Chimeras (Human Animal Hybrids)

Advancements in medicine have helped the general population overcome infamous and devastating health issues.  We have ventured from basic medicine, to miracles, and now, to the unthinkable.  Chimeras.  More commonly known as human animal hybrids.  Everyone who hears of this term tends to think of horrifying or even mythical creatures, but in reality, it's much less scary.  Chimeras are being used as a source of perfect human organ donors.  This may seem like madness to some, but in fact,  the heart valves of swine are already being substituted for human heart valves in heart surgeries around the globe.  Now, the bodies of larger mammals such as pig and cattle are being used as hosts to cultivate perfect, disease free, and compatible human organs.  How is such a crazy procedure executed?  Well its actually very simple, early embryo's of mammals such as swine, cattle ,and sheep have a piece of them removed (this piece contains genetic information to create a protein which then creates an organ), this piece is replaced by human skin cells, the genetic code from the young embryo accepts the code from the skin cells and thus a host for human organs is born.  The organs then mature in the bodies of the animals, and are harvested for human consumption (not literally just for organ substitution).  Research in chimeras are light years away form actually completing this process, but it has proven to work.  Even as embryo's, the cells of the animals accept the code from the skin cells and produce a human organ.  Organ donors are truly wonderful and considerate people, but there are always anomalies and even low organ availability, or even trouble with comparability.  Those who are most in need should not just have to pray that a compatible donor is available.  The main hurdle to get through is not just the decades of research left, but also moral issues with this process has impeded progress.  To those people I simply say "If it was down to the wire, your or a loved one's life is on the line,  the first thought in your head will not be the moral issues as to how this organ came about. It will be about how you can preserve your life or someone else's.  The research does not just stop at organs, but also problems like anomalies in organs or mutations can be eliminated without the struggle of fining a suitable host, because your DNA could be graphed into the body of animal.  Imagine the miracles scientists could bring to families!

What people expect chimeras to look like

What they actually look like

        Chimeras are a revolutionary creation that could bring ease and joy to millions of families who are in despair.  This procedure is not something to fear, but to embrace!

Henchy Week 1 - Getting out of Bed

     Before the Holiday Break, I had been waking up most days at around 6.  Starting when I returned from vacation, it felt as if I were not able to pull myself out of bed even had there been a box of donuts downstairs. This led to me feeling very rushed in the morning, and I knew I had to come up with something, so naturally I started by simply experimenting.

    At first, I just altered the sound on my alarm, hoping to prevent me from sleeping through the same noise over and over.  I soon found these noises did a much better job of waking my mom than it did me.

    Onto the next try! At this point, however, it had become a joke throughout the house.  Rather than just go buy an alarm clock, my youngest sister and I had conclusively decided that it would be more enjoyable to be as creative, albeit ineffective, as possible. 

    Our first attempt was to use sunlight.  If our ancestors woke up naturally to sunlight everyday, why can't I?  Now, the problem was the sunlight hit the foot of my bed and went over my head, so we removed the mirror from my wall and taped it to the foot of my bed.  After adjusting the mirror for about an hour, we were able to redirect the sunlight to my pillow.  Unfortunately, the sun in the afternoon does not strike the same spot as in the morning, so no cigar.

    Next, we tried the dog.  She is up at 5 in the morning anyway, and so we left her in my room for the night and hoped for the best.  Technically speaking, this worked perfectly.  I was awake at 6 in the morning.  Contrarily, I had not slept at all yet since the dog believed she was entitled to my blankets and had stolen them all for her king size doggy bed on the floor.  Closer, but not quite.

    The last, and most successful, attempt was actually changing what I did before I went to bed.  Before vacation, I had spent most nights before bed reading, studying, or something like that.  I should confess, though, that the last few nights I had been watching YouTube until I fell asleep; quarantine is rough.

    I went back to reading my Quantum Mechanics book every night before bed (great book, written by Professor Leonard Susskind on the basics of quantum entanglement theory, the Schrödinger equation, harmonic oscillators, vector spaces, particle dynamics, and tons more).  I also tried to hangout with my dog awhile and avoid YouTube.  With these changes, I have found myself able to wake up everyday again around 6, and all seems well again.

    To the reader of this blog post, who undoubtedly finds this much less interesting than me, I ask whether anyone else experiences this.  Is it easier for you also to fall asleep after reading versus watching Netflix/YouTube? Have you ever tried both?  Do you even care?  

    Let's discuss in the comments, and I hope everyone is doing well.

Credit for Image

Apruzzi Week 1 - Social Medias Unrealistic Standards

    The best way to describe this phenomenon is as a never-ending cycle. Most mornings, as I arise around 9 am, I pick up my device and surf through my socials. Following with an afternoon social check, and closing with a glance at around midnight. Seems normal and healthy correct? Newsflash, it is almost impossible to scroll through social media without having an overwhelming cloud of insecurities follow you until forgotten about. 

    Social media apps including Instagram, Tiktok, Snapchat, etc., set disgustingly high standards when it comes to appearance. We as individuals are not born with insecurites, they are continuously acquired as the list of beauty standards grows more and more detailed. Personally, in most recent times, Tiktok has been the major factor of my insecurities. Tiktok is a video-sharing social network service. Most of the time, the "for you page" consists of perfectly looking people, with crystal clear skin, hour - glass bodies, etc. Sure, I may get compliments here and there (which I am so so grateful for ofcourse), but it never seems to be enough to maintain my confidence after about 3 days when I discover a new beauty expectation that I do not meet.  Moving on to the topic of Instagram, influencers on this app are the main source of insecurity. Celebrities and influencers display a "perfect" lifestyle and look, when most of the time, this is never the case. These actions are only hurting society. 

One thing I am proud to have taught myself throughout my experience with the unrealistic expectations is to be comfortable in my own skin. Everyone is beautiful in their own way, it is society against themselves at this point. Magaizines, social media posts, billboards, commercials, etc. need to stop putting a mask over the true person being displayed, and show how unique each and every person is. Block out those standards and be the model you are. 

Christopher Apruzzi

Ellis Week 1 - Horror stories from vacation

 Every year, my family and I go to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. This is probably one of my favorite traditions because we honestly make some of the best memories there. We get the best food and get to listen to the incredible performers as we go on walks at night. We have gone on numerous dolphins cruises and even a whale watching one. I am so lucky to have been able to experience all of these wonderful things. With that being said, I can also remember some times that weren’t so perfect. 

The one year, I think I was about 6 or 7 years old, I was sitting on my parent’s bed in the condo. I started to lean back and ended up flipping right off of the bed. I hit my head really hard on the tile floor… so hard that I wouldn’t be surprised if I had gotten a concussion. That same year, my sister was having asthma attacks due to the drastic change in weather from PA to SC, so it was really just a fantastic time. We spent more of our vacation at the doctors than we did on the beach. 

The past couple of years following that there have been jellyfish stings, stepping on sharp crabs, and falling face first onto the concrete surrounding the pool. None of these were fun, however, they are the types of memories that will stick with us forever. It’s what makes storytelling so much fun. No one wants to hear about the boring trip you had laying at the beach all day, they’d rather hear about how many trips to the ER you had haha. I remember the one day so specifically, we had just come home from vacation so we went to visit my grandparents to tell them about it. They were so astonished by the crazy stories we had to tell, like how many alligators we saw or the amount of stingrays in the ocean that year. The looks on their faces were very funny yet endearing because they were so interested to hear what we had to say next.

We didn’t go to Hilton Head last year due to COVID, but we hope by June or July of this summer things will be better and we will have more horrific stories to tell when we return home.

Tayi Week 1 - Running Dog

    Over the course of human history, we have derived joy from pretty much everything. Throughout most of our past, dogs have been our companions. They would help us hunt and gather, and soon after their domestication, we have observed dogs as our friends. Unfortunately, domestication also enabled canines to become reliant on humans to be their protectors, and ultimately their caregivers.

    Since I was about thirteen, I had the opportunity to share my living space with one domesticated canine. We decided to name him Shiv. He was a handful at times- he was generally limited to the living room and my room because when we walked him, he would chase any moving object he laid his eyes on. This terrified me, especially since his main target was cars. His agility made it so much easier for him to leap right out in front of a moving vehicle before we could even bat an eye.

    About a year after his adoption, I was sitting in my room playing video games with my headphones blasting sound, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was my aunt, who frantically got my attention and told me that Shiv has escaped through a wide-open gap in the sliding glass door. Ten minutes ago. I bolted out of my chair and ran down the stairs, wondering why someone didn’t get my attention sooner. My entire family ran outside and loaded into the car. My brother was upset, my mother had tears streaming down her face, and I, like my father, was too shocked to show any emotion.

    We drove for what seemed like hours, even though only five minutes had passed. Could Shiv have jumped in front of a car? Were we too late? Shortly after the five-minute mark, we arrived at a creek. There Shiv was, staring at us with beady eyes. My mom burst into tears of joy, and even I teared up a bit. This is proof that dogs can provide joy to one or many, and have provided joy to me and my family for what has seemed to be forever.

Kane Week 1- The Climb

    Life is not something that is easy. It doesn't matter how old you are. Life will always be challenging. When you are younger, these challenges could simply be that you are out of dinosaur chicken nuggets. Or that you broke your bike. But as life goes on, these challenges become more and more real. Maybe you were bullied in middle school, or you didn't fit in with the "cool kids". And then in high school, you couldn't make the football team, or you didn't get into your dream school. I've noticed though, that these things are so little in the whole scheme of things. They are not what is important. Life isn't about the little things that happened. It's about the whole story. 

    Miley Cyrus sang a song called "The Climb" in the classic Hannah Montana Movie in 2009. This song dives into how life is a never-ending climb. As humans, we naturally make mistakes, struggle, and take chances. But all of these experiences give us a chance to learn and grow. Our climbs are what make us who we are. Keep pushing, and never stop the climb. 

    Recently though, I've noticed that life is just like a story. Similar to Miley's metaphorical situation I mentioned before, you're life isn't described by one thing. Every story has a beginning and an end. But we spend most of our time looking for the climax. The peak or downfall of our lives. Sometimes you feel like you're living in the climax and you aren't even close to finding it. Sometimes recovering from this can be really difficult. To get back up and keep going. You may think everything is ruined, or that life can't get any worse. I came to the conclusion that even though you may think that you are at the climax, you probably aren't. Not even close. You have to continue your story. Never give up, and just keep focusing on the good parts of your life. There are so many new people to meet, opportunities to arise, and things to do.  Ive needed to remind myself that a few times. The real world is hard. But living in a fantasy is unhealthy. Even if reality sucks at times, you gotta keep pushing. Find what is important. Find the people in your life that have helped you throughout your climb. And that's what I'm doing… resurfacing the old and meeting the new. Your story is built by good and bad. So embrace it, keep climbing, and keep writing your story. 

Aaliyah Cohen week 1: Our New Reality: Block Busters at Home

This past weekend I had my first experience of watching a major box office movie to be released directly into our homes. The movie that my family watched was Wonder Woman 1984. This experience was initially strange to me. It made me think about how times were before the pandemic and I was hit with an instantaneous nostalgia. 

Even though I was happy to enjoy this moment with my family after we had waited months for the release of the movie, it was hard not to think about how different it would have felt at the movie theater. I miss the feeling of walking up to the box office to buy my movie ticket. I craved smelling  the scent of the butter and popcorn as soon as you walk through the movie theater doors. I think what i miss the most is walking down those dim halls of the movie theater, and seeing the posters of the movies to come. The excitement of finding the perfect seat and the anticipation of seeing the movie that was about to be on the screen all came rushing back. The previews always sparked a feeling of eagerness of what was yet to come. Being at the movie theater was an experience. It made you feel as if you were a part of the movie, yet when I was home I didn’t feel that way at all.

After reminiscing I came back to reality that I wasn’t at the movie theater, I was at home on my couch under my red blanket watching a movie that started immediately without previews. This is when I came to the crushing reality that being at home watching blockbuster movies is the new normal. I help things will get better soon because after seeing closing movie theater, it's not looking to well.

Uelses Week 1 - Christmas at my Grandparent's House

    This past Christmas, my family and I were able to visit my grandparents. I was so thankful to have this opportunity since I haven't been able to see them for a while due to COVID. My mom, dad, two brothers, and I all wore masks and drove to their house on Christmas night. We arrived, and the excitement on my grandma's face to see all of us brought my whole family so much joy. 

    Someone, in particular, who I was excited to see again was my Pop-pop. Whenever I go to my grandparent's house, he and I always play the piano together. They have a beautiful grand piano in their basement, and I have so many memories of him teaching me different songs and of us playing duets together. This Christmas, we played some Christmas-y songs from one of his sheet music books. I totally forgot how to read sheet music, so he spent at least thirty minutes trying to teach me. Sometimes I wonder how he has so much patience. 

After we were done playing the piano, we all exchanged gifts. We got my grandma some new baking supplies and her favorite candies, Reese's peanut butter cups. For my Pop-pop we got some cookies and a box of chocolates. It was so refreshing to be able to spend some time with them, especially with how the world has been with COVID. It was such a fun and heartwarming time, however, it was also very bittersweet. I realized that these memories won't happen forever since my brothers and I are growing up and heading to college soon. This Christmas, I learned that you have to cherish your memories with your loved ones while you still can. 

Week 1 - My review of HunterXHunter's Yorknew City arc (IW)

Ian White, week 1 - Great Anime/TV arcs 

https://hunterxhunter.fandom.com/wiki/Yorknew_City_arc

    The show HunterXHunter (HxH) demonstrates how a combination of character and world-building with a tightly woven and engaging plot can have a lasting impact on an audience.  But it is in my opinion that the most engaging and watchable arc in the show is the Yorknew City arc.  It's a perfect blend of suspense and action which allows it to intensify its story.  For those who haven't seen HxH, it is a shonen (battle) anime that follows Gon and his friends (Killua, Kurapica, and Leorieo (my personal favorite)) as they all travel on a journey to all solve their own personal struggles.  The first arc Hunter exam arc is where gon and his friends meet up unaware of how they will bond and rely on each other to obtain their Hunter license. An all-inclusive pass to travel the world and explore its secrets. Following the first arc, the crew gets their license (except for Killua). They split apart in the next arc (Heavens Arena arc) which allows the show to focus on the power system (Nen) this system gives their characters unique powers and helps the audience figure out more about a character's personality.  During the 2nd arc, The characters are heavily fleshed out to prepare themselves for the third arc (the YorkNew City arc).

    The Yorknew city arc (YCA) is a powerful and dramatic portion of the show and what better to bolster that same energy by accompanying it with a great intro, ed, and music.  Music is a staple of anime and is essential for shonen battle anime, it's used to hype up the audience and get you mentally prepared for some of the action-packed fights imaginable. Every episode in this arc is accompanied by the second op (opening) also known as Departure.  The same song is used throughout the show with slight tweaks to its lyrics.  With different visuals to accompany the op with every new ark, it's clear to presume that the arc changes as the characters do and in a way, it progresses with the characters.  During each episode, the music is properly incorporated to make you feel the full array of emotions. Such as with the Phantom Troupe who is the primary antagonist of this season they get their own Soundtrack that is sure to let you know just how much of an impact they make. Finally, the ed which is my favorite ed (Hunting For Your Dream) of all time, the whole arc leaves you on huge cliffhangers at the end of each episode and the ed just helps bolster your desire to watch more. 

https://hunterxhunter.fandom.com/wiki/Kurapika

    The next great aspect of the YCA  is its character building, during this arc, the main cast, aside from Leorio (though there was plenty to get from his this season) is built upon immensely.  Kurapica was brought into the spotlight during the arc and he dramatically changes.  His only desire is revenge against the phantom Troupe who committed a grave sin towards the Kurta clan. This same revenge hurts him and only pushed him away from the main cast towards the end of the arc. Kurapicas' struggles with the troupe reinforce the show's main goal of setting out to deal with personal struggles but his character arc just proves how you can get engulfed in those struggles and lead down a path of emptiness. Other minor characters such as the Nostrade family and Melody get a lot of development.  The antagonists (phantom troupe gets a lot of characterization) members such as Uvogin, Pakunoda, and Chrollo get massive rolls in the arc and to a certain extent drive it.  The other main cast Gon and Killua go on their own journey meeting new faces and continue on the path to Find Gon's father. Overall the characterization is phenomenal and no character is static in the season, motives, desires, etc are fully explored and make the arc impactful. 

     The show's overall quality during the season is top-notch, it challenges other shows and highlights how well put together anime can dwarf other shows. in terms of sound quality (effects) it's never a miss, and for voice acting it's incredibly rememberable, and all characters sound like they fit their persona (note I listened to the show in Sub).  Art including backgrounds, fights, and character design were phenomenal once again, every aspect of a character was easily unpacked by just their look alone. Finally, the episode structure with an average runtime of 22 min (ed and op included) never dragged and was easily watched in secession. 

     

https://hunterxhunter.fandom.com/wiki/Yorknew_City_arc

    The Worldbuilding in the YCA is once again phenomenal, HxH maintains an intriguing world that extends beyond the screen.  this arc in particular constantly has you questioning the society around the characters as prior to the Heavens Arena arc you weren't given much information about how the world functioned as well as the very people living in it. In the YCA you are exposed to bustling city streets packed with character and desolate desert yearning for an epic showdown ( <-- Hint). The way the show handles its social structures with the introduction of the YC mafia and its underground dangers like the Phantom Troupe (PT). You the viewer now realize that their society is nowhere near perfect and with powerful figures using nen the whole world could be in peril. This arc truly demonstrated how it could evoke intrigue among views regarding the world around it.  

https://hunterxhunter.fandom.com/wiki/Yorknew_City_arc

    

    The plot of the YCA is SOUND, not at one point have there been any problems like holes or unintentional loose ends.  The story really flows following Gon and Killua even up to their suspenseful meetup with the PT.  Kurapica as stated previously shines immensely during this portion of the story and his struggles for revenge create blood-curdling suspense that is constant throughout the show and all the way up to the climax is a ride for your senses.  Huge battles where the Shadow Beast (a group of mercenaries hired by the mafia) fight Uvogin and eventually Kurapika are immensely enjoyable and terrifying. The climax is in my opinion one of the greatest moments of tv history.  After the Uvogin dies the PT leader (Chrollo) orchestrates a requiem lighting up the city and inducing havoc and mayhem.  This accompanied by music (actual choirs and explosions) allows for a jaw-dropping experience, as you watch the mafia unfold at the hands of the PT.  And even after the climax of the YCA  the show keeps you hooked with a fight between Chrollo and the Zoldiak family (powerful assassins, the same family as Killua).  This all ends with Kurapika meeting up with the PT and sealing Chrollo's fate during the Exchange.  The plot in the YCA  is phenomenal and has a remarkable re-watchability. 

https://thenameslynith13.tumblr.com/post/83684481308/omg-seeing-hisoka-dumbfounded-just-killed-me-my

 

    HxH's Yorknew City arc offers so much to the viewer and represents peak shonen action.  With great music characters and plot, the arc never misses a beat.  Its ability to make you feel the full array of emotions solidifies it as one of my favorite anime arcs.  HxH is one of the most engaging and memorable shows I've ever watched and is a must-watch if you even think this sounded interesting in any respect. (note. I watched this on Crunchyroll and for more info about the arc click (-__-) ) 

By, Ian White,  Jan 7, 2021

Blackham Week 1 - Skiing & Concussions

    Monday morning, I went up to Blue Mountain with my brother, Austin, to go skiing. Since he learned to ski so young, he’s almost just as good as me even though he’s six years younger. The difference, though, is he’s pretty much fearless. We were planning on going on two more runs before we had to leave. As he was going down a black diamond, he wanted to try to ski the moguls - even though he’s never learned how to. Well, long story short, he wiped out, got the wind knocked out of him, and hit his head pretty hard. When I got to him, he was frantically trying to rip off his mask, goggles, and helmet, but in the process, he tripped backward two more times. A ski patroller happened to be riding down the same run a minute later and stopped to make sure my brother was okay. Austin was having some short-term memory loss (like he couldn’t remember what day it was or what he ate for breakfast) and was feeling kind of dizzy and disoriented. Because of this, the ski patroller radioed for a toboggan to take my brother down to the ski patrol lodge, which Austin doesn’t even remember riding. The patroller determined that Austin probably received a mild concussion. After we got home, he slept for most of the day and felt much better when he woke up. To add to that, my other younger brother actually got a concussion before Christmas by running into a door. They’re 9 and 11-year old boys, so it’s always an adventure at our house! Thankfully neither concussion was too serious, and they’re both doing much better now. All that to say, while I was thinking of what to write about for this blog, I thought I’d learn more about concussions and the seriousness of that kind of injury. 

    Basically, your brain is protected or cushioned by cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the inside of your skull. A head injury causes your brain to slide and hit the walls of your skull. Simply put, this sliding affects the functioning of your brain, which leads to symptoms such as drowsiness, confusion, headaches, nausea, dizziness, etc. Depending on the injury, bleeding could occur in or around your brain, which could cause fatal symptoms. Other possible complications include skull fractures, microscopic structural damage, blood clotting, and lasting brain damage. My aunt was in a motorcycle accident ten years ago when she rode into a backhoe not wearing a helmet. She sustained a TBI (traumatic brain injury) and almost died because of the bleeding and swelling in her skull (she was only 16). She’s mostly functional now but still has some emotional setbacks from the damage to her prefrontal cortex. 

    Since a concussion involves the most vital organ in the body, besides the heart, it’s super important to avoid head injuries. A mild concussion usually heals within a few months with no lasting impacts. However, if another head injury occurs within a month or two of a concussion or before symptoms have resolved, someone could suffer from second-impact syndrome. This results in rapid brain swelling. While it is rare, it’s often fatal. 

   Moral of the story...wear a helmet! (And a mask!)

Vaughn Week 1 - Vegan Footwear

    I read an article yesterday that said in late December of 2020 Adidas announced that they will be making a vegan shoe made out of leather from mycelium, which comes from mushrooms. Last year, Adidas also launched plant-made vegan versions of many of their classic shoes, which were surprisingly some of Adidas best selling shoes. Adidas also does not use fur, exotic animal skin, or exotic animal hair in any of their products. Although the vegan Adidas mushroom shoes do not have a set release date yet,  I am excited to see how they turn out. I am also excited to witness the future of mycelium leather and other efforts to help the sustainability crisis as many companies are coming up with creative and fashionable ways to help. 

    Although I do completely support Adidas for trying to be more environmentally friendly, I do still have some questions about the shoe. Such as how durable the shoes are and do they still provide the same reliability as some not so environmentally friendly shoes? After doing research about the leather, the leather from mycelium provides the same durability and comfort as leather from cattle, calves, sheep, lambs, goats, and pigs.

     I also learned that Adidas is not the only company that plans to implement mycelium leather into their products. Lululemon and Kering are some of the other companies that will implement mycelium leather into their products. Although a few companies using this type of leather won't stop the world's sustainability disaster, It is definitely a step in the right direction, and I hope to see more companies make the switch in the future.

     Overall, I hope to see many other companies make more efforts in any way to help the ecosystem and land degradation or anything else that would help the world become more sustainable, and I think it's interesting to see how the same exact products can be made with more sustainable materials.

Photo Link

Rosynek Week 1 - Astrology

         I find, especially on TikTok, that things come up about astrology and other topics that seem to be more commonly talked about in newer generations. There is a lot of controversy over things like space, astrology, auras, reincarnation and lucky (also called "angel") numbers. Scientifically, astrology is not a science. It has never been proven that zodiac signs actually correlate to one's personality. 

        Zodiac signs come from the placement of the moon, the sun, and the planets within 12 sections of the sky. Everyone, no matter if they are super interested in the signs or not, probably know their sun sign, which is the most basic part of your "birth chart." The birth chart is formed from how all of the moon, sun and planets are placed when you are born. It provides different angles to your personality and how it makes you, you. Astrology can provide clarity with how you react to things, how you cope, or how you may clash with a certain personality type in a relationship. Recently, it has become a go-to for people coping with stress. Horoscopes, even though they may be generic or vague, can allow people to seek optimistic help and let them hope for things to get better. 

        I recently read a post on astrology that said that humans were "narrative creatures" that wanted to be able to explain things in their life and how they came to be a certain way with their past, present, and future experiences. Astrology can help create an outline for people to possibly fit their life into. People can seek ways to make goals for themselves and when certain "positive" energies are around where they can reap new benefits for themselves and move towards a better path for themselves. So much in the mo
dern world is able to be explained by formulas, algorithms, methods, and science. Astrology is one thing that has not totally been explained or proven just yet. The stars, constellations, space, and galaxies are real, but the concept for astrology and how it can explain human experiences has not been proven so. 

        I think that it's very interesting that this not-scientifically-proven concept can help humans map out their own personalities, goals, emotions/reactions, jobs, relationships, friendships, etc. Although I'm not very educated on the whole of astrology, I do find it both scary and interesting how similar some zodiac sign descriptions are to certain people, and how finding others in your same sign are similar to you. 

      

Level Week 1 - Subway Chronicles

  

  I have been working at Subway for about five months now. I really liked working there at first because it was easy to get the hang of things and it was fun. As time went on, I came home with many different stories. Of course, there are basic stories such as angry customers and those who come in without masks, but those are the ones that everyone hears about. 

    I am lucky enough to be able to talk about more exciting things. Something that I will never forget is the day I came into work one day and our entire system crashed. It was pitch black outside due to the crazy thunderstorm that was going on. It is usually empty when it rains like that but for some reason today was busy. 

    Due to our entire computer system crashing we were operating on a cash-only system. This usually is something easy to do however we could not use the computer to open the register. What we had to do was hand write all of the orders on paper and calculate the total ourselves based off of the prices on our menus. Once we calculated the prices we had to figure out how much change we owed them, run to the back safe, and use our available cash to give them change. 

    Many customers were understanding but some were turned away by our situation. Once the customers slowly stopped coming in we had to contact tech support to try and fix our issue. My coworker and I spent four hours on the phone with three different tech assistants. The first one was very mean to me and deleted our entire system and tried to blame it on me. The second helper told us that what we were trying to do was impossible due to the age of our computer program. The last one told us that he was going to try and fix what the fix person deleted. The store owner had to stay and watch the computer download until midnight. 

    

    This was easily one of the most stressful days that I had to work through. Luckily my coworker and I were able to handle it. Ever since then I have been scared to mess around with the computer. This made my boss realize that I was trustworthy and could handle the worse case scenarios. 

Karve Week 1- Family Memories at Graduation

    This past December, my cousin, Ashali, graduated from Penn State.  We had a small, COVID friendly, celebration at her house with my grandparents, aunt and uncle, her sister, my parents, and my brother.  We watched her virtual graduation and took family pictures.  Once she threw her cap in the air, from the comforts of her living room, she made a speech thanking all of us, which was interrupted by her sister who kept playing the sound effects that came with her virtual (temporary) diploma.  

    After Ashali's failed attempt at popping champagne for a photo, the four “kids'' of the family sat around reminiscing on childhood memories.  We were lucky enough to grow up only 30 minutes away from each other, with our grandparents' house in the middle; therefore we were lucky enough to grow up with each other.  I looked back on going to their basketball games, when I was little, and how I would walk into school the next day, bragging about how my cousins were the best on their team. Someone mentioned the first time we went out to get ice cream after my very first dance recital, a tradition we uphold to this day.  We talked about memories from when we traveled together to see extended family and shared inside jokes from throughout the years. 

    The whole time Ashali’s sister, Anjali, who has a future career as a DJ, was playing our favorite songs, which made it all the more fun. Eventually, the whole family joined in on sharing their funniest and most heartfelt memories from throughout the years.  My grandmother reminisced on how we used to play school in her living room and jokingly attributed my cousin's successful graduation to that.  It was really nice all being together once again. Coming together as a family, after months of being apart due to COVID, reminded me how lucky I am to have these people in my life. 

Ernst Week 1- Possible Career Path(s)

     This week I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do with my life and what career path I want to have. I used to want to be a doctor in a hospital, but lately I have been feeling like that’s not right for me. For some reason, I have always loved being in hospitals. I’m not sure why, but they always made me feel comforted. I have never been grossed out by blood or stitches or anything, so I thought being a doctor, preferably in the E.R., would be perfect. 

    After taking multiple anatomy/health classes, I started second guessing being a doctor. Even though I am good at science, it has never been my favorite subject and biology was especially unlikable to me. I started questioning “Is this really what I want to do?” and “Do I even like biology enough to major in it?” Also, I’m not even sure I would be good at it. And even though I’m still only a junior, I’ll be applying to college next year, so I needed to come up with some other options.

I have also always been interested in crime and the justice system. I enjoy learning about true crime whenever I can. Being on the front line isn’t for me (FBI agent) and being a police officer never appealed to me either for other reasons. The other day my mom suggested that I be a lawyer or do something in forensics. Forensics might be too science-y for me, but I decided to do more research about law and what it takes to be a lawyer. I still need to learn more, but I think I would be good at it and I could make a real difference. Criminal law seems the most appealing, or maybe immigration. I think I could help to change some things that need to be changed in the justice system, even if it is something small. 

Vakiener Week 1 The Importance of Family

    My grandma forgot about me. Not at a location, not to pick me up at an appointment but forgot about me as a person entirely. My grandparents came over to stay with us throughout Thanksgiving break. One day when I was walking downstairs I saw my grandmother sitting on the couch so I tapped her to say hi. When she turned around and saw me she jumped as much as a woman of her age could and asked who I was. At that moment I realized that I was never ever going to truly be with my grandmother again. 

    Both my grandmother and my grandfather have been suffering from dementia since I was around 8 years old. It came on much stronger for my grandmother then my grandpa very much affecting her short term memory. For my grandpa, it is much more subtle. Whether it is he forgets how to work things, or he forgets where he was going to go. By now they have both moved into a memory care facility and have people there full time to help them, but even then that can be a struggle. Last night my mother received a call saying that my grandma had not eaten food in 3 days. Since the building is trying to maintain social distance dinner is delivered to rooms and since my grandpa suffers from dementia as well he eats but forgets to remind her to do so. 

    All these things were very hard for me to understand and cope with and I did not react the way I should have. Instead of talking to them and trying to make them feel better, I ran away. When there was time to visit them I would choose not to go so that I wouldn't feel uncomfortable or sad. When they came to our house before the pandemic I would try not to talk to them outside of the casual greeting. But when my grandma couldn't remember me at all I realized I was taking the wrong approach. Family is the most important thing we have. Family is always there for us and always supports us. Instead of running away from my family, I should have been spending more time with them to create memories that at least I can remember. Thinking back on all the time I spent away from my grandparents made me realize how much I was missing out on. Just because they might not remember me in a few years doesn't mean that I won't always love them and appreciate how much they meant to me. So regardless of how your family will make you feel from time to time, make sure that you don't do what I did and make the most out of all the time you are given with them.

Moore Week 1 - Shaping Our Personality

     

    In my psychology class, we’re currently learning about development and how your life experiences can shape who you are as a person. Recently we talked about how vital your experiences as a baby and child are to molding your future personality and traits. Although you’re born with a specific temperament, that doesn’t define your personality or who you are as a person. Your temperament is just one puzzle piece that makes up your part of your personality. Instead your experiences, most importantly when you’re young, complete the puzzle that makes up your personality. I thought that this was very interesting because it really represents one of the big ideas of psychology, the nature-nurture argument. This is just a debate about whether your genetics or life experiences influence your behavior more. Most of the time though it seems that it’s a combination of genetics and life experiences that mold you into who you are. Like how you’re naturally born with your temperament, but that combines with your life experiences to mold your personality. 

We also learned that your parents play a huge role in your development. For instance, they help shape what your future personality and traits will look like. Parenting styles can have various results for their children later on in life, for better or for worse. For example, if your parents have an authoritative parenting style you may have strong emotional regulation and the best chance to develop high self-esteem. On the other hand, if your parents are permissive you may be more likely to have poor time management and to be prone to delinquency. The type of parent you have doesn’t guarantee these results, it’s just a correlation, but I still think that it’s really interesting how certain life experiences outside of your control can have so much influence over your life. 

Overall I thought that it was really interesting how most of what molds our personality and behavior is truly out of our hands and that such little experiences as a child can have a huge impact on you later on in life.

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Zhang Week 1 - Fairy Lights & Room Decoration

    

    This past Christmas, one of my friends gave me fairy lights which she had meticulously clipped meaningful and aesthetically pleasing photos onto. When I first received this present, I had no idea that it would lead to a pretty significant change in my life.

    Before the fairy lights, my room was the same as it was ten years ago: a child’s room. I know this may seem strange, but I don’t really spend much time in my bedroom because I’m usually out for school and sports, and when I get back home, I study in areas of the house where my bed isn’t readily available. Nevertheless, redecorating my room has been something that was lingering in the back of my mind for the past two years, and the pretty lights which my friend kindly gifted to me sparked my three day decorating spree over the winter break.

    I started by hanging the fairy lights over my bed and around the corner of my room so that they illuminated my open closet. With one corner filled by this warm, pleasant light, my room was much cozier. However, I still felt like something was missing. The walls of my room were all just blank sheets of powdered pink, and as a result my room had a dusty, uninhabited aura. So the next day, I cast around for any materials which I could use to make the walls have some spirit. 

    One of the main reasons as to why I previously never tried to redecorate my room, despite how much I wanted to, was because I thought that I didn’t have the materials to improve it. However, I quickly discovered that this was not the case. I began by unclipping the photos which my friend provided (apologies to my friend) so that I could later paste them on the walls. Next, I ripped out pages from a photobook and gathered little polaroids that I had accumulated over the years. I arranged the photos on each wall so that they varied in size. On one wall I used the larger, notebook sized pages from the photobook as well as some polaroids and arranged it so that the polaroids intersected the larger pictures in two diagonals, and the larger pictures were staggered up the wall. Another arrangement that I’m particularly proud of is the one where I mixed the regular sized photos from my friend along with polaroids so that they were outlined by the fairy lights and created a small pyramid above my bed.

    With this, and some small finishing touches, my room was completely redecorated and had a warmer, more welcoming aura. Although nearly all of the furniture remained the same, the simple addition of fun lighting as well as pictures that reflect on my personality, made my room into a whole new place. Now, when I’m not busy, I choose to spend time in my room, watching TV, reading, and just recharging in surroundings that make me feel at peace.

Harclerode Week 1 - First Volleyball Tournament of 2021

     This week in general has been very... interesting. We've returned to school after a nice long break and have had to readjust our schedules and mindsets. For me, this week also included a return to volleyball. The restrictions on sports were finally lifted, so my club team was able to resume practices. This Sunday, we are going to a volleyball tournament at Spooky Nook Sports Complex, and we're all very excited, but there's just one problem: we haven't played for weeks. We had our first practice since shutting down on Tuesday, and if I'm being completely honest, it was definitely not one of our best. Now, we only have one more practice before we have to head to our first tournament of the season, and we can hope for nothing for the best. On the bright side (if you could even call it a "bright" side), every other team that is going to this tournament should also be in the same predicament as we are. They all had to stop practicing too, so we should all be relatively on the same level... hopefully.

    Aside from our lack of preparation, there's still one thing we have to take into account when we go to this tournament: COVID restrictions. It's going to be pretty crazy. The part that I'm most worried about is when we have to wear our masks. During this high school season, players only had to wear their masks if they were not actively playing on the court, and seeing as we didn't get shut down, it looks like that plan worked pretty well. At Spooky Nook, we are going to have to where our masks while we're playing. I know that the facility is just looking out for the well being of everyone involved, but I just don't see how wearing the masks while playing will be beneficial. If anything, it might cause more people to suffer through what happened to my friend at one of our practices (before we had to postpone practices). My friend is our team's setter, a position that requires her to be on the court for the entire game. At one of the facilities where we practice, they also require the players to wear masks. While we were scrimmaging the team that is an age-level above us, she had to suddenly run out of the gym because she was so overheated by playing in a mask that she got sick. If she could barely make it through a practice playing in a mask, I wonder if more people are going to get sick like my teammate did.

    Spectators are also going to be very limited. Parents can only stay inside and watch games if their daughter is on the court. If their child's team is not playing, they have to leave the building. While that may not seem overly horrible since parents are not the ones who have to actually play, it gets worse. Players are also going to have to follow this rule. If the team is not playing or does not have to work a match (keep score, line judge, etc.), they can't stay in the building. Normally, players would set up "camps" with their teams where they can keep all of their belongings together as a team. However, those camps have been banned in order to decrease the risk of COVID. Now, we're going to have to run all the way from our cars to the court, which I can only imagine is not going to be very enjoyable.

    Regardless of all of these new rules teams will have to follow, I'm hoping for the best. I played with this team last year, and we made it all the way to Nationals in Texas (they were cancelled because of COVID, but I've never played with a club team that has made it even that far before). Now that we got some talented new additions to the team, I think we can make it just as far, if not farther this season. I'm going to keep my spirits up and hope for the best!

 

Voloshen Week 1- Dogs & Happiness

 

    Whenever I get home, the absolute first thing I do is yell a greeting to my dog as loud as I can so no matter where in the house she is, she hears me and comes running to ecstatically return the favor. The same scenario occurs whenever I get up in the morning or if I want to see her come running into the room- which is often. So often, in fact, that I started to question the science behind why I love seeing her so much (or any dog). 

    I started searching for answers and eventually discovered why dogs have such an overwhelming effect on some people. Sources say that spending just a few moments with dogs can affect the hormone levels in your brain. Two specific examples of these hormones are Oxytocin, or the "cuddle chemical", and Cortisol. Oxytocin has been shown to not only reduce stress, but also to make you feel "warm inside" and trigger your feelings of trust, emotional bonding, and empathy. Cortisol, however, is best known for its role in the "fight-or-flight" response. It can not only increase your anxiety, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels, but in large amounts it can produce symptoms of Cushing syndrome. This explanation behind the hormones is most likely the main reason why dogs are brought to hospitals, nursing homes, and schools.

    Hormone levels are not the only factors though. Dogs have also been shown to increase physical activity, social interaction, and emotional awareness. No wonder I love seeing mine so much! 

Febbo Week 1 - Feeling Unsafe

    One of the most terrifying driving experiences, I have ever been in, happened to me over this winter break. I have had my license for about 8 months, at this point, but I haven't really had to drive in cold, snowy winter weather conditions, thus far. I woke up early this morning to go to the gym with my dad. The gym I was driving to was about 20 minutes away. When I got in my car it wasn't snowing too bad, at that point, but there was a light dusting of snow already on the ground. I began driving on my way when I noticed that the roads were definitely much slicker than I had anticipated them to be. 

    I began to take my turns much slower to prevent myself from sliding. I was doing pretty well driving, until, I was approaching a stop sign and began to slow down later than I should have. I put my foot completely on the pedal, however, my brakes weren't stopping my car from slowing down and I slide through the stop sign and wasn't able to stop until I was almost in the middle of the road. Luckily, there were no other cars near me when this happened, but it was terrifying to me. I couldn't help, but imagine what would've happened if there were cars near at the time. 

    From this almost traumatizing experience, I have learned to drive even more carefully, especially, in bad driving weather, such as snow or heavy rain.

Allen Week 1 - Rolly Chairs

      Many people have their own favorite aspect of work. This statement may seem slightly contradictory because work is not meant to be entertaining or fun, but we as human beings cling to any slight positive that we can and hold on in the hopes of it carrying us to a better tomorrow and stories and laughs to be shared years later. These slight positives are rarely anything to brag about when it comes to the actually entertaining parts of our lives, but given the context of a long day at the office, it seems like a snake in the grass of boredom. It is a very rare occurrence when the serpent in the brush is actually worth grasping when placed out of its context of boredom and into the cage with the actual entertainment and fun that we experience when we are not in the clutches of work or school.  One of these rare fun objects that are worth writing home about (or rather writing a blog about) is a pleasure to all those who dare to ride.  I am of course talking of the glorious, the stupendous, dare I say the chief of all cathedra, the rolly chair.

After many hours expiring by the computer screen in the slight comfort, but immobility of a normal chair, I have become more attuned to my wants in terms of sitting implement.  I have begun to desire the mobility and ease of the rolly chair both as a method of support, but also a method of entertainment.  Even as I compose the very work you read right now,  I enjoy the comfort and ability to stretch my legs with ease and the speed at which I can roll into the kitchen to scare my cat off the counter. I long ago learned to appreciate and control the convenience of the automobile, but I have to say that I much prefer the transportation and perks provided by my humble rolly chair to anything that can be provided by the family Honda.  

The only complication that my picky mind could come up with involving this gilded throne is the fact that although the chair itself is very mobile, the workspace is not.  Enter in my time of need the king of things that roll, the champion of chariots, the new rolly desks found in the social studies classrooms.  I first encountered these rolling havens on my first day of psychology class, and I instantly realized that my life was complete.  No other mobile office could match the sheer brilliance and ingenuity that were implemented in the making of this true masterpiece of machinery and engineering.  The maker of this piece de resistance, without question, has my nomination for the presidency, the nobel prize, and canonization, and they should have their brain donated to science so that neurologists can study the only brain greater than Einstein’s. The solution to work boredom has been found in the most perfect way imaginable.

Rolly Desk