Salt, Sugar, Fat

            The book “Salt, Sugar, and Fat,” written by Michael Moss shows that we should be really careful of the food we put into our bodies. The increase in the salt, sugar, and fats that were being placed in the foods lead to obesity, diabetes, and also heart diseases. Michael Moss, the author, traveled to different food companies, and did extensive research on each of the categories. This book is designed to show the readers that they should be cautious of the kinds of food that enter their body and how it can affect your health. I thought this book was very informative and included many facts but there were points where I wished it was a little more entertaining to read. After reading this book it makes me rethink the kinds of foods I should be putting into my body, and not eat as much processed foods because eating too much of it can affect my health greatly. This book had a great amount of facts that informed me of what I should and shouldn’t be eating. Something I remember in this book was the amount of cheese, sugar, and salt we consume. It said that an average American thirty-three pounds of cheese which is triple the amount we ate during the 1970’s. In addition, we consumed seventy pounds of sugar. This really stood out to me because I never realized how much of one thing we put into our bodies on a regular basis. And even how the amount of cheese we eat now compared to 40 years ago is crazy. I think after reading this book, it will definitely have an effect on my own eating habits. Now I will be watching what I eat and the amount of process foods I take in because I realized too much of it can cause my body to react in ways that could hurt me.

10 Things I'm Grateful For

1. My family

2. My friends

3. My home

4. My car

5. My health

6. My living conditions

7. My pets

8. My education

9. Music

10. Clothes

Family

            Family holds a different meaning to each person. For me, family is more than just a word. Family describes the people you trust, know you the best, and would do just about anything for you. I consider myself lucky for the family members I have been given. Especially my immediate family.  I don’t know what I would do without my parents and younger sister.  They all still manage to teach me something new about myself that I didn’t know before.

            If it wasn’t for my dad, I wouldn’t have gotten into sports.  Thanks to him, I have found an activity that has always brought joy and happiness to me.  Growing up, my dad was the stay at home parent so my sister and I got to spend a lot of time with him after school.  Like all relationships between children and father though, we had our fair share of arguments.  My dad has got to be the most stubborn guy I know when it comes to just about anything.  He never liked my sister or I going to sleep upset so he would always be first to apologize.  Now he lives up near Fresno so I don’t get to see him as often. 

            I don’t even know what I can say about my mom.  It seems like there’s nothing she can’t handle.  She’s always been busy with work but she still manages to make time where she can hang out with my sister and I.  My mom is the backbone to our family.  When something’s broken, she fixes it.  There is so much I admire her for. She’s the most selfless person there is.  Sometimes I think she’s too selfless.  I can’t think of a time where she put her needs and wants first. 

            Then there’s my younger sister.  We both got our dads stubbornness so when we argue there’s no holding back.  Even at that though, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her and ther’s nothing she wouldn’t do for me.  She has the biggest heart sometimes so she is hard to stay mad at.  My parents have always tried giving her extra attention because she’s the baby in the family. Plus things haven’t come as easy to her as they have to me.  She has to study for hours whereas I look at a few examples and I’m good.  However, I will say she took all the creative and artistic genes in the family.  We all see the joy it brings her so we do our best to support her in it so that she can build confidence. 

            There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my family.  We may not be perfect but that’s what makes us who we are as a family.  We don’t see eye to eye all the time, but we are there for each other when it counts and I believe that’s what you need in a family. 

Materialism

            Although I agree with the viewpoints brought out by Amel Saleh and Lauren Smith, I tend to agree with Lauren Smith more.  To me, buying gifts for someone is a way to show that you appreciate them in your life.  I don’t mind buying my family or friends presents during the holidays because I value the relationship I have with them.  I know that my life would be different without them so getting them a gift is just a small way for me to say thank you to them.

            When it comes to buying gifts, my family tries not to go overboard.  Yes, we get presents for each other.  But we aren’t going to the mall to spend hundreds of dollars either. The main thing during the holidays for me is to spend that time with my family.  Ever since I can remember my mom has always said that family and being thankful are the main ideas around any holiday.

            For Christmas, my friends and I will try to get together a few days after the holiday.  We have our own version of a secret santa.  The amount we pay can’t be more than $10 and the gift has to be funny and something you wouldn’t expect.  After we exchange the gifts, we’ll find something to do as a group.  We usually end up going to a movie, the bowling alley, or the beach if it’s not freezing cold.  

            Even though more presents are being bought now than in the past, I still don’t think that means holidays are materialistic.  Buying a gift for someone isn’t a bad thing.  It’s a way to show that you care about them and that you were thinking of them on that holiday.  Buying a present is still a choice, not an expectation.

School

            School is a topic I have never really cared for.  Being at school has always been boring to me.  I will say being a college student has been better than when I was in elementary, middle, and high school.  I completely despise the idea of having to sit in a chair and listen to lectures 5 days a week for 7 hours each day.  Now that I’m in college I have 1-2 classes a day Monday through Thursday.  Being able to choose the classes I want to take and for how long each day has been the part I have liked the most out of the semester.

            College isn’t perfect though.  I have noticed that the individual work is tougher in college instead of high school.  For example, English class.  I’m not used to writing so many essays consecutively.  In high school, we would write about 4 to 5 essays in an entire school year.  Now we’re on our fourth essay and it’s not even November.  I like the challenge but I can honestly say I didn’t prepare for it.  Another thing that I don’t really like is that I don’t get to see all the friends I made back in high school.  Now that everyone’s on a different path, I only see a handful of my friends because they go to one of the community colleges in Ventura County.

            The thing that motivates me to graduate from college is the future.  I want to be able to say that I made it at the end of all this.  I want to have a good career with a family of my own.  I want to be able to take care of my parents and grandma after everything they’ve done for me.  If I can do all of those things then putting up with school for all these years will be worth it.

Reality TV

            Reality TV. You can’t hide from it.  Any channel you turn to nowadays is filled with reality tv.  Why?  Personally, I see most reality tv as a pretend “reality” the producers show so that they don’t get fired. Of course there are some decent ones that might be helpful.  “Dual Survival” on the Discovery channel is a reality show that shows how you can survive if ever stranded in an area.  The odds of getting lost are very minimal but I find it interesting to watch.  However, with this show come others that aren’t so interesting.  Discovery channel launched another reality show called “Naked and Afraid” where a guy and girl who don’t know each other must survive in the wild naked.  Seriously?  It’s a show I’d expect to come out of MTV or VH1.

            Reality TV has created famous icons that should not be looked at as “role-models”.  “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”. Did anybody know them 8 years ago?  That family is famous because of a video.  The only role-model on that show is the step-father because he was an Olympic track star. Another show is “Teen Mom”. Yes, it’s good they’re getting the word out that teen pregnancy is not the best option at a young age.  Except that show has made these teenagers look like heroes for taking care of their own baby.  Can someone explain to me how that is so admirable?  If you have a child, that child should be the priority where it should be taken care of in a healthy home whether that’s with you or another family who adopts it.

            With all that said, I feel that reality tv is hurting our society.  It brainwashes anybody who watches it.  Reality tv in today’s society has become more of a priority than actual current events.  Also, reality tv has created a cushion for their stars.  Lindsey Lohan should’ve been put in jail numerous times but because she’s famous, all she gets is rehab.  Justin Bieber gets away with all kinds of antics that make him look like a terrible person.  However, since he’s famous all he gets is a slap on the wrist.  I discourage 95% of reality tv because it’s a false reality where people get paid for doing nothing important with their lives.  Is it fair that you’re getting an education to create a career where you’re only going to make a fraction of what Snooki made from being on “The Jersey Shore”?  What a show that was.  This is all just my opinion though.  If you like these shows then good for you.  Everyone’s different.  I just feel reality tv is too fake to watch.

Change of Opinion

            Hard work is something I have definitely had a change of opinion on.  When I was younger, if I saw a person do anything really well then I thought he or she was born with that talent.  It never really occurred to me that it takes hard work and dedication if you want to do something right.

            The best way I can describe this is through professional athletes.  I used to think that David Ortiz had a natural ability to hit homeruns, Kobe Bryant had something in his blood so that he could knock down every jump shot, Lionel Messi had special legs to become arguably the best soccer player in the world today.  I thought you had to be born with a special talent and that’s what made you great.

            That all changed when I started playing high school sports.  It changed my views on what it takes to succeed.  Kobe didn’t become a future hall of famer overnight.  He practiced night and day.  He would be the first one at practice and the last one to leave.  Natural talent is helpful but if you want to strive to become the best, it isn’t something to rely on.  You have to put in the effort if you want to see the results.  To some people, a high school sport is just away to get your P.E. credits.  However, for me it changed my entire perspective on what it takes to be the best.

            Hard work won’t give you results in a few hours.  It’s a long process but if you put in the effort, you will see change.  And yes, you might fall and want to quit along the way.  That’s where you have to ask yourself.  Do you want to give up on something you’ve been working toward? I’m glad my opinion changed on what hard work does because if it didn’t, I wouldn’t be trying to lead myself to a career that could help create a better lifestyle for my family.