Rhianna's Blog

How technology has transformed my life

2008-11-24T11:24:00.001-08:00

Technology definately makes life easier. Just this morning I sent a quick email to my sons daycare letting them know he wasn't coming in today, instead of having to call her or talk to her in person. When I have to break plans with a friend or give someone bad news I prefer to do it in a text. Things are just easier to say when you don't have to say it to their face.
I use the internet for everything. I sell and buy stuff on craigs list all the time. I keep in touch with friends and family members through myspace. My husband uses instant messenger and our web cam to connect with his family in el salvador. I just started sending my family in florida web cam videos of my son saying "hi grandpa" "hi grandma..." and they loved it. And whenever I have a question, the computer has my answer.
Our house is full of technology. Our tv is actually a projector- a huge screen for a cheaper price. We don't use a land line anymore, just our cell phones which I'm noticing a lot of people doing. Even the massage chair and blender can be considered technology. It is just tools that improve your quality of life.

If I won the lottery...

2008-11-24T11:14:00.000-08:00

Assuming that it was a very big lottery, the first thing I would buy is a house... or two. Probably not a huge mansion, but something modern and pretty big. Then I would probably have to buy all of my family members some kind of gift, like a car for my mom, college money for my cousins, and a house in el salvador for my in laws (that is where they are from... I'm not trying to get rid of them :)). I would get all the furniture I could want, a new car, and take a long family vacation. I would probably quit my job, and have my husband quit his too.
I saw a show on tv about lottery winners, and there was this one guy who bought the stupidest stuff. It was like he just wanted to spend his money. He had a disney world statue replicated especially for him so he could put it right by his pool. He got quite the kick out of showing off his cool stuff to the camera men. I wouldn't be like that at all. I would use what I needed and save or invest the rest.
I never play the lotto though, so I guess I will never win. Ill just save my 4 dollars a week for something useful, instead of hoping I'm the 1 person is 1,000850947590856078240670 who wins the jackpot.

blog, billboard, and text message

2008-11-24T11:02:00.000-08:00

"Barbie is a bad role model for young girls"

Blog- Have you ever looked closely at a Barbie doll? Barbie has an unhealthily thin figure and feet permanently prepared for high heels. She sends a message to girls about what they are supposed to look like when they grow up. Not only her appearance, but all of her accessories instill negative values in children. It teaches them to be materialistic. They absolutely have to have the barbie dream house, barbie pink convert able, and barbie tea party set. Barbie gets everything she wants, so why shouldn't they?

Billboard- Christmas List:
Rock star Barbie
Christmas Barbie
Barbie dream house
Barbie Convertable able

What you give her: A new puppy

Give your kids joy this holiday season, not negative values

Text Message- Barbie= bad 4 kids. Give stuffed animal instead.

My Favourite Place on the Planet

2008-11-03T19:42:00.000-08:00

So I am completely drained on blog topics and decided to look on the internet. There are websites with hundreds of random blog topics. It really helps!

My favorite place definately isn't very exotic being as I haven't been to many places. But I would have to say that my favorite place on the planet is my grandma's house. She lives in a million dollar home in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Now, when most people think of a million dollar home, they think of brand new, pool in the backyard, windy staircase, marble floors etc. Hers is nothing like that. It is actually pretty old. When I inherit it someday I will be making a lot of updates. But the thing I love most about the house is its location. It is right where the Anclote River empties into the golf of mexico. She has a big fishing dock with boats and kayaks hooked onto it. There are little islands all around that I used to explore when I was a kid. Sitting on the dock, you can watch speedboats and tour boats take tourists out into the ocean. There are always dolphins swimming around her dock. When I was little I used to catch starfish and snails near the water.

Her backyard is filled with grapefruit, orange, and bamboo trees.

Another thing I absolutely love about my grandma's house is the neighborhood. Tarpon Springs is a greek neighborhood with beautiful historic buildings. Every year during the Ephiphany the town goes to watch the greek boys dive for the cross off the bayou. The city is cluttered with little mom and pop sponge shops where you will find every variety of sponge you can possibly imagine, and then more. The streets smell of cuban cigars. There are tons of restaurants offering greek food, but the best is Mr. Soulvaki's greek salads (and I'm not even a salad eater). Its a place where you can lie back listening to Jimmy Buffet drinking Margaritas all day. When I am there its like I am in another world. It is so calm and relaxing, all the stresses of everyday life fade away.

Obama Rally

2008-11-03T19:18:00.000-08:00

I've wanted to go to an Obama Rally for a while now, so as soon as I heard he was going to be at Civic center park we were there. He was supposed to be be speaking at 11:30 but the gates opened at 10. We were there at 9:30.

When we got there, we took our place in a line that went on for miles. Thankfully, we were just about a half mile from the entrance. While we were in line we got tons of no on 49, 54 (whatever #s they are) stickers stuck all over us. Finally we got to the park entrance and there were no good spots. We ended up way back on the capital steps next to some speakers so we could at least hear the speech. We gave up on getting any glimpse of Obama.

The crowds were ridiculous but amazing. It was great to see so many people come together in support of Obama. People stood on trash cans to see over the 100,000 people. Every tree had a person in it who wanted a better view. Even the tops of buildings were full of people. I read that this was the biggest gathering at the park since the pope came in the 80's.

His speech felt like the same old we've been hearing every day for the past few months, but still it was nice to hear in person. Right when he stepped out Obama said "wow who are all those people back there on the capital steps. Does Denver ever have small crowds? I wish you could all see what I am seeing right now!" Something like that any ways. Not an exact quote. Although Colorado is a battleground state, I feel like Obama has won it.

Popular Culture Brainstorm

2008-11-03T12:48:00.000-08:00

I would like to argue how an ad promotes a stereotype, but I'm not sure which ad I want to look at yet. Looking on the internet I found some ideas...
1. Diet ads promote obese stereotypes/create negative stigmas
2. Cleaning ads that promote sexual stereotypes
3. Lucky Charms commercail promotes Irish stereotypes
4. Barbies promote racial stereotypes
I really like the barbie idea and I think that is what I'm going to go with. I could talk about how barbies give girls an unrealistic image. They are white, blond, and super skinny. Barbie's feet are permanently prepared for high heels. Bratz dolls are another great example of this. They are dressed in mini skirts and anchored at young girls. The barbie dolls are also very racially stereotyped. Theres black barbie, indian barbie, asian barbie etc..

The price of getting green

2008-10-24T17:43:00.000-07:00

This morning I went with my husband to his lawyer appointment. Now that I am finally 18 (in december) he can apply for his green card. It is rediculous how much immigrants have to go through just to be here legally. I can almost understand why people run across the boarder :). The lawyer first gave us a list of fees totalling $5,000. I honestly thought it would cost a lot more than that, but I guess $5,000 is a lot just to file some paperwork.
Next he handed us a list of things we need to get together to make our case. I had to laugh when I read we had to prove that we were in a "real marriage" not just so he could become a citizen. We need to submit pictures of us together at our wedding, our son's birth, vacations, graduations etc. and then any invitations or cards that were addressed to the both of us. We also have to prove we live together, pay bills together, and like a million other things. I have to send immigration our "Merry Christmas" cards for gods sake.He obviously has to submit legal documents like birth certificates but also letters from his pastor, teacher, and coaches saying that he is a good person. There were probably 50 items on that list, some pretty ridiculous.
The most shocking part about all this, is after about a year of filing paperwork he finally gets an interview. We both have to fly to El Salvador, where my husband is from, and get interviewed. And that's not where it ends. We have to STAY in El Salvador for a YEAR while the paperwork is being processed!! I find this completely insane. At least I'm not at a point in my life where I have a house and steady job. How could they expect people to just pack up and leave for a year. I am free to come back to the US but theres no way I could support myself and my son without him so I will just live there. I have to admit that it sounds like an fun adventure. But its a very fun inconvenient adventure. But I will do whatever it takes to help him get a green card. It's a huge accomplishment for someone from another country because it is such a difficult and lengthy process.

My Belief

2008-10-20T13:05:00.000-07:00

So I'm writing this a little late and I see where Amy is going with this. For my essay I'm thinking about writing either about fate or how a young child has a lot to teach if you are willing to listen. I think I will pick the 2nd topic for today.
I believe that you can learn a lot from a young child. You just have to be willing to listen. My son teaches me something new every day. From the moment he was born, I learned that I need to care about people other than myself. When you have a child you have no choice but to let go of selfishness. Any extra bit of money that I might have I spend on my son. Not because I feel that I have to, but because I want to.
As he grows so does his ability to teach me about being a better person. He is entering the "terrible two's" which in itself is a learning experience. One positive thing I was able to bring out of his temper tantrums is his ability to express emotion. When he is mad, the world will know about it. I have also learned for his joy and excitement in the most ordinary of objects. He is one of the happiest children I have ever met. Although many kids are scared of strangers, Angelo says "hi" to every person he comes into contact with. He also notices little things that I am to busy to see. He will be in awe over an airplane flying through the sky, or squeal with joy when he sees a dog running at the park. I think everybody needs to take a lesson from children.

The Unconditional Love of Children

2008-10-20T12:54:00.000-07:00

http://www.thisibelieve.org/dsp_ShowEssay.php?uid=6559&themelist=children&yval=0&start=0

I read an essay titled "The Unconditional Love of Children". The tone was heart warming but humorous. The author's voice comes through when she says that she was a dead broke teen working in a day care because "a girl has to pay for all those purses some way". Her voice also shows when she mentions her day-to-day struggles like getting a speeding ticket or failing a calculus test.
I think what shaped her belief was when she realized that no matter how bad she had failed, "her kids" in the daycare loved her unconditionally. When a little boy told her how much he loved her, she realized that all of her hard work in the daycare had been worth it.
She creates a balance between communicating and preaching by adding humor. She talks about "wading through crushed saltines, catching every virus known to toddlers, and dodging wood chips". It makes the essay seem lighter and makes the audience laugh.

Kid thrown into an adult world.

2008-10-07T13:27:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel like a kid who was thrown into an adult world. A world of bills, rent, work, school (in my case) and nothing fun! I guess I really was forced to grow up faster than most people. I got pregnant a few months after I turned 15, had my son a week after my 16th birthday, then got married and moved out on my own a few months later. I graduated from high school a year early, so now I'm going to college and I'm only 17. I am extremely proud of my accomplishments, I know most kids my age could never do what I have done. I kept my baby, when everyone told me not to. I've had many girls who chose to get abortions come to me crying saying that they were glad I had my son, because it was something they couldn't do themselves. I beat the statistics by not only being a teen mom and graduating high school, but by doing it a year early AND going to college. And unlike most teen moms, I am happily married to the father of my child. But there are times when I wish I could have enjoyed my childhood a little longer. There is nothing better than doing what you want, when you want, and having no responsibilities. Ironically, when I had the chance at that, all I wanted to do was turn 18 so I could have my "freedom" from my parents. I want my son to enjoy his childhood as much as possible and not to grow up too fast. You never know what you've got till its gone. And the grass isn't greener on the other side. (It all smokes the same) haha just kidding!

A difficult decision that no mother should have to make

2008-10-07T12:45:00.000-07:00

So I just got back from the Children's hospital with Angelo. Going to the doctor is nothing new for us. Angelo was born with a birth defect called Fibular Hememilia (he is missing the fibula bone in his leg). Because of this, his affected leg is a little bit shorter than his other leg, a discrepancy that will increase as he ages. He also only has 4 fingers on that foot, and 4 fingers on his right hand. This is fairly common in children with his condition. In fact, Angelo was lucky he was born with all 4 of his toes, many kids have only 1 or none at all, making walking nearly impossible. He didn't get lucky when it came to his fibular bone though. Many kids are born with shortened fibulas, but Angelo's fibular bone is absent all together. It is unknown what causes Fibular Hemmelia. Doctors believe it could be genetic, although we have no history of limb defects in our family. They do know it occurs in the 2nd to 8th week of gestation. There are 2 options for treatment: limb lengthening surgery, of prosthetic reconstruction (amputation).
I was really upset about the news his doctor gave us today. It is about time for us to decide which treatment route we would like to go. He gave us the pros and cons of each procedure. Limb lengthening would allow him to keep his leg but because the bone he is missing in essential in forming the ankle joint, his ankle would have to be fused together, making it stiff and unable to move. He could also have knee joint problems. With a stiff ankle and bad leg, it would be very hard for him to play any sports. This procedure will require many surgeries, and he will have to wear a large metal brace for 10 months after each procedure. It is a lot for a child to have to go through. Going the other rout, the doctors would perform an amputation below ankle, allowing him to keep his heel so he could walk even if he wasn't wearing a prosthetic leg. Then they would fit him for a prosthetic and we would be on our merry way. This procedure needs to be done before he is 3, so he can best adjust to life with a prosthetic leg. The doctor told me prosthesis are very advanced. They don't let people with prosthetic legs run with the other competitors in the Olympics because the prosthetics allow them to run faster. At first I said "absolutely not". How could I ever decide to let doctors cut off my sons foot?? I do see advantages to the amputation, but I don't know how I could ever come to that decision. I would prefer to lengthen and reconstruct his leg if at all possible. In November we are flying to Shriners Hospital in Salt Lake City (they prefer the lengthening treatment) to get a second opinion. I want what is best for my son. This is going to be one of the hardest decisions I will ever have to make.

Cider Days

2008-10-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

This weekend we went to Cider Days at Belmar. My husband and I took our son and our 5 year old niece Estefany. It was a lot of fun for the kids. That morning, before we left, I went to Safeway and spent $10.00 on apples so we could press our own apple cider at the festival. When we got there we went around to the booths getting free things. Then we took the kids to the petting zoo where they got free pony rides. My niece thought the animals smelled bad but my son loved them. They both enjoyed the pony rides. We took Estefany to the face painting booth where she got a sparkly butterfly on her cheek. Then the kids got to "milk" a fake cow. There was a really cute train that we put them on while I waited in line for the hay ride. At the end of the day we decided to press our apples, and only ended up with a cup of cider. $10.00 for one drink- but it was delicious! We left at 12:30- and boy was I glad we got there early. The crowds were just starting to arrive. I would really recommend Cider Days as a family activity, I remember going as a kid and I loved it. I am glad my son was able to enjoy it too.

Vanished Place

2008-10-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I lived in New Port Richey, Florida. Our house was painted white with a tacky turquoise trim. I remember catching grasshoppers in my pink tea set and playing outside with the neighborhood kids. I rode my bike up and down the street, but I was never allowed to go past the "big pink tree", an apple tree full of blossoms. We had a huge orange tree in our backyard which made for many juicy snacks. I used to go inside the tree, which was like a big fort. We lived across the street from a river. There were often large turtles walking across the street that the neighborhood kids would lift into wagons and push around the streets. I enjoyed visiting my next door neighbor, Gladice. She was a nice old lady who let me take a trinket from her house every visit. My other next door neighbor, Lauren, was one of my best friends. She was only a year younger than me, and we played together every day.
When I visit Florida every summer I like to go back to my old neighborhood and see what it looks like. It has been quite a disappointment. As I expected, Gladice died many years ago. The big orange tree in our front yard has been cut down, and in place of the tree, between my old house and Gladice's, is another new home. It is faced in the opposite direction of all the other houses on the street. It's backyard is where everybody else's front doors are. It looks terrible. I have to say, whoever bought my old house did a really nice job fixing it up. It is now a pink color, but the yard is lush and grassy. Everyone who used to live there had moved away except Lauren and her family. They came to my wedding in Tampa Florida this summer and I've noticed how far apart we have grown. Her mother is still the nice lady she always has been, but Lauren and I no longer have much in common.

Our Sprawling Supersize Utopia

2008-09-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

This essay explains how people everywhere are flocking to suburbia. I've always thought the little neighborhoods with matching houses and a playground on every corner were really cute. I always imagined the typical American family: a husband, wife, son, daughter, and a dog. But this article talks about how there is much more to the suburbs than that.
The author characterizes each type/group of people who occupy suburbia. She says that there are the doctor/lawyer/professor group of people who drive around in foreign cars, serve healthy snacks and make conversation about granite counter tops. Then there are the Asians serving live fish and buying copies of Korea Central Daily News. Even farther into suburbia are the "golfer" type who strive for perfection. They own blackberries, have cheerleader daughters, walk in closets, always maintain a casual composure and are surrounded by miles of parking lot.
I agree with this article, although they are making humorous stereotypes of many groups of people. I used to sell newspapers door to door and it was amazing how segregated suburban neighborhoods are. I remember knocking on my first door of the evening to find an Asian woman who spoke no English. I was shocked when the next 10 houses in a row were the exact same thing. It completely depletes the whole cookie cutter suburban family idea.

Guess the mood

2008-09-22T12:49:00.000-07:00

The windows of the preschool are darkened. As the children slumber on their cozy cots, a neglected ball blows up against the sandbox. The sidewalks are lined with chalk outlines of the children who once occupied them. A crime scene without a victim. Rather than the squeals of childhood joy that fill the air earlier in any given afternoon, the playground is silent. A strong breeze rustles the dried leaves off the the orange fall trees. A bicycle is blown to the corner of the fence, banished away until the children awaken. A table and it's chairs have been tipped over, forgotten. The wind pushes invisible children on the swings as the metal link chains moan and creak with each motion. All is frozen, awaiting nap time's end.

Body Modification

2008-09-15T13:01:00.000-07:00

I have 2 tatoos, 4 ear piecings, and a nose ring. I had always wanted to get my ears pierced, ever since I was a kid. My parents wanted me to wait until I got out of Elementary School. Eventually in 6th grade I got tired of waiting so my friend Emily pierced my ears on the playground during recess. It was soley for fashon purposes, and probably made me feel "grown up". I just started piercing my ears whenever I felt that I needed more. I got up to four earrings on each side but I decided to let most of them close. I didn't like to take them out every night and have to put them back in every morning, but they were too uncomfortable to sleep with.
For my first tattoo I was in Mexico with my friend Emily ( yes the same one) and we decided that we would find someone to give us tattoos. We were only 13 so we couldn't get them legally. We met some kids who took us to this "underground" tattoo shop. I ended up getting a butterfly tattoo on my hip and she got cherries in the same place. The tatoos came out pretty bad, so once our parents found out we had them (they were pretty pissed) we had to go get them fixed. I really don't know why we got those tattoos. Mostly out of rebelousness I guess. Partly out of just being teenage girls. We hate them now but we laugh about our experiences and how stupid we were. Anything could have happened in mexico, including disease from the needle. If nothing more, it was just a fun experience.
My last and most recent tattoo is of my sons name and his newborn handprint. That one was more carefully thought out. I took in his baby book and the tattoo artist tattooed his first handprint on my lower back. I do not regret that tattoo. It is something I will always love because I will always love my son.
Lastly- my nose ring. That too was for fashion reasons. I just thought it looked cute. But now its a pain in the ass to take care of and I will probably let it close up too someday soon.

Body Images

2008-09-13T09:14:00.000-07:00

I think girls these days are more pressured by the media to fit that skinny, beautiful, Hollywood image than ever. The most popular teen girl magazines are filled with images of beautiful women and products that send the message: "this is what you should look like". Celebrities and weight loss products are all over TV. Even the music we hear on the radio is about body proportions "24, 34, 46" (Petey Pablo) and clothing brands "apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur" (Flo Rida). Girls are pressured to spend virtually all of their money on brand name clothing, make-up, manicures, pedicures, gym memberships... you name it, just to feel beautiful. What they don't understand is that half of what they see on TV isn't real. With photo shop and other programs, even models are digitally modified to look their best. Blemishes are edited out, eyes and noses are adjusted so they are more proportionate. It's all just an illusion.
Boys, on the other hand, deal with much less pressure. Many boys think it is important to dress in brand name clothing as well, whether it be Nike or Abercombie and Fitch. Some even go to the gym so they can build up their muscles. They are clean shaven and sport fresh hair cuts. But that is about where it ends. Men don't usually see what they should strive to look like all over TV, and they usually don't obsess over it either. They are more concerned about having the latest technology and driving the nicest cars. If boys shop at Target instead of Hollister, nobody really cares. Therefore, they do not have to deal with half of the pressure and media influence that girls do.

McCain

2008-09-04T20:24:00.000-07:00

I feel like McCain rewrote half of his speech after watching Obama's. McCain knows that living such a privileged life hurts him. The fact that he owns 9 houses (not 7) separates him from average Americans in a way that he can not relate. In an attempt to try and help his campaign he told stories of a solider killed in action and a struggling mother who's son was recently diagnosed with autism in order to convince Americans that he is able to relate to them through his acquaintances. He wanted to convince Americans that he does want change and he can go against his own party (even though he voted with Bush 91 percent of the time). He told Americans that he would lower taxes while Obama would increase them (although that's not what I heard in Obama's speech) and lower government spending when Obama would raise it.
The only part of McCain's speech that I felt was truly genuine was his prisoner of war story. He spent a large portion of his life defending his country and made sure his audience knew it. I was quite bored by McCain's speech and very bothered by how he kept using conjunctions and slang like "we're gonna". We're gonna do this. We're gonna do that. Very annoying. And what about Sarah Palin? The audience was more excited for her than for the man who is running for president of the United States. It is cheap that McCain chose a woman as his vice president. I'm all for feminism and woman's rights(Hillary was my first choice), but not for McCain's strategy of choosing a woman to gain woman's votes. The announcers said that Sarah will appeal to the disabled citizens because her baby was born with Down Syndrome. Well yea, what do you expect when you have a child at 44? Almost 1 in 30 babies born to mothers over 40 have down syndrome. And she doesn't believe in global warming?! OMG! Ahhh I'm just so frustrated I need to stop writing! OBAMA '08!!

The perks of motherhood

2008-09-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

I've suddenly began to realize how different my life has been since I had a child. I don't know why it took two years for it to finally hit me, but I can't believe that I'm a mom! Maybe it's just that I'm in the toddler stage. But I find myself saying the funniest things these days.

"Angelo, you already have wawa in your dado!" That's mom speak. My son calls bottles dados, I'm really not sure why. Bah-tul and dah-dough sound nothing alike to me. But I say it anyways. Just as he picks up things from me, I'm picking up things from him. I figured out why he says wawa though. My husband is from El Salvador, and spanish was his first language. So wawa is a mixture of water and agua (Spanish for water). I find it very cute, and although I probably should correct him, I'd like to let his innocence last just a little bit longer.

He thinks everything is gross. Every time he sees a crumb on the floor he will bring it to me and say "ewwe!" The truck that parks next to me is ewwe because it has some old rusty tires in it. When he finds something unexpected, like a stringy green bean he spits it out and brings it to me with a disgusted look on his face.

He does have his annoying habits though. Whenever I eat a bowl of lucky charms he is over my shoulder picking out all the marshmallows and eating them for himself. Those are the best part and he knows it. And he constantly wants to go outside. He will go get my shoes and put them on my feet with a little puppy dog look on his face, then ask me, "outdied?" His favorite movie is Shrek. He knows what is going to happen and sometimes finishes the lines.
Every day is something new with him, and I can't wait to see what the future will bring.

Obama

2008-09-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

After endless "thank yous" Obama was finally able to begin his speech. He started out by saying that the American Promise is in jeopardy. This is a result of the government's failure to react and Bush's failed policies. He says that America is better than the past eight years. McCain is nothing but a 3rd Bush term. Obama stated, "John McCain voted with Bush ninety percent of the time. What does it say about your judgement when you think George Bush is right ninety percent of the time?!" Obama wants to evoke fear in his audience that the American promise is in jeopardy. He wants them to see that everyone must do their part and stand up for change. He wants americans to say "ENOUGH!" Obama wants his audience to see him as their only chance to save the American Promise.
Everyone likes someone who they can relate to, and Obama is just that. He is the American poster child. Being a Caucasian and African American child growing up in a single parent home, he did not have an easy start at life. Even though his mother was on food stamps, she sent her children to the best schools in the country. His is a story of rags to riches. Obama compares his grandfather to the young veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. He compares his mother to the struggling student who can sleep only three hours before working the night shift. He compares his grandmother to every woman who has difficulty starting a business or making her way in the world because of her gender. He says that those are his heroes and they have shaped him to be who he is today. His life is not that of a celebrity, as is McCain's. Obama wants Americans to see him as one of us. He wants us to see McCain as someone who is ignorant of the real American lifestyle- someone who is hasn't had to experience struggle and hard work, like the rest of us.
Obama is trying to persuade every last American to do their part. He wants the Republicans to own their failure and citizens to help better their communities. He wants us to believe that if we work hard we will succeed. Although Barack Obama is only one person, he certainly has some big changes in mind. Some believe that he is just saying what everyone wants to hear, and one person can not change the world. I believe he will stand up for his values until the end, and although he can only do so much, he will do his best and encourage others to do so as well.

Educational/Noneducational Text

2008-08-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

Text is everywhere that you look. You would have to go out extremely out of your way to avoid text for just one hour of the day. Even if you're not the reading type, you can find text on the food you eat, your clothing, television, email, the cellphone that's constantly vibrating in your pocket, and the blog that you are reading at this very moment. Text can be classified as "anything deliberately fashioned by human beings to convey an idea, a message, or even a feeling". But which text is educational and which isn't?
School textbooks, newspapers, and informative books are your typical education text. I believe that all text is educational, however. Whether it's reading a book about how to write an essay, or reading a clothing tag telling you to wash with like colors, you are picking up bits of information with everything that you read. When your friend texts you about the party tomorrow night, it might be a stretch, but you are still learning of something that you would have otherwise known nothing about. When you read billboards you are learning of new products. When you look at the nutritional information while munching on a bag of potato chips, you are learning how much fat you are ingesting (and how many miles you will have to run to burn all that off!) So no matter where you encounter text, it is educational.