One spiritual mood and tons of thought on the meaning of our own spoken word later, this poem was born. I am describing how I perceive what words mean, what they do, and how they can affect us. Enjoy! (last updated 2-22-15)
What are words?
Words are human’s spoken dialect…
They are the most commonly audible sound with endless meanings…
Provoking powerful thought, logic, and emotion…
These even have the power to evoke a blessing or destroy the universe…
They say how you pray to be able to live every day above ground,
Unite our people as voices band together,
And more simply, help us communicate with one another…
While floating through a world which should never be seen as grey…
Words are letters tied together to create puzzle pieces of an art form…
They are the building blocks to a sweet melody, a poem about nonsensical wisdom, or even the magic for a healing spell…
These artistic compositions of letters in patterns can make anything your heart desires!
Words are the painted colors of the rainbow to tell anyone how beautiful they are…
They are the integral items to tell that special someone “I love you and appreciate everything you do for me”
They bring the light to your eyes and transform darkness into brightness
Which tell you how to love,
How to continue to project a positively gleaming aura to all,
And how to heal a previously wounded soul through uplifting words of wisdom…
Words can give you the push towards that leap of faith,
Tell you how far you’ve come,
Sell you a boat, write you a loan, tell you a story, say hello or goodbye or even tell you a goddamn lie…
But be careful, words can contain some pretty prickly pears in there…
Words have the vigor to terrorize a victim with bullying and abuse
Due to the these words penetrating through your heart...
Having nastiness constantly spit in your face can cause deeper destruction than breaking your arm…
Words possess true meaning, but without action and implementation, mean nothing…
Used properly, they can characterize the world’s beauty and passions for change and betterment…
Used improperly, they can leave a lingering nasty taste in your mouth…
The possibilities are endless!
But I must admonish you…
Please use words wisely… for gain and not only for pain or fame…
To help and not hurt,
To inspire and not ravage,
To achieve and not deceive...
What you decide to do with them, it’s all up to you!
Some restrictions may apply!
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Guacamole Recipe
3 avocados, taken out of the skin, un-pitted, and mashed
1 diced tomato
3 large squirts of lime juice
1 squirt lemon juice
3 tbsp fresh cilantro ripped into tiny pieces and taken off the stem
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 shakes garlic powder
3 shakes onion powder
1/4 cup red onion
3 diced jalapeno slices
Mash the avocado and stir in a bowl! Best served with nacho chips or Doritos. Enjoy!
1 diced tomato
3 large squirts of lime juice
1 squirt lemon juice
3 tbsp fresh cilantro ripped into tiny pieces and taken off the stem
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 shakes garlic powder
3 shakes onion powder
1/4 cup red onion
3 diced jalapeno slices
Mash the avocado and stir in a bowl! Best served with nacho chips or Doritos. Enjoy!
El Famous Taco Dip Recipe
Mmmmmm, taco dip! Everyone loves dip, especially on a sports game day, when at a gathering with your friends, a party, etc. If you're wondering where this recipe came from, as well as my other ones, I would basically just google a recipe to use it as a baseline and go ahead and invent it from there! Other times (like this one), I literally just make it up on the fly. It is basically everything that you'd want in a taco in dip form... minus sour cream because I'm not a fan of it!
Base (hold onto these until meat and guacamole are complete):
1 can (black bean or vegetarian) refried beans
10 diced jalapeno slices
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 cups shredded (reduced fat sharp cheddar) cheese
3 tbsp taco sauce
7 shakes Tabasco sauce
1 cup (tomato or corn/black bean) salsa
Meat:
3 tbsp taco sauce
1 lb lean ground beef (ground turkey works too)
1 package reduced sodium taco seasoning
5 tbsp salsa
1/3 cup (reduced fat sharp cheddar) cheese
1/4 chopped red onion
3 shakes garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Brown the meat in the skillet pan, follow directions on the back of the seasoning packet for adding the taco sauce - once the meat is browned and the sauce is starting to soak into the meat, add the rest of the ingredients until the cheese is melted and the onions are sauteed (look like they have added flavor in them)
Guacamole:
3 avocados, taken out of the skin, un-pitted, and mashed
1 diced tomato
3 large squirts of lime juice
1 squirt lemon juice
3 tbsp fresh cilantro ripped into tiny pieces and taken off the stem
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 shakes garlic powder
3 shakes onion powder
1/4 cup red onion
3 diced jalapeno slices
Mash the avocado and stir in a bowl!
When all of these are done, grab a giant dip bowl and add to bowl in the following order (from the base, meat, and guacamole):
Refried beans, guacamole, salsa, taco sauce, meat, red onion, jalepeno slices, Tabasco sauce, cheese
Microwave for 4-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Enjoy! Best served with nacho chips or Doritos!
Base (hold onto these until meat and guacamole are complete):
1 can (black bean or vegetarian) refried beans
10 diced jalapeno slices
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 cups shredded (reduced fat sharp cheddar) cheese
3 tbsp taco sauce
7 shakes Tabasco sauce
1 cup (tomato or corn/black bean) salsa
Meat:
3 tbsp taco sauce
1 lb lean ground beef (ground turkey works too)
1 package reduced sodium taco seasoning
5 tbsp salsa
1/3 cup (reduced fat sharp cheddar) cheese
1/4 chopped red onion
3 shakes garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Brown the meat in the skillet pan, follow directions on the back of the seasoning packet for adding the taco sauce - once the meat is browned and the sauce is starting to soak into the meat, add the rest of the ingredients until the cheese is melted and the onions are sauteed (look like they have added flavor in them)
Guacamole:
3 avocados, taken out of the skin, un-pitted, and mashed
1 diced tomato
3 large squirts of lime juice
1 squirt lemon juice
3 tbsp fresh cilantro ripped into tiny pieces and taken off the stem
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 shakes garlic powder
3 shakes onion powder
1/4 cup red onion
3 diced jalapeno slices
Mash the avocado and stir in a bowl!
When all of these are done, grab a giant dip bowl and add to bowl in the following order (from the base, meat, and guacamole):
Refried beans, guacamole, salsa, taco sauce, meat, red onion, jalepeno slices, Tabasco sauce, cheese
Microwave for 4-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Enjoy! Best served with nacho chips or Doritos!
Parmesan Dijon Crusted Chicken Recipe - With Wilted Spinach and Jasmine Rice
Crust Recipe:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
3 tbsp almond meal
3 tbsp italian breadcrumbs
1 tbsp stone ground mustard
1 tbsp lime juice
3 shakes onion powder
3 shakes garlic powder
3 shakes red pepper flakes
3 shakes chili powder
The chicken was cooked on the stove on a skillet pan and the crust was put on top of the chicken afterwards. Cook the chicken until you no longer see pink on the inside.
The rice was a cup of jasmine rice with 1.5 cups of chicken stock, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, and 1 clove of garlic and cooked for about 20 minutes (mostly simmering). Be sure to follow the directions on the bag of rice in order to properly cook it though!
The spinach was wilted with a clove of garlic, 1/2 cup of chicken stock, and 1 tablespoon of lime juice.
Enjoy!
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
3 tbsp almond meal
3 tbsp italian breadcrumbs
1 tbsp stone ground mustard
1 tbsp lime juice
3 shakes onion powder
3 shakes garlic powder
3 shakes red pepper flakes
3 shakes chili powder
The chicken was cooked on the stove on a skillet pan and the crust was put on top of the chicken afterwards. Cook the chicken until you no longer see pink on the inside.
The rice was a cup of jasmine rice with 1.5 cups of chicken stock, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, and 1 clove of garlic and cooked for about 20 minutes (mostly simmering). Be sure to follow the directions on the bag of rice in order to properly cook it though!
The spinach was wilted with a clove of garlic, 1/2 cup of chicken stock, and 1 tablespoon of lime juice.
Enjoy!
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe
Delicious spinach artichoke dip!
1 cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese (healthier option, use reduced fat cheese)
1 can artichoke hearts
1 cup mayo (healthier options, use light mayo or for even healthier than that, plain greek yogurt)
1 package frozen spinach or 2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup mozzarella cheese to top the dip
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and cook for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy :) It's very easy to make!
1 cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese (healthier option, use reduced fat cheese)
1 can artichoke hearts
1 cup mayo (healthier options, use light mayo or for even healthier than that, plain greek yogurt)
1 package frozen spinach or 2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup mozzarella cheese to top the dip
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and cook for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy :) It's very easy to make!
Healthy Hummus Recipe
1 can chick peas
1/3 cup tahini paste (sesame - found in any supermarket)
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp sun dried tomato
1/2 cup roasted red pepper
3 handfuls fresh spinach
2 tbsp honey dijon mustard dressing
3 shakes red pepper flakes
5 shakes chili powder
3 shakes oregano
3 large squirts of lime juice
Salt/Pepper to taste
Blend up in a magic bullet or blender on "puree" and serve with pita or veggies. Enjoy :) It takes about 20 or so minutes to make and is great for a party!
1/3 cup tahini paste (sesame - found in any supermarket)
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp sun dried tomato
1/2 cup roasted red pepper
3 handfuls fresh spinach
2 tbsp honey dijon mustard dressing
3 shakes red pepper flakes
5 shakes chili powder
3 shakes oregano
3 large squirts of lime juice
Salt/Pepper to taste
Blend up in a magic bullet or blender on "puree" and serve with pita or veggies. Enjoy :) It takes about 20 or so minutes to make and is great for a party!
Clams With Black Bean Sauce Recipe
In case you're wondering, I literally invented all of these recipes myself. All I do is just google a recipe, use it as a baseline, and modify it :) Yay creativity!
Here's my recipe for clams with black bean sauce. It's kind of a long one and will probably take about an hour or more to make everything, but it's definitely worth it! This serves at least 4!
Sauce
½ cup reduced sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp oyster sauce
3 pieces of seaweed (the small pieces)
2 tsp sugar
½ tsp sesame oil
½ tsp ginger
3 squirts lime juice
3 squirts lemon juice
1 tbsp black bean sauce
1 tbsp ginger dressing
3 shakes chili powder
1 heaping tsp minced garlic
½ tsp chili garlic sauce
½ cup clam juice from the can of clams
1 tsp peanut sauce
Base
3 small cans of clams (you can use fresh clams too of course)
½ cup tri colored peppers
½ cup mushrooms
1 can baby corn, drained
5 handfuls fresh spinach
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 green onions
1 can black beans, drained
½ cup Julienne cut carrots
1 small pack of seaweed
3 handfuls snap peas
3 shakes freeze dried chives
5 shakes onion powder
10 shakes chili powder
10 shakes crushed red pepper
½ tsp ginger
5 squirts lime juice
5 squirts lemon juice
1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 pack lo mein noodles
Cook the noodles first. Add the rest of the base separately in a skillet pan. Once the veggies and fish are done, add the noodles to cook into the base and add the sauce last. Enjoy!
Friday, February 21, 2014
Parmesan Garlic Tomato Sauce Recipe
I made a pretty sweet pasta sauce on the fly pretty recently and here is how I did it:
1/2 can reduced sodium chicken broth
1/3 can tomato sauce
3 shakes freeze dried chives
3 shakes oregano
10 shakes garlic powder
1/4 cup combined grated parmesan cheese and italian bread crumbs
3 handfuls fresh spinach
It took me about 5 minutes to prepare everything and about 5 minutes to make... Not long at all!
Pour on top of your favorite pasta and enjoy the tasty awesomeness. If you wanna spice up your pasta and you like the best of the tomato and garlic/parmesan worlds, this sauce is perfect... even my picky parents ate it This also tastes good with italian sausage. Nom!
What Happened To Hard Rock Music?
What happened to hard rock and metal music? The genre that used to be my absolute favorite is starting to fall down the drain in its conformist ways, meaning that there is "one sound" that appeals to the general crowd and many of these bands are starting to sound EXACTLY THE SAME! What happened to the complex and unique guitar riffs, inspiring lyrics, and the heart and soul that I used to see with these artists, but not anymore.
Some bands that seem to be falling into this trap are Adelitas Way, Shinedown, Lincoln Park, Muse, Avenged Sevenfold, All that Remains, Escape the Fate and many new artists that are taking the spotlight, such as We as Human, Stars in Stereo, Royal Bliss (even though I saw them like 2008 when "I was Drunk" just came out), Eve to Adam, etc. Honestly, most of these new artists I just googled their names because I keep hearing them on my local rock station and had never even heard of them before. Fortunately, there are other bands that seem to have escaped or avoided this trap, such as Alter Bridge, 10 Years, Chevelle, Five Finger Death Punch, and many others I'm sure.
The more fame these bands proclaim, the worse they seem to sound because they want to impress the general public and become more rich and famous. That's not the reason why artists should make music. You need to make sure to stay true to your natural form in order to maintain a true and genuine following. If you're wondering what "the trap" means, it represents that their older fans cringe at the new music these artists produce because the sounds are all so similar that nothing is defined to be its own. Artists need to make things with their own style instead of sticking to the one style that's popular. In the trap, there is little sense of uniqueness and a high prevalence of conformity. There is no need to put effort into impressing people when making music. Another thing that I've noticed about the trap is that artists with more of a "harder and raw" (no pun intended) sound towards the band's earlier days are now starting to become more mild. Shouldn't "hard rock" be "hard rock" and not just a bunch of blah? The fame and fortune would come effortlessly, as well as respect from genuine fans, if you make your music for yourself through your heart while pouring your soul into the melody. Unfortunately, in this general society, people have difficulty being themselves because they are simply out to please others instead of themselves.
Whichever bands have had new albums that I would consider to be "meh", that doesn't mean I'd stop liking the artist. You have no idea why they chose to make the music that they did. There is always such thing as not liking a particular album while still liking the artist overall. You can never retract music thats been released already. If you also begin to dislike the latest music from a particular artist, you may develop less of a following towards them and begin looking to other artists for musical inspiration. If you don't like an artist for who they are, don't listen to them. There are plenty out there that you will either like or dislike. But all in all, the moral of the story is that artists need to stop being so darn generic and start finding more ways to create new melodies. Instead of conforming to the genre, they should use the genre as an outline and stay true to themselves… not to impress anyone, but for the genuine and passionate love for music!
Some bands that seem to be falling into this trap are Adelitas Way, Shinedown, Lincoln Park, Muse, Avenged Sevenfold, All that Remains, Escape the Fate and many new artists that are taking the spotlight, such as We as Human, Stars in Stereo, Royal Bliss (even though I saw them like 2008 when "I was Drunk" just came out), Eve to Adam, etc. Honestly, most of these new artists I just googled their names because I keep hearing them on my local rock station and had never even heard of them before. Fortunately, there are other bands that seem to have escaped or avoided this trap, such as Alter Bridge, 10 Years, Chevelle, Five Finger Death Punch, and many others I'm sure.
The more fame these bands proclaim, the worse they seem to sound because they want to impress the general public and become more rich and famous. That's not the reason why artists should make music. You need to make sure to stay true to your natural form in order to maintain a true and genuine following. If you're wondering what "the trap" means, it represents that their older fans cringe at the new music these artists produce because the sounds are all so similar that nothing is defined to be its own. Artists need to make things with their own style instead of sticking to the one style that's popular. In the trap, there is little sense of uniqueness and a high prevalence of conformity. There is no need to put effort into impressing people when making music. Another thing that I've noticed about the trap is that artists with more of a "harder and raw" (no pun intended) sound towards the band's earlier days are now starting to become more mild. Shouldn't "hard rock" be "hard rock" and not just a bunch of blah? The fame and fortune would come effortlessly, as well as respect from genuine fans, if you make your music for yourself through your heart while pouring your soul into the melody. Unfortunately, in this general society, people have difficulty being themselves because they are simply out to please others instead of themselves.
Whichever bands have had new albums that I would consider to be "meh", that doesn't mean I'd stop liking the artist. You have no idea why they chose to make the music that they did. There is always such thing as not liking a particular album while still liking the artist overall. You can never retract music thats been released already. If you also begin to dislike the latest music from a particular artist, you may develop less of a following towards them and begin looking to other artists for musical inspiration. If you don't like an artist for who they are, don't listen to them. There are plenty out there that you will either like or dislike. But all in all, the moral of the story is that artists need to stop being so darn generic and start finding more ways to create new melodies. Instead of conforming to the genre, they should use the genre as an outline and stay true to themselves… not to impress anyone, but for the genuine and passionate love for music!
Monday, February 17, 2014
13 Tips on How to Win a Scholarship
I'm sure many people think that whenever they see a scholarship
application, they think that only the "exceptionally perfect people"
earn scholarships and decide not to even bother applying. If you do,
YOU'RE WRONG! I've won 5 and I don't think I'm near perfect at all...
then again, I am generally pretty modest. You don't have to be a
straight A student who's president
of multiple organizations. I'm just a normal student with above
average grades who's in many extracurricular activities and enjoys
participating in
class. I usually keep between a 3.1 and 3.3 in my major and cumulative
respectively,
both out of a 4.0. You're definitely NOT going to get a scholarship if
you think that writing these "silly essays" is a waste of time. IT'S
FREE MONEY. The tedious essay
writing and question answering is very well worth it. Trust me when I
say this: winning is possible as long as you try!
Some scholarships are need based (how much money you and your family make in a year), some are merit based (grades and academic involvement), and others are both. All of that definitely plays a factor in the chances you have to winning.
Most scholarships usually involve writing essays, which are more tedious than anything. Just keep your eye on the prize and stay motivated to finish the entire application. Winning looks pretty darn good on a resume as well! Before applying, however, make sure to READ THE FINE PRINT because you need to ensure you're eligible first! There is a lot more that goes into winning a scholarship than just the essay!
Here's some advice on what I have done to win so many of these (in no particular order):
1. Don't bore the judges with word vomit and endlessly long sentences. I'm sure they have tons of essays to read. Don't go over the maximum word count either. Make the introduction of each essay "suck the reader in" and entice them to want to keep reading. Don't just start your first sentence with "I want to win this award because…" or end with "please let me win…" or you will probably get a rejection letter!
2. Be sure to not have any spelling or grammar errors or your essay will be thrown away/deleted and you will get a rejection letter... unless, of course, they don't catch the mistake because they are probably reading super fast. Keeping the errors away can eliminate a rejection a day!
3. Have people (ex your mom or the school writing center) take a look at your essay to make sure it is error free, coherent, organized, not off topic, and ready for submission! Before you turn it in, make sure to proofread multiple times, as well as make sure you fully answer the question! That way, the odds will ever be in your favor!
4. Have your conclusion or last sentence of the question fully complete the essay and allow it to complete its full circle. What that means is that you make sure all of your thoughts are finished and leave the judges with a powerful message to think about while trying to give your final convincing remarks of why you deserve to win. On one of the essays I wrote, it asked me why I wanted to win and I responded by saying, "Winning this award will make me feel like I truly made a difference to the community, the School of Information Technology, and successfully inspired others to reach their fullest potential." I ended up winning that award.
5. I like to listen to music when writing all of my essays to give me some writing inspiration. Get yourself into a writing zone in order to be able to focus and come up with your best word artistry. However, use your colorful vocabulary wisely and accurately!
6. Apply apply apply! You probably won't win every scholarship you apply for. That's nearly impossible and that definitely didn't happen to me. The more scholarships you apply to, the more chances you have of winning. Never give up, no matter how many times you lose! Everyone will get plenty of rejection letters (unless you're a super hero or very lucky), but don't let that discourage you, especially if it was one you really wanted. There are many more opportunities out there. Who knows, maybe better one will come up and you'll end up winning that one when you least expect it! Not only that, but it feels amazing when you win that "one" award that you thought you had zero chance to win because it was a national award, and you apply anyway because "sure why not, what do I have to lose? A couple hours and a few seconds of my time to read a sorry letter" and then you end up waking up randomly one morning and finding out you won. That is one of the most amazing feelings in the world. Never underestimate yourself!
7. Brag, don't blab! In scholarship essays, you want to sell your greatest strengths to the judges. Make yourself sound like the most impressive person in the world, but don't ramble on about the same thing for eternity or the judges will get sick of reading it and move onto the next person. For each "strength" you are trying to advertise, write about 3-5 sentences for it and move onto the next topic. You may not be able to hit every point because of a word limit, but pick 3-5 of your best attributes to sell. For example, if you're the president of the club for your department, hold some sort of leadership position, were accepted into some honor society, did some major volunteer or coursework project that was implemented and it made a noticeable difference and was recognized in many places, those are some of the things you should definitely mention!
8. With your strengths that you are promoting in your essay, don't lie. You have to be as close to qualified as possible to apply. With that being said, you should definitely be involved in school and not just sit on your rear end all day being lazy and a mediocre student and expect to win something. You have to do what you say you do and make yourself stand out in some way, especially on the essay. If it's for a scholarship sponsored by your school, not only do you have to write a stellar essay, but you have to stand out in your classes and participate in extracurricular activities. You may not think these awards are biased, but I'm sure they are to some degree! Having leadership experience is definitely integral, but not required. Having involvement is pretty much required because you need to have at least something that distinguishes you from the rest of the applicants. You don't want to be just "an applicant". Same applies for having work experience/working at the same time you apply. If you don't have a job at the moment, say "you decided not to work because you wanted to attend college to learn, focus on your academics to maintain your high GPA, and reap the benefits of attending a university, such as *insert what you're doing here*." Judges also appreciate volunteering in some way, which is something I highly advocate. Of course, you need to stay true to yourself when applying for anything. People who read applications would probably be able to determine if you are full of it anyways!
9. Many scholarships require you to list references from jobs or classes (or within your major). A way to not only win, but succeed in general is to befriend your professors and make good impressions on them. I'm not saying to be teacher's pet and act like an arrogant jerk who sits in the front of the room and doesn't let anyone else participate. Professors are people too and they don't bite. Utilize their office hours and feel comfortable asking a question in class. That way, they will know who you are when you ask them for a recommendation. It will also show you have a work ethic. It's all about NETWORKING and who you know, but you have to put yourself out there to get to know people!
10. Sound confident in your talents and use your writing as your outlet to showcase yourself. Don't use phrases such as "I think I'm good at this" or "I may do this" or "I want to do this". Say more definitive phrases that convey confidence, such as "I am the president of the computer science club and I enjoy doing it while doing xyz to help the club".
11. It could also help to add a little bit of a "sob story" to your essays. For example, if one of your parents is sick or you have gone through many hardships to get to where you are now, that is definitely something you should mention (when applicable). It's definitely worked for me. Of course, make sure you're not steering off topic and are answering the essay question while doing so!
12. If you have applied for multiple scholarships and you are proud of what you have submitted, you can definitely reuse what you have written. It will save you a lot of time and you can tailor your up to date skill set that better matches the requirements of the application you're working on. Of course, you can also use your previous essays as a reference if the questions to answer are completely different. If you've won one or more scholarships, you can revise the essay a little bit and turn it in again (as long as you're not turning the exact same essay to the same judges). You can even reuse bits and pieces of what you have written in other essays. The more times you've applied and the more essay questions you've answered, the more content you have to reuse in the future and the less you have to write for future applications!
13. I have mentioned this before, but I'm going to save the best for last. NEVER GIVE UP! You can't win if you don't try, so might as well go ahead and apply! You can do it!
Some scholarships are need based (how much money you and your family make in a year), some are merit based (grades and academic involvement), and others are both. All of that definitely plays a factor in the chances you have to winning.
Most scholarships usually involve writing essays, which are more tedious than anything. Just keep your eye on the prize and stay motivated to finish the entire application. Winning looks pretty darn good on a resume as well! Before applying, however, make sure to READ THE FINE PRINT because you need to ensure you're eligible first! There is a lot more that goes into winning a scholarship than just the essay!
Here's some advice on what I have done to win so many of these (in no particular order):
1. Don't bore the judges with word vomit and endlessly long sentences. I'm sure they have tons of essays to read. Don't go over the maximum word count either. Make the introduction of each essay "suck the reader in" and entice them to want to keep reading. Don't just start your first sentence with "I want to win this award because…" or end with "please let me win…" or you will probably get a rejection letter!
2. Be sure to not have any spelling or grammar errors or your essay will be thrown away/deleted and you will get a rejection letter... unless, of course, they don't catch the mistake because they are probably reading super fast. Keeping the errors away can eliminate a rejection a day!
3. Have people (ex your mom or the school writing center) take a look at your essay to make sure it is error free, coherent, organized, not off topic, and ready for submission! Before you turn it in, make sure to proofread multiple times, as well as make sure you fully answer the question! That way, the odds will ever be in your favor!
4. Have your conclusion or last sentence of the question fully complete the essay and allow it to complete its full circle. What that means is that you make sure all of your thoughts are finished and leave the judges with a powerful message to think about while trying to give your final convincing remarks of why you deserve to win. On one of the essays I wrote, it asked me why I wanted to win and I responded by saying, "Winning this award will make me feel like I truly made a difference to the community, the School of Information Technology, and successfully inspired others to reach their fullest potential." I ended up winning that award.
5. I like to listen to music when writing all of my essays to give me some writing inspiration. Get yourself into a writing zone in order to be able to focus and come up with your best word artistry. However, use your colorful vocabulary wisely and accurately!
6. Apply apply apply! You probably won't win every scholarship you apply for. That's nearly impossible and that definitely didn't happen to me. The more scholarships you apply to, the more chances you have of winning. Never give up, no matter how many times you lose! Everyone will get plenty of rejection letters (unless you're a super hero or very lucky), but don't let that discourage you, especially if it was one you really wanted. There are many more opportunities out there. Who knows, maybe better one will come up and you'll end up winning that one when you least expect it! Not only that, but it feels amazing when you win that "one" award that you thought you had zero chance to win because it was a national award, and you apply anyway because "sure why not, what do I have to lose? A couple hours and a few seconds of my time to read a sorry letter" and then you end up waking up randomly one morning and finding out you won. That is one of the most amazing feelings in the world. Never underestimate yourself!
7. Brag, don't blab! In scholarship essays, you want to sell your greatest strengths to the judges. Make yourself sound like the most impressive person in the world, but don't ramble on about the same thing for eternity or the judges will get sick of reading it and move onto the next person. For each "strength" you are trying to advertise, write about 3-5 sentences for it and move onto the next topic. You may not be able to hit every point because of a word limit, but pick 3-5 of your best attributes to sell. For example, if you're the president of the club for your department, hold some sort of leadership position, were accepted into some honor society, did some major volunteer or coursework project that was implemented and it made a noticeable difference and was recognized in many places, those are some of the things you should definitely mention!
8. With your strengths that you are promoting in your essay, don't lie. You have to be as close to qualified as possible to apply. With that being said, you should definitely be involved in school and not just sit on your rear end all day being lazy and a mediocre student and expect to win something. You have to do what you say you do and make yourself stand out in some way, especially on the essay. If it's for a scholarship sponsored by your school, not only do you have to write a stellar essay, but you have to stand out in your classes and participate in extracurricular activities. You may not think these awards are biased, but I'm sure they are to some degree! Having leadership experience is definitely integral, but not required. Having involvement is pretty much required because you need to have at least something that distinguishes you from the rest of the applicants. You don't want to be just "an applicant". Same applies for having work experience/working at the same time you apply. If you don't have a job at the moment, say "you decided not to work because you wanted to attend college to learn, focus on your academics to maintain your high GPA, and reap the benefits of attending a university, such as *insert what you're doing here*." Judges also appreciate volunteering in some way, which is something I highly advocate. Of course, you need to stay true to yourself when applying for anything. People who read applications would probably be able to determine if you are full of it anyways!
9. Many scholarships require you to list references from jobs or classes (or within your major). A way to not only win, but succeed in general is to befriend your professors and make good impressions on them. I'm not saying to be teacher's pet and act like an arrogant jerk who sits in the front of the room and doesn't let anyone else participate. Professors are people too and they don't bite. Utilize their office hours and feel comfortable asking a question in class. That way, they will know who you are when you ask them for a recommendation. It will also show you have a work ethic. It's all about NETWORKING and who you know, but you have to put yourself out there to get to know people!
10. Sound confident in your talents and use your writing as your outlet to showcase yourself. Don't use phrases such as "I think I'm good at this" or "I may do this" or "I want to do this". Say more definitive phrases that convey confidence, such as "I am the president of the computer science club and I enjoy doing it while doing xyz to help the club".
11. It could also help to add a little bit of a "sob story" to your essays. For example, if one of your parents is sick or you have gone through many hardships to get to where you are now, that is definitely something you should mention (when applicable). It's definitely worked for me. Of course, make sure you're not steering off topic and are answering the essay question while doing so!
12. If you have applied for multiple scholarships and you are proud of what you have submitted, you can definitely reuse what you have written. It will save you a lot of time and you can tailor your up to date skill set that better matches the requirements of the application you're working on. Of course, you can also use your previous essays as a reference if the questions to answer are completely different. If you've won one or more scholarships, you can revise the essay a little bit and turn it in again (as long as you're not turning the exact same essay to the same judges). You can even reuse bits and pieces of what you have written in other essays. The more times you've applied and the more essay questions you've answered, the more content you have to reuse in the future and the less you have to write for future applications!
13. I have mentioned this before, but I'm going to save the best for last. NEVER GIVE UP! You can't win if you don't try, so might as well go ahead and apply! You can do it!
Sunday, February 16, 2014
The Trip
I would like to call this poem my "growing up anthem" because becoming an adult is one of the most difficult life tasks you will ever face. You learn how to pay bills, hold a full-time job, enhance your career, and much more. As long as you continue to stay positive, not fail under pressure, and you don't fail to get back up if you hit a rough patch, you will be able to survive and thrive as an adult. Don't worry, playtime is always allowed as long as the time is right!
Yearning for a power up
The inspiring thoughts bubble in the cauldron...
While looking for adventure
An exploration is booked
Under the wings of a guardian angel
That simply requires you to consume and exert positivity...
On a journey to locate the mystic world known as nirvana
All across the vast universe
Near and far...
But evidently, the road to acquire your power pack
Possesses a radiant glow with a gleaming aura...
It may initially taste bad, but it has a sweet aftertaste
Consumption tastes like nature's scent
That's an extraterrestrial adventure
Where you need to hold on tight and enjoy the ride...
It would be a shame to have your creativity go to waste because you care what other people think
Instead of investing in good vibes...
You need to delve into your thought process to be able to get to know yourself and how you can best utilize your strengths...
There no point in dwelling on the past
Because you need to believe in and embrace the now...
People need to see the beauty in things and not the darkness...
Light is stronger than fog and negativity reduces productivity, but why don't people understand?
The fresh air is never bare if you know how to relate to it
Because if you fall for the bait, you'll end up in a terrible fate...
Growing up has to happen at some point
You can't resist forever,
But you don't have to completely give in because childishness is allowed when the time is right
You don't have to have the pressure consume you and become jaded like it's a commonplace in this world...
The trap needs to be avoided
So you can successfully enjoy the trip
Without ending in a grave or a barren cave...
Because to concede is to lose
And to conform with the norm is compliance to not possessing your own true definition...
Without positivity, you'll fail to actually live another day
Until you realize how to successfully wield your own newfound power up by immersing into your future coming of age!
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Don't Get a Game Over
Are you tired of feeling stuck? Have you been in a pretty crummy apartment situation or just don't have the best living situation? Why not just make the best of everything you DO have instead, even if you're totally homeless? A freedom anthem with a nerdy twist, enjoy this spoken word awesomeness that I will be performing at the next open mic nite that I make it to! Enjoy!
If you want to see some more awesome, check me out: www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Shouldn’t we all have a place to live?
A place to call home?
A place to be free?
Can't everyone be granted the same essential needs we need to thrive
No matter how poor in resources
And how rigid your story is?
Of course, you must possess the willingness to try...
In this world known as madness
Having a place to stay shouldn't be a PRIVILEGE!
It should be a RIGHT!
No matter how ridiculously dumb you are,
Even if you're some kind of criminal mastermind who wants to take over the world
Or harms little children
You deserve a place to live
Even if it's bare with bars...
Only CRIMINALS deserve to live in confinement
Not innocent, successful people facing extreme tragedy or bad luck...
Misfortune seems to strike us all at one point in our lives
But living in HELL is almost as bad as being in JAIL
Making you feel frail
While you're searching for your holy grail
And thirsty for gold...
A rugged past can lead to a stronger soul that can be mended whole
But confinement is poison
Especially when the eagle needs to be free...
When false hope is constantly given
Your trust in humanity and even family dissipates like evaporating water
While the madness brews
Hope is anew
Derailing depression hastefully to avoid wasting your precious life...
The eagle needs to be free
Needing to flee
From the swarm of bees
Known as madness...
Causing crushing catastrophe
As ailment impedes success and golden goals...
Everyone has been told that they only live once...
No, there's no restart button, no cheat codes, no hacks, no infinite lives...
There's no continues either...
BUT...!
You only have ONE life...
ONE shot to learn the meaning of beauty
One heart to make a difference
And to glorify everything that you're thankful to have!
You can't SURRENDER!
What if you were a SOLDIER?
You can't be broken
And must always fight to the DEATH!
No one can TELL you what to do!
No human being deserves to be DISRESPECTED!
If you see smoke
You must venture down your own path and destroy the wasteful noise!
Freedom will come if YOU make it happen
Life will emerge right before your eyes
When you project your battle cry
And stop sitting on your LAZY ASS COMPLAINING instead of actually doing...
The answer to unlock the door is yours to explore...
You can't let life eat you alive!
You can't let temporary confinement bring you down!
You can't let a loop keep you twisted forever!
Even if you don't have a stable place to land
And your view of hope is bland
The outside world is yours to take flight...
Fly away!
Soar towards the light!
Fly through skies that may be fading
And you'll learn the true meaning of beauty!
Don't get a game over while you're at it either!
If you want to see some more awesome, check me out: www.facebook.com/RebsMcduxler
Shouldn’t we all have a place to live?
A place to call home?
A place to be free?
Can't everyone be granted the same essential needs we need to thrive
No matter how poor in resources
And how rigid your story is?
Of course, you must possess the willingness to try...
In this world known as madness
Having a place to stay shouldn't be a PRIVILEGE!
It should be a RIGHT!
No matter how ridiculously dumb you are,
Even if you're some kind of criminal mastermind who wants to take over the world
Or harms little children
You deserve a place to live
Even if it's bare with bars...
Only CRIMINALS deserve to live in confinement
Not innocent, successful people facing extreme tragedy or bad luck...
Misfortune seems to strike us all at one point in our lives
But living in HELL is almost as bad as being in JAIL
Making you feel frail
While you're searching for your holy grail
And thirsty for gold...
A rugged past can lead to a stronger soul that can be mended whole
But confinement is poison
Especially when the eagle needs to be free...
When false hope is constantly given
Your trust in humanity and even family dissipates like evaporating water
While the madness brews
Hope is anew
Derailing depression hastefully to avoid wasting your precious life...
The eagle needs to be free
Needing to flee
From the swarm of bees
Known as madness...
Causing crushing catastrophe
As ailment impedes success and golden goals...
Everyone has been told that they only live once...
No, there's no restart button, no cheat codes, no hacks, no infinite lives...
There's no continues either...
BUT...!
You only have ONE life...
ONE shot to learn the meaning of beauty
One heart to make a difference
And to glorify everything that you're thankful to have!
You can't SURRENDER!
What if you were a SOLDIER?
You can't be broken
And must always fight to the DEATH!
No one can TELL you what to do!
No human being deserves to be DISRESPECTED!
If you see smoke
You must venture down your own path and destroy the wasteful noise!
Freedom will come if YOU make it happen
Life will emerge right before your eyes
When you project your battle cry
And stop sitting on your LAZY ASS COMPLAINING instead of actually doing...
The answer to unlock the door is yours to explore...
You can't let life eat you alive!
You can't let temporary confinement bring you down!
You can't let a loop keep you twisted forever!
Even if you don't have a stable place to land
And your view of hope is bland
The outside world is yours to take flight...
Fly away!
Soar towards the light!
Fly through skies that may be fading
And you'll learn the true meaning of beauty!
Don't get a game over while you're at it either!
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Basic XML Video Tutorial
This is me using a screencast program called Camtasia for the first time in order to share a presentation I did for one of my Web Development classes explaining the basics of XML. If you're learning XML for the first time, this is a good place to begin your travels! If you have any questions, feel free to post a reply! Good luck with your programming endeavors!
Friday, February 7, 2014
Weightloss Blog Three: Eating Good, Having Fun, and Losing Weight
Ahhhh, a new year, a new me! I've changed my hair color, my outlook on life, and better yet, I'm starting to slim down! I am down 15 pounds as of now from the start of the year! If you're wondering how it makes me feel, I feel like looking better makes me feel more powerful!
It has definitely been awhile since I posted a weightloss blog, but I have been in the process of concocting an ideal method to lose weight and after the first time being down 5 pounds, I gained it back after that. It is MUCH easier to gain weight than lose weight, especially considering that this is my FOURTH serious attempt to lose weight.
I had tried weight watchers twice and gained the weight back, going to the gym, biking, going for walks, trying to eat healthy, portion control, workout videos, etc., but none of that was working for me! I would lose a little bit of weight and gain it all back shortly after. I was not ready to give up!
When I was in high school, I was in the best shape of my life and was also pretty skinny and had no weight issues. Weight problems do not run in my family and I’m virtually the only one who is overweight, but then it randomly dawned on me… All of a sudden, it just clicked and I became heavily annoyed of looking at myself in the mirror and seeing fat rolls, double chins, and being self-conscious about most pictures taken of me because of my “fat hanging the wrong way to make me look worse” or my double chins showing and making me look gross.
Not only that, but I was on the path towards developing type 2 diabetes. Most people usually think of people developing type 2 diabetes to be 300 pounds or more, being lazy on their couches, and eating tubs of ice cream and giant burgers to themselves. That is NOT TRUE AT ALL!!! I was under 200 pounds, only have about 50-60 pounds to lose, cannot finish a tub of ice cream in 1 sitting to save my life, and was eventually diagnosed with PCOS, which if you don’t lose weight, can definitely lead to diabetes. After reading about possible complications from diabetes, I did NOT want to deal with having to monitor my blood sugar all the time or giving myself shots constantly. Scaring myself into wanting to change definitely helps too!
After joining belegarth (for those who don’t know, you wear cool medieval costumes and run around and hit each other with foam weapons), I knew I loved the sport and wanted to become a better fighter. When I was in good shape, I played DDR frequently, went on bikerides to the arcade to play DDR, went on runs that were usually about 2-5 miles a couple times a week, did marching band, fenced, and was very active in Shotokan karate. As soon as I stopped doing karate, that’s when I started gaining weight initially.
I had thought back to when I was in good shape and knew that karate was a major factor because I trained 2-3 days per week and competed at every local tournament (usually about 3-4 per year). I had been looking into taking martial arts again because of my love for it and to crosstrain for belegarth, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to try another form or go back to Shotokan. After researching some martial arts forms, I was way too uncertain of which one to choose. I soon realized how good I was at Shotokan and that I was basically 2 belts away from black before I stopped. With being very upset with the reason I stopped in the first place and realizing how HUGE of an accomplishment earning a black belt is, I called the park district and re-enrolled in Shotokan karate. My classes started January 6th and I train 2 days per week. On top of that, I generally go to belegarth practices about once per week. That gives me 3 days of being active per week, especially with a super busy schedule and a fulltime job!
With being overweight, I had been in denial to see my weight for at least 1-2 years and ignored looking at it (even when at the doctor). Before I started karate, I was sure I had gained even more weight after my graduation ceremony in May. I reluctantly stepped on the scale at the beginning of the new year and saw that I hadn’t gained or lost any weight since the last time I checked. I thought to myself “oh, that wasn’t so bad” and my fear of weighing myself suddenly vanished. Also, with being moved out since October, I have all of the freedom to make whatever unusual (and healthy) recipes my heart desires. I love cooking and have concocted dishes ranging from miso soup to Mongolian beef to escargot. I also became even more conscious of my portion sizes because I was well aware my portions were too big and I was eating too much. Then it happened!
On February 1st, I weighed myself again and noticed that I was all of a sudden down a little over 10 pounds and I didn’t even feel like I was putting in any extra effort. A few days later I was up to 15 pounds lost. How did I do that?
After noticing results for the first time in all 4 of my attempts, I took some time to reflect to see what I was doing differently than the other 3 times I tried. The main thing I found is that I WAS HAVING FUN! I love cooking, I love karate, and I love belegarth. It’s too cold to go for walks, runs, and bikerides, the arcade I used to go to doesn’t even have DDR and I have nowhere to set up my expensive DDR pad or do workout videos, and I “like” going to the gym, but I didn’t feel that passion or excitement from going to the gym. The gym felt like a chore to me and I’ve never felt super great at using the machines. I bought a gym pass to use upstairs in my building and have not gone at all even, yet I’m still losing weight.
For all you people out there who are struggling to lose weight or have had at least a couple years-worth of failed attempts, my first means of advice are to not give up EVER! Yes, you may have moments where you’re not sure what to do and end up stagnant, but losing weight on the first try is highly unlikely. You can eat whatever you want as long as you stop when your stomach starts feeling full and isn’t “super full” or “stuffed to the max” (though that happens to everyone at times). I still go out and have drinks with my friends, enjoy my slices of ice cream cake, and on occasion like to indulge in junk food. I also rarely drink juice, I quit diet soda (I never really drank pop much to begin with), and drink significantly more water and tea.
Everyone has a different definition of eating healthy. The gym isn’t for everyone and there are multiple different ways to lose weight, as long as you don’t consider it a chore and instead you take it as a lifestyle improvement. My best advice for losing weight: Eat healthy, drink lots of water, portion control, be active (all cliché), and most importantly: have fun, never give up, and do what’s best for YOU! Being healthy for you is supposed to be fun, not a chore!
What are you waiting for? If you want to lose weight, now is the best time to start!
Recipes of my creations of awesomeness to come soon!
It has definitely been awhile since I posted a weightloss blog, but I have been in the process of concocting an ideal method to lose weight and after the first time being down 5 pounds, I gained it back after that. It is MUCH easier to gain weight than lose weight, especially considering that this is my FOURTH serious attempt to lose weight.
I had tried weight watchers twice and gained the weight back, going to the gym, biking, going for walks, trying to eat healthy, portion control, workout videos, etc., but none of that was working for me! I would lose a little bit of weight and gain it all back shortly after. I was not ready to give up!
When I was in high school, I was in the best shape of my life and was also pretty skinny and had no weight issues. Weight problems do not run in my family and I’m virtually the only one who is overweight, but then it randomly dawned on me… All of a sudden, it just clicked and I became heavily annoyed of looking at myself in the mirror and seeing fat rolls, double chins, and being self-conscious about most pictures taken of me because of my “fat hanging the wrong way to make me look worse” or my double chins showing and making me look gross.
Not only that, but I was on the path towards developing type 2 diabetes. Most people usually think of people developing type 2 diabetes to be 300 pounds or more, being lazy on their couches, and eating tubs of ice cream and giant burgers to themselves. That is NOT TRUE AT ALL!!! I was under 200 pounds, only have about 50-60 pounds to lose, cannot finish a tub of ice cream in 1 sitting to save my life, and was eventually diagnosed with PCOS, which if you don’t lose weight, can definitely lead to diabetes. After reading about possible complications from diabetes, I did NOT want to deal with having to monitor my blood sugar all the time or giving myself shots constantly. Scaring myself into wanting to change definitely helps too!
After joining belegarth (for those who don’t know, you wear cool medieval costumes and run around and hit each other with foam weapons), I knew I loved the sport and wanted to become a better fighter. When I was in good shape, I played DDR frequently, went on bikerides to the arcade to play DDR, went on runs that were usually about 2-5 miles a couple times a week, did marching band, fenced, and was very active in Shotokan karate. As soon as I stopped doing karate, that’s when I started gaining weight initially.
I had thought back to when I was in good shape and knew that karate was a major factor because I trained 2-3 days per week and competed at every local tournament (usually about 3-4 per year). I had been looking into taking martial arts again because of my love for it and to crosstrain for belegarth, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to try another form or go back to Shotokan. After researching some martial arts forms, I was way too uncertain of which one to choose. I soon realized how good I was at Shotokan and that I was basically 2 belts away from black before I stopped. With being very upset with the reason I stopped in the first place and realizing how HUGE of an accomplishment earning a black belt is, I called the park district and re-enrolled in Shotokan karate. My classes started January 6th and I train 2 days per week. On top of that, I generally go to belegarth practices about once per week. That gives me 3 days of being active per week, especially with a super busy schedule and a fulltime job!
With being overweight, I had been in denial to see my weight for at least 1-2 years and ignored looking at it (even when at the doctor). Before I started karate, I was sure I had gained even more weight after my graduation ceremony in May. I reluctantly stepped on the scale at the beginning of the new year and saw that I hadn’t gained or lost any weight since the last time I checked. I thought to myself “oh, that wasn’t so bad” and my fear of weighing myself suddenly vanished. Also, with being moved out since October, I have all of the freedom to make whatever unusual (and healthy) recipes my heart desires. I love cooking and have concocted dishes ranging from miso soup to Mongolian beef to escargot. I also became even more conscious of my portion sizes because I was well aware my portions were too big and I was eating too much. Then it happened!
On February 1st, I weighed myself again and noticed that I was all of a sudden down a little over 10 pounds and I didn’t even feel like I was putting in any extra effort. A few days later I was up to 15 pounds lost. How did I do that?
After noticing results for the first time in all 4 of my attempts, I took some time to reflect to see what I was doing differently than the other 3 times I tried. The main thing I found is that I WAS HAVING FUN! I love cooking, I love karate, and I love belegarth. It’s too cold to go for walks, runs, and bikerides, the arcade I used to go to doesn’t even have DDR and I have nowhere to set up my expensive DDR pad or do workout videos, and I “like” going to the gym, but I didn’t feel that passion or excitement from going to the gym. The gym felt like a chore to me and I’ve never felt super great at using the machines. I bought a gym pass to use upstairs in my building and have not gone at all even, yet I’m still losing weight.
For all you people out there who are struggling to lose weight or have had at least a couple years-worth of failed attempts, my first means of advice are to not give up EVER! Yes, you may have moments where you’re not sure what to do and end up stagnant, but losing weight on the first try is highly unlikely. You can eat whatever you want as long as you stop when your stomach starts feeling full and isn’t “super full” or “stuffed to the max” (though that happens to everyone at times). I still go out and have drinks with my friends, enjoy my slices of ice cream cake, and on occasion like to indulge in junk food. I also rarely drink juice, I quit diet soda (I never really drank pop much to begin with), and drink significantly more water and tea.
Everyone has a different definition of eating healthy. The gym isn’t for everyone and there are multiple different ways to lose weight, as long as you don’t consider it a chore and instead you take it as a lifestyle improvement. My best advice for losing weight: Eat healthy, drink lots of water, portion control, be active (all cliché), and most importantly: have fun, never give up, and do what’s best for YOU! Being healthy for you is supposed to be fun, not a chore!
What are you waiting for? If you want to lose weight, now is the best time to start!
Recipes of my creations of awesomeness to come soon!
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Open Mic Night Performance of "The Team"
I went to my first open mic nite EVER at the Heartland Cafe in Rogers Park, Chicago and performed my spoken word poem called "The Team". This is my first time performing my poetry in front of an audience besides my friends, but I started performing in general at a pretty young age and writing poetry (and song lyrics) since 2006.
I gave a little schpeal before this prior to performing this in regards to my advocation for anti bullying that wasn't recorded. I have heard of way too many cases of people killing themselves due to bullying and it needs to stop!
The words to my poem can be found at http://dbzmaron.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-team.html - though there is slight variation between what was said and what I originally wrote!
Pardon my lack of memorization!
This video was taken on 1-29-14. Enjoy!
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