Racist

We are all racist whether we mean to be or not. When you see someone, you automatically notice and make judgements on about 11 things within 30 seconds. The color of their skin is one thing. And then without thinking, you will judge them and stereotype them unconsciously. In class this week, we watched the movie Crash. This movie was made to show people just how racist most of America is. This movie incorporates many of the large race groups in America today. They all judge other races that are present here. And they all fit the stereotype for the "race" that they are. It was so sad to watch as these people acted how they did to people with a different look than they have. The judgements were very harsh and hurtful. I know that some of this was exaggerated, but knowing people EVERYDAY do the same thing is a hard thing to think about.
This movie has summed up so much of what we have talked about in Sociology. Sal has been telling us all year that we need to see the larger picture. We need to think about others that need more than we do. If everyone in America would sit down and watch this movie for less than 2 hours, so much would change. People would see how wrong it is to judge someone on just their appearance. This movie is blatantly telling the public to stop and see the bigger picture in society, in people, and in the world.
This movie relates to my life because I, too, judge people. I think that is something that will never change in most peoples' lives. You can't just stop judging people. But this movie made me so much more aware of the harm it can have. Since taking this class, I have tried a lot harder to see the bigger picture. I have tried to not look at people for the color of their skin but what is really inside. And I think that is the most important thing in a society such as ours. So next time, try and stop yourself from judging before you know someone.

It Doesn't Even Exist!

RACE DOESN'T REALLY EXIST! Did you know that the first thing we see when we first meet people is their sex and their race. So we notice the color of their skin. And then we start judging them before the first words can even come out of their mouths. This week in Soc we have been talking about how race is a socially made up concept. There is nothing different in my blood being white than a different person being black or hispanic or asian. Nothing really sets us apart except for the area of the world that we are from. So what are we really looking at? Do I become "black" when I am super tan in the summer? How do I pass as white? What is so different about me? Simple answer...my family is from Europe, so I have lighter skin than someone from Africa.
So this is related to sociology because people aren't seeing the bigger picture in everyone. I wish people could break past seeing color and see the real person inside. I try to do this everyday. I want to know people for who they really are, and I want people to do the same when they see me. Would you want to be judged based on your appearance and not the real you? Personally I think everyone should have the chance to be themselves before they are judged.
This realtes to my life because of a friendship I had a long time ago. My best friend growing up until she moved in 2nd grade was black. When we are young we don't look at the color of someone's skin. This is what we need to do now! See the real person! So I didn't judge her or expect something different, I just wanted to be friends. Why can't this always be the case? Let's try and see people INSIDE before we judge their outsides!

30 days

Could you imagine living a life of poverty? Working a minnimum wage job and having a family? I can't even imagine that. We live in completely different lives than lower class families. In class, we watched 30 Days where Morgan lives for 30 days making minnimum wage. The minnimum wage is currently $8.25 I believe. Most working students at our school make more than $8.25 and we are only in high school! And how fast does that pay check go? FAST! At least if you are like me. There is a whole nother side to the world that people in our area don't always realize exists. Many families by us are in the top 10 percent of the United States. There are people that aren't making even a fraction of what some families here make!
This relates way back to one of the first weeks of school with having a sociological imagination. We need to be able to see that there are other parts of life, not just what we live. This class has made me realize how lucky I am to have been born into the family I have been. It's luck of the draw. Like when we played Monopoly; there is no way to choose who you are...it's a roll of the dice and you're stuck there for probably most of your life.
This idea relates to my life because of my parents. They were the difference in this social class phenomenon. They were born into lower class families without college education. Both put themselves through college and broke the norm. They can imagine what it was like to live in the minnimum wage families. It's hard for me to grasp what else is out there. It makes me wonder what I can do to help everyone else. There is so much more out there than we realize.

It's EVERYWHERE

When we were watching the movie in class, it shows Black Americans that are both in and not in the Jack and Jill society. The people that can not get into the group believe that people being "shunned" by other peers is only present in their life. As I was hearing it, they believe that only blacks have a society that not all blacks can be in. It sounded like the wealthy blacks were saying that they are the only ones that work for it, and that it is handed to whites.
Some of the things they were saying bothered me for a few different reasons. I am a member of the Children of the American Revolution, and that is a group that is somewhat "exclusive" as well. You must be related to someone that served in the Revolutionary War, and you must fill out a very detailed application that must be approved. So the same things happen in white societies too. The reason I was upset with the wealthy blacks was because they think they are the only ones that work to gain the status they did. I know MANY white Americans, including my own parents, that worked and put themselves through school and made their way in this world. They broke out of the lower-middle class lifes that they lived. Both of their parents were blue collar workers, and they have both become successful white collar workers; and they did it themselves. So all of this stuff isn't just present in the Black American lives.
This relates to sociology because it is all in the mind sets. People aren't seeing the bigger picture. I have started realizing that not everything is just like me. There are many different ways of life, and because of this class I have started really realizing this. But aspects of all societies are present in many other societies around the country.

Jail

In class, we watched a 30 Days episode where he went to jail for 30 (25 actually) days. This was a mind blowing thing to watch; I guess I never really thought about what jail would really look like. It made me really appreciate everything that I have in my life and the wonderful opportunities that I have to keep me out of jail. It also makes me feel really bad for all of the people that shouldn't be there. Some of the people are actually mentally challenged, or have physical reasons that they should not be in the same place as people who have committed serious crimes.
This relates to sociology, because people would much rather pay for prisons than places where people can actually get help. When thinking about it, it would make sense that people would want to keep the "bad people" off the street; but some of the people aren't actually bad. Some people just need help, or need to be institutionialized. That would really be helping the country more!
I don't really know how to relate jail to my life. I don't know a lot about jail, and I never want to. I am just thankful for the life that I, and my friends and family, have been born into. I am proud to say that I don't have to worry about jail as an option everyday of my life.

Why is that weird?

In class, we have been talking about social deviance. Deviance is the act of doing something "weird" or different. In sociology, it is okay to do something unnormal, but in the world, people look at you differently. Not all acts of deviance are bad though. We read a story about a man who did an act of deviance and ended up helping a man out of a slump in his life.
We were then encouraged to do an act of deviance in our life, so I thought I would do something to help my friends. I don't normally go out of my way to help my friends, because I have a casual relationship with all of my friends. So, when we were at lunch last week, I decided to do my act of deviance. I did something simple, because I didn't want my friends to be too weirded out. So after we finished eating, I stood up and threw away everyone's trash and put the trays where they are supposed to go. My friends all told me that I didn't have to do that, and they seemed kind of uncomfortable to have me do something so simple for them. One of them even told me to stop because she could do it! I just continued on, and told her not to worry about it. After I threw everyone's stuff away, life went on like nothing had happened. They were all thrown off for a second, but after it was over, life went back to normal.
Why do things that are done just to help people have to be weird? Why can't it be okay to help your friends out once in a while? I don't want it to be weird! I just want to help my friends out, and not have them think that it is weird, especially in a bad way.

Who Am I?

Recently we have been talking about teens and their rolelessness. This is a simple term...not knowing what their role is in life. Teens have been pictured in a completely different way than in the 1960s when the word "teen" came into play. There is so much less in a teenager's life now. Our lives consist of school, homework, friends, sports, clubs and MAYBE a job. Even with this, most of my friends do not have jobs in the school year. So when we are put into college or the real world, it is a shock! Many of my friends have gone to college and been very confused with having to do everything for themselves. Sociologists say that some of this rolelessness may be due to the lack of teen jobs with adult supervisors. Also, there are a lot less public "hang outs". Everywhere that my friends and I go now uses money in some form, and since most of my friends aren't working, the money comes from their parents. All of this leads to that lack of self knowledge. Many teens that do have jobs are in jobs where they work with other teens and possibly one or two adults. This gives a lack of interaction with people who are actually living in the real world.

This relates to our class because we (teens) are being treated as children. When we go into the real world we have to go from being completely dependent to being almost completely independent. That is a huge jump that they expect almost instantly. It's not that easy!!

In my life, my job is a babysitter. I babysit everyday after school until about 6:30. The whole time I am the adult in the situation. I think this is one of the best jobs I can have, because I am acting as the adult to these children while still being able to go home and be the dependent one. I believe this is one of the best ways to give teens a look into the real world. I feel like right now in my life, I am in that awkward "not a girl not yet a woman" stage, but I feel like my transition to woman will be a lot easier after having both of the sides present at once.

Let's Be Real!

Why is it that everyone has to try to be someone they're not? Both girls and guys. Girls have to be picture perfect, skinny, big boobs, big butt, bleach blonde hair, and have that misterious look. Guys have to be tough, built, have abs and biceps, and can't show emotion about anything. This is based a lot on the media and how people are portrayed. It is rare to see a normal size girl on the cover of a magazine. It is just as rare to see a guy crying or expressing his emotions in a movie.
I agree with Sal and other sociologists that this has to stop. I don't want to have to be a size 00 to fit in. I don't want to date a guy that only fights and is a "tough guy". What matters most is what is on the inside!
This relates to my life beacause of two young girls that I know. One of them is a normal size girl; some may even call her a little heavy; she's 9. Her mom has a huge problem with her being a little round and not perfectly skinny. She is taking her to a doctor to see if she has a hormone inbalance. Her sister is 11 and is a stick. She is proud of that. They only wear name brand clothes because that's how they think they fit in. Why do little kids have to be affected so young?! This reminds me of Taylor Swift's new song:

Oh, darling don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh, darling don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up
It can stay this simple

And no one's ever burned you
Nothing's ever left you scarred
And even though you want to
Just try to never grow up

Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room
Memorize what it sounded like when your dad get's home
Remember the footsteps, remember the words said
And all you're little brothers favorite songs
I just realized everything I had is someday gonna be gone
If  only everyone could stay young and not have to deal with the harms of society.

Random note: When I was opening the song lyrics, I had a pop up...it was an advertisement. "Lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks!" Really? IT'S EVERYWHERE! Why can't we have normal size people in this world?

Don't Judge Me!

Today we were exposed to the bad portrayals of women in the media. This media portrayal is hurting women, even if they don't realize it. A lot of girls are choosing eating disorders now, even if they don't realize it. They may eat less just to get that "perfect body" that they see on television or on billboards. IT'S NOT REAL!! THEY'RE AIRBRUSHED! I wish all girls would realize that! It bothers me that I know so many girls that idolize the models in the media. I have known people to stop eating so they can get the best body for a dance, or for summer. So eating part of the year is okay? I disagree. The media is making people feel like it is okay to judge how people look. What matters is on the inside. I wish everyone were like Hal in the movie Shallow Hal. He was one of the most shallow people, and he got a "curse" put on him to see inner beauty. He ended up falling in love with a girl that was not a model, or someone that a lot of people would look at. He fell in love with a girl that people would jump the gun to judge. I thought this movie was amazing; I wish all people could see it for what it is worth. Again: what matters most is on the inside!!! The media needs to start understanding this so that women (and men) will stop being portrayed in the fake way that they are.

Nurture

This week we started talking a lot about how humans need Nurture with Nature in order to become fully functioning humans. We talked about feral (wild) children and how they become like the animals that raised them. Also, if someone is isolated, they are still in baby/infant stages if they are ever recovered.
This relates to sociology because of the studies that show that children need Nature AND Nurture. Not Nature OR Nurture. We are humans because of the two working together. Our societies, familes, religions, jobs, schools, etc.,etc., determine the person that we become.
I thought it was so sad to hear about the children that did not have human families. It was depressing to hear about and even watch.
Hearing about feral children reminds me of The Jungle Book. I now know that the movie/book is NOT reality. The human child could not be raised by animals and still have all human characteristics. Being human is not based on nature alone. We become the people that we are because of the nature in our genes and the nurture that surrounds us.

Tuesdays With Morrie

In class, we watched the movie Tuesdays With Morrie. This is one of the most touching movies that I have ever seen. It's about a sociology professor that was recently diagnosed with ALS. This was a man that was very independent and did everything on his own. When he was diagnosed, he lost most of his independence. Near the end, he was dependednt on people for everything. This was so devistating to watch, because the man was such an independednt, free spirited man.

In America, dependancy is frowned upon. People are focused on fast paced independence. The sociology in this is a huge part of our culture. In other countries, dependancy is a must. I don't like that in America dependency looks like a weakness. Other countries think of independence as a sign of weekness because you cannot work well with others. I think it is really cool to think of the differences that the different countries have.

Personally, I am a very dependent person. I always have to be around people; I absolutely hate being alone. And I refuse to make major decisions without input from several people. So do I look weak and hopeless to other Americans? I hope not...but I really don't care. As long as I am happy, that's what really matters. I think thats how we all need to live our lives!

Different Cultures

We read an article this week about how a child was left on the street in their stroller while the parents were eating in the resturaunt. Thiw was unacceptable in America, but in their home country, it was perfectly normal. This shows the culture differences in the world. We, especially in America, are very close minded to other cultures and ideas. When thinking sociologically, we shouldn't do that. We should see the big picture, and why that should be good. It is good for children to get fresh air, so leaving them outside should be harmless. But in America, the fast paced life outside would not be safe for a child.
This is similar to when I went to Japan. When I was there, the different culture struck me drastically. Seeing vending machines for everything and ANYTHING freaked me out a little bit. I was somewhat uncomfortable with cigarette and alcohol vending machines. I now know that things like that are considered normal in different parts of the world. Thinking socioligically, I appreciate the different cultures. If everyone were the same, the world would be boring!

Culture

This week, we have been talking a lot about culture. This is one of my favorite topics because of the trip that I took to Japan in 2009. While there, I experienced Japanese culture 100%. One of my favorite topics in class was when we talked about the toilets. That sounds funny to say "My favorite topic is toilets" but I thought it was very interesting to see and think about different toilets from around the world. While there, I remember thinking about the toilets being different, but never thought that much into it. The sociology behind it is a lot more obvious now that I think about it. There are reasons that cultures do the things they do. Each culture thinks differently about things, and this is truly reflected in their toilets. In Japan, they are small, and water efficient. Often times the toilets are in the ground. And they have urinals for women. This would be almost unthinkable in America!

It's funny to think about how the girls reacted to these toilets when I was there. Our first experience was one day when we went to a lunch buffet. We decided that we needed to go to the bathroom, so being American girls, we all went to the bathroom together. When we walked in, they were immaculate. They were the cleaniest, freshest smelling bathrooms that i have ever been in. Then we opened the stalls to go in, and there were sideways urinals in the ground!!! We were in shock. We walked out in shock. We had no idea what to do! So we thought it through, and decided it was something that we needed to try to fully experience Japanese culture. It's so interesting to think that this isn't weird to them! This all has to do with culture, and how different Americans and Japanese are. Every culture is different in their own way. After thinking about this a lot more in class, it makes me appreciate it more. I think it is really cool to think about how everyone does everything different. Culture is a huge part of everyone, and all of our cultures are different! 

A Bronx Tale

Currently we are watching the movie "A Bronx Tale" which is about Collogro, the young Italian American growing up in the Bronx. When watching this movie (so far), the segregation is very obvious. But it goes to show the many different groups in the movie. Collogro or "C" is in multiple groups throughout the movie. He is part of the large Italian American group where he lives. He is part of his family: he is a son. He is a friend to the kids his age. He is also a friend of Sonny's and the Mob's. He is a student. He is also the go-to man for many of his friends, and even sometimes Sonny.
I think the main sociology lesson in this movie relates back to the Complex Me activity. We are all a part of so many groups, and sometimes we even discriminate against other groups. I personally believe that we need to be more open minded to the people around us. In the movie, C tries to defend the African American guys when they ride through the neighborhood, but at the end of the clip today he was getting in trouble with the girl he likes because he was at the scene. People are too quick to judge!! Settle back and don't stress about everything so much! Everyone seems to be in constant fear of someone else. It's very obvious in this movie, that if you get to know someone, they can be a great person. Sonny is a great example of this. He is feared in the community, but when C gets to know him he realizes that Sonny is really a great guy. So I think one of the biggest lessons in this movie is to not be so quick to judge; all of our groups are some how related.
A life example that I have of being judged to quickly is cheerleading. I cheered for nine years, so never truly understood the "stereotypical cheerleader". I don't know any cheerleaders that are "whores" or get pregnant really young. Many people are quick to judge because we wear short skirts. So many cheerleaders are complete opposites of the stereotype. If people got to know cheerleaders before judging them, there wouldn't be this huge stereotype. We are a part of the same groups as everyone else. We are students that care about grades and care about our friends too.
Don't be so quick to judge! We are all related in some way through our groups.

Complex Me

I belong to many groups: many that I choose to be a part of, many that I don't choose to be a part of, and m any that I don't know I'm a part of. I'm a sister and a daughter. I'm a student. I'm a lifeguard and a babysitter. I'm a C.A.R. member and an officer. I'm a friend and a leader. And the list goes on. Everyone's list goes on. The groups that we are a part of make us the people that we are.

In class, Sal had us make a list of things we are a part of, and titles that we hold in that group. Then he had us pick one that is the most important. The most important one to me would be C.A.R. state first VP and national membership chairman. These are important to me even though most people don't know anything about it. I can try to explain it, but most people still don't get it. But it is still something that is such a HUGE part of me that I believe it is one of the most important. The other important title that I chose was Friend. Friends are one of the most important things in my life. Being a good friend is something that I strive for everyday. This is a title that I hope is seen a lot.

The importance of this to sociology would be that we are all a part of many different groups. The groups and titles that we hold can help sociologists know why we do things the way we do. If a sociologist were to give us a survey with the answers A B C D E, knowing the groups that I am in can help them determine why I chose a certain answer. Many of us may think that the groups aren't important, it's just things that we do, but the things that we do shape us into the people we are. And because of the people we are, we make the decisions that we do.

Thinking about the groups that people are in, we must all be connected in some way. Right? So we are connected to people that we don't know and may never know? I think so! Another socioloigist thought. Everyone is connected. How are we connected?

Service

The service aspect of this class is one of the most exciting parts for me. My family is a very service orienteted family. We do a lot of service throughout the year and every year, each member of my family receives the Gold level President's Service Award. This award is for 100 + hours of service in the year.
The thing about this project that excites me though, is that I am going to go out of my way to make it challenging for me. Often times the service that I do is in my comfort zone. I get a lot out of everything that I do, but nothing is too mentally draining. For this project I want to do something that stretches my limits.
I have never been very comfortable around mentally and/or physically challenged people. One of my friends in C.A.R. has a brother, Seth, that is mentally challenged and is confined to a wheelchair. My first few years in C.A.R., I stayed away and didn't really talk to him. This summer my friend told me that his brother was his inspiration for everything that he does in life. Most of the things that are a stretch for HIM, he does for his brother. So I went out of my way for the rest of the summer to talk to Seth and get to know him a little bit. At first I didn't know what to say. So I started with the usual "Hey Seth!" He answered me with "Hi Caitlin!" It was stressed on his part, and I could tell it was difficult for him, but he said Hi to me, and he knew my name. This was something that made me light up inside and out. I started talking to him that night, and for almost every other day that we were all together. It was difficult for me to initiate all summer, so I know this is something that I have still not conquered. But I now know that Seth is one of the coolest guys I have ever met, and that just because he isn't just like me doesn't mean that he is a bad person.
Talking to Seth, and pushing myself outside of my comfort zone made me realize that it is so worth it. I am still uncomfortable in those situations so I am thinking about doing SRACLC for my service project. This would be the hardest project, mentally, that I have ever done. Because of the stretch is why I am so excited about the opportunity.

How does service and my story about Seth relate to sociology? Service is more than the fact that it is MANDATORY, it's something to push us out of our comfort zones in our little "bubble" to see the world around us. There is so much more out there than what we surround ourselves with. I believe the story about Seth is a great connection to the "spit" excercise. In the "bubble" that we live in, we sometimes block mentally and physically challenged people out of everything. We are even sometimes trained to not notice them. We are trained to think of them differently just like we are trained to believe that saliva out of the mouth is "spit". When you think about either of those examples, they are all the same. "Spit" is saliva, and mentally and physically challenged people are humans with feelings too. I am excited to push myself to be the person that I want to be: the person comfortable with EVERYONE because they are normal humans too.

Silence?

On the first day of school, class was start in silence. Some may question this. Silence? Why? Many students thought it was an awkward experience because the teacher didn't get up right away and just start talking. Are we supposed to just sit here? Did I walk in too late and not hear what we are supposed to do? Should we talk and get to know our neighbors? Should we be completely silent too? Most students sat there a little confused and looked around at everyone else. Some made comments or asked questions. We reacted this way because of the school environment that we have grown up in. We are "trained", for lack of a better word, to sit there on the first day of class and listen to the teacher speak about rules, lessons, grades, etc. Looking at the bigger picture, I realized what was happening. I realized that, even though I don't know exactly what it is, it was something to do with sociology and I should just wait it out. I am proud to know that I saw the basis of sociology before the class even started!

This makes me wonder if EVERYONE in the class was thinking somewhat sociologically? As in reading about Roseto, he had the basis of something that turned out to be completely wrong. So because everyone in the class was thinking of teacher approaches to school, does it mean that everyone was thinking sociologically? I think that could be a possibility. Especially because they are thinking about how the first day is "supposed" to be. So I think that everyone has some knowledge of sociology in them, maybe without even knowing it.

I think a similar example of this is me waking up every morning and saying "Good morning" to who ever is up, and then letting the dogs out. I don't know what the dogs are thinking, but knowing animals, I figure they need to go outside. I have also been trained to do this by my parents but also by the world around me. I am also trained to greet people that I know, and my elders/superiors. We don't think of it as being "trained" but we must be, or we wouldn't do some things. So in a way, we all know more about sociology than we may think. I believe that this class will do a lot of showing us of our current knowledge, and hopefully unlocking knowledge that we may not have yet!

Who Am I?

I am me. I am Caitlin C. I'm a 17 year old Senior, and am super excited about what the future may hold. I am the person I am because of my friends and family. I come from a huge, Italian, close-knit family on one side, and a small, distanced family on the other side. My friends are my life. I would not be me without them. My best friend is Katie; her and I are practically twins. We have been best friends since First grade. I have lots of other close friends that I call best friends as well. I like to be constantly surrounded with people that I can have fun with. I couldn't imagine a life without my family and my friends.

I am a huge football fanatic. I am a die hard Bears fan, and get upset when they aren't playing well. I also enjoy Hockey, both the Hawks and the Wolves. When the Hawks won, my friend's dad and brother made a make shift Stanley Cup. It was exciting to send a picture of us holding it to our friends, saying we were the first ones to hold the cup!

I'm not a huge TV watcher. I only watch sports, and two shows that I follow really closely: Grey's Anatomy and Pretty Little Liars. I'm not a huge reader; I actually would do almost anything to avoid reading. My phone is always in my hand or pocket; I go everywhere with it. I like to be connected where ever I am.

I am in an organization called Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.) and it's taking over my life...in a good way. I get to travel the country in the summer, and also during the school year, to see my friends, make new friends, and promote our National and State project. I am currently the National Membership Chairman, and love being a part of the National Board. Performing in skits all summer in nine different states for the nine different regions is what most of the National Board lives for, including myself. I am also the State First Vice President, and hope to be State President in the future.

I am also a Venture Scout (a.k.a. Boy Scout) and am proud to say so. I'm proud of this because I get to travel to a lot of cool places and meet awesome people. In 2007 I went to England for the World Scout Jamboree. So, for two weeks, I slept in a tent, cooked all my own meals, and had the best time of my life doing different activities and meeting people from all over the world. I have some very close friends that live in Scotland, and I am looking forward to visiting them soon. Then in 2009, during the school year, I was lucky enough to be one of 36 scouts from the whole country to travel to Japan for two weeks, meet Japanese scouts, live with a Japanese family, and tour Tokyo. This was one of the best experiences of my life. I am looking forward to going to Sweden next summer for the 22nd World Scout Jamboree, and to travel with my dad. I am very close with my dad, and can't wait to be in Europe with him for such an amazing trip.

Something that I love to do is SCUBA dive. I am an Advanced Open Water SCUBA diver, and got to go to the National Scout Jamboree this last summer to teach SCUBA diving to 17,000 scouts. It was an experience! I am hoping to become a Rescue Diver this winter when my family goes to St. Thomas. St. Thomas is my favorite place on earth. We are lucky enough to have a condo there, and usually get down there once a year, if not more. It is the highlight of my year. I have a ton of friends that live down there, or visit when we do, and I love to meet up with them when I go there.

I have two puppies, and they are full members of my family. The older one is Bella, and she is a 7 pound Maltese. She is not even a year old. She is crazy and energetic, and loves to jump and play, but she is also a lap dog, and will fall asleep on you :) The other pup, MY puppy, is Bo. He is a 5 pound Pomeranian Shih-Tzu. He is adorable. Everyone that has seen him said he is the cutest puppy they have ever seen, and its true! He is! And he LOVES attention; he is the attention hog. He is even more energetic than Bella, but doesn't like to sit still on your lap. My puppies are one of my favorite parts of my family!

After High School, I am excited to go on to College and get a degree in Elementary Education. I want to become a teacher for young kids, 2nd-4th grade. I love working with little kids, and I want to help them! I want to live somewhere south-ish. I don't want to live in Florida, because that's where my parents are going to live, and I want to live on my own and become my own person. I want to live on the beach, because I love the ocean. I want to get married, and have two kids of my own. My dream is to be able to travel the world. There are so many places that I want to go, and places I would die to see. One of my biggest dreams is to SCUBA dive the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. I want my kids to have the opportunities that I have had, and many many more.