April 8-14

 If I was struggling my whole life, and by some weird chance won a million dollars, would I give any to charity? Well, I would defiantly be giving the fair share to my church. Then I can honestly say the rest would go straight to a charity. I do struggle financially, but I am not completely hopeless, I still get the things I need. Not always the things I want, but all that is important are the things I need. And I get those. Most people don’t. So why not help others get the things they need in life. Why be selfish, and keep it all for yourself?              The people in life that have the most give the least. Yet the people, who seem to have nothing, are always giving, and caring for others. Why? Well if I knew the answer to that, you know I would be out there trying my personal hardest to fix that. I just hope that one day, maybe in the far future, but hopefully sooner, people start to change. For the better.  Wouldn’t this just be a way better world if everybody cared for everybody around them? I think that it would. So let’s do it.

April 2-7

Okay so let’s start off saying this I have had a loved one die in a car crash because of texting and driving. That accident scared me forever. But I’m also going to be completely and truly honest, it hasn’t stopped me from texting and driving. Guilty as charged. Am I proud of that? No absolutely not. Am I going to work on stopping? You bet I will!! I guess I didn’t really realize the affects that texting and deriving can have on not just your life, but everybody around you as well. In adult roles, we learned about some teenagers who were killed in accidents like that.

The feeling that I felt that day, I will never ever forget it. It is the most gut wrenching feeling knowing that that Childs parents, siblings, and friends will never get another chance to say I love you, or just hold them close. I don’t want that to be me, or any of my loved ones. So will I stop texting and driving? I Can promise you I will try. Sometimes I guess it really does take one of these accidents in your life to realize that maybe that one text message could wait until you are in park. Just that one little change, can save a life.

Research paper!!

Destiney Holbrook

Mr. Gowans

 LA 12

4/8/13

Earnestness vs. Seriousness!

 

Earnest- to be serious in intention, purpose, or effort.  I believe that earnestness is a very admirable trait. Why you ask? Well, l will tell you why.  If somebody is earnest, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are serious in everything in life. It means that they are “serious in intention.” So they are serious for a purpose. For example they put serious effort behind what they believe in.  I think anybody that puts effort into things they believe in deserves credit, because I know many people who don’t. There aren’t very many people in this world who do that anymore.  Now on another hand, this trait sometimes can be blown way out of proportion. Confused? Well, here is why I say that. Some people that are extremely “earnest” may take things too serious. So they may never know anything but seriousness. I am going to be completely and totally honest with you. I read this play, and was so very confused. I tried to re-read things, and took time to process them, but I still never got it. But here is how that ties in; I didn’t take it too serious! I know now that I should have, but I’m a senior in high school. We never take things serious until after we realize we needed to, so that is neither seriousness nor earnestness. That is called laziness.

 Earnestness is everywhere in life, people all over the world are serious in intention, and they put seriousness into everything they need to do. For example in the play the importance of being Ernest, there is a particular quote that stuck out to me. “Never speak disrespectfully of society, Algernon. Only people who can’t get in it do that.” (Wilde pg.90). I believe the reason that that particular quote stood out to me, is because, lady bracknall is indeed serious, but in a way she is slightly being funny.  This falls right into Earnestness. Why you ask? Well because she has seriousness behind her intention. Another quote that got me thinking is on the other term, Seriousness. “Whatever unfortunate entanglement my dear boy may have gotten into, I will reproach him with it after we are married.” (Wilde pg.73) Cecily had said that while having a “slight fight” with Gwendolyn. That is what would qualify as seriousness. She was completely serious when it came to her man. Wouldn’t anybody be?  I know when it comes to people trying to get on my man, for me it isn’t Earnestness I turn to, it is complete and total Seriousness.

 So in conclusion to this essay I think that Earnestness is a very admirable trait. I love the fact that you have the choice to be Earnest or be serious. So if you are faced with the choice to be serious in intention, or just plain out serious, choose what fits the situation best.  I mean say it to yourself. It sounds pretty freaking sweet... I am Earnest!

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on the Importance of Being Earnest.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2004. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

Van Kirk, Susan. “The Importance of Being Earnest.” CliffNotes. 15 Apr 2013. Web. 15 Apr 2013.

Wilde, Oscar. The importance of being Ernest. The Simon& Schuster paperbacks edition. New York, New York. Simon & Schuster, 2005. Print.

Reaserch Paper 4/11/13

Destiney Holbrook

Mr. Gowans

 LA 12

4/8/13

Earnestness vs. Seriousness!

 

Earnest- to be serious in intention, purpose, or effort.  I believe that earnestness is a very admirable trait. Why you ask? Well, l will tell you why.  If somebody is earnest, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are serious in everything in life. It means that they are “serious in intention.” So they are serious for a purpose. For example they put serious effort behind what they believe in.  I think anybody that puts effort into things they believe in deserves credit, because I know many people who don’t. There aren’t very many people in this world who do that anymore.  Now on another hand, this trait sometimes can be blown way out of proportion. Confused? Well, here is why I say that. Some people that are extremely “earnest” may take things too serious. So they may never know anything but seriousness. I am going to be completely and totally honest with you. I read this play, and was so very confused. I tried to re-read things, and took time to process them, but I still never got it. But here is how that ties in; I didn’t take it too serious! I know now that I should have, but I’m a senior in high school. We never take things serious until after we realize we needed to, so that is neither seriousness nor earnestness. That is called laziness.

 Earnestness is everywhere in life, people all over the world are serious in intention, and they put seriousness into everything they need to do. For example in the play the importance of being Ernest, there is a particular quote that stuck out to me. “Never speak disrespectfully of society, Algernon. Only people who can’t get in it do that.” (pg . ). I believe the reason that that particular quote stood out to me, is because, lady bracknall is indeed serious, but in a way she is slightly being funny.  This falls right into Earnestness. Why you ask? Well because she has seriousness behind her intention. Another quote that got me thinking is on the other term, Seriousness. “Whatever unfortunate entanglement my dear boy may have gotten into, I will reproach him with it after we are married.” (pg.) Cecily had said that while having a “slight fight” with Gwendolyn. That is what would qualify as seriousness. She was completely serious when it came to her man. Wouldn’t anybody be?  I know when it comes to people trying to get on my man, for me it isn’t Earnestness I turn to, it is complete and total Seriousness.

 So in conclusion to this essay I think that Earnestness is a very admirable trait. I love the fact that you have the choice to be Earnest or be serious. So if you are faced with the choice to be serious in intention, or just plain out serious, choose what fits the situation best.  I mean say it to yourself. It sounds pretty freaking sweet! I am Earnest.

March 18-25

We dont have an assigned prompt this week. So I think im going to write about how excited i am to go on my senior trip after graduation. Cassi and i are either going to Denver, Salt Lake City, Or Las Vegas. Our original plan was to go to Denver, but then that could possibly get canceled because the band that we planned on going top visit, and the person in the band, plan to go on tour!! what the heck right....Selfish!!! haha just kidding i still think that is super cool. No matter what we decide to do i think that we are goin to have a freasking blast , just because we are together! and to me, that is all that i care about!

March. 11-17

Wow! I can’t believe that we as senior class of 2013 only have one quarter left until we graduate. To me that is just so crazy!! There are so many great things about graduating. I can leave, and go WHEREVER I want. In a way that’s scary, but it’s what is best too. I can do what I want, when I want. Work as much as I want because I don’t have to worry about being in school. Mostly because I am taking night classes in technical school, but that doesn’t even really bother me.  But along with freedom, you get responsibilities, like supporting yourself, missing your family and tons more. Like for example in six months, I am completely on my own with my insurance. It’s $962 for only 6 months. Scary right?! Yea it is. I know it’s going to be hard but I know that it is what is best so I got to do it. I am only the second one in my family to graduate high school so far.  So that makes me want this for myself, and even my mom ten times more!!

Mar.4-10.

The advice I would give to the upcoming freshman to help them be successful is, join everything you can, avoid ALL the drama, choose your friends very wisely, and enjoy your high school life. High school can and will be everything you decide to make it. If you wake up every day saying, “ugh high school sucks!” then 99% of the time it will. Make it an exciting thing. Wake up smiling, and ready for anything that comes your way. Not saying you won’t eventually face some not so “fun” things, because I can guarantee that you will. But choose your battles, and stay out of everybody else’s.

One thing I would push the most, is GRADES! Keep your number one focus on your school work, it may not feel like it right at this moment, but it is by far the most important thing!. Also respect is a big one. Respect everybody, teachers, staff, other students, and defiantly the upper classmen. If you want to avoid being put head first into a trash can, or flushed in a toilet, I can assure you respect is the way to go on that one. So all I can finish with, is have fun and live it up!

Feb. 25- March. 3

If I had a black box of my life, what would it contain? Well that’s defiantly a hard one. When you think “black box”, you think dark evil, sad, ECT.  And personally my life isn’t any of those things. So let’s switch it up a bit and call it a yellow box with polka dots. In that case, it would contain happiness, smiles, love family friends, and anything that would make somebody happy. That’s something I shoot for everyday. First I wake up, and make sure I’m happy with my life, and then I try my hardest to make others happy with theirs.         

Now my best bet would be to bury that box somewhere I would be the only one to find it. Then I would comeback a few years later, dig it up and make sure I still live my life the way I do now.  Go ahead, open my happy yellow polka dotted box, and get yourself a whiff of smiles, love, and anything else that would make you happy and love yourself and others every day. Opening my box would be like opening a whole other world, filled with rainbows and unicorns that poop butterflies J

Feb. 18-24

My favorite quote for sure is “who you are inside is what makes you a star”.  A very special little girl once said that. Her name was Shiloh Peppin. That little girl gave me hope and faith in myself. She was born with her legs fused together, a birth defect to where they say you will only live for a few days. Shiloh lived for ten and a half years. That’s impressive. That little girl changed my life forever. Before I heard about her, I was headed straight for failure. Mostly because I let people tear me down, because I was ashamed of whom I was. I hated myself.  But when I watched the video on her life, my eyes were opened wide.

Think about it, who you are inside…that is all that really matters, it twenty years it is not going to matter what shoes you wore, or how your hair looked. What’s going to matter is if you are happy with the person you were, and are today.  I am very happy I came across that video, and that little girls story.  Because without her, I wouldn’t love the person I am today.

Feb. 11-17.

Well to start off, I think we have made a huge improvement over the last couple of years with the amount of “junk food” we consume.  What I think has helped me personally, is the fact that eating healthy makes me feel better. Not only mentally, but physically as well. I also believe that as you grow older, you make healthy decisions in your diet. Four or five years ago if you would have placed a Twinkie, or carrot stick in front of my face, and made me choose you know I would have chosen the Twinkie.  Now, I would much rather pick up the carrot stick.       

I enjoy eating healthy and making healthy choices. I don’t always make the right ones, but nine times out of ten I choose the good road. I don’t think there is really anything anybody can do to “encourage” less fast food and more fruits and veggies. The reason I say that, is because people have to want to make a change. Give it time, they will want it eventually, I know because I did. And If I can make a change like that, then I know everybody can.  Let’s just be patient, we will all start to see a change over time.

Blog post REHAB. Feb.4-Feb.10.

Destiney Holbrook

Mr. Gowans

Blog post

           

So basically I think both rehabilitation, and punishment work. I do believe in second chances, and I believe everybody should get one. Now here is why. If it was you, you would want a second chance to prove you can change right? Well so does every other “criminal” in this world. Now for extreme criminals, like the ones who murder a ton of people or just people who have snapped and gone completely mad, they should just have life in prison. I think that because I’m personally extremely afraid of those types of people. If you have the ability to kill your own family members, or the ones you supposedly love, you have could snap on anybody. Some random person just walking down the street, just because they don’t look the way they want them to, They would just snap and kill that poor pedestrian. Innocent people all over the world die every day, and just because some get off with rehabilitation, instead of extreme punishment. Now that is what seriously bugs me.

Weekly Blog Jan 28-Feb 3.

Destiney Holbrook

Mr. Gowans

Blog Post

2-5-2013

If I could have any superpower as president of the United States, I would choose the ability to read people’s minds. I think that if the president could do everything in his power to make everybody in the country happy, he would. But the problem with that is, he can’t read minds, and not everybody speaks their opinions. So he does what he can with what he has. I don’t like our president now, another opinion.  So if I was president I would like to be able to read everybody’s minds because then I would be able to do more then what we have now. I would make a change in our country with my very special Superpower. I think I would keep it on the Down low though. That way I would be able to have fun the same time I was doing my job. Ha-ha Man I would be the best president EVER!  You wouldn’t even know what to do with yourselves. Maybe I will just run for president, eventually. Haha.

StoneHedge or the Great wall of China. Wekkly post Jan. 21-27

HAHAHA. That’s awesome. If I had an all expenses paid trip you know I would defiantly be at the Great Wall of China.  I have always wanted to go there, but I’m a very poor girl. I wouldn’t even be able to pay to get myself out of green river…just for the day. But eh if it was all paid for heck yea I would go. I’m not too sure what the Stone Hedge is. I haven’t ever heard of it. I bet it is very pretty and would be an exciting trip to take. Anywhere out of Green River would be extremely exciting.  So I have come up with a great idea. I am going to marry somebody with a crap load of money, we will go on an extremely great honeymoon, and then that’s where we will end it. I know it sounds kind of messed up, but if he doesn’t know about it, it will be fine…right? Okay maybe I’ll just pretend like it’s all my fault. Brilliant, right? Yea I think I will defiantly go with that idea. See all of you after I figure all this out. HAHA

make-up weekly post for week of JANUARY 13th!

Everybody needs inspiration. Everybody needs a song. This world is a hard place to live. You have your struggles, challenges, regrets, and many more emotions.  Sometimes mixed all into one. Life can be painful, cheerful, happy, and sad. It can have so many good and bad things mixed together.  But one thing I know for sure is that you have the power to make it whatever you want.  Go to sleep each night knowing tomorrow is a new day. Wake up tomorrow knowing you have the power of today right in the palm of your hands. Put everything from yesterday behind you, because the past is the past, you can’t change it. No matter how hard you try. But you can change the future; you can make it everything you want it to be.  There is no guarantee that this life is easy, but everything comes naturally.  So let it flow.

Pursuasive essay !! DUE:1-25-2013

Destiney Holbrook

G-Dubs

1/17/13

Language arts 12

Change the “fake”.

Have you ever had your mind played with from a fake profile? Have you ever made a fake profile to play with somebody else’s mind? Have you ever been a witness to somebody either being a victim of this or the attacker themselves? Well I bet everybody answered yes to at least one of the questions above. But one thing I bet you didn’t know, having a fake profile, and using it to mess with others is bullying.

88% of people that create fake profiles to mess with people don’t know that it is in fact a crime. Well 98% of those people are actually high school, middle school students, and even registered sex offenders. When they create a fake account they go into it thinking it is just a joke, and no real harm can be done with it. It is against the law, because it is in fact bullying. Weather it is intended or not.  Two teenage girls were arrested in Florida, for impersonating another student and “Cyber stalking” by posting offensive comments on others facebook, and twitter profiles. Another case occurred in Minnesota; a student created a false facebook page for a sixth grader, and used it to make violent and offensive threats. There are so many more cases of this type of thing happening but never having action taken.

In 2005 on MySpace alone there was a reported 116 million fake profiles created. 744 of those being registered sex offenders. That is only MySpace’s records. I’m sure there were many more that were either never reported, or never even known about. The thing about a false profile is that sometimes you never really know. Sometimes it can be completely obvious, and sometimes they hide it so well you would never even think twice about it. Most recorded incidents happen to be either bullying or luring young children for sick reasons I will not mention. This outbreak of using false profiles is being compared to the huge outbreak in “sexting” rates. In 2005 the outbreak in “sexting” occurred. This kind of falls into place with using a false profile. Some people will pretend to be somebody they are not, to get a revealing picture of another person; 8 out of 10 times women are the victims of this. That is not so with fake profiles. Women tend to be the attackers in using these.

There are many cites trying to take action with fake profiles, but not too many are succeeding in this. In 2006 face book released a policy called, “No “Fake” names”. This prevented anybody from using a fake name. Or at least they thought it would. This policy meant that if Face book thought the name you were using was possibly fake; they would message you, and ask for a copy of your personal information. This triggered some good and bad things to happen. Some people thought that this was wrong, and that nobody should question what you choose to have your name as on “your” profile. But some people were frightened by this, so they deleted their false accounts, the number of fake profiles decreased that year. They no longer enforce that policy with face book. In my opinion that is why we have had a very big increase the past 3 ½ years.

I did a few experiments with false profiles, for this study. I created a fake “MeetMe” account, and added about 389 people I did not know.  Out of all 389 people, only two suspected that it was a fake account. I posted a whole life long story about being 15 years old; raised in a small town, but making it big in Los Angeles where I currently reside, starring on many big time T.V shows. Who in their right mind would believe something like that? Ooh 387 people. The point of this is that there are many profiles that are very obvious that they are fake accounts. The thing that needs to be done when you see a fake account is report it. This is the first step to becoming a hero, possibly by saving somebody from a long life of heartbreak, rape, or bullying.

There is currently a T.V show called. “Catfish”. If any of you have seen it, you know what it is about.  People being in cyber relationships, and some that are possibly lying about who they are, well these guys made a show to help anybody with this type of problem by finding that person and meeting up with them to find out who they really are. 9 times out of 10 it backfires on them. They are usually all real people, pretending to be somebody that they aren’t. I believe the point of this, is to lower the extremely high number of false profiles all over the world. We are not the only country to have this problem. It happens everywhere; in places you would never even expect it too.  I believe that most people, who make fake profile, are insecure. Why else would you take time out of your life to hurt people the way you are by using a false profile? If you have ever been bullied by somebody using a fake profile, you will understand why it is important that we stop this altogether. If you’re against bullying you will also understand why this needs to stop. Not only for them, but for the victims of the sex offenders, and people like that. The people who use websites to get to innocent children, women, and even some men. It is wrong and it needs to end.

There are many, many ways to prevent being a victim of a false profile attacks. Reporting the profile by turning it in to the creators. If it a Sevier case, you can take it to your local police department, and have it taken care of through them. Some people believe that nothing bad can happen through this, but in fact anything can happen. If you get lured in by a sexual predator, you can’t tell me you do not think anything bad would happen from that. They have ways to make it look like they aren’t creepies. But guess what, anybody can be.

We need a change, and I believe that if we pull together we can fix this problem. It all starts with you. If you see a friend or acquaintance being bullied, and/or sexually harassed and suspect it is a fake account, report it. It will take a total of three minutes to take care of. If you wait you could have a lifetime full of regret, or even guilt, for letting it happen. If it is you doing using the fake account, this is serious. Delete it, and quit messing with people’s minds. You may not realize it, but you can do some serious damage to somebody’s life. Sometimes, you do this because you are insecure, well you are you, don’t let anybody put you down for it. And you shouldn’t want to put others down for who they are. Let’s make a difference and take a stand. STOP the fake profiles.   

 

 

Works Cited

Davis, Michelle R. "Students Create Fake E-Profiles To Bully Peers." Education Week 31.27 (2012): 1-13. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Jan. 2013.

Gaylord, Chris. "Facebook's forgotten rule: No fake names allowed." Christian Science Monitor Feb. 2012: N.PAG. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17 Jan. 2013.

Graham, John R., Dana Watts, and Rodney E. Timbrook. "Detecting Fake-Good And Fake-Bad MMPI-2 Profiles." Journal Of Personality Assessment 57.2 (1991): 264. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Jan. 2013.

Roush, Wade. "Fakesters." Technology Review 109.5 (2006): 72-74. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Jan. 2013.

Stein, L.A.R., John R. Graham, and Carolyn L. Williams. "Detecting Fake-Bad MMPI-A Profiles." Journal Of Personality Assessment 65.3 (1995): 415. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Jan. 2013.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Blog 1/6/2013

This drives me nuts!! I have straight A's all of the term, Then BAM, B+!! I try so freaking hard all the time.
All my classes are easy peasy, except for Language Arts. I mean, this one is good, it’s just super hard for me to keep an A. I think what did it this time, was my essay. I need a way to get that up to an A. UUGHH!! I hate being so stressed out all the time over my grades. I just for once, want to be on highest honors. Just once. Is that going to kill anybody, no! Well maybe me, if I don’t get there. I mean all I can do is keep trying. I mean I for real have all A’s in EVERY single class, except this one. Can you tell this is eating me alive??!!UUGGHH I am going to just straight up fall over and die.  What else can I do? I do all my work, and get it turned in on time. As far as I am aware, I keep pretty good scores on everything. So what could be the problem? Wah, I Don’t know I guess I will just go ask.