Melinda's Mom

Mom -- what does that word mean to you? To most daughters, and even some sons, it would be someone they tell everything to, someone they can trust, and someone who is their 'best friend'. To me, and Melinda the main character in Speak, it is just a person living in our house with us who may or may not say anything to us, but it's like we know they love us but just can't show it. Melinda's mom is a lot like any other kids parents, whether it is their mom or their dad. I think the author made this character to try and connect better with their audience. 

Melinda's mom always feels like Melinda is 'trying to pull something.' Well, let's be honest here -- how many kids have ever tried to pull something over on there parents, or hide something from them? I know for a fact we have all done it whether your the 'perfect' kid, or not. I know when I try and pull stuff it usually turns into a whole big argument about why I don't want to tell my mom things. Which to me seems like what Melinda is going through too. But, her mom doesn't only do that, she argues with her husband a lot which I never really understood, but to me it looks like family problems, just in not a really big way. 

Her mom also seems like she is trying to force happiness, all of the time. Like during Halloween, when she opened the door to hand out candy you could tell that she wasn't thrilled about what was going on. She also smokes, which so do both of my parents, and I feel like that is something people do when they are upset or stressed. Which to me is kind of like unhappy. I feel like Melinda's mom, may get some if not most of her stress from either Melinda, or her job. I feel like these are the reasons, because she is constantly thinking about work, and she had to go into work on Thanksgiving, which is what really sucks about working retail, even for your family. My dad used to work in retail, and he would have to work every holiday which really sucked because we had to enjoy it without him. I also feel like Melinda could be part of her stress, because she is trying so hard to connect with her, but it just isn't working and it is making her frustrated, which must be how most parents feel when they are trying to get through to their kids and it just isn't working. 

Most kids have at least one parent like this, if not both parents, and if you don't have a parent like this your lucky. My parents aren't always like this, but they both have their moments. But, you also have to take the ups with the downs, and if you expect your life to be perfect, you better keep dreaming. 

Butterfly

Author's Note: I usually don't write author's notes because I believe that what I write should be able to tell you it's story on it's own, and not need support from an author's note. But, this one needed a little bit of explaining. In Language Arts class, we went down to the library and looked at all of the art projects. Mrs. Reagles told us to find a piece that spoke to us. Surprisingly I found my best friends art piece the one that spoke to me the most. It was a butterfly in a hand, and it was just so simple that it got me thinking about how simply things can be, if you just let them be and stop worrying. I hope you enjoy this piece!

It's the simpleness of holding a butterfly in your hand that can make you think of so many things.

It makes me think of everything I was in life before now.

Where I used to be, to what I am now; how simple things were.

It's simple, because everything doesn't have to be elaborate.

It's simple, to the point where it tells a story all on its own.

It's simple, to the point where everything about it is simple.

The story is simple.

The piece is simple.

So, why can't everything just be as simple. 

Analysis on Speak Movie to Book

Throughout both the movie and the book, the author and the director, both did a great job trying to get the point across. But, some of the scenes that were in the book and not in the movie really bothered me. There were some key scenes in the book that helped you better understand the whole message. In the beginning of the movie they added a scene in that wasn't in the book. This really bothered me because I partly understood why they put it in there, but on the other hand I also was very confused at why they would have added that. I think I liked the beginning of the book Speak a lot better than the beginning of the movie. I think this is because the book was just more explanatory than the movie, and even though you got the point in the movie in the book you get it even more. 

Also, I wanted to see Melinda do the mirror thing at the beginning of the book, where she put the mirror in her closet. I feel like this was a very important part of the book that wasn't shown in the movie. But, in the movie she is actually looking herself in the mirror and then her mom comes in the room which is something that I didn't really like. Another thing I really wanted to see too, was that she never did the basketball free throws, I don't know why this bothered me so much but it did. It almost felt to me like something they just didn't think was that important but actually was. These were some things that really bothered me between the movie and the book that was almost aggravating at points, when they didn't show the things I wanted them to. 

How to Save Business Article

Author's Note: In investing we had to learn how to properly write a business article, so this is the one I wrote. Fair warning it's about how to save for your future, and it's kind of boring. 

May 31, 2013

Mr. Heesch

Beauty and Beach Salon

111 Shark Attack Avenue

Doodlebob, KS 13964

Dear Mr. Heesch

In this How to Save article, by Sam Walton is about how saving is not optional, the problems of starting out, starting small, and the bottom line. Saving is not optional, according to Sam Walton, because “no one knows what social security is going to look like in ten years.” But, saving is also many companies will kick in money if you save for retirement. Which, can help you in the long run, because then your retirement plan could end up being almost double what it would have been without them. One of peoples biggest problems with saving though is that they think they don’t have enough money as it is, let alone any left over to save, whether it is for retirement or just because. Plus, sometimes you may not have as much to put away one month as you have before, but that’s okay. As long as you are putting something into your account each month and expecting for the worst that is all that matters. Starting small isn’t a bad thing, in fact it sets up the habit of saving every month. It doesn’t matter how much you put in because, saving is saving. But, the bottom line according to Sam Walton, is that saving for either a retirement plan, or even college, is to just start saving.

The key details the author is telling you about in this story, is that all you have to do is just start saving. You can’t be sure you are going to have a great retirement if you don’t have any money to have a great retirement with. One of the other key details in this article, is that most people feel like they have to start big, like thousands of dollars, but that is totally not true. There is no need to start with thousands of dollars, as long as you save something every month that’s all that matters, it creates the habit of saving. If you don’t save anything at all, you can’t be sure you are going to be able to do what you want to do.

Sam Walton’s purpose for writing this article, was to inform people on how to save, and why saving is a good thing to start doing. His intended audience were people probably in there early to late 20’s or early 30’s. Who have either just started a job that they are going to have for a while, or are being offered some kind of retirement plan that they are not sure about.

Sincerely

Morgan Hanson

CEO of Suits Incorporated 

Fear

Fear. It lives inside us all, whether we want to feel it or not, is up to us.
Sadness. We all feel it deep in our throats as we choke back tears, but never seem to cry.
Uncertainty. It’s all in your brain, there is a chance you will succeed, but your too afraid to try.

Why do we feel these things? We are told everyone feels these things, but I can guarantee you everyone doesn’t. There are people out there in the world with depression, but you would never know it. One of those people is me. I was diagnosed in November, with GAD and depression. But, they caught it in time, and put me on antidepressants and anxiety medication. My parents were, let’s just say, terrified. Not only for me, but with me. The side effects can be very scary. According to Karen Swartz, a psychiatrist and director of Johns Hopkins Mood Disorders Center, “[The side effects] vary from grogginess, weight gain and polycystic ovary syndrome, and many more (Lopez).” Which I am sure right now sound like some scary symptoms, but they are quite rare. There are some people who think our parents are over medicating our generation, and people who have had kids dealing with these problems , experience this and know that you pretty much have no choice if you want your kid to go back to being “normal.” I have to say that antidepressants changed my life – for the better.

"We really believe there is a place for medication for teenagers, but not for all teenagers," the founder of Kids & Co. Clinical Psychology says (Mayoh). This is reasonable, people think every parent who runs into one little thing wrong with their kids automatically takes their kid to the doctor, and the doctor gives them drugs. That is so far from the case, it’s almost unbelievable, I had to go through about four or five tests before they diagnosed me. It wasn’t something that they were handing out like candy. They actually sit down and talk to you before they make any rush decisions. That’s all that matters. If it’s helping the person, you should encourage it. Not because you want the behavior to continue, but because you want it to stop. Experts say, “The best medicine for kids is a strong support system of family, teachers and doctors (Lopez).” No one knows how much people with depression appreciate the support, no one understands how many people have told them to “just get over it” and having someone be there, just to be there, is the most amazing feeling ever.

“Young people have known themselves longer on medication than off it,” says Katherine Sharpe. As much as this is a scary thought even in my own mind, I can also understand where she is coming from. Some really, really young children have know themselves longer on medication than not, but for them it won’t last long. This is because every child goes through some stage of depression in their lives between the ages of three and nine. Usually only lasting a few months, or about a year and a half (Mayoh). Most people think teens, like me, have been on antidepressants practically since the day we were born, and as much as that would be bad, it is highly unpractical. Most people’s depression lasts a couple of months to a couple of years. But, nowhere near as long as anti-drug adults think.

 I can understand from both sides, of why to and not to have youth take antidepressants. But, being on the other side of the fence, and actually being someone on them, it makes you think about it a little differently. I know that there are some people on them that shouldn't be, and then there are people like me who if they weren't on them would not be able to get out of bed. But, as long as you show love and support to the kids and adults who are suffering from depression, you can only make their lives better – not worse. But, whatever you do never tell someone with depression to “just get over it” because at this point in their lives that is the last thing they need to hear. Plus, it’s not supportive. You are just making them dig themselves deeper into a hole, where they are going to be stuck on more antidepressants, because just as their confidence is building back up, you keep tearing them back down. The dosage will eventually go down, I promise, and for anyone out there, like me, who is dealing with this, things will get better, whether you believe it or not.

Kent Thune Report

Author's Note: I wrote this in investing following a article we worked on for a couple of months on Mutual Funds. 

Kent Thune’s main ideas in the article of Mutual Funds, where the definition of a mutual fund, baskets of investments, the advantages of mutual funds, and basic types of mutual funds. A mutual fund is and investment security type that enables investors to pool their money together. Baskets of Investments hold dozens or hundreds of stocks and bonds, but the investors do not own the holdings, but part of the mutual fund. The advantages of mutual funds are simple, investors simply do not have the knowledge or time to start making their own portfolio of stocks and bonds; buying a portfolio enables them to have a professionally managed diverse portfolio. Also, it costs as little as $1,000 to own a professionally managed diverse portfolio. There are two basic types of mutual funds, stock funds, and bond funds, plus mutual funds are cheaper and easier to start.

The key details in Kent Thune’s article where the advantages and types of mutual funds. The advantages of mutual funds are simple, diversified, and accessible. They are simple because most people don’t know how to start their own portfolio. All investors have to make sure not to but all their eggs in one basket. Plus, it doesn’t cost a lot to start investing in mutual funds. The basic types of mutual funds are stock funds and bond funds. Although most people like to invest in index funds.

I believe Kent Thune’s intended audience for his article on mutual funds, was for ‘new’ investors. People who have no idea what a mutual fund is, and have no idea how to even start making their own portfolio. His purpose for writing this article was to inform ‘new’ investors about what a mutual fund actually was, and what they advantages of having one were.

Some of the most important things to know about mutual funds for ‘new’ investors can be found in this article. Mutual fund baskets, can holds dozens to hundreds of stock/bond funds. Also, Kent Thune informs you on the advantages of mutual funds -- simplicity, diversity, and accessibility. The most common types of mutual funds are also mentioned in this article – stock funds, bond funds, and index funds seeming to be the mutual funds most gravitate toward.

My clients are my parents who are in there early 50’s and no just about nothing about mutual funds. So, this is what I have to say to inform them about mutual funds. Mutual funds have many advantages, one being how simple they actually are compared to what people think about them. Most who start investing don’t know anything or close to nothing about mutual funds. So, buying a professionally managed mutual fund, will help you in the long run for not knowing next to nothing about investing concepts and strategies. Mutual funds are also very diverse meaning that they are not going to put all your eggs in one basket, and are going to try and make you as much money as possible. They are also very accessible to anyone, because they don’t cost that much to start. Plus, with a little research anyone can get started investing in mutual funds within minutes or just a couple of hours. 

Physical Fitness?

Author's Note: This is the essay I wrote for gym on the question "What does Physical Fitness/Activity mean to you?"

Some people work out because they find it fun; others work out because they find it as a new challenge. Some people just chose not to do anything at all. I am one of those people who end up falling in between fun and a challenge. I started playing sports at a young age, and never stopped. At first it was a challenge because I knew nothing about the different sports I played. Now, it’s still a challenge, but it’s also fun.

That’s all it should be, as long as you find something you like to do, all it should be is fun but also at times a challenge. I never really wanted to play sports when I was younger, but my dad said it was one of those things that I was actually going to enjoy.

I tried soccer.

I tried basketball.

I tried gymnastics.

I tried it all.

Soccer and gymnastics were just too princess like for me, they never provided me with enough of a challenge, and most importantly they just weren’t fun. I did like basketball, it was something my cousins and I would play together on a summer afternoon at my cousins’ house. But, then one of my cousins got good, really good—I wouldn’t say great, but good enough. So, I didn’t want to be in her shadow – forever. But, that shouldn’t have mattered, and if I could go back and change it I probably would; it gave me confidence and a challenge.  But then, when I was three I started tee-ball, and bowling. It stuck ever since.

They were the things that gave me challenge. They were the things that were exciting. They were the things I actually looked forward to going to everyday, and still do. My skills got better in bowling I starting throwing hooks, my ball got heavier, and the heavier my ball got the more of a challenge it provided. Tee-ball turned into slow pitch softball by the age of 7; slow pitch turned into fast pitch by the age of 10. I got faster, had more agility, and it was exciting. I made new friends, and they also pushed me to do better.

That to me is all that matters. I just want to have fun; I don’t have to be the best in the world. I just have to be the best to myself. As long as things keep getting harder – providing more of a challenge, and as long as I keep having fun, and getting pushed to do my best, I will keep doing physical activities.