The Title of the Ted Talk I watched is called "Overcoming Hopelessness" by Nick Vujicic, which took place in California. Nick is an Australian Christian evangelist and motivational speaker born with Phocomelia, a rare disorder characterized by the absence of all four limbs. Nick struggled mentally and emotionally as a child as he was bullied because of his disorder. He eventually came to accept who he is and at the age of 17, started his own non-profit organization called, Life Without Limbs.
In the Ted Talk I watched, Nick talked about growing up different and having to overcome the remarks and never feeling like he was good enough. Even though he grew up with supportive parents who continuously reminded him that he was beautiful the way he was, he just never felt good enough and even tried to commit suicide at the age of 8.
In the Ted Talk, Nick explains that it wasn't until later that he was able to overcome this hopelessness after he realized the important things in life. Too many people rely on others for happiness and try to find happiness with other people and objects instead of accepting who they are as a person as well as accepting who other people are. In his Ted Talk, Nick told the audience that he keeps a pair of shoes in his closet due to his belief in miracles. The part of his Ted Talk that really stood up to me is when he was talking about his faith in God and in miracles and explained to everyone out there that God has a plan for each and every one of us. However my favorite part of the Ted Talk was when he said that everyone has a purpose in this world and that you can be a miracle to someone else.
Nick is an inspiration to anyone who is trying to find hope in this world and I would strongly recommend this Ted Talk.
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Gratitude and Random Act of Kindness
Paying an act of kindness forward is the sincerest way to honor your gratitude. In class, my group and I decided to write a nice note to Mrs. Harkins, who manages the copy room. We wrote her a note expressing our sincere gratitude towards all she does for our students and teachers. We chose to write this note because she is always so kind to all the teachers and students and may not always get recognition for the hard work she does.
During Thanksgiving break my family and I went to Cabo, Mexico and while we had a free day at our hotel, we all decided to get massages at the day spa. After talking to the lady who did both my mom's and my massage, we were told she is a single parent with a son who is battling a brain tumor, and every Wednesday night she orders pizza for both her and her son. The next day my mom and I brought her some of her favorite candy for her to share with her son along with her pizza. She was very grateful and it felt great to do something kind for her.
Also relating to my internship, Jessie, the lady I intern for, is moving and one of the horses that doesn't belong to Jessie, but belongs to the property was going to have to be left behind with the people who own the property, however, Jessie and I both knew Dolly, the horse, would not get the proper care if left behind. I contacted my aunt who was willing to take Dolly in, so this last Sunday I helped my aunt transport Dolly to her house in Valley Springs. It was also a great learning experience for me having to learn how to safely transport a horse in a trailer. It's not as easy as it looks getting horses into a trailer!
"Gratitude can transform common days into Thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." -William Arthur Ward
During Thanksgiving break my family and I went to Cabo, Mexico and while we had a free day at our hotel, we all decided to get massages at the day spa. After talking to the lady who did both my mom's and my massage, we were told she is a single parent with a son who is battling a brain tumor, and every Wednesday night she orders pizza for both her and her son. The next day my mom and I brought her some of her favorite candy for her to share with her son along with her pizza. She was very grateful and it felt great to do something kind for her.
Also relating to my internship, Jessie, the lady I intern for, is moving and one of the horses that doesn't belong to Jessie, but belongs to the property was going to have to be left behind with the people who own the property, however, Jessie and I both knew Dolly, the horse, would not get the proper care if left behind. I contacted my aunt who was willing to take Dolly in, so this last Sunday I helped my aunt transport Dolly to her house in Valley Springs. It was also a great learning experience for me having to learn how to safely transport a horse in a trailer. It's not as easy as it looks getting horses into a trailer!
"Gratitude can transform common days into Thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." -William Arthur Ward
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Internship Update
I am currently interning at a horse ranch in Sunol near Pleasanton. I usually go to the ranch three to four times every week and depending on the day, I do different activities. Some days I go just for the feeding and that usually takes about 30/45 minutes. However, when I go for feeding and grooming, it can take up to an hour or more. My favorite part about having this internship is I never get tired of going and having to drive to Pleasanton. As a matter of fact going to my internship is something I always look forward to. I love being around horses and being outdoors. It's very therapeutic after a long day of school. The thing that really stands out to me being around lots of horses is just studying the different personalities each horse has. Each horse has a different personality, and that's what makes everyday a new experience.
I've also been learning a lot about the medical aspect of working with horses. One of the older mares, Dolly, has a medical condition that causes her to be very itchy, to the point where she even itched her entire mane off. I was able to help Jessie treat her by bathing her with this special medicine. I also learned how much work and responsibility it is to bathe a huge animal like that. Another one of Jessie's animals, Pony, has a medical condition called Founders that causes her to easily gain weight so we had to separate Pony from the rest of the horses to help monitor her eating schedule.
Another crazy experience was when I found a horse on the other side of Jessie's property. There was a horse on her neighbor's property that looked in very bad condition. You could see this horses' ribs and hip bones and it was obvious this horse is not being taken care of. I notified Jessie immediately and she called animal control who is supposed to get back to her as soon as they can. Hopefully this horse will be put into a better place or get some help.
One thing I have learned about myself is that I am getting very good at making decisions on my own and working around things to get where I need to be. There have been many situations where I have been alone at the ranch and had to use, for example, a machine for the first time and was able to figure out how to use it on my own. Regarding my area of interest, Equine Science and Management, I have learned that owning a ranch and many horses is a lot of work and commitment. It is as much work as it is fun, and you have to be very committed to own lot of animals and a lot of property.
I would like to continue working with the horses and learning more about care and management of a ranch, especially the care of the horses. I would also love to start doing more relating to the medical side of the horses and would love to start riding. I am currently researching places to ride and am hoping to start soon.
I've also been learning a lot about the medical aspect of working with horses. One of the older mares, Dolly, has a medical condition that causes her to be very itchy, to the point where she even itched her entire mane off. I was able to help Jessie treat her by bathing her with this special medicine. I also learned how much work and responsibility it is to bathe a huge animal like that. Another one of Jessie's animals, Pony, has a medical condition called Founders that causes her to easily gain weight so we had to separate Pony from the rest of the horses to help monitor her eating schedule.
Another crazy experience was when I found a horse on the other side of Jessie's property. There was a horse on her neighbor's property that looked in very bad condition. You could see this horses' ribs and hip bones and it was obvious this horse is not being taken care of. I notified Jessie immediately and she called animal control who is supposed to get back to her as soon as they can. Hopefully this horse will be put into a better place or get some help.
One thing I have learned about myself is that I am getting very good at making decisions on my own and working around things to get where I need to be. There have been many situations where I have been alone at the ranch and had to use, for example, a machine for the first time and was able to figure out how to use it on my own. Regarding my area of interest, Equine Science and Management, I have learned that owning a ranch and many horses is a lot of work and commitment. It is as much work as it is fun, and you have to be very committed to own lot of animals and a lot of property.
I would like to continue working with the horses and learning more about care and management of a ranch, especially the care of the horses. I would also love to start doing more relating to the medical side of the horses and would love to start riding. I am currently researching places to ride and am hoping to start soon.
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| Feed |
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| Pony eating |
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| Part of Dolly's back that she scratched |
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| Dolly's mane that she scratched off |
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| Sick horse I found; its ribs and hip bones should not be that visible |
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Read a Book!
The book I am reading is called, Horse Miracles, by Brad Steiger and Sherry Hansen Steiger. The book is a collection of short stories about inspirational true tales of remarkable horses. I will be reading 20 pages each week in order to complete the book by the due date, January 8th. I think the goal of the book is to portray a horses' spirit, courage and strength through these short stories. Reading about these miraculous miracles really makes me realize how amazing these creatures are and helps my love for them grow stronger.
Since the book consists of many shorter stories, there is no "main idea" however, in all the stories, the authors portray the strength, courage, and sacrifice horses make for the ones they love. For example, in one story a horse named Nacho, who was known for being very sensitive to noise and movement and would get spooked very easily, was in a tough situation with the life of a three year old girl in the horses' hands. Nacho made a huge sacrifice, saving the life of the girl and this just shows the courage and love these gentle giants can show to the ones they love. Reading about these miracles amazes me and my love for horses grows with every story. I am super excited to finish this book and know my interest and love for horses will grow after finishing the book.
Since the book consists of many shorter stories, there is no "main idea" however, in all the stories, the authors portray the strength, courage, and sacrifice horses make for the ones they love. For example, in one story a horse named Nacho, who was known for being very sensitive to noise and movement and would get spooked very easily, was in a tough situation with the life of a three year old girl in the horses' hands. Nacho made a huge sacrifice, saving the life of the girl and this just shows the courage and love these gentle giants can show to the ones they love. Reading about these miracles amazes me and my love for horses grows with every story. I am super excited to finish this book and know my interest and love for horses will grow after finishing the book.
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| Another horse, Prince, trying to show me who's boss |
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| One of the horses I take care of at the ranch Sassy (Palomino) |
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Cal High Mentor
My Cal High mentor is Mrs. Seabury and she teaches U.S. history, which you usually take as a junior. I had Mrs. Seabury for U.S. history last year, so I have only known her for one year. I chose her as my mentor because she was my best teacher last year and what really stands out to me is the fact that her ultimate goal is to see her students succeed, not just in school, but in life as an individual. Mrs. Seabury is always so connected to all her students and does everything she can to make sure her students succeed. This is such an important quality in being a mentor, and that is why I chose her.
When I asked Mrs. Seabury to be my mentor this year, she was very willing, as she has been a mentor for iQuest students many times before. This year I am hoping to be able to build a good relationship with her and feel comfortable going to her for advice on my journey. Mrs. Seabury is always so positive and really cares about her students, which is why I chose her to be my mentor.
When I asked Mrs. Seabury to be my mentor this year, she was very willing, as she has been a mentor for iQuest students many times before. This year I am hoping to be able to build a good relationship with her and feel comfortable going to her for advice on my journey. Mrs. Seabury is always so positive and really cares about her students, which is why I chose her to be my mentor.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Mission Statement
It is my mission to: spread kindness and be a good example to everyone around me, be grateful for everything I have, and to be able to laugh without fear of the future.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Time Management Reflection
"Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed nothing else can be managed." -Peter Drucker
Time management is the ability to use one's time effectively or productively. I believe time management is one of the most necessary skills needed in life. Time management plays a huge role in my life and helps me maintain a balance in my life so I don't burn out. Time management strategies I currently use are prioritizing and balance. I prioritize so I get the important and urgent things done first, and also tend to get things done early so I have time for myself to relax and not stress. Through my time management activities, I learned that I like to get things done ahead of time, or else I will become stressed and worried that things won't get done. This can be both a good and bad thing, however, because it helps me stay on top of things, but also causes stress.
Time management will always be an important part of my life and will especially help me in college. Since I will have more free time in college, I need to manage my time to make sure important things, like studying, get done. One strategy I will implement into my time management routine is trying to not stress if things don't get done right away. I need to find that fine balance between getting things done on time, but not stressing if not right away. In order to improve my time management skills I will continue to prioritize and keep a balance in my schedule, especially when I go to college.
I think the 80-20 rule is an important role to keep in mind. It states that for many events, 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. I think this is really important to keep in mind when making important decisions because the decisions you make at that time will most likely effect you in the future. I think this year I have really changed my schedule to be more effective and I am a lot less busy. Since I have cut back on the amount of dance I do, I have a lot more time to focus on important things, like my internship and my job. I also have a lot more time for myself, which is a really good balance for senior year.
The time management tip I find most useful is the ability to prioritize. It helps you realize what is most important at that time and what can be put for later. I rarely find myself procrastinating and I think this is due to the fact that I like to get things done ahead of time so I don't worry about them later. One thing I knew I was spending too much time on last year was dance. I don't want to be a dancer or dance in college, so I knew I should cut back because it's not something I want to pursue. I was spending a lot of unnecessary time at my dance studio, knowing it wouldn't help me with the career I want to pursue in college. This is why I chose to cut back and am spending more time this year on my internship because it will help me with what I want to pursue in college.
Time management is the ability to use one's time effectively or productively. I believe time management is one of the most necessary skills needed in life. Time management plays a huge role in my life and helps me maintain a balance in my life so I don't burn out. Time management strategies I currently use are prioritizing and balance. I prioritize so I get the important and urgent things done first, and also tend to get things done early so I have time for myself to relax and not stress. Through my time management activities, I learned that I like to get things done ahead of time, or else I will become stressed and worried that things won't get done. This can be both a good and bad thing, however, because it helps me stay on top of things, but also causes stress.
Time management will always be an important part of my life and will especially help me in college. Since I will have more free time in college, I need to manage my time to make sure important things, like studying, get done. One strategy I will implement into my time management routine is trying to not stress if things don't get done right away. I need to find that fine balance between getting things done on time, but not stressing if not right away. In order to improve my time management skills I will continue to prioritize and keep a balance in my schedule, especially when I go to college.
I think the 80-20 rule is an important role to keep in mind. It states that for many events, 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. I think this is really important to keep in mind when making important decisions because the decisions you make at that time will most likely effect you in the future. I think this year I have really changed my schedule to be more effective and I am a lot less busy. Since I have cut back on the amount of dance I do, I have a lot more time to focus on important things, like my internship and my job. I also have a lot more time for myself, which is a really good balance for senior year.
The time management tip I find most useful is the ability to prioritize. It helps you realize what is most important at that time and what can be put for later. I rarely find myself procrastinating and I think this is due to the fact that I like to get things done ahead of time so I don't worry about them later. One thing I knew I was spending too much time on last year was dance. I don't want to be a dancer or dance in college, so I knew I should cut back because it's not something I want to pursue. I was spending a lot of unnecessary time at my dance studio, knowing it wouldn't help me with the career I want to pursue in college. This is why I chose to cut back and am spending more time this year on my internship because it will help me with what I want to pursue in college.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Five People and Five Things
It is necessary to have important people you can turn to when you are in need of help or just simply some encouragement. My parents are definitely the first people I would go to and are always so supportive towards my dreams and goals. I always turn to my parents when I need help and just need some encouragement. They always have the right things to say. The second person I know who would help me on my journey is my dance teacher, Holly. She isn't just my dance teacher, she feels like a second mother and is always encouraging not just in dance, but in life in general. When I told her I had to quit the team to focus on my internship and senior year, she was very happy that I found an opportunity to do what I really love and always asks how my internship is going every so often. The third person would be Jessie, the lady who owns the ranch I intern at. She is one of the smartest people I've ever met and knows everything there is to know about horses. Jessie will definitely be an important figure on my journey and I'm so excited to work with her and learn from her. The fourth person would be one of my best friends, Juliana. Even though I haven't known her my entire life, she's always been supportive towards me every step of the way. She isn't afraid to call me out on my mistakes and is always there for me when I need her. The last person would be my friend, Devyn. I've known her since elementary school and I can easily say she is one of my most closest and most supportive friends. She always knows when I'm feeling down and knows how to cheer me up. Quitting dance this year was a difficult decision to make, but Devyn was always so supportive through it all. I know that she will always support me and help me achieve my dreams and goals.
One thing I've been procrastinating is finishing my ACT homework. I plan to work on finishing it earlier because it is hard balancing ACT work with school work. Secondly, I want to make time to go on more walks and exercise more. I also need to make time to clean around the house to help my mom especially. She got a new job this year and it would be nice to help her to take some stress off her shoulders. I also need to make time to call my Grandma because I know she hasn't been feeling good lately, and a phone call might ease her pain a little bit. Lastly, I want to learn how to bake more goodies, like cookies, since I have a lot more time this year.
One thing I've been procrastinating is finishing my ACT homework. I plan to work on finishing it earlier because it is hard balancing ACT work with school work. Secondly, I want to make time to go on more walks and exercise more. I also need to make time to clean around the house to help my mom especially. She got a new job this year and it would be nice to help her to take some stress off her shoulders. I also need to make time to call my Grandma because I know she hasn't been feeling good lately, and a phone call might ease her pain a little bit. Lastly, I want to learn how to bake more goodies, like cookies, since I have a lot more time this year.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Intro Blog
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| Horse on the left, Jackson, and mule on the right, Sabine. |
For this year's iQuest class I am interning at a ranch where I get to work with and around horses. Jessie, the owner of the ranch, has been training me to work and care for the horses. She has about 10 horses, a mule, pony, and miniature donkey. My goal for this year is to learn how to care for the horses, including hygiene and medicine, and learn how to manage a ranch. I've always had a passion for animals and ever since my trip to Kentucky, also known as the horse capital of the world, my interest in horses has grown even more than I had ever thought. Since I am interested in studying equine science and management in college, this intern will help ensure this is something I want to make a career out of. My goals for senior year include: exploring college options, working at the ranch, spending time with family, and exploring my interests.
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