For the past couple weeks, i have been reading the book Beautiful Stranger, and A-List novel by Zoey Dean. It is the 9th novel to come out in this series of books. It is a book about a girl named Anna who moved from her New York compound into her fathers L.A. mansion. IN this book, anna has now been in Los Angeles for about a year and a half. Anna is already having friend problems and just broke up with her boyfriend, so she decides to leave L.A. for a long weekend with her best friend Sam. They load their private jet to NYC and get excited for a relaxing weekend in her real home, but it turns out its everything but. Sam surprises her fiancee in New York and finds him out to dinner with another woman. While Sam is busy with that, Anna gets re-acquainted with an old high school friend named Logan. Will she go back to her drama-filled L.A. life? Or stay in NYC for good to be with Logan?
In CNN, there is an article about the Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, and how he is being put in jail. Rod tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's senate seat for money. He and his chief of staff, John Harris, also are related to fraud regarding a children's hospital and the Chicago Cubs. I think this episode is going to bring a lot of attention to the politics in the U.S. ad especially in Illinois. It is going to make it very hard to trust officials because of Blagojevich's actions. These actions also represent people in this day and age. Everyone lies, cheats, or steals at one point in their life, and that is not healthy for our culture. Circumstances have gotten to be so bad that our country comes to a point where a valued official gets caught doing one of the most fraudulent things possible.
Today, i read an article about a new test being created to predict when you are going to catch a cold. When tested, many people had a significantly less amount of bacteria-fighting protein in their saliva a couple weeks before getting a cold. This test can be done by doctors and there will hopefully be a take home version soon. I think this is very useful because it will prevent more sicknesses. They will be prevented because if you catch the bug early enough, it can be reversed and your immune system can be boosted up. If this is true and it is successful, it will bea huge break in modern technology because of the sickness it can prevent.
Over break, I watched the new movie The Clique. It was based upon the book series The Clique by Lisi Harrison. They are very easy and fast moving books, so I decided to read them again. These books are about a girl named Claire who moves to Westchester, New York from Florida. She moves into her father's friend's guest house. A girl the same age as her named Massie Block lives in the main house next to her. Massie and her three friends Alicia, Dylan, and Kristen are the three most popular, richest, and most desired girls in all of Westchester. Claire started out as being hated by Massie and her clique, but towards the third or fourth books, it's almost as if Claire takes Massie's spot as the queen bee. I used to love these books and they are a great way to relate to a teenager's life!
Just recently, I started the Twilight series. I never wanted to get into these books just because of how obsessed every other girl is. Deep down, i really wanted to start these books, but I didn't want to turn into another crazed Twilight fan. Once I started, I couldn't put the book down. It is so in depth and intense that anyone, no matter who they are, will be just as obsessed when they finish the first book. I love how it can be both action and romance at the same time. I also love how good of a story line the whole book has. To anybody breathing, i recommend this series of books to read.
You can buy the series at any book store or online!
Every day, atleast twice daily, i check caringbridge.com for blog posts about my friend Brett who is recovering from severe brain damage. He was in a car accident on August 29th and a coma for about three weeks. He is now at gillette rehabilitation center and recovering very well! As of now, he can say hello and nod his head yes or no. The most steps he has taken at once is about 20 with a walker which is a HUGE accomplishment! Brett can also type into a keyboard and there is a voice that translates them in to words. His mom updates the site about two times a day with long messages about his progress, or short ones about visiting hours. Without this site i would be so lost and much more discouraged about Brett's recovery.
If you would like to check it out, its www.caringbridge.com and type in Bretthansenbegg
Today, i read the book Burnin' Up by the Jonas Brothers. This book is the life of the Jonas Brothers for the past year and a half all wrapped into one. They talked about their most memorable concerts, three of which i attended, and many other things that are important to them in their lives. I think this book was a really good idea because it shows they are still normal people and gives fans an idea of what they are really like. It also lets them tell their story, instead of the paparazzi or press always telling it. You can buy this book at any book store near you!
In an article on Cnn.com, a man named Milton Betts has had the hiccups since last November. The hiccups have caused him episodes of losing his breath and he has now lost his job. Betts has also gotten many prescriptions and even surgery to try to fix this. He put this article out as a last resort to see if any other doctor in the United States knew how to get his case to go away. I think this is scary because it's having shortness of breath and experiencing an episode of not being able to would be the worst thing. I hope Milton can get the response he is hoping for from the doctors reading the article!
Today, I read an article about a woman named Amanda Reece who found $182,000 in her Cleveland, Ohio home. Her contractor, Bob Kitts, was remodeling her bathroom and found the cash when he blew through a wall. The money was from the 1920's depression era and had been in her house since. The problem Reece faced was splitting the money, especially after she took it to court and the descendants of the original homeowners found out and got their cut. I think it's horrible for her because she could have gotten all $182,000, but her friend and her couldn't figure out how to split it evenly. This is a perfect example of how our country has changed and how courteous ways have vanished in people's minds.
These are examples of picture fans make to show their love for these boys. They are giving back the loyalty the Jonas Brothers give to them. Since the beginning, everything they have been doing has been in the fans best interest. They always make sure the fans get the best experience out of every concert or event they put on. Whether it's the daily meet and greets or the free shows at concert venues that sold out particularly fast, the Jonas Brothers try their hardest because they know they would not be anywhere without their fan base.
^The Jonas Brothers have many websites to raise awareness and money like these three. Chevy Rocks The Road is a promotion for the environment and using hybrid cars. Change For the Children and Nick's Simple Wins are both charities they have started to help many causes.
"Nearly every day I hear from someone like me who says that i make them feel it's OK to have diabetes and that's really cool that I can do that" Nick Jonas
The Jonas Brothers earned about $12 million in 2007, and have donated 10% of their earnings to their charity, Change for the Children Foundation.
^These two quotes also show that the Jonas Brotehrs really care for their fans. Nick is a type one diabetic and takes every opportunity he sees to help other diabetics. He loves being a role model and hero to many other kids, especially those who are in the same position as him. Many kids go up to Nick and tell him he saved their life because without a hero to guide them in dealing with their diagnosis, they wouldn't have been able to get through it.
^This video is of Nick Jonas singing his song "A Little Bit Longer" at a concert. He wrote the song when he was diagnosed with diabetes and sings it every night to thousands of fans to inspire them to never let anything come in the way of following their dreams. He gave this speech during the song, dedicating it to every fan out in the crowd, knowing it would hit them somewhere in their heart.
Nick: Drinking and smoking are not something I want to do. Not only because I have diabetes; it’s not the lifestyle I am into.
Kevin Jonas insisted, “The rings are a constant reminder to live a life with values. For me, it’s a personal thing. I’m not going to comment on the way other people live their lives. That’s up to them. ‘Chastity is an interesting term. Wearing these rings is a private decision that we made. It’s a constant reminder. You put a string around your finger to remember to wash your car or take your dog for a walk.”
^These are quotes that show the Jonas Brothers are heros to many fans because of their values and life goals. They have chosen to live without the need of sex or drugs because it's important for them to have standards and live by rules, no matter how famous they are.
HOLD ON- Jonas Brothers We don’t have time left to regret Hold on It will take more than common sense Hold on So stop your wondering, take a stand Hold on Cause there’s more to life than just to live Hold on
Cause an empty room can be so loud It’s too many tears to drown them out So hold on, hold on Hold on, hold on
One single smile, a helping hand Hold on It’s not that hard to be a friend Hold on So don’t give up, stand ‘til the end Hold on Cause there’s more to life than just to live Hold on
Cause an empty room can be so loud It’s too many tears to drown them out So hold on, hold on Hold on, hold on When you love someone, and they break your heart Don’t give up on love, have faith, restart Just hold on, hold on Hold on, hold on
When it falls apart, and you’re feeling lost all your hope is gone, don’t forget to Hold on Hold on
Cause an empty room can be so loud It’s too many tears to drown them out So hold on, hold on Hold on, hold on When you love someone, and they break your heart Don’t give up on love, have faith, restart Just hold on, hold on Hold on, hold on
^The lyrics to their song Hold On is one very good example of their inspiring words that help many people get through their day. This song is telling people if there is ever a time in your life when you want to give up on something or don't think you can get through it, hold on to your pride, love, dignity and everything else good in your life you have because the tough times will always come and go.
Conclusion
In conclusion, The Jonas Brothers have grown to be some of the most famous people in the world, but that still hasn't stopped them from being as loyal to their fans and community as they can. I think being a hero doesn't have to be saving a life every day from a fire, or flying across the world in a comic book, all it takes to be a hero is making an impact in somebody else's life. The Jonas Brothers have shown being a hero to somebody is setting a good example and trying your hardest to help and please the people around you. From helping people every day deal with having diabetes, to showing it can be cool to make your own decisions and have your own values, these boys have definately become heros in many peoples eyes around the world.
An article i read this weekend was about the release of "High School Musical 3" in theaters. It was a huge success. It turned out to bring in $40 million in the United States and $40 million in 19 other countries. Surprisingly, the movie was very well written and choreographed. It also wasn't as fake as "High School Musical" 1 and 2 were. I felt like the actors really progressed with their acting skills and played the parts extremely well. The article was comparing the movie to "Saw V" and many other movies that came out this weekend, all of which lost to "High School Musical" in box office earnings. I strongly encourage everyone to go see how good this movie is for yourself.
I read an article on People.com about Jennifer Hudsons' tragedy. Her mother and brother were shot to death and nephew is now missing. This happened in their Chicago home. Hudson is mourning and has many people with her. Many celebrities and friends are praying for her and her family during this hard time. All her family really wants now is the safe return of her 7-year-old nephew. Police have been working hard and found one suspect in connection with the shooting, but have no other leads they have spoken about. This is a very sad event to happen to anyone and I hope they have success.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
I read an article on the front page of the sunday Star Tribune called Secret, double life of a Walgreens druggist by James Eli Shiffer. Neil Thompson was hired as a pharmacist at Walgreens in 2005 and worked for 3 years to figure out how they scammed the government. He went back to law school and got a degree at age 45 and then he worked as an undercover investigator in the back offices of Walgreens. He and another employee developed a case where Walgreens overcharged insurance companies. It's a pending law suit, totaling $9.9 million and Thompson stands to win over $400 thousand. He said "I would have done it even if there wasn't a reward." I think this was very patriotic of him to do if he really did it for all the right reasons.
In the October issue of People Magazine, I read an article about a man named Lance Merrill and his story of Jani, his 19-year-old daughter's death. Jani died in 2006 of a heroine overdose after three times in rehab and many attempts to quit. Lance started DADD (dads against drug dealers) after she died and is actively bounty hunting. He put his daughter's drug dealer in jail for 81 days and is still catching many more. A lot of people are questioning him and his authority but many are also very thankful for his loyalty to this huge problem in Utah. The police force loves him and does everything they can to help. The Merril family has helped an enormous amount of drug addicts and their families because they don't want the same thing that happened to them happen to others.
Jenny is shopping for her halloween costume at a thrift store in town when she comes across a white robe. she tries it on, sees it fits perfectly, and figures she can touch it up with a few of her sewing skills to make it the perfect greek goddess costume. At Waverly each year, the staff comes up with an amazing halloween ball and it also becomes the biggest dress to impress party because of its costume contest. Tinsley, the queen bee of the Waverly Owls, expects to win every year. But this year Jenny is definately giving her a run for her money. With the help of her best friend Brett and her crafty makeup skills, Jenny is sure to impress the whole school. Even though everyone thinks the contest is why she looks so perfect, Jenny has something, or someone, else in mind. She has been getting secret messages from somebody and has chosen the halloween party to hopefully find him. Good luck Jenny, i hope the hallowwen ball is all you expect it to be.
In the very first article of the Jonas Brothers' year 2007 magazine, they talk about how they have gotten to be so big and where they came from. The Jonas Brothers started out in Wycoff, a small town in New Jersey. They began their careers in 2006 when Nicholas, the youngest of the three was singing in a hair salon while his mother was getting a hair cut. An agent gave him their number and he started broadway. As time went by, older brothers Joe,16 at the time, and Kevin, 18 at the time, wanted to start a band. They recorded their first album It's About Time under Columbia Records in 2007. Because of poor advertisement and sales, they were soon dropped but picked up almost immediately by Hollywood Records, a branch off of Disney. Their careers really started building with Year 3000, Poor Unfortunate Souls, and many more theme songs for various shows and CD's. Finally, they came out with their self titled album Jonas Brothers and started getting even more serious with this profession. Their biggest break was when Miley Cyrus, Nick's girlfriend and the most popular teen in the music business decided to take them on tour as her opening act. From then on, the Jonas Brothers have been rapidly growing in popularity and have now dropped thier 3rd album A Little Bit Longer. They have accomplished many amazing things in two years, including the only band other than N*SYNC to have three records on the top 10 charts simultaneously. The Jonas Brothers will now and forever be know as one of the greatest pop bands of all time.
Recently, i started the It Girl series. The It Girl is a spin off of Gossip Girl's character Jenny Humphrey. She was a 8th grader who was just beginning to join the "in crowd" at Constance Billard High School, the most elite private school in the upper east side. She started modeling, and running with Blair Waldorf, the queen of the school. When she got into too much trouble, she got kicked out of school and her father sent her to Waverly Academy and this is where the story begins. Waverly Academy is a coed boarding school that is really no different than Constance, they just cover up the scandal more. Jenny fits right in with the poular kids, but struggles when she finds out she really can't trust anyone but Brett Messerschmitt, her best girl friend. As of right now, Jenny is just settling in and getting ready to attend her first boarding school halloween party.
I am now on page 377 of the prequel to the gossip girl series by Cecily Von Ziegesar. This book is everything that happened to the characters in 9th and 10th grade, before the books started. Throughout this series, there is one girl named "gossip girl" that has a blog site and writes about what's going on in the character's lives. The catch is that she never reveals her true identity so during the book, the people are also trying to find out who this is and how she knows everything about everyone. I can definately relate to this book because its boys and girls that are my age, just going into high school. But other than that, their lives are completely different. They live the high life with rich families and packed weekend schedules, almost like they're famous. Overall, this series is a very fun and detailed image of what it's like to live on he upper east side of New York City.
Two characters that are very different are Emelina and Codi. The fact that they are different is what makes them such good friends. Emelina is very giving, demanding and short. She is giving because she let Codi stay in her house for a year. One thing that shows she is demading is when she gives strict commands to her children or to J.T. Another characteristic that sets Codi and her apart is that she is very short. One day when Codi and she were talking about high school, they brought up how Codi was always the daddys girl and never did anything wrong. While Emelina was a popular girl who was the complete opposite of Codi.
While Emelina has all those winning quaities, Codi is a person who feels very lost and is secretive but also can be loyal and helpful. One reason she is lost is because she moves around a lot and can never really settle down in one place where she feels she belongs. An example of her secretive side is that she has never told anyone other than her father about her pregnancy. Tellig only her father also shows that she is loyal to him and trusts him and that is the reason why she;s back in Grace taking care of him. Having such different qualities and personalities is one reason why these two women are still very close friends.
Something i read atleast 3 times a day is a blog on the caring bridge website. Caring bridge is a site that hospitals set up for frinds and family to check the progress of patients and write loving messages for them to read. My friend Brett Hansen-Begg got in a car accident on August 29th and is now in Hennepin County Medical Center. He is on his 21st day of a coma and has made remarkable progress! Today his glasgow score was 11 which means he's responding to exercises and verbal commands!! Reading the messages straight from the hospital and how upbeat they are help me get through each day with a smile on my face because i know Brett is going to be ok. His parents update the site with information on his progress several times daily and it's my favorite part of the day to go on and check for updates.
I think the adjective outgoing best describes me. Defined on the dictionary outgoing means a sociable, friendly and warm person, responsive to others. THe ability to be myself around others enables me to be more sociable and friendly. Being outgoing allows me to be more comfortable in leadership positions. It also helps me build healthy relationships with many people easily. The attribute outgoing is very helpful in life; the people around me help me define who i am.
