School is Back

Yes, you heard it here first, well, read at least. Term 4 of School is now back in session and students across Victoria are struggling to get out of Holiday mode. Seriously, arriving at school this morning you would expect to see fresh-faced students. Sure, there were some who were like this but the rest were either no different to their usual selves or looked like they had not slept all holidays. Then there was all the homework issues with people not paying enough attention on the last week of term as to what homework was due over the holidays. At least today was an easy day so it was a nice start to Term 4.

Source: http://www.db18.com/graphics/back-to-school/

We began the day with what was meant to be a double theoretical Physical Education and Health class. Luckily, our assignment was on coaching and so we had to hand in a lesson plan to teach a skill before the end of term three and then today we carried out our lesson plans. It was a great way to start back to Term 4. By third and fourth period English people just seemed really tired and not with the program as when the teacher would ask questions it would be like we were all asleep. Granted, context is not exactly the most interesting of topics but still, this was worse than usual. Then we finished the day with Humanities where we worked on writing up the first draft of our written report for the individual research project we have been working on all semester. So that was basically individual work where most people talked while working (who would not?) and it was another good double period. So the first day of the last term of the year was a relaxing one but I know that this will all change very soon when we get back into the swing of things. I wish the rest of the term was like today but then it would probably be really boring.

This year has appeared to pass by pretty quickly, before we know it the year will be over and it will be holidays again. See you tomorrow!

Blogs

There are thousands of blogs on the Internet and a myriad of sites hosting them. They range from daily blogs to Current Affair Blogs. Some of them are lifestyle blogs while others focus on other topics such as Beauty or Gaming. They all have many things in common and are all entertaining in their own rights. Some Blogs make us laugh while others make us think. Some just keep us up-to-date with news while others educate. Some show us different (sometimes entrenched) views while others just provide the facts without opinion. One thing is for sure, all these blogs involve an individual's thoughts, often unmitigated. This is fantastic as it provides us with an online World rich in opinions and culture. Blogs really are wonderful things.

Image Source: http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/blog/web-links/assistive-technology-blogs/

I am going to use my friend (Xavier's) Current Affairs blog as an example. You guys should really check it out because it is very entertaining. As well as being entertaining this blog is also insightful (most of the time) and provides the facts as well as opinions so you know that however ridiculous it may sound it has some basis of fact. Also, under some posts there is a list of references (also known as a Bibliography) for further reading or to check some facts. This is very helpful as it can give an interested person some more information without the Blogger having to type anything else. Xavier's blog is a great example of the great use of Blogs today as it involves entertainment in the form of comedy as well as opinions and facts. There is also in-depth analysis in some of them as well as a lot of metaphors in others. I really recommend reading this Blog, it really is great writing.

Image Source: http://thetravelhack.com/blogging/top-travel-blogger-2012/

May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!

Competition

Competition can be a good thing as well as a bad thing. It can be used to motivate people to aim for something higher. It could even be used as an incentive such as if you do this you will beat that person you have always wanted to beat. However, it can also be used as a de-motivator and can sometimes cause more harm than good. Sometimes too much competition can lead to psychological issues which are certainly not good.

Competition is one of the best motivators around. It acts as an incentive for someone to do something just for that thrill they get when they win or beat someone. Sometimes we have people we have never been able to beat and so when the opportunity arises to change this, we take it. I know some people who wouldn't do something unless it meant beating someone. A good example of this is my friend Xavier and Language Perfect. Xavier is obsessed (and I mean me to Hunger Games obsessed) with beating me in Language Perfect. Even though he cannot access it from home he still spends hours during school to gain points. Currently he is beating me but by a very small margin so I will overcome him pretty shortly. So competition can be used as something to motivate a person to do something, it is quite an effective motivator as well.

However good competition may be too much of a good thing often leads to a bad thing. Too much competition can have a big effect on a person's life. Sometimes competition can even control their lives to the point where things are being ignored just so that they can beat that one person they have always wanted to beat. Again, I use Xavier and Language Perfect as an example. Xavier, as he is unable to go on at home, has to go on during school and this does not mean just lunch time and recess. He does it during class time which means he is missing out on prime revision material (it's revision week for us) which could have a negative impact on his exam scores next week. Other cases of competition being a bad thing is for those around the person (or even the person themselves) who might develop psychological issues from this competition such as trauma, obsession or depression. So no matter how good competition may be, too much is not good. Competition is very important but we need to keep careful watch on how much competition we have. Some competition is good but too much is bad.

May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!

Mothers

Mothers are very important to us and they brought us to life (and at times threaten to take us out of it [joking]). Mothers are there for us and always try to do what they see as being the best for us. Mothers know their children and always see them as their young ones (even when they've grown up and it gets weird). Mothers are very caring and protecting and we would be lost without them.

Mothers are there for us when we need them and always try to do what they see as being the best for us even when we may be reluctant to accept their input. Mothers can sometimes be overbearing but this is only because they want what is best for us. When we're in trouble or when we're feeling down the person we can generally count on is our mothers. Through their maternal instincts we have grown into who we are today. Our mothers also try to push us in the direction they see as right. Sometimes they can push too hard and sometimes we fall off this path they have set out for us and we forget who is really there for us, our parents. Our mothers know what is best for us and always try to help us in fulfilling their dreams for us.

Our mothers know us and can always pick us out of a crowd. They have a maternal instinct for their children and are very protective of us. Sometimes our mothers can be overbearing but this is only because they care (even though this can be hard to understand at times). All through our lives our mothers care for us and when we leave they still feel protective of us. This protection of us can be annoying when we get older (not to mention embarrassing) and can sometimes make us feel younger than we are. Our mothers can also stop us from doing things we really want to do because they see the danger and sometimes this can really ruin our moods but in the end we come back to our mothers who welcome us back with open arms. Mothers are very caring and have a very protective maternal instinct which can be annoying at times but we must always remember that they love us and we love them. Happy Mothers Day!

May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!

Taking Things for Granted

Sometimes we take things for granted and we don't actually appreciate what we have until its already gone. Friends come and go but we don't truly appreciate them until we look back and realise what we miss, the same can also be said for Family. Opportunities around us are also often taken for granted and it isn't until we go without it that we realise that what we had was actually something quite special. We are constantly taking things for granted and it takes something like loss to show us what exactly there was to appreciate.

We often take our Friends and Family for granted and we don't even realise it most of the time. Sure, we appreciate our friends but it isn't until they are gone that we realise how much they really meant to us. We think we know how important they are but until you have lost a friend you can't know how much they mean to you. Friends become a part of you (in a way) and when they go it's like a part of you leaves with them. We are always taking our Family for granted and often wish them away. Sometimes families can be so annoying that we just want to leave and never come back. Sometimes we even wish them to just disappear. Then, one day, one member of your family does (inevitably) die, or go away, and then you realise how much they actually meant to you. You realise how important they were and you notice the things that aren't the same anymore. You may have hated what they did with a passion but it isn't until it stops that you realise how you had grown to become attached to them and what they did. Friends and Family are often taken for granted and sometimes we have to lose someone to know how much they really mean to us.

Opportunities and resources around us are also taken for granted. We often don't actually appreciate that we have running water (and that it is hot AND cold) and sanitary living environments. We don't appreciate that we have a roof over our heads and food in our stomach. We don't appreciate that we don't live in constant thirst and that we have electricity. We don't appreciate public transport and education and all the other resources around us that we use on a daily basis yet are often taken for granted. Sure these systems can sometimes be frustrating and incredibly unreliable but at least we have something to be frustrated at. There are many countries who don't even have a public transport system, or adequate education. Many places don't even have running water or electricity. Sometimes we need to be grateful for what we have even though we may not like it because when it's gone, it might not be coming back.

May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!