Random Family

I haven't got that far into the book as I probably should be, but so far I find this book very interesting. The story about these people, and what they have to go through to get money or food to support the family just tugs at my heart. Even though I feel sorry for them, I can't help but be bitter, or negative towards the main character Jessica. Maybe if she didn't have kids so early, and went to school, and got an education, she probably won't be in the mess she's in now. I would love to ask her why she decided to have kids so early? I know it was a mistake, but then why did she have other lovers and have more kids knowing the problems she's already going through? It seems to me that she needs some responsibility, and needs to get her mind away from boys and other things and take a look at what's more important not only for her, but for her family.

Anna Nicole Controversy

I honestly could care less about Anna Nicole Smith. I found her annoying, stupid, and someone so unimportant in this country. That sounds kind of harsh, but I really don't see what the big deal was about her. Like we said in class; there are soldiers in another country dying and risking their lives to help our country, and the big story of the night is Anna Nicole Smith's death. It is sad that she died and she's leaving behind a baby, but I don't think that it should be the headline of every news show, newspaper, or internet site. Every time I see something about Anna Nicole on the television, I quickly change the channel. I am tired of hearing about her.

Britney Spears, and her problems with stress

I don't think that drugs, alcohol, and partying are ways for anyone, not only celebrities, to cope with stress. I feel that saying that you went on drugs or became an alcoholic because of stress is a lame and stupid excuse. If you're stressed out then go to a meditation place, or take a vacation. All drugs, alcohol, and partying do are give you even more problems, and put more negative things about you out there for the paparazzi to pick on and make a story about. I know that Britney Spears is going through a divorce, but I think that she was doing some drugs even before the divorce. Even after the divorce she got a new boyfriend "just like that" so to me if she was really depressed I don't think she would be already with a new guy. About the whole shaving her head, I really don't know what to say about that. I don't know if she was on drugs at the time she did it, or if she was looking for attention, but she better shape up because she has two babies that need a mother, and her actions are going to get them taken away from her.

Scary Movies

I know I love to go to scary movies, even though I know I'll be scared and maybe have a nightmare. I think it is because I know in most scary movies, it is all fake and probably will not happen in reality so therefore I just go for fun. It's like riding a roller coaster. Roller coasters can be scary, but a lot of people go just because they like that feeling of adrenalin and being scared for fun. The only movies that I probably will not watch are anything that involves exorcism or sharks. When there is a movie about exorcism, I just get an uncomfortable, disturbing feeling that I don't like, and then doesn't make me enjoy the movie. I also won't watch movies about sharks because I know that sharks are real, and that something that involves a shark in a movie could possibly happen in real life.

Population in China

I really don't think it's right that the Chinese government is using all of these different forms of birth control to lessen the population. Everyone should have a choice. It is their life and their family, and they should have the freedom to have as many kids as they want. I know there is a population problem in China, and I admit I'm not sure of another way to lessen the population, but I feel that telling women how many children they are allowed to have and forcing them to go on birth control or have an abortion is wrong.

Hit Lists in Schools

Since I am going to be a teacher I know that I'm probably going to face situations in the school where there is going to be a problem with a group of kids and a hit list, and that scares me. I honestly don't know how I would handle it. I would probably pull the child aside who started the hit list, and try to talk to him/her. I would try to find out what was bothering them, and try to help. If not, I would just go to the administration, so that they could figure out a policy to keep the school safe, and bring this issue to the students' attentions. For the most part, my old high school was pretty safe. There was never any situations where there were hit lists are bomb threats. I think that if there was a hit list, or for other schools with hit lists, I think it should be taken very seriously. You don't know how serious the child who created it is, and I think it is important for a school to be prepared for that type of situation.

The Price of Fame

If I was a celebrity, I don't know if I would be able to handle paparazzi's being around me all the time, and making up stories out of nothing. If I was famous, I would want to be a positive role model for young girls, and if paparazzi's need to make their quota and get a juicy story about me, I don't want them making up stuff, and then having these young girls read about it. When you become you do have to realize that the paparazzi and the tabloids comes along with the job, and if you can't handle it then you're in the wrong profession. I think really the only time it would bother me to have the paparazzi's around would be if I'm at home, with my kid, and just wanting privacy. I think that a paparazzi's job should just focus on taking pictures if a celebrity is at a club, on a red carpet, or doing inerviews.

If I was the judge...

If I was the judge during the trial for the shooting at Belle and his friends, I would have the cop who shot 31 times charged with second degree murder. Even though at first he did not intentionally want to kill Sean Belle, he still shot 31 times. That is huge number considering that he said he never meant to kill him. I could understand if he was just nervous, but then how come the other two cops only shot about 11 times. I feel that this officer went too far, and now an innocent man is dead.

My President

When voting for a president, I think it is important to look at the issues that he/she is most interested in, and what is most important for them to solve. It is also important to make sure that the president you choose has experience, and has confidence that he/she can improve the country in a way that no other candidate running would be able to. Even though I am not too fond of Hilary Clinton, I feel that she fits these qualities better than Obama does. When her husband was president, she was around all the decision making, and politics in and outside the White House. She is currently running New York. Obama I haven't heard much about. All I know is that this is his first year as senator. Even though everyone likes him and he is a nice guy, I don't know if that is enough to vote for him to run the country.

Lucia and GC's Discussion Question

Lucia and GC gave their speech about American Idol, and all the controversies around the voting system. One question they asked was, "Why do you think some bad singers are left on the show when they clearly should be voted off?" I think the people who are voting for the worst singer just think it is funny to make him/her look bad on television. People need to realize that becoming a singer is some of these peoples' dreams, and having people who really have talent go home is not fair. For example, that kid Sanjaya should clearly have gone home a while ago. On this past elimination episode, he ended up being saved while this one girl who had a great voice was sent home. I don't know if Sanjaya is staying on the show because he really does have a lot of fans or people are playing a joke, but I think it is unfair.

Group 1 Discussion Question

Kenny and I were the first group to talk about our article which was about fairytales, and how some stories have been turned around to send different messages. I think fairytales do send out certain messages. Most fairytales send messages to young girls about finding that perfect guy, and making him your prince charming. Sometimes the message isn't always positive. A lot of fairy tales show beautiful women getting the prince at the end, where the ugly girls are usually represented as the evil ones. Also, in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast," Belle is walking through town reading a book and the towns people are picking on her, telling her to get her nose out of the book because she could never get a guy like that. That is a really negative message to send out to some girls. Little girls need to know that it is more important to have a brain, and for a guy to love you for who you are on the inside, and not how you are on the outside.

Fun Reading

For my fun reading, I read the book "Sloppy Firsts," by Megan McCafferty. I heard about this book from my friend, and she absolutley loved it. She is reading McCafferty's follow up book called "Second Helpings." She told me it is a great book for girls so i decided to choose "Sloppy Firsts" as my fun reading. The book is about how hard it is being a teenage girl, and all the stressful things that can happen during one year at a new school. The main character Jessica Darling goes through many problems between losing a best friend, having a crush, and dealing with jealous, stuck up girls at school. This book is hilarious also. It is a great book for adult women to read who have grown up and happy about not being a teenager anymore, and its good for any teenage girl who is going through similar problems and is looking for a book that tells it like it is.

Back From Break..what a week

I had a great spring break. My boyfriend and I went to Hilton Head, SC to visity my grandparents, and it was beautiful there. The entire week was sunny and the temperature was in the 70s and 80s. It was so nice being in warm weather. Every morning my boyfriend and I fished. I caught a fish, and my boyfriend got a little upset because he never caught one the entire trip lol. We also mini golfed(beat him twice), went to the beach, went on a bike ride, and went on this little mini motor wraft to see dolphins.

We ended up driving back on Thursday, but it was so bad. It was raining from Virginia to New Jersey, and it was hard to see the roads. We got back to my boyfriend's house Thursday and wanted to come home on Friday, but the snow storm that we had kept us there another day. Even though I enjoyed the week off, I am happy to be home. The only bad part is is that now I have so much work to do for school. I have a psych test on monday, plus a paper due also. Oh well.....btw HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY!!!

Topic For Final Project

I am going to do my final project about my major, Early and Middle Childhood Education. So far, I have taken a lot of classes at Montclair that are required for my major. There are a lot of courses to take, so I know I am going to be in school for awhile. My initial field class gave me the chance to go into an urban and suburban classroom, and observe how the kids learn, and the teachers' learning styles. I can take interviews that I had with the teachers, and my observations to help out with my project. Also, I teach at a dance studio, and I always take pictures and videos of the students during the class. I want to do something creative, so I will use those videos and pictures to create my project. I don't know what style I am going to use to present my project, but I probably will not do a paper. I like how we have the option to be creative and choose what we want to do, so I am going to take advantage of that.
During my research, I want to be able to find out about any subjects at Montclair that I can concentrate in. I know that elementary school teachers usually teach every subject, but I heard that they want to change it, so teachers should be certified in a specific subject. I would like to be a science teacher because that is my favorite subject, I find it interesting, and there is a huge need for science teachers. I have been searching on the Montclair website to find how you can specialize in a certain subject, but I have not found anything yet. I also want to find out more about the special ed. program at Montclair, and change my minor from dance to psychology. I feel that a psychology minor would be more beneficial.

Spring Break Plans

I am so excited for spring break. I have been so stressed out between all the work at school, taking and teaching dance classes every night, plus working at my other job at Mandee. This break is exactly what I need to relax. My boyfriend and I are driving down to South Carolina in Hilton Head Island, and staying with my grandparents for the week. We are leaving Thursday night, since we both have no classes on Fridays, and spending the night at his house in Freehold because we are switching cars with his mom. Both are cars are really old and probably would not make a 13 hour drive. I am really excited because this is the first vacation I am taking with my boyfriend, and without my parents. I checked the weather and it is in the 70s. I cannot wait to be in the warm weather instead of up here in the snow.

Women's Rights Issues in Other Countries

Honestly I don't know if there is anything we really can do. In other countries, no matter how wrong and deprivating it is to us, that is their culture. They have been that way for centuries, and it seems as though it is never going to change. I obviously do not agree with the way women are treated in other countries. Watching the video during class, I was amazed to see how women have to listen to men all the time, and how they cannot even talk to other people. They also have to remain fully covered from head to toe, and the only people who can see any part of their skin is immediate family. If we tried to persuade them to treat women differently, I'd feel like they would just laugh at us for feeling that way.
As for children's rights, I feel that they should be treated like any child should. I don't think that people in other countries use their kids to do hard labor for them. Kids need time to grow, and have the time to be a real kid. Making them work to hard can really put a ware on their health. I do think that it would be easier to change their minds about children's rights than women's rights.

Birthday Girl

Today is February 26th, and it is my birthday! I am now twenty years old. Everyone today been sending me such nice birthday wishes, and have been asking me if I feel any different. It is not that I feel different, I just cannot believe that I am no longer considered to be a teenager. I feel like time is flying by so fast.

Even though it is my birthday, I am not really doing anything to celebrate it. Last nite though, a couple friends and myself went out to dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen. It was really nice to have everyone together, and having a good time. Tonight, I might be going out to dinner with my parents, but then I have to go to dance class until ten. There is nothing I can really do at that time, but I might plan to do something this weekend to celebrate.

What Changed My Life

For class we have to bring in something that we have read that has changed our life. What I read that changed my life was not a book, but an article I found in a dance magazine a couple years ago. The article was about the dancer Gelsey Kirkland. Gelsey Kirkland is one of the most famous dancers in the world. She was the original 'Clara' in "The Nutcracker," and has had other many important roles in other ballets with her partner Mikail Baryshnikov. When Gelsey was younger she suffered through drug abuse, and had to go into rehab. Her drug abuse ruined her dancing career. The article talks about her struggle, and how she was able to overcome her addiction. Gelsey now teaches dance and gives public speeches around the world. She inspires me to never give up, and be the best dancer that I can be.

Night

I enjoyed read the book "Night." I am a very slow reader, and "Night" was a really easy book to read, and I was able to read it in three days. At first I did not know how I felt about reading this book. Almost every year since i was in 4th grade, we have learned and read books about the Holocaust. I do find the topic very interesting, but I did not know if I wanted to read another book on that topic. I ended up finding it to be a good book. I did not want to put it down, which made me finish the book faster. It is a lot easier for me to read when I am interested in what the book is about. Another plus to reading this book was that my sister, who is in high school, is also reading this book in her english class. Sometimes we read the book together and discussed it. She actually thought the book was boring. It was interesting to see how different our opinions were about the book.

My Expectations

Hello, my name is Taryn and I am a sophmore at Montclair State. I am taking this reading class not only to better my score, but to hopefully make me more interested in reading. I really dont enjoy reading. The only time I read is if I am really interested in the story and topic like the "Harry Potter" series. I really wish I liked to read because I feel that it could build my knowledge and also make me a better writer. I also read very slow, and have to read out loud in order for me to really understand it. Hopefully this reading class could make me a better reader, and get me to enjoy reading.