All tasks have meaning

Every task you start, there is always the possibility of having an unexpected detour to finally reach the finished product. With like most tasks you complete, every task can have a daunting factor and can present a challenging factor in order to finish the task. However, all tasks should be approached in the same way with an open mind that will allow one to succeed. Take for example, all the olympic athletes. Many of them went through many years of training and were then faced with the daunting task of competeing in the Olympic trials and the possibility of continuing on to the Olympics. Several athletes will make it, while others are faced with great sadness of not continuing on to compete in the actual Olympics. Mark Spitz, a gold medalist in swimming, once said "Im trying to do the best I can. Im not concerned with tomorrow , but with what goes on today." showing how if you focus on the present task on hand and do not worry about what lies ahead, almost anything can happen and go your way. This just shows that if you focus on things on step at a time, you are likely to go farther than if you are constantly focusing on the big picture and the finished product.

Society today

As I sat down to dinner this past week, eating out with my family that had come to watch my soccer game, it made me think about all the time that people spend on their phones. Every table around us, people had out their phones and were constantly on them instead of engaging in conversation with the ones who are with them. As I sat there talking with my cousins, it made me appreciate the fact that nobody at our table was on their phone. We all sat there engaging in conversation, sharing stories and laughs all while enjoying each others company. 

Smart phones are seen everywhere you go now and are the primary reason society is changing today. Instead of calling friends, we text them. Instead of watching the news, we are able to easily look it up. The same goes for when students need to do research, we have easy access to computers and phones to easily look up information we need to get instead of going to the library and finding books to help us. As we look back over the past few years, the changes are pretty obvious. When you go out in public its common to see groups together, but all on their phones. You see even the youngest of children carrying around iPhones, kids getting phones as young as possibly 6th grade which was uncommon in previous years. In the end society today is becoming one to be known with technology and all the new creations making a serious change in society today. 

Photo Blog

"Suddenly they saw the great valley below them. Al jammed on the brake and stopped in the middle of the road, and, "Jesus Christ! Look!" he said. The vineyards, the orchards, the great flat valley, green and beautiful, the trees set in rows, and the farm houses. And Pa said "God Almighty!" The distant cities, the little towns in the orchard land, and the morning sun, the golden valley." (Chapter 18, pg. 227)  

In "The Grapes of Wrath" the Joad's were uprooting their lives and making a big move to California. All throughout their drive, they didn't know what to expect when they first arrived in California or what it was going to be like. All along their journey they would hear things about what it was like in California from passing people on the road but when they got the first look at a California valley in Tehachapi, it wasn't anything they were expecting. Throughout their drive they have seen nothing but long stretches of dry land, miles on end of road, and not many land markings, so once they came upon the valley it was all the could do to scramble out of the car to get their first look at California. The color of the orchards, peach trees and the green valley was nothing they have seen and was a start to their new life beginning in California. 

Sochi Olympics

The 2014 Winter Olympics are in action right this moment. Athletes, being watched globally are in competition to get that gold medal that every athlete wants and to add to the medal counts of each country present. Thousands of spectators and athletes are all in Sochi, Russia where they are being held this year.  Although what we see on the tv can make it seem like there are no major issues in Sochi, in reality there are. The conditions of these Olympics are the worst that any athlete who has competed in the Olympics, either summer or winter have experienced so far. Despite the fact that Russia has spent more than 51 millions dollars alone in preparation, many are asking the question of where did all the money go?  When many arrived the hotels were not ready and even after they were completed the rooms were bare and nothing seemed to be completely finished. Everyone was told "do not to use the water on their face because it contained something very dangerous" and posters in the bathroom stating "do not flush toilet paper down the toilet! Put it in the bin provided" (daily news). These are just a few examples of how poor the conditions are in Sochi. Also once rooms seemed to be completed they were missing things like door handles or light bulbs or shower curtains, all things that you would think we already be in place in a hotel room were not (Daily news). Despite all the complaints about the unpreparedness of the Russian Olympic Games, the president of the international Olympic committee, Thomas Bach thinks that the athletes have wonderful conditions and the Olympic villages are a success (voice). He blames the unpreparedness on the heavy rains they had a few days prior saying the it led to the delay in the schedule.

Sources:
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_02_02/Sochi-offers-wonderful-conditions-for-athletes-IOC-head-Thomas-Bach-3402/

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/olympics/media-reports-sochiproblems-olympic-village-article-1.1602530

California's History

In chapter 19, it explains California's history and the experiences the people went through back then when Mexico had control compaing it to similar experiences people are going through during the time in this chater.  He explains how people would pack up and leave their land to go and have to find a new job while still trying to feed their families and keep everyone alive. That's the same situation that the Joad's family is experiencing. They were forced off their land and left to go to California in hopes of finding any work. On their journey they are in constant wonder of what they will find when they get to California and what work they will get to support the family and start a new life. In chapter 19, he shared experiences of people during the time Mexico had control. The people were hungry and weak, just like they are now traveling. Jobs were also hard to come by as so many people all tried to get the same job due to the fact that there was not very many to begin with and also so many needed jobs. Steinbeck compares the two experiences and situations that both groups of people went through. He uses details and imagery to compare the two situations.

Thankful

With the holidays having passed and a new year just beginning, there is a lot to be thankful of. As I look back to 2013, I have a lot to be thankful of and as I look ahead into 2014 I don't want to forgot all that I do have. Although 2013 was a rough year and nothing ever seemed to get better before getting worse, there is still a lot that I am able to be thankful about. One major thing that I am thankful about is still being able to go to my school, SkyView Academy. With my parents divorce there was a lot of talk about moving schools and sometimes even states. I am beyond thankful that I did not have to experience any of that and I am still able to be in the same house while still going to the same school. I am also thankful for a few of my super close friends. One friend in particular has been my best friend since the end of freshman year. She has been by my side through everything and I know that I can always count on her to be there for me. In addition, I am also thankful for many people that are in my life including family and some of my mentors that have helped me get through those difficult times. So when asked what I am most thankful about, my answer will always be the people in my life.