Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Update on Pinterest Followers
I have good pleasure in announcing that since I last updated you, I have gained 5 new Pinterest followers, currently totaling to 285. There are still 10 more full days in 2016, so I'm anticipating reaching my goal of 300 followers before the year ends. Let's do it!
It's Winter!
It's officially winter! December 21, 2016 is our first full day of winter this year. We only have 10 more days to get through until 2017 welcomes us, but we should get through Christmas first! In my area we've already gotten snow three times; it hasn't lasted but we've still gotten it. I'm looking forward to a nice, cold, snowy winter!
One of My Favorite Topics - Real Estate!
Hello fanatics of Life's Incredible Wonders! Before I get to the real point of this post, I just want to say a big thank you to all of you who have viewed this blog in the past year. When I signed in just now, I had 2,693 page views! What would make me even gladder is if I got to 3,000 by my 15th birthday (2/6/17) and maybe even gain another follower or two. And as always, I know this blog can often fall into a state of inactivity, so please, if you have any ideas on what I should start posting, please send me a message via the contact form you will see displayed on the right margin of this page.
And now to this post's target - real estate. Let me just start off by saying that I've been obsessed with the topic of real estate for nearly 2 years. It all began when I somehow noticed our old house, which we sold in 2009, was once again on the market. I decided to scroll through the pictures and see how many changes had been done since we moved out (I began to wonder if it was the same house! While the new owner only painted it looked like, it looked a lot different). A few days later, I decided to look up the house again, and then after I had scrolled through the pictures again, I noticed some nearby listings on the screen. So, I decided to look at those. Before long, I was browsing listings in other towns. I began to look at new listings a few times a week.
Today, I browse Zillow for new listings in my town and a few others each and every day, probably multiple times. Many days that's one of the first things I do when I wake up in the morning. I normally look at seven main towns or cities in my state, but I also branch out sometimes. I even look in other states! Any good-looking home with great curb appeal most likely has my attention, any good-looking home $500,000 or more has my attention, and any home $1 million or over definitely has my attention. I say this not because I'm jealous of other people's houses (although, I admit, sometimes I probably am), but because I am a lover of fine houses, so I like to look at ones in my area. However, the only type of property I really look at are houses. I have very little interest in vacant lots, total rehabilitations, or commercial properties. The only other types I look at would be condominiums and apartments, and I like even many of those. I've looked at real estate so much that I could walk up to pretty much anyone I know and tell them exactly how many square feet are in their home, how many bedrooms they have, or the size of their lot! I also like a few particular real estate shows, some of which involve renovation.
So, even if you have no particular interest in real estate, you may enjoy browsing new listings in your area. If you like interior design, looking at pictures of new listings is a way you'd get to see how other people's homes are decorated. It may sound creepy, but it's actually quite fun!
And now to this post's target - real estate. Let me just start off by saying that I've been obsessed with the topic of real estate for nearly 2 years. It all began when I somehow noticed our old house, which we sold in 2009, was once again on the market. I decided to scroll through the pictures and see how many changes had been done since we moved out (I began to wonder if it was the same house! While the new owner only painted it looked like, it looked a lot different). A few days later, I decided to look up the house again, and then after I had scrolled through the pictures again, I noticed some nearby listings on the screen. So, I decided to look at those. Before long, I was browsing listings in other towns. I began to look at new listings a few times a week.
Today, I browse Zillow for new listings in my town and a few others each and every day, probably multiple times. Many days that's one of the first things I do when I wake up in the morning. I normally look at seven main towns or cities in my state, but I also branch out sometimes. I even look in other states! Any good-looking home with great curb appeal most likely has my attention, any good-looking home $500,000 or more has my attention, and any home $1 million or over definitely has my attention. I say this not because I'm jealous of other people's houses (although, I admit, sometimes I probably am), but because I am a lover of fine houses, so I like to look at ones in my area. However, the only type of property I really look at are houses. I have very little interest in vacant lots, total rehabilitations, or commercial properties. The only other types I look at would be condominiums and apartments, and I like even many of those. I've looked at real estate so much that I could walk up to pretty much anyone I know and tell them exactly how many square feet are in their home, how many bedrooms they have, or the size of their lot! I also like a few particular real estate shows, some of which involve renovation.
So, even if you have no particular interest in real estate, you may enjoy browsing new listings in your area. If you like interior design, looking at pictures of new listings is a way you'd get to see how other people's homes are decorated. It may sound creepy, but it's actually quite fun!
Friday, December 9, 2016
I'm Homeschooled: What Will My Public Schooled Peers Think?
"You homeshoolers have it way easier than we do!"
"What makes you think so?"
"You don't have to sit in class all day with like 30 other students."
"No, but school itself isn't much easier."
"Your teachers aren't as strict as ours."
"No, my teacher isn't strict, but we still have to do schoolwork."
"Why do parents even homeschool their kids?"
And the debate went on and on and on for several minutes.
That was an excerpt from a recent minor debate at my church's youth group between a public schooled student and a homeschooled one. It's not word for word, but very similar to what was being said. I was not involved in this debate, rather just a bystander. But I was listening in as I wanted to hear what kind of criticism we homeschoolers would continue to receive. There are at least ten homeschooled teenagers in my youth group, and I wanted to hear what was being said about us. The last thing I heard from the debate was, "Why do parents even homeschool their kids?" Let me tell you how that jolted me right back into reality. I would've definitely spoken up, but then one of the youth group leaders came and announced that we were heading to another building on our campus. But if we had stayed there a minute later, yes, I would have said my piece.
There are many benefits and advantages a homeschooled student gets with their education. For instance, school doesn't necessarily start at 7am, recesses or breaks can be longer, students have their teacher's undivided attention, and just get to stay home and relax. But, there's sometimes a disadvantage: if you're homeschooled but some of your peers and friends aren't.
I've been homeschooled since I started school in 2006; I'm now in 10th grade. I've had no experience in the public school at all, except sitting in the hallway several years back when my sister used to go for speech therapy. I've been homeschooled since day one. Had it been different, I don't think I would have ever conquered my difficulties in certain subjects, and my life would be totally different. I am grateful and will forever be that I am able to be taught by my mother, in a clean environment, free of all the bullying, drinking, etc. that happens in public school. With the temperaments I have I don't think I'd last long being taught away from my home. I recall on December 14, 2012 I was especially glad to be homeschooled, as a murderer shot 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. Had I been a survivor of that incident, I don't think I'd want to go back to school, ever, because I'm sure the experience was traumatizing and still is for the survivors. I would not like waking up, getting ready and going to school each morning knowing that something like that may happen. With the world we're living in, you just never know.
I'm also grateful to be homeschooled because of my beliefs. I'm a Christian, and if I was public schooled I would probably be a target of bullying or the other evils that go on in public schools, just to test my belief. That's what happens these days, from what I hear.
So, if you happen to be homeschooled and your peers or friends are making fun of you or questioning your family's decision, just remember that it's what your family has chosen and that's the method of schooling you'll be sticking to. Now, who can question that?
"What makes you think so?"
"You don't have to sit in class all day with like 30 other students."
"No, but school itself isn't much easier."
"Your teachers aren't as strict as ours."
"No, my teacher isn't strict, but we still have to do schoolwork."
"Why do parents even homeschool their kids?"
And the debate went on and on and on for several minutes.
That was an excerpt from a recent minor debate at my church's youth group between a public schooled student and a homeschooled one. It's not word for word, but very similar to what was being said. I was not involved in this debate, rather just a bystander. But I was listening in as I wanted to hear what kind of criticism we homeschoolers would continue to receive. There are at least ten homeschooled teenagers in my youth group, and I wanted to hear what was being said about us. The last thing I heard from the debate was, "Why do parents even homeschool their kids?" Let me tell you how that jolted me right back into reality. I would've definitely spoken up, but then one of the youth group leaders came and announced that we were heading to another building on our campus. But if we had stayed there a minute later, yes, I would have said my piece.
There are many benefits and advantages a homeschooled student gets with their education. For instance, school doesn't necessarily start at 7am, recesses or breaks can be longer, students have their teacher's undivided attention, and just get to stay home and relax. But, there's sometimes a disadvantage: if you're homeschooled but some of your peers and friends aren't.
I've been homeschooled since I started school in 2006; I'm now in 10th grade. I've had no experience in the public school at all, except sitting in the hallway several years back when my sister used to go for speech therapy. I've been homeschooled since day one. Had it been different, I don't think I would have ever conquered my difficulties in certain subjects, and my life would be totally different. I am grateful and will forever be that I am able to be taught by my mother, in a clean environment, free of all the bullying, drinking, etc. that happens in public school. With the temperaments I have I don't think I'd last long being taught away from my home. I recall on December 14, 2012 I was especially glad to be homeschooled, as a murderer shot 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. Had I been a survivor of that incident, I don't think I'd want to go back to school, ever, because I'm sure the experience was traumatizing and still is for the survivors. I would not like waking up, getting ready and going to school each morning knowing that something like that may happen. With the world we're living in, you just never know.
I'm also grateful to be homeschooled because of my beliefs. I'm a Christian, and if I was public schooled I would probably be a target of bullying or the other evils that go on in public schools, just to test my belief. That's what happens these days, from what I hear.
So, if you happen to be homeschooled and your peers or friends are making fun of you or questioning your family's decision, just remember that it's what your family has chosen and that's the method of schooling you'll be sticking to. Now, who can question that?
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