Snacks on the Trail

Making sure you’re hydrated and nourished while on a hike is essential to having a successful experience. As noted by Jason Stevenson in the book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking and Hiking, things that are high in fat and protein are ideal, since your body makes twice the amount of energy from the calories of those foods, as opposed to how much energy you would get from carbs, (Stevenson 187). In specific, things like, chocolate, cheese, pepperoni, salami, apples, pears, and oranges. Not only is it important to the general functioning of your body on a hike, but it’s always a good idea to make sure you have enough in case of an emergency. Extra energy/ protein bars, and plenty of water is fitting for this situation, (Stevenson 109). On my most recent hike, about 5 miles, I decided to just bring a few protein bars, oranges, and some cheese to eat on the way. 5 miles is a relatively short hike, so there wasn’t too much of a worry of getting too hungry or not having enough energy in my body to continue.

“Day- hikers don’t require as many calories as backpackers, but they should still pack high energy foods for the trail. The easiest way for hikers to boost their energy levels- as crazy as it sounds- is to increase the percentage of high- fat foods in your trail diet. After all, eating more food isn’t the best option when you need to carry everything you consume,” (Stevenson 110). This information was good to know and something I had never heard before. I found that it was pretty helpful and really does make sense when you put it into perspective. When you have to carry everything that you bring with you on the trail, you would want to make sure that it’s light and as minimal as possible, so you’re not lugging around pounds of food. When you bring snacks that are high in fat, protein, and calories, you’re getting all the necessary nutrients, minus the weight of it all. Overall, this book shared some really helpful tips regarding this subject! What are your favorite snacks to bring on a hike?

Thanks for reading! 

Stevenson, Jason. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Backpacking and Hiking. Alpha Books, 2010.

Creating my own characters: Stage Two Face Structures

Creating my own characters: Stage Two 

Face Structures

In stage one I introduced my characters Vicky and Eric and developed their personalities as well as stated their relationship. Here is my second blog post about the process of creating my cartoon characters, in this stage is will explore the possible face structures of my characters and their personalities. Since one of my characters is female and the other is male there will be distinct differences in face structure, so I focused on them separately rather than together.

Eric

When developing Eric's face structure I kept in mind that he was  a male with an edgy personality on the outside but a big softy on the inside. Its important to develop a familiarity with the more 'common proportions' of the skull/head. (Brooks 34) When drawing him I keep a rough sharp edges for his eyes and his jawline as well as his eyebrows.  His jawline was extended to a sharp point while his cheekbones were less defined. I kept his cheekbones the same while softening up his jawline but kept his eyes angled and sharp, in a somewhat anger mood. This could be interpreted as him being angry at the world or his teenage angst. For Eric's hair I kept it it short and choppy with a little hair hanging like Johnny Depp's character in the movie Cry Baby. Just for fun I added a few piercing and scars to give him an overall bad boy look.

Vicky 

Personally I found that drawing female faces are a lot easier than drawing males.  her faces shape is an oval round face with freckles. The main feature that I wanted to show through Vicky was her large doe like eye, on her long faces, her eyes give her the appearance of innocents that will work to her advantage as a spy later on in her story. Her small petite nose and mouth work also as a character contrast to Eric who has a larger nose and mouth and an also larger personality. Vicky's are her only angled feature, unlike Eric's eyebrows she has a sharp point at the end. Her hair works as a way to frame her face give her a small appearance, her whole appearance is an opposite to her personality that is sassy and sarcastic, the dangle earring plays as small symbol of her personality.

Tips: "Shading and angled features make the development of the character more noticeable." (Brooks 32)

What would your characters faces look like? Would their personality match their faces?

Brooks, Josiah. Draw with Jazza - Creating Characters: Fun and Easy Guide to Drawing Cartoons and Comics. Impact, 2016. 

Beauty How-to: Simple Nails

Easy Holiday Nails

I n t r o d u c t i o n

"Nails take any old outfit and make it new" - Essie.

Nails. We use them for various tasks throughout the day, actually styling them is just an afterthought, right? But what you don't realize is that the simplest nail polish can take your outfit to a whole new level. From a solid color, to glitter, to accents and nail art, there are millions of ways to create a nail set that suits you! Not only does nail polish give you that pop of color that compliments your clothes, but it also gives a shield that protects your nails from any damage. There are also some polishes that are multi-purposed. Some infused with argan oil that is rich with vitamins that keep your nails healthy. For the holidays, I wanted to keep my nails coated with a nice solid, shiny maroon polish. With the help of YouTube beauty-guru Michelle Phan and her novel, Make Up: Your Life Guide to Beauty, Style, and Success-- Online and Off, I've collected some tips and tricks to help you for this tutorial!

S t e p  O n e :

Before you begin any painting, you want to decide on what kind of look you want to go for. For me, I wear a lot of red, so I know that the polish I chose would compliment any of the different outfits that I prepared for my holidays. Also, you want to make sure you have a good canvas. Prep your nails by cutting them the length you want them, and the shape you desire by filing your nails. I like my nails a little long, and oval-like. To keep your nails strong and healthy, there are vitamins you can take, and even serums loaded with vitamins and minerals.

S t e p  T w o :

To create a strong nail look, you need a good foundation. Base coats are the base, the primer to your canvas. These clear polishes prepare your nail for the following colored nail coats. This base prevents staining, and some even are hydrating and not only protect your nails but keep them healthy also! As said from the book, "This [base coat] will protect your nail bed from discoloration and extend the life of your manicure," (Phan 101). I used an affordable 3-in-1 base coat to prepare my nails. Then, I allowed both hands to dry for at least 5 minutes to make sure my nails have absorbed and dried the coat.

S t e p  T h r e e :

Now we can get to painting our canvas. I chose a deep red because I felt like it matched the winter-holiday feel that I wanted and that would also go with all the red dresses I was planning to wear. As you paint, you want to make sure your brush isn't too loaded with polish or else your nails will become clumpy and overflow. But, you also want to make sure there is enough polish or else it will look streaky and uneven. Start at the cuticle and use light pressure to spread out the brush slightly to accomplish the most coverage. You want to have the least amount of strokes so every layer of polish will be thin and buildable. Wait at least 10 minutes for both nails to dry down completely and build up layers for your desired opacity.

S t e p  F o u r :

For our last step, you need a top coat. A top coat is a clear polish that seals down the other layers and adds another shield of protection that also adds a gloss to finish off your look. Similar in look to normal clear polishes, but don't get them mixed up! Clear polish does not have the same benefits as a basic top coat, it only adds the shine. Swipe a coat of any top coat to conclude this holiday look. I used my 3-in-1 base and top coat because of it's multi-purpose. Then, finish off my using nail polish remover and a small synthetic brush or cotton swab to clean up any small mistakes.

F i n i s h e d

You know what they say, your feet and hands never take a day off, so take care of them! Pampering yourself to add beauty doesn't always mean manicures and pedicures, but just a hint of color can go a long way. What are some other tips and tricks you've heard of for nail care? Are there any other designs or patterns you would want to try out?

Phan, Michelle. Make up: Your Life Guide to Beauty, Style, and Success--Online and Off. Harmony Books, 2014.

Spanish step by step: Questions & Responses

Spanish Step by step: Questions & Responses

As i have been reading my book on Spanish, i have learned a thing or two about the language. Some words do not have an equivalent in both languages. But in many cases, the same idea can still be conveyed, with some structural changes to the sentence. For an example, the words do, and does, have no equivalent in Spanish. But, by changing up the sentence structure, you can convey the same message. To ask a question with "do" or "does" reverse the position of the verb. If you're trying to say "do not/does not" add no to the sentence.

With this knowledge, I will now be able to speak more things in Spanish and communicate better with Spanish speakers. I can see myself using these newly learned skills in Spanish class.

Published: 31st December, 2017

Tempo Runs

By: Nicholas Hamakami

            As the track season gets closer and closer, I’ve been working hard to make sure I’m ready to compete. There are many different workouts to choose from, but one workout in particular has consistently made its way into my routine. This workout is known as the tempo run. Although I don’t run as often as I did during the peak of the cross-country season, I still manage to get a tempo run in every week. In my eyes, this workout is not only the most effective, but also the easiest to complete when running by yourself.

            In essence, a tempo run is a type of training where you run at pace slightly slower than your 5k (5 kilometer) race pace. For example, if I were to run a 5k with a 6:00 mile-split, my tempo speed would be around 6:20 per mile. As Amby Burfoot states, Tempo workouts don’t force you to strain your body, and they’re easy to recover from (Burfoot 82). Because the average mile is slower, the amount of stress in both the legs and cardio-respiratory system is more manageable. Additionally, the short length of the tempo workout allows it to be squeezed into any weekly routine. Tempo workouts have been guaranteed to be effective, but the benefits don’t stop there.

            Tempo runs are effective because they allow you to improve your speed while also increasing your lactic acid threshold. According to Burfoot, “Lactic acid produces the burn and fatigue in your muscles when you are working them hard. As lactic acid builds up, it lowers your ability to run efficiently and eventually forces you to slow down” (Burfoot 82). Raising your lactic acid threshold allows you to run farther and faster without feeling fatigue. It is for this reason that I feel the tempo workout is one of the most effective types of training. Now, all this information is great and all, but how has my personal experience been with the tempo workout?

Tempo running!

            As it stands now, I currently do at least one tempo run every week. My pace isn’t as fast as it was during cross-country, but I can still feel the positive effects of the workout. I usually run at a 6:30 mile pace for around 20 minutes, but that can vary depending on the day. Soreness inflicts my muscles after every workout, but I always know that I’m getting faster. The tempo workout is both simple and effective, and this has caused it to become my favorite type of conditioning. I know that some cross country athletes may read this post, so what do you all think of this workout?

Source: Burfoot, Amby. The Principles of Running: Practical Lessons from My First 100,000 Miles. Rodale, 2004.

Sewing: Ruffles

Making Ruffles: 2 Types of Fabric

When making my ruffles, I wasn't sure which type of fabric would be better out of the ones I already had. So I decided to use both and then evaluate them after I finished.

To make ruffles, all that i did was get 2 strips of fabric, one for each type which was a  white cotton [A non-stretch] and white spandex fabric [4-way stretch](Quindt, 8). For the cotton, I pinned down folds, each one being about an inch or so before I brought it to the sewing machine and sewed them in place. For the spandex, I used a thread to gather all of the material with a running stitch (Quindt, 11)[which I unfortunately do not have a picture for] and sewed the fabric into place.

The cotton ruffles were much more stiff then the spandex ruffles which were light and puffy. Over-all, the spandex fabric was much better for making ruffles.

"The Book of Cosplay Sewing" by Svetlana Quindt

Photography- Candid Photographs

Candid photography is any type of photography that is real and in the moment. There is no posing, no fake smiles, just true and genuine feelings. It is so easy to spot a fake smile or fake look, and that is the quickest way to a regular looking photograph. A candid photo, on the other hand, lets a person's genuine emotion shine through. 

Tips for taking a good Candid Photograph are telling your subject to pretend as if you are not there, tricking your subject into thinking you are not taking a picture of them ex. Pretending like you are taking a 'selfie' but, in reality, you are taking a picture of them. Another tip for taking a good Candid Photograph is to use your zoom. The reason why we use your zoom is because the further you are away from your subject the less likely they will be to know that you’re photographing them and the more natural and relaxed they’ll act. The book has many great tips on taking a great Candid Photograph. The author shows this by saying, "A candid photograph is a photograph captured without creating a posed appearance. Thus, the candid character of a photo is unrelated to the subject's knowledge about or consent to the fact that photos are being taken, and unrelated to the subject's permission for further usage and distribution"(Tresidder 49).

For my photograph, this was of my mom, my brother and my niece. This photograph is a Candid because I see their genuine smiles. I liked the way this picture turned out because of how they were looking into a different camera, and I quickly took a photo that turned out beautifully.

Once again, taking photos of people when they have no idea that you’re doing it is called candid photography. One of the beauties of photography is being able to catch someone in the act. It adds life to your pictures.

What are your thoughts on Candid Photography?

Tresidder, Jack, The Kodak library of creative photography: extend your range. Kodak, 1985.

Soccer Basics 2

 Soccer is not only based on your individual skill but also how good you work with your teammates and the strategies that you use both on offense and defense,

      Offense

• The team that keeps possession of the ball the most throughout the game will most likely win.
• Another strategy is to keep switching the point of attack on the field, this means if you are on the left side of the field you can hit a long pass to the right side of the field and attack from there.
• Long throw-ins can e essential to a good attack as it allows the attacking team to get down the field easier.
• On goal kicks there are usually two ways to do them, either play long or play short. Playing long doesn't guarantee you will retain the possession of the ball but you are not in the enemy half. Playing short you will be able to keep possession of the ball but you are still in your own half of the field.
• On corner kicks you have to play based on the defense, so if the defense is packed inside the 18-yard box you can play short, if the defense is spread out you can play long into the box and try to score from a header.
• Penalty kicks are generally easy, your best shooter will most likely do the job and get a goal.

     

     Defense

• When you are defending the ball it is a good idea to try to force the player and the ball towards the sidelines as the sideline acts another defender so the attacker doesn't have as many options to get out.
• The defense can play with an offside trap as a way to put the attacking player in a offside position so the defense could get the ball back.
• The number of players in the back can also give you a disadvantage or an advantage. Having 4 people in the back is normal but if you want to be more of a counterattacking team you can play with 3 in the back, its more risky but also more rewarding, "Although the forwards were still scoring more easily than in the past, the defenders were rapidly making progress in stopping the onslaught of balls flying into the net..."(Stewart 37).
• On corner kicks it is most common to just find a attacker and stick close to tem/mark them but you can also choose to play a formation in the 18-yard box to defend the corner kick.
• On free kicks it is also normal to put a "wall" in front of the ball which to means to put a certain number of players 10 yards in front of the ball. The number of players in the wall depends on how close the attacking team is to the goal, the farther the less amount of players in the wall.
• On throw-ins teams will almost always just mark a man and try to get the ball back by putting pressure on the attackers.

   If you have any questions please ask in the comments below.
   Stewart, Gail B. Soccer. Lucent Books, 2001

Cool Downs

By: Nicholas Hamakami

Cross country is my passion. The joy that I find in running is unprecedented in most other sports, and I love the competition that I find around me. My devotion to cross country and track has motivated me to stay fit during the off-season. Every runner wants to effectively train as often as possible, and Amby Burfoot’s insight on warm ups and cool downs has allowed me to do just that. Although I warm up before almost every workout, I often neglect and sometimes even completely forget the cool down. According to Burfoot, “The key to a successful cool down is simply to do it. Too many runners, in a rush to return to their many responsibilities, skip the cool down” (Burfoot 69).

Cooling down with a quad stretch.

After listening to the advice that Burfoot provided me, I decided to go out and try an effective cool down myself. Last Monday during winter practice (11/27), the team focused on speed, running repeated sprint intervals. The workout was difficult, and I felt like it was a good time to try something new. Following that workout, I decided to take some time off by myself to stretch my calves, quads, and other ligaments. Along with stretching, I went on a light cool down jog as well. Although I didn’t notice too much of a difference in the hours immediately following the workout, I felt considerably better the next day. The aches and pain that I get after every workout didn’t completely go away, but they were noticeably milder than on the days after I neglected a cool down.

Cooling down with a calf stretch.

As Burfoot said, a cool down's purpose is to help the body recover, regenerate, and prepare for the next run (Burfoot 69). After personally feeling how effective a good cool down could be, I’ll be sure to stretch after every run from now on.  Now, as the off-season continues, I must ask, what else can we all do to stay in peak condition? Track season is coming up soon, and I want to be ready to smoke the other schools. I will continue to train hard, and I hope my fellow track runners will too!

Source: Burfoot, Amby. The Principles of Running: Practical Lessons from My First 100,000 Miles. Rodale, 2004.

Plant Based Recipes: Fruit Sorbets

Although winter time is upon us, a cold refreshing treat is never a bad idea. Sorbets are really easy to make, and you can use fruit that you have in the house. Not only are they easy to make, but they are much healthier than ice cream or sherbet. I made 2 sorbets that were recommended from the "Oh she glows everyday" cookbook, and they both seemed really delicious. The first one is a mango-coconut-lime sorbet, and the second one is a Raspberry-Banana sorbet. Both of these recipes have ingredients that i would have never thought to add, which make them more flavorful and unique!

The ingredients in the mango-coconut-lime sorbet included mangoes, lime, coconut cream, and water. All of these ingredients go into a food processor or blender to make it nice and smooth. The recipe didn't call for water, however i added some to help it blend better. Angela Liddon says "The Mango-Coconut-Lime sorbet is rich and full bodied, so its a hybrid of fruity sorbet and traditional ice cream." However, i found that this sorbet did not live up to its expectations. The coconut cream added a very strange and foul flavor, as well as giving it a weird texture. I would personally change the recipe, and completely forgo the coconut cream, and add water instead. This would make the sorbet even lighter and fruitier. Next is the raspberry-banana sorbet, which tasted much better!
 The ingredients in the raspberry-banana sorbet were raspberries, bananas, and maple syrup. I added milk this time to help it blend better, in replace of water. "The tangy raspberries, banana and maple syrup give it a creamy slightly sweet taste." Says liddon. The combination of raspberries and bananas give it a tangy and creamy flavor, which is a great combination. Next time, i would replace the maple syrup with sugar, or just leave it out, because you can still taste it after it is all blended. This sorbet ended up tasting way better than the mango sorbet, and it something i would recommend to everyone. I also had a lot of left over sorbet, so the cookbook recommended to place the leftovers into a Popsicle mold, to enjoy later, so that's what i did with all the extra!

 Overall, this recipe was very helpful and easy to follow, even though the mango sorbet did not turn out very well. The raspberry sorbet however did turn out great, and i will definitely be making it again. These recipes gave me ideas for other sorbets that i could make, and was a good starting point! These sorbets are a great alternative to ice cream or other desserts, and can have just as much flavor and color, without adding anything unnatural. The end result looks beautiful, and bursts with colors! Have you ever made sorbet before, and what kind?

Liddon, Angela. Oh She Glows Every Day. Avery, 2016.  

Programming: Method

                

              “A method describes an action that the object can perform” (Mueller 77). The on the right is an example of a method. The word public and static modify the method, so it can be seen outside of the class that it is in hence the word public. Every method has a return type, which is the information that the method returns to the caller e after it has completed its task. The “void” from the picture on the right is example of a main method that doesn’t return any information to the caller. The “String” is basically a text, char variables are only used to form letters while string is a list of char variables placed together to from a word.

               Using the class from my previous post, I can add an object inside the main method. To add an object, I wrote the class name first followed by the new object I just created. I called by object “FavoriteBook”. The number in the parenthesis is the publish date.

               Now that we added an object, we can create a new method so it can perform a task. The new method I created is called page and when creating a new method, it must be out of the main method. So, it cannot be inside the curly brackets of the main method. In the parenthesis of my new method, I added “int pages” which would be the number of pages. Below my new method, I added the code “System.out.println ();” and by adding this it will be able to print out the text I put in the parenthesis. 

               Now that the page method is created, I can call the page method on the object I just created called, “FavoriteBook”. By doing this, I would write this line of code in the main method and I would be written out like this.

               If I were to run this, it would output the text that would be written in the parenthesis of the code “System.out.println();”. As an example, say I read 275 pages of my favorite book per hour. I would input the number 275 into the parenthesis of “FavoriteBook.page();”. I do this because that code that I input the number corresponds to the new method I created called page. I would then write out a text in the “System.out.println”. The entire code would look like this.

               Notice that the word “pages” in the text, the word that isn’t in blue, doesn’t have quotation marks around them. This is because it equals to a number, meaning it is not going to output the word “pages” but it would output a certain number and that certain number would be the number I plugged into the “FavoriteBook.page”. This is what the output would look like.

               To sum it up, a method is a set of instructions that can be called on by an object and a return value is the information that a method will return after the program runs. In the example above, “FavoriteBook” is an object while “page” is a method and the program I wrote is an example of a calling a method on an object. Calling a method makes easier to code and less writing for programmers as they would not have to rewrite the method whenever a new object is created. Learning how to program is like learning a language, they both require a lot of memorization. So, do you have any advice or a form of study when it comes to remembering a big chunk of information?

Mueller, John Paul. Java eLearning Kit For Dummies. Wiley, 2014.

Orange you glad I said chocolate?

 Chocolate-Orange Cupcakes

I remember seeing oranges made of chocolate, and tasted a lot like oranges as well. That's what i thought of when I saw this recipe, on page 173, in the book "The Williams-Sonoma Baking Book, the Essential Recipe Collection for Today's Home Baker". The recipe calls for which makes 12 cupcakes:

• 3 tbsp dutch-process cocoa powder (or just regular cocoa powder)
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 orange
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled at room temperature

Frosting Recipe:

• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners' (icing) sugar

I first mixed the cocoa into the hot water until it dissolved and set it aside, and sifted the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. I then used the fine rasps of a handheld grater and grated the zest into the bowl. 
In another bowl, i whisked together the eggs and the granulated sugar until it was well combined, and whisked in the vanilla extract and buttermilk. After that, I poured in the dissolved cocoa from before.

Once the melted butter was cooled, i poured it into the egg mixture and then added in the flour mixture. 

I then poured the batter into the cupcake tins and popped that into the oven for 15-20 minutes and let them cool for 5 minutes before I started on the frosting. The recipe calls for melted chocolate, but instead of melting the chocolate I cooked it. Since i didn't have anymore chocolate to melt, nor the patience, so I substituted the melted chocolate with chocolate syrup. Once I       mixed all the ingredients with the chocolate 
syrup, I put it into the pastry bag and piped it on the cupcakes. The butter didn't mix well with the chocolate syrup, but the frosting still worked out.  

The cupcake was pretty dry, and the zest particles were too big, so I would recommend to use a finer handheld grater. But with the chocolate syrup instead of the melted chocolate, the frosting was much better with the dry cupcake. In the end, I wouldn't recommend this recipe unless you love orange flavored chocolate. 

Do any of you guys like chocolate flavored with something else, such as orange flavored chocolate? And would any of you guys try out this recipe? 

Instant Pot Cooking: Crème Brûlée

Now that it's coming to an end for 2017, I realized I have not made crème brûlée yet. Therefore I think it's time. Unfortunately I did not have a kitchen torch to create that crisp, brown, sugar top, but nonetheless, it was amazing! Last time I cooked something savory, pot roast, so this sweet dish is something different.

Crème brûlée is very easy to make. In the book, Instant Pot Obsession, by Janet A. Zimmerman, it provides us with a slightly different recipe than I'm familiar with. You need: egg yolks, vanilla extract, sugar (granulated and brown), heavy whipping cream, and water (Zimmerman). Baking it doesn't take too long compared to hours of chilling.

In the picture on the right are different size ramekins filled with a creamy mixture of yolk, cream, vanilla, and sugar. After I mixed all of these ingredients together, I stacked the ramekins in the Instant Pot. I then cooked them on high for 6 minutes and released the pressure for 10 minutes. An important part is the patience you have for them to cool. If you don't let them cool for the adequate amount of time, the top won't be stable enough to hold out the sugar for you to torch it. To avoid that, I chilled them over night just to be safe.

The tricky part about crème brûlée is the top. The cooling plays a part of it, laying a strong, even foundation for the sugar. For example, I got rid of the air bubbles by simply taking a napkin and tapping them. Once I placed a pile on sugar on each, I made sure that it was even throughout. If I had a kitchen torch, I would try and create a beautiful, brown top to break through to the creamy inside. "Watch them carefully, as they can go from browned to burned quickly" (Zimmerman 210). Burning the top takes away from the delicate tone of the dish.

Using the Instant Pot let me realize that there are so many ways to cook crème brûlée other than burning yourself with the hot water-bath fresh out of the oven. I'm excited to create more dishes using the Instant Pot!

Have you ever made or tried crème brûlée? If not, explain why and put it on your 2018 New Years Resolutions list!

Dog Training: Luring

Luring

Luring is a technique used to lead the dog to get the treat to get into the correct position. By definition, luring is "the process of encouraging the dog to follow a treat to get into the correct position," (Sundance, 44). Before reading about this, I unintentionally used the technique to teach my dog to do many tricks.  However, although luring can be used to teach majority of tricks, it cannot be used to teach tricks such as fetch.  

I used luring to make my dog sit and spin in circles.  When I used this technique I found that it was the easiest way to teach the trick.  Luring is easy to learn for both trainer and dog.  In addition, all I had to hold was the treat, unlike when I used a clicker.  The clicker tended to get in the way and I struggled to hold everything and multitask efficiently. 

Today I used luring to teach my dog to roll over. I was surprised how quickly she picked it up and that she picked up the whole trick right away.  Usually, she'll halfheartedly do the trick when I first teach her.  However, when teaching her to roll over, she easily understood where I was luring her with the treat.  In addition, I think the luring technique was more useful than other techniques such as molding her body to do the trick. 

To conclude, I believe that luring was by far the most simple, clear, and efficient approach to training my dog.  However, it has limitations and cannot be used for some of the tricks I want to teach my dog, so I will have to find other methods for these.  Overall, my dog reacted well when I used this procedure and I think that luring can be effective for other dogs too.

As I said before, I have used luring to teach my dog tricks without realizing it. Have you unintentionally used luring to teach your dog a trick?  If not, what trick would you like to use this method to teach?

Sundance, Kyra. The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook: a Step-by-Step Interactive Curriculum to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog. Quayside Pub. Group, 2009.

Soccer Knowledge

Soccer by Jenny Mackay

Something important to know about soccer is that it asks for your body to do a lot therefore it is very important to eat good. Even the top professional players can not just rely on their strong muscles, they will perform better if they are giving their body the essentials it needs to be able to play.

Hydration is key to making sure your body is ready to play. It is good to drink water not only when you are going to play but even a day before that to prep your body. It is not good enough to drink lots of water on the day of your game. Water helps bring oxygen to the muscles and helps them contract quickly. A snack in between games is a good idea because it will give you energy, something like an orange or an apple with peanut butter.

All the healthy foods you can think of will help in the long run when playing soccer, it will help you feel better when playing and help you play to your fullest potential. Without these things your body can only do so much but with the right food you will be able to keep improving your skills and growing, not only physically but on the field as well.


What is your favorite healthy snack to munch on?

Myths about Diabetes

There are many myths about diabetes. Some of those myths are definitely wrong and you should avoid believing. Here are the top 5 I found the most interesting and/or important to avoid:

Myth #1: Diabetes is only caused because one has ate too much sweet food
Diabetes is not always caused by to many sweets, it is also caused by a malfunction in the pancreas (type 1), or "hormonal imbalances that make your cells resistant  to insulin-type 2 diabetes" (Trisler 63). If you want to monitor or minimize risk of diabetes, you have to watch your carbohydrate intake, so things like bread, potatoes, and peas are just as bad as sweets like M&Ms or Almond Joys.

Myth #2: Type 2 only concerns overweight/obese people
It is a truth that overweight or obese people have a higher risk to diabetes, but that doesn't mean that they will have diabetes, people with thin and healthy physique also have the same risk. The only difference is the amount of risk.

Myth #3: Drinking lots of water helps prevent diabetes
If you continue to eat foods with extra sugar, you still may develop diabetes. Drinking lots of water will only help or prevent dehydration you get because of diabetes.

Myth #4: People who have high levels of glucose in the bloodstream, when tested, are diabetics
Not all people with high glucose levels in the bloodstream, when tested, have diabetes. High levels of glucose in the bloodstream can also be caused by stress, sleeplessness, or medicines that contain steroids. Although people who experience these occasions can be at higher risk to type 2 still.

Myth #5: Eating bitter melon can lower your blood sugar level
Bitter melon is a small melon that grows mostly in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. According to Barbra P. Trisler, "Bitter melon contains a substance called 'Charantin', which may help lower the blood glucose. However, research has shown that the amount of Charantin in bittercmelon is not sufficient enough to lower the blood glucose levels effectively. A diabetic would need to eat 600 grams to 1000 grams of bitter melon, to try and control their blood glucose for the day" (Trisler 70). This means that although bitter melon does in fact lower your glucose levels in the blood stream, a person with diabetes would need to eat about 3-5 cups of bitter melon per day to keep your levels balanced.

DISCLAIMER: This article provides information regarding the subject matter covered. However, information provided does NOT replace medical or professional advice. The author specifically disclaims any liability that is incurred from the use or application of the information.

Works Cited
Trisler, Barbara P. The Ultimate Guide to Diabetes Type 1 & 2. Barbara P. Trisler, 2017. Print.
American Diabetes Association. “Types of Carbohydrates.”. 2017. Website.

Do you have any myths you believe in? if so, be sure to comment below ones you have found or believe in.

Beauty 101: Eyeshadow

The finished look 

Eye shadow is a powdered cosmetic used on the eyes to provide definition or color. In Bobbi Brown's Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual, she explains eyeshadow as to be used to help accentuate the eye and make color stand out (Brown, 94). I will be using a mix of dark shades to accentuate my eye and oranges and reds o make my brown eyes stand out more. I will also use a couple different formulas of eye shadow.
For this tutorial I will be using the She palette by Colourpop Cosmetics.

Step 1

1. Start by putting an orange color in the crease. This will act as a transition shade. Transition shades are useful for eye makeup by providing a color that makes darker and more bold shades easier to blend and look smooth over the eye. I used a fluffy dome-shaped blending brush for this.

2. Next, I used a red color in the crease and outer corner of the eye. This is the darkest color used. A denser brush than the last works better for this because I want this color to be more bold and pigmented rather than the transition shade that I wanted lighter and blended out further. Because this color is still in the crease, I wanted it to be blended smoothly with the transition shade so I made sure I used a fluffy brush rather than packing brush that is used for packed, intense color on your lid.

Step 2

3. The next step is to use a shimmery pink shade over the bare space on your lid. I used a flat packing brush for this since only the edges needed to be blended out from the lid. Once I picked product up on the brush, I used rosewater spray to intensify the color. After the pigment was placed, I used a blending brush to blend out the harsh lines.
4. Once the top shadow is done, I used a small brush described by Brown as a "Eye Smudge Brush: A small-head brush with a slightly rounded point. This brush has soft, flexible bristles that help smudge liner to create a smoky look" (Brown, 12) to add the orange color we started out with and the red shadow from the second step under my eye from my outer corner to the further end of my iris.
5. The final step is to add mascara and false eyelashes. I used the Ardell Soft Touch Wispies 162 Black and the Loreal Lash Paradise Mascara to add volume and length to my naturally stubby lashes

Step 5

Step 3

Step 4

 Have you ever used eye shadow before and if so, how did it go?

Brown, Bobbi, et al. Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: for Everyone from Beginner to Pro. Springboard Press, 2011.

Chess: Pawn Formations and Sacrifices

Eade, James. “Sacrifices: Understanding When It's Better to Give than to Recieve.” Chess for Dummies, For Dummies, 2016, pp. 125–187.

Sacrifice is the act of giving up something for another thing of higher value. However, in chess a sacrifice is the intentional lost of a valuable piece. Here is an example that you might believe is a sacrifice but it is actually just a trade, capturing the enemy's queen at the cost of your knight. Although, every move in chess could be considered a sacrifice (a sacrifice of space or material) for a lead in development. That means that there are many types of sacrifices in chess from temporary to permanent. One of the most important types of sacrifices are gambits, "We refer to sacrifices that occur in the opening phase of the game as gambits. Gambits almost always involve the sacrifice of material for a positional advantage" (Eade 127). The reasoning for gambits is if you can get into an attacking position quicker you can win back the sacrifice.

The images above show a simple sacrifice or gambit. After I moved my pawn from f2 to f4, the enemy pawn captured my pawn. By sacrificing my pawn I gained control of the center square d4 (also as I mentioned in my previous posts having control over the center gives an advantage).

The next subject is pawn formations, different arrangements of pawns can change the game. According to the book, pawn formations have been tested and they do give you an advantage when used correctly. Pawn formations will also help the player understand where pieces should go to complement another (Eade 157). Recognizing enemy pawn formations can also help you counter them.  Here is an example of the Stonewall Formation, in this formation you guard the center and attack the sides. So, by memorizing the popular ones (and their flaws), you'll have an advantage against some of your opponents.

Question: Do you think sacrifices are required for success?

Dog Training - Take a Bow

Geller, Tamar, and Jonathan Grotenstein. 30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog: the Loved Dog Method. Gallery Books, 2011.

12/29/17

"The great thing about 'taking a bow' is that you can teach it without any real effort, like when you're half awake in the morning, still too tired to get out of bed," Geller says, in her section of Cool Dog Tricks. Taking a bow is basically what your dog does when they stretch, and also where we get the yoga term "downward dog." I probably should have started with this trick, seeing that it was the easiest to achieve and took the shortest amount of time. But that does not mean there weren't any hiccups along the way.

I first had to condition her to bow on command, since she was so used to bowing as a stretch rather than a trick. In order to do this, I had treats ready and I would place the palm of my hand on the floor to guide her into the bowing position. "When he does, narrate the behavior by saying, 'bowwwww' in a drawn-out voice" (Geller 269). The first few times, she would just lie down, or she would sit. Every time she would do the wrong gesture, I would shake my head and say "no." I ended up demonstrating the bow for her, hoping she could mimic me. Finally, she got the idea after I had bowed a few times and she was shown a treat. Once she was in the right position, I said "bowwww" and rewarded her with a treat. This was how I would get her to associate her stretching form with the word bow, so she could perform it quicker and easier the next time around. 

In her section for common coaching mistakes, Geller advises, "Don't move on to the next step just because your dog has done something 'right' once or twice - make sure that he's really mastered that particular step before raising the bar" (Geller 268). I commanded her to bow 6 or 7 times and only counted it if she could perform it on the first try. A few times she would lie down, then quickly get up in the right position. I continued placing my hand on the floor and drawing out the word "bow" to keep consistency so she wouldn't get confused. Eventually, she was able to bow on command, it would just take her a few seconds. 


To raise the bar, I tried commanding her with only my voice and no gestures. At first, she stared blankly, so I had to go back to placing my hand on the floor, but eventually I took my hand away and since she was used to doing it over and over again, she performed with only the help of my voice. It wasn't always automatic, but she was doing it. Geller had said that this trick was a good icebreaker for kids who are wary of dogs. I will definitely try this at the next house party. 

In terms of tricks, how advanced is your dog?
Do you think this would be a good trick as an icebreaker for kids?
What other tricks do you think could match this level of ease and efficiency?