Summer To Do List:

1. I want to check out the Czech area of Cedar Rapids. I recently went on a bike ride with one of my friends to that area and I was surprised by how cute it all was. I hope to experience the Czech area more fully this summer.
2. Visit and explore Palisades Park. This picture is of Palisades Park. I have heard it is a very gorgeous place to relax, but also a great place to work up a sweat hiking.
3. Go boating with some friends. Last summer I lived on Lake Okoboji and got to boat a lot so I am going to miss it. Hopefully, the little boating I get this summer will be fun!
4. Hangout at Nicole's pool. One of my best friends has a pool at her house 20 minutes from Cedar Rapids. I hope they get it up and running soon and that her family doesn't mind having another girl around.
5. Become a 'runner'. I have never thought of my self as a 'runner'. I swam for 14 years so that was my athletic specialty, but lately I have started to run. I find running a rewarding experience and one that tests my personal endurance. Running is more of a mind sport for me. I have the physical endurance to run awhile, but I must overcome my mental desire for rest to continual push myself.
6. Visit Joe in Georgia. My boyfriend left for basic in March and I miss him a lot. I get to go see him in June when he graduates from training.
7. Go home for the county fair and see my sister show. Showing sheep has always been a tradition in my family. My two older brothers and I paved the way and my little sister is continuing the Finneseth Farm legacy. I am excited to go home and support her sheep showing efforts.
8. Explore Cedar Rapids and experience some of the activities going on during the summer. Lots of events take place in Cedar Rapids over the summer, and I have never been here to experience them. I am looking forward to the many new experiences I am going to have.
9. Take my little sister shopping. My little sister loves shopping and this is some good sister bonding time that we do not get a lot of. With me being away at school and away over the summer my sister misses me a lot. Shopping is a good place for us to bond and catch up.
10. Play in the rain. As I stated earlier in this blog, I am a swimmer. I love water and rain falls into that category. I have never officially played in the rain and I have always wanted to. So this summer, I am going to let loose and play in the rain!

Harry Potter Theme Park?!

Universal Studios and Warner Brothers have teamed up to make a Harry Potter theme park. It is being called a "theme park within a theme park" because it is going to be located in Universal Studio's already existing Island of Adventure. The theme park will be in Orlando, Florida and is predicted to open some time in 2010.

There are many websites that anticipate the opening of this theme park. This is the official fan website and Universal's official website there is even a Muggle Website that talks about the new theme park.

Some of the attractions include: Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest, Hogwarts Castle, and the Three Broomsticks. More attractions will probably be there; however, they are keeping those a secret right now.

Our generation grew up with Harry Potter. Who of us wouldn't want to visit this theme park? It is a real life replica of our childhood fantasies.

Two Little Boys Victims of Homosexual Discrimination

This article "Two Little Boys" talks about two 11 year olds that committed suicide because they were being teased at school about being homosexual.

"Seeking to diminish the human dignity of another whose only crime is not loving whom you would have him or her love is immoral and an offense to the indomitable determination of the heart," Charles M. Blow wrote in the article. I completely agree with this comment. I found this story appalling and extremely saddening. Two eleven year olds were being teased for their sexual orientation when they hadn't even gone through puberty. These boys will never experience middle school. They will never experience graduation. They will never experience true love. These boys lives ended much too soon.

Their lives ended too soon because of ignorance. Because of malice. Because of discrimination. Because of adults who wouldn't take the stand to stop such cruelty.

I hope adults start to realize their impact on their children and younger generations. It is evident to any young adult that has a little sibling. My sister is constantly looking up to me and repeating what I do. She not only asks me for advice but is influenced by how I respond. Adults need to start realizing how they impact children. An adult does not have to say something to send a message. Body language sends just as loud a message as words ever could. By accepting the homosexual teasing the parents and teachers were consenting to the behavior and whether they knew it or not, telling those bullies the teasing was perfectly acceptable.

That type of behavior is not acceptable and should be stopped immediately. Two young boys lives were cut short because this behavior was condoned by adults.

This behavior and view is not just a problem amongst children but also in adults. Some high schools have a day where all the students remain silent and do not speak to raise awareness of anti-gay discrimination. Some parents stated in the video that they do not believe it is right to have the "thought police" forced upon their children one day at school.

If the school does not step up to stop this discrimination and the parents do not, then who will?

This distortion of right and wrong must be corrected and it must start with you so no other innocent young lives are lost.

No ONE Could EVER Replace My Girls

When reflecting on my life I found that I have always been fortunate to have a solid group of friends throughout all stages of my life. I had my best friend in elementary school that turned into a triplet in middle school and then quintuplets in high school. Together we went through the stages of first crushes, first kisses, first loves, and first drivers licenses. I experienced a lot of firsts with this group, and I know they will also be there for the other firsts I experience in my life: my wedding, my first child, and my first house.

However, the first time we did not get to experience something together was when we all went our separate ways for college. This first was hard to experience alone and each of us handled it differently. Some of us went home a lot while others could not. Some were more shy and did not get out and make new friends right away while others did. Some of us were extremely homesick while others were perfectly fine with the new found freedom. Once I started to adjust to my new life without my group of friends constantly surrounding me, I started branching out and making new friends.

This is when I one by one met the girls that would make up my college circle. I met them through mutual friends the first day, during a volleyball game in the rain, by suggestion from a religious leader on campus, and by chance because we were on the same floor. All of us lived on 5th Armstrong and this was the major tie in our friendship at the beginning of the year. But as the year went on, we began to experience new firsts of our own: a first official boyfriend, a first final break-up, a first new love, the first sibling lost, and the trials of the first year in college. These experiences helped to make our bonds unbreakable. We no longer all live on the same floor but our friendships have lasted because they do not rely on convenience.

I no longer measure my friendships on firsts but on the memories that have been made. Each circle of friends is extremely, eternally, and irreplaceably important to me. Even though I have gone through different trials and joys with the two groups, I know all of them will be there in a second if I need anything. They will be my closest friends for the rest of my life. They will be the ones I call first when I get engaged. The ones I call when I find out I'm pregnant. The ones I call when I have my children. The ones I call when I need help. The ones I call when I feel I cannot keep going weighed down by burdens. They will be the ones that jump for joy when I have good news. The ones that bring soup when I feel sick. The ones who help me carry the burdens when I no longer can on my own. They are the ones that mean the most to me. The ones no one could replace. They are the ones that I would be lost without. Each and everyone of them I would not be the same person without knowing. These are the girls that have molded me into who I am today, and I am eternally greatful for that.

This reflection was sparked by the article, "What Are Friends For? A Longer Life" in the New York Times. This article talks about the benefits of a large group of close friends which I definitely qualify for. There is now proof that a larger group of close friends has health benefits one best friend could not provide. I always knew that a large group was more valuable to me, but it is now proven to be more valuable to everyone.

Humorous Pet Peeves Speech

As I was debating what to speak about for my final speech, I decided to talk about my pet peeves. I feel this topic is relevant to everyone because everyone has a pet peeve. I found this speech quite humorous and decided to post it on my blog. I mean I did just write it 2 hours ago. :)


Intro:
We all like pets. Those fuzzy, cuddly things we like to play with. But I am not going to talk about those pets today, I am going to talk about the pets we all hate. The pets that never leave us along. The pets you can never get away from. The pets that follow you everywhere.

Body:
1. These pets always seem to pop up when you are with your friends. You are relaxing, watching a movie and then here they come. The person behind you innocently starts cracking their knuckles. Then, before you know it, knuckle cracking spreads like an infectious disease throughout the room. Everyone seems to have a fascination with a pet that you can’t stand.
2. These pets don’t just infect your friend group, however, they seem to follow you into your classrooms as well. While enjoying another exciting and enlightening day in class the teacher decides to assign an insane amount of assignments. Of course, this wouldn’t be so bad if you actually knew what you were supposed to be doing. Unfortunately, it is once again a guessing game as to what the requirements are for the assignment. Now if it wasn’t bad enough that you had knuckle popping tagging along to class, you now have another pet nagging at your nerves.
3. These pets couldn’t just stay at home when you go to work. Nope! They come right along for the ride. While working on routine tasks your brain shifts into autopilot because of how many times you have done this particular task. You have done this task inside out, outside in, and from all other possible angles you could have. But wait, here it comes, that crazy, corrective, co-worker you can’t stand. As the co-worker stands there explaining the one hypothetical angle that you decided wasn’t worth your time to try, you play over and over again in your head all the places you would rather be. Even if you could get away from this co-worker there is no place you could go that would be alleviate your anxiety. The pets have infested all areas of your life. Nowhere is safe. Knuckle popping, gigantic load of homework due tomorrow, and annoying know-it-all-ten-times-better-than-you, are following at your heels.

Conclusion:
So what could you possibly do to find some safe sane sanctuary to get away? I am not going to say this sanctuary is easy to get to, but the good news is that it is possible. Unlike the fuzzy, cuddly pets I talked about earlier, these pets are not real. These pets reside within your head. And just like most diseases there is a remedy to getting ride of them. You need to realize all areas of your life while have pets that you don’t like, but you must learn to leave them there. Do not allow these pets to infect the rest of your life and make your day worse. You must also understand that everyone has different pets that they hate and others they don’t mind. You can help to alleviate others anxiety by not contributing to their personal grievances against particular pets. In turn, you can ask those people not to bring along the pets you hate. So even though everyone hates at least one of these pets, there is a remedy for not allowing them to infect your life.

My Bucket List

Looking through some of the blogs I came upon Jacki's bucket list and thought I would make one of my own. For those of you that do not know what a bucket list is, it is a list of things that you would like to accomplish before you die.



1. Sky Dive
2. See the Northern Lights
3. Be in Times Square for New Years
4. Celebrate Oktoberfest in Germany
5. Travel Europe
6. Live in another country
7. Have a family
8. A Career that I enjoy
9. Do more mission work
10. Sleep Under the Stars with Someone I Love

What's your rules for maintaining healthy relationships?

As I was trying to decide what to blog I went to Plinky to get a little spark. The prompt I found that intrigued me the most was, "List your rules for maintaining a healthy relationship." Answers ranged from laughing together to disagree about things. The most common answer I saw had to do with communicating with each other, which I would have to agree with.

My 1st rule in a relationship is that communication is the utmost important thing. You should feel comfortable telling your significant other everything. If you cannot do this in fear that they will judge you or won't like what you tell them than you might not be with the right person. Granted you do not have to tell the person every little detail but you should be able to judge what should be told. If you are unsure, tell it. It is better to tell them yourself then have someone tell them for you. It is also better to tell them something they find irrelevant than not telling something you should have. My rule of thumb is if I feel guilty or uneasy about not telling something then I tell him.

My 2nd rule is that honesty should come with everything you tell each other. Being completely honest in your communication is like the second half of the heart. Without honesty the communication would not be complete. Communication without honesty is faulty and not able to function correctly in your relationship. Even if it is hard, honesty is the most important thing. You should be able to reveal yourself honestly to someone that chooses to be with you.

My 3rd rule is loyalty solely to the person you are with means you are in a relationship. If you are not loyal only to the person you are with then why are you with them? A relationship means you are with that person and ONLY with that person. If you are unsure about your feelings for the person then you need to communicate honestly with them and decide what should be done. One of the worst things to do is cheat on a person. It destroys the trust they had in you and will never fully be repaired. If you are not loyal then you will no longer be honestly communicating to your significant other either and therefore will be breaking all three rules.


If you abide by all these rules then your relationship should be healthy and rewarding to each person.

Where the Wild Things Are

Everybody has a few things they especially remember from childhood- playdates and timeouts, snacktime and naptime. I can still list my favorite picture books and cartoons. Some of my favorites were Madeline, Aladdin and The Little House in the Big Woods. As movies were released for these stories, I recall going to the theatre and sitting between my parents as I watched. Now, another childhood classic has been adapted into a Hollywood screenplay: Where the Wild Things Are.

A simple mention of the title takes me back to the first time I read of Max and his adventures. Originally written by Maurice Sendak and first published in 1963, the book has since won several awards. Stuffed toys of each of the monsters can be found in stores, and the motion picture will finally hit theatres next fall. The projected release date is October 16th, 2009.

This trailer is thrilling. The writers have the developed the original ten-sentence story into a movie that shows more of Max's daily life. The CGI looks really good, and as far as I can tell, resemble the monsters in the book quite accurately. This video is definitely a teaser-I am so excited to see the movie!

Book Review: The Black Dahlia

I've never been able to sit calmly through a horror film or a psychological thriller, but those are always two qualities I've never been able to resist in a novel. I love the pace of action, the way the descriptions have me curled in my chair, jumping at every sound. It doesn't matter if I have to sleep with the light on for the next week- I devour murder mysteries with an insatiable desire.

The Black Dahlia, by James Ellroy is a little different from the mysteries I usually read. It was set in post-WWII Hollywood and explored an investigation of the life and brutal murder of a beautiful woman. The woman created a link between LA royalty and the poorest parts of the city, and as the search for her murderer ensued, more crimes were exposed. The story is told from the perspective of Bucky Bleichert, one of the key detectives involved in the case. As the story developed, I became more and more aware of Bucky's growing obsession with the girl, as it began to poison his relationships, career and psychological welfare.

I was first attracted to the book because it is based on a true story- that is, all of the case facts and circumstances are true. Because the true murder is still unsolved, the author put his own spin on the story, adding a dramatic yet plausible resolution.

The beginning of the book seemed to drag a little, mostly because there are so many characters, and their personalities and backgrounds had to be established before the murder and following investigation could begin. I really appreciated the attention to detail in the beginning though, because there are so many undercurrents that are brought up at the end, so I had several 'aha!' moments.

I also loved the book because there are so many twists and turn, up through the last few pages. I thought everything was solved, and then a sudden change caused the true climax before a satisfying ending. The finale didn't last so long that I skipped it; there was just enough information that I felt like everything was complete.

Ellroy's writing style is very readable- I don't feel as though he used phrases that are archaic, although some slang was understandable in context. His descriptions of characters, settings and conversations are very subtly detailed, so I picked up on a lot without getting bored.

Because I enjoyed the book so much, I looked up other novels by the James Ellroy, as well as other novels recommended by those who'd already read The Black Dahlia. One book that looked really good and very creepy was Your Heart Belongs to Me, by Dean Koontz. I've read a few of his novels and I like his writing style, so it's been added to my summer book list. James Ellroy has also written a number of true crime/crime fiction novels, listed at bn.com.

How Will We Love?

I was looking on YouTube trying to find a video to post that would be interesting to me and I came upon this video, "How Will We Love?" It is a documentary exploring romantic love, relationships, and long term commitment. I found this very intriguing to me and a few quotes stood out to me from the beginning. As the interviewer was asking questions of an elderly couple he states," Would you like to live. Would you like to love like they did?"

I found this a very thought provoking question. Many people today do not know what it feels like to be truly in love and many people do not know what it takes to make it through the struggles it requires to acquire true love. This film talks about this obstacles and the common perceptions society has of love.

I also liked the quote "very few people get out of love alive." This quote may sound morbid but it is just explaining that 95% of all people have experienced the heartaches that come from unrequited love.

An interesting concept that was talked about was a "love map". A love map is the conscious but mainly unconscious list of characteristics you are looking for in a mate that developed during childhood. It is what one expert believes to be the main reason why people fall madly in love with that one special person. This love map is triggered when you meet the person and you know they have those characteristics that you need in a mate. This is different than the sexual drive, romantic elation, or particular attachment some people have towards partners.

This video is pretty long and takes a long time to load on youtube so I am going to have the whole video posted here and the trailer linked to this page so you can decide which you would like to view.


This is the whole video.


This is the link to the trailer.

Feeling a Little.....Rebellious?

A new t.v. reality show is being cast by the same producers that brought you SuperNanny, and they're looking for teenagers to play the leading roles. In the vein of WifeSwap, teens will have the opportunity to switch parents for a couple weeks.

A description of characteristics of potential candidates is detailed on the blog of Gazette columnist Jennifer Hemmingsen. According to her post, published April 10th 2009, the producers of the show are interested in teens with "unique interests; technically savvy teens; hippies; urbanites; slobs; surfers; affluent teens; liberals; defiant teens; and teens who have ordinary or extraordinary circumstances."

Contrast that with the casting call for parents willing to host these teens: "strong family values; conservatives; farmers; parents with devout religious beliefs; academics; eco-friendly parents; and parents who have ordinary or extraordinary circumstances."

I don't watch much reality t.v., but I've caught an episode or two of WifeSwap, and the entire concept seems completely outrageous to me. The script becomes so predictable- tearful goodbyes as the mom packs her stuff, a cautious greeting from her new 'husband' and 'children.'

And then the bomb drops- Surprise! The families are entirely incompatible, as we knew they would be. Screaming and fighting ensue; tearful confidences are made to a camera that will broadcast to millions of viewers. Then the tables turn. New rules, new battles. Just when you can't handle all the turmoil and frustration, the families are reunited, leaving everyone warm and fuzzy inside.

So now, you're telling me they want to do this to parents and teenagers? As if there weren't enough angst and tension between children and their parents during these years, the media is putting a new spin on how incompatible the older and younger generations can really be.

Begging your pardon, but that is one hour of my weekly life that I can afford to miss. I'd rather be around my own family- even if we don't always get along, it's real.

Pictures From Class

I really like this picture because it uses light to add interesting lines and an emphasis on the picture of the girl. Because our eyes are attracted to the brightest part of the picture first the left bottom corner attracts your eye and the angles then direct your eye automatically to the picture of the girl. I also like the texture that can be seen on the bag and carpet. I think this adds a good contrast when compared to the smooth picture. The only thing I do not like about the picture is that it is a little washed out on the right side because that area received too much light.




I also like this picture because it shows the learning that was occurring in the classroom. This is not an action shot, but it shows students intently listening to Jane. I like the variety of depth given by the students sitting at different distances from the camera. There are also a lot of interesting lines, variety of textures, and ranges of colors in this picture. Finally, I like that this picture tells a story of it's own. Take for example, the Management book in the bottom left corner. Even though this is not the Management class it shows the students are getting a liberal arts education and shows their dedication to studies.

Explosion Envy

Read this sentence: This is an ultra high speed camera that can film at an amazing 5000fps and films a bullet blowing up a bunch of different stuff.

What part of that phrase stands out? It's not the camera, nor is it the speed of the camera. No, the word that captures our initial interest is 'bullet.' Follow that with 'blowing up... stuff,' and you've got an instant winner. What is it about explosions that fascinates us?

I thought this particular video was riveting. The camera films so quickly that you are left with an incredibly high quality video. If you watch it at a slower speed, you see details that you can't catch when you watch it in real-time.

If a watermelon exploding doesn't rate so high on your thrill factor, search 'explosion' on YouTube. No less than 48,300 options are available at your convenience.
The Discovery Channel devotes an entire hour each week to reliving explosions caught on film (Try 'Beached Whale Explosion,' where authorities in Oregon try to get rid of a dead whale with dynamite).

Need a few ideas? Here are a few standbys:
Popcorn Kernel Popping
Mentos and Diet Coke
Microwave Explosion

Furby in Microwave