Week 14 - “The more that you read, the more things you will know." Dr. Suess

Literacy is the ability people have to read and write. I love being able to read and write for many reasons. I love reading non-fiction and learning about people and there lives before me. We have the ability to learn so much from the past and most often it is right at our fingertips. I love learning facts about our world and peoples struggles and heartaches and what brought America to where it is today. Writing is an amazing gift in our world. The ability to save and hold on to memories of the past and record moments of great discovery.

Writing impacts my life in allowing me to record my life. There are so many things that I wouldn’t completely remember correctly if it wasn’t for my journal, and my ability to write and then read what I have wrote on a later date. I was just talking the other day with a friend how it is so funny to go back and read things that you wrote down when you were young. It’s amazing to be able to go back and see what was important to you at different moments of your life, and be able to laugh at the silly things you did when you were young, As well as record important moments or struggles your life and how you faced them.

Reading for pleasure is ultimately very important. It gives you the opportunity to escape from reading to learn to reading to enjoy and discover. I love reading to be able to escape from reality. To be able to experience a world completely made up and unreal. To discover different realms of imagination. Reading has the ability to remove stress from my life, and give me the ability to live through someone else’s life. It allows me to experience things I may never be able to accomplish or experience otherwise. Whenever I read something I really try and place myself in the characters position. This helps me to really discover what they are going through whether they are fictional or non-fictional characters. Reading and writing opens up many new doors of learning, and opens up a world of imagination and creation, and I absolutely love it.

Week 14 - Reading Fo Fun

Reading has always been something I have enjoyed to do in my free time but it isn’t necessarily a habit. Finding a book that was engaging was always tough so I usually would just stick to the Harry Potter series or maybe even Lord of The Rings; the mainstream but awesome books people usually read. Throughout high school I read every book given to me in English (save for The Odyssey) and that was always something I really enjoyed. My favorite book I have ever read was one I just happened to stumble upon surprisingly. The book was entitled 100 Years of Solitude. It is a story based heavily in Magical Realism and has many symbols and themes that I didn’t really catch until I went to spark notes to get the real meanings.

Reading for pleasure is awesome because it allows a person to escape reality and even makes your ability to analyze become even better. Unlike watching TV or playing a video game, reading allows you to engage your brain and use your imagination. It really is something everyone should be involved in. I am not sure what reading car magazines or websites falls under, but I am pretty sure it counts as reading for pleasure. I guess reading a book that is more intricate would benefit me more but hey, I am reading right?

Writing could possibly become more enjoyable if I had the opportunity to write about things I am interested in. However, I am in college so I am not sure that will happen, at least anytime soon. A way to make writing more pleasant for me is to just think about the end outcome. Generally writing gives me more insight into a topic then I had before or at least gives me a feeling of accomplishment when I print it off to hand it in the next day. I can’t say that I am the best writer in the world but I am not horrible at it so at least I have that. Writing has never been my strongest trait but I try my hardest to make it something I will be proud of. If someone knows how to make writing fun please let me know.

week-14 Ya

I don't read much for fun. Most of the time I read about things I want to learn more about. I read drum magazines cause I wanna know a lot about that. I read economic books cause Im interested in that. however, I'd say the times where I purely read for pleasure, when I am not wanting to gain something useful from it, is story books about people my age. Harry Potter books would be a great example of this. I liked them because they were about people my age. They had a lot of the some problems and feeling I have but they also had extra cool things that I wish I had. Their lives, like other books I have read for pleasure, have that extra adventure that maybe I secretly hope for in my own life. This is important, why? Well, its probably not that important. It does show that reading can be fun. To me it takes me into this other world and lets me live someone else's life. When I do nothing but read a book for 12 hours, I will finish and then realize I'm in this totally different life again and I have to figure out what to do with it at that point. At least thats what it seemed like when I read the Harry Potter books.

Week 14-reading

I will have to admit that I am not a huge reader. I really really don't like reading anything that is academic like the reading we have to do for college classes. But when I do get the chance to read a good book, I love reading! The books that I enjoy reading are like action adventure books, or romance novels. I guess you could say I'm a typical girl that reads Twilight and books by Nicholas Sparks. I love the book, The Last Song and Dear John. And other good books. My favorite series by far at this point is the Hunger Games series. For anyone who has read the books, there are three of them, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. And they are all soo good! Basically it is a crazy good story but it is hard to explain and I just think that everyone should read them.

I think reading for pleasure is important because it helps you to gain a better vocabulary and knowledge of basic things. The more a person reads just for fun, the more educated they are in my opinion. A lot of people read books about a certain topic, like whales for example, because they are interested in it. And after reading it, they have such a good understanding of that topic. I am not much of an academic reader, but I think even reading any type of book can educate a person. It is very important to me to read for pleasure. Plus it is better than wasting time watching television or playing video games. I wish I read more, but it is hard to find time to sit down and just read a good book, especially when I have so many other things to do. But when I do have time, it is nice to just relax, curl up in a blanket, and read a good book!

The one way I can think of that I make writing pleasurable for me is to write about something that interests me. Either that, or just doing creative writing. I love making up stories because it gets my imagination flowing. One thing I love is dreams! I wish I could dream all the time because it is so fun. And I wish I could remember and write down all my dreams like a story. That would be the most fun form of writing in my opinion. But if I am really interested in the topic that I have to write about then I really enjoy it, in most cases. Reading and writing are just such great skills to have!

mmmmmm... yummy

Imagine you're strolling down a busy street in the middle of Florence , your stomache loudly rumbles, and several florentines give you a sympathetic look. You're so hungry your trembling and your insides feel like coming outside... in short you are desperate for some sort of nourishment. At this point you don't even care what it is, as long as it is available and edible. Suddenly the most delicious smell wafts over you. Just like characters in cartoons following the floating white scent ribbons, you follow the smell back to it's source: the pretzel cart. A friendly and portly man in a greasy white apron smiles invitingly as he says hello and starts to chatter in Italian, you give him a dazed smile and hungrily point to what you want. You are handed the biggest pretzel you've ever seen tucked in a simple white napkin. Its soft and warm, misted with butter and sprinkled with kosher salt.
I have never tasted anything so delicious. Nothing has ever, and probably will never compare to the pretzel I devoured that day or the three following it. I can still taste them in my mouth and to this day my mouth still waters. I crave them almost every single day. Walking past a pretzel shop is pure torture... I long to inside but I know that dissapointment is all that is waiting inside the doors. I've made a vow though.. I will go back one day, just so I can have another pretzel.

This draft wasn't that much different than my origional. I added a couple of sentences, deleted a few and rearranged a few more. One thing I realize, though is that writing has the most amazing power.... it can make you unbelievably hungry.

Week 12-Steak Fajitas

There is nothing more delectable, more mouth watering, or more satisfying than one of my mom's very own steak fajitas. The combination of the seasonings along with the lime juice in the steak marinade just makes my mouth water. Along with that she cooks up red and green peppers, onions, and mexican rice, which you all put together on a warmed tortilla, topped with refried beans and cheese (and possibly a little bit of hot sauce if you prefer). I CRAVE steak fajitas. I could eat them three times a day every day if I could, and never get sick of them. The funny thing is, I really don't even like mexican food. I don't like tacos or burritos; mostly I just don't like anything with ground beef and taco seasoning. Fortunately, steak fajitas don't have either of those, which is obviously why I like them so much.
The thing that makes steak fajitas so unique is the unique combination of flavors and textures, all in one meal. I am very sensitive to textures of food; if the food is too gooey or mushy I can hardly get it down without gagging. Mashed potatoes are a perfect example. A normal baked potato includes many different tastes and textures with cheese, chives, bacon bits, sour cream or ranch, etc. but mashed potatoes are nothing but a mouthful of mush. Steak fajitas are exactly the opposite. You have the crunchy juicy feeling with the sauteed peppers, and a little more stringier onion, as well as the chewy goodness of the steak, creamy beans, and rice, all together on the warmed flour tortilla; which has a unique texture in and of itself. Steak fajitas are nothing but a plateful of goodness, and if anybody disagrees, they have not tried my mom's steak fajitas.

This draft is different from the first because I tried to vary the sentence length more as well as get rid of "clutter" that just degraded from my main idea.

Week 12-steak

My favorite food would definitely have to be steak. I can not help but love steak. The tender and juicy texture that is in my mouth brings me extreme happiness that no other food can. I love it the best when it is homemade. At my house we buy this special Montreal seasoning that is absolutely delicious. I just love it. Then, even though you could eat the steak plain and it would still taste great, I top of the steak with some delicious A1 sauce. Then it is nothing but heavenly.

I remember the first time my dad taught me to cook steak out on the grill. I was 14 and on top of the world. I was learning how to create the masterpiece that I absolutely loved. My first few tries were a bit....well....we'll just say bad, but eventually I had mastered the art. I had impressed many boys with my steak cooking skills. I knew what made a steak taste good, so I knew exactly what to do to get it there.

So what makes a great steak? Well you have to make sure most of the steak is cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers (Wikipedia), because that is just how it's supposed to be done. The steak has to be juicy with still some pink meat in the middle. If it's brown all the way through, you're not eating steak anymore. It has to have the right seasoning and it has to make your mouth water in between bites.

Week 12: Onions are like people. They have layers.

My entire life I have hated onions. I couldn't eat them in soup or on sandwiches or in roasts or anything. I hated the taste, and I hated the texture. I hated the way they made me cry when I had to cut them. As far as I could tell, there was NOTHING good about onions.

My grandpa lives on about 10 acres in California, and he rents out most of his land to a farmer. He grows all sorts of fruits and vegetables, including onions. But they aren't just any onions. They are big, juicy, onions. They are kind of spicy and sweet at the same time. They are incredible.

My grandpa made a big dinner, with onion as the main dish. I was super unhappy, but my mom made me try some... and it was INCREDIBLE! Now I just can't get enough red onions. I'm still not a fan of white, yellow or green onions. But give me a red onion and I will find a way to eat it. I love them sauteed with squash. I love them grilled on steaks. I love them in the slow cooker with a roast. I love them in soup. I love them fried. I've even eaten them plain with just some dip.

I am kind of frustrated with myself that I went almost 18 years of my life without onions. They are my favorite food! I guess sometimes we just have to look beneath the first layer to find the best part.

Week 12- Cream Puffs

My favorite food is my mom’s homemade cream puffs. Now these aren’t the typical cream puffs that you can get at the store. Instead of the normal cream puff, which is a small circular ball, these cream puffs are made in a pie pan. They have a light, fluffy crust that has a slightly sweet taste to it. For those of you that have had German pancakes before, the crust reminds me of a thin German pancake. Layered on top of that crust is a delicious vanilla pudding filling. My mom doesn’t use the regular Jello brand pudding; she uses a certain special kind that makes regular pudding seem gross. On top of the filling is a mountain of white and creamy whipped cream. To top it all off, chocolate is delicately drizzled across the top. I had them once at a church function and had my mom get the recipe. I have had them instead of cake on my birthday ever since. They are the best dessert.

If I were to write a life history through food the meals that represented turning points for me would be meals in which I ate a food that I had always hated and then discovering that I had acquired a liking for that food. In addition, meals in which I ate a food that I had always loved when I was a kid and realizing how disgusting the food really is would be another turning point. For example, a few summers ago the zucchini and squash from my dad’s garden began pouring in. I had always hated zucchini and squash but my mom made me eat some and the craziest thing happened. I discovered that I had actually come to like it. For me this was a turning point that seemed to symbolize that I was growing up and maturing. Also, when I ate Spaghetti O’s for the first time a few weeks ago I was bewildered as to how I had been so fond of them as a child. This marked another turning point in which I feel like not only did my taste buds mature, but I also matured.

There was not a huge difference between my first version and my revised version. Although, I did try to vary the sentence lengths with some sentences being simple and others complex.

Week 12 - V.G.'s Donuts

I’m from San Diego, California. Yes, it’s beautiful and has perfect warm weather (though that weather is also bipolar so close to the beach). I lived less than ten minutes from the beach, but be warned that it’s too cold year round to swim comfortably in, and only bearable during the hottest days of the summer. It was nice to see though; breathtaking sunsets too. But by far the highlight of living in San Diego wasn’t the beautiful ocean or ideal weather conditions. It was a tiny little bakery called V.G.s (which stands for Very Good) that is located in Cardiff, a suburb of San Diego close to the beach. It’s actually located in a sketchy shopping area that’s easy to pass by, which is why we went so many years not even knowing about it until a Church friend referred us to it. I took one bite of one of their large, luscious chocolate and glazed covered donuts and thought “Where have you been all my life?” They’re indescribable, literally. It was like biting in a buttery, sugary cloud slathered with fondu chocolate. I almost died.

I’ve always adored donuts, but Krispy Kreme was previously my preferred obsession. Comparing Krispy Kreme and V.G.’s donuts is like comparing macaroni and cheese to legitimate Italian pasta. In other words, there is no comparison. Krispy Kreme donuts are still yummy, but they’re not nearly as satisfying once you’ve had the good stuff. V.G.’s donuts are heaven come to earth. They’re huge, very reasonably priced, and melt in your mouth delicious. My mouth waters just remembering the paradise that is V.G.’s donuts.

Of course, the recipe for V.G.’s donuts is top secret. But the basic formula for donuts is dough with a high sugar content fried in oil, and then covered with, in this case, melted sugar glaze and some wonderful milk chocolate substance. V.G.’s caked on the very real chocolate so that it flows over the sides; you’re not gipped like you are with the wimpy Krispy Kreme chocolate covering. “V.G.’s uses only quality ingredients to ensure top quality products. Donuts are baked twice daily starting at 4:00 AM and 4:00 PM. [There is also] a large variety of pastries, muffins, cookies, bread, desserts and cakes for all occasions including weddings.” This amazing, small family owned bakery has been voted the best of it’s kind, and it’s donuts were voted the best in San Diego. They’ve got my vote.

Week 12- "Like a Big Pizza Pie!"

I have always been a picky eater. From the time I was young, I had particular food that I liked. I hated when we had fish, especially when we had salmon! GAG! I also felt tortured when I was forced to eat cod cheeks for dinner (I secretly, probably not so secretly, threw my cod cheeks down the sink when my mom was not looking!). But there is one thing that I have always loved: pizza! All pizza is wonderful, but the best pizza on the planet is The Pie Pizzeria combo pizza. It has thick, soft, chewy dough that has a slightly charred taste. There is a thick layer sizzling mozzarella cheese melted on top. It has slightly spicy pepperonis along with salami and other heavenly meats as well as softened green peppers, onions and mushrooms sprinkled over the cheese. Together, it makes a chewy pizza, as mouthwatering as can be! It is pure heaven to take a bite of! Pizza is really quite simple to make. First you make the bread dough. When it has risen to twice its size, you put the toppings you want on. These could include tomato sauce, cheese or any type of meat or vegetable. Once you have the toppings on, cook the pizza at 450 degrees until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown. Original Italian pizzas have light toppings, not a ton like we Americans put on our pizzas.

The Pie pizza is just one example of a food that has changed my life. Now every time I want pizza, my first thoughts go to the Pie. The same goes for Tillamook cheese. I have always been a fan of cheese, but when I first tasted Tillamook cheese in the factory, I fell in love. My mother would not believe me when I said I could taste a difference in Tillamook cheese and other types of cheese. But then we had a taste test and I could tell a difference. Ever since then, I have been spoiled by the taste of Tillamook cheese. Some of the most meaningful meals that I have had, though, have been on vacations. I can remember sitting on a ferry, going to Victoria Island, eating an egg salad sandwich. It was a magical experience. I can vividly see me in a gazebo at the top of Lake Louise eating a homemade bread peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I have lasting impressions of staring out at gorgeous views all over the U.S. in my motor-home, eating Rice-a-Roni or Pasta-Roni with some type of chicken. I can still feel my hunger being appeased as I put my lips to my first bite of lobster on the East coast. There was also the excitement I felt as we drove to the airport on the way to Hawaii as I ate a homemade bread pastrami sandwich. There were also the Asian restaurants in Hawaii and New York where I felt the excitement of being on a vacation. These are just a few of the many meals that have been meaningful in my life. Food is something I associate with vacations and joy. I will never forget these times as I ate traveling the country!
*The changes to this were, adding more detail and organization*

Week 12- Hamburgers!!!

Honestly, I like anything that is digestible (besides fish, which I personally think it is completely disgusting). Throughout my life, I could easily eat french fries for any meal of the day. It doesn't matter if they are curly, stringy, or baked; french fries taste good with practically anything. What enhances their quality is hamburgers. People would try to convince me that McDonalds is the grossest fast food restaurant, but I absolutely love it. In some ways, I would prefer a hamburger over a nice expensive meal.
A meal that was a turning point in my life was a steakhouse during prom. I hated mushrooms and would try to avoid them at all costs. But as I was sitting there eating my steak, I unconsciously was eating mushrooms. I thought they were actually good, and from then on, I was fine in having mushrooms. Another meal that was a turning point was putting peanut butter on my waffles. At first I thought it would taste and feel weird, but it was amazing! I now have a hard time eating waffles without peanut butter on it. There are plenty of meal that I love, but have to be in the right mood to have it. Mexican and Chinese dishes are great examples of this. A meal that I absolutely refuse to eat is salmon. I think life would be better if we just gave up our salmon and provided it to the bears. It smells terrible and the texture isn't pleasant. But this is my own personal opinion.
Many restaurants get their ingredients from farms that can produce large quantities in a climate well-suited for the crop. Idaho is a perfect example of a climate that can easily mass produce large quantities of potatoes. Ranchers also provide beef for the hamburgers. Sometimes as I sit there eating a hamburger at the cannon center, I wonder how much beef can a cow provide. It turns out that cows give consumers hundreds of pounds of beef. So overall, hamburgers and french fries is the greatest combination of food! They may not be the healthiest meals in the world, but they are one of the most satisfying ones!

Week 12- Potatoe

Well, I’m not really sure which food is my favorite but I defiantly know the type I make the most. It is potatoes. Over the years, I mastered the art of making these lumps of starch into little wonders of perfection. I stick those babies in the microwave, usually two or three at a time, for so long that the air pressure makes the skin hardly even connected to the potatoes anymore. These babies turn out so soft that you use hardly any effort you cut them with a knife. When cutting, I cut in parallel lines going in one direction, then again in lines at a 30 degree angle. This makes X shapes. Once they are cut correctly, I cover them with cheese and try to get this cheese in the crevices I just created. Then I stick um in for another minute. Soon after, I put some sour cream on and top it off with some salt and pepper. These look so good I often take pictures of them on my phone. Then I eat those babies with all those topping mixed together and it’s like freakin food heaven.
Throughout my life there have been ups and downs. There have been times where I’ve had nothing to eat but the disgusting peanut butter sandwiches that were forcefully laid before me. (I hate peanut butter like no other) Other times I’ve found treasure troves of really special food that I was able to live off of for long periods of time. Of, course I even spent years chasing after certain meals and then when I tasted it, realized it wasn’t what I wanted at all. I’d say my life started out eating cereal. Not the sugary kind or anything, just corn flakes. It got me around fine and I didn’t miss anything else cause I had no idea what else was out there. Then I got exposed to some crazy foods. We are donuts, candy, cookies. Anything that tasted good in the moment. This lasted for a while but then I noticed I had this strange feeling in my stomach when I ate these foods. These tasted good in the short term but inhibited my ability to be as productive and happy in the long term. The reason I was able to notice this was because I had already transitioned to other things; potatoes, pizza, and pasta. These foods were satisfying to eat and left me feeling good. After getting used to these I grew to hate the after taste of sugar and the way it made my stomach feel. This was real food and I could never think of going back, except for special occasions. That was a turning point in my life. I sped up and I never slowed down since.
Potatoes are crazy awesome. They were first in South America; they were the staple food for the whole Incan Empire. The Spanish took these back to Europe and they got hot as wildfire. A desperately poor peasant family could feed their family with one acre of potatoes and a cow. Also, with all the wars going on, potatoes were great because enemy armies would often come and take all the above the ground crops when they came by. Potatoes however, are below ground, and would often be left, safe and sound.
I changed How I organized everything thing. I made so I talked about the potato, my life and then the history of the potato. Also, when I talked about the history of my life I am using the foods as metaphors for things in my life. I notice some other people seemed to have said how their eating habits changed over time. I did more of a vague representation of what I did with my life, although it probably works both ways.

Week 12- Baby Back RIBS

Food: It really is an amazing thing. Not only does it keep our bodies operating but it also can be tied to memories and things long past. I may not look it but I used to be able to put food away. I had the probably the biggest hollow leg back in high school and could put away triple whopper meals or almost entire pizzas if I had the will power to do it; how I never had a heart attack escapes me.

My all time favorite food has to be Baby Back Ribs but not just from anywhere, it has to be from Famous Dave’s. Upon entering this establishment you are automatically enveloped in the rich, smoked scent of Barbeque Sauces. It definitely helps that the place is modeled after a log cabin since it makes you feel cozy and at home. When you finally are served those sacred ribs you know what is going to happen will send your taste buds into a frenzy and thus the salivary glands activate. Biting into it reveals that it is beyond tender and even slides off the bone from being cooked with so much care. I am pretty sure I don’t say a word till I have gone through the whole slab, it is that good. Nothing can really describe my love for BBQ ribs, but it is pretty strong. I usually only get this meal only twice a year so I cherish every moment.

I personally don’t go through phases of loving a specific food but rather condiments. I used to LOVE ranch so much and I would put it on everything, and I mean every single thing I ate which explains why I don’t like it as much now. Salmon, baked potatoes and even pizza were some of my favorites. What changed my mind about ranch, however, occurred when I put it on scrambled eggs. Trust me; it’s not something worth consuming. I almost near vomited from it. I think it was my aunt who got me into BBQ sauce and I am very thankful for that because it really is the best. Yes, it may be a glorified version of ketchup but that is alright with me. I have learned to not put it on everything and so far it still is my favorite.

The only thing I changed was my history with food. I first wrote about specific foods like cinnamon pancakes and salmon and decided the story I used meant a lot more to me, otherwise I thought things looked good.

Week 12 - Steak :)

I am a carnivore, straight up. I love meat—especially a piece of perfectly cooked steak. I love the way it sizzles when it cooks, and the smell that fills my senses when I take in a deep breath. The thought of it just makes my mouth water. The first bite that touches my tongue is always the best: a hot, flavourful, tender morsel of meat cannot be beat. Steak is even cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers in order to make it more tender. It has such substance, not like a leafy salad or a rabbit’s dinner. Steak is the real deal, the bulk of a meal. I love it when it is paired with the typical American sides; potatoes and veggies.

My life history with food has been a rather interesting one. I am told I was an extremely picky eater when I was younger, and that I only wanted sweets all the time. That is still true for me today, but I have had a few turning points when it comes to sweets. Pumpkin pie changed my life, and my only regret is that I didn’t try it sooner. It was only a few years ago that I built up enough courage to try it, because it looks so nasty and all. After I tried it though, I loved it! There was no going back. I am now a pumpkin pie addict (and that includes pumpkin pie blizzards from Dairy Queen J)

Specific meals that I have come to love throughout my life thus far include Beef Taco Bake, Bacon Pasta, and Ribs & Rice. I honestly cannot think of any meals that I absolutely hate, which is probably a bad sign because it shows how much I must love food. Foods that I prefer not to eat if I don’t have to though include beans, beets, and radishes. So basically all of the nasty vegetables.

**Nothing too drastic changed from my first version too the revised one, beyond the fact that I added a bit of research that I had done about the food of my choice.