me "Once you start taking this medication you can't stop, because the side affects from stooping can have a serious effect on your body." Dealing with my migraines is enough, I don't need to add dealing with medication problem to that list, plus I have a problem with taking pills on time, or actually taking them. I have stuck with Pain killers for now because I don't know of any other treatments just yet to help with the pain of the migraines.
      One theory I have come up with on how to combat my migraine, is crawl into a fetal position, with the room pitch black, you could trip over a shoes in the room because you can't see it, no sounds not even TV in the back round. It's not a conventional way to cure a migraine and if I do say myself, it doesn't work that well at all. But I have no other ways to fight my migraines, except showering in hot water and sitting in the tub  for an hour or longer (the water doesn't stay hot that long most of the time). As for any other suggestions or theories as to how to get rid of a migraine, or how to calm them down, I don't have any, because I don't that much about migraines besides what has happened to me to during them. I'm interested to find out what others have for theories, and Home remedies in order to have a life, and not let migraines control my life, because my life is my own, and i only have one to live.

New Cause Essay Outro

"Make New Friends but Keep the old." Katelin, Leeann, and Amanda, they are my rock. These three girls are not only a part of life, they are a part of me. I take a piece of them with me, as they do of me. I always know I can go to them, talk to them, vent to them. There to listen, to comfort, to yell when need. They are trust I look for in a Sister, the caring I want in and have in my family, the compassion that comes with years of friendship, years of heart break, accidents, they are the sisters that get me through life no matter how difficult it gets as we grow and start our lives out of our families, and creating our new families.

New Cause Essay Intro 2

"Thank you for always being there." "You are more than a friend, you are my sister." I have heard these words from so many friends, through elementary, junior, and high school, even in college. I am now going into a young women, taking charge of my life, with out my parents advice always guiding me. This is the time where I need my friends, whom are more like my sisters to help guide me through the hard ships that come with growing up. I had two best friends through high school, those young ladies are still my friends, but since high school, time, space, and life have pulled us apart and brought others into our lives that mean more to us. The new friends don't take away from the old friends, they build on memories that are already buried in our minds. There is always one song that stays in my mind about friends. "Make new friends but keep the old. One is Silver and One is Gold."

New Cause Essay Intro 1

I have learned in life that I need friends to get me through the good...and the bad times. I have those friends. Life has taught me that even if you aren't blood related you care just as much for them as you do your own family. There are those people that come and and go in my life, that I have thought, 'wow I thought I meant more to them.' I have seen so many things, and have grown with the new friends in my life. There are reasons why I love the best friends I have in my life, three specific reasons that go to my three best friends. Trust, Caring,  and Compassion.

Intro Two

One accident, okay I can deal with that. Two accidents, Not so much. It's mind boggling to think that your worst nightmare could reoccur again less than a year and half after the first. The second worst than the first. Coming off the interstate, 3 cars ahead of you, and a red light halting the traffic. Keeping an eye on the light, it turns green, first car enters the intersection, second car, and third car, My turn. Half way through, and in a split second I see a silver car coming towards me, no time to react, no place to go. in that split second my arms braced, my body tensed, and my car was impacted. blink of an eye to black out, mind racing to blank, and thoughts of the worst scenario running through my mind.

Cause Essay Reaction

The Essay that stood out to me was the 8 year old ballerina in the chicken suit. I have always been intrigued by dance, and even tried it once too. Stage fright was my worst enemy when I was young, Dance, gymnastics, and Cheering helped me get over my fears, and build the confidence I needed to make new friends. I feel like that is what happens in this essay. She learned that she could be her own person. She didn't need to follow the 10 year old role model that she had been attached too through roller skating, and gymnastics. It's also leaves more money in her parents pockets!

Intro One

Lance Armstrong once said,"If you worried about falling off the bike, you’d never get on." If I could reword that quote it would read "If you worried about crashing a car, you'd never get in." If you have ever been to divers education, and through the License Test, knows that when you step into a car there is always the chance of an accident. That is what went through my mind when I had my first accident, only a small rear ending, but when witnessed first hand, out the back window has mind game effects for months after the crash. Your eyes blink, Your minds racing, and You think everything over 10 times faster, and at the speed of light.

Place

Swaying, moving with the ocean, gliding over the water. Our ship is a spec in the Atlantic ocean. The wind was calm. Nothing like a see saw, side to side, wave on top of wave hours earlier. I always thought the captain would hit them on purpose, maybe punishment for dinner service. The loud, rowdy crew we had in the kitchen. Through out the voyage the soft vibrations of the engines roaring could only be heard at night. Seeing the view, stars glistening, and the water rippling out the stern of the ship, you always felt free. Taking a deep breathe, bringing in the smell of the ocean. The salt water mixed with fish, dolphins, and underwater plants was a smell that brought back the memories of home, taking trips to beaches, breaking open the seaweed pods, and capturing crabs in buckets of water, along with soft, wet sand. The night is here everything is quiet, you could even here a mouse moving about, in the wall of quarters. The ship against the water rocks you to sleep, slowly drifting into sweet salty dreams.

Real Life Research

Always standing on the outside. Wanting to be apart of the group. Waiting for the time that I would be called to step in, step into that role I have always wanted! To be a flyer on my cheerleading team. Everyday I go to the computer, Open up you tube and memorize all the flying techniques. My time was coming, I could feel it in my body. I was ready, after the camps, the videos, and seeing all the stunts in person I could do them with eyes closed, and hands behind my back. I know what your thinking over confident, maybe even a little arrogant in my set ways. I'm not, I have been doing my research for 4 years, always being that girl who is a front, there but not always needed. I wanted more and the day I was told "Okay show me what you got." I was the impress-or and all eyes were focused on me. 

ISearch Why I'm Writing

Why I’m Writing

Ever since my accident, and my first migraine, I have always felt there was a connection. I have done research into Migraines before, but only to see what I could not eat in order to help stop them, and when I still had a Migraine every week I stopped the research and gave up. I was accepting defeat. Now with this ISearch I can dig deeper than before and get details and information from more than just the internet, I read documents, and books, along with articles that provide more insight into Migraines.

                I want to be able to find out if I have kids will I pass the episodes on to them? I’m getting to the age where I am thinking about starting a family. I don’t or would never want someone to go through the years I have with all the pain, which is associated with Migraines. Migraines have affected my life so much, limiting me food, drink, smells, driving, and self-motivation, along with work. If I get a Migraine at work I can’t stay there, I have to go home. One of the first signs that I get before a migraine starts is I lose the entire right side of my vision, and the pain is searing and pounding mixed together. It affects every day, to the point that I want to give up on every living a normal life, without the head pain.

                All the questions and concerns have been built up in my head for so long that as I write they just want to start pouring out. Why I’m writing about migraines you ask? Well, I want the answers that the doctors can’t give me. I want the knowledge and understanding that I am okay. I want to know that I can tell my parents not to worry any more, and that I am actually okay and they can fully believe that and can finally relax. Stress has been building as the Migraines have been getting worse with time, and it takes a toll on me in general. I want to learn that I can control what is going on with me, and turn it around to a positive end, an end that has no pain, and no sensitivity.

ISearch Background

BACKGROUND

Lights affect me, sounds annoy me, standing is difficult, and no medications help. This is how I see my life two to three days out of week. I suffer from Migraines, in the front of my head, the back of my head, and right at the top. The migraines range from horrible, unbearable pain to light sensitive dull aches. Trapped underneath a pillow, the house completely dark, no TV or music playing; only sound of fast breathing, and tears roll down my eyes. These words describe a pain, but the truth is nothing can describe it to the extent I feel those migraines.

                I haven’t had migraines all my life. It started when I was 13, on a spring night, right after the circus. I was watching TV in my parents’ bedroom, a documentary on gymnastics and the injuries that occur. I remember very little from that night, only bits and pieces from the beginning, and then waking up. I sat up from the floor, and walked towards the door to go towards my bedroom. I put my hand on the door frame to say good night and black. I wake up about three minutes later, my breathe moving faster than a hurricane moving at 150 mph. Panicking and screaming, my dad has ahold of my head, keeping my still, and in place until paramedics arrive. I hear my mother in the background yelling on the phone, it’s the second time she has dialed 911 in the past three minutes. The blood was drained from her face, turning her white as a ghost at the site of me lying on the floor, not knowing why it had happened, and what was wrong. Paramedics arrive and apply the neck brace and backboard; I can’t move the straps are tight holding my shoulders and legs together. I am panicking inside, more worried about missing school, and not knowing what was happening. I couldn’t remember what had happened, and that scared me most of all.

                My dad tells the story the best; he was the closet on to me when I passed out. He was laying on the outside of the bed, by the night stand, with that the annoying alarm clock. He saw me get up, normally, walk towards the door and stop. My parents always know that I like to joke around and freak them out from time to time, but my dad knew about .5 seconds too late that when I was falling back, this was no joke. In the .5 seconds it took my dad to realize that I was in trouble, I was already on my way down to the floor. Falling onto the floor hurts, but not as bad as the fall I took. My parents’ bed is at an angle, and there is no bed skirt around the edge. I fell very close to the bed, hit the back of head off of the frame, if you were to put four fingers at the base of your skull, and feel where that last finger going upward is that is where the frame and my head connected. My dad has said that he immediately flew out of bed, and watched as my eyes rolled into the back of my head, and I started convulsing into two seizures. As he is holding my head, to make sure I don’t get up and injure myself more, he is watching me panic, and have trouble breathing from all the screaming, and crying.

                The paramedics took my blood pressure in the ambulance, they discovered that it was very low, started an IV, and we were on our way to Maine General Medical Center in Waterville, ME. When we arrived I was taken quickly into a room, and assessed for a broken neck, and any bleeding that could be happening from the blow my head took. They determined I had a major concussion, but I was okay. They could not find a reason for the black out, besides the low blood pressure, so they ordered a CT scan, and a EEG (more known as  electroencephalograph) to measure brain activity to maybe determine if I had a late stage of childhood epilepsy. Everything came back clear, and the testing was over.

                About a week after I had my first migraine, the pain was so severe that I had to leave the second circus show my parents and I were at. We walked out and my mother looked at me, and immediately told me to sit on the stairs. I remember a Shriner and paramedic coming over to see if I was alright, as the color in my face was non-existent, and I was almost limit from the pain, tears streaming down my eyes. All I could think about was that I had ruined another day for my parents and there was nothing I could do about it. Ever since then I have my good days and my bad days. I want to do my ISearch on Migraines because I live with them every day, I can put my opinion out there, and discover maybe what doctors haven’t been able to do, an answer as to why I get the over powering pain, and finally be able to fix the problem, or maybe the information will bring up more questions that need to be dug in to for more answers.

Person

Sales, commission, and a whole lot of drama. That is what I deal with every day, why isn't it taken care of, or nipped in the bud by management, more or less our management doesn't want to deal with it.Nothing was ever done about the disrespectful, ignorant, rude girls on my counter. Until I let out my opinion, one day after too many snaps, and rude comments. Lisa makes promises, she is a dictator, a forgetful person, stretched to her limit,s running five sections of the store, on top of running a 6 counter cosmetics section. The only time you know you can talk to her and she would would actually listen is when her hair is down, and she may have on a tad bit of lip stick or mascara. When her hairs up don't bother asking her for anything, or bringing anything to her attention, it is snap city when her hair is up, and a pen is securing it in a bun. One day my full timer, Chaz came in the store late, no make up on, and an attitude that could be seen for miles. Walking from counter to counter grabbing what she wanted to put on her face that day, not caring about the customers around or the managers that would see her doing her make up on the floor, on company time. I would not have it and told her to stop, and the put the items back at they're respectable counters. An "Aye aye Captain followed" Along with an eye roll, and huff from her mouth. I would have none of that any more, that was the last straw. I walked with her up stairs, did a write up, and had a lengthy discussion with her, and Lisa about the lack of respect and that it needed to stop, or further action would be taken on my side. Since that time Lisa is still making promises, and not following through with them, but things have changed at the counter, the respect is there now. Which in-turn makes sales, and commission on our counter roll in every day better then the day before.

Scooter (Object)

       A need for speed was always the answer, when we were twelve. The wind blowing in our faces, we don't think of anything else except, 'where to ride to next.' Pushing along down the sidewalk until we came to a hill, where our scooter did all the work, and our mother was always right in suggesting "we wear our knee pads,'just in case' and always safety first." Why couldn't she be fun and cool. Like the uncle who went down the hill, "drive way", behind the house, fell and scrapped the skin off his thigh. That was an awesome moment. Painful, but awesome. Scooters were all the rage back in 2001, riding to school, to the playground, stores, and to get ice cream. Nothing could ever stop the speed we got, along with the work out, using our legs to push us along. Secretly that is why my mother bought me two scooters, just in case I wore one out, 'oh here is a back up.' Having a scooter taught me the responsibility of having my first moving vehicle, two wheels, and a brake with a brake line. That brake line was the life line when traveling at a high rate of speed.
       When you dig down deep and really look at a scooter, with the facts it taught about life without anybody having knowledge it was doing so, is quite interesting. On a scooter we needed to push through life, use our strength to over come the hills, Stop and think before we did something stupid or acted in a stupid way. When we needed a brake all we had to do was push on the brake pedal in the back and the adventure would come to a stop. The lasting impression a scooter leaves, is when we feel that wind blowing we never think anything can bother us and that life is a breeze because when we are a kids, riding our scooter at age 12, only worrying about that next hill your going to ride on, that is the only challenge we are facing that day, that moment.

Reaction to Isearch Samples

I'm starting to understand more about how to form and write the Isearch paper from a more personal view. Not a research paper. The first topic I chose would have made my paper just that, research. My new topic is more viewed from my point of view, not others, more or less because it effects the way I live everyday. The isearches that I have read through are more personal, for example the colorblindness Isearch dealt with more personal points, and his struggles early in life, along with the lesson he learned living with colorblindness. The late talkers involved his person struggle with his son not being verbal at a young age.  They are detailed from point of views, not from straight facts, articles, and sites online. I'm interested to see what I can come up with for my topic on migraines because it does involve me more then just straight facts and research.

New ISearch

Living with the fear of lights, loud sounds, and sensitivity for years, can really be mind-blowing. Especially when it effects your everyday living. My topic is a constant conflict in my life, I live every day with Migraines. The constant pain, blurry vision ( to the point that I lose the right side of my vision completely). There are theories, and myths on what migraine triggers are, and ways to treat them. I have my theories, and the doctors have their theories. I want to know if I will have to live with Migraines for the rest of my life.

My questions for isearch (More to come):

1. What other different forms of Migraines are there besides ocular, and Atypical Migraine? (I have been tested for both).

• Chronic Forms

2. Treatments?

• Remedies 
• Homeopaths 
• Diets 
• Medications

3. Triggers?

• Food
• drinks
• Way of living
• Sounds
• Body/diseases or medical conditions

4. Are scientists close to finding out a way to stop migraines from occurring?

• Myths
• Theories
• Control groups (experiments)

5. Changes that need to be made to battle against migraines?

• Life style changes
• Control Medications
• Surgeries 

ISearch

Work/Jobs/Stress

I want to know if the stress? Money? And time? That comes with getting a job out side of school, graduating or not! is it worth it? Whether it be high school or college, is the searching and agonizing wait, along with stress worth anything? Are we working towards nothing but debt? especially when it comes to how our economy is and the way it affects our jobs today.

I'm a working student, I'm proud of that, but always in the back of my mind is that little voice on my right shoulder saying, "Is it worth it?" School and work has failed once for me, more because I couldn't afford it, and neither could my parents, and job I had-- Not good pay. Now I can afford/struggle to pay for classes out of pocket because I have a JOB! Not what I want in a career, but it pays the bills, but I still want some thing more. I'm scared to think of what will happen when next semester is done, and I have to find a "Big Girl Job." I'm always coming back to that question, "Is a school worth doing in order to find a better job or am i wasting time, money, and a whole bunch of stress to be let down again?"

I don't think this topic is going to be easy. There are so many angles and questions to pursue, that I just want to dig right into the research. I'm ready to find some thing that will help me answer my questions or maybe even frustrate me more in the end. I know i will find some thing in the end, whether it will be one answer or many is another question.

Unique

Make up on fifteen hours out of the day,  I'm a workaholic at the Lancome Make up counter (Counter Manager). I'm a likable, nice, friendly, and reasonable woman, did I mention nice, maybe too nice. The word taken advantage of comes to mind most of the time. Always a worrier, I'm constantly doing bill plans out for months in advance. I'm a 5'1", hard working, fun-loving lady, I love to hike, when I get a chance. I do anything to get work off my mind, I go on road trips (planned hours before or winging it). I'm a stress-er, and worrier, not an air-head.

Brainstorm

I always have thoughts, and different questions running through my mind. The isearch paper is going to bring those thoughts to life. Coming up with a list easy, but very long. The thought I chose for isearch is run the runs through my head twenty-four hours a day. Something that really annoys my boyfriends, but at the same time is on his mind just as much as it is on mine. My ideas are going to come out like a pot pot over flowing with boiling water. I said in a reaction piece before when some thing really has me thinking, and interested i can't stop writing, and ideas flow. I don't know if you want us to throw out there what our topics are and I really want to scream it out, but i'm going to keep it in until the isearch graf. This topic is going to throw so much out there, and have so much life to it.

Reaction

I know my writing is my own, its not always great, a lot of time I hold back in other classes because I don't like others knowing too much about me, or my writing. It takes time for me to think of some thing that is worth submitting. The inventory assignment took an hour and half; deleting and rewriting hoping that the next line would come out better, this may also translate into a little bit of OCD. My thoughts turn to the worst, when I think that others will find my writing less than appealing. I'm a little dyslexic and forgetful when typing, always having to write out drafts before I type them to find the errors. When I can find the right words and put everything together my writings are a work of art, at least I think so! That is when I know I have created something that a teacher would be proud to read and others would enjoy reading time and time again. I have a mind that likes to wounder while I write and think of new things while typing if I was writing a graf on cats I would have a great story because mine is running around like a maniac and that is what would pop in my head and stay there while typing. I am a writer, everyone will like my writings as long as I work hard, and the only one I have to prove some thing to and show that I can do my best at the end of the day, is MYSELF.

Inventory

Inventory

3x3 Table and the Clutter that is on top and beside:

• Boyfriends Jeans
• A floral top and jean shorts ( Not Boyfriends, they are Mine)
• Make up case with 30 different pieces of make up
• A Sweet Tea from Mcdonalds, half gone since 1pm
• Under the sweet tea is a bill and writing paper with the first assignment on it
• Chap stick 
• Ritz Crackers that I am eating
• Cell phone 
• Tweezers and Notebook paper underneath
• Car keys
• Kmart coupon ad
• Rusk Shampoo and Conditioner
• Binder paper for classes
• White coat hanger
• The lap top that I am typing on

Oh and can't forget the change around the table (about $1.00 worth), and the bobbi pins that are thrown everywhere by the cats that run the house.


This is definitely a couples house! Normally harsh, insulting words would be thrown out like pigs, or hoarders about the mess covering this table. She has make up and hair care products everywhere, and he has clothes two chairs. She is most likely addicted to sweet tea and ritz crackers, you could see that; not by just looking at her table but the wrapper and straw that are hanging out of trash in the kitchen that you can see clearly. The change can buy her another sweet tea, just needs 7 more cents, maybe its underneath the paper or around the floor. That would make her night! To the right of the lap top school paperwork, they both are in school, there is a surmount of binder paper around the table and a bank statement about class payments. The table must act as more than a dinner table for this couple, it must serve as a shelf, computer table, make up vanity and storage threw out the week, changing daily to fit his or her needs. It doesn't look bad to her, more of a organized throw table that is very multi-functional for their small two person family.

Worst Teacher

She turns and walks away, not wanting to notice or deal with the pain and suffering that was taking place in her classroom, play ground, and on the bus. In the middle of lunch boxes sits a girl, only nine, wondering why this happening to her and why her teacher won't listen. Bruises and red marks appear where the others have teased, pinched, and hit. the teacher does nothing, the tears don't bring any questions. She is angry when I say anything about the marks, saying "I don't want to hear it" and "grow up and clean your self up, come back to class." I always thought "Is this my fault, am I creating a problem." One day, as a third grader, I had a realization, "I am not the problem." The problem was a teacher who was not wanting to deal with problems and troubles in her own classroom, a person who didn't care about her students, only her paychecks. Her actions only cause more problems as the issues don't get solved, and Problems become larger with time. After that year, I was never able to forget that teacher or those students. This time in my life changed for the better, I help who needs it, and those who don't want to admit it. I stop bullying that I see, and speak of my experiences to encourage others to stand up, and fight to stop the bullying, and open the eyes of students, teachers, and adults in my life, so no one ever has to go through what I did, because no one should sit in the middle of a playground next to lunch boxes crying.

Hands

Beauty is the hands you have to work with all your life. My hands work and draw a brilliant picture, not on paper but on faces. A beautiful look made from my hands; that are small, soft, and always called gentle and light. Scars are small and very few, but one sticks out as I look at them, on my right hand there is an indentation, with a half moon scar. This is from cutting glass in art class with an Exacto Knife, combined with the glass I was cutting, though only noticeable when bending my fingers, it still brings memories of high school and classes back to me. The abrasions on my hand tell the story of my life, and continue to grow more stories as I grow, and my life changes with every day. My hands are my own, designed just for me, and no one else.

HI

First Post