Holden Huffman Blog Post #23

Over spring break, while most people were at the beach or what have you, I was in a steaming hot backroom at a local graphic printing company helping print shirts for some pocket money.  This job, while easy, was very boring and required some music that would keep me going.  My top 5 songs for this time were:

1.Jumpman/Scholarships-Drake and Future (Yes, I'm putting two songs into one slot.): These songs both have pretty good beats and seem to get me hype everytime I listen to them.  To add on, Drake is fire and a Kentucky reference is made in Scholarships, making it all the better.

2. Heavydirtysoul- Twenty One Pilots: I just recently started to listen to Twenty One Pilots due to their latest album being on sale for $0.99, and they are actually pretty good.  They are so diverse, it's hard to put them in a specific genre (they do rap, rock, pop, etc...), but this song in particular always gets me going with the fast rap, the rock instrumentals, etc...

3. Rap God- Eminem: I'm a pretty big Eminem fan, and I could probably put almost any of his songs here, but this song is pretty great.  The point where his "lyrics come at ya at supersonic speed" is ridiculous and could keep anyone going.  This song really proves that he's a rap god.

4. Guap- Big Sean: For some reason I feel like Big Sean is someone that rap fans would say is lame and jank, but I don't care.  He's got some of the best wordplay and references I have ever heard.  This song, while somewhat lacking in his usual lyrical genius, has a nice, upbeat tone to it and definitely gets me hype.

5. Don't Stop Me Now- Queen: Yes, this song/band is very out of place from the rest of my list, but this song is great.  You always got to have an oldie, but a goodie on your playlist, and this song fufills that requirement.  This song is very upbeat and helps you with "Havin' a good time!"

Nathan Dutch Assignment 23

Let's say you were driving your car and it's time to get hype. This is a common scenario as a car is a form of transportation so you will be going somewhere, and when your going somewhere much of the time you need energy because you are about to do something. This is where ignant bangerz come into play. The lyrics have absolutely no meaning so no energy is wasted on trying to understand the song. All 5 of these songs are intense, upbeat hood rap that you need to blast in order to generate the necessary energy for wherever you are going.
Drive Me Crazy-Vic Mensa: This is a good intro because it is slightly less intense and the lyrics are slightly more meaningful. A plunge right into hood rap is the recipe for an overwhelming and unsatisfying hype session.
Neighborhood Drug Dealer-Rick Ross: Now that you've been acclimated to the excitement it's time for ignorance. This song's lyrics are so awful they are likely to kill brain cells.
Jumpman-Drake: What would the playlist be without some popular radio bangers?
Quarterback-Young Thug: This is just a flat out hood banger. The beat goes so hard that you may hurt yourself from over excitement.
Father Stretch My Hands Part 1-Kanye West: The cherry on top is an uplifting choir beat banger. This will do the final touches for preparing you for whatever excitement lies ahead.

Nathan Dutch Assignment 22

It's hard to choose just one character who would be enjoyable to be, but if I have to I guess I'll go with Happy Gilmore. Happy is, well, happy. He shows a carefree attitude about life and a general enjoyment of every individual moment. Unlike me, who is toiling with the struggle of being a junior in a rigorous academic program, Happy has no actual responsibilities. He is able to simply stop and enjoy his life without worrying about the future. I worry about the future and also understand the importance of worrying about the future, but at some points I wish that I could the stop the constant flow of cares and worries and enjoy the great world and people around me. Also Happy is stacked with money from his Dad's company, definitely a plus. He is immature, but to me this is honestly a good thing. When you don't have responsibility, being immature is fun and not wrong.

The Perfect Playlist: Ben Edition

The activity for which I will be designing a playlist for is, of course, walking the dog. I would suggest a large speaker in replacement of headphones for the full effect.

First off, you must start with an invigorating song that will energize both you and the dog. my selection would be "Blow" by Ke$ha. however, "Tik Tok" by Ke$ha works just as well.

Next, you need a very sexual song to help you strut your stuff and flaunt your erotic prowess whilst your dog defecates on your neighbor's lawn. My selection for this task was Ke$ha's "Take It Off" due to its effect of making you feel literally grimy, as if the artist that produced it has been caressing you with her glittery, sticky hands.

now that your dog is emptied out, fill it up with some intense emotions of affection and drug-induced addiction with the use of "Your Love is My Drug", a classic in the eyes of many musical critics by the composer known as Ke$ha.

Now for the journey home. As it is possible you may be growing weary here alongside your mutt, power up with a power song. my suggestion is "Backstabber" by Ke$ha. let the hate flow through you, as Abe Washington once said, and power walk your way to victory my man.

Finally, with home in sight, poop-bag in hand, play a song that reminds you of home. This song should be very endearing and give your thoughts of your childhood, so naturally, my selection is "No hands" by waka flocka flame. Ah, sweet memories. 

Fictional Character, Fictional Life: Ben Edition

Since I don't watch really anything, I'm going to include video games in your prompt.

I would be the Tetris t-block.

(this one)

I would be this lovely piece of geometry because think of the life this little guy leads-droppin, poppin, and stackin his little heart away. and when he inserts himself into the perfect hole, he can pop 2, or even 3 if done skillfully, lines. He also could function as an umbrella for his pals. can you do that? not likely. or, at least, not effectively.

I have included a depiction of what would occur should a boring human attempt to umbrella. Let me tell you friend, it does not end up well, as you can see for yourself. Don't let your friends down, you loser. be a t-block.

post #22- tori

If I could be anyone I would probably Buffy or Willow from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Buffy was always willing to do whatever it took to keep people safe, she killed the love of her life to save people. She always did what was best, and made sure to protect her friends. She was selfless and daring and brave enough to take on whatever apocalypse was thrown her way.

Taking into account that she is the main character, this makes me rethink my decision. Of course, she’s going to be brave and daring, she’s The Slayer. She was literally destined to be a badass.

So, I think being Willow would be cool too. She’s the nerdy best friend that’s never afraid to be the one to stay behind and research the big bad, she’s also never afraid to jump into battle with Buff to help out, even though her powers don’t show up for a couple of seasons. The last couple of seasons she does misuse her magic’s and even becomes the big bad when her girlfriend dies. But she realizes she’s become the big bad and goes to witch rehab, essentially. I’ve always really admired people who are able to admit they have a problem and work to rectify it.

The Road Mix- post 23 tori

The Road Mix: for road trips

Same Book But Never The Same Page- A Day To Remember

-ah yes, a song about standing up for yourself.

Have A Nice Day- Bon Jovi

-In the fabulous quote of 8 Mile “we’ll end this with a f**k you and have a nice day.” (an Eminem song didn’t quite fit in this “rock and roll” sounding playlist, so I had to pay tribute somewhere.)

I Don’t Care- Fall Out Boy

-I don’t care what they say, because I know that I’m f**king awesome.         

Reckless- You Me At Six

-That person that screwed me over doesn’t matter; they aren’t bringing me down from my awesomeness. So, not losing sleep over them. But they’re losing sleep over me aren’t they ;)

Welcome to The Jungle- Guns n’ Roses

-I’m going to live my life, and live it the way I want. Welcome to the jungle.

Basically, these songs can go anywhere. Its more of a shuffle playlist than anything else. I did, however, put them in this order because it flowed well when I listed to them in this order. It started out with A Day To Remember and a little bit of a harder rock; then Bon Jovi and an easier rock song. Fall Out Boy with a little more upbeat rock (let me live my life, fob is rock too). Then You Me At Six, which is a more alternative and sometimes indie sound. And then classic Guns n’ Roses, because who could go wrong with Guns n’ Roses. These rock upbeat songs put me in a great mood for driving, or just anything. They make me want to take a road trip just so I can listen to these songs while I drive.

This is a link to my actual Road Mix playlist for road trips.

https://play.spotify.com/user/vleggett98/playlist/1Qla5kDQOXBGEustuUHzdy

Aditi Lohe Blog #22

If I had to choose a fictional character to become, my choice would be Meadow from the book The Murder Complex. Meadow lives in a society where a cure is found for all diseases, thus everyone is healthy. Unfortunately, since everyone remains in good health, no one dies either. The population the world begins to increase dramatically, and resources begin to wear thin. I would choose to be Meadow, because in this world, you have to know how to defend whats yours, and let me just say that Meadow is pretty fly. I mean that girl can fight! She is amazing; fast on her feet, great reflexes, intelligent, and strong. She has to face the Murder Complex (a group that kills hundreds every night in an attempt to decrease the world's population) with Zephyr at her side (haha.... Zephyr: a gentle breeze). Both of them together are a practically unbeatable team and it would be pretty awesome to be like her.

a million people and a million thoughts- post 21 tori

A million different things are happening to a million different people at this second.

At this second, someone just realized they were in love; maybe they panicked, maybe they smiled, maybe they called their best friend to tell them the news.

At this second, someone was just left; maybe it was a small kid watching their mom leave, not realizing they won’t return, maybe it was a lover crying as their supposed other half left.

At this second, someone was just accepted to college; maybe they called their parents, or maybe just wished they could.

At this second, someone just heard a heartbeat; maybe it was a baby in the womb and maybe they cried, maybe it was their own as they were caught in a lie.

At this second, million different things happened to a million different people. But none of that matters does it? Because I wasn’t thinking of those million other people and those million other things that happen when you looked at me. I wasn’t thinking of much at all.

I was only thinking of you.

Aditi Lohe Blog #21

At this moment, somewhere in the universe, someone is showering. Actually probably not just someone, probably thousands. Just think about it. If every 5 minutes, 20 gallons of water are wasted on showers, and the average length of showering for most people is 9 minutes, then that is an incredible amount of water going down the drain. Not to mention, all the people who enjoy baths and long showers. I realize this is a pretty random topic, but being in california right now (as well as being lectured about this constantly by my environment obsessed uncle) has enlightened me greatly on this issue. Now I don't really know where I am going with this, but just be aware of the fact that somewhere in this universe, at this very moment, someone is enjoying a very nice shower.

a house divided, blog post 21- annie deitz

Right now, somewhere in the universe, a small, relatively unimportant country (in the universal scheme of things) is beginning to turn on itself. Citizens are beginning to despise their neighbors. Families are being torn apart. Protests are being led, fights are breaking out, and people are terrifying others.

Why?

Political affiliations.

The upcoming 2016 American Presidential Election plays host to a wide variety of candidates. Whether it be a Cuban American republican, or an affluent conservative white man, or a female liberal, or a democratic socialist Jew; this election seems to be comprised of the diversity expected from an America melting pot.

Yet, like usual, we fail to recognize a good thing when we see it.

Rather than celebrating our various beliefs and differences, we attack those holding opinions different from our own. Rather than listening to others ideas and incorporating them into our own, we disregard anything that contradicts our own thoughts. Rather than using conflicting stances to widen our global outlook, we remain close minded and ignorant. Rather than acknowledging the fact that varying political preferences is a beneficial effect of our development as a culture that in turn helps promote a positive and productive society, we strip people who maintain differing opinions of intelligence and even basic aspects of humanity, restraining them (in our own minds) to the bottom of the bottom, where their voices remain unheard.

Everyone, regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum, has thought on at least one occasion, "this political idea is completely ludicrous and holds no actual substance." Then, without addressing counterarguments or listening to any opposing evidence, you decide that whoever supports that idea or claims that political party is an idiot. Uneducated. Completely ignorant to what's really going on in America today.

This happens to everyone.

Conservatives are stereotyped as wealthy men who could care less about the plights of the middle/low class. They were born into an affluent family and are completely unaware of things going on around them. They are bigots, idiots, and should not be trusted.

Liberals are stereotyped as poor young adults who hang out in coffee bars wearing their beanies and converses while complaining about the elite 1% and asking for handouts from the government. Freshly out of school, they have no idea how their radical and impractical ideas will negatively affect the nation. They are loafers, idiots, and should not be trusted.

Despite our flaws, America is a pretty cool place. But it won't remain a cool place if we try to attack our neighbors in order to place our own political platforms on pedestals. This is actually sort of what happened during the Civil War- Americans were so politically biased against each other that they tried to dissolve the things uniting them together, the things that make America a pretty cool place. Rather than focusing on and exploiting our differences, we should instead work together to create a safe environment that allows for healthy political competition- something that would actually end up being beneficial to American government.  Lincoln famously stated once, "a house divided cannot stand." Our political diversity has proven that we can stand even through division, but maybe we could fly if those divisions stopped being so hostile.

Assignment 23: the perfect playlist

A Blast From the Past

"High Fidelity" (2000) was a film that was remarkably ahead of its time. The film tells the story of Rob Gordon, a washed-up music junkie (played by the fantastic John Cusack) who spends his days creating perfect 5 song playlists. There's his playlist for his worst break up ever, his playlist of the top 5 soul tracks released between 1955 and 1965, and his playlist for his ex-girlfriend's dad's funeral.

Today, thanks to Spotify,  Limewire, iTunes, the "genius" Itunes feature, and Pandora, creating a "perfect" playlist has never been easier.

On the other hand, Rob probably would be appalled by the slapdash way some of us throw together any group of songs above a certain tempo before we head to the gym, or take all those below a certain tempo and thoughtlessly label it “chillaxxx.” As Rob forewarned, “The making of a good compilation tape is a very subtle art. Many do’s and don’ts. You’re using someone else’s poetry to express how you feel. This is a delicate thing.”

So for this blog assignment, create a "perfect" playlist for something. It could be your perfect playlist to listen to at the gym (boring!), perfect playlist for a rainy day, perfect playlist for anything. . . be as creative as you can. Once you have chosen a topic, select 5 tracks for this playlist, noting the song and artist, and write a few sentences explaining why you chose this song, what this song adds to your playlist, why you put it where you did, and how it works with the other songs you selected to create a cohesive perfect playlist.

If you want link it to a spotify playlist and share a link.

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, April 3rd at 11:59 pm

(Last day to turn in make up assignments 21-23)

entry inspired by John Cowgill

Robert Blog 21- Somewhere

Somewhere in the Universe....... There are people who hate Freedom and want to wait in line for 2 days for bread... They are known as Communists ..... and they are in fact extra terrestrials. It is true! Communists are a race of parasitic aliens who seek to devour a planets resources with their self destructive nature. Much like Californians, Communists will ruin a planet with their ideology and social justice ideals, absorbing all that is good and free and ruining the planets they invade. One planet could not support the amount "Dude Free Stuff LOL" that accompanies a communist takeover, so they are constantly on the search for new planets to enslave. Somewhere in this Universe there are hot blooded Americans who are willing to fight of this Commie Invasion and to restore America to it's Capitalistic Glory! Somewhere there is a man trying to make America Great Again.....

Robert Blog 20- How to: Remove Communists

If, like me, you have noticed a dangerous increase in filthy communists in this blessed country of ours but do not of knowings how to remove this menace of society, than this the blog for you! Removing this dirty Red Menace can be quite tricky as dirty Commies are very good at hiding, but I know their secrets and will show you in (INSERT NUMBER OF STEPS HERE) easy steps how to remove them.
Step 1: Identifying Communist-
Communists can be hard to spot as they look like most everyday people, but they do have some features that will be easy identifiers once you learn them. Most communists have bad hygiene, they are to busy complaining about the lack of free stuff on the internet and spouting opinionated garbage onto the internet to actually bath. They also will wear filthy commie t-shirts with the Hammer and Sickle or a Che Guevara. They are also most often overweight and have their hands permanently covered in Dorito dust. There will also be an unmistakable aura of entitlement that will shiver your all American willies.
Step 2: Diagnosing Communists-
Like Cancer, Communists come in many varieties such as: Socialists, Maoists, Stalinists, and the Homeless. This step is irrelevant however because all Communists are deserving of immediate prejudice regardless of type. I just like to keep track of the types for sporting purposes.
Step 3: How to remove Communists-
There are several methods such as Napalm, Nuclear Holocaust, Running them over with your "Freedom Mobility Scooter" etc. This step is really up to you as an individual, just go with what feels natural there is no wrong answer! And don't worry about being "humane" as communists are not people anyways so again go nuts!
BONUS STEP!!!!!!!
Step 4: How to make America Great Again-

Holden Huffman Blog Post #22

If I could be any fictional character, I would probably be almost any character that Liam Neeson has played.  I think every movie I've seen him in, he plays a BADA$$.  Whether it be a protective father (Taken 1,2,3, Run All Night, etc...), a jedi master (Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace), or a savage (The Grey) his roles are always pretty cool.  He even manages to play a mean Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, and is still escaping the cops at 63 (Taken 3).  Now I know, not all of these movies were of the best quality, but regardless, who wouldn't want to be such a savage???  That's why if I could be any fictional character, I would choose almost any character that Liam Neeson has played.

Nathan Dutch Assignment 21

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe I am typing this assignment. I'm not in a very creative mood right now so I'm going to finish this response by typing exactly what comes to mind.  I am typing on a small lap top and it is annoying how sensitive these keys are, I keep accidentally putting in letters I don't mean to and it's frustrating. Right now Selection Sunday just went down so I'm thinking about how ridiculous it is that Michigan State didn't get a number 1 seed and Oregon and Virginia did. Oregon is poopoo just like every year and I'm not worried about Virginia either. Right now my brother is also playing piano and singing with my mom. They are both really good and it kind of makes me want to learn how to sing. Sadly, I'm to busy and I don't see there being any way that I could make time to learn. Well thanks for reading my stream of consciousness rant. Bye.

Assignment 22: Fictional Character, Fictional Life

Out of all of the books, all of the movies, and all of the television shows you have watched, consider your favorite characters. Then, answer the following:

If you could be any fictional character, who would you be and why?

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, March 20th at 11:59 pm

(Last day to submit Blogs 21-23 is April 3rd)

Holden Huffman Blog Post #21

Somewhere in the universe right now, just about everything is happening.  Right now, someone is dying.  Right now, someone is entering this world.  Right now, someone is having the time of their life.  Right now, someone is going through a tough time. Right now, someone is doing their blog post for their AP class at Henry Clay High School. This idea is something that always interests me to think about.  Just imagine, almost anything you can think of, chances are it's happening at this very moment somewhere in the world.  That's crazy..... Right now, someone is trying to write a blog post but can't think of anything else to say so is just trying to get to that mark of 150 words.  Hopefully that person suceeds....

Assignment 21: Right Now

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe...

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, March 6th at 11:59 pm

(Last day to submit posts 21-23 will be April 3)

Tabbi Coffman #19 why is this called plastics??

Embarrassment and shame are two emotions that can really screw you over.

Have you ever done something, or messed up royally and needed help but were too embarrassed to ask?

Or have you ever been failing a class and needed to switch out or get more help, but just couldn't bear to?

Or have you ever been too much of a weenie to own up to your mistakes, so that instead of asking for help your plans just crash and burn?

Same.

However, it's not often that I put myself in these types of situations because my mom gave me the best piece of advice ever, a "golden rule" if you will...

"THE FIRST RULE OF SUCCESS IS TO ASK"

When I first heard this beautiful saying all I could think was "ha, yeah right". But my mom is old and wise and pretty darn cool and that weirdo was right.

There have been so many times where that rule has saved my ass. Not necessarily on big things, but just being able to not be scared to ask for things that you need is very liberating.

In fact, I'm not scared to ask for what I want either. And that's freaking awesome because I'm not scared of getting what I want.

Just trust me on this, the next time you're in a situation where you have to ask, just ask.

If you don't ask the answer will always be no, but if you do ask you're likely to get exactly what you want.

Tabbi Coffman #20 How to

Alright, it's not like I'm untalented and I don't know how to do anything, it's more like I don't kmow what to teach.

So here's two fun(ish?) things that you can now know how to do:

How to give someone a great birthday gift (for a girl!)

1) Obviously you're friends or at least acquainted with this person so you probably have some idea of what to get them. (If you are not even acquainted with this person then you should not give them a birthday gift because then they'll think you're weird)

2) The next step is to figure out what to give them,  you can do in two different ways. The first way is to subtly bring up stuff they might like, like make-up, food, scents, artists, etc. In fact you could even ask their other friends about what that may want so what you get them will be a total surprise. Or the other way is to get a list of things that they like. I personally like to use the second method.

Here's what I usually ask:
-what's your favorite candy/snack?
-what make-up can you not live without?
-is there anything on your make-up wish list?
-do you like earrings? Like scale of 1-10
-what are your favorite scents?
-okay top three things you're obsessed with, go

3) It is now time to make a trip to your local pharmacy (walgreens, cvc, rite-aid). That's the beauty of these gifts, you can literally get everything you need to give your friend a good gift for like 30$. So go pick out a bag of their favorite candy or snack, and some new make-up.

*optional step*
If you want ro make this present extra special without paying a lot or having to make something all heartfelt or whatever you can go get them a t-shirt, or some jewelry, or a candle. It costs a little more but it'll just make your friends happier.

4) Alright, if you aren't someone who subscribes to ipsy or any other monthly make-ul service then you might want to invest in some small, stylish, and inexpensive make-up bags. I have, like, 30 or something.

5) Now you're ready to put your present together. I always open the make-up and put it in a make-up bag I think that the person would like (ex: I gave Tori a chic black one and Aditi a cute white one with blue anchors). Then you can put their make-up bag and their snack in a mini present bag and put some tissue paper on top. If you got them a t-shirt or a candle or anything like that make sure it's on the bottom so no snacks are harmed.

6) Go give your awesome present to the birthday girl and treat yourself to extra cake.

*optional step part two*
Remember when I said making a present that's heart felt? Well I think that the best heart felt present is cookies or art. And obviously the former is easier. So to make freaking delicious cookies, chocolate chip or otherwise, look up "Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies". This recipe not only makes delicious cookies but is also extremely reliable. Happy baking.

Aditi Lohe Blog #17

Mockingjay Part 2 review
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/id/973509293/

19- Annie Deitz

Unfortunately I procrastinated (what a surprise, I know) and cannot put as much effort in this post. :/

When I read the assignment, two different pieces of advice came to mind. Well really, one piece of advice and a compilation of similar pieces of advice. But I'm going to ignore the singular piece of advice for sake of time, and considering it's religious context it might be best to avoid anyways.

Many of you may have noticed that I care very little about my appearance. Well, I care about my appearance, but I don't dress "nicely" frequently and I sleep in the mornings and spend five minutes getting ready instead of spending a lot of time making myself look decent. (Not that I judge you if you care about your appearance and enjoy dressing up and looking nice- I just genuinely possess little interest in that area)

I've never thought it was a big deal. I dress up for church and fancy meetings. I understand that some people might judge me for wearing the same t-shirts and jeans every week and always looking like I popped out of bed (which is so true by the way), but I've never really cared, I don't think it should be a big deal.

BUT APPARENTLY- IT IS SUCH A BIG DEAL

"Annie you would be so pretty if you wore more make up"
"How are people going to take you seriously if you're dressed like that"
"No boy is going to be interested in you if you don't look nice"
"You could totally have a boyfriend if you tried a little harder"

It sounds fake. Why should people have interest in my lack of interest in my appearance? Why does it matter? Who even cares? Why am I talking about this? Are there better pieces of advice that I could discuss (yes)?

Now that I'm writing this, it seems really pointless and dumb. I guess my main points are (1) I really do not care at all that people judge me or think of me as less attractive because I choose not to put effort in my daily appearance. (2) You are wasting your time by telling me this. (3) if you think that people, females in particular, look nice in order to look hot for dudes, you're sexist and that comment was demeaning.

So yeah, that's all.

20 YKK

How to: pack for life

Disclaimer: I’m not actually good at this.

Condensing your life into the plane allowance of baggage usually makes you face your priorities, but for some reason I never got the hang of that. So if you're like me...(And I also just love packing. I love fitting everything together. Things never stay in place for long but it’s the monotony and the sheer mindless pleasure that you get from accomplishing a terribly hard but rather unimportant feat that keeps me invested in packing. Packing can be all sorts of things, but it’s usually a puzzle, a challenge - 3D tetris. suitcases, overhead airplane storage bin things (extraordinarily satisfying -experienced it twice and I will never forget), desks, bookcases. It’s maximizing space. Making the best out of everything.)

Okay, okay, I’ll stop.

packing a suitcase for your life: for the priority-challenged (this coming from the girl who once upon a time insisted upon toting around all the free socks/toothpastes/earbuds she received from various airliners).

1. collections of things (if it happens to be fragile and made up of small pieces, wrap them in socks. Socks are useful for everything)
2. instruments - you have to be dedicated though. They are really space-consuming and you might want to tuck extra clothes if you have room in the case.
3. things people have given you (even if it’s a yellow hawaiian hello kitty shirt that your best friend gave you when you were in 4th grade, keep it). If you are a forgetful person like me, then you might be really attached to all of these random things that people gave you because you’re very very afraid that you’ll forget them if you don’t bring them along. So just bring all of it.
4. also, clothes.
5. books (really depends. extremely heavy, will probably give you temporary back problems while moving, but…I couldn't resist. I did make them #5!)

- Next, try to fit everything into your suitcases. Steal some space from your younger brother, because he has less stuff than you
- Realize belatedly that you absolutely cannot fit all of your stuff in luggage even with that extra space unless you sacrifice your mom’s steel pots and pans and of course she doesn't
- Take out everything to repack again
- Wince as you set aside a couple more Percy Jackson volumes and boxes of older collections. Remember, the smallest weight/size trumps all!

- Repeat. Cry. Get over yourself. Forget about it promptly, because honestly that tea box was only worth what you made it. Sleep. It turns out most of your stuff was useless anyway...

Nathan Dutch Assignmetn 20

Even though I suck at this, I while explain how to run a basketball practice for young children (below the age of 8.)
1.) As they begin arriving, give each of them a ball and tell them to shoot while you wait for everyone to get there. They will always want a larger ball, but be insistent that the smaller balls are "better." As they shoot, remember to tell them to keep using the backboard. They will likely ignore you but do this anyway.
2.)When you finally decide there are enough to start practice begin with something that kind of warms them up (Maybe just shooting layups in a line or simple dribbling exercises.) Do this for about 5 minutes.
3.) Now move on to teaching them fundamentals. It's important to realize that they are too young to learn many important skills, so keep it simple. I think the best way to get them to learn is to focus on one part of the game at a time. Let's taking passing for example. Start out by having a 5 minute session that just practices the specific skill. For passing have them lineup with a partner, show them how to do chest and bounce passes, and then have them practice just passing the ball back and forth. Then do a 5 minute game that somehow involves that skill (So like keep away or monkey in the middle.)
4.) Repeat step 3 for rebounding.
5.) Repeat step 3 for dribbling.
6.) Repeat step 3 for defense.
7.) The next you should do is something for 10 minutes that uses the skills you just worked in a game situation but allows you to be constantly critiquing their form or decisions. What I like to do is play a coaches vs. players game. You should adjust what you do to reward/punish good or bad decision . For example, a player plays what you decide is good defense. Force up a ridiculously bad shot. A player wont pass and is selfish. Steal the ball or block their shot. This creates a system of conditioning where good actions are rewarded and bad actions are punished that is more direct than the rewards/punishments that occur in a game.
8.) Have them scrimmage for the last 20 minutes or so of practice. This is fun and allows to use what you ahve taught them.

BLOG 20- Annie Deitz

How To Organize your Bookshelf
There are multiple ways to organize your bookshelf. In this short-ish blog post, I'll guide you through the two basic approaches used by masters today. From here you can decide to use one of my techniques or build upon them and create your own. Organizing a bookshelf is a fun, unique experience for every partaker. However, keep in mind that organizing a bookshelf IS NOT for everyone, and it is not an easy thing to do. ANYWAyssss....

• The Basic Approach.

The basic approach is great for beginners, and provides you with an sensible bookshelf with easily accessible books. It works for all types of bookshelves. It can also work for different types of sorting!! Movies, cd's, you name it!!!

1.) Pull out all of your books. Ensure that you have ample space

2.) Begin sorting your books into twenty six piles, depending on the first letter of the author's last name. Some amateurs sort them using the first letter of the author's FIRST name. DO NOT DO THIS!!! You will  be the laughingstock of all of your friends and family.

3.) Once you've completed this preliminary sorting, alphabetize each pile.

4.) After alphabetizing all of the piles, begin putting them in your bookshelf, starting with A from the right side of the top row, ending with Z at the left end of the bottom shelf.

5.) Congrats! You have organized your bookshelf and are well on your way to becoming an expert bookshelf organizer!!!

 

• The Aesthetically Pleasing Approach

If the basic approach seems a little dull to you, or you're concerned with the negative aura that a strangely colored bookshelf could bring to your room, this is the approach for you!!!!
1.) Again, pull out all of your books, ensuring that there is ample space in the room.
2.) This time, however, create only seven piles- a red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Sort books based on the color of their book cover. If a cover is a derivation of another color, put it into that pile (ex. Pink into red)
3.) You may have noticed that I skipped a pile in step two. If so, wow! You really are a bookshelving wiz! If not, don't worry. So pile seven is composed of the random colors- brown, white, black, etc. These require a special sorting style.
4.) Check to see if the brown covers could fit into another categories- sometimes a lighter brown could fit into yellow.
5.) If not, you'll put them in at the end.
6.) Sort white, black, and gray books in order from lightest to darkest. Put them into the bookshelf first.
7.) Now place all of your books in your bookshelf, in rainbow order (Remember: ROYGBV!!!)
8.) Finally, put those brown books in, completing your bookshelf organization!

Post 20- Thomas Winterton

How to B.S. any situation in 150 words or less.
Give the other person involved full attention and eye contact.
Periodically nod.
Mumble things that sound like yes while you nod.
Act like you are getting an important call.
Bring up Robert Miles at all costs.
Use sentences that are very complex and extremely long for no definite reason adding in extra words for more length.
QUOTE YODA AT ALL COSTS,
If you know this person political affiliation, kiss up to it, as most people are so blinded by political views they could care less if you were talking completely jibberish.
Talk jibberish with high brow vocabulary sprinkled in.
Bring up extracommunal astro-encrustations, works every time.
derail conversation with awkward, dry humored joke. Anyone who laughs is now your friend due to shared sense of humor.
refer to self in third person.
Once you are bored simply molly wopper your keister out of there.

How to perform a Deadlift of 600+ lbs:Ben Edition

How to perform a Deadlift of 600+ lbs

1. Stretch (specifically calves and glutes).

2. Assemble weights to lift.

3. Lift your leg up behind you.

4. Spin around for about 1 second.

5. Double take 3 times.

6. Pelvic thrust.

7. Stomp your right foot onto the ground after about 3 seconds after the above step.

8. Spin your torso in a circle around the air (also known in several parts of Europe as the "bring it around town").

9. Jump around for about 6 seconds.

10. Squat deep.

11. Seriously, you're gonna want to have your cheeks about 3ft in the ground.

12. Inhale loudly.

13. Exhale loudly.

14. Repeat steps 12 and 13 until a sufficient amount of bystanders are now observing.

15. (Optional) Have a smaller, yet still just a muscular man off to the side repeating the mantra "Let's get it" in a provocative voice

16. prepare to lift with back, and not your legs. Since you never run, your back is much stronger than your legs. 

17. ???

18. profit

Post 19- Thomas Winterton

If you have an issue, if there is something you can do about it, handle it. If not and issues are out of your grasp there is no reason to continue stressing. deal with the consequences however you can.

This by no means warrants irresponsibility, bought has given me the means to handle life's many curb balls in an efficient fashion. 

Sometimes I apply it to simple things like if I do bad on a test and I stress about it, its in the past and I just get over it, and do better on the next one. Or I contemplate the crappy Halo 5 story and I get over it because I cannot control it whatsoever.

Or on a serious note I use this philosophy to apply to my relationship with my father, while it is crappy and the situation used to bother me. But I have since come to understand that the situation is out of my hands for now and it does bring me relax me regarding the situation.

Plastics: Ben Edition

Exactly how do you mean? I don't quite understand the prompt. Ah well, at least I'm not being seduced again.

Moving on, one piece of advice I've learned throughout the years is one that has saved my life in many occasions.

Let me set the scene for you.

There I am, breathing my last breaths after being stranded in the deadly and vast forests of Oklahoma. It had been 3 weeks since that hot-air balloon jousting idea had gone awry and I was all out of stagnant water to drink (Survival Fact: Stagnant water, rather than moving water, is safe to drink as bacteria are like sharks and cannot survive if they stop moving, and they cannot move in water that is not moving). Then, as my life flashed before my eyes, I remember from my past something that 83% of it was dedicated to-Spongebob. I remembered his advice, and that is why I sit here today. the words still resonate in my head-"It's not just a boulder...It's a rock!" The rock before me was beautiful, barely been used. another fun fact-pioneers used to ride these babies for miles! and there you are, with some helpful advice to stay with you for the rest of your life. 

Buckets and Buckets: Ben Edition

My number one on my bucket list before I finish high school is a physical aspect-get a consistent mile time below 6 minutes. cardio has always been an issue for me, probably because I'd rather lift heavy objects than vomit my guts out. I've been working on it, and I'm consistently around 6:40 now. My number one on my bucket list before I finish college isn't as specific-I simply want to know what the hell I'm gonna do in the Army. I know I want to be an Officer, I know I want to be in Airborne, but that's all I got. if I never figure out what I want to do, the Army gets the joy of deciding. My number uno on my bucket list before I stop living (or die) is probably to find someone to spend the rest of my life with. sounds cheesy, yes, but before you juxtapose it to someone's jumping out of a plane or giving a successful speech in front of a crowd, it's not the only thing I want to do. It's just the first. I'm young and have got a lot of time, I'm gonna exploit the hell outta it.   

Holden Huffman Blog Post #20

Something I'm good at: Having fun with my siblings

Step 1: See what each one of them is doing.  A lot of the time my older brother is at school or work and my younger brother is playing xbox so it comes down to me and my younger sister. 

Step 2: Know what each one of them likes to do.  All 3 of them are always up to playing some basketball or some NBA 2K16 (even my sister...she LOVES John Wall and has highlight reels of her basketball games).  My sister loves Mario Kart and watching movies, so we do those a lot.

Step 3: Decide what you're going to do.  You could play basketball with all of them, play Xbox with one of them, play some Mario Kart with them or watch a movie (we watched Fat Albert and Puss in Boots today-solid movies, 10/10). 

Step 4: Enjoy.  Spending time with family is very important to me and I try not to take it for granted.  Having fun with them is awesome and even though it can be agitating some times, I love every second of it.

Post 18- Thomas Winterton

High school- Become recruited for lacrosse on a collegiate level.

I know that seems like a "basic" goal for the average high school athlete but in all honestly I am not average. At least not in the sport. My freshman year before I suffered two crippling knee injuries and surgeries among with other health issues that had arose between then and now, I was receiving letters from colleges regarding lacrosse. I had a great freshman year and then I missed my sophomore year to injury. Since then I have spent weeks worth of hours in pursuit of repairing my newly replaced ligaments (I cant help but to snicker while reading that for an unknown reason.) I owe it to myself to perform up to my potential after so much time has been spent in the chase of athletic excellence. 

College- Pass the M-CAT. I want to go to medical school and as such this is a requirement to do so. this will take a lot of effort but it is an obstacle to my future and I intend to hurdle it.

Life- I wish to open my own orthopedic medical practice and help people and athletes alike who are going through circumstances similar to my own. I feel like I could relate and offer a superior service to them. 

Hooray for Hollywood: Ben Edition

The 2 movies I decided to view once more for this post was Star Wars Episode III and Star Wars Episode IV. I can honestly without a doubt say, Star War 3 is by far not only the best Star War, but the best movie to date. What could rival the harrowing plot? What character can replace the lovable Jar-Jar Binks? What scene can provide better comic relief that Anakin murdering the young Jedi kids? Nothing, I tell you. Not that crappy Star War 4 for sure. What can we thank that for? the propulsion of the career of a knock-off of all crappy 80's action movie, Harrison Ford? The childish and stupid way it describes the Force when the obviously better description is midi-chlorians? No sir, I tell you, NO sir. It just goes to prove that the third is always the best, a point already supported by the Godfather franchise.  

Assignment 20 Thomas Werner

How to write a blog post

Ok now this is a pretty tough venture, but it is doable. I know it doesn’t seem fair how easy I make it look, but maybe one day you can reach my level. Now the biggest thing you have to keep in mind is the word requirement, being 150 words. This is your end goal. It does not matter how you get there, as long as it’s coherent and makes enough sense.

So first off, you can make a pretty full introduction, repeating the prompt and summarizing what you are about to say. This will probably already take up 2/3 of the word requirement, so by now the actual content only has to be a few sentences long. And if you want, you can make it even easier by adding some filler like “wow, isn’t this beginning to seem pretty simple? Soon you will be a master of blog posts!”

Now you just have to write what you actually want to say.

Post 17- Thomas Winterton

Dead-pool vs X-Men Origins- Wolverine (Sci-Fi/ Action)
While these movies share one character that need not be named, they both have their own renditions of said character, and they were produced by the same company. Dead-pool, a fantastic anti-hero story of our friendly neighborhood merc-with-a-mouth, (yes that is a spider-man catch phrase but if you read the comics you'll know its appropriate.) He dazzles the audience from start to finish with fantastic wit and quite honestly raunchy humor which the fandom and I are perfectly fine with. From the snickers to outright laughter, the audience became invested in this awesome character. Which is more than can be said for X-Men Origins- Wolverine where we are shown a younger Logan Howlett, AKA Wolverine. We are given many character some old and new, re-imagined and classic portrayals of such characters. None of which were very pleasing and while some performances were good, the lackluster script held this movie back from being worth its hype. I will forgo the obvious connection between movies as that horrid mistake has been beat dead by thousands of critics. While both of these movies were created by the same studio, they obviously had different philosophies in regard to how these were going to be crafted. Fan service and source material vs. Creative freedom. We all know which won out in this argument.

Assignment 19 Thomas Werner

“You’ve spent an infinity years not being born yet and you will spend another infinity years being dead.

Finish your cereal and go outside.” –K. Steele from ‘Stress’ (Ice T’s favorite comic)

This is something that really stuck with me. It sort of puts life into perspective. It shows how even though it seems we have a lot of time to do things we want to (and should) do, but when put in the context that that ‘time’ is sandwiched between two infinities it’s really not that much.  So we gotta ‘finish our cereal and go outside.’ I’m not really sure why, but the way that’s said instills something in me. Sort of like, ‘come on now, turn off Netflix and go climb a tree. Get something done.’ Ever since I read that, I’ve pretty much stopped playing video games altogether, and put my youtube, Netflix. Reddit, and twitter apps into a folder labelled “You can find something better to do.” I do have to say, it’s had quite a positive impact.

Thomas Werner Post 18

There are a lot of things I want to do before high school ends, and it’s tough to pinpoint one paramount thing. But gun to my head if I absolutely had to pick one thing it would have to be hitting a 1000 lbs total in the gym. This means that my maxes for bench, deadlift, and squat add up to a total of 1000 pounds.

By the end of college I want to have attended the Bonnaroo and Electric Forest festivals. Everyone I’ve spoken to who has gone (including our family friend who is in her forties and went two years ago) has only good to say about their experiences. The musical lineups are always full of artists I am huge fans of, and I think such festivals will be one of the greatest ways to experience their music

Now for what I want to do before I die is a much bigger venture. I guess what my main goal would be that I want to change the world in some way.

Tori- post 20

How to... Find a new thing to enjoy (movie, book, show, music etc)

- start looking through quotes of which ever media outlet you'd like to endulge, and find quotes you think are funny, or meaningful. This works best with music or books, but movies and shows apply to this too.

-do some research. Find out where the quote comes from, and look into it a little. Read the about section, research the author, the director, the cast, and see if anything/ anyone piques your interest.

- experience the thing. Decide if you enjoy that one experience. If it's a movie, watch the first five minutes. If it's a TV show, watch the pilot. A song, just listen to the whole thing. A book, first chapter.

-if you like it, read all of it, watch all of it, listen to more of the band's music, watch eight seasons of it on Netflix.

-just go ahead and cry because you love it so much.

Tori- post 19

Just keep swimming.

Seriously, Disney is every thing I live by. Buy for this I'll choose the Dory quote. When I get a bad grade, or I'm just pissed off in general, I can hear this and be fine. All those days ive thought were the end of the world, and felt like I'd never be happy, I'd never be able to be okay. I was. And I'm here. And I'm actually pretty happy. There have been worse days, and there will be worse days ahead. But it's all worth it. If I just keep swimming, if I just push through, something amazing could happen.

So I will just keep swimming.

Aditi Lohe Bog #18

1. What is the number one item on your bucket list before you finish high school?
-learn how to speak up and be confident: The pressures of high school are honestly just really annoying. The amount of judging and insecurity that happens in these years is so extensive, but none of it matters out side of high school. I want to learn to be confident in my own skin and to not let the opinion's of others stop me from doing whatever it is I want to pursue.

2. What is the number one item on your bucket list before you finish college?
-To experience all of the typical and cliche college experiences and to create relationships that will last: I want to be able to look back on all of my experiences from college. I don't want to only remember being focused on studies, but to also have enjoyed my life and met new people. I want to live my life to the fullest because college is the time when your best memories and friendships are created.

3. What is the number one item on your bucket list before you finish living?
-Go backpacking across Europe with someone I love: I want to be able to travel across many different countries with someone I care for. To be able to visit and see all of the history and monuments, and to experience all of the different cultures with someone I love is something I can't wait to do.

Tori- post 18

Okay, bucket lists.

High school
- I will take more risks, make more memories
- I will ride that stupid drop tower thing even though it scares the hell out of me
- I will do more things than just watching Netflix
- I will read at least half of my to read list

College
- I will go to Harry Potter world and back to Disney world
- I will travel and see all of the places I want to
- I will enjoy outside

Life
- I will see the ball drop in times square
- I will go to the Met and the Louve.
- I will swim with dolphins
- I will write a novel
- I will find a happy moment in everyday

High school- I will read at least half of the to read list. I want to be a more rounded person, and be able to discuss books when they come up.

College- I will go on that road trip I've been planning for three years. Cross country. Every where. And I will take thousands of pictures and make so many memories.

Life- find a happy moment. I don't really need to be rich, or have the world at my hands. But if I can die knowing I didn't let the crap in life bring me down, I can die in peace.

Tori- Post 17

I'll do my movie review on Frank Durabont since he's a pretty cool dude. Frank Durabont does a lot of work with Stephen King, like Shawshank Redemption and the Green Mile, and the Mist. I've seen all three, but I've only read the Mist.

Green mile was amazing, the casting was on point, the delivery was in point. It wasn't necessarily a movie that made your heart race with adventure, but it made me cry. Just a little though.

With the Mist, honestly the written story was horrible. The ending was boring, the story was boring. It was just not my favourite. So when I watched the movie and they had this haunting ending, and all kinds of scary moments, it was friggin awesome.

I'm not sure how to compare and contrast these. Green mile hit you right in the feels, because it's this guy on death row who really shouldn't be on death row. The Mist is about aliens and monsters and how people react in those situations, it made me really think about how I would react if I was stuck in a supermarket with a giant squid monster outside.

I think the Mist had more artistic liberties than green mile did, because they changed the ending and they made it more interesting. Green mile was more of a moral issue than the Mist, because it was a guy sympathising with a death row inmate.

Wow this was a crappy post, sorry Logsdon.

How to Procrastinate by Allie Gregory

Step 1: The first step of procrastination is realizing that it is entirely a mental ability. A skill yes, but one that you master with your mind rather than with your muscles. It is a game, one you play with your self. Because the trick to procrastination is convincing yourself with vehement assurance that you aren't doing anything of the sort. 

Step 2: Recognize what you would like to accomplish (i.e. "I have math homework, a Spanish project, and a test to study for") then drastically skew time expectations (i.e. "That shouldn't take long at all.") Lie to yourself all it takes. Procrastination isn't about honesty, or being a good person; it's about not getting things done. Once you've established that you don't have much to do, and you've convinced yourself you have free time, you now feel open to the possibility of say reading a chapter of a book before you start. (Never read just a chapter. Your chapter ends in a cliffhanger and you must continue -- you have no choice. You'll never be able to focus if you don't. Besides, you have time.)

Step 3: Get out your intended work. This is essential as a complete lack of productivity would awaken you from your denial, and we can't have that. Tell yourself that you are about to work, but what your doing doesn't really require your full concentration. Once you've reached this point, you can finally make use of the true secret weapon of procrastination: Netflix. This step is easy. Turn on a show, preferably one that you're very into, and set it aside as "background while you do your work." Begin examining your work to keep with pretenses, but slowly turn your attention instead to the television show. Flit your eyes back and forth on occasion, being careful to stay completely distracted.

Step 4: Ignore that encroaching feeling of guilt. Eventually how little you've accomplished will begin to come to attention (usually around the third or fourth episode you "didn't mean" to keep watching -- See "How to Binge Watch a Television Show," another proud skill of mine) but you can't let it get to you. You have to bury it deep, avoiding complete awareness of the feeling. Push it from your mind and lock the doors tight behind it. Maybe stop watching Netflix for a short wjhile to make this process easier. 

Step 5: Once you have successfully accomplished step 4, feel free to move on to other distractions. Convince yourself you need a break. You can do anything from returning "briefly" to your book or else maybe taking a shower, a really long one. If you have other projects to attend to, maybe ones that you don't actually have to do or that aren't due for a long time but you'd prefer to work on them, definitely work on them. They are always accompanied with a sense of productivity, empty as it may be when it's not what needs done. Food is also an excellent distraction. Meal time or not, it should be when you need another break. Make it happen.

Step 6: Repeat as necessary. Steps three and five will be very useful here, with an increasing need for step 4 as time progresses. Once you reach this stage, you have accomplished your goal of procrastination, meaning you have accomplished absolutely nothing! I congratulate you on your success.

Note: This process can last as long as you need it to, but you must work at it. Depending on how long you intend to procrastinate, you must time it differently to fit your own individual needs. Also, modify the process to suit your interests. Video games or even artwork can easily be substituted for the reading period and movies or YouTube both work excellently in the place of a show. It is important when procrastinating to do things you enjoy.

Blog 20: Ahmed

So I considered writing something on baking cakes or grilling some steaks, but I've found that several people have already written on some form of cooking. So, instead I'm going to write about something that I have mastered through hundreds of failures. The art of choosing a book by it's cover. I know, I know this is something that we're told never to do ever since we were wee little children; but it is something that you must know how to do. This is something that I have perfected throughout years of reading and choosing books.

How to Choose a book by it's cover,
By Ahmed Hamad

Step 1- Walk into a library of your choosing

Step 2- Decide on a genre

Step 3- Choose a book shelf

Step 4- Start scanning until a book's cover catches your eye

Step 5- Snag that book!

Step 6- Read the back cover of the book

Step 7- Open the book and read the inner front cover

Step 8- Open to a random page in the first 4 chapters

Step 9- Analyse the writers style

Step 10- Stand and contemplate the book

Step 11- Either add the book to your stack, or start a new stack

Step 12- Rinse and Repeat


*Optional Step* If a book appears unappealing than place it back exactly where you found it, and return to Step 4.

Blog 17: Ahmed

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/id/973497182/

Blog 19: Ahmed

"Be sure to put your feet in the right place, then stand firm." That is a piece of advice I heard a while back, it resonated with me because it showed me just how much I followed this advice before hearing it. As in the likelihood of me changing my mind after I had made a decision was hilariously low. I was, and still am, quite stubborn sometimes. Though the difference now is that I will make an effort to consider if I should change my argument or position after some new thought popped into my head.
Another important part about this was the"Be sure your feet are in the right place" part. This was a part that I admittedly missed a lot, I'm mildly certain that I make mostly good judgements now-a-days.
On the other hand this pointed out just how important me considering this made me a little more indecisive which is never a good thing in my eyes.

Blog 18: Ahmed

1. I used to want a beard before I graduated from high school, recently(for this assignment) I have adjusted my goals to be more reasonable. I want to have a job and a car before I graduate high school. For anyone that knows my parents you may understand that getting a car before graduating will be a feast to be proud of.

2. Before graduating from College I plan on going on a road trip with just me and my friends. I want to go driving and have no specific endpoint in mind. It seems to be an eye opener. Of course this isn't something that will probably take till the end of college to do, but I want it done.

3. I want to survive till January 1st, 2100. The reason for this is so I can say, "I was born in the 20th century, lived in the 21st century, and died in the 22nd century." If I make it that long, my life will be complete.

Aditi Lohe blog #19

Be present. Everything is temporary.
This is something  that comes from one of my closest friends. Life goes on, and we cant afford to waste it. No matter what, time doesn't stop and things are still happening. Many people try to avoid certain situations in life to get out of doing something, or they let go of an amazing experience without a blink of an eye. This is the part that is messed up. Life is messy and brutal, but you can't take it for granted and try to ignore it. Pay attention to whats going on around you. Know that everything that happens is only temporary. I know that many find themselves in a dark place when they are at a rough spot in life, but the one thing everyone should take away from all situations is that your problems are only temporary, and that each one you overcome makes you a stronger person. It's not worth hurting yourself or beating yourself up about a short lived problem. Things might really suck, but if you pull your head up and get through it, the problem will disappear. Pay attention to whats happening around you because our lives are short and we need to make the most of them. You might be stressed out about some situation in a particular moment, but just remember that if you pull yourself through it and stay strong, you'll look back on it and be proud. We have a limited amount of time on this earth, so we need to embrace all of it, the good and the bad.