So, this is it..

I had a lot of fun this year in senior project seminar. Although I didn't get to intern in the field I originally planned on, I did learn lot and I had more fun than I thought I could. My presentation went really well and I can't wait to graduate. I worked hard for weeks on my project and now that it's over and done, I feel like it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I answered every question (even if I had to fake it till I can make it), tried to give my expert 100% opinion and I cooked so much chicken (10am-1pm) that I still don't want to eat chicken for another week or so. I'm not going to be a cook; this is something I am sure of but I will never give up my love for cooking, creating new flavors. trying foreign foods and attempting to sculpt my own food art. I'm at the end of the Lindenwold High chapter in my life and it almost feels as if something is missing. Of course I'm excited to get out of this prison but I know ironically, I know in my heart, I'll always miss it.

Project proof

I have been doing research on the different foods I am going to make for my presentation. I have found that cordon bleu was originally a wide blue ribbon worn by members of the highest order of knighthood at L'Ordre des Chevaliers du Satin-Espirit chef school in France. Also, Darren told me that in order to get his cordon bleu ribbon, a man had invented a dish in which he put ham and cheese on chicken and the teacher found it so delectable that they named his dish chicken cordon bleu.

Sponser visit

This week me and Darren sat down and we mapped out my presentation. He used waitress note cards to write down things we discussed that would be effective to cover and explain. I'm using these cards to study from and research to put together my giant power point. I'm planning on using the smart board software to create an unforgettable show. (In the picture: Darren working with the food processor)

Free Write

This weekend I fulfilled my want to get out and have fun. I stayed busy all weekend, visiting friends and leaving my comfort zone. My least favorite part of the weekend was Sunday; I went to a Pokemon tournament with my boyfriend and our friend Jeff. It was really awkward and boring! There tons of fat, bald, middle aged men sitting around playing RPG'S and kid based card games. I was going to loose it after the second hour. They play these fantasy games with little figurines that they customize and paint themselves; it's pethedic but hey, whatever floats their boat!

My choice T.G.I.F

It's Friday, hooray! I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my weekend but I've been trying to plan something meaningful. Every weekend I stay at my boyfriends house and we basically sit around and do nothing at all. This weekend I want to plan something adventurous, exciting or at the very least, productive! The weekend is the only relaxation time I get but I'm tired of sitting around; this weekend I will change my agenda and let loose a little!

Sponser Visit #11

This week at the Little Tuna I spoke with Darren about the date of my presentation in hopes that he can request off and we continued to work on my main course: chicken cordon bleu. I'm getting better at making it and Darren has been a great help. I have fun working in the kitchen with all the guys; it's almost like I'm one of the guys! ha ha. I can't wait to do my presentation and graduate from high school, it's just a matter of time now!

In the Picture: Darren and Fidel!

Project Proof

For my presentation, I plan on making bruschetta for an appetizer and chicken cordon bleu for the main course. I have been practicing making the chicken and it's not bad but I'm still striving for the best. I'm not too good at the wrist action when I cook, that is my main flaw but I am working on it; honestly, I need to build up my arm muscles which is something I'm not too into. I just have to create some kind of power point and come up with a few more cooking lessons and I'll be on my way!

P.S In the picture: Me at the Little Tuna!

Field Trip 10

This week I spoke with Darren about by presentation and we have chosen my main entree, chicken cordon bleu. Instead of using ham, Darren advised me to use prosciutto; he cooked the dish for me I thought it came out great. He's going to try to come to my presentation so he can help me transport chicken for about 20 people and he said he will let me use one of his chef jackets. As for my game plan, I'm going to start cooking my main course until I perfect it and I will work out all the other little extras as I go along. I'm excited to finally be getting down to business and I can't wait to do my presentation.

P.S: that's an actual picture of the chicken Darren made

Free Write

Today I talked to two groups of juniors about senior project and I think we sold it. I enjoyed talking to the future seniors and I hope that they will join senior project in next year. I like this class a lot and I hope it continues to help out kids for years. Senior Project is an awesome way to learn, hands on and build your interest in virtually almost any subject. I've had a great experience and I hope others will have the same opportunity.

Project proof

I've been working on my booklet for my presentation on and off for the past two weeks. I'm not sure exactly what my project is going to consist of but I'm getting the ball rolling. I have finished my booklet up until the works cited page which is still a work in progress. I do have one cited source and I'm sure many others will follow. I'm excited to execute my presentation at the end of the year and I think my booklet looks awesome!

Sponser Visit 9

Yesterday I reunited with Darren after being sick and facing other complications the past two weeks. He was really happy to see me and we began our work. Darren made me salmon and goat cheese (which was rolled in peppers, spinach and other seasoning) to my surprise it was good. After that we made an extra crispy barbecue chicken sandwich that had bacon, onion straws, blue cheese and mozzarella cheese on it. I love Darren's barbecue sauce! He adds ingredients to almost everything to create an amazing flavor. He use barbecue sauce, honey, hot sauce and butter to create his unique sauce. I also learned that in order to create extra crispy chicken, like at KFC you have to add extra flour, not breading.

Project Connections at the blood drive

I came in this morning prepared to be stuck with a needle and endure an enormous lack of comfort for ten minutes in order to save 3 lives; well that's not exactly how my day went. After waiting a few hours in my daily classes for my turn at the blood drive and yet another hour reading papers, prepping and waiting in line I was told that I didn't meet the weight requirements. I felt like I wasted my whole day. Honestly, I was excited to give blood because I really wanted the cookies they give you! Of course I'm all for saving lives but I had a smile on my face all day thinking about those blood drive cookies! It will never cease to amuse me how a simple thing like a bag of cookies can still motivate me. Of course, I didn't get my cookies and I'm still kind of mad but there is always next year to eat more food and pack on the pounds for free cookies!

My Choice

I've been extremely excited today because I was given the chance to go to prom. I'm going to get a dress, my hair and makeup done for free! The assistant Principal was offered to choose two students who do well in school for this awesome opportunity and she chose me and one other girl. I was really thankful that she chose me because I've been pushing myself all year and I was beginning to think that my efforts have gone unappreciated by those who are close to me until now. I never really had a close relationship with the assistant Principal so now I've realized that the things I do are not unnoticed. This has just gone to show me that I am respected and if those who are close to me can't recognize me for my efforts maybe I should surround myself with people who care a little more.

This week I was absent so I missed my Tuesday sponsor visit. I decided to head to Haddonfeild in search of a place that can help me with food art. I thought I had seen a restaurant that may do some kind of food art but I was turned down. They said they don't have any experience in making pictures out of food, they just decorate their dishes. I was a bit bummed out but I'm eager to find a second sponsor who can help me.

My Choice

I think I've finally found what I want to do for a living and how to get there. I plan on being a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer and going to Sanford Brown Institute to do so. I have to start at Camden County College to get my prereqs completed and by next September I should be able to apply and enroll at Sandford Brown. Being a mother and having had a high-risk pregnancy, I have had numerous ultrasounds and I feel as if I would be a great sonographer. I enjoy science and I'm a people person. I like the idea of working with people I can relate to as well. I'm excited to get my career started and feel confident once again.

Connections

As I looked through a menu, I made a project connection the other week when my family and I went out to eat for Easter. Instead of ordering something that appealed to me, I decided to order 2 dishes that me and Darren have made: Brushetta and Shrimp Scampi; I decided I would compare these meals to the ones Darren and I have made. I found that the chef at this restaurant cooked his meals using different ingredients. I felt that the Scampi was too buttery and lacked flavor and the Brushetta didn't have enough cheese on it and he didn't use as many spices as Darren had; I enjoyed Darren's dishes a lot more. I didn't think that the food was bad, it was just rather bland.

My Choice

This week I thought I'd blog about my son. My life is all about him so he's a perfect topic. His name is Zachary and he is 9 months old. He's my pride and joy, he keeps growing everyday and he's getting smarter, I can't wait till he starts talking more and walking ; it's such an amazing feeling to raise a child, it's indescribable. We watched I am Sam this week in psychology and Mr. Maggi pointed out to me how different it is to watch it through the eyes of a parent. He's right your retrospect on things change. I may be young but all parents have that bond with their children. Some teens may regret having children at a young age but I would never say that. I feel like I would be lost without Zach, he's the only thing that keeps me going. Even if I felt that way, I learned not to regret anything in life, just make something out of it.

Field Trip #7

This week, Darren made a Calamari Spring Salad for me to try (romaine lettuce & calamari in a mandarin vinaigrette as well as toasted almonds, cranraisins, mandarins, apples and chow mein noodles). I found it interesting how he made the vinaigrette; he used mandarin juice, and other ingredients but I thought it was odd when he told me you can use mayonnaise or even mustard to thicken the vinaigrette but instead he put the mandarins in the food processor and added them to the mixture. After that, we both made pasta in a diablo sauce which is just fancy name for a hot tomato sauce. I enjoyed both of the meals, they had unique tastes but I still have yet to master the sauteing techniques.

My Choice: Easter?

Since Easter is coming and it falls on the same day as my sister's birthday, I wondered if Easter fell on the same day every year because I don't recall her birthday ever being on the same day as Easter. I asked my friend when it came up in the conversation and she informed me that Easter falls on different days every year, "like it's on it's own special cycle". I found this really strange considering Easter is the supposed day of Jesus Christ's Resurrection from the dead. If he was resurrected on Easter and the date of Easter changes every year, then how can Easter be the celebration of Jesus Resurrection if it's not even a definite date? I'm not too sure about any religious reasons as to why Easter is on this "cycle" but I it was an intriguing question to me.

Project connections

I was watching the show Chopped the other night on T.V. and I thought it was interesting how the chefs on the show can come up with such creative dishes as quick as they do. These chefs work quickly and have amazing accuracy and talent. I admire them because I could never do something like that. I would have no idea what to cook if I were put on the spot! You don't even have to be interested in cooking to enjoy this show, it's very entertaining.

Field trip 6

This week Darren taught me how to cook bruschetta and bleu penne pasta. I really enjoyed the bruschetta although, when soaking your ingredients in olive oil, prior to preparation, it is key to let your tomato's and other ingredients sit in the olive oil as long as possible to give them time to absorb the various flavors. Obviously, we didn't have hours to wait so the finished product could have been even better given more prep time. The owner of the little tuna, Marcus, called me to his office to speak with him and he basically just talked to me about working as a cook and franchised restaurants compared to family owned restaurants. When working for a franchised business, you won't work more than 40 hours a week; when working for a family owned restaurant, you won't work for less than 40 hours a week. He also told me that it wasn't his plan to become a restaurant owner, it just basically landed on his lap and he enjoys his job. He never even attended high school and he is successful; this surprised me but it didn't set my standards any lower, realistically, something like that is extremely hard to achieve without a diploma.

My Choice

I watched a movie the other night called The Box. It was set in the 70's and depicted the life of an average family. A mysterious box is delivered to their house in the beginning of the movie. It is locked and contains a button inside. A man comes to their house and offers the mother a once in a lifetime deal: You push the button inside this box and someone who you do not know will die but you will receive a payment of 1 million dollars in cash. He gives her a crisp hundred dollar bill to thank her for letting him in his house, 24 hours to make a decision, permission to talk to her husband but no one else, and refuses to disclose any information about his employers. I don't want to give the movie away so when you have a free night with nothing to do, I recommend watching it. It was very strange and isn't fully explained until the end but it's worth seeing. What option would you choose?

Project Connections

The other day a couple Veterans from Vietnam and Korea came in to talk to us about their experiences. One man spoke of a few life threatening situations he was in while fighting in Korea. He and his men had to pass through a small Korean village to get up in the mountains to hide out for the night when he came across a Korean family. There was a father, a pregnant mother ready to give birth, a young daughter with hair past her waist and two 2 year old sons. He and his men scrounged up the last of their food and gave it to the family out of the goodness of their hearts. The men slept through the night and next morning as the passed through the village yet again, they came across the same family. Aside from the two boys who were crying hysterically by their mother, the whole family was brutally murdered. The father was tied in barbed wire, the mothers body in a shallow hole in the ground and the little girl was tied to a tree by her hair, her body feet off of the ground. They figured the family would not give up his hiding spot and they were killed by the enemy for this. These people gave their lives just because these men stopped and shared their food with them. Obviously, it wasn't about the food, it was about the care and respect that these soldiers showed them. I was shocked and touched by his story at the same time. To think that just a little bit of food to show your concern for another human could make such a difference in the world is amazing.

Sponser Visit #6 minus the sponser

On Tuesday I went to visit Darren but he was at a cooking show and I didn't receive his text because my phone was shut off. Nevertheless, I had learning to do so I learned the ropes in the back prepping the food. The other head chef who works with Darren on the line was celebrating his 33rd birthday. Joe, Darren's replacement for the day was teasing him telling him he looked to be about 50 because he works so much. I prepped and cooked Chicken Parmesan, and prepared salads with Joe. It was an interesting day and I can't wait until next week.

What was food like in the 50's? Connection

In honor of grease I did some research on food in the 50's and found a lot of interesting information. There is more to the typical stereotype of the average teenagers hanging

out in burger joints and the popular meals being burgers fries and milkshakes. I found they ate strange meals such as; boiled grape fruit, stuffed pecans or walnuts, fried celery and cream cheese, sardine and bacon rolls, ham and egg balls, pineapple fingers and bacon and many others. Backyard barbecuing was the all American rage and martinis changed from sweet to dry. I also learned that many of the popular restaurants and food products we use today were just as common in the 50's such as; Coco puffs, IHOP, Ramen, Pizza Hut, Sweet and Low, Tang and Ruffles. It's always nice to learn something new.

Field Trip #5

Yesterday was my first day cooking. I stood by Darren's side and mimicked everything he did in my saute pan. I made shrimp linguine (minus the shrimp) and a side dish of spinach topped with blue cheese. We started out with garlic every time and every dish was seasoned with salt and pepper. A chef must be able to use their wrists well to mix the contents of the pan. I also learned how to properly use a knife. There is a special way to hold the knife and the food you are cutting so you have more control of it and there is less of a chance of cutting yourself. I had fun cooking and the finished product payed off. I can't wait for next week!

My Choice: Grease

Lindenwold High School put on our last production of the school year, Grease, this weekend, and we seniors had our time to shine. I'm really sad that my last Lindenwold theatre production is over and I'm going to miss everyone so much! I had a blast portraying Patty Simcox and I wouldn't ask for a better role because in my eyes, Patty and Eugene are best characters in the play and obviously, I couldn't realistically be Eugene. However, I was a little upset it took as long as it did for me to be casted in a decent role. Nevertheless, I had an unforgettable time and I'm glad I was fortunate enough to be part of the cast of Grease! Grease is the word!!

March 8th Connection

Today is me and Matt's 3 year anniversary and I want to make something exciting to eat for dinner. Darren gave me a few recipe cards on Saturday and I think I may just use them for tonight. I should start practicing meal preparation as often as possible and it would be nice to have dinner, just me and Matt for a change. I would really like to cook something that requires odd cooking tools like creme brulee (they use a blow torch, how awesome is that?) but I don't think that's going to happen any time soon. I just hope tonight is good and there is little stress to rain on my parade.

Saturday Sponser Visit

I went to the Little Tuna this Saturday for a visit on my own time. I brought my boyfriend Matt and my friend Dan. They ate dinner and I stood in the back where all the magic happens. During the day, the Little Tuna doesn't seem to be that extravagant but at night no one walks in without a collar on (sorry for regretting to address that memo Matt and Dan!) and it is packed! I stayed for an hour; the kitchen crew was much larger, there was food every where and it was a lot messier than a normal weekday. It was a lot to take in, so much was happening at once that I got confused every now and then. At the start of this year I was never really interested in cooking to begin with, I just wanted to pick something challenging and I think I chose the right kind of challenge to keep me on my toes!

Dealing With Stress

Being a high school student, a mother, an actress and having to meet my sponsor regularly, I have a lot of stress in my life. I don't have a cure all solution for the stress that I deal with daily but I do enjoy various activities that let me unwinde a bit and take my mind off of the clutter of which is my life. Sometimes after a long day I like to spend the night with my boyfriend relaxing, watching a movie and eating snacks; it helps me forget that I'm stressed out. When my boyfriend is the cause of my stress, I spend time with other friends but I have to make sure were doing something active and not just sitting around (moping makes it worse). There is no 100 percent fix for stress, at least not in my world but I do find relief in these activities a least momentarily.

Field Trip #3

This Tuesday at the Little Tuna was a little more challenging then the last two visits because I had to continue to build my cooking vocabulary and Darren made sure to quiz me on the terms he's been teaching me. I've learned the text book definition of caramelization, dredge and saute. I also learned several slang terms used in the restaurant business to communicate. For example, "on the fly" would mean the server needs the meal ASAP or when an order is shouted out the person meant to receive it will say "echo" to confirm that they heard the order. Darren asked me to visit this Saturday to see how things operate on the weekends (there is a lot more business on the weekends) and have dinner with my boyfriend; I'm really enjoying this experience so far and next week I will begin to start cooking my own meals.

Project Connections at CCC

Today I went on a college visit to Camden County College and I made a project connection when lunch time rolled around. As we were walking through the serving area, I was paying close attention to the presentation of the food; it was a lot better looking than Lindenwold Highs lunch but nothing that deserved a rant and rave. I began to survey the sitting area and I thought about how that area plays a big part in a meal. I found it interesting that our school is newer than CCC and yet our cafeteria doesn't look half as good as their's; we have folding tables that are uncomfortably stiff and they have nice individual tables that look more modern and inviting. The food was a lot better than the LHS daily specail, which there is nothing specail about. Over all, I enjoyed the campus and I was happy that the food obviously wasn't top notch, but something a little more enjoyable.

I'm Excited to blog! (My first visit to my sponsor)

Yesterday while I was on the train on my way to meet my sponsor, I made some surreal connections. There was a body worlds picture on the train (which made me think of our senior project class and our controversial trip to body worlds) and a poster that read: the only cure to hunger is FOOD (my project is on food preparation). This blew my mind and made me feel confident, as if it were luck coming into play to make my day. After my arrival to Haddonfeild, found the little tuna with no issues (which was one of my main worries; getting lost in a foreign town being the only teen on earth who doesn't own a cell phone!) and I sat and waited to meet my sponsor, Darren (I hope it's not spelled Darron). His greeting was very friendly and he gave me the grand tour of the restaurant. I felt very comfortable and the people were extremely welcoming. He explained that cooking in a restaurant calls for an efficient team (I wasn't aware there was so much team work involved) and it demands a lot from you. He taught me that a good chef is open to tasting all foods, that way you learn what flavors go together and you can create new and exciting meals. Darren made me fried calamari (aka squid which I've had before), shrimp in a orange sauce and a spicy Jamaican sauce that I dipped the calamari in. The food was great and some of the flavors were new to me and I enjoyed the experience. He taught me what caramelizing means and how to achieve the effect. He also taught me the definition of saute, gave me an example and told me he's going to start quizzing me on things he teaches me.

I began to think that cooking is very much like chemistry; there are so many things you have to do to manipulate food to achieve the final product and this involves a lot of chemical and physical reactions. Also, he informed me that I have to start watching the food network channel to learn more and sooner or later he will begin to ask me to make him meals. After that I will become a part of the team and help prepare food for customers. I was really impressed and although I know it will be hard, I'm eager to learn. As I sat on the train to Lindenwold I looked back at the food poster on the wall. There was a picture on it that I didn't notice earlier; a variety of different foods were in the shape of a microscope! I guess I'm not the only one who thinks food is a science.

Image connections

As I was browsing the web, I found several interesting photographs that support my thesis and are quite eye catching. I found these pictures on an image sharing website so I'm not sure which chefs created this food art but I would like to know more about them. I believe that food is an art and these meals help back up my opinion. Food is so manipulable and can be made to look like just about anything. It interests me how chefs are able to turn a meal into a work of art; they completely change the meaning of food. These dishes not only appeal to ones taste buds but their eyes as well; how creative.

The "field trip"

This week has been tough one and due to the massive amounts of snow making traveling extremely difficult, I was not able to meet with my sponsor on wend. and I got snowed in at my boyfriends house. I knew I had to turn up the creativity and come up with an activity to learn from that related to my project, so I decided to make breakfast with my boyfriend Matt. I made a list of all the traditional breakfast foods (eggs, toast, sausage, home fries, etc.) and I had a unique idea so I ran with it. We made fried egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches. We fried an egg into the shape of a square, put cheese on it, two slices of bread (like a sandwich) and we fried it in a pan as if it were grilled cheese. I seasoned mine and added ham and they came out great. After we were finished I felt accomplished, even though that may sound a little strange but I had fun making them and I really enjoyed the finish product. Next time you re stuck in the house with nothing to do, try making you own meal it's fun and even if it turns out bad, hopefully someone will eat it!

Project connection

I was at church with a friend the other day and the pastor started to tell the story of Adam and eve; as he went on he mentioned that Adam and eve lived in 3500 - 4000BC which made me think of the researching I did on random facts about food (in hopes to come up with a research paper topic), I learned that apples came into the world in 8000BC. I made the connection to apples because as the story goes, Adam and eve were forbidden to eat the apples of a certain tree but were allowed to touch anything else they desired. I found it interesting that apples were growing that long before the first humans were assumed to have lived. When you think about it, you can make a connection to food in almost any daily situation.

My project and my life

Today in lunch I was pondering my working thesis and as I pushed the food around on my Styrofoam plate, I thought about what we eat for lunch everyday and how little effort and no passion is put into it's preparation. Food is an art; reheated pizza leftover from last week is not. Sometimes I wish everyone would put the same passion into cooking every meal as some chefs do. Sure most chefs get paid more but when you really try, food can be a work of art and taste just as amazing. I learned that all food is like a work of art but some are not as appealing to the senses.

Current Events

As we all know, Haiti has been hit by another 6.1 magnitude earthquake. I have read many articles online and watched the victims of this terrible catastrophic event on the news. I am sending my prayers to them in hopes that the world will help aid them in their time of need and although I don't have much money, I donated what I could to funds for the victims. Many people don't try to help and "chalk it off" as a minor event but if we all donated just one dollar it would make a world of change for a family in need. If you're the type of person that doesn't let other peoples problems bother you, a good question to ask yourself is; If you were a victim of an earthquake and you had no means of support, where would you find help?

http://eng.gazeta.kz/art.asp?aid=142150

Maturity

Unfortunately, I couldn't attend our Senior Project kick off night last night but I heard many good things when I came into school today. Mr. Abrams and Mr. Snyder were bragging about how mature and organized our class was and I was proud but at the same time disappointed that I couldn't have been there last night and share in the praises today. Nevertheless, I'm glad that were getting "on the ball" with our projects and doing it in a mature but enthusiastic manner. I can't wait untill the end of the school year comes and we present our projects and say goodbye to Lindenwold High School once and for all! Yay class of 2010!

You are what you read

I was "googling" information on my thesis this week (even though Ebscohost is a beast) and I found a few paragraphs written by Miss Helen Louise Johnson that helped further prove my thesis; cooking is art. I found it interesting to read about different people that I know of in history that have felt the same way. I also liked Miss Johnson's writing style and how she incorporated history into her opinion. This article taught me new things and presented the opportunity to help me with my research paper; I may just do the same thing in my paper.



http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/eagle/congress/johnson.html

Weekend Growth

This week I finally got a sponsor and I've been trying for months now so I felt a ton of relief. From this almost never ending search, I learned an important life lesson; it's not always about how hard you try or how qualified you are, it's about who you know. Over the past couple of months, I repeatedly called the restaurant Little Tuna and I left numerous messages with several employees but I never got a response. However, during class last week Mr. Abrams called the restaurant and asked for the manager by name and when he was told he was not present, he had a conversation with the woman who answered and was able to "get me in" in no time. After listening to his conversation it became obvious that if you are assertive and you know important people, you almost always get what you need. In the future when I have issues, I've decided that it would be most effective to take Larry's approach to get what I want.

Good Deeds

I plan on going to my friends' fathers viewing on friday, I want to be there for her because when my step father died last year, not a lot of people could make it to his funeral. I know that only time will make her feel better but I hope having some of her friends there will help her feel more at ease. I don't exactly consider this to be a good deed because I feel like a friend would be there no matter what but I'm going to go to show her that I care and I wish the best for her and her family. I know how hard it is to loose your father unexpectedly, it's a horrible feeling and it's important to surround yourself with people who love you; it becomes easier to understand that life goes on and their memory will never be forgotten.

Weekend Growth

Over the weekend I spent time with my son Zachary just as I would any other day. Also, I had a in depth conversation with someone whom I just met and he made me look at things from a different point of view. He was trying to help me feel better after I got upset and we started to talk about life in general. We talked about life and death and our views on the world and religion. We shared many opinions and our views conflicted as well. Nevertheless, it felt good to talk to someone new about things I don't usually discuss with my everyday friends. I learned a lot and he also convinced me to change some of my thoughts and I feel like a more opinionated individual.

Sensa: the new slim fast?

A new appetite-control product has been released by a California Company that is supposed to be safe and effective. As we know, many people are food otakus and cannot stop themselves from eating because they are so dependent on food for various reasons; so it's obvious that if this product is in fact effective, it should be flying off the shelves. Sensa is a food sprinkle that convinces the brain to stop overeating.It's tasteless and odorless, contains no stimulants and does not directly interact with the digestive system. This relates to my project because I'm interested in food and I found this topic to be intriguing to the food industry. I think this product may actually work, it's clinically proven and has gotten a lot of positive feedback. Sesna may just put some people out of business, you never know.

http://www.articlesbase.com/weight-loss-articles/sensa-weight-loss-973599.html

Current Events

As I was brushing up on my current events, I found an article that claims 2 year schools are just as good as 4 years. According to this article, "Many two-year schools offer programs in which graduates can make at least as much money, and have job security." The Department of Labor Employment projections claim that 19 out of 30 of the biggest occupations will not require university degrees. I found this article interesting and helpful because I now know that it's not completely necessary to go to college for 4 years to be successful in the career world. There is so much stress on us now as seniors and it's a load off my shoulders to hear any kind of good news. Who knows, Maybe I'll go to a 2 year college, or maybe I'll like school and stay for my four year degree.

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2010/01/13/2-years-of-education-a-lifetime-of-success/

Good Deeds & Maturity

I am not a mentor but I am a mother and I'm there for my son everyday. Some people may think I'm not a positive mentor because I am young and I have a child but I beg to differ. I believe that because I have a 6 month old son and I'm still attending school, I may not be the best model for young students who are on track but I am a positive role model for young mothers. Most young parents drop out of school and their lives become more difficult as a result; I'm aware that education is important in life and I strive to do my best and go to college in order to get a job and earn a living for not only myself, but my son Zachary. I wanted to be a senior mentor but I knew that there would most likely be a lot of controversy so I decided to spare myself the drama. I don't regret having a child and I enjoy being a parent because I know I improve Zach's life everyday and although I don't have a regular senior lifestyle, I have someone who I love and depends on me.