Grant the wishes. Everyone feels good. Everybody cries.

Although you cannot wish for something that you believe is impossible to achieve in the real world. So no flying pigs or bringing people back from the grave but if you did get the chance to win a prize and change this world, how would you go about it?

After watching the TED prize video in class, I thought about all the things that anyone could change. I have thought about poverty, so many go without the basic things in life for example clean water, nutrition, clothing, and shelter. Although I wonder sometimes, how many Americans really know what poverty is? Most of the people in this world talk about poverty on television but they don't look like they've ever been poor. Poor folks know firsthand that poverty is more than just a lack of money. It's also a lack of spirit, a lack of optimism about your abilities and resources.



My first wish would be to help with the poor health and nutrition. It’s the main way to keep away the common health problems. Inadequate nutrition in childhood undermines the ability of individuals to develop their full capabilities. The lack of many essential minerals could impair brain development. Almost two billion people in this world are affected by iodine deficiency and an estimated forty percent under the age of four are suffering from anemia because of insufficient iron in their diets.
The second wish would have to deal with homeless people. Even though many have lost their homes because they wasted and threw away their money, I still don’t think anyone should be without a warm bed. Even though a lot of them are just poor and have never had anything, they should still have the ability to feel safe somewhere.



Finally my third wish would be to see that education prices be lowered so many can afford to go to school and be successful in life. Research has found that there is a high risk of educational underachievement for children who are from low-income housing circumstances. Or even for homeless children and poor people. Many children in the United States drop out not completing their high school education. I f people in this world would try and actually work together to become successful, it would be a better place for everyone. Not as many would be living on the streets nor would they have to worry about being poor. A prize is one thing, but the power to use it makes matters better for us Americans. I mean anything is possible, if you just set your mind to it.

Everything Scary

There are some who view scary movies as a product of society in decay, and the increased interest or need for violence to be satisfied. This theory bears some scrutiny, and really in the end doesn’t hold much weight. Even the earliest societies had their “monsters” or stories of gods, men and beasts that committed terrifying horrors. If you think Hannibal Lector in scary, try reading some of the stories in Greek mythology, the ones that are related to cannibalism. Even the bible has its giants, destructions of whole cities, and the wrathful God that may stomp on people until his feet are wet with their blood.

There’s something to the cautionary tale (warning) theory when we watch some scary movies in particular. They do seem to portray chaos that occurs when people venture outside of what is considered societal norms. They have been used in the past to promote themes of how innocence may prevail. A huge criticism of the movie “Halloween” was that the only surviving character was virginal and sexually inexperienced. They make some of these scary films so many will not experience sex and so forth, trying to set values for people. Which is crazy because I never got those values from watching a horror film?

I watched a movie called The Last House on the Left this week and it had to be one of the most vicious movies I have ever seen. Of course I was jumping and screaming every now and then but if someone awful was hurting someone I loved I’d definitely go out of my way to get revenge. It’s sad that people have to kidnap, assault, and kill. It’s depressing to know that we have citizens who are sick in the head and actually find this enjoyable.

Some studies imply that the real draw to a scary movie is the feeling that it is over but many people argue that the reason they like watching scary movies is that they are a way to experience both positive and negative emotions all at the same time. I certainly love watching scary movies, and the adrenaline rush. You know you’re going to be scared but you also know that you’re safe. After all it’s just a movie.

Life is Orange and White

The Tennessee Lady Volunteers stand for the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in woman’s intercollegiate athletics. The lady Volunteers name is derived from the state’s nickname, the “volunteer state,” because of its history of many Tennessee citizens who volunteered to fight in the military. The 1902, UT football team was referred to as “Volunteers.” The name was also applied to the women’s teams when they formed in the 20th century. UT’s lady varsity teams are often referred to as “Lady Vols.”

The softball team has experienced recent success making multiple Women’s College World Series appearances. The WCWS is the final portion of the NCAA women’s softball tournament for college softball in the United States. The tournament format consists of two four-team double-elimination brackets. The winners of each bracket then compete in a best-of-three title game series to determine the Division 1 WCWS National champion. The WCWS takes place at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Tennessee played for the 2007 National Championship at the 2007 Women’s College World Series, losing 2 games to 1 to Arizona. The best-of-three championship series as said before featured Arizona and Tennessee. The Wildcats advanced into the series defeating other teams while Tennessee advanced to the championship series by beating Texas A&M, Arizona, and finally Northwestern. Monica Abbott, 2007 NCAA player of the year, had a no-hitter on the first night of the WCWS and also did not allow a run before entering the championship series. Although, Arizona did win the deciding game, 5-0, and it was their school’s eighth national title in softball. That is a little about the Lady Vols softball facts and how great they did in the year of 2007.

In 2008, my high school softball team took a trip up to Knoxville, to watch the Lady Volunteers play against Alabama. We got there pretty early so that we could make sure and get enough tickets for every team member coming to the game. We watched the game and people were going crazy trying to meet a lot of well-known players and coaches there. I was going to take a picture with Phillip Fulmer, the long-time Tennessee Head football Coach, but all kinds of older women were acting like they were looking at Elvis Presley in the making so I just took a picture of him and he signed my t-shirt. I also got to watch his daughter Allison Fulmer, 1st baseman, play against Alabama. Although if I could have met Monica Abbott instead of watching her play, it would have been amazing! She is by far the best pitcher I have ever watched in person. It is hard to believe because she is six foot tall and pitches left-handed, it just has to be the weirdest combination for any athlete playing sports.

"I think I can, can"

As we go throughout life, like any human being we want to make our dreams come true. We feel as if we can do anything we set our minds to, willing to take that next step if life. Thinking as the people sang in the video “I think I can, can, yes I can, can, I know I can, can.” When you tell yourself you can, it helps accomplish that certain goal. In life there are always going to be obstacles but you have to overcome them and keep trying.

It is usually hard to get acquainted with the feelings of new things. It could be the first day of high school, first day on the new job, or moving states, something you have never experienced before. When I was little I always told myself “I can do this” like any other child would while playing sports. I have played softball ever since I was in the sixth grade and well I can go ahead and say I was not the best when I first started. Although I kept on trying and telling myself I could, it still took a little time to get used to and the same for volleyball. Many times I have thought of that little saying and it helped me get through things. I remember when my mom told me she was going to leave my home town in Tennessee and move to Wisconsin, I did not know what to think or say. All I knew was that I wanted to go with her and that was not possible at the time being. I had school, sports, all my friends and family at home. Well after I graduated from high school, I decided I was going to move in with her and so I did this summer. The whole time thinking of leaving the people I loved so much was hard, but when I finally moved in and got settled I thought well maybe this was the wrong idea. I missed them a lot and I kept thinking I am never going to make friends and know people like I did down south. I did not feel like I belonged but I gave it a little time and told myself it would work out for the best and now I am starting to see the better side of things. Having to make big changes in life make you have second thoughts, is it right? Should I really move that far away from everyone I have known all my life? It just seemed so unreal to do at the time but I had to show everyone I could do this and go off to college and become successful and hopefully that will happen. So as the elders said in the movie, “I think I can, can”.

~Tinkering School~

This video on children at tinkering school makes me think about how great the kids react to being treated like adults. They enjoy having the freedom to make things with their imagination, not by having someone tell them exactly what to do or make. Being trusted to deal with power tools and hammers, when most parents would never let them do a project with this type of equipment. When the children are told to do something it is usually something they would rather not be involved in, on the other hand kids are going to choose to do something they enjoy. Your parents should help you be successful in life and to be independent. In many parents minds they want to keep their children protected from danger, and never let them experience things on their own. They experienced everything while they were younger so they believe that by telling us it will be enough but it is not kids need to learn from their own mistakes. If you shelter your kids from the real world how will they know how to act in this world? If you limit them they will only succeed as far as they have been allowed. They need to have a better sense of how to make things, do hands-on projects. That is part of life, growing up as a child and your dad teaching you to build objects, learn to ride bikes, fixing parts on a car. Or to build random things like rubber-band booby traps, not many things go as planned but they turn out great. Children need to dream big and feel good about the things they accomplish.

Many things in the educational systems today also make me reflect back on these children. The way teachers make you get involved in so many activities. If you have a different view over things then you should do it your own way. Have confidence in yourself, one huge setback in today’s society is that children expect their parents to offer and provide too many things. Also the way new technology is these days does not help kids want to get out and be productive, they enjoy being lazy in front of the television and playing video games. Things at tinkering school help many recognize that the best things in life are free and having the opportunity to build things with your friends and family are very fine experiences to live up. At tinkering school these kids are open to let their imaginations grow and to dream.