Extra Credit Post

I decided to do a post on the herb, thyme. Thyme can be found in many of our everyday dishes, including pasta! not only can this herb be used for culinary purposes, but for medicinal use as well. Thyme contains disease preventing properties and contains thymol which has antiseptic and antifungal properties. Fresh thyme has the highest amount of antioxidants among herbs. Thyme can give your body essential vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, selenium, b-complex vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin E, vitamin C, and folic acid. Gargling with thyme water or sipping thyme tea can relieves coughs and sore throats. there seemed to be no negative effects, except those that are toxicities. Skin irritation has been known to be a result from skin contact with thyme. Taken in large amounts, thyme can be a uterine stimulant (causing the uterus to contract), so pregnant women should be cautious. Too much of this herb can also cause nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, muscular weakness, dizziness, and slow heartbeats, among other things.

Assignment #8: My Final Post

In the beginning, I was really frustrated with not knowing how to work blogger. But once I logged on a couple times, I began to get the hang of it. I think that my experience with blogger and using this as the place we do our homework has made me realize that no two classes are alike. Some professors are more creative than others, and like to do things in a more creative way. I think rather than saying "It's hard, I'm not familiar with this" and giving up, it's important to continue on; after all, eventually you will get the hang of it! I didn't expect to be using a blog for all my homework assignments, but I have found that it worked out really well over the semester. After becoming familiar with blogger, I simply just left myself signed into the website. That way I could quickly begin my homework whenever I wanted. I found it easier to deal with than regular homework. Not only is it faster to type than to write, but with blogger, once you post it, you're done. I enjoyed the ability to do my homework blogs early and post them on my own time/schedule. I also liked tracking our own blogs and comments. I felt very organized and caught up by keeping up with and filling out the blog activity grading sheet. Overall, I really enjoyed using blogger to post homework. I think that it is a very creative way of encouraging students to do their homework. I don't think I will be using blogger after this class, or not right now anyways. Who knows though, I just might change my mind.

Assignment #7: Marriage Experts

For this assignment, I knew right away that I wanted to interview my parents, Marianne and Carlton Joseph. They have set such a great example for me and my sisters. They have shown us what love is, and what it means. When I get married, I know I want a marriage exactly like theirs. They got married on May 7th, 1983, so they have been married for 29 years! When asked of their challenges over the past 29 years, they both answered my Dad's job. He went away on fires a lot for lengthy periods of time, so my Mom had to take care of all four girls, the house, finances, etc. all on her own. My Dad was also the only one who worked once the kids were born, so he would work a lot of overtime to make sure we all had good lives. However, these challenges were resolved by accepting their situations, after all, that is how they wanted it to be and wouldn't change a thing about it. They both took responsibility for what needed to be done to support one another and raise a family together. They worked as a team and spent time together when they could. Their love, appreciation, and individual contributions were a big part of why they were able to overcome any challenges. Support and encouragement is something you also must never forget about. I then asked of their new challenges and they has said how it is difficult adjusting now that the kids are grown (2 out of the 4 are on their own now). It will soon be just the two of them and it'll be just like how it was when they first got married. My Dad will be retiring in 2 years, so they are easing into a period of adjustment where they need to focus on themselves and each other as a couple. Their advice to have a happy, healthy, successful marriage is to always stay true and committed. Be supportive and work as a team. Realize that there are no problems that are too big to handle. Remember what attracted you to each other when you first met, and the qualities you each bring to the relationship. Be respectful, patient, and considerate. Be there when you are needed. What helped them to be successful was their commitment to always love one another and to accept whatever challenges came along while working together to overcome them.

Assignment #6: The elderly

This past weekend, my family and I visited my Grandma up in Nevada. I had recently done an interview with her for my Anthropology class over the phone, but as we went up I remembered I could do another interview for this class since I would be spending a couple days with her. During most of our visit we simply talked, went out to eat, and caught up. We don't see her often so it's always nice when we do. When I had told her about the interview for this class, she sounded excited. For the most part, we only talked about the basics and even covered most of the same things we did during the first interview, just with more commentary on her part. First off, my Grandma's name is Maryanne Dale. Her birthday is December 4th 1935. She is only 77, I could not get anyone over the age of 80 to do this interview. (just about all of the older people I know cannot recall their earlier years). She grew up in San Diego and lived there up until her retirement in 1990. Her mom was a stay at home mom, and her dad was a meat cutter. She graduated high school and went on to Mercy College in 1953. She graduated with a diploma in nursing in 1956. She then went on the say that she had gotten her diploma three years after graduation because when she went to school, they went eleven months out of the year. After passing her state boards, she began working as a labor and delivery nurse at Grossmont Hostpial making two dollars an hour! Crazy, I know! We then got a little bit off topic and she told me how during high school, she had worked at the national dollar store and got paid 75 cents an hour! Even weired, she would be paid 50 cents an hour for babysitting in high school. Funny how times have changed, right? Anyways, she got married later that year to Kenneth Joseph, and then had four children (Carlton, Kevin, Laurie, and Holly) from 1957 to 1961 while still working part-time as a nurse. She then got divorced in 1972, and at that time she switched to becoming a nurse in the emergency room. She had mentioned how that was the best change she has ever made. She loved the E.R. and all that came along with it. Up to this day, her and her co-workers from the E.R. have a luncheon/reunion each year to catch up. Years later, she reconnected with her old high school sweetheart, Terry Dale. They married in 1982. In 1990 she retired from a job that she loved doing. Later on, she moved to Nevada and built a house. She then, on a whim, worked for the contractor who was building their house (he had asked her to). I am not sure what she did for him, she never really specified. We then continued to talk about her life in terms of family ( But I won't bore you with that!), and I found that interesting, for I love hearing about  old relatives I never had the chance to meet. Afterwards, she had said that she loved telling her grandchildren about her life and she's so happy that she has the chance to do that. The difference it made on her was just the fact that she was so happy. She was saying how she is so blessed because she has lived so long, long enough to know her grandchildren and some great-grandchildren. Unfortunately, my Dad's Dad and her first husband died from a heart attack in 1978, so this rings very true for my family. I loved this assignment because it's always amazing to see that while you love and think you know your family members, it's not until you really sit down and talk with them that you learn so much about them.

Assignment #5: Reducing Stress

The stress reduction technique I have chosen is lessening the amount of procrastinating I usually do. When I saw this prompt the first time, I knew it would be a good way to see just how much of a difference I can make when I simply do things ahead of time. I have chosen to focus this stress reducer specifically on my school work, for that is what can stress me out the most. To begin this technique I decided I would do things that day they were assigned, or days before they were due. This Summer, I am taking this class (plus the lab), and an online Anthropology class. Both of these classes have a set schedule that may or may not change, but I usually know when an assignment is coming up. So this stress reducing technique was perfect to try out during these classes. I have done all my assignments early for both classes, especially my Anthro. class. I have motivated myself by reminding myself I will have extra time at the end of the week, when I will not have to think about school at all. The small reward at the end of each week is what kept me going. I must say, I felt more on top of things ever since I have been doing this. Physically, I felt more free to do whatever it is that I wanted to do, for all my assignments and projects were finished early. Emotionally and spiritually, I felt very calm and at peace, for everything that I needed to do has been done. Mentally speaking, I felt as though I had much more organized thoughts. I felt that if I continue to practice this, I can do anything. Yes, I feel that this technique has reduced my stress a lot. I am a bit of a worry wart, so getting things done and being proactive lowered my stress level tremendously. I will continue to do this, and hopefully I won't ever stop.

Assignment #4: Keeping My Kids Off Drugs

When I have kids in the future, I plan to be very active in their lives. To be completely honest, I am no where near ready to have kids, so my tactics may change when I actually have children. For right now though, I will say that in order to help my children stay away from drugs, I will educate and communicate with them on the subject. I think that education on drugs, alcohol, and tobacco is very crucial for kids. To educate them, I think I would sit them down them to talk about it(and ask questions if they had any), show them some very real documentaries, and remind them of my uncle who will then be their great uncle. My uncle is an addict and I don't want to get into details, but seeing him definitely makes people think twice. I think that having a true example of what could happen to a person is a great way to truly show kids just what the outcome of taking drugs could be. The only way to truly get through to kids is by making it real. If it is just a talk or just a D.A.R.E. program, then kids will think "Oh, I won't end up like that, it's just one time". But the scary thing is is that teenagers who mess around with drugs in middle/high school often times don't ever quit messing around with them. Personally, I know plenty of examples...

Assignment #3: Love Language

The results of this quiz said that I scored highest on quality time. The runners up were physical touch and acts of service. I think these results are pretty accurate. This quiz confirmed what I already knew about myself, if it is possible, quality time is very important in bonding with my loved ones. Physical touch lets me know I am thought of. Hugs and pats on the back can be the best thing in the world on a bad day. I agree that I appreciate acts of service which includes help with any tasks I am doing whether it's cooking, laundry, or even studying for a big exam. To show interest in helping me makes me feel loved and cared for. There wasn't anything new that the quiz turned up; however, I did find it interesting that I scored the lowest on receiving gifts and words of affirmation. I knew already I am not much of a gift person, but I thought I would have scored higher on words of affirmation. To hear and speak honest, kind words is something I treasure. Perhaps, I just prefer feeling appreciated rather than hearing I am. Anyways, I thought this quiz was interesting and kind of fun. I found that this quiz was very easy and fast. The harder part was trying to judge whether the results were right or not. By thinking about it afterwards, you learn a little bit about yourself!