Death Sentences

The phrase "Are you Deaf?" gets thrown around all the time now and can be really offensive to those who really are deaf. If you really think about it, the phrase "are you deaf" has two different meanings. The idea that someone might not have been listening or preoccupied and that's why they didn't hear you. Also that someone might not have understood what you are meaning no matter how many times you describe and explain to them. If we would stop just flinging it around casually though it could be understood as these meanings rather than just a mean way of saying others really aren't listening.So it’s really up to us to truly decide how we see this phrase and  how to substitute it for something else that might work better and be less of a wrong or rude phrase.

Revenge poem

It was really interesting to see her views on  different situations and how they might need to change or be acknowledged as  a "problem". Honestly when I was reading through this the first time it really kind of surprised me and startled me a bit at how open and blunt she is with her wording. It definitely gets the point across though.

http://www.seattlereviewofbooks.com/notes/2017/01/03/revenge/

picture for inspiration

Stuck while writing an essay or just about anything else? Calvin and Hobbes might have an idea that could help or it might just be worse.


Now if this would only really work. Maybe if we don't think about it and come back to it later we will be able to write again. This could be very helpful insight. Thanks Calvin. Time for a snack break from homework.

Maybe I really should take this advice while I'm having problems with coming up an issue to use for my blog and research paper I really didn't realize how hard it was going to be until I started thinking about it. Too bad there isn't a way to use a writers block on my computer (well there is always the internet that calls when on a computer) maybe time to think of something to break with coloring perhaps. If only it wasn't so hard to come up with things to write in an essay if it were easy like a story well then we'd be going places.

Blog Issue: National Park History

Here is a little bit of history on the National Park Service for those who didn't have much prior knowledge. 
The National Park Service was originally under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior but in 1916 was given to congress that is what marks the Park Service as we might know it now. The National Park Service just celebrated their 100th birthday back in August of 2016, so for many people this was a really big thing. There was events all over to celebrate the NPS and the Parks although not every park is a hundred years old some are getting close so they enjoyed the celebration just as much as anyone else. Here is something that you might not have known: there is a difference between a National Park and a National Monument can you guess what that might be?
If you guessed that a Park is established by congress and a Monument signed over by the president than you would be correct. The president can create an executive order that signs a place over to become a National Monument. But if congress does the work then they get the proud title of Park. Although there are two different names because of the way they are created they are still important and a big part of the National Parks. 

The 3 A's Of Awesome

It was really interesting seeing what he had to say and what he thought of as the 3 things that can make life awesome. They are Attitude, Awareness, and Authenticity. I really enjoyed watching this and seeing how in his life each of these came into play and that they did work together to make is so life wasn't so bad. Maybe I need to try this see if this can make my life better.

https://www.ted.com/talks/neil_pasricha_the_3_a_s_of_awesome

I AM. . .

I am Different.
I am afraid of losing more family.
I am working on becoming fluent in ASL.
I am a very good listener.
I am enjoying my summers by hiking and volunteering at Timpanogos Caves.
I am still slightly dependent on my parents.
I am still looking into my self and finding new depths, then trying to learn about them.
I am very talkative when I want to be.
I am artistic.
I am amazing!

George Orwell

 a quote from George Orwell:

"...if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought."

If this is really true then we all need to think about our language and focus on a better use of language and making it so it is less corrosive and hurtful. 

Issue for Blog: Trump and the National Parks

My issue is on Trump and the National Park Service. Trump has created a national hiring freeze which has affected many parks in their ability to hire on new help for the coming season as well as made it really hard for potential candidates to get a job. He has also mentioned wanting to sell the national parks back to their home state so that he can dig for oil in some of these places. He can't do this currently because the parks are under protection, this is why he wants to sell them so he can then legally drill. Currently he is focusing on Zions park and hoping to put a drill outside the park that can be seen from inside and out of the park. Doing this will destroy the beauty of Zions and potentially in other places it could harm wildlife.

Blog mascot

This is Koro-Sensei my blog's mascot.

He will just show up every once in a while to make sure the things being posted are awesome, and comments are great.
See ya around Koro-Sensei.

Betsy DeVos hearing

As I am reading through this my first and continual thought is that she doesn't have a clue to what she is doing. She may have worked with education but definitely not the kind that she would be doing if she were to be confirmed. There are very big gaps in her knowledge and what she would be expected to do. So to me this doesn't inspire confidence in her or her possible methods. Reading over the transcript given I noticed that there seemed to be a few times where she didn't answer the question presented that she seemed to dodge it and try answering something else, or that she didn't know completely what something was like the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) Because of it only gave half answers until she was asked again later and had completely changed her answer on it saying she hadn't understood what it was when they asked earlier.
This is not the type of person we would want in our government because they don't understand what our needs are and how to properly take care of things.

In case you wanted to read the hearing portion I did here is a link to the page it was on.
http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/01/18/510417234/the-devos-hearing-in-their-own-words

Brene Brown TED Talk

As I was listening to the TED talk these are what I found interesting to me or things that just popped out at me then stuck till I wrote them down.

We are all vulnerable to what we see in the media.

In order to create, innovate we need to be vulnerable.

Shame and vulnerabilities are connected.

Now connecting this to the magazine activity, we are all vulnerable in our own ways and sometimes that might come in the shape of a magazine. What we see on the covers might pique our interests or have an interesting word that makes it so we pick it up, but it then shows us (or at least the girls magazines I feel) what is wrong with us and how to fix it. Maybe showing us in our state of vulnerability that we aren't perfect and this is how things need to be or should change to. Then that gets us thinking and worrying and hating that one piece that we've been told is broken or not pretty enough that needs to be fixed, when in all reality we are perfect! Just like in the song "Scars to your beautiful" By Alessia Cara "You should know you're beautiful just the way you are. . . Let me be your mirror, help you see a little bit clearer The light that shines within There's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark You should know you're beautiful just the way you are And you don't have to change a thing". Because it's true we are all beautiful and sometimes we just need a reminder of that fact, whether it be from a loved one or a friend sometimes even hearing it from a stranger helps us feel a bit better. So from me to you YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!! So from me know that you are enough and you are awesome stay beautiful and yourself. Don't change for someone else if you really want to change starts with you! Change because you want to not because someone said you should or needed to. Become comfortable in your own skin. I know I am so I hope you can be too.

A link to the video in case you want to watch it.
https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_listening_to_shame

About Me

This is McKenna's insane life where everything happens, and we save the world daily before lunch, and twice on Mondays.

Well most of the time. Realistically I just do homework, work and imagine what life would be like if it were one of my books that I love so much. I am a very avid reader and love doing just about anything creative or artistic. That goes from reading to drawing to writing my own stories. If you want to know more about anything I have posted feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer any questions or concerns you might have. Enjoy the posts and pictures that are added. (Just for a bit of comic relief, because who doesn't need that.)