Trouble with the Research Paper

I believe the most trouble I had, concerning the research paper, was deciding my sources. There was so much information on LASIK available, but I had to be careful on which site to trust. Some sites were odd. There were do it yourself correctors that some sites were trying to sell. Obviously this was just a scam for money. There were also sites that had false information. Saying off the wall things like millions of people have gone blind from LASIK. Because of all of these things, I decided to only use information from the UCA databases. I had to weed out the bad to get to the good information.

Helpful Things (considering the research paper)

I believe that the literature review and the annotative bibliography helped me tremendously. This helped me to be able to construct my research paper tons quicker. I normally would try to do all of the paper at the same time, but by having all of it due at different times throughout the semester helped my procrastination. I’ve learned that avoiding procrastination really helps to improve the final product. It also helps when there are problems. For example, when there is a sudden ink shortage if it is the day before it is due, then it is a lot less stressful then if it is the day of.

What was hard for me to get through

I believe that Andrew Laperriere’s “House of Card” was the hardest thing throughout this whole class for me to get through. I do not have interest in mortgages at this current point of my life. I’m sure that in the future this type of information will be important to me, but it is not now. It was difficult for me to read things that I felt did not matter.

What I Enjoyed

I believe that the most interesting thing that I read in this class was Grant McCracken’s, “The evocative Power of Things: Consumer Goods and the Preservation of Hopes and Ideals”. This was very interesting to me because of the ideas expressed throughout. I agree with McCracken when he mentions how people will never be satisfied with what they have. In general, there is always something bigger and better that is wanted. It I was to try to read this before I had this class I would have never made it all the way through, but with the help and analysis of the class room I did. I also actually understood and enjoyed it. Not only did I agree with the ideas of this writing, but I also tried to look at my own life. I realized that I want things that are “ideal” and not “real” for the point that I’m at in my own life. This writing reminds me of when celebrities or people with lots of money mate statements about not being happy. McCracken mentions how much happiness is suppose to come from having the object in desire, but in reality another object takes the wanted objects place.

You Tube Cite

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZZguJNitnU

This is a great youtube that is animated so that it's not gross. Enjoy!!

The Portfolio

So... I was wondering about our portfolio. What type of format are we suppose to use? Do we need to be super creative like making a scrapbook or is it okay to just have everything organized? Do we need to have it all in a binder or a portfolio folder? I just am not really sure about the layout.

Sources for brochure

Briggs, Vantrice (2007,06,15). Lasik Vision Correction Surgery Vs Eyeglasses. LASIK eye surgery, Retrieved 02,20,2008, from http://www.lasikeye surgery.com/lasik-articles/lasik-vision-correction-surgery.html

Curtis Pesmen (2006, January). Invisible Fixes for Aging Eyes. Money, 35(1), 48. Retrieved March 3, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 951868731).

Michael E Johnson (2007, April). Refractive surgery. The Optician, 233(6099), 32,34-40. Retrieved March 4, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Complete database. (Document ID: 1287681671)

I Influenced

Yesterday one of my mom's friends got LASIK eye surgery done! I thought that that was cool! His surgery was early in the morning and that night he was driving and already enjoying improved eyesight. Isn't todays technology amazing!

LASIK vs. glasses Lit review

Briggs, Vantrice (2007,06,15). Lasik Vision Correction Surgery Vs Eyeglasses. LASIK eye surgery, Retrieved 02,20,2008, from http://www.lasikeyesurgery.com/lasik-articles/lasik-vision-correction-surgery.html

Millions of people have vision impairment. Most choose to get glasses, but there are many expenses and choices that have to be made with the decision to get glasses. Contact lenses are a more convenient choice for many people. There have been improvements made to both glasses and contacts but these improvements come with a price. The cost of a pair of glasses is at least $400. All of the choices of “transitions” or “scratch resistant” lenses only increases the price. Contacts have improved greatly with the technology of “extended wear” which can be worn for up to thirty days, but with this there is a cost. LASIK eye surgery is a new technology that reshapes the cornea. The price depend on the extent of the vision impairment. The cost of $300 to $1500 per eye can seem expensive until it is compared to the price of glasses and contacts over the years of use. LASIK also comes with a guarantee to last at least ten years. There is also an acuity plan that will plan free enhancements for the rest of you life. The entire procedure only lasts around ten minutes and often patients can experience immediate vision improvement. This surgery improves vision and saves time and money.

For sight Lit review

Brobson Lutz (2001, September). For sight: Lasery eye surgery techniques. New Orleans Magazine, 35(12), 34-35. Retrieved March 3, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 80440766).

LASIK offers clear vision in minutes with little or no discomfort. This surgery may render contacts and glasses to become rare. People are becoming more and more exposed to the advantages of LASIK through print, radio, and TV advertising. These commercials usually give directions to the nearest eye care or surgery center. Refractive eye surgery is any surgery that has the goal of correcting eyesight. Earlier surgeries included radial keratotomy then photorefractive keratectomy. Today this surgery is less painful as a shot and only takes a few minutes to perform. The patient satisfaction is over ninety-five percent and vision is improved immediately. LASIK today is computer assisted which has revolutionized the cutting of the flap, to no longer be the “flap and zip“ procedure. The eye is numbed, an automated blade shaves back the outer layer of the cornea, the slice is moved to one side, and then the excimer laser vaporizes a small part of the underlying cornea. Then the flap is replaced and seals itself. As far as an elective cosmetic procedure, the only rival is liposuction. There are now advertising claims to the extreme and may be very difficult to get through. Advertising can make people believe that the cheapest deal is the best, but that is untrue because the surgery is only as good as the skills of the surgeon. Post problems include glare, light sensitivity, bad night vision, “star bursting” or a halo effect. Blindness is not a complication.

Contacts Lit review

Cameron Johnston (2006, June). Soft contact lens use alters outcomes of LASIK eye surgery. Medical Post, 42(20), 61. Retrieved March 7, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 1065471191).

Patient who had previously wore contacts had less residual and a better outcome after surgery in the means of contrast and glare conditions. Patients who wore glasses were more likely to be over treated. This study by Dr. Tuan, was based on 131 patients who wore contacts and 25 who wore glasses. A follow-up was taken six months after the surgeries and the results show that those who wore soft contacts had a better contrast to sensitivity under photopic, mesopic and mesopic with glare. These results were statistically significant. Some of the contacts previously worn were the hydogel-type, which are left in place while sleeping. Dr. Bruce Nichols is the president of the Canadian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons and a medical director at TLC Laser Centre in London, Ont; he states that the results of this experiment are surprising, but that surgeons know that soft contacts will result in thinner corneas. That is why they enforce the rule that no soft contacts must not be worn two weeks before surgery and no hard contacts must not be worn four weeks before. Thin corneas can cause a thin stromal bed which can lead to keratoectasia. All of the patients, no matter their past eye wear, were satisfied with the sharpness, day vision, and night vision. None of the patients suffered from dryness, blurriness, haloes, ghosting, or double vision.

Aging eyes Lit review

Curtis Pesmen (2006, January). Invisible Fixes for Aging Eyes. Money, 35(1), 48. Retrieved March 3, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 951868731).

Eye surgery has been performed for the past thirty years for cataract patients to place lens implants in place of their lenses. Over 7 million people have had LASIK corrective surgery in the United States since the approval in 1998 by the Food and Drug Administration. LASIK is known for its painless cutting and reshaping of the cornea using a keratome blade and ultraviolet light. LASIK was started to only treat myopia and hyperopia, but now it is used to fix astigmatism and presbyopia. Presbyopia, or aging eyes, can be corrected by laser surgery with monovision. This is done by taking one eye, the dominant eye, and it is corrected to distance, while the other eye, the no dominate eye, is treated to better near vision. This can start out blurry and take getting use to, but is a lot more convenient than glasses. This eye problem is usually encountered mid-life and can effect anyone between the ages of 40 and 50. The risk is moderate to high even though the rate of complication is below one percent. Cost anywhere from 750 to 3,000 dollars per eye. The wide range is due to the different software the doctors can use to be more precise.

Is LASIK for you? Lit review

Daniel Pendick (2007, November). Is LASIK for you? Astronomy, 35(11), 74-75. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 1364835001).

LASIK eye surgery has it’s pros and cons like any surgery. The risk of serious complications is small with a good surgeon and the best technology. It is important to get an evaluation because any decisions about medical procedures are very individual. You must be sure that you are a good candidate. Wasiuta, an astronomer, started experiencing distortions and blurring in his vision. After Venus turned into a “spiky blob” he followed all these procedures and was able to view nine stars in the Pleiades when before the surgery he could only see six. Three types of eye problems are myopia: Nearsighted with this you can see close objects, but not faraway ones. Hyperopia is farsighted with this faraway objects are clear and close ones are not. Astigmatism is when the image is blurred because or uneven focusing. The cornea provides two-thirds of the eyes’ refractive power, with the internal lenses providing the fine tuning. Data on outcomes show that six months after surgery that about three percent of people have some unresolved problem, and only 0.5 percent have a serious unresolved problem. The most common side effect of LASIK is dry eye, which causes an itchy and teary sensation. Now is the best time ever to have this surgery because of the technology and accuracy.

20 years of LASIK Lit review

Gail M Williams (20 January). Eyes of Texas: Celebrating 20 years of LASIK vision correction. McClatchy - Tribune Business News. Retrieved March 2, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Complete database. (Document ID: 1415622021).

“LASIK was originally for therapeutic optometry and cataract removal. Medicare paid for cataract surgery so many patients took that step to improve their vision. Patients flew from Japan to have the procedure done” says Daniel Hunt. The technique has improved greatly in terms of comfort and recovery time. The Eyes of Texas medical center offer the IntraLase Method which is a 100 percent blade free surgery. The flap is created by an excimer laser. The excimer laser can be used to correct presbyopia which is the inability to focus sharply. A seventy-five-year-old can walk out with the vision of a twenty-year-old. Some clinics offer a full range of care including a free first exam, then the surgery followed up by a six month check up. Some also include free touch ups during the six months after the procedure. Dr. Smith of Eyes of Texas has performed thousands of surgeries and has performed about $600,000 worth of free eye-care for those who can not afford to pay. Surgeon Hunt from Texas says that safety is the number one priority even if it means that they have to turn a patient away for their own safety. Many vision correction areas offer promotions and anniversary specials.

Refractive surgery

Michael E Johnson (2007, April). Refractive surgery. The Optician, 233(6099), 32,34-40. Retrieved March 4, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Complete database. (Document ID: 1287681671).

The term laser is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Lasers are very useful because of their ability to be very precise and accurate. The use of a laser avoids cutting a flap with a blade and therefore is safer. The electromagnetic radiation of the laser is capable of altering biological tissues including photo-thermal, photo-disruptive, and photo-chemical. The excimer laser used in refractive surgery uses photochemical to break the chemical bonds and break molecules into fragments. The main advantage of lasers in refractive surgery is their ability to be switched off and on rapidly. The argon-fluoride excimer laser is the most common in sculpting the cornea. These lasers pulse output of the wavelength 193 nm. Each pulse removes only 0.21-0.27 pm of cornea tissue. This reduces the damage done to the other parts of the eye. The lasers are able to target specific tissues that absorb certain wavelengths. This reduces the damage done to the other parts of the eye. 1981 was the year that the US air force first reported the effects of the lasers on corneal tissue. Today about two thirds of patients after surgery have the vision of 6/6 or better. Some complications include haze, night vision problems, and blurring.

Eye surgery?

Richard Korman, Toddi Gutner. (1997, January). Eye Surgery? Take a Close Look. Business Week,(3511), 102. Retrieved March 2, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 10916010).

LASIK stands for laser in-situ keratomileusis. When correcting nearsightedness the curve of the cornea is flattened. This causes the light to be refracted onto the retina, which is in the back of the eye. This surgery can cost up to $2,500 per eye. This surgery is not covered by insurance. Surgeons believe that the use of glasses and contacts will disappear. There are 66 million people who use glasses and/or contacts. Most often both eyes are done at the same time, but the Food and Drug Administration recommends a three month waiting period after the first eye is done. The FDA has also prohibited against advertising of LASIK as safe and government approved. It is the doctors job to warn the patients of risks and alternatives. Be sure you know all the risks, discomfort, and expense. Your optometrist knows your eyes better than anyone and it is more likely to have a successful surgery if you get a surgeon who is skilled. Be wary of doctors who want to rush you to a decision or those who boast and are unrealistic of the surgery. In the end your decision should be made on your faith in the doctor. 65 percent of those treated had 20/20 vision or better and 95 percent had 20/40.

LASIK vs. glasses

Briggs, Vantrice (2007,06,15). Lasik Vision Correction Surgery Vs Eyeglasses. LASIK eye surgery, Retrieved 02,20,2008, from http://www.lasikeyesurgery.com/lasik-articles/lasik-vision-correction-surgery.html

Millions of people have vision impairment. Most choose to get glasses, but there are many expenses and choices that have to be made with the decision to get glasses. Contact lenses are a more convenient choice for many people. There have been improvements made to both glasses and contacts but these improvements come with a price. LASIK eye surgery is a new technology that reshapes the cornea. The cost can seem expensive until it is compared to the price of glasses and contacts over the years of use.

Techniques

Brobson Lutz (2001, September). For sight: Lasery eye surgery techniques. New Orleans Magazine, 35(12), 34-35. Retrieved March 3, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 80440766).

LASIK offers clear vision in minutes with little of no discomfort. This surgery may render contacts and glasses to become rare. Refractive eye surgery is any surgery that has the goal of correcting eyesight. Today this surgery is less painful as a shot and only takes a few minutes to perform. The patient satisfaction is over ninety-five percent. LASIK today is computer assisted. The eye is numbed and then the laser vaporizes part of the cornea. Then the flap is replaced and seals itself.

Source and summary

Cameron Johnston (2006, June). Soft contact lens use alters outcomes of LASIK eye surgery. Medical Post, 42(20), 61. Retrieved March 7, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 1065471191).

Patient who had previously wore contacts had a better outcome after surgery in the means of contrast and glare conditions. Patients who wore glasses could be over treated. This study was based on 131 patients who wore contacts and 25 who wore glasses. Some of the contacts were the hydogel-type, which are left in place while sleeping. Soft contacts will result in thinner corneas. Soft contacts must not be worn two weeks before surgery. Thin corneas can cause a thin stromal bed which can lead to keratoectasia.

For elders too??

Curtis Pesmen (2006, January). Invisible Fixes for Aging Eyes. Money, 35(1), 48. Retrieved March 3, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 951868731).

Eye surgery has been performed for the past thirty years. Presbyopia can be corrected by laser surgery. Over 7 million people have had LASIK corrective surgery. The risk is moderate to high even though the rate of complication is below one percent. Cost anywhere from 750 to 3,000 dollars per eye. The wide range is due to the different software the doctors can use to be more precise.

Is LASIK for you??

Daniel Pendick (2007, November). Is LASIK for you? Astronomy, 35(11), 74-75. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 1364835001).

LASIK eye surgery has it’s pros and cons like any surgery. The risk of serious complications is small with a good surgeon and technology. It is important to get an evaluation. Three types of eye problems are myopia which is nearsighted, hyperopia is farsighted, and an astigmatism is when the image is blurred. The most common side effect of LASIK is dry eye, which causes an itchy and teary sensation.

20 years of LASIK

Gail M Williams (20 January). Eyes of Texas: Celebrating 20 years of LASIK vision correction. McClatchy - Tribune Business News. Retrieved March 2, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Complete database. (Document ID: 1415622021).

LASIK was originally for therapeutic optometry. A seventy-five-year-old can walk out with the vision of a twenty-year-old. Surgeon Hunt from Texas says that safety is the number one priority even if it means that they have to turn a patient away for their own safety. Use excimer laser to correct presbyopia which is the inability to focus sharply.

Refractive surgery

Michael E Johnson (2007, April). Refractive surgery. The Optician, 233(6099), 32,34-40. Retrieved March 4, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Complete database. (Document ID: 1287681671).

The term laser is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. The use of a laser avoids cutting a flap therefore is safer. The main advantage of lasers in refractive surgery is their ability to be switched off and on rapidly. The lasers are able to target specific tissues that absorb certain wavelengths. This reduces the damage done to the other parts of the eye.

Source and summary

Richard Korman, Toddi Gutner. (1997, January). Eye Surgery? Take a Close Look. Business Week,(3511), 102. Retrieved March 2, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 10916010).

When correcting nearsightedness the curve of the cornea is flattened. This causes the light to be refracted onto the retina, which is in the back of the eye. This surgery can cost up to $2,500 per eye. This surgery is not covered by insurance. Surgeons believe that the use of glasses and contacts will disappear. There are 66 million people who use glasses and/or contacts.

Types of eyesight problems corrected by LASIK

myopia-nearsightedness This occurs when the eye is too long, causing the focal point occurs too soon.

hyperopia-farsightedness This occurs when the eye is too short, causing the focal point to be beyond where it should be.

astigmatism-when the lens is not perfectly smooth. There could be a rough spot or it could be uneven.

The only thing that LASIK cannot fix or prevent is the loss of eyesight due to old age.

Contacts vs. Glasses vs. LASIK

Glasses were the first form of corrective eye wear, but there are disadvantages to them. Contacts became popular quickly because of the perks they have over glasses. Many people prefer contacts because they make them feel more attractive. Contacts are also better for athletes and active people. LASIK has all of the advantages of contacts and more. The morning hassle of getting the contacts in and the irritation of having them in too long is no longer a problem with LASIK. Besides these physical advantages there is the money savings. Every new pair of glasses and contacts can cost up to $500 (which need to be replaced every two years). LASIK is a life long fix for myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.

LASIK

This is a great image of LASIK eye surgery showing the steps. All of this can take as little as three minutes per eye.

What I Plan to do....

In this paper I plan to describe the reasons to get LASIK eye surgery, as compared to other means of eyesight correction, such as glasses and contacts. I plan to and already have used the research databases provided by UCA library to find information. With this information I plan to reword and combine with other information from actual medical sites and put it all into a logical and informative research paper.

More on LASIK compared to glasses and contacts

The cost and effort of LASIK eye surgery is a superior way to correct problematic eyesight compared to other methods in the way of overall price, immediate improvement, and overall improvement. According to Michael O’Keeffe eye-sight correction improved greatly when the microscope and laser came into use, the laser was introduced to eye surgery in 1979. O’Keeffe explains that in 1949 Harold Ridley invented what would now be called the contact lens. Today, according to Bob Holmes, in Contact Lenses: See Your Way to Savings, he states that 25 million Americans wear contacts. He goes on to say that this eye correction method could easily cost four thousand dollars over ten years counting the fifteen gallons of solution and the average new pair every two years. Vantrice Briggs gives information on the cost and hassles of eyeglasses in LASIK Vision Correction Surgery Vs. Eyeglasses. Briggs says that the cost of glasses are up to four hundred dollars per pair and most often those are replaced every two years. There have been many scientists that have researched LASIK eye surgery and it’s positive and negative effects. Most often the results after the surgery are remarkably different. There have also been many average people who have researched on their own time to find the “pros and cons” of the surgery for personal use. LASIK usually costs between one thousand to twenty-five hundred dollars but never calls for a “new pair”.

LASIK eye surgery Thesis/Argument

LASIK Eye Surgery: The cost and effort of LASIK eye surgery is a superior way to correct problematic eyesight compared to other methods in the way of overall price, immediate improvement, and overall improvement.

LASIK you tube video

If you are easily grossed out then watch with care...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-TUMw1FTmY

Sources for Proposal over LASIK eye surgery

Caleb Hannan (2007, December). Would You Operate on These? Golf Magazine, 49(12), 31. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 1379989421).
Cameron Johnston (2006, June). Soft contact lens use alters outcomes of LASIK eye surgery. Medical Post, 42(20), 61. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 1065471191).

Cheryl Guttman (2006, February). Presbyopic LASIK offers option for selected patients. Ophthalmology Times, 31(3), 28-29. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Complete database. (Document ID: 985439721).

Cheryl Guttman (2007, February). All-laser refractive surgery has benefits. Ophthalmology Times, 32(4), 44,46. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Complete database. (Document ID: 1231494181).

Daniel Pendick (2007, November). Is LASIK for you? Astronomy, 35(11), 74-75. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 1364835001).
Michael O'Keeffe (2007, September). Advances in ophthalmic surgery. Irish Medical Times, 41(39), 28. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Complete database. (Document ID: 1372831731).

Astigmatism Therapy; Research on astigmatism therapy reported by scientists at Stanford University, Department of Ophthalmology. (2008, February). Drug Week,1029. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 1428989381).

Astigmatism; Scientists at Minamiaoyama Eye Clinic publish research in astigmatism. (2008, February). Medical Devices & Surgical Technology Week,434. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 1417941501).

Synthesis

In "The Evocotive Power of Things: Consumer Goods and the Preservations of Hopes an Ideals" by Grant McCracken there are points that support the ideas that are expressed in Andrew Laperriere's "House of Cards". For example, Laperrier says that because credit makes houses "affordable" the prices of homes continues to increase. This is explained by McCracken by stateing that the economy knows and uses the displaced meaning of things. When the prices increase it makes it harder for the ideal to be reached.

Cites for Lasik research

These cites seem to have useful information on my research topic of lasik eye surgery and they will be excellent sources.

http://www.medicinenet.com/lasik_eye_surgery/article.htm

http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/lasik-laser-eye-surgery

http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/common/standard/transform.jsp?requestURI=/healthatoz/Atoz/dc/tp/tplasik.jsp

http://catalog.nucleusinc.com/displaymonograph.php?MID=137

http://www.faqs.org/docs/consumer/lasik.html

My Research Topic

For the extensive research project I have decided to cover LASIK eye surgery. My mom had this done several years ago and the results were amazing! She had to wear glasses since she was six, up until the surgery that made her have perfect vision! I remember that the day of the surgery she slept all day, but the next day she said she could see better than she ever even imagined that she would. This amazing medical advancement has been an intrest of mine since and so I would like to learn more through this research project.

cite

Scully, Thecla. (2007, Aug. 17). Allure of the underwater world and awful ailments of the deep. Proquest. Retrieved Jan. 31, 2008 from http://0-proquest.umi.com.ucark.uca.edu:80/pqdweb?did=1347621381&sid=8&Fmt=4&clientld=8427&RQT=309&VName=PQD

Allure of the underwater world and awful ailments of the deep by Thecla Scully- Critic

Positives:
-Scully gives the proper term for the medical problems and situations, but she also gives the "street names" for them.
-Scully also gives her sources in conveinent ways.
- The different sections make the information very easy to understand and make use of.

Negatives:
-In the first paragraph there is a section that is another language...it's confusing.
- Some of the wording is awkward.

Technical or Recreational?--summary

Deep diving is a type of technical diving that requires additional training from the customary recreational certification. It began as a challenge to see who could hold the record of depth and mixed gas use. Technical diving is much more difficult than recreational diving. There are around 100 deaths each year out of a million divers or 2.74 for ever y 100,000 divers. In the technical diving area there are about 110 out of every 100,000 divers a year in diving related accidents. Technical diving is overwhelmingly more dangerous that recreation diving. Additional training will never make technical diving as safe as recreational diving because the very makeup of the activity is dangerous. Ten percent of the recreational deaths were because the divers were trying to do activities that were in the technical range without the needed training. They tried to do something that was “clearly outside their individual skills and limits”.

Wondering...

I know that we are suppose to post a new blog fairly often, but what should it contain? Is it okay if they are just random thoughts, feelings, and stories? If we are allowed to write anything then this is like my own personal diary to share with those who read it. Even though that should be slightly uncomfortable, its not. Isn't it strange how it is easier to share feelings with people over a computer than it is in person. I guess most of the fears are taken away from the situation. There is no face to face, so there is no worry about appearance. There is also a time between what is said and the feedback. This helps myself (and maybe others) to be less cautious. It helps to prevent from saying the wrong thing, because when it is typed and re-read we can edit ourselves. Some people may find this blog odd, but I just thought I would throw some questions out there.

My Wikipedia Editing

The stub that I have decided to add to on Wikipedia is the deep diving stub, found under the diving section of the recreation section.

Plagiarism

There are many ways to plagiarise, ranging from intentional to accidental. It is obvious that using other people's words and claiming them as your own is illegal, but a simple mistake in citing sources can be considered to be just as bad. Plagiarism is a serious problem. The website Plagiarism.org is a very good cite to help clarify the exact terms of plagiarism. Other cites try to help with how to recognise if the paraphrasing that the writer has done, is enough to not be considered to be plagiarism. With the ability for anyone to publish anything, provided by the internet, plagiarism is a growing problem. It is imporant to avoid at all costs the act of stealing other peoples work.

Getting to know me...

I consider myself an open-minded person until I feel pressed to ABSOLUTELY think a certain way. Most of the time there are two sides to every story and I tend to try to hear all other opinions, but that doesn't mean that I will change mine. I am also open-minded of other peoples ideas as long as they are not openly stubborn and are completely convinced that they are never wrong.

Something I learned from the last person I dated is to not try to change anyone. My last past relationship was horrible, but a great learning experience. Not only did I learn to never try to change anyone, but I also learned that you can only try to help someone to a certain point. I learned that if the relationship is not working now, then most likely, it will not work later. Sometimes it is hard to move on, but once that wall is crossed there is a whole new world on the other side!

It's Sunday morning at 10 a.m. If I'm not still sleeping then I am just waking up! If I'm not at school or at work in the morning hours, which for me are anytime before noon, I am in bed. Sundays are relaxation days for me because I work twelve hours on Saturdays.

When I die, I believe I will go to heaven. I believe that Jesus is my Lord and Savior and the those who do will spend eternaty in heaven.

People keep buying me turtlenecks!! I hate turtleneck sweaters. I always feel like I'm being choked! My grandma asked me what I wanted for Christmas last year and I said, "a black sweater, but not a turrtleneck." And what do you think I got?? A BLACK TURTLENECK! I just don't understand. It's always a turtleneck or some really ugly shoes!

The only sport that I am really into at the moment is football. I can't really think of any sport that I don't understand, but I find baseball boreing to watch (sorry baseball fans).

When I was a kid, I actually got a pony for Christmas! I unwrapped a present and it was a little plastic brown and white paint and on it's leg there was a note tied to it. The note said to close my eyes, make a wish, and look out the window. Being seven, I skipped the first two steps and ran to the window to find a pony that looked almost exactly like the toy that was still in my hand. It was a wonderful present. I actually owned a pony!