Tiger Woods

It is all over the news, magazines, and the internet. Tiger Woods and his marriage problems. I couldn't care less over what is happening between him and his wife, because honestly it doesn't affect me and is really none of my business. However, it is things like these that makes me think of all the celebrities and the spotlight they are in.

The paparazzi is all over trying to get that snapshot of famous people. So is it really fair that these people are bombarded everywhere they go. I think that the annoyances of being photographed wherever you go is just something that comes with being rich and famous. When a person decides to go into acting or singing in hopes of being the best, they better be willing to be on camera.

Professional athletes are the same way. Being watched and critiqued is just something they should be accustomed to and accept. They should realize that people are always watching them, and little kids even look up to them. It is important that they set good examples and be prepared to being watched all the time.

Any normal family dispute would not be publicly shared as much as Tiger Wood's is being. However, I find it very hard to feel sorry for the fact that it is spread all over. Every job has its pros and cons but regardless people must learn to deal with them.

Group Projects

Students are required many times to work with a group on a certain class project. Sometimes students get to choose their groups and other times they are assigned. The project may be worth a small amount points, or could have a huge impact on the students' grade.

Every time there is a group project, I hear students complaining about it. They whine about how it is not fair. If the students were allowed to choose their own group members there is no excuse or not doing a good project. Students need to learn to be responsible and make good decisions for their classes. If they don't feel that their friends will do a good job on the work, then they should work with other reliable students instead.

There are some teachers that will assign groups and not allow the kids to pick their own partners. This can be frustrating but it is realistic of the future. In real jobs it doesn't matter if you are put with three or four people who don't do anything, the job needs to get done.

Work is a part of life and no matter the circumstances, it is important to finish the job. Students should learn to make good decisions and work hard to succeed. Group projects are a part of school and even the work field. Complaining will not help anything, so stop the whining and just get down to work.

Thanksgiving Food Drive

Today I walked door to door with some girls from my softball team and we collected canned goods for a food pantry. We carried a box along with us that was full within an hour. It was surprisingly easy to collect food from strangers we had never met before. I was uneasy at first about going from home to home asking people to give food away in this hard economic time. However, it soon occurred to me that no matter what, the overall generosity of others is great.

So many times I hear bad stories and unfortunate events on the news. It tends to give off a negative image of the public because all the news focuses on is manly the bad things. What they fail to mention is how much more good is out there. We knocked on many, many doors and we only turned down by those who weren't home and couldn't answer the door. Others immediately went to check their pantries and often times came with multiple items to donate.

There are families everywhere that struggle to put food on the table. The things that others can donate makes their Thanksgivings and overall holiday seasons much happier. It is a good feeling to know that others are caring and willing to help out those less fortunate. If you have extra canned good or other non-perishable food items donate them to a local pantry and help make someone else's holiday a little better.

The Breakfast of Champions

Every single day I see students in my morning classes that are struggling to stay awake and can't seem to concentrate. And I admit, I have been one of them many times. Aside from the fact that most of us don't get nearly enough sleep, another important factor is how some do not eat breakfast. I think it is important for physical and mental health to eat breakfast every morning.

A study conducted by Harvard University came out with positive results for students that ate breakfast. Their math grades improved, they were less hyper, and had decreased tardy and absence rates. Another study by Tufts University showed more positive reasons for students to eat in the morning. They proved that kids who participated in their School Breakfast Program had significantly higher standardized test scores than kids who didn't get involved.

The effects of breakfast can be good for mood and cognitive performance for everyone, not just students. Dr. Bonnie Spring of University of Chicago Medical School says that eating a breakfast meal can reduce irritability and fatigue. Researchers also found that people who eat breakfast actually lose more weight than those who don't. From a database of over 3,000 individuals who lost 6o pounds and kept it off for 6 years, nearly 80% of them ate breakfast each morning.

It is easy to see what breakfast can do for you. I can admit to not always eating it and how sometimes it is easier to sleep the extra 10 minutes and skip food in the morning. However, it will be beneficial in the long run to get up a little earlier and get some food in your stomach. It doesn't need to be eggs and bacon or pancakes, even just a granola bar and juice is better than nothing.

That Time of Year

Starting on November 1st the radio station 99.1 started playing Christmas music. On the same day my big brother pulled out his Christmas CD's and played them in the car. Stores have Christmas trees, ornaments, and anything else red and green out for sale. There are even holiday commercials being played on TV. And along with all this are the people that complain that it is too early to be celebrating.

It is not too early for Christmas spirit to start being seen or heard. After Halloween is the perfect time for people to start getting in the holiday mood. There are two months to do the shopping and decorating. There are even bell ringers at stores already collecting money for Salvation Army. And why not, there could never be a time too early to give to a worthy cause.

If people want to play the holiday music they love, the Christmas movies they can't watch enough, and even get their shopping done there is no reason they shouldn't be able to do that. The Christmas season is such a magical time, some even celebrate Christmas in July. People are happier around this time, so let them start getting in the mood if they want to.

Pretty soon the snow will start to fall and lakes will freeze over. Snowmen will be built and hot chocolate will be smelt everywhere. Trees will be decorated and cookies will be baked. People will start to give generously to others in need. There is never a time too early to start celebrating the Christmas season.

World Series

Baseball is America's past time, it is a great sport. The World Series showcases the best of the best in the sport. Fans all over the country watch players give their all for a chance to be champions. The event is almost magical for any baseball lover. To see the giant American flag waving over the outfield before the game is enough to capture anyone's attention.

Right now the Yankees and Phillies are battling out a best of seven game series. The Phillies took the first game behind two homers hit by Chase Utley and a complete game pitched by Cliff Lee. The next day, however, the Yankees came back to tie the series at one game a piece. Then on Halloween night A-Rod was awarded a home run and help the Yankees take the series lead as they won in Philadelphia. Two more games will be played at home for the Phillies and the Yankees could win the series at home with games 6 and 7 (if needed) being held in Yankee Stadium.

It doesn't matter if you are sports fan or not, watching the World Series is something you should do. The atmosphere that is created by such an event is incredible. It is amazing how a sports game can bring together a city. Watching a sporting event and being part of something so big, like the World Series, is a great way to relax too. It gives a chance to release your stress and care about something other than the work that needs to get done. Watch the World Series, and go Phillies!

Yellowstone

Yellowstone is the world's first ever national park. It stretches across 3,472 square miles of land, located mostly in Wyoming. It is larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. The park has about half of the entire world's hydrothermal features, including more than 300 geysers. Yellowstone is home to bears, wolves, fish, moose, buffalo, elk, and more. Everyone should go see Yellowstone at least once in their lives.

My family and I have traveled to Yellowstone multiple times in my life, and each time is just as great as the last. People of all ages have fun in the park. My parents and all three of my siblings all really like Yellowstone. It is fun to walk the trails and see all the wildlife, there is a lot to learn from this park.

Also, in Yellowstone you will never get bored. Tourists can go see the many different museums and visitor centers. There are hotels to stay at, or sites to camp. People can always spend time having a picnic at one of the 52 locations for picnics. People can go hiking through trails that lead to waterfalls, geysers, and forests. One of my favorite things to do in Yellowstone is go white river rafting.

It doesn't matter if you are young or old, guy or girl everyone can appreciate the great things that Yellowstone National Park has to offer. There are not very many great parts of nature left, and it is important that people see it while they can. Make it a part of your life to visit Yellowstone someday and take in the amazing things it has to offer.

Facebook is Not for Parents

Almost every single kid that I know has a Facebook account. It is a great way to stay in touch with all your friends and post your latest pictures. However, I also know many parents and teachers that have a Facebook profile. I think that this is low and immature of the adults.

Some of my friends even have parents that require their kids username and passwords. The parents are then on Facebook or MySpace, they read emails and chat. These parents may claim it isn't, but really their purpose it to spy on the kids. If they cannot trust their enough to have an account of their own, then there are bigger problems to worry about.

Another big problem is all the teachers and administrators on these sites. They are only looking for trouble, and being a pest to everyone. If kids decide to do things that are against the rules, it is their decision. And if they decide to take pictures or write on each others wall, they shouldn't have to be worrying about who might see it.

Facebook and other social websites should be a place for kids, not for adults just looking to find something to get the kids into trouble. Parents and teachers that look for bad things on these sites need to get a life and let kids be kids. They need to learn to trust their sons, daughters, and students to be responsible.

Volunteer

This past Sunday I worked with the Children's Service Society of Wisconsin and spent the day with special needs kids. The parents of these kids were able to drop off their children and get a much needed break while going to meetings and conferences at the hospital. Each volunteer was paired with a child and got to spend the day hanging out with them. Some of the kids were happy to play gym games, other did arts and crafts, while some preferred to watch movies. It was a rewarding experience that everyone should take part in.

Volunteering is a good thing to do for many reasons. One reason is because it helps a lot of people in need. Whether you help build houses for hurricane victims, tutor inner city kids, pick up garbage on the road, or spend time in elderly homes everything makes a difference. There are always people in need and someone who could use a helping hand.

Another good reason, although not as important, is because it can help you look good. Volunteer hours on resumes and scholarship forms are a very good thing to have. Especially for students trying to get money to help pay for school, the competition is tough. To have hours of work done to help somebody other than yourself is a huge help.

Lastly, and the best reason, is that volunteering can make you feel good about yourself. The job may be challenging and tough but at the end of the day it is comforting to know that you did a good thing to help others. After I worked with the special needs child I was paired with, the parents and family were so thankful and appreciative it made everything completely worth it. So try and get out there to make somebody else's life a little better.

Brett Favre 4-Ever

The Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings will face off on Monday Night Football in a brand new situation. The long lived Packer quarterback, Brett Favre, will suit up in purple for the first time against his former team. So many people are wishing for bad things to happen to Favre, for him to break a bone or get sacked every play. True fans need to learn to get off is back and appreciate him for the great athlete he is.

Brett Favre leads the NFL in many records such as 3 time MVP award, most consecutive starts, and most touchdown passes. Any team in the league, would be lucky to have Favre suit up and play with them. Football is not just a game to Brett Favre, anyone who has watched him play would know that it something he loves and is passionate about. So if he found a place to play the game he loves (and we love) why should he not take the chance?

Packer fans need to appreciate the amazing 16 years he provided them with. Favre was a leader and great teammate for the green and gold. Ted Thompson pushed Favre out the door to make room for a quarterback he could call his own. Unfortunately for the fans of Green Bay, this meant losing the greatest thing that has ever happened at Lambeau Field. Packer fans are always fans, and there is no doubt they love their team. However, there is no reason they can't still love the great #4 too.

Brett Favre is a great man and deserves the respect he has earned. People need to get over their stupid reasons for hating Favre, grow up, and be real. Nothing in life is perfect, including Brett Favre's football career. But things can be close to perfect, including Brett Favre's football career.

Year Long School

There are schools across the country beginning to switch from the traditional 9 month school year to full year round school. I think that this change would be beneficial to student's education. One reason is that during the long summer vacation most students forget what they had learned and have to spend the first few weeks reviewing. This makes it very difficult for teachers to fit in everything that needs to be taught over the course of the year when the first month is wasted reteaching. If kids continued schooling throughout the entire calendar year, information would stay fresh in their brain.

When most people hear "year round school" they usually think of being stuck inside the classroom 365 days. The reality is that the system would stay on the typical 180 day school year but just spread it out more. For example, one common way that schools already use the days is on a 45-15 rotation. Students go to school for 45 days and then take a 3 week break. The normal breaks such as Christmas or Spring also remain in the schedule.

Reality is that the old school calendar was effective so children could provide much needed help on the farm over the summer months. However, times have changed and this is not as necessary as it was decades ago. The education system in America needs to catch up with the times we are living in today and help children get the appropriate education in the best way possible.

It is important that people open their minds and consider how the pros outweigh the cons of year round schooling. Those who are against the idea probably just don't understand it, and never take the time to learn about it. They don't know what they are saying no to and won't say yes until they understand how year round schooling works and the benefits that would come with it.

Give the Gift of Life

Did you know that every 2 seconds somebody in the USA needs blood? Every single day over 38,000 blood donations are used to help people in need. Chances are eventually that person will be somebody you work with, somebody you go to school with, somebody you know, a good friend, a family member, or maybe even yourself.

Every time a person donates blood, they are saving up to three lives. It is a simple and easy process. However, less than half of the countries population is eligible to give. Of those able to donate, not nearly enough people do. Many say they are afraid of needles or simply don't have the time. The fact is that only a slight pinch is felt and the donation only takes about 12 minutes.

One young boy named Calvin was only 18 months and had sickle cell disease. A fever that didn't go away sent him to the hospital where he was diagnosed with acute chest syndrome. When it was almost time to go home, Calvin suffered a stroke. He was given blood transfusions that helped to save his life. He also needs to continue to receive the blood that can try to prevent even more episodes.

So many people are in need of blood, it is important to give and help to save them. If you are at least 17 years old and 110 pounds, there is nothing holding you back. Go to a blood center and make an appointment or donate at a school blood drive. Be a hero and give the gift of life, donate blood!