The young adults in our society today are so transient.  We are constantly moving to attend schools, work, or just for a change.  This scene rings all too familiar with me; since leaving high school, I have had many new beginnings and endings with cities, schools, and work.  I have loved every one though, as I love meeting new people and learning their stories.  It is hard being new in an environment that is already settled.  It is even harder and almost impossible to break into an area when the people of the new place are resistant to change and are unwelcoming in their approach to meeting new people.  Therefore, you have to be persistent and it takes a lot of strength to attend a new setting.  It is hard work, and some people give up.

Does convenience come with a price? These days you really don't have to do much exercise if you don't want to.  You can have almost anything delivered to your house (i.e. food and supplies).  Also, if you commute to a desk job or are a student there is a lot of sitting involved there too.  Think about it, many individuals get up and take either the bus or drive to school/work, they then sit in lecture or at a computer doing their work. Then they come home.  The setup isn't designed to include much physical activity.  There is so much sitting that researchers have labelled in the "Sitting Disease".

Communication methods have changed over the 21st century.  In the previous century, people would send letters, place telephone calls on land lines, or talk to each other in person.  While these methods are still used today, the internet has changed the manner and the speed in which individuals communicate with one another.  For example, most Canadian families and individual’s have a personalized computer and access to the internet (Gross, 2004; Valkenburg & Peter, 2007).  When the internet first became popular, people would send e-mails as their main form of communication. Presently, however, the internet has become the status quo in all social settings; with emailing, instant messaging, and online networking sites (e.g., Facebook) being used as standard modes of communication.

I love to write, and thought I would share what has been going on in my heart over the past week.  I went to visit my grandparents, and my grandpa told me how my grandma had been leaving pots on the stove and forgetting they were on.  The fire department recently came to their house, as one of the pots set off the fire alarm.  She has been diagnosed with Alzheimers, and the family is debating whether she should go into long-term care. It is such a hard decision to make.  Putting her in long-term care means that she would have to leave her home of almost sixty years.

I was looking for something this morning and I found a portfolio that I made for my grade nine Skills for Success class.  The teacher had asked us to put in the portfolio written work from each of your classes. I found this essay I wrote for my grade nine English class and I had to share as she still inspires me to not give up.

A hero is a man or woman admired for achievements and noble qualities. The following essay is about Silken Laumann.  This essay will discuss how Silken's been recognized as a sports hero, how she was able to change society by her special characteristics, and how she fits the the definition of a hero.

It seems the topic of finding love on Online Dating Sites is a popular topic in our society today.  Personally, I know many people who have found "love" or are currently using sites to find "the one".  Congrats to them. I have mixed views on the topic, and since I am not a user of such online dating sites, I am simply going through others' experience using the sites. I think these sites are good to meet people who you would consider dating, but I think the real test occurs after you meet the individual in person.  I know of many couples who found each other in person, but who would probably not be matched together if they had used a dating site.

I just finished watching 'Brene Brown: The Power of Vulnerability" on Ted Talks.  She said things that really resonated with me and how I think people should live their lives. Watch it!

When you are introduced to someone, have you ever noticed that the most common phrases are always about your job and the role you play in society? For example, as a child/teenager you will be asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” or as an adult, “What do you do for a living?", or as a student, "What are you studying?”  It seems the occupation label primarily defines who you are. However, if you meet two doctors,  for example, they share the label their job entails; but, their personal lives will be far from identical.

I was watching Bridget Jones's Diary last night with my sisters.  It is a hilarious chick flick with the main character Bridget (played by Renee Zellweger) caught into a love triangle between Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. The one thing that saddened me to see the main character's fascination with weight.  Bridget is a woman in her early thirties that wants to find a man.

Since I'm doing work in bullying and reducing victimization, I thought it was appropriate that I put an article about this issue, emotional/psychological abuse.

I have heard of many emotionally abusive situations and some people are in relationships where this is occurring right now. Women do this too but this article is to help other women stand up for themselves if they are in an abusive relationship. Emotional abuse is hard to quantify but it can be extremely hurtful to the victim and hence why I'm bringing it up.

I went shopping the other day for a new bathing suit that I can use to go swimming in every morning.  I'm a fish; I am truly happy when I am in or on the water.  That is why two of my favourite activities are: rowing and swimming.  I am getting back into my routine of going to the pool early in the morning and swimming laps.

As I was shopping the other day, I realized how much putting on a swimsuit instills insecurity and fear in many people.  You want a suit that shapes your body and makes you look your best.  We are all raised with media telling us how we should look.  In a sense, wearing a swimsuit out in public makes you extremely vulnerable as many people see the shape of your body.   We get self-conscious as sometimes the shape of our body may not fit the "ideal stereotype".  For some this can be terrifying. I remember when I was in my early teens and self-conscious of my new curves; I would wear a t-shirt over my suit when I was at the cottage as I didn't want anyone to look at my body and possibly judge me.  I grew out of that phase and am just wear bathing suits into the pool now.  I realized that people will judge you regardless but you cannot let that control/prevent you from having fun and pursuing the activities you enjoy.

I happened to see Pink's new music video for her song "Perfect". Since I was posted yesterday (The Power of Words) about body image, self-esteem, and eating disorder, I thought the message of the video is a great one to share.

** Caution though the girl does engage in self-mutilating behaviour and its not appropriate for everyone.