#16 arguements

 Guiness, Harry "Learn to Argue more Productively" The New York Times 15 April  2020 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/15/smarter-living/learn-to-argue-productively.html

The article "Learn to Argue more Productively" states that "the emotions you feel when someone disagrees or challenges you on something reveal where your personal expectations don't line up with reality,"(Guiness). I think that this is true for me, because whenever I argue with someone, whether it be my sister, friend, or parents, I get mad when disagree. For example, whenever I ask my parents for a dog, they always say no. I don't think that my expectations were "unrealistic" but I should've probably just let them decide and not get mad.

A piece of advice in this article is "talk about disagreements when you're not having them,"(Guiness). I believe that this is a great piece of advice for healthier relationships, because people usually tend to get into arguments when they are in a bad mood. Talking through these disagreements could be a lot easier when everyone is in a good mood, and much easier to make a compromise. For example, when me and my sister were fostering dogs, we would always fight about who got to feed the medicine (we both always wanted to) but when we were in a better mood, we would sort things out, and maybe make a schedule. It was much less of a hassle that way.

#15 Rat that sniffs out land mines recieves award for bravery

Schaverien, Anna The New York Times "Rat That Sniffs Out Land Mines Receives Award for Bravery" 29 September 2020)

Magawa received a gold medal from the People's  Dispensary for sick animals which is "an honor usually given to civilians that recognizes acts of bravery and heroism,". He received this award because he helped sniff out TNT and saved many lives by doing so. Magawa challenges the common depictions of rats, because they are mainly seen as "creatures more commonly seen scuttling through sewers and the subway." Magawa is definitely deserving of this award. A human would probably get this award so why shouldn't a rat? To be honest, rats are more deserving because nothing is in it for them and yet Magawa still helped.

#14-photo

 My last picture was a picture of my sister drinking a cookies and creme milkshake from shake shack. We went to one Paseo over the weekend and wanted burgers. So we went to shake shack, got two burgers, and shared a milkshake. The milkshake was so good. It had little chunks of oreo in it and wasn't too too sweet. In the beginning, it was super thick so we had to mix it around until it got to the perfect consistency. This was after we went kayaking so we were super tired and hungry. We stayed away from the shops because there were more people there, and it was super relaxing with some mall music playing in the back.

#13 TIK TOK

 I use tik tok to watch any videos that pop up on my for you page. It's really a great way to relax, have fun, and waste time. I only post once in a while, but I mostly just watchc them for entertainment. Tik tok is actually a super useful app, contrary to popular belief. Many people think it's just dancing and people doing stupid stuff, but I actually learn a lot from it. For example, you leanr things you wouldn't be able to learn in school like survival tips to skin care hacks by professionals to camera tricks. There are all sorts of things to learn that nobody would have ever thought of. Tik tok definently does more good than harm, because even if there was a bad video, people would not hesitate to report it or call it out and it will get taken down.

I think it is unfair for the government to control our apps and what we have access to. There was nothing wrong with the tik tok app, but then the government suddenly want to ban it. We should have our freedom to go on what apps we want and not have the government banning it. The New York Times stated that "Like any social media platform, we should keep an eye on it. But that doesn’t mean this one app should be targeted." It's clear that tik tok hasn't done anything but president trump still want to ban it.

#12 Ruth Bader Ginsburg

 Ruth Bader Ginsburg worked her entire career fighting for women's rights and was the second woman to serve on the supreme court. She went to law school before she joined the supreme court, and won multiple arguments advocating for women's rights. Dahlia Lithwick writing in The Atlantic observed that “Today, more than ever, women starved for models of female influence, authenticity, dignity, and voice hold up an octogenarian justice as the embodiment of hope for an empowered future.” Ruth Bader Ginsburg has really changed the world and worked hard to fight for womens rights.

#11 Life on Venus? Astronomers see a signal in its clouds

 Venus was named after the Roman Goddess of beauty, a the planet itself is hundreds of degrees. The reason for this is because its clouds contain sulfuric acid. Scientists believe that Venus was once the most Earthlike than any other place in the universe. Scientists have overlooked Venus for life, because for decades, they have been investigating Mars, Europa, and Enceladus but have never thought about looking on Venus. Sarah Stewart a planetary scientist even said "Venus has been ignored by NASA for so long. It’s really a shame." 

This article hasn't necessarily convinced me that extraterrestrial life is out there, but I do believe that there is life out there somewhere. It may not be animals like the ones on earth, it could just be bacteria, but I believe there is something out there. It could be from as big as a planet to as small as bacteria.

#10 when you love, and loathe, watching the NFL 9/16

 There are many things that the coronavirus has affected and stop, and coming back to those things could be a challenge. If we were to ever return to school, it would be really challenging for me because I'm so used to learning at home. I usually wake up so late, because I don't need to worry about driving to school, eating my breakfast, and changing into regular clothes. I would also probably be very disorganized and get bad grades because of this. And as Mr. Streeter says "The return of a lost love comes with a risk," (NY Times). Whether it be school, or football, there will always be risks if you return.

If I were the commissioner of the NFL, I would cancel the season. Giving up a football season is much better than risking the players life. It is just football, and some people might say "football is my life" but if they really wanted more football they  should have the players be safe or there will be no life.

#9 How much do you know about Guatemala

Traveling to Hong Kong has definitely opened my eyes. My family and I go pretty often, around once every two years. Every time I go to Hong Kong, I feel like I've learned something new and tried something that I would never be able to in San Diego. Being in Hong Kong, there is a lot of pollution and people, unlike San Diego which is less crowded. The buildings are also much taller, and it's kinda scary. But the thing I feel like I've learned most is that not everybody is as lucky and fortunate as me. A house in Hong Kong could buy you two houses in America, because there is such limited space. Most people have to walk or take the bus to work everyday, because there is just not enough space for everyone to have cars. This is how traveling to Hong Kong really changed my perspective.

I think that learning about other places, you have a better understanding of why someone from that place does what they do. Understanding other places and cultures can shape you as a person, and make you a better communicator over all. For example, if I go to China I can learn from the way that they cook and speak, and it would make my life more interesting. You can also develop sympathy with others because you know where thay are coming from.

#8 how has 2020 challenged or changed you 9/11

 2020 has definitely changed and shaped many people. Personally, I haven't been affected too much, other than having to stay home being bored out of my mind. One thing that I have discovered a new interest for though, is dogs. I haven't thought very much about them, since I always had other things on mind, but being home for 24 hours a day can be really boring, so me and my friend started doing research about dogs, hoping I could have one as a pet. After an extensive amount of research, and lots of YouTube videos, I realized dogs are getting abandoned. My friend got her dog Snoopy, but I became interested in fostering. Lots of paperwork later, me and my family became foster parents! So far, we have fostered 8 puppies, and I'm really looking forward to fostering more.

The racial injustice protests was by far the most profound thing on the news this year for me. For many years, people of America have been working for racial equality and finally people of color have the same rights. Or do they? Apparently not, because racial injustice is still a thing, and it shocks me that people still think this way. I think that people shouldn't still have to be protesting for their rights, but it's the sad reality.

#7 california wildfires

 The fires that happened over the labor day weekend was probably more significant than any other one we had, due to the covid-19 pandemic. It would be so hard to have residents move out of their houses during the covid-19 pandemic because they are already scared of the virus getting them, and if they move someplace else it would be very hard for them to find a job so they could become unemployed. California's climate is relatively warm, and the lack of rainfall during the summer causes it to become very dry. According to the New York times, "Its vegetation then spends much of the summer slowly drying out... That vegetation then serves as kindling for fires." Climate change and fire-prone weather kind of links together, which could create even worse fires in the future, as long as there are people there to start it.

#6 how should we balance safety and urgency in covid-19 vaccine

 I am very concerned about my health and well-being because of covid-19. There could be someone affected when you first walk out of your house, and you wouldn't even know. Every time I go outside, I think that there is a chance that me or my family and friends could get infected and people can die. I think that a vaccine could be available sometime soon, whether it takes a month or ten years but eventually, there will be one. I think that drug companies are doing enough because there's a lot in it for them. With a lot of competition, their business will boom if they find a vaccine.

#5 Labor day weekend

 I spent most of my labor day indoors because I couldn't handle all the heat and I was scared of the smoke. Although my house doesn't have any AC, it is still way cooler outside and I took a really cold shower. I do miss summer vacation because now I have lots of homework and barely any time to watch tv :( As usual, I spent time with my family and foster dogs. This weekend, I had honey lavender ice cream from salt and straw, and pizza. It was a really great weekend overall.

#4 How will we remember the pandemic

 History books would probably recognize the coronavirus the same as they recognize the plague and other big diseases. I think that the books would talk about some deaths of important people, and how times were very uncertain and scary. People who make it out of the pandemic would probably be referred to as "survivors." In reality, if everyone just stayed home and wore face covering, life would be pretty normal, and people wouldn't get the disease. 5 artifacts that I would take to a museum include a face mask, toilet paper, my school notebook, my agenda, and the app, zoom/google meet.

#3 do childrens zip codes at birth determine their future?

 I think my neighbourhood has really affected how I am today. I live in a pretty nice neighborhood, lots of space and good schools, most people are on the wealthier side. I think that I am very privileged, and it would be really hard to move into another neighbourhood with fewer opportunities, and I would probably have to work ten times harder. I probably couldn't live in a polluted area, because my family is from Hong Kong, and I really don't like how the streets smell so bad and how it's harder to breath.

#2 "nobody likes snitching"

 I believe that student should report their peers if they are violating the social distancing rules. The main reason for this is that people's lives are on the line. I don't think that snitching is a good thing, like when someone tells on you for texting in class, but this is much more serious. A person's life could end just because they went to a party with their friends. I've seen many of my classmates engage in irresponsible situations. Many people at school post pictures on social media of them hanging out with their friends at the beach or at an event. This made me feel very mad and disappointed because California already has the most COVID cases, and people should really be trying to stop the spread. 

entry #1 looking ahead

 A short term goal I have for this english class is to be more organized and prepared for class or a test. A long term goal of mine is to hopefully write stronger and better essays. My ideal learning environment is a quiet place with a comfortable place to learn (like a beanbag chair), and a room that is not dark. I also need plenty of breaks and snacks. One thing that I'm excited for is seeing my friends again, and also meeting new people. The one thing I'm dreading is tests.