Mary Sue

The last but not least, is baby Mary Sue. She is the youngest, the funniest, and just a goober. She is 12 years old and will be in sixth grade. Out of all my siblings, I remember her birth the best. I remember thinking to myself, REALLY, another sibling?! But it would not be the same without her. Her laugh is absolutely contagious and she loves to be going and doing things all the time. Out of all of us, I think she has tried every sport imaginable. From cheerleading, softball, soccer, and tennis..the list could go on for a day. She's such a momma's girl. But, who isn't?

Katie

Katie is 15 years old and probably the smartest and athletic kid combined that I know. She literally (I think) is the perfect child. She will be a freshman in high school and is already torn between what sports she should play. She is skilled in soccer (major soccer family), but she loves to run cross country and track. She is so FAST. She is the child that listens the first time, very studious, eats super healthy, and just has an easy going attitude. Literally such a great sis. :)

Sydney

Sydney is the closest in age to me (18). Everyone calls her my twin because we look almost identical to each other. Between answering the phone and looks, so many people confuse us! It's like we are twins, but really not at all! She excelled in soccer in high school, while I was really good in tennis. She is a lot more stubborn, as I am laid back. We are both very similar in being in love with summer and having spontaneous adventures. We are either best friends or enemies. We have shared a room our whole life and the first year I went away for college it was so weird not having her there. Sisters are really something!

Family

I am one of four girls and I have an angel brother in heaven. I am the second to oldest in my family. My parents are two of the most amazing role models in my life. They do everything they can to provide for my family. I love each and everyone to pieces. Life would not be the same if any of them were missing. Family provides something in life that is so precious. Without family, we would not have much. They help shape who we are and are there to catch us when we fall. I adore my family.

What animal are you?

Instead of asking yourself, what animal would you be, I decided to take into perspective what animal best describes you. My co-workers told me I would be a meer-cat. When I asked why, this was my response: I am very social and have a huge network of friends and family. I move around like crazy and am always ready to go on some type of adventure. I love being outside in the sun.

Vacation

At this very moment, if I could leave and go anywhere in the world for a vacation, I would go to Australia. Why, you may ask? I have always wanted to go visit Australia. There economy is doing tremendous, it's so relaxing, and every person I have ever met from there has been so relaxed and chill. I would learn how to surf, go hang out with some kangaroos, see the wallabies, visit the opera house in Sydney, creep into New Zealand to see where the Hobbit movies were filmed, take a walk about in the bush, eat all the fresh food, and meet crocodile dundee. I would also take my co-worker Cathy with me, since she suggested half of these! :) We would want to see the aborigine playing the didgeridoo.

Super Powers

I just asked both my co-workers, "if you had any super power, what would it be and why"? These are my responses: Letha would have the power to make whatever she wanted to appear before her. She said she could use it for selfishness or to help others. When I asked her what she would like to appear for selfishness, she said: money, willing men, clothes, cars, and homes. As far as helping others: she would provide  food for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and shelter for the homeless.
My other co-worker, Cathy, said she would want to be able to control the elements. She feels like it would serve humanity, in a positive way. She could provide rain where there is drought, where there is flooding, she would provide sunshine, she went send storms in alternate directions to save lives and property, and she would make sure it snowed every Christmas!

That's So Ratchet

What does the word ratchet mean? If you want to understand more of the word, simply look on urban dictionary. We see so many ratchet people at the mall, it is unbelievable. You have people that come in full out printed pattern outfits from head to toe that do not match, anyone tweaking, jeans below your ass, dingy wife beaters, way too tight of clothing, way too much makeup, rainbow hair, any type of furry animal tail on back of pants, club attire, sky high heels that cannot be walked in (why would you push a stroller in heels?) and the list goes on and on. You would be amazed to see some of the things we do on a daily basis!

The Mall Kiosk Harassment

Outside my store, there is a makeup kiosk that pulls people in to view their product. Every time we work, we have to hear them asking "Miss, for you or even Honey, you have to check it out!?" I've become immune to their asking. Is it good makeup? Yeah, it is actually pretty decent, depending on what the price they give the product for. They mark it up so ridiculously high, just so that they can knock it down really low, and still make money. "Let's make a deal" is one of their most used phrases to pull people in. Sometimes they just push too much and actually will drive customers away. So can we make a deal, or will you run away from the makeup kiosk?

Favorite food

Asking someone about their favorite food can actually tell a lot about a person. Why is that your favorite food? Did your parents feed you it a lot growing up? Did a friend introduce it to you? Was it something your Grandma made? Did your family own a restaurant? There is actually a lot of questions you can come about when finding out someone's favorite food. I love pizza, sushi, fruit, wings, and salad. My restaurants vary though. Pizza is one of my favorite foods, when I go to the right places. Just like all the other foods I love!

Do you have more in the back?

Since I am usually writing these blogs on the job, I am going to talk about the many stories that take place here. Another thing that occurs all the time, are women coming in asking if there are more colors of shoes in the back. Now, it may seem like a legitimate question, but why would we not show certain shoes? We have every possible color combination out on the floor. We have shoes that range from black to mango to rainbow. At least once a day, we have a lady ask "Do you have this in such and such color?" I think to myself, do you see it in that color? If it is not out, we do not have it. It's as simple as that.

Thumbs Width

As everyone knows from previous blogs, I work at Lady Foot Locker. We sell shoes and apparel to women of all different shapes and sizes. Some women know exactly what they want, while others have no idea what a running shoe even consists of. One thing so many women have problems with is figuring out the right shoe size. I cannot tell you how many times women have been in denial when they need a bigger shoe size. They get so defensive when they ask me how much room they should have, and I say a "thumbs width" away from the end. When I feel where their toes is and suggest them to up a half size, some women throw fits! They freak out thinking their foot is "too big". Honestly, would you rather have a shoe that fit you right, or a shoe that was too small? It is not like people walk around asking each other "Hey what shoe size are you?" No one really cares! I promise you. Get a shoe that fits. It's like a pair of jeans; they look better if they are a little bigger than smaller.

Laundry

I don't know about you guys, but I HATE doing laundry. There's just something about it that annoys me to no end. I always have so much of it and then when I get done it seems like my clothes have either multiplied or disappeared. The one thing that I have the most issues with is SOCKS. I am a sock fanatic. I work at a shoe store and I go to the gym, so I am really particular on socks. I kid you not, I am always missing two every time. I do not get WHERE THEY GO. I know I put them in there, but how did they escape?? It's almost like they crawl out between the time I take them of the washer and into the dryer. So frustrating. Oh well, maybe one day they will reappear!

Worn out

Current status: lounged out on my bed.

I am exhausted; working 30 hours a week and taking two summer courses (one with a lab), this summer has been more exhausting than relaxing for me. I definitely cannot wait to have a few weeks off before school starts back up. Growing up is not all that it cracks up to be. Having a job, paying for bills and a car, going to school.. I feel like it is a never ending train! It makes me wonder if that is how life is going to be from here on it.. It is kind of a scary feeling! I feel like life is so fast paced currently. I just want it all to stop for a minute so I can gather my bearings. But it will not stop and I will have to keep on going!

Insecurities

Insecurities kill. Not just me, not just you, everyone. We all have them; they vary in shape and size. They can range from family issues, past relationships, personal stuff.. the list goes on. Insecurities can eat away at relationships, friendships, and even yourself. It's sad that a lot of these insecurities we make up in our head, or someone else has put them there for us. The only way to get rid of the insecurities is to realize that there is more to life than worrying about little things that are probably irrelevant to the present situation. A lot of insecurities come from the past; from what we used to be or from friendships/relationships we used to be in. We tend to find all the things we think are "wrong" and let them control our life. Surrounding yourself with positive people who make yourself feel good about life and the way you live.. that is the only way to get rid of insecurities. You can boost your confidence by doing all the things that make you feel good about yourself! I know for me, I go to the gym and work it all out. I run, and keep running until I feel better! You can even be the bigger person and help people deal with their own insecurities. Society today does not realize how many people are constantly worrying about their personal image. It all relates back to what the media puts out there. What the "ideal" image of someone should be. Who cares? If everyone dressed the same, talked the same, looked the same, and thought the same, the world would be a giant robot. BORING. So why rip yourself up over what a person thinks or sees? Think positively about yourself. We all have to love ourselves before we can love others. Don't let insecurities kill.

Oh reality TV...

I currently have a typical girl status: watching "The Bachelorette" . I am not a huge fan of reality TV, especially this, but I can't stop watching! Of course I have my favorites and not-so-favorites on the show. One thing I will never understand is why someone would want to watch a person fall in love with a handful of guys. Sitting here, I know for a fact, Andi has feelings for a few of the guys. How can you not fall in love when every date is so perfect? Not to mention how wonderful each guy and Andi look every time on screen. Real life dating is not all that glamorous. The majority of us will never  be taken around the world on dates, let alone look picture perfect.

I am not trying to complain about reality TV...I just find it funny in a way! How could you focus on that person when you probably are going to think about someone a few hours later? Or how can you sit there and see all of these guys fall in love with you, when you can only chose one? I would feel so guilty, personally!! As for the guys, they have to be insanely frustrated!! They fall in love with a girl who is falling in love with five other guys. What will really catch her attention??

Overall, I am still watching this, and will watch it until the end. It is amusing, just so far-fetched in a sense. 

Knowing Your Audience

     I am not ashamed to say I really enjoyed getting to know our audience. Simple answers to certain questions can really show you what type of people you are writing to and getting feedback from. I was so surprised that everyone seemed to really get into this assignment! None of the answers or questions asked were not boring at all. I had to go through every response and every question people posted because I was really interested in seeing what everyone said!! It was super personable- and I love that.

     I think knowing now how my audience responded to openly to my question makes me think that the will openly read what I think on paper. That is a really good feeling! I feel like I can trust my audience to tell me their real opinion now! Some of the questions went a little more personal to us. Seeing how people responded shows that our class is open to communicate with each other, even though we are strangers in the sense of never face to face meeting each other.

     We still are not strangers to each other. We know more about each other than we realize! I just learned from my audience what their favorite super power was and what villain they would defeat. I mean, how cool is that!? They even told me why they would chose to have that power! I really appreciate how this class is really opening up. I think we all are a little more relaxed about responding to each other after our questionnaire! 

AND IT'S A GOALLLLL!!!

SOCCER. WORLD CUP. BRASIL. Words cannot explain how excited I am that the US made it into the round of 16. My family, hands down, is a soccer family. I am one of four girls in my family and each of us have grown up on soccer. It is easy to say we breathe soccer in our family. My sister's high school team actually took second at state this year. ALL of us have played, so obviously we are super into the world cup.
It's crazy how many teams start out and one by one you watch them narrow down. One goal can be a game winning factor. We wait and wait and wait until the golden moment when a goal is scored. We see the fouls called, the red cards given out, the shots taken, injuries, and even biting. Soccer is so exciting; keeping the whole world on it's feet.
     The whole world seems to be united, in a way, when the World Cup comes around. Every country is supporting their team, crossing their fingers that they make it to the next game. The whole world is watching, waiting. How much joy a win can bring to a country is unbelievable. Sports can unite. Maybe we can use sports in a sense to unite the world?
     You all know what I will be doing come Tuesday. I will be at work, streaming the game, scaring my customers away from all my screaming. It is such an exciting time in the world of sports!!!

The Life of a Mall Worker

     I stared working at Lady Foot Locker when I was only seventeen years old. It was the PERFECT job for a high school student. I played soccer and tennis throughout high school, so knowing I had endless options of athletic clothes and shoes (and got a discount!!) was about the best thing in the world. All my friends were insanely jealous that I landed this job right on the spot. I came in for my interview in my soccer uniform, acted myself, and was hired right then and there. 

     Who knew I was going to be here three years later, helping pick out associates to hire. I love my job...must of the time. You do have to deal with the crazy people of the mall, kids running around knocking shoes over, and people arguing about invalid coupons. I work about thirty hours a week here and trust me, every day is a new day. It is not a predictable job. You never know how sales will be; you can have a great day or hardly even have a sale at all.

     One thing that I am thankful for from this job is seeing all the different people come in. You really get a feel for the real world and sometimes it makes you appreciate what you have. I see some people come in who hardly have any money and five seconds later, I have a woman spend about $500 dollars. You just never know what to expect. I've seen all varieties of people and it is fascinating to me to really get a view of the economy in a sense.

     It is crazy how much a retail job can actually teach you. I've learned how to work with different people, handle awful situations, see people steal, notice drug addicts come in, and people who have all the money in the world to spend. It's really an eye opener when you get out into retail. I know my job has taught me major patience and I am really grateful of that. 

     

CREDO

I believe in love. I believe everyone needs love to survive. I believe in working through things. I believe in not giving up when the going gets tough. I believe there is a God who has a plan all laid out. We establish our own path, but God has certain ways to help take us through. I believe in dreaming. I believe that anything in life is possible. I believe family is such an important thing. I believe friendships are one of the strongest relationships. I believe every life experience molds us into who we are. Live your life to the fullest; so you can be well molded.

Exercise 2

     After reading "This I Believe About Stuff", I came to realize a few things. So many of us have so much extra things we do not even use. To us, certain things are just junk. But for others, it could be a treasure. We do not realize how thankful we should be for the things we have until we see how other people can live. If we have excess amounts of stuff, we should really consider giving it to those in need. The world has two types of people: the people who have everything, and the people who have nothing. You never know what type of "junk" could be another person's treasure.
     I agree with everything about this article. We should think about the things we need over what we want. It is amazing realizing how much excess stuff we have when some people hardly have anything at all. You feel so great as a person, knowing you made someone's life just a little better. Giving your "junk" away could actually change someone's life. We, as a society need to be more thankful for the things we have. We take so much for granted in today's world. It is the little things that can make such a difference. If we all gave away our "junk" I truly believe poverty would not be such an issue anymore. It is mind blowing knowing we could put an end to a lot of poverty by giving away stuff we do not even need.

I believe...

I believe money cannot buy happiness. Our society is focused on money and material possessions, we forget what is really important. Money cannot buy love, and to me, love is the most important thing. Love does not have a price tag. Everyone needs love, not money. I think so much of today's depression is involved around money. Would you rather have all the money in the world, buy everything you want, but not have anyone to come home to at the end of the day? If any of you have read or seen The Great Gatsby, you know exactly what I am talking about. Humans crave love.




How many material possessions do we really need? We have the basics to get buy, and a lot of us have all the extras. We are temporarily happy with material possessions for awhile, until they go out of style or something new comes out. Material items will be thrown out, given away, and replaced. But love, love never goes out of style. Love does not get old. Love is irreplaceable. We all need someONE to love, not necessarily someTHING.




Like I said earlier, love is the most important thing. No matter if it's a family, friend, boyfriend, or a pet; the feeling fulfills a need. We need love to function. We don't NEED a mansion to live in, five cars to drive, or a closet full of clothes we cycle through. What we do need is someone that cares, is there for you, makes you laugh and smile, and loves you. Like the Beatles said, "All you need is love."




Word count: 267

This I Believe...

I believe everything has a reason.
I believe everyone has their own story tell.
I believe love is the greatest of all things.
I believe in God.
I believe everyone has a purpose.
I believe laughing is a contagious thing.
I believe in dreaming.
I believe in hope.
I believe this world can change for the better.
I believe in peace.
I believe that one day all will be set right in this world.
I believe that Oklahoma will win a National Championship in the next couple years.
I believe that if you set your mind to it, anything is possible.
I believe that money cannot buy happiness.
I believe Starbucks is one of the greatest things ever.
I believe I have a shopping problem.
I believe in knowing someone before judging them.
I believe in equal opportunities.
I believe anyone can change the world.
I believe that one day I will travel most of the world.
I believe that everyone needs someone to love.
I believe one day I will run a marathon.
I believe certain events happen to send a message to society.
I believe in being better.
I believe in others.
I believe in myself.

Does Your Personality Affect Your Writing?

Does your personality affect your writing? Do you keep your thoughts to yourself, or let the whole world know what is on your mind? Taking personality tests can be interesting for a few purposes. There are so many personality tests out; ranging from interests to actions and so on. Some are taken to help figure out what you might be interested in majoring in for a career, or simply just for pleasure. For this assignment, I took the Jung Typology test. I knew my results were spot on, because I took the Strong test as well as Myers Briggs, and got the same results. ENFP. 

The E stands for Extroversion. I prefer extroversion 89% over introversion. To be an extrovert, you have to be extremely outgoing, talkative, and super energetic. The N stands for intuition. For me, I pay attention to meanings behind certain things/actions. I use past experiences to help with future problems. I remember events and look at things in the "bigger picture." The F stands for feelings. I am more concerned about other's feelings over my own. I am extremely caring and have a big heart. I think with my heart, not with my head. The P stands for perceiving. I am extremely open to new ideas and opportunities. I am very laid back, and wait until the last minute to finish things. Pushing deadlines makes me do a better job though; it is kind of weird. I am very open minded about everything. 

I really do believe that your personality can affect your writing. It is how perceive things, your experiences, ideas, thoughts, opinions.. that is all based on your personality. Your personality will really show in personal stories, because people get to know you through your emotions in telling a story. Are you very closed off or open? Do you look behind meanings or do you sense it? Do you think with your head or your heart? Do you perceive or judge? All of these aspects will greatly affect your writing, whether you realize it or not!