Pisces Tattoo!!

So I was looking for a pisces tattoo that I liked, but could not possibly find any! So here is what the tattoo artists came up with after incorporating my ideas.

McCan't or O-bomb-us?

I'm not liberal or conservative, democrat or republican. For many people, this election has been a difficult one and it has definitely made it hard for me to decide who I want to vote for.

I've kinda been on the fence, listening to both sides. Laughing at both sides. Sarah Palin and John McCain jokes are pretty dang funny. I admit, she's a little annoying. But I personally like them better than Barack and Joe Biden. But I suppose I really don't care for either side. It's like voting for the lesser evil. Or maybe it's voting against instead of for. If you've noticed at all with negative ads or the negative things you hear about each candidate, they stick with you more than the positives and their policies do! But I personally, think that's a good thing. Barack talks a big game, he's a reeeeal smooth talker. But judging by his background, I just don't trust the man. I don't look at him as a black man, I could care less what color he is. But like I said judging things from the past, I don't feel safe voting him as president. One thing I don't like is that a lot of African Americans are voting for him mainly based on the fact that he's a black man. It's awesome that a black man has come this far in the country, but he doesn't have to become president to make it an accomplishment. But it would be a waste of a vote to try to vote for a third party. Anyways, one thing is for sure, one of them is going to be president. And I'm very fearful of this whole situation. We can't predict what's really going to happen, what policies they're really going to stick to. When they're president, only a VERY small percentage of their plans actually stand true. So I am pretty much just looking at it as the people that they are.

Barack sat in a church for years and says he never heard Rev. Wright say anything bad about America? Please. This is what I think-- Who knows. Maybe he would be a good president, I don't know. There's only one way to find out. But I'm not sure if I want to take that chance. Some people think John McCain is going to die while he's president, and are worried about Sarah Palin becoming president, but you know she can get voted out of nobody wants her there. So who cares. I won't be so worried about McCain dying, because if Barack is president there's still a possibility he could get shot? The KKK is still out there. It's not like other presidents haven't been assassinated before. Anyways, I don't have the smartest, politically correct things to say so I'm just going to end it here. This election sucks. We might be fucked, or we might actually finally get out of the mess we're in now. One of them is going to be moving into that White House this January. So make your decision wisely. Vote for who YOU want to vote for, or maybe vote against instead of in favor. It's going to be a close call.

KNOW SEX or NO SEX

It's no secret, in today's society, sex is a part of everday life. The traditional "wait til you're married" is no longer the norm. Most people do not wait for marriage anymore. And the stuff they taught you in school, you probably didn't even pay attention to anyways, right?! Well that's where I come in. Now I'm probably telling you things you've already heard before, maybe more than once. But let's get one thing straight, sometimes you don't really know anything until it happens to you. Sometimes it takes hearing something more than once, or from someone who has been there. Feeling invincible and being ignorant is normal for teens, but you can change that for yourself. Take the time to really think about your life and your goals.

PLEASE, take the time to REALLY THINK these things over. Do it now, before it's too late.

Condoms and protection is without a doubt, is a serious matter. When you have unprotected sex, you are risking getting an STD(long-term or short-term), getting HIV/AIDS(which is very deadly.)

It can also obviously lead to an unwanted pregnancy(which is turns into a very difficult and complex situation.) Not only are condoms a good idea for protecting you and your partner from STDS, but birth control is also a very important thing too. Sometimes a condom can be worn improperly, break, or fall off.

Most people know they should be using protection. But a lot of people think that nothing is going to happen to them. They're invincible! I thought I was. If I really thought I was going to get pregnant, I would've used protection, right? Well I, as well as many other people, are proof that nobody is invincible. My suggestion however, is to REALLLLY think about the consequences. Something I wasn't smart enough to do. Don't wait until it's too late. Make a list in your head of why you would wear a condom. Then make another list of why you wouldn't wear a condom. Starting to understand where I'm going with this?

Make a list in your head of the steps you would have to take if you found out you had an STD.

(confronting the person you got it from, going to the doctor, trying to get rid of the STD, or having to live with it for the rest of your life)

Also make a list of the steps you would have to take if you found out you were pregnant, or got someone pregnant. (see my other blog "book in one hand, baby in the other") Considering all of these things, is it really worth it to be going unprotected?

DID YOU KNOW:

• 25% of all Americans between 15 and 55 will have at least one sexually transmitted disease.
• Almost two-thirds of all STDs occur in people younger than age 25.
• One in four new STD infections occurs in teenagers.
• Most people with STDs have no symptoms—none! So you can be infected and infect someone else without knowing it.

So How Can You Get Tested?

Call your clinic and set up an appointment!! Don't wait!

You can also find a Planned Parenthood.(Great resource center)

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/

MORE INFORMATION ON STDS: http://www.cdcnpin.org/scripts/std/std.asp http://www.mjbovo.com/Contracept/STD-FAQs.htm http://www.stopthinkbesafe.org/stdFacts/stdFact.asp http://www.sexetc.org/page/get_tested/

DID YOU KNOW:

• All it takes is 1 time having unprotected sex to get pregnant.
• A sexually active teen who does not use contraceptives has a 90% chance of becoming pregnant within a year.
• Each year, almost 750,000 women aged 15-19 become pregnant. Overall, 75 pregnancies occur every year per 1,000 women aged 15-19; this rate has declined 36% since its peak in 1990
• Eighty-two percent of teen pregnancies are unplanned; they account for about one in five of all unintended pregnancies annually.
• There were 214,750 abortions among 15-19-year-olds in 2002
• The reasons teens give most frequently for having an abortion are concern about how having a baby would change their lives, inability to afford a baby now and feeling insufficiently mature to raise a child.

Think You Could Be Pregnant? Or What To Do If You Are:

Local stores have at-home pregnancy tests for around $11.

Clinics sometimes do free pregnancy testing (see if your clinic does)

Planned Parenthood does pregnancy testing as well.

They also carry the 72HR Plan B pills

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/

You're not alone!! There are many programs and support groups for pregnant teens/parents.

Make sure you contact your doctor as soon as possible for the health of you and the baby.

MORE INFORMATION:

http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_ATSRH.html

Adoption is selfless, Abortion is selfish.

Here is some information on adoption:

http://www.americanadoptions.com/pregnant/index

I Had A Dream

I had a dream when I was younger, of falling in love, getting married to a wonderful husband, and raising a family together. This is one dream that unfortunately did not come true for me. At least not in the way I had planned. But I did dream of having children. And although my dream of a man and woman raising a child together did not come true, it's okay, because that dream can still come true one day. However, I was blessed with the most precious gift-- a beautiful baby boy, Liam James Strong. I arrived at the hospital at 7AM that chilly winter morning on March 12th, 2008. The sun was just beginning to meet the earth, and this day was going to be the first day of the rest of my life. My water was broken by 7:30AM, and that's when the process really began. I couldn't wait. I was finally going to look into the eyes of the son who I carried for 9 long, wonderful months. I was ready to be a mother. I planned on a beautiful, natural labor. No medicine, just the strength of mind over matter. I knew I could do it. I had practiced over and over for it, and was actually anxious to experience the pain, because I knew it was a beautiful pain, with meaning and reason. As the doctor was breaking my water, she realized that his head was not completely engaged. This was risky because with my water being broken, that gave chance to the umbilical cord coming through before his head. The danger in a prolapsed cord, is that if the cord comes before the head, the oxygen and blood supply will be cut off to the baby. It is very, very dangerous. So I had to stay confined to the bed in a lying down position. I could not get up to use the bathroom, to walk, nothing until his head was for surely locked down. Half hour after my water was broken, I began to really feel the labor. But I was fine. It made it all the better that I had the support from my wonderful mother, and my friends Emily and Jess whom were all there for me, and anxious to share this wonderful experience with me. As the minutes and hours progressed, the contractions became more intense. But on a scale of 1-10 my pain never got over a 9. I knew I could take on more. The pain increased, and finally my contractions were one on top of the other. Three and a half hours into labor, the nurse decided to check me and that's when she realized something wasn't right. She brought the doctor back in with her, and the doctor confirmed that the cord had in fact slipped over his head. It was prolapsed. I was informed that I was going to need an emergency C-Section, and things began to get loud as they were hurriedly calling for surgeons and what not. My hopes of having a natural labor was shattered. I so badly wanted to experience it all, as weird as it may sound. I had practiced my breathing and relaxing techniques for weeks, and not at all did I expect that I would have to have a C-Section. But it was at that time, that I had to realize that it didn't matter, as long as the baby and I are healthy, a natural labor is not as important. But I was still very sad about it. At 11:49AM, I saw the face of my newborn child. The one I had been waiting for. The doctors lifted him over the curtain and I could not believe how beautiful he was. Words cannot explain the feeling I had the first time I saw him. I didn't know what to expect, but I honestly did not believe he could be as beautiful as he was! The doctors weighed him, and he was in fact a large boy. 8lbs, 5oz and 20inches long. How's that for a girl no taller than 5 feet and 100lbs pre-pregnancy weight?! He was healthy, and his cries were very reassuring. I remember the overwhelming feeling that came upon me when he was officially born. I can't explain it quite right in words, but it was a feeling of confusion, excitement, anxiousness, etc. I remember being asked, "How does it feel being a mommy?" and I answered, "I don't know." One thing was for sure though, I loved him from the start. I was wheeled off into my post-delivery room. I remember feeling all itchy from the medication. I was waiting and waiting and was so anxious because they still had not brought Liam to me! Then finally my mom came into my room, and I asked, "Where is he?" And then they brought him to me.

The love of my life; I finally get to hold him in my arms instead of my belly. He's big, he's beautiful, he's mine. I did not ask for him, but he came to me, and I fully accepted this gift from God. For whatever reason, or lesson, he came to me. Now, after having him, many things have changed. Promises that were made, were broken. The man who was also responsible for him, didn't exactly step up to the plate like I had hoped. Friends that I hoped would be here for us to experience this with us, weren't there.

Loneliness is definitely a feeling I carry with me all the time. But I keep going, because at the end of the day, I know I'm not alone.

Liam and I are in this together, and we continue to keep each other strong, in the hopes that someday we can share our lives with a wonderful person and build our family.

No matter what, though, I am thankful everyday because I know I'm truly blessed;

my cup floweth over.

If You're A Bird, I'm A Bird

I can't even begin to express my feelings that I have for the movie The Notebook. I've seen it at least 50 times, and it never gets old. It actually just keeps getting better and better. The silly thing is, is that it's just a movie. Usually when I watch movies I can't help but think about how it's not real, just about every damn second throughout a movie or show. But when I watch The Notebook, I see something so real. You can tell that there's more than just acting between Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling. And when I watch it, it gives me so much insight on life. The beauty of everything. Everything from the scenery in this movie, to the characters, the wardrobes, the love... everything about it is so wonderful. It gives me hope and makes me want a love like that. I love the plot behind it as well.

It's weird because tonight, for the first time as I watched this movie, I didn't feel afraid of getting old. If I find a love like that, I am not afraid of getting old. I seriously saw so much beauty in getting older. Because I know that this is not the end. Not only is it a part of life, but a part of eternity. Our bodies are decaying and withering from the day we're born. Like a seed that grows into a beautiful flower and slowly begins to wilt and lose its petals, and then eventually die.

But it doesn't really die, it's seeds float on and once again it will bloom and become a beautiful flower again, and then the cycle repeats. I saw and felt all of this at one point in this movie. It's not that I've never realized it before, but I've never seen it or thought about it as much as I just have. Anyways, I definitely give this movie a 10.5/10. It will never get old, or worn out. I can't wait for true love to find me, and when it does, I hope it's nothing less than what is shown in this movie.

He’s A Family Guy! Best Adult Cartoon Review

Do you ever take the time to look at today’s culture and the current events in a less serious light? That’s exactly what the animated television show Family Guy does. Family Guy is one of the best witty adult cartoon shows that have made its way into television since The Simpsons. This show portrays most of its characters as unintelligent, aside from the talking dog Brian and the football headed baby, Stewie. It effectively satirizes pop culture, is riotously politically incorrect, and contains humor so bad, it's good. Though this cartoon is made for a more mature audience, its age appropriateness is still questionable. Like The Simpsons, people often watch this show for its amusing adult-cartoon humor. Jeremy Frost, a reviewer of the show says, “it’s a more gruff version of The Simpsons, with far “bluer” material.” (Frost). However, I have found that viewers who have loved The Simpsons since the first time they’ve watched it, generally don’t like Family Guy, and the people who like Family Guy don’t enjoy The Simpsons. None the less, some think both the shows are equally as great because they both contain a good amount of senseless and cheap humor. The setting of Family Guy takes place in Quahog, a small urban town in Rhode Island. The Griffins, a dysfunctional family, are a very colorful set of characters with very different personalities from each other. Brian Griffin is the family’s pet dog. He has very human-like characteristics, and along with Stewie, is probably the smartest character in the show. Stewie is the football headed baby with a British accent and a powerful hate for the people and the world around him. He often thinks he is more clever than everybody else. Peter, husband and father, is a lazy, overweight slob with an IQ of a small child. He is often inappropriate, and makes a terrible role model for his children. His character is shamefully funny, and does just about everything a person should not do. An example of this would be the time Peter took a test to see if he was a genius. It turned out that he was actually mentally-retarded. In celebration of his test results, which he thought were terrific, he hired a bulldozer with a drunk driver to level off half of his house. Lois, whose voice is played by Alex Borstein, comedian on the T.V. show Mad TV, is a very patient and caring wife and mother. Their son Chris is an overweight teenager who closely resembles his father in the fact that he behaves very childishly and is not very intelligent. Once he taunted his sister, Meg, by telling her that his father was smarter then hers. Meg is the unattractive and unpopular teenage daughter. She is practically disowned by her family, and is the butt of most of their jokes. She is almost always being referred to as manly. In “Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story,” Stewie goes into the future and sees Meg as a transitioned male named Ron. This is a good example of how the show portrays her character. The hilarious references in Family Guy are mainly aimed at popular culture, such as celebrities, movies, television shows, and the many different ‘isms’ of our culture. They don’t continuously single out a specific minority, but instead humorously blow stereotypes out of proportion. “When You Wish Upon a Weinstein” was an episode that the Fox Network could not air, due to its offensiveness. This episode concentrates on the idea that Peter thinks Jews are smarter than everyone else. I personally love the different ways Family Guy satirizes pop culture. However, some people tend to think that the pop culture references are a bit overdone. Loerke, an opposing reviewer of the show, calls it a pointless spoof of everything in pop culture. The shows viewers must watch the show and feel proud for catching the references they make about pop culture. It doesn’t make sense to sit down and watch a show that poorly imitates Hollywood celebrities because they already make themselves look bad. Family Guy feeds on the trends of the present time, and anybody who watches it in the next two years will not understand the jokes; therefore the show will not be funny to them (Loerke). I would have to disagree with this reviewer. Family Guy does a fine job of mocking pop culture. The show is meant to create a cheap laugh, and it does just that. Though Family Guy does feed on the trends of today, I don’t feel that its viewers always have to understand exactly what they’re satirizing in order to get a good laugh. However, since Family Guy often generates most of its humor by making references about a person, movie, show, etc., I can understand why some viewers may develop a dislike of the show. If the viewer has never heard of the person or show being imitated, they obviously may not fully understand the humor that lies within. It might fly directly over their heads without even knowing it, or though they may not understand the reference fully, they may still have a good laugh. This show also does a good job of being politically incorrect. It is jam-packed with crude and derogatory language. A lot of times the show over-exaggerates on the thoughts people in our society have. An example would be Peter and his buddies drinking at a bar talking inappropriately about a woman’s breasts. Instead of just keeping their comments to themselves, they will blurt them out. Humor in this show tends to be so unreasonably stupid, it’s good. It is a random cartoon show that’s main purpose is to give its viewers a cheap laugh. Peter’s flashbacks and the jokes contained in the show often jump from place to place and generally don’t follow the plot line of the episode. It is a show bursting with random and mindless humor. Sitting down and watching a show like this is entertaining because it allows its viewers to stoop down to a lower level of intelligence for a while without having to worry about looking or feeling dumb. Though overflowing with foolish humor, its one-liners are carefully and cleverly written. The jokes incorporated into the show are often “inside” jokes and references. This outrageous show is chock-full with over the top imitations of our everyday culture. It never seizes to creatively mock human relationships and behaviors, and make poor imitations of popular culture. If you haven’t seen the show yet, I recommend curling up onto the sofa with a bag of potato chips and I also suggest taking off your “thinking cap” because viewers of this show don’t have to do a whole lot of thinking while engaging themselves into this side-splitting cartoon comedy. Sources Cited: D., Andrea. "‘Family Guy’ to Explore Gay Gene and Ex-Gay Therapy." Box Turtle Bulletin. 31 Jan. 2008. Google. 17 Feb. 2008 . "Family Guy on Fox." TV Guide. 16 Feb. 2008. Fox. 16 Feb. 2008 . Loerke. "Reviews for Family Guy." Rate It All. 09 Jan. 2007. 15 Feb. 2008 . "Lucky There's a Family Guy! and Lucky They Brought Him Back!" Epinions. 08 Jan. 2007. 25 Feb. 2008 . Ulrich, Jesse. "Abstract." Brandeis.Edu. 25 Feb. 2008 . Frost, Jeremy. "Family Guy (Volume 2)." UpcomingDISCS. 07 Sept. 2003. 25 Feb. 2008 .

Teachers and Staff Face Tough Decisions in 2008

Figuring out what career path to take once high school is over can be a difficult decision. For some people it’s a piece of cake--they know exactly what they want to do when they get out of high school--but for others, selecting a career can be very hard. They first have to decide what career field they would like to endure and how long they’re willing to go to school for. Whether they are going to school for 2 years, 4 years, or 12 years, it is something they are doing so that they can be specialized in a specific job area. Students going to college for a degree look forward to having a job when they are done with schooling. What they don’t realize, however, is that it might still be hard to get the job they want. Also, if they’re teachers for example, they may have the burden of possibly being laid off later down the road. This is the case for many teachers in the St. Francis School District.

In the fall of 2007, the referendum for more funding in the district did not pass. Because of this, Independent School District 15 had to make a 1.9 million dollar reduction for the school year of 2008-2009. Because tax payers are not willing to pay more taxes, the district has to cut budgets. This means fewer teachers, smaller classroom sizes, and less programs. Currently 4th grade is located at the Sandhill Center because the 4th grade portables were shut down in October, and later removed due to mold. For the school year of 2008-2009, however, 4th grade will be back in SFE, and they will be moving 5th grade to the middle school to save on time, transportation, and mileage. 1st grade classes are being reduced by two sections, and 2nd grade and 4th grade by one section. Specialists for Physical Education, music, art, and enrichment are being reduced from one point five teachers, to one teacher. Next year they will no longer have a media teacher for the media center, and their six noon aides will be reduced to five. Throughout this overwhelming time nobody has really focused on the thoughts and feelings of the teachers and staff. How are they dealing with this? What are their plans for next year?

Mrs. Miller always knew she wanted to be a teacher, “It sounds corny but I feel destined to do it. I jump out of bed to get here in the morning and I hate leaving at night. Both of my parents are teachers and it seems to run in the blood to be a teacher. I remember being excited when I found out that in ancient cultures the children followed what the parents did. Even then I knew I wanted to teach.”

She earned her teaching degree at Bemidji State University and has been teaching and subbing for a total of four years now. Mrs. Miller teaches the 4th grade and was cut this year because there will not be as many 4th graders in 2008-2009. She and a few other 4th grade teachers found out about the cut in a conference with Principal Kathy Kohnen. When I asked Mrs. Miller if she was prepared for the news she said, “No, it came out of left field. I figured it would happen next year with the major cuts that might be coming but I had no idea it would happen this year.” She said the weekend before the conference her mother had even asked her if she was worried about the cuts, and she told her mom that she had nothing to worry about.

“It is a horrible feeling being cut and not having a say in it but I know it isn’t because of my performance but because there just isn’t enough money or students.”

Although being cut had nothing to do with her personally, she still has to deal with it on a personal level. “My husband and I were thinking about buying a house and settling down but now we will be moving to wherever I get a job and basically starting over. I will miss my fellow teachers as we have become good friends in this short time.” She also worries about getting a new job and finding a new place to live.

As for the other teachers’ reactions to the cuts, Mrs. Miller says, “The mood is pretty somber at school. We have kid of gotten over the shock and are now starting to look around but it is still rather depressing.”

It’s a very tough time for many of the teachers and staff who now have to figure out what they will do for a job next year. It’s very stressful because many of those people went to college to be sure something like this wouldn’t happen to them, and they are now facing many tough decisions. The teachers now have to try to find another teaching position elsewhere, which could cause them to have to relocate or find other ways to commute to work.

Though many drastic changes are going to take place next school year, it is important that the school is continuing to focus on the needs of the students. Kathleen Kohnen, Principal of SFE says, “While this is financially a difficult time, we will strive to deliver the best instruction possible for our children.”

It is clear that this is a tough time for everyone in the district, but there is no doubt that the school and community will keep on doing what is best for the students.

Cite Sources: Kohnen, Kathleen. "March Newsletter." Stfrancis.K12.Mn.Us. 14 Mar. 2008. 23 Apr. 2008. Kohnen, Kathleen. "On a Serious Note." Stfrancis.K12.Mn.Us. 08 Feb. 2008. 23 Apr. 2008.