Plan B

Plan A…Plan A…Plan A. Is useless. How could this be? We were ready to capture the most wanted man in the FBI hit list, Vincenzo Scarface, when the tables were turned on us. Scarface and his gang now know of the whole plan of capturing him on the coast of Maui when his ship arrived. We’ve lost all communication with headquarters and we’re stuck 30 miles south of the coast in our own small boat waiting for Scarface to attack us, unless we figure out a new plan. This had to have been an inside job, it just had to! No one else knew about Operation: Beach Party. But, alas, that is a problem best solved another time. Right now, we had to think of what to do next and it was up to me to think of Plan B. What can we do? Hmm..well, here’s a thought; we could sit here and wait for the next cruise ship to pass by and flag down the captain to let us aboard. But what if no ships come? We can’t just wait here like sitting ducks. We could just get to Maui and reorganize there. Yes, there we go. Here’s Plan B; we sail the boat to the other side of the Maui coast. It may take longer than simply going north and hitting the coast but we can’t risk Scarface intercepting us or waiting for us there. Once we reach the shore, we book a hotel using fake names and pay cash so no suspicion will be aroused by credit card information.  Once we are settled in, we’ll contact headquarters and wait for our next directions or wait until they get us out of here. Ok, seems like a good plan. Wish us luck.

My Ideal Vacation

What is my ideal vacation? Well, that’s a hard question to answer because it changes every day! Some days I want to go to Europe, other days I want to go to Hawaii, and then others I want to explore New York. I think the best definition of an ideal vacation for me would be a space of time where I have no responsibilities, I can explore and learn new things, and I have unlimited resources to do it. I basically want somewhere where I can relax and not deal with any trivial matters. Today, for instance, I want to vacation in Hawaii. I have been to Hawaii before and I fell in love with it the minute I stepped off the plane. It’s so peaceful and serene that it just begs you to relax and unwind. My dream vacation to Hawaii would be about a month and I would visit all 7 islands and stay a few days (or weeks) at each one. I would check into the most luxurious hotel and have them have my personal suite ready for me when I arrive. Yes, I did say personal because I really don’t want to have anyone accompany on this trip. I have no problems making friends so if I feel lonely, I’ll do something about it. Otherwise, it’ll just be me, myself, and Fehbe. At each island I would go to the nearest beach, walk around the boardwalks, and eat macadamia nuts to my heart’s desire. I can’t forget my daily routine of GTL either, so of course I would tan, jog around the beach as my workout, and have my laundry done, or by new clothes. Most importantly, I would relax! I am so high strung and stressed out at the moment that my body just wants to lay down under a palm tree, sip a pina colada, and call it a day, every day.  That is my dream vacation.

Obesity

Obesity is a grave concern in American society. One in every five preschoolers in America is obese? What does that say about our culture? Such high statistics give America a view of a “fat country”. For the most part it is true, seeing as how we feel a need to have a fast food restaurant at every corner and donut shop in every community. The rest of the world continues to view America as being unhealthy and Americans as fat and lazy citizens. Even inside our own country do obese Americans face discrimination. Children have to deal with cruel and malicious bullying and torment from other children in the school. They have low-self esteem and oftentimes take out their stress by engaging in overeating, adding to their already grotesque weight. Adults also face ridicule in the workplace and from their own family members who view their weight problems as self-inflicted. Health problems that arise from obesity are also a main cause for concern. Obese people are more prone to heart attacks, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other severe health problems. The abundance of calories can turn into fat in the body, clog the vital arteries that pump blood into the heart, and cause blood clots or cardiac arrest. Therefore, it is also easier for an obese person to suddenly die. Psychological health concerns are also common in obese people. Years of ridicule due to their weight results in low-self esteem, depression, and eating disorders used to lose weight such as anorexia and bulimia. Suicides among obese people are also more prevalent because they have nothing more to lose than the pounds that consume their lives; thus, why not lose their lives if they can’t lose the pounds?

Allies

The saying “opposites attract” was mainly introduced to describe the attractive nature of magnets. However, it can be used to describe ways humans interact. It is no secret that not all the 6 billion people on this Earth will end up becoming allies, much less friends. Yet, there are two reasons why people from different interests and back ground can become civil allies. The first is if one person has something that the other desires. For example, say my father is the owner is the most exclusive nightclub in Los Angeles and there is a girl who I do not particularly that needs to find an affordable and adequate place to host her mother’s wedding. I know that my father can lower the otherwise extravagant price for renting his nightclub if the person is a friend of mine. I also know that this girl’s mother is an admission’s representative at the college I would love to attend. Therefore, since I need to attend that college and the girl needs an affordable wedding venue, we can put our differences aside to help each other. The other reason is mere survival. Sometimes we need to put aside our differences in order to survive in rather hostile environments. For example, during World War II, the Jewish community was being persecuted by Hitler’s Regime however many different ethnic groups including non-native Germans also faced persecution. It would have been extremely difficult for a Jewish family to survive on their own in comparison to a Jewish family who teamed up with a German family. The Jews had every reason to dislike the Germans during the war, yet both sides knew their chance of survival-however small it may be- would increase if the learned to coexist with each other and become allies.

Outdoor Living

If you lived your whole life in the city, you might be particular to the fast paced life of your fellow city dwellers. Likewise, if you spent your entire life in the outdoors, you might be aghast at how city slickers live. Therefore, my apartment dwelling friend, you might be surprised and a little astonished as I describe my everyday life to you. I wake up every morning to the sun’s warm rays in my face; I couldn’t ask for a better alarm clock than that. I live in a quaint cottage in the middle of a lush green forest. I wake up and jump into the nearby river of my cottage for my morning shower. It may be the most brutal part of my morning in the winter but it’s perfect in the summer. After I “shower” I go back into my cottage and find my outfit for the day. Then I take a pleasant stroll through the forest and say hi to all the woodland creatures I spy. My favorite is the little caramel-colored chipmunk named Henry; he is always willing to walk with me. Then I gather fruit from the trees and vegetables from my own little garden so I can make my lunch. Yes, my cottage does have gas, but it’s all natural gas made from canola oil made from the canola that I grow in my garden. I make a delicious fruit and vegetable salad and wash it down with homemade fruit juice. Then I take a nap until perhaps the late afternoon. Once the sun is about to set, I climb to the roof of my cottage and watch the sun set behind the ominous mountains in a colorful spectacle of pinks, yellows, oranges, and purples. That, my friend, is the end of a carefree day in the outdoors.

Images-In Class Assignment

I see the warm colors of an island sunset. I see pinks, oranges, yellows, and at the top, a smudge of purple. I hear the soft and tranquil sounds of the calm ocean. The breeze ruffles the palm tree's leaves. I hear the beautiful and loud silence. The picture gives me a sense of calmness and serenity. It makes me wish for an escape from my stressful life. I feel calm, with a strong desire to travel. It inspires me to go out and experience nature. I taste the salty air.

Good Habits

Prompt: Good habits improve our physical, emotional, and/or financial health. Select one of your good habits and write an essay persuading readers to make that habit a part of their lives.

            One look around a playground and you can easily spot more overweight children than there are healthy children. The problem of obesity isn’t confines to elementary school age children either; it is a widespread problem in middle and high school environments as well. It’s disgusting and discouraging to see the young people of America fall prey to the unrelenting jaws of fast food and junk food. Yet, there is a simple solution to this problem and it begins with accepting and applying good eating habits to your life. By eating more fruits and vegetables and cutting out excess junk food, youth and adults alike can lead healthy lives and prevent the onset of obesity.

            At the beginning of the year 2006, I made a resolution to cut out soda and all soft drinks from my diet for at least one year. Needless to say, I kept this resolution and it has become a lifestyle change for me because I was delighted with the benefits I reaped. Admittedly, I did lose weight but I also had more energy and my skin almost glowed due to my replacement drink of choice, water. Soda has been proven to be one of the strongest culprits in excessive weight gain and the reason for this is because it is readily available everywhere. It’s cheaper to buy than a bottle of water and it is even in conveniently located vending machines. However, its high sugar content contributes to the stored sugar we have in our bodies and that converts to undesirable fat. Thus, the more soda we drink, the more sugar and calories our bodies store, the fatter we become. By eliminating, or simply reducing, the amount of soda we drink every day, we can begin to make changes that will improve our health and shed unnecessary and unhealthy pounds.

            The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans states that a healthy diet emphasizes an abundance of colorful fruits and vegetables. The reason for this is fruits and vegetables are high in all the necessary vitamins and minerals our bodies need on a daily basis to function correctly. Perhaps you may say that multivitamins are an alternative to eating healthy food; however, multivitamins are important to supply the nutrients you don’t get from your daily diet but they must not substitute natural produce. From my own experience, when I consume fruits and vegetables more so than processed foods, I lose the urge to over eat or binge on other unhealthy food that may make cause my weight to skyrocket. Junk food such as chips and ice cream, for example, have little to no nutritional value when compared to, say, an apple or broccoli. Therefore, the junk food we consume can be classified as “empty calories” that simply only supply calories and sugar instead of much need nutrients that fruits and vegetables give us.

            You might ask yourself, why should I make a habit of eating healthier and foregoing the way I have learned to eat over the years? The most obvious and crucial answer is that when you don’t lead a healthy lifestyle, you are more prone to harmful diseases and health defects. Obesity can occur when you decide to negate to choose healthy food choices and regular exercise. This can lead to diseases such as heart disease, high cholesterol, or diabetes.  “If you are obese, you are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglycerides, coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, and sleep apnea, among other conditions” (WebMd). If you lose weight, your risk of these diseases is lowered. Leading a sedentary lifestyle full of unhealthy food choices can increase your risk of obesity and consequently your risk of other diseases that can ultimately lead to death.

            Junk foods are inevitable factors in our lives because their processed and easy availability fit out hectic lifestyle. However, if we continuously consume these foods, we will gain weight and are at risk for being overweight and eventually, obese. By adopting my idea of a good habit of choosing healthy food choices such as fruits, vegetables, and water, we can all lower our risk of this unfortunate disease and help prevent the coming of other diseases as well. It can be as simple as adding an apple to your lunch or drinking a bottle of water instead of soda at dinner. If we all make these small and simple lifestyle changes, we have the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives.