Easy Steps to Meditation for Beginners

Meditation can be embarrassing and intimidating to some people, and many people are unaware of how to meditate. However, it can be a very easy and helpful practice that more people should be aware of. Meditating is a personal experience that anyone can enjoy; it is a healthy way of relaxing and balancing the mind and body. Here is my favorite way to meditate that is easy to understand and useful for anyone who needs a little peace.

First it is important to find a comfortable place. I like to lay in bed, and sometimes I use this meditation to help fall asleep at night. You do not have to lay down; you may also sit Indian style or anyway that you find relaxing and comfortable. You want to make sure you are not going to be disturbed, and you do not want much outside noise. Turn off the television and unplug the phone before you begin. Lock your door if you are prone to unwanted guests. Remember to breathe evenly and deeply, and after a while you will not have to pay attention because your natural breathing pattern will take over.

Now that you are set up and in your most comfortable position, you may begin. Close your eyes, and think of the colors of the rainbow. Start with red, but really imagine it. Imagine everything you ccan think of that is the color red; you want to keep imagining the color until it is so clear in your mind you can see it vividly. You want to go through the entire rainbow; you want to see red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple, and you want to see these colors in that order. I usually think of fruit because there are so many fruits that are colorful. For red I imagine apples and strawberries, orange I obviously imagine oranges, yellow are bananas, and so forth. I also like to picture big cans of paint being thrown on walls so that my entire vision is engulfed by the color. Remember that you are imagining these colors with your eyes closed. If you forget or lose track it is okay to start over, and the more you do it the easier it will become.

After you have gotten through the rainbow, you will picture a staircase. The staircase can be going up or down, and it can look however you want. This is the staircase leading to your comfort place. This place is yours and yours alone, so it can look however you want. I always imagine my staircase being made of wood and wrought iron and going down, but your staircase can be made of marble if that is what you like. Follow these stairs examining every aspect and detail until you come to a door. Once again the door can appear however you see it, and whatever you want it to look like is the way it should look. My door is iron and glass, but yours can be wood or gold or whatever you want.

Now that you have arrived at the door to your comfort place open it, and walk inside. What do you see? A fountain, a waterfall, a field of flowers; choose whatever makes you happy and comfortable because you are now in your safe place. Spend as much time as you like here. When you are ready to leave reverse your steps until you are back to red again; when you will open your eyes you will be feeling relaxed and refreshed. Meditation may seem difficult, but it can be very enjoyable and easy. You can use this practice before bedtime, before you are taking a test or doing something that is stressful to you. Remember meditation is a simple way to bring peace to yourself, and it should be used more often.

Societal Issues Students Face Should Be Dealt with by Schools

by Sarah Ganly

Three societal issues students face outside of the classroom are poverty, gender, and race. I think it is very important for schools to teach students values and strategies to overcome these challenges because schools are supposed to help students. Schools are supposed to empower students and give them all the things they need to succeed in life.

Poverty is a societal issue that students face, and this issue can be very destructive to a students success. Schools should make it a priority to educate students about financial aid options and scholarships. Schools should also make sure that students are aware that they can surpass this social issue and overcome it. I think a lot of students may feel that they can not overcome this issue, but the school should be able to assist the student in realizing their potential to go beyond this social issue.

Gender is another social issue students face. Schools should teach strategies and values to help overcome this issue. The gender stereotype should not be reinforced in schools; gender should not be emphasized in schools. There should also not be any accepted behavior in relation to gender because this will just create conflicts. Gender is an issue that students have to face, but gender should not be detrimental to a student's progress.

Race is another societal issue that students are plagued with. Many people have stereotypical ideas about race and many of these ideas are not only false, but they are counterproductive to the livelihood of a student. Race is an issue that should be addressed by schools because schools should emphasize that stereotypes are not true, and negative assumptions that go with race are also wrong. Race should not be used as en excuse as to why a student is not doing well; the real underlying situation should be examined and appropriate strategies should be formed in order to help the student to the best of the schools ability.

There are many societal issues that affect students and schools should make their best effort to help students overcome these issues. Schools should make sure to instill the knowledge that all students can surpass the issues they are given in society. Schools should also have the tools to help teach the students how to overcome these problems. Schools must realize that these issues are detrimental to the success of their students, and implement strategies to counteract these issues.

Is Astragalus a Miracle Remedy for Colds?

The first time I heard of astragalus I thought the person had said asparagus. I wasn't sure if they were serious or just talking nonsense, but then I researched and found what they were really talking about was a type of natural medicine that can be used to help with illness.

Astragalus is a new type of alternative medicine; it has an interesting history and can play an important role in the fight against colds and other health issues. This plant has been used traditionally for Chinese medicinal purposes for many centuries. This plant is in the pea family, and it is said to help with the body's immune system. Chinese diet recommends usage of astragalus on a regular basis to maintain good health. A common name for this plant is milk-vetch and it likes temperate regions.

This oddly named plant is used to increase immune systems; it has also been know to help aid in weakness, cold, diabetes, high blood pressure, and respiratory illnesses. Astragalus is known mainly for its antioxidant benefits, and it is also know to help improve heart conditions. This medicinal plant is also useful to cure sore throats, and has shown that it may be useful in slowing the spread of cancerous cells. Astragalus is also used to improve digestion and as a tea by many Western cultures.

Astragalus consists of many compounds; some of the the components of astragals are amino acids, polysaccharides, saponins, trace minerals, coumarins, flavonoids, and triterpene glycosides. This incredible plant is used for the root mainly. The astragalus root can be used whole, sliced, or shredded. The root can then be made into a powder; it can also be chewed on directly. The astragalus root can be made into tea and put into food as well.

Astragalus has been used traditionally to heal infections and wounds, and to help with overall health because of its antibiotic properties. Traditionally this plant has also been used to increase energy and focus. Astragalus is an aid in digestion so it is used with other herbal supplements and plants; it is commonly found to be combined with ginseng. The antioxidant effects of this herb helps increase white blood cells and improve the body's resistance to colds and illnesses.

This plant maybe be uncommon in the United States, but it is gaining popularity because of the many useful benefits it possesses. Astragalus is widely used in the orient and its' potential is currently being studied in America. This plant should be studied further and taken advantage of for all of the useful purposes it can present. It may have a funny name, but if it can help slow cancer and prevent colds it is worth a try!

Physical, Cognitive and Social-Emotional Human Development

The three areas of human development are physical, cognitive and social-emotional. These areas are different in many ways, but they also influence one another.

Physical development is characterized by patterns of physical growth and maturation. Other forms of physical development occurs in the genetic basis for some human characteristics and abilities, neurological
(brain) development, the acquisition of motor skills. Physical developments also manifest themselves in the form of healthy and unhealthy behaviors.

Cognitive development is associated with the changes in a person's reasoning. Cognitive developments are also reflected by a change in language. Developments of the cognitive sort also refer to memory, and concepts. An example of this is how a child's answers to a simple question may be very simple and an adult's answers are more complex, and use stronger vocabulary.

Social-emotional developments relate to the changes that occur in a person's feelings, ability to handle feelings and situations, and moral ideas. These developments also occur in relation to a person's social relationships. An increase or decrease in self confidence is a direct example of a social-emotional development.

It may appear that all of these areas are separate, but they are extremely closely related. For example "physical development (e.g., neurological growth) allows cognitive advancements to take place, and increases in the ability to look at situations from multiple perspectives (a cognitive ability) make possible more effective social
relationships" (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2004, p. 6).

Imagine Johnny is a five-year-old boy attending his first year of school. Johnny will be changing and growing a lot in his first year of school. Physically he will be growing and getting taller. His motor schools will improve and he will be able to use his hands much better. Emotionally he will be learning how to interact in a controlled environment. He will be learning social skills such as sharing, and working together. He will also learn how to deal with emotions in group settings. Cognitively he will begin processing more information and learning the rules of the classroom environment. Johnny will be learning rights and wrongs and how to make decisions based on them.

As Johnny changes, this will cause an impact on his behavior in the classroom. Johnny will be growing and may be bigger or smaller than most kids. This may cause Johnny to be shy or it may cause him to be more confident. Johnny may struggle with the emotions of dealing with many other children and this may cause him to act out or become timid. There are many possibilities that can occur in a school setting and it is important for a teacher to be aware of the different areas of development in order to nurture the student correctly.

Reference:

McDevitt, T., & Ormrod, J. (2004). Child Development: Educating and Working with Children and Adolescents (2nd ed.). : Prentice Hall

Growing Salvia Divinorum: Controversial Hallucinogenic has Value

Salvia divinorum has been getting a bad reputation lately because of exploits in the news. It may be a strong hallucinogenic, but it is still a plant and deserves to live. Salvia divinorum is actually worshiped by people who believe in the spirit of the plant, and this has been happening for so long that salvia divinorum only produces seed on very rare occasions. This plant has to be cloned by people to continue to survive.

Salvia is not a party drug and should be used for sacred spiritual purposes. This plant should not be taken for fun, and should be only taken in supervised situations and with a goal in mind. Here is a guide on how to grow salvia divinorum.

Salvia divinorum is native to hot, and humid climates and loves to be outside. Your salvia divinorum plant can grow up to six feet in one growing season if it is outside. Plants also love sandy potting soil, so mixing sand in their dirt is beneficial to it. Make sure to keep your soil wet and spray your plant several times during the day. Salvia will do best with a lot of humidity.

If you are keeping your plant in a pot make sure to give it enough room to grow. The root system on a salvia divinorum plan gets pretty big so I recommend using a big pot with at least a foot diameter. Remember transplanting your plant will cause it to go into shock and it will not grow until it comes out of shock. If you are keeping your potted plant outside remember to bring it inside when it gets below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Salvia divinorum is very sensitive to cold, and it will die if it is exposed to freezing temperatures.

If you have an appropriate climate for growing your salvia plant outside plant with enough room for more plants to grow. When salvia grows very tall it will fall over and grow into the ground to start a new plant. Plants can also be planted in a pot or outside on their sides. This will cause many stalks to rise up out of the dirt. Trimming the leaves on your plant will help it grow taller quickly, and can help improve the life of your plants.

All salvia divinorum plants will live strong healthy lives if they are treated well and taken care of correctly. This plant can be an attractive and interesting plant to own, and should be valued for its spiritual purposes not discredited.

Why is the Sky Blue?: A Scientific Explanation

Every day, we wake up, go outside and look around us. We look up at the sky and notice the baby-blue hue that is there. Every night, we look up and notice the navy-blue backdrop for the stars, but how often do any of us question why it is, in fact, a shade of blue we are seeing?

In order to understand why the sky is the color that it is there are a couple of factors that should be taken into consideration. The atmosphere, light waves, the different colors of light, and the light in the air all have to be taken into consideration when approaching this question.

The atmosphere is composed of different gas molecules and many other materials, but it mostly contains oxygen and nitrogen. Water vapor, ice crystals, and drops of water are also a common thing in the atmosphere. The atmosphere is very dense where it meets the earth and it gets thinner as it blends into space.

Light is a form of energy, and this form of energy moves and radiates throughout the universe in the form of waves. Light travels in waves of vibrating magnetic and electric fields. Light waves are part of a larger thing known as the electromagnetic spectrum; the spectrum is composed of many vibrating electromagnetic fields.

There are many different colors of light. Visible light is the part of the spectrum that humans can see. Light in your home from your lamp or the light from the sun in the sky may appear to be the color white, but this is not so. White light consists of many colors; this is apparent when there is a rainbow in the sky.

Light travels through the air in straight lines. Light will go straight until it bumps into something and its' path is disturbed. Light will do different things when it comes in contact with different things. When light hits a large object it bounces off or is reflected in a different direction. When light hits a gas molecule some of the light is absorbed and the molecule will radiate and release some of the light into a different direction later on.

So now we know all of this stuff, but we still do not know why the sky is blue. The sky is blue because the different wavelengths of the different colors of light are absorbed differently. The shorter wavelengths, which happen to be blue, are absorbed more easily by the gas molecules, and are thus radiated throughout the sky. The scattered blue light released by these gas molecules are coming in all different directions, and this makes the sky look blue.

The Key Players in Curriculum Development in United States Schools

There are many groups and people that affect the curriculum that is being taught to children in the United States. From the federal government to the local community there is much influence over what curriculum students are learning. It is important to know how curriculum is being created and maintained because the education of future generations is very important.

The federal government passes federal legislations, such as the No Child Left Behind Act, to which schools are required to measure up to. NCLB mandates can directly impact the curriculum in the classroom. The federal government mostly influences the range of curriculum found in the classrooms in the United States.

The state provides support materials such as a syllabus and guide for each subject area and grade level. States also determine what students should learn and a list of approved materials can be used in the classroom. The state sets standards about what students should be learning by forming committees and holding public meetings where they listen to different groups of interest's opinions on curriculum. The state then sets the rules for student standards.

Districts also provide materials for teaching such as curriculum guides. Districts review the materials that can be used in the classroom and recommend specific materials that should be purchased. The district is also required to appoint specialists that make sure the curriculum is being supported and the teachers are prepared.

Schools are an important factor that influences curriculum because schools have to take the provided materials and syllabuses and bring it to the students. Schools also must remain aware of the student standards and maintain these standards. Schools have to make sure that the guidelines are being followed.

Teachers do not play a huge role in what curriculum is taught, but they do play a role in deciding how to teach the curriculum. Teachers also play a role in deciding what materials are used by attending district meetings and presenting reviews of materials that are being suggested. Teachers play a role in state decisions as well by joining statewide committees that set student standard laws.

The community plays an important role in influencing curriculum in a school. Different community groups of religious, political, and varying association influence a school by effecting what topics may be taught. The community is also influential when deciding on materials to use because they can become actively involved in district decisions about proposed material. The community also plays a role in extra curricula activities by hosting different clubs and teams.

All of these groups play a different part in influencing the curriculum that is being taught in schools, and students would not learn effectively if it was not for these influences.

What to Plant in Order to Deer Proof Your Garden

Deer are beautiful ad charming, but they are also constant threat to home gardeners. With the weather getting warmer, and the winter season becoming almost non existent the deer population is on the rise. Deeper can be pleasant and attractive, but the mess they can make of a garden can be terrible. Instead of fighting a losing battle all season long, there are some perennials that can be planted in order to avoid the trouble with deer. The following is a list of deer proof perennials that can make your gardening season much more pleasant.

Allium is a plant that requires full sun and does well in many places. They come in many colors such as blue, purple, yellow, pink, and white. They should be planted in bunches so that they become more noticeable.

Bellflowers range in shades of blue, but they sometimes can be found in white and pink. They require full sun and good drainage. They do well in many places such as rock gardens, borders, and as backgrounds.

Bergamot is a beautiful flower that ranges from dark red to white. They grow best in slight shade or full sun and will do well in most soils. They do not prefer sandy or clay like soils. They flowers last long into fall and winter.

Coneflowers are another lovely perennial that dear are not attracted to. These beautiful purple daisies attract butterflies and bees. They will flower from midsummer until fall. These plants are good in most soils and prefer full sun.

Foxglove is a gorgeous plant that grows in long stalks with dangling bell like flowers. These flowers come in many colors such as blue, purple, white, red, and pink. Foxglove prefers light shade, and does not like extreme wet or dry soil.

Irises are a wonderful flower to grow. Irises range in color from blue to white to purple, and many different color variations can occur. Irises are wonderfully easy to plant because they enjoy most soils and are fine in full sun and shade.

Lilies are another pleasant perennial and come in a variety of colors. Plain white is common for lilies, but they range in many other colors such as blue, purple, pink, red, yellow, and orange. Lilies enjoy full sun and well drained soil.

Ornamental Poppy is a beautiful flower that varies in color from scarlet to blue and white. These flowers are unique because of the black spot on the inside of the flowers. They like to grow in sunny spots and are easy to care for because they do not need a lot of water.

There are many choices one can make in order to prevent deer from destroying their gardens. There are many products that are meant to help keep deer away, but the best method for deer proofing is to plant things that they do not want to eat. This list will help any gardener avoid the pitfalls of having deer as neighbors.

Smart Growth: An Effective, Beneficial Method of Urban Planning A Great Development Option for All Cities

Smart Growth: An Effective, Beneficial Method of Urban Planning

A Great Development Option for All Cities

Cities and communities have developed naturally over time. An increased rate of population has called for an increased demand for homes, and has turned many beautiful areas of land into crowded cities. There are many methods that can help strategically plan cities in order to avoid destroying nature. These methods can also save money, time, and the environment in the long run. One method of development is called smart growth. Smart growth is a transportation and urban planning theory that avoids urban sprawl by concentrating growth in the center of cities instead of throughout cities.

The theory of smart growth promotes walkable compact use of land. Smart growth also encourages increases in transit, housing, and employment options. It also promotes the preservation of natural and cultural resources. Mixed-use development is a tool of smart growth. Mixed-use development is when more than one type of use in a building or group of buildings. This means there is a combination of uses of these buildings such as residential, commercial, office, and institutional. Concentrating dev elopement on mass transportation routes is another tool of smart growth. Preserving existing open space, buying new open space, and limiting building permits are all tools of smart growth. These strategies are beneficial to not only people but the environment as well, and smart growth should be implemented everywhere that development exists.

Some aspects of smart growth are already being employed in my town. In my home town mixed- use development already exists. In the commercialized area of my town there are still homes, and offices, and this illustrates the use of mixed-use development. In my town most of the developments are centered on main transportation routes. For the most part, all the new stores opening up are along the highway that runs through my town, but it seems like houses are going up everywhere. Forests that I remember playing in as a kid are being chopped down, and the beauty of nature all around me is being destroyed. The preservation of existing open spaces, and the buying of new open spaces would be beneficial to my town because a lot of forests and fields are being turned into homes and stores. The intense amount of growth happening in my area could be curbed by limiting building permits as well. Smart growth is a good method of development that would benefit the community, nature, and the people living in the community.

History and Events in American Education

Three major periods in the history of American education are the colonial period, the early national period, the common school movement. Two major eras in the history of American education are the progressive era and the modern era. In 1762, during the colonial period, Rousseau published "L'Emile ou de l'education. During the early national period Thomas Jefferson drafted a bill that proposed the establishment of common schools in 1779. During the common school movement, in the year of 1839, Lexington, Massachusetts establishes the first public normal school. In 1895, during the progressive movement, the first achievement test was developed. During the modern era, in the year of 1964, the Civil Rights Act gave the government the power to enforce desegregation in schools.

All of these events have helped shape today's classroom in different ways. The drafting of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 has had a huge impact on education. The Civil Rights Act not only gave the government the authority to enforce desegregation in schools, but it also gave people who were previously discriminated against a better ability and opportunity to learn. Students who were discriminated against were now allowed to attend schools that were kept in better condition. They were allowed to receive a better education by being allowed to attend different schools. They also were allowed a better educational opportunity because they were no longer forced into being segregated. All of the students benefited from this because they were exposed to people of different backgrounds. The Civil Rights Act was a very important event in relation to dispelling discrimination in America. Although people were still discriminated against, this event definitely paved the way for many people to receive the education they deserve.

The Civil Rights Act is still reflected in today's classroom in many ways. Students attend school with people of all different backgrounds, and students are exposed to all different cultures. Discrimination, in and out of the classroom, has improved greatly since the Civil Rights Act was passed. Today's classrooms are a direct example of the "melting pot" that America is supposed to be. One of the most obvious examples of how the Civil Rights Act is still reflected in today's classrooms is the amount of students in public schools that do not primarily speak English. These students are still allowed to attend school despite their lack of common language, and they are not segregated. These students are still welcome to attend the same schools as other students. The Civil Rights Act made a positive mark on American history that is still apparent in today's classrooms.

Effective Decision Making in the Classroom

Kauchak & Eggen (2005) stated "teachers make somewhere between 800 and 1,500 decisions every day" (Chap. 2, p. 55). Decision making is one of the hardest parts of teaching and has to be done in very little time. Classrooms have five different characteristics that make decision making a complex and difficult task, but as a teacher you must take all these characteristics into consideration when trying to effectively make decisions in the classroom.

The classroom environment is multidimensional. Teachers play many roles, and they must constantly incorporate many different factors into their teaching schedules. One difficulty that is faced by teachers is "constantly changing lesson plans" (B. Johanson, personal communication, August 12, 2007). Barbara Johanson works in a Catholic private school as an art teacher, and she recently had to completely rearrange her lesson plans for the day due to a switch in schedules. One of her classes was cut short, and in order to save time, she decided to have the children do "four quick sketches instead of one full piece" (B. Johanson, personal communication, August 12, 2007). By doing this she incorporated the main points of the lesson, but also saved time. I think this was a very resourceful idea, and would have done something similar. My knowledge of art would be resourceful to me in this situation because I have done many quick sketches and know that some main points can be accomplished without doing in depth pieces.

Events in the classroom happen simultaneously. Johanson states, "the days announcements happen during the beginning of my first period class, so I take attendance while the students listen to the announcements and get settled down for class" (personal communication, August 12, 2007). Recently a rumor had spread in Johanson's class that there was going to be a surprise quiz. All of her students started asking her questions while the announcements were being made. She asked them all to write down their questions while they listened to the announcements, so that she could take attendance (B. Johanson, personal communication, Agust 12, 2007). If I was in her situation I would have asked them to listen to the announcements, and get their materials out for the day's assignment. I than would have addressed their questions and took attendance at the same time. This would have saved time, and calmed the students down. In this situation my experience, in having to switch the order in which I am doing things in order to save time and complete all my objectives, would come in handy. I would choose this because I would want to answer their questions while still being able to prepare for class.

Classroom events must be dealt with immediately, and require quick thinking. Two student in Johanson's classroom recently got into a conflict because one student accidentally spilt paint on the other student's picture. When she noticed what was going on she ran over to the students, grabbed the picture, started to dab the paint off, and told the student that had spilt the paint to get paper towels (B. Johnson, personal communication, August 12, 2007). She told the other student to get water, and used the water and paper towel to almost completely remove the mistake. While she was removing the paint she reassured the student that the picture would be okay, and she had the two students work together to clean up the paint (B. Johanson, personal communication, August 12, 2007). This was a good decision because she occupied the children so that they did not have time to think about getting upset; she salvaged the picture, and got the messed cleaned up. I would do the same thing if I was in her shoes, and I would have used my knowledge of working together to help in making this decision.

The events in a classroom can be unpredictable, and must be handled appropriately. When Johanson was getting ready for one of her classes recently she discovered that the charcoal she had been planning to use in order to teach the students a lesson in contrast was missing(B. Johanson, personal communication, August 12, 2007). She knew that she only had a few minutes to come up with a new project to illustrate the lesson she had planned on teaching, and she decided to use black watercolors in place of the charcoal. This was an effective decision because she was still able to stick to her lesson plan. I would have chosen to use sharpie markers because I feel they would better illustrate contrast, but sticking with the plan was a good decision. I would have used my experience with contrast as a resource in making this decision.

Classrooms are constantly under the public eye. Johanson was recently informed that her classes were under consideration for a time cut (B. Johanson, personal communication, August 12, 2007). She was highly upset by this and did not know what to do. She told the principal that she "could not teach this way" (B. Johanson, personal communication, August 12, 2007). The principal decided to leave the length of the classes as they were in order to keep Johanson as the teacher. I believe this was a brave decision. I think although her convictions were correct, if she had been fired she would not have been able to give the children the education they deserve. If this was my decision to make I would have tried to stress the importance of the length of the class by having the principal sit in on the class. I would want the principal to be able to see how there is no room to cut time, and how important the class is to the students.

Teachers have to face many tough decisions all day long. It is hard to know what is the right thing to do, at all times, for all of the students. Teachers must rely on many resources in order to make effective decisions that will benefit their students. A strong knowledge of their subject area, communication skills, and organization is very important when trying to make these decisions. Making all of these decisions may be a trying task, but when you reach a child and see them get excited about the subject, it is beautiful"(B. Johanson, personal communication, August 12, 2007).

Reference

Kauchak, D., & Eggen, P. (2005). Introduction to Teaching: Becoming a Professional. [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. , : Prentice-Hall/Merril. Retrieved August 12, 2007, from University of Phoenix, rEsource, AED Teaching as a Profession Web site.

Social Injustices in Our Schools Can Be Improved

In any given multicultural classroom the concerns in terms of social justice for all students relate to advantages and inequalities. It appears that students that come from wealthier families are privileged in their educational situations, and students of lower income families are deprived of education. 

One concern is the conditions of the buildings that students, of lower income families, have to attend classes in. Another concern in terms of social justice is that students of lower income families are not provided with intellectually challenging curriculum and opportunities; where as students of wealthier families are provided with these opportunities and advanced learning environments. These social injustices effect many students and are detrimental to the majority of the world's population. These social injustices are direct example of oppression of a people, and should be realized and corrected.

The concerns should be addressed by the government and solutions should be demanded by the people. Less of the tax payer's money should be spent on oppressive wars, and more of the taxpayer's money should be spent on educating the people. Governments should allocate more money to improving schools and educational opportunity, and the people should bring this idea to their government's attention. Fundraises should be held in order to gather money for improving schools, and wealthier schools should donate money to schools that need it. It may also be appropriate for wealthier schools to offer advanced educational opportunities to students of other schools. Schools should unify more in order to increase levels of education. The people should make a strong push for higher educational standards, and an equal level of education amongst all should be a respected and pursued idea.

In order for all students to be treated equally and fairly it is important to give each and every student the opportunities and information that they need to succeed. It is also important to treat students equally and fairly by not discriminating against them for any reason. If students are discriminated against they are automatically set up for failure. All students should be given the amount of attention and assistance that they need in order to progress. The unbalanced level of educational standards should be corrected. Students and school districts that are less wealthy should be given assistance by the government and by other schools in the area that are wealthier. A higher level of academic equality should be established with the help of all because the future of all depends on it.

Remedies for Poison Ivy You Can Find in Your Kitchen

by Sarah Ganly

So you have been waiting all winter for spring to finally arrive so you can get in your garden, but after a long day of playing in the dirt you end up with a red blistery rash. Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are a huge kill-joy in the winter, but with a few household remedies you can be rid of the rash in no time.

1. Baking soda and vinegar can be mixed together into a paste. The paste should be applied to the infected area. A dry washcloth should be used to scrub the area thoroughly. When the paste dries rinse it off with cool water.

2. Oatmeal can be put in a bath in order to sooth the itch from the rash. It can also be mixed with hot water and used as a mask for the affected area. It will dry out the area as it dries.

3. Banana peels can be smeared on the infected area. The inside of the peel can be scraped and used, or the whole peel can be rubbed on the wound.

4. Dish detergent is another way to treat this nasty rash. Its degreasing properties rid your skin of the oils that are produced by the rash. This method also helps stop the spreading of the rash. Apply the dish detergent directly on the rash, let sit a few minutes, and rinse with cool water.

5. Watermelon is delicious and helps get rid of poison ivy. Take an entire piece rind and meat and rub it lightly over the rash. Let is air dry and the rash will lessen in a day.

6. Tofu may not be in everyone's refrigerator, but it can help heal poison ivy quickly. Just rub lightly over rash and let dry by air. The rash should be noticeably less the next day.

7. Regular table salt can also help with poison ivy. Add a little water to the salt and rub it on the rash. If the itching remains use the salt again. This may seem like it will sting, but it actually has a relieving feeling.

8. This last tip is mainly for keeping the itiching under control, but it is the best way I have ever been able to. Simple turn on a faucet or shower head and make your hot water as hot as you can possibly stand and let the hot water run directly on it. It will feel amazing and the itch will stay gone for at least a couple of hours. I wash with soap while doing it to keep oils from spreading. I love this method and repeat as soon as the itch comes back.

Poison ivy is the dreaded enemy of spring time gardening enthusiasts and nature lovers alike, but the terrible rash it causes can be stopped short with these simple home remedies. All of these cures can be found in most homes, and can be a great relief for those who have been subjected to poison ivy.

How to Make a Miniature Polymer Clay Sandwich for a Dollhouse

by Sarah Ganly @ sarahganly.blogspot.com

Dollhouses are a lot of fun; especially when you can make your own accessories for them. I love to sculpt and make mini items out of polymer clay. It is so easy to use, and it bakes hard in 10 minutes. For those of you out there who love making things from polymer clay and love doll houses here is a step by step guide on how to make a miniature sandwich.

First you will need a small piece of white or off white clay, a medium piece of tan clay, and small piece of red clay, green clay, and yellow clay. Make sure all of your clay is pretty warm and soft. You can make this happen by rolling it around and playing it with it for a little while. The warmth from your hands will warm up the clay and make it easy to work with.

The next step is to shape the bread. Take the tan clay and separate it evenly into 2 balls. Flatten them and make them square shape. Next you will pinch them slightly on both sides about 2 thirds of the way up the sides. This will give the bead the look of a muffin top. That is the fresh baked out of the oven look you want.

Next it is time to assemble the ingredients for your sandwich. Use the green to make lettuce leaves; this part is very fun and simple. All you have to do is pinch and rip the clay until it resembles chopped lettuce. Next separate the ball of red into 2 or 3 littler balls. Now flatten those balls, and you have yourself some tomatoes.

All sandwiches are not complete until you add some meat and cheese; so take the white clay and flatten it into an organic shape. Think of the turkey you would buy at the store. This process is similar to making the lettuce leafs. You can also add a bit of beige to the white for detail. Now shape the yellow into flat squares, and don't worry if you can't get perfect edges. You can always use a knife or scissors to make the edges of the cheese straighter.

Now that you have all of your ingredients you can assemble your sandwich. Stack all of these little treats inside the bread and remember to make sure the edges are overlapped and viewable from the outside. Now put your sandwich in the fridge or the freezer for a couple of minutes. This will harden the clay right up, and when you remove it you can cut it in half with a regular house hold knife.

Bake this treat at the recommended temperature for about 10 minutes, and when it is cool have fun!

Art Througout Time: Reflections on Artists, Movements, and Time

by Sarah Ganly

Some say art imitates life; others say life imitates art. I find that both of these observations are equally true. It is intrigued to see how different movements precede each other and imitate each other. It is also interesting to see how politics and economics affect artistic movements. I feel the Rococo, Romantic, and Neoclassicism, and Impressionist styles of art are good examples of how art imitates life and life imitates art, and I find the artist and artwork from these time periods to be truly interesting and inspiring.

I really like the Rococo style of art and I feel like I use this style in my own art sometimes. Rococo was started in France in the 18th century and was mainly a type of interior design that was "elegant" and used "small sculpture, ornamental mirrors, easel paintings, and tapestries"; this style deals with fine details, "muted colors, and feathery brushstrokes" (Gardner, 2001, p.1908). The art that came out of this time period is playful, flirtatious, happy, and based on love and attraction.

I was enamored with Jean- Honore Fragonard's painting "The Swing" is a lovely depiction of this style. The light colors of the girls dress opposing the dark colors of the background is a lovely contrast that shows focus and depth. The light on the trees, the girl, and the man shows movement and foreground, and the darkness and shadows in the back ground shows depth well. I also like the use of pale pinks in the front and deep blues in the background helped make this picture very strong.

Another one of my favorite art movements is Romanticism. This type of art flourished from "1800-1840", and it was inspired by the "dark ages" where "barbarianism, superstition," "gothick, sublime", and "miracles" (Gardner, 2001. p.864). This movement was based on the idea that all that was artificial and false should be banned and honest emotion should prevail. Imagination and emotion was revered over reasoning and rules in this art movement. It is interesting to note that Neoclassicism was happening before Romanticism, and it was a type of art based on rules and modeled after art from the Renaissance. It is intriguing to see the pattern of art based on reason to lead to a movement based on imagination.

William Blake was an artist of the Romantic Movement that was appealing to me. He was said to be "inspired by dreams", and his engraving titled "Ancient of Days" is beautiful and inspiring (Gardener, 2001, p.865). The dramatic use of light and dark in the contrast of the bright yellows and orange of the sky and sun opposed to the dark brown and black of the background and landscape worked very well and added strong emotion to the piece. I also enjoyed the linear aspects of the light and stance of the figure. This piece embodied the Romantic style with its use of emotion and creativity.

Impressionism is another aspect of art history that I enjoy. I was slightly knowledgeable of this movement before reading this book, but this book has brought me closer to understanding this movement and has given me greater respect for Impressionism. Interestingly Impressionism started as an insult to the now famous painter Claude Monet. (Gardener, 2001, p. 1016). Before this movement was started impression referred to sketches that were quick, spontaneous, and one single thought or moment. During this time France was in the middle of becoming industrialized and was "brutal, chaotic" and becoming urbanized so this type of art was actually reflective of the times.

Monet's "Impression; Sunrise" is a beautiful piece that deliberately leaves brushstrokes in the painting, and impressionists conclude that "local color- an objects actual color is usually modified by the quality of light in which it is seen, reflections from other objects, and effects of juxtaposed colors produce"; they also believe that "shadows do not appear gray or black" (Gardner, 2001, p.905).

Impressionism is much more in depth than I believed before, and I appreciate the studies of color and light that is done with Impressionism. Many impressionists seem to be influenced by painting in outdoor settings, and I find this to be an interesting concept that probably had to do with the economic situation of artist during this time.

Art is an age old practice that has changed and grown extensively throughout the years. It is amazing to notice how art affects life and life affects art. I find that art is an amazing reflection of life, and art and its creators should be studied through out time.

References:

Kleiner, F.S., Mamiya, C.J. (2001). Gardener's art through the ages. Orlando, FL: Harcourt College Publishers.

Sample Love Letter: Adoration and True Love

I am in love. I have been in love for a long time Love is a hard thing to do, and it is even harder to do once you have done it and been wronged, but love is essential to all of mankind. It is what keeps us going; it is the number one choice we can make.

This is a love letter about my love; I offer it as a way of helping others to express their love. I also write it so that some can be reminded of their love and how to love. Sometimes it is important in a relationship to look again at your partner and remember what you love about them, and what loving them means to you. I hope this invites everyone who reads it to do something nice for their loved ones. Even if you just write a quote from this letter down and give it to someone you love it will brighten both your days and strengthen your relationship.

To My Love,

I call you my love because I know no other name in which to call you. I could call you my rose, but the petals of the rose dies and withers unlike the light I see in you. I could call you my sunshine, but I love you when you are pure light, as well as, when you made of dark shadows and cracks of lightning. I could call you many pretty names, but I will call you my love because that is what you mean most to me.

Love is the way I feel when I hear your breath while you are sleeping. Love is that look on your face that makes me forget everything. Love is the way your feet rubbing against mine is the only natural way I know to sleep, and love is the way I feel my eyes tear with happiness to be writing to you now.

My darling I write to you with no other intentions, but to explain to you how you are the passion that helps me get through the day, you are an angel and a friend, and you are everything I want because I wouldn't know how to be if I had to be without you.

With Sincere Adoration,
Me

I hope this little letter inspired you to do something to show your love, and I hope you take with you the warm feeling I got when writing this letter. Have a lovely day!

Thanksgiving Day Dessert: Apple Cider Pumpkin Roll

Thanksgiving Day Dessert: Apple Cider Pumpkin Roll
By Sarah Ganly

Thanksgiving season is the time of year where pumpkin and apple is the most accessible and delicious staple one can have in the home, and there are several delicious treats you can make with these items, but the best recipe for apples and pumpkin is this apple cider pumpkin roll. There is no better dessert for a Thanksgiving Day meal!

This cake requires ingredients for both the cake and the frosting.
The ingredients you will need for the cake are as follows; 3/4 cup of flour, half a cup of white sugar, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 1 teaspoon of nutmeg or allspice, one cup of pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin, half a cup of white sugar, half a cup of apple cider, 2 eggs, and 4 tablespoons of confectioner's sugar. You will also need a clean damp linen.

For the icing the recipe is simple; all you will need is a fourth of a cup of butter softened, 12 ounces of cream cheese softened, half a cup of apple cider, and half a cup of confectioner's sugar.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Before you start mixing your cake set the wet linen out on a counter and sprinkle it with the powdered sugar. During this time you should also put the apple cider for the icing in a pot on the stove to simmer.

To make the cake mix the dry ingredients first, then add the pumpkin, cider, and eggs to the mix. When all of the ingredients are combined spread the batter on a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch sheet pan. Cook in oven for 15 minutes. The edges will be crisp.

While the cake is cooking you should make your icing. All you have to do is whip the ingredients together. Remember to pay attention to the apple cider on the stove; the apple cider should reduce but not burn. Take it off just before you put the cake in the oven.
After the cake comes out of the oven flip it over onto the linen and roll it into a spiral. Set it on a tray to cool for 20 minutes.
When the cake is cooled unroll it, spread it with the icing and reroll it immediately. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least half an hour.

When you are ready to serve unwrap and slice. Arrange in a fun pattern on the plate. You can add some apple cider ice cream or whipped cream to this delicious treat to make it even more scrumptious!

Macaroni and Cheese: An Easy and Inexpensive Thanksgiving Side Dish

by Sarah Ganly @ sarahganly.blogspot.com

Thanksgiving is my favorite time of the year to eat and cook. I love to bake and make huge meals, but the problem is money and time. Over the years I have devised some recipes that are not only cheap, but also quick and painless. Here is my favorite macaroni and cheese recipe.

A great and simple side dish to make is macaroni and cheese. You can buy pasta for very cheap, and most supermarkets sell the cheese ends for way cheaper than sliced cheese. Get as many different cheeses as you like and cut them into chunks. One cup of cheese is enough for 2 cups of uncooked pasta. Multiple measurements to suit the amount of people you are feeding.

Cook the pasta in boiling water until it is soft. While the pasta is boiling put the cheese chunks in a sauce pan and add milk or cream until the cheese is a quarter submerged. Stir this sauce constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon. Make sure to keep the flame low enough to not burn the sauce. When the cheese and cream have combined remove from heat and strain the pasta. Now add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pot and put the pasta back in it. Toss the pasta in the butter quickly and add the cheese sauce while stirring to combine.

You can eat this macaroni just the way it is or you can add a few special variations. Macaroni and cheese can be made with many different ingredients added in for different flavor combinations.
One delicious variation is to sprinkle parmesan cheese on the top and bake until it is crusty and golden. You can sprinkle crispy fried onions on top and bake until golden as well.
Another healthy and colorful way to spice up macaroni and cheese is by adding sautéed vegetables such as red and green peppers, celery, carrot, or onion. Diced tomatoes can also be added to this recipe; the tomatoes do not need to be cooked. Canned peas can also be stirred in for a softer taste.
My favorite macaroni and cheese recipe involves mixing some well strained spinach with the macaroni and sprinkling the top with crumbled up crackers. The spinach dish should be baked for about 10 minutes.

Thanksgiving dinner may be a little overwhelming but this recipe and the variations I have supplied can help you save time and money this Thanksgiving. The macaroni and cheese recipe is delicious as well!

Stuffing: An Easy Thanksgiving Side Dish on a Budget

by Sarah Ganly @ sarahganly.blogspot.com

Thanksgiving is a holiday that everyone loves. You eat until you fall asleep and then you do it again. You can watch some big balloons on television or some wood soldiers marching on Thanksgiving, but the best part is the food. An important but sometimes over looked part of the Thanksgiving meal is the side dishes. My favorite side dish recipe is cheap, easy, and simply delicious. Here is the recipe for the best stuffing I have ever had.

My favorite side dish for Thanksgiving is stuffing. Stuffing can me made in several ways, but the easiest most delicious stuffing can be made from left over bread or rolls. I usually save the left over bread from dinner in the fridge for a week and a half. It is good to have a variety of types of bread because it adds different textures. I like to fill the bottom of a sheet tray about half way with the bread. Any type of bread will work, and the more variety the better. Soak the bread in water until it can be smushed between your fingers. You want the bread wet, but you do not want it dripping.

While you are soaking the bread about half a cup of butter in a pan with some diced onion and celery. You can add a bit of crumbled sausage or bacon to the mix for a heartier flavor. Add some chopped or dried sage, thyme, garlic, and cumin to the butter and cook until the onions are soft and brown. Now mix the butter concoction with the bread.

You can put the stuffing inside a turkey or you can cook it in the oven. I usually put the bread mixture in a big tray pan and bake at 350 degrees for about half an hour.

Stuffing can be altered for different tastes as well. You can add a bit of crumbled sausage or bacon to the onion mix for a heartier flavor. You can also try using some leftover fruit bread such as cranberry or raisin bread in your stuffing to give it a sweeter taste. Nuts can add a crunchier texture to stuffing so add them while you are browning the onions.

Stuffing is a great and essential side dish for Thanksgiving, and with this easy recipe and its variations you can enjoy a delicious home made Thanksgiving day meal with the best stuffing ever.

Book Review: Michael Reynold's Earthship

Book Review: Michael Reynold's Earthship, Book Review, Michael Reynold's, Earthship
by Sarah Ganly

Reynold's book covers the construction of an earthship from start to finish. An earthship is a sustainable home built from natural resources. It is an extremely informative book that explains in extreme detail why earthships are efficient and important means of housing. This book is effective because it has many pictures and talks in a language that is understandable to someone who is not familiar with home construction. The pictures in this book are very useful, and they help to illustrate scientific ideas that I would not have grasped as easily with just a written explanation.

One of the important ideas described in this book are the use of the sunlight to provide heat in a home. An earthship is constructed with the front of the house facing south, and the front wall of the house is made up of all windows. This book explains that these windows "must be at a 90 degree angle" to the sun during the "winter zenith" of the location of the house you are building (Reynolds, 1990).

This book is filled with useful information, and this has helped to increase my excitement about building an earthship. I feel the author has made a point in this book to make sure the reader does not feel intimidated by building an earthship. The author explains all of the technical details of building an earthship in layman terms and this helps the reader feel empowered. The author of this book is also the man who created this type of housing so I feel he is a very reliable resource for information on building an earthship.

This book has also helped me to understand that the house is so efficient because it interfaces with the earth and works in coordination with nature instead of against it. This book explains how the earthship uses "thermal mass" as insulation instead of using a heating and cooling system, and it describes how earthships are built out of "earth rammed tires" to increase insulation (Reynolds, 1990). The combination of thermal mass and maximized sunlight help keep the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer. These methods allow earthships to maintain a temperature of "65-75 degrees" (Reynolds, 1990).

This book has taught me the difference between structural and non-structural walls, and it explains how aluminum cans and concrete can be used to create non-structural walls. This book has also given me an excellent idea of the skills, materials, and tools I will need to create an earthship. The skills I will need are explained in a detail in the book as well which is very helpful. Some of the tools I will need are a "backhoe, chainsaw, skillsaw, and cement mixer" and the materials needed are mainly recycled and easily attainable items such as tires, aluminum cans, cardboard, wood beams, decking, cement, concrete, and windows (Reynolds, 1990).

This book also answered an important question that I was concerned about when it explained that tires only deteriorate when they are exposed to "sun or fire" and when buried and encased in cement they can not burn and are not exposed to sunlight (Reynolds, 1990). This book is a very important tool in my study plan because it explains many of the things I need to know in order to create an earthship in depth.

Book Review: The Tao of Photography Seeing Beyond Seeing

Book Review: The Tao of Photography Seeing Beyond Seeing

by Sarah Ganly

This book discusses the similarities of the Taoist beliefs and photography. It has been very useful to me because before reading this book I did not know anything about photography, and I feel the incorporation of Taoist ideas has helped me understand the ideas of photography easier than book only about photography.

I believe this book has also helped me learn to appreciate timing better. A photograph is such a small fraction of time, and to get the perfect photo you have to be patient but also ready. I enjoyed the patience required, and I also appreciate the idea of readiness and the need to be constantly aware and prepared. This book has helped me pay attention to details by being calmy aware, and I believe the Taoist aspect of this book has helped to stress this point.

I also think this book was very important to me because it helped me develop a greater respect for photography. I think this book helped me understand why people enjoy photography so much; I never truly understood before that "taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second" (Gross & Shapiro, 2001). This book has helped me learn to enjoy photography. I have come to realize that "looking is a gift and seeing is a power" (Gross & Shapiro, 2001).

This book also helped me use photography as a way of meditation that I didn't realize I would enjoy. I enjoyed the author's ideas on the principles of Taoist photography very much and found them inspiring. Some of the principles described in the book are "freedom from the sense of self, receptivity", nonattachment and spontaneity "acceptance and resourcefulness", and "free and easy wandering" (Gross & Shapiro, 2001).

This book was inspiring to me because it helped me become comfortable with the idea of wandering "without a goal, at random" and to "move forward without hurrying" (Gross & Shapiro, 2001). I found this idea exciting, and photographers that create work this way are known as flanur photographers. This idea is motivating to me and some flanur photographers that are "famous for their compelling street photography are... Edouard Boubat, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, and Marc Riboud" (Gross & Shapiro, 2004).

I feel the author of this book is a good resource for information on photography because he is a professional photographer, and he has many of his photos in the book. I enjoyed many of the photographs in this book and felt they illustrated the ideas of the authors very well. I believe the ideas represented in this book are useful to photographers of all skill levels; I also think that someone who has not tried photography would also be interested in this book because it incorporates Taoist principles into its teachings and adds a philosophical approach to photography which makes it less intimidating.

Book Review: Traci Bautista's Collage Unleashed

Book Review: Traci Bautista's Collage Unleashed

By Sarah Ganly

Bautista's book was fun to read and gave me a lot of good ideas. This book described in detail many different methods of making collages; it also gave detailed examples of artwork. This book had many exercises and projects that I found inspiring.

One of my favorite ideas in this book is the use of paper towels to create interesting and beautiful paper. This book describes different methods of adding color to paper towels and using them for collage. I have used similar techniques in the past with loose leaf, but I like the use of paper towels because it is a cheap and accessible way for many people to make there own fun paper.

Another idea that Bautista's book covered that I really enjoyed was the use of doodles. In her book she showed how doodles can be used to develop different types of writing, and to explore different styles of drawing. I also think it was interesting to see the use of space on a page differs from regular drawing when one doodling. This book offers many doodling exercise such as creating girl faces when doodling I especially like the use of writing when doodling and appreciated her ideas of making the writing interesting. The author suggests overlapping words, using multiple lines when writing, writing inside lines, and adding patterns to letters. I think these suggestions make doodle writing more fun, creative, and personal. I also thought the use fo a white out pen when doodling is a good idea that I have yet to try. Overall Bautista's ideas on doodling make mindless scribble become an important part of a piece of artwork.

The technique included wetting the paper and drizzling it with different color paints that have been watered down. You can also use the paint to make patterns and designs. This was fun because the colors blend in beautiful patterns, and this was interesting to me because it tied in with the ideas on color that I have been reading about in the other books I have been studying for this project. This exercise created awesome paper that I have used in my collages, and it helped me study different color combinations. This project was also informative because it helped me see how white creates an interesting tint to different colors.

This book is very informative in many ways, and it has helped me develop creatively in several ways. This book presents ideas about creating artwork that is simple and inexpensive. I also enjoy the methods presented in this book because they are very expressive and allow the artist to creative in a very natural and unrestrained way.