Journal 12

As the weekend approaches I lay in my bed trying to overcome an illness. I hope that it will pass quickly because not many things are worse than spending the week studying for tests and going to work only to spend the weekend sick in bed. But in bed, you get to have some time to spend thinking about the things in life. I seem to rejoice in the idea of life. It is a time to learn from mistakes and grow in many ways. I am sick, but I know that this illness will pass and that I will never again suffer this same illness. I love the body. It is so fascinating how it works! I marvel at the body's ability to fight an illness and then remember how to kill that sickness that the next time it comes knocking on the door, your body does not need to become ill by lowering its other systems, it just stops the sickness using the technique it had used to get rid of it the first time. One thing that I need to learn how to stop is procrastination. I do not know what it is that drives me to do this and makes it impossible to stop, but I fear that it is just laziness. I am nearing the end of school and I am not setting my priorities as they should. I am taking college to make a better living environment and open up opportunities, and to overall increase my future family's benefit. Right now though, my eyes are facing to the present time causing a conflict of sorts. May I spend my weekend sorting through the weaker parts of my life. I hope these things for my sake and my family's.

Journal 11

Life for me is like many others trying to find their way through their own jungle of life. Each jungle has its dangers and challenges no matter the direction they head in. I think that I am pretty sure of the general direction which I am headed, but I have many other little degrees of changes to make in determining my final destination. The dangers and challenges which I face can and will probably influence the degrees of change that I undergo. But the amount of change depends on the way that I handle the challenges. Would I become discouraged, or overstressed. Or will I be able to control my emotions and be able to handle the problems.
Self Control is the key to being able to handle many problems in life. To control ones anger or even to control ones mere thoughts resulting in a change in being will make all weaknesses become strengths. Everyone has the ability to change and control themselves. Although it may be harder for some people due a variety of reasons, we each have the ability to use self control. First, they must learn to see the flaws in themselves. Second, they must teach themselves discipline. Third, they need the desire to change that flaw. Only then can one learn to control themselves.
My objective for this journal is to relate this to my work in class. The relation comes with a problem that I face. Knowing my direction, I now must handle the challenges that lie on this path, but I cant seem to get past the second step to handling each challenge well. My problem is time. I am jugling too many things at the same time and I have to choose which I have to sacrifice. In the mean time I am sacrificing schoolwork; one of which I do not want to lack.

Journal 9

PERSPECTIVE

This week we are allowed to choose what topic we write about as long as it pertains to the work that we have within this writing course. Since most of our work is learning to write persuasive essays, I thought about the paper reviews and grades that my essays have been getting. I was amazed at how different people reacted so differently to my papers. One essay topic that I had written about was choosing whether or not the general public should ban guns. I remember one review that I got said that it was a 'well written' essay, and that I had 'clearly done my research'. Although they gave me a few suggestions to change some things within the text, they were astounded by my paper saying that 'it made me think, of things I never thought about before, and about the importance of the topic. I had never really thought much about this topic before, and I made me want find out more.' After hearing these words, I was pretty excited to show more people this paper. But the excitement seemed to have stopped when I showed it to someone who's opinion blew me out of the water. Finding many phrases that were not liked and various other ideas, they thought that the paper was bad and that I should rewrite it and look more into it. Although I was wanting to look it over again, it was time to turn in my seemingly horrible paper, and I had no time to change anything. Reluctantly I turned it in hoping that my teacher thought like the first person I reviewed the essay with. But maybe not. I could see my grade slipping more and more, and I could do nothing about it. But then it made me think about how different people can be, and how a perspective can change a world of ideas. Thats what makes this world fun and chalenging!

Journal 8

This week in journal write, we had to read an article from a newspaper and write about it, then compare it to previous articles that we have read in class.
Today I decided to read the Daily Herald and because of my profession, I decided to take a look at the health and fitness section of the paper. The article that caught my eye was about a research that had started in the 1960s. It was about the total consumption of salt intake which americans take daily and it was advising "It's not that salt is horrible and salt kills," they said. "A little bit of salt makes food better, makes life better. But people have to recognize that in large amounts, salt can have damage."
In the research it showed how by watching your salt intake and eating out less, not only will you save money, but your chance of having a heart attack or stroke could be decreased up to twenty-three percent! In my family, we have a high risk for heart attacks from both sides of my family. So I took this article personally. I actually eat out a lot, and one of the things that they advised was to eat at restrauants less and eat homemade meals more often. I really love salt, and I now know that I should start changing my diet, or at least the types of foods I eat and how much salt I take in. I think that this writer did a great job at convincing me to watch my intake.
This writer did an awesome job. Which is probably why they are in the Daily Herald. Comparing to the other articles that I read, I was more personally related to the salt precaution article. But as for the style of writing, I think that this writer was more laid back and instead of strongly stating their opinion, this writer just informed the reader and advised them not to intake as much salt. The two articles were organized well and very well written. I think that this article was meant to provoke thought and give information to help more americans become aware of their sodium intake. If anyone reading this would like to read the article about salt, it can be found at: http://www.dailyherald.com/health/story.asp?id=38989.

Journal 7

Today I have to write about an article that I read for my English class. It was called "I would rather smoke than kiss."
I thought this article was disgusting. Although she would call me a typical american who would rather prolong life than savor it, I really dont believe that smoking is savoring it. It may be fun at first, but smoking takes you prisoner really quick. She doesn't care if she stinks, or even care that she is losing health. She calls us something like health freaks, but its more like a smart and strong choice you have to make. I admire those who try so hard to quit and succeed, they have more strength than a lot of us. But I also admire those who just see the results and decide not to smoke. Personally, I see this kind of stuff a lot where I work. At the hospital, I see people who suffer the worst pains and health problems from smoking. I also see kids who suffer at an age of two and up and it is sad. Some parents decide that it is best not to smoke, but some parents display a feeling of, I just plain don't care. After reading this article, I was confirmed about these feelings, and I am really disgusted. There really are different kinds of people out there, and I think that different is good, but it is sad that they are different enough to not care for others, or even themselves. One reply that astonished me was when she was offered to go to dinner but as long as she could hold from smoking in their home for a little, and she said "go yourself!" And now she is mad at the woman for calling her the rudest person she ever met.
I know that there are many people out there that smoke, but are the coolest people. I have some friends that are like that. But it hurts me to see them suffer and fall victim to these sadistic villains. I really was sickened by this article, I can't believe that people would think in a way that they would rather lay as prisoners to cigarettes, than love their life and everything that should be precious in it.

Sacrifice

One night as I began my shifts at work and I worked hard and earned my hours. Exhausted, I went home to sleep for a few hours before school started. But then, realizing that I had a test that very day I began to have a strange feeling, and for the first time in my life, I didnt care about a test. I had to slap myself in the face and get into gear when I finally decided that I guess I 'should' study. I took the test, and finished the rest of my classes. I returned home to get ready for work again and summoned the strength to go on. I still kept working hard but, I realized that this cycle never ends. After work: "My body is now feeling like a rickedy wagon that has crooked wheels making it very difficult to move on. I dont know what I should do and my mind is not working as well as it seems." I came to find that day that I failed a test that I knew the answers to, and I should have passed with flying colors. But I somehow misread directions. I dont know what to do!
The weekend came! I sat and started reflecting on myself and thinking about the road ahead of me. The street I was on seemed to go up and up. I could hardly see the end of the incline, but faintly I saw the end and the rewards for the long and hard journey. Oh they were nice. But the road was uphill bothways and I felt like even if I made that journey, I would be too old and worn to really enjoy that. I then noticed a road that broke off and led me to another place. This road was easy and enjoyable. Lights flashing on both sides, and the incline was barely noticeable. I knew this road was good for me. As long as I did what was right and did my share, I would make it to the end of that road. It may not have been nearly as rewarding as the first road, but it was worth it to me. I turned to go down the road when I realized that the people and family that I would have were also quite different on the two ends. One was making it by and the children were content with life. But as I watched them go down their road, I realized that they had the same road that I was struggling down. This troubled me. And so I turned to look at the family and people that were at the top of the hill. Their road was eased and they seemed to have the enjoyment which I had longed for all the time in my life. I then realized that this road that I had just about headed down was a continuous circle that went around the mountain never going up to the top. Unless someone, makes the sacrifice to make that journey. Someone had to put all their efforts and time into the long hike. I looked at the road with lights and beauty around it. Its pull was great, but I cried, turned, and began my journey up the hill.

Cant fall asleep

I am what people call a "night owl." I sleep during the day, and work 12 hour shifts at night. Most times I can sleep through just about anything. Even my alarm clock and my family getting mad because it sounds through the house and Im still sleeping in my bed. hehe.
But sometimes I just cant fall asleep because I feel like my leg is being pounded by a hammer or something that makes it continually hurt. I have to raise my legs up on pillows and take a tylenol for it to go away. But I can never figure out what makes my legs hurt in the first place. Is it the blood pressure in them, or maybe it's the workout that I did the week before. ?? I dont know...
On other occations I just cant get to sleep and I spend hours thinking about a trillion things before I even start dozing off...but then its time to go to school and I had hardly even counted lamb #3. What is it that keeps us up all night. The test that I have that day, or maybe a personal issue like "why did I order the biggie size." I cant figure it out. I know that Im tired because I stayed up the whole night working so I just lay there wondering about how Im going to survive the next night at work and find time for school and sleep. So one day I heard about how you dont get the same sleep as most people do when they sleep at night due to the daylight and other inner stability issues. So I decided to try it by putting a huge blanket around my bunk bed to keep most of the light out. I call it "Fort Insomnia" hehe. But I am thinking of changing the name because it seems to help a whole lot. I dont know why, but when you sleep in the day, even if you get less hours of sleep at night in the dark, the few hours in the dark were better rested than the many hours in daylight. If anyone knows the reason to that fact, please let me know why.
But still, for many people, they still cant fall asleep even when it is dark and a thousand thoughts are going through their head. For them I believe that it may be an imbalance in their life either physically or personally, or an unresolved issue that just keeps them restless. But Im not a doctor and I really dont know the truth but if there is anyone out there that reads this and know the answer to solving insomnia, please help because this problem concerns thousands of people in many parts of the world.
-Jeremy