Naps

So I've had a cold or something lately and I know that sleep is pretty much mandatory if I'm anxious for a quick cure. I decided I would take an energy nap to jumpstart my energy so I could accomplish everything I need to today. I thought it was a great idea since I have so much I need to get done today, however, my plan backfired when I woke up and realized that there was only 10 minutes left in my math class! My math class of all things, the one subject I struggle with the most and I am still lounging in my apartment! I woke up quickly and came to the conclusion that maybe if I looked through the lesson in the book I could figure it out on my own. Again, that backfired as well since the lesson was like trying to learn Chinese or something... anyway, I show up for the last 10 minutes of class, sneak in so that my professor won't notice, sit in my seat, and write my notes at a mock 90 speed. Did I understand the notes? Nope. But I was there and at that moment that's all that seemed to matter. I couldn't believe it, I've never missed a day of math and today I broke my record. Geez.. I've decided I'll never do that again. If I am sick and need a nap I'll only take on AFTER all the classes are over..

A(too close)Near-Miss

I'm walking out of my math class in Ephraim and I'm about to cross the street. I go through the motions of looking both ways and make my way to my beautifully parked car. As I'm walking though I see a van turn into the block that I'm on. I thought, "well, hey, I can make it..."since it was a good distance away from me, plus I was only crossin the street. What's the worst that could happen?
I take a few steps to cross the street when suddenly the van speeds up---a lot! We're talking fast and furious on a residential road. I panicked, but I couldn't run very good because I had my ginormous back pack on and my cell phone was hidden somewhere in one of the outside pockets(there was no way I was going to risk breaking my cell phone--especially since its brand new) . Anyway, as the van got closer I got a short glimpse of what it looked like: silver, round, and a typical style of a van. (The Silver Charger its what it's now known to me as) I also recognized the person in it as well. My arch nemesis from high school. How she hated me! I could feel her loathing and tension as she sped up and I ran hastily to save my own life!
At last, I made it to my cute little Chevrolet Cavalier. Safe at last. And even though my heart beat was going incredibly fast my mind was out of focus. Out of instinct I called my mom and told her my epic story. At first she didn't believe me that it was my Arch Nemesis, and tried to persuade me that "she" was just messing around and that she's sure that other people do that to their friends too. Rewind and freeze: people actually purposely try running over their friends as a friendly gesture? Wow... maybe it's just me, but I've never done that to any of my friends. (If my nemesis did indeed try running me over out of friendly affection I can't possibly imagine what she does when she sees her boyfriend... Anyway, that's beyond the point.)
To this day my mom thinks that it was a friendly gesture that Ms. Nemesis was making, but I still plead otherwise. I suppose the moral to this one is to look both ways before crossing the street, but look again(just in case) because you never know what could happen.

Good Morning America

So I'm on my way to school this morning and as I try to back up I can see my neighbor has clearly blocked my car in. I'm running late and there is not much I can do about it. I throw a tantrum, get out of my car, run hastily into my apartment and try to think of what I can do to get to school. After some thinking I come to a conclusion of three options: one, I walk; two, I get a ride; or three, I skip class. I decide to go with option two. I catch a ride and make it to school in good time. However, I walk back to my apartment only to find my neighbor's car hasn't budged an inch. I ignore the fact and decide to go in and forget about it.
If he hasn't moved his car by 10:30 I'm going to lay down the law. I have work at 11:30 and I would much rather take a ride in my amazing car rather than take an icy walk to get there. It's winter for heaven's sake. If it was warmer I wouldn't care so much, but I'm just recovering from a cold so I'd much rather avoid getting that again.
I understand that everyone has their right to park where they want, but I believe that I have my rights to leave my parking place when I want to. Since he has cornered my car he has already partially violated my "pursuit of happiness".(Oh my heck I'm talking politics again...I can't help myself.) How annoying is that?

Lessons from Oreos :)

I have an insane addiction to Oreos. Particulary Double-stuf Mint Oreos. I really am. This is not an exaggeration. I always eat it a certain way(which in my opinion is the best way, but I'm a little bias) :) I always take it apart, eat the frosted half or dip it in milk, then throw the other half away or dip it in milk after I've devoured all the delicious ones.
The way I eat them though is nothing like what I do when my cookies are gone. I go through this huge withdrawal from them. The week or 2 that I go without my Oreo's are one of my tragic days of my life. At first the crave for them is easy to walk away from, but the longer I go without them the stronger my craving becomes. It's quite scary actually.
To prove this point I'll give you an example. Last night I was doing my homework when the craving for them came. At first I paid no attention to it, but then I couldn't stop thinking about it! They sounded so wonderful! Finally, after a few minutes I decided to go to Walmart to buy some. My roommate had told me that day that we had just run out of bread and asked if I could pick a loaf up if I went there. However, instead of grabbing the grocery list I left thinking that I would remember to pick up the bread. I walked down the bread aisle and thought nothing of it. I made my way to aisle 7 and took the Oreo's instead. I walked to the cashier register just happy as can be, paid for my snack, and went back to my apartment.
When I got there I immediately began doing my homework. Now that I had some "brain food" I could really finish up quickly now. While I ate my cookies and finished my homework my rommmate walked in and asked, "Hey where did you get those?" and took one out of the box. I told her. Then she asked, "Did you get any bread?" I swear my eyeballs expanded to at least the size of a golf ball. I completely forgot about them because I was so determined to get my Oreo's. I explained to her what happened and luckily she shrugged it off, but still... that's how strong my withdrawals can be.
The moral of this story is... honestly, bridle your passions.(Alma 38:12) Otherwise you'll end up like me forgetting my responsibilities as a roommate and become consumed in what's really NOT that important.

Change for America

Change for America

By, McCall Taylor

Over the years, there have been significant changes all over in the U.S. from the latest fashion up to the government officials. With Barack Obama as our new President, his motto of “Change” will be greatly tested during his term in office. Will he be able to help solve the world’s most tumultuous problems or only create more? Will he give America a new “hope” or make us hope for a better election result?

This week I gave 60+ students at Snow a poll on what they thought of the results so far. The following questions in the poll were: Are you happy with the election results? What kinds of changes do you think Obama will make on the country? Do you believe they will be good or bad changes? What kind of effect has the election had on you?

The results I had from the poll were surprising. There were 25 people who were happy with the results, 28 who were unsatisfied, and 8 who were neutral or undecided. 26 people thought Obama’s upcoming changes will be good, 20 who think they will be bad, and 10 who are neutral or undecided. In other words, the school is divided evenly on how the students feel about the election results.

One student said, “I believe he will restore our world image and restore the values that our constitution holds which have been forgotten these last 8 years. They will be great changes.”

Another student disagrees, “I think he is going to try and change things that don’t need to be changed and screw up the good change that could be made.”

Despite these strong opinions there are still some students who are undecided. One student states, “At first I was very negative in my opinion of Obama, but now it’s turned to curiosity to see what he will try to do.”

Change is occurring everywhere, especially in the U.S. Over the last 8 years there have been many adjustments that the people of our country had to get used to. During this time change has been affecting all people of various races and cultures. A decade ago I do not believe that America would’ve even dreamed that we’d be in the situations we are now. It’s been said that Obama’s inauguration will be the greatest event in the history of America!

Abide in Biden

Abide in Biden
by McCall Taylor

Joe Biden Jr., the Democratic Senator of Delaware, has been selected as the Vice President of president-elect Barack Obama’s Cabinet, according to several articles. There has been so much about Obama that I decided a piece on the Vice President would be a good idea since you rarely hear of anyone else in the president’s cabinet but the President. This topic may sound unimportant and useless, but I think if we knew a little more about our country’s leader we could give our trust to them. This article is more or less of a background check on our President’s successor.
Serving as the Senator of Delaware since 1972, Joe has definitely had his experience in the American government system. As a leader in foreign policy, “one of the nation’s most influential voices” in drug policy, terrorism, and crimes, as well as a successful leader in his state; he has “brought real results that matter to Americans.” (http://biden.gov.senator/) He has been the Delaware state senator since he was 29 and has since then given his first priority to Delaware and its people.
On his website it describes some of his accomplishments and from my understanding of the article Senator Biden has done it all to magnify his position. Whether it’s preserving White Clay Creek State Park, fighting for healthcare, or putting more cops on the state streets, Delawareans know that there is nothing he wouldn’t do for the sake of his country as well.
Making colleges and University’s more accessible and affordable for students and their families has always been one of his priorities. His College Affordability and Creating Chances for Educational Success for Students act would “increase tax incentives, Pell Grants, and begin college planning as early as the 8^th grade.” Biden also wrote and passed the Violence Against Women Act which is the strongest legislation that holds batters and participants of domestic violence responsible for their actions.
He, like Obama, has an outspoken opinion on how President Bush handled the war in Iraq. More impressively he has been successful in bringing crime rates to its lowest in a generation by passing his Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act in 1994.
In the short biography on his website it states that prior to his senate position he practiced and set up his own law firm in Wilmington, Delaware(where he currently resides with his family). He practiced law there until 1972 when he was elected State Senator and now we uphold him in 2009 as our new Vice President.