Hey everyone,
So I am going to debate at an official high school debate tournament. I am going to compete in Novice Lincoln Douglas. My cases are pretty strong, however I am still super nervous. I am sure I will do okay. Okay... seriously its post debate, but still...
Our resolution is:
"Resolved: Felons in a democratic society ought to retain the right to vote". Personally I am neutral on the situation. I believe you cannot have an opinion in debate. You have to argue both sides and argue them well, so it is difficult to affirm or negate it right off of the bat.
I think this was a great topic and I cannot wait for the next one, in fact I have already started my case.
My debate went okay, it was a great learning experience.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
CRASH!
Here is just an add on to what I said last time... Today was kind of a hard day, I had my first Lincoln Douglas debate in front of my class, me and another student were the only ones who went... and I got myself handed to me on a silver platter. I guess there are a ton of flaws in her speech so I am going to play that to my strength... She is a great debater, we in class have another name for that of course, but its not really relavant for a weekly entry. Also things collided with eachother today. I had an orthodontist appointment, fliming during class, our school board visitation, and FBLA, along with my sister's dance at her school, so I had to babysit... I felt like I was pulled in 5 differnet directions at once... Also I have a huge project due in my World History class that I am REALLY wanting an A on, because I have A's in all of my classes, except for math in which I have a low grade because I failed a test. We have to present our grades to our parents so I will probably get torn a new one" Now that I am thinking about it, I am going to do a post on those... See!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Busy, Busy, Busy
I just realized that I am almost pathetically busy. I seem to manange everything just fine. I supose my focus right now isn't on anything but what colleges, school administrators and everyone look at. I actually just got back from filming a debate between Terry Bergeson, and Randy Dorn running for Washington State Super Intendant of Public Instruction. Constantly I have to be reminded of my age... not because I dont know, but because I simply 'forget' in a sense. I am working on a web buisness on building websites, I am on the Debate team, Future buisness leaders of america, I am going to produce along with Ms. Hunt and the rest of the debate team, me as more of a technical backbone per say, to send this video to get sponsorships so we have enough money to pay for competetions. I also could take a computer completly apart and reassemble it. I know extensive computer vocabulary, I simply do not see my self as a teenager, I dont really keep in mind how old I am when I do these things but thats not really the point.
The thing I am trying to figure out is... this thing called motivation, and what exactly mine is. In my recent posts I have refered to the fact that I am into psychology. Well I am going to do a little bit of reflection on what exactly motivates me... there are many things that motivate me to get up and goto school, and get good grades and all of that. I would like to say my first one is to do it because it makes me happy, pleases me... but most mornings I would die just to be able to sleep in a couple more minutes (do not take me literally on that!). The most dominant motivation is to please everyone else, not let anyone down. Mostly my parents, and teachers. I hate hearing the words "I am disapointed in you", honestly those words put me into shock. I haven't heard them in a long time, I don' believe. However me being the philisophical nerd I am, have gotten to think about alot of stuff... one being education. Now alot of people say "I am going to be an actor! I don't need to know this stuff" which is probably true... because after your career goes down the hole and your flipping burgers you don't need much education, however I go to school for reasons other than just getting a job. I go to school to learn. “All men by nature desire knowledge.”
-Aristotle
I am in complete favor of this. I hate learning things in science like these subatomcic particles and all that not because its boring, or I dont like it... I dont like learning about it because I dont learn everything about it... We only focus on that one part... Its almost like imaging science as a wall... No lights except two spot lights, on one end it shows what we are currently learning, and the other is what we need to know to be sucessful such as diseases, and other things. I can't tie in knowing things about atoms because mostly scientists use them. So when I learn something I want to be able to turn on all of the lights or at least be able to make everything mildly visible.
Now I have always classified myself as middle to low class. I don't nessacarily think I have low self esteem, but I definatly don't consider myself a top class student. Well this past year being a fresmen in high school, I am AT&T raising the bar. One thing I have come to value most being a student is trust. I have always been trustworthy, I wasn't looking forward to this year because I was afraid of how long it would be for me to prove my self to some teachers and I think I am off to a good start. I really value when a teacher says "I am trusting you to do this..." or even implys that they trust me. I still am not going to call myself a "top class student" because I know I'm not. I do have good grades, I am trusted by my teachers, no issues with any athourities or anything... but I simply won't call myself a good student because that seems to classify me above otherpeople, be it one or 2,000,000 students. I don't belive in someone being better than someone else because it is too vauge. I strongly believe that everyone is created equal, however they aren't treated equal. I still strive to be the best student I can be, I just simply won't say I am better than someone else, based just on that.
One of the other things I am really motivated by is other people being impressed, or proud of me. Which is obviously a no brainer. There are somethings that I do just so my parents can tell their friends or family members... That motivation is very subdued because I don't get that kind of attention because in my family I am held up to those expectaitions, which is fine beacuse that reward is conflicting with my "I am not better than you" philosophy. My mom talks with other PTSA moms, and I only hear it when I am around... duh, I am not a super hero... (or am I, you will never know). When she lists off all of the things I am involved in the other moms look at my like I am insane... which I do want to become some day, I think that would be fun. Then they have this look on their face like "How in the h*ll do you manage that?!" and I simply have no social life, which is fine with me. I am weird like that, at a party I would rather be working behind the scenes than out hanging out with people... I have yet to deduce [bigalo] why that is. I think it makes me feel more productive.
The thing I am trying to figure out is... this thing called motivation, and what exactly mine is. In my recent posts I have refered to the fact that I am into psychology. Well I am going to do a little bit of reflection on what exactly motivates me... there are many things that motivate me to get up and goto school, and get good grades and all of that. I would like to say my first one is to do it because it makes me happy, pleases me... but most mornings I would die just to be able to sleep in a couple more minutes (do not take me literally on that!). The most dominant motivation is to please everyone else, not let anyone down. Mostly my parents, and teachers. I hate hearing the words "I am disapointed in you", honestly those words put me into shock. I haven't heard them in a long time, I don' believe. However me being the philisophical nerd I am, have gotten to think about alot of stuff... one being education. Now alot of people say "I am going to be an actor! I don't need to know this stuff" which is probably true... because after your career goes down the hole and your flipping burgers you don't need much education, however I go to school for reasons other than just getting a job. I go to school to learn. “All men by nature desire knowledge.”
-Aristotle
I am in complete favor of this. I hate learning things in science like these subatomcic particles and all that not because its boring, or I dont like it... I dont like learning about it because I dont learn everything about it... We only focus on that one part... Its almost like imaging science as a wall... No lights except two spot lights, on one end it shows what we are currently learning, and the other is what we need to know to be sucessful such as diseases, and other things. I can't tie in knowing things about atoms because mostly scientists use them. So when I learn something I want to be able to turn on all of the lights or at least be able to make everything mildly visible.
Now I have always classified myself as middle to low class. I don't nessacarily think I have low self esteem, but I definatly don't consider myself a top class student. Well this past year being a fresmen in high school, I am AT&T raising the bar. One thing I have come to value most being a student is trust. I have always been trustworthy, I wasn't looking forward to this year because I was afraid of how long it would be for me to prove my self to some teachers and I think I am off to a good start. I really value when a teacher says "I am trusting you to do this..." or even implys that they trust me. I still am not going to call myself a "top class student" because I know I'm not. I do have good grades, I am trusted by my teachers, no issues with any athourities or anything... but I simply won't call myself a good student because that seems to classify me above otherpeople, be it one or 2,000,000 students. I don't belive in someone being better than someone else because it is too vauge. I strongly believe that everyone is created equal, however they aren't treated equal. I still strive to be the best student I can be, I just simply won't say I am better than someone else, based just on that.
One of the other things I am really motivated by is other people being impressed, or proud of me. Which is obviously a no brainer. There are somethings that I do just so my parents can tell their friends or family members... That motivation is very subdued because I don't get that kind of attention because in my family I am held up to those expectaitions, which is fine beacuse that reward is conflicting with my "I am not better than you" philosophy. My mom talks with other PTSA moms, and I only hear it when I am around... duh, I am not a super hero... (or am I, you will never know). When she lists off all of the things I am involved in the other moms look at my like I am insane... which I do want to become some day, I think that would be fun. Then they have this look on their face like "How in the h*ll do you manage that?!" and I simply have no social life, which is fine with me. I am weird like that, at a party I would rather be working behind the scenes than out hanging out with people... I have yet to deduce [bigalo] why that is. I think it makes me feel more productive.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Web Based Buisness
So I am pretty excited about this new thing I have going on. I am going to start two online businesses. One is going to be called Komodo Web Development or KomodoWD for short. The other is something I am working on with someone at school. We talked alot about it during the summer, and a little this year in school, but now its time to put some plans in action, just because our idea is so great I am going to unveil it when the site launches. It will take alot of support from friends and everyone else. However I think it will be a success.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Psychology - 9/30/2008
Psychology is very fascinating to me. I enjoy being able to justify an act with clear logic. I am not qualified by any degree to create any theories on psychological behavior. I just translate them into everyday uses. Today I am going to focus on Stockholm Syndrome.
Most of my entries will begin with a question. This weeks question is "What would cause us to remain loyal to those who put our lives in danger?"
Stockholm Syndrome is a psychological state when victims show loyalty, defend, and other actions to support their captors. Stockholm syndrome occurs frequently in rape victims, the victims claim that they "love" their captor, or that their captor loves them. Denying any form of rescue attempts. So going back to the question "What would cause us to remain loyal to those who put our lives in danger?". When in a circumstance such as kidnapping we are in severe mental and physical states. Now imagine that you are in a dark, small (10ft x 10ft) room, the only source of light is a yellow glow peering in from under a door to your left. You are locked in a chair and can only smell a garbage bin that appears to not been emptied for quite some time.
You have been sitting in this chair for 20 hours (give or take a few). You were abducted while taking a jog in the local park. You've become very hungry, thirsty, and the only thoughts you entertain are "am I going to survive?", "where am I", etc. You hear a faint sound of footsteps coming from outside of the door, they appear to be getting closer, in less that 20 seconds the door opens, revealing the silhouette of a large portly man. He turns on a light revealing nothing more than the rest of his figure and a ski mask that covered his face. He stares at you for 10 minutes straight. You end your ranting after the first 3 of them.
Now we need to consider what kind of thoughts are going through your head. "Who is this man" is a common one. But what's this? he is providing you with food and water. Why would this be? The next few days follow a similar pattern. Your captor is providing you with the very basic necessities to survive. He obviously isn't intending on killing you, yet... Your thoughts may start to change.
When we think we create logic (reasoning, solving problems, actions we will pursue). When we are being held captive our logic will be clouded by many things. Your perspective is altered by everything in your environment. The logic would go something like this...
"If he hadn't done away with you after that amount of time then he must like you, therefore he is a friend, and he brings you enough food and water to survive, that means he is a nice man, not wishing you harm by any means... Putting nice people in jail isn't right so I must defend him because he is nice.
This is obviously altered logic... There are four situations that can potentially cause this alteration
-The presence of a perceived threat to one’s physical or psychological survival and the belief that the abuser would carry out the threat.
-The presence of a perceived small kindness from the abuser to the victim
-Isolation from perspectives other than those of the abuser
-The perceived inability to escape the situation
(http://counsellingresource.com/quizzes/stockholm/index.html)
Just because a person shows the symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome does not make them crazy. Infact it is thought to be a self defence mechanism for survival. Due to a limited amount of time I am only going to discuss the presence of small kindness. Now your captor has fed you and kept you alive. This makes you start thinking and turning a small gesture into medal deserving greatness. Blowing this situation out of proportion is just a means of searching for hope. That he is keeping you alive for a reason.
Well that is my first Pyschological post! Thank you for reading, I am sure most people won't get to this point seeing the lack of entertainment in my writing, however just because you did finish I would like to thank you very much!
Most of my entries will begin with a question. This weeks question is "What would cause us to remain loyal to those who put our lives in danger?"
Stockholm Syndrome is a psychological state when victims show loyalty, defend, and other actions to support their captors. Stockholm syndrome occurs frequently in rape victims, the victims claim that they "love" their captor, or that their captor loves them. Denying any form of rescue attempts. So going back to the question "What would cause us to remain loyal to those who put our lives in danger?". When in a circumstance such as kidnapping we are in severe mental and physical states. Now imagine that you are in a dark, small (10ft x 10ft) room, the only source of light is a yellow glow peering in from under a door to your left. You are locked in a chair and can only smell a garbage bin that appears to not been emptied for quite some time.
You have been sitting in this chair for 20 hours (give or take a few). You were abducted while taking a jog in the local park. You've become very hungry, thirsty, and the only thoughts you entertain are "am I going to survive?", "where am I", etc. You hear a faint sound of footsteps coming from outside of the door, they appear to be getting closer, in less that 20 seconds the door opens, revealing the silhouette of a large portly man. He turns on a light revealing nothing more than the rest of his figure and a ski mask that covered his face. He stares at you for 10 minutes straight. You end your ranting after the first 3 of them.
Now we need to consider what kind of thoughts are going through your head. "Who is this man" is a common one. But what's this? he is providing you with food and water. Why would this be? The next few days follow a similar pattern. Your captor is providing you with the very basic necessities to survive. He obviously isn't intending on killing you, yet... Your thoughts may start to change.
When we think we create logic (reasoning, solving problems, actions we will pursue). When we are being held captive our logic will be clouded by many things. Your perspective is altered by everything in your environment. The logic would go something like this...
"If he hadn't done away with you after that amount of time then he must like you, therefore he is a friend, and he brings you enough food and water to survive, that means he is a nice man, not wishing you harm by any means... Putting nice people in jail isn't right so I must defend him because he is nice.
This is obviously altered logic... There are four situations that can potentially cause this alteration
-The presence of a perceived threat to one’s physical or psychological survival and the belief that the abuser would carry out the threat.
-The presence of a perceived small kindness from the abuser to the victim
-Isolation from perspectives other than those of the abuser
-The perceived inability to escape the situation
(http://counsellingresource.com/quizzes/stockholm/index.html)
Just because a person shows the symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome does not make them crazy. Infact it is thought to be a self defence mechanism for survival. Due to a limited amount of time I am only going to discuss the presence of small kindness. Now your captor has fed you and kept you alive. This makes you start thinking and turning a small gesture into medal deserving greatness. Blowing this situation out of proportion is just a means of searching for hope. That he is keeping you alive for a reason.
Well that is my first Pyschological post! Thank you for reading, I am sure most people won't get to this point seeing the lack of entertainment in my writing, however just because you did finish I would like to thank you very much!
Website Development / Design
This is my 3rd year working on websites, I have worked with FrontPage in elementary school, used it a little in 7th Grade, and realized the uselessness of it in 8th. Now some people believe that just because they know some HTML that makes them a Web Designer. It takes so much more than that. It's not about using the newest technology, but making everything fit together and look good. I am still figuring everything out, but most of the sites I make all look generaly the same, with one new piece of technology with each site I do. Currently I am making a website for a local "theatrical production" called Long Live Rock, Tribute to an Era. A series of tributes to Rock artists.
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