What's up with this latest cyber craze of blogging? It seems to be the hottest thing since instant messaging. Got something to say? Wanna be heard? Blog away. Blogging, along with everything else, does have it's pros and cons. The pros: 1.) I can greatly improve my typing speed! 2.) I can vent my frustrations without fear of interruption! 3.) I can buy a new pair of socks and in seconds the whole world can know about it!

Surely my sarcasm has been detected by now. Could blogging possibly be the new millennium version of the "Dear John Letter" i.e. saying something you haven't the nerve to say to people in person? With instant messaging, text messaging and email, we are progressively missing out on the value and art of conversation.

Tish

Back in the day, in a galaxy not too far away from here, I was told by a wise Aunt that it is not smart to go to college to be a teacher because "The Computer Age" is coming and computers will do it all! Well, the computers are the wave of technology now with Gaming, Lan-parties, email, online journaling, Xzanga, My Space, digital photography, C-DVDs for computers, lap tops, flat screens, podcasts, e-books, IM, flash-drives, PAD, MP-3 players, iPods, Google and much, much more. How would some of us survive without all these things?

Well, most teachers these days enjoy having a computer, but the computer still needs a teacher to teach. How do children learn to use a computer? That's right - the teacher.

Computers have not replaced our teachers - they enhance them.

So, if you want to be a teacher, then go for it!

Char

What do you do when you come from a big familia??? If you are like me you would go for a couple of hours to one side of the familia and then switch, or Christmas Eve with one side and Christmas day with the other. Familia is very important on the holidays, so make time for them.

Pam

There is nothing that I love better than some greasy chili cheese fries - you know the kind where the grease pools at the bottom of the container...Or chocolate ice cream with some whip cream, and those little candied cherries...And pop, I can't live without my Dr. Pepper! Unfortunately, according to what I hear from my doctor, dentist, and the evening news my love for all these bad foods is probably going to kill me.

What I don't understand is this: why do these foods have to taste so good?! I'm sure that if exotic fruits and vegetables tasted as good as that chocolate sundae no one would think twice about choosing a salad over their beloved greasy (but oh so tasty) fast food items! Sometimes my cynical side thinks that scientists should focus more on making my favorite bad foods healthier than the latest military weapon or technological device (that I'm sure all the TV stations will start telling me that I can't live without). I'll tell you what I can't live without! My fast food :)

My advice is eat the salad or the chili cheese fries; because we all know that we'll die some day, but we might as well enjoy what we like in the mean time! And if you are body conscious...take up a form of exercise - that's what I do, because that exercise is bound to counteract some of that food badness isn't?

And if you ever start to doubt whether or not those fries are good for you, just remember what Wendy's says: "Do what tastes right."

Joanna

Remember the first day of school?...Walking into the school building wearing the latest clothing trend, new shoes with that new hair do, or fresh hair cut to match. Making sure everyone saw you, and you saw them because you knew that you were looking fly! Well, you could say I was in for a rude awakening my freshmen year of college at Illinois State University.

College life is a different atmosphere. I don't even think the students have regular clothing. Let's just say while I was school shopping for the latest fashions, other students weren't. The clothing trend for college is: hoodies, sweaters, sweat pants, and OH YEA...PAJAMA PANTS!!! Let's not forget about gym shoes, oh, they don't wear them either. Flip flops or clogs were the only shoes that I saw on the feet of the students. I felt like a TOTAL OUTCAST my first semester while I was dressing up everyday...people weren't! Weird huh? How could it be the total opposite...weren't they supposed to feel like an outcast? Guess not!

Well, one thing I learned - next year I'm STILL GOING SHOPPING!!! But I will be shopping for the cutest hoodies, sweaters, sweat pants, and pajama pants with flip flops and clogs to match!!

Krystal

I usually start my Christmas shopping in October. Well not this year. I just started a WEEK ago. It's just been so hard for me to go into a store and see something I like and don't get it. I mean really, who would pass up a 50% off deal?? And with me, I love to shop, especially for shoes! But I found myself lately going to stores with intentions on buying for others and coming out with bags of things for myself. I guess I should start thinking about the people I still have to buy for and think less about myself until AFTER Christmas.

Autumn

My parents do this EVERY year!!! They both think they are sneaky but everyone in my family knows my parents little tradition of hiding the presents. They hide it in some "secret" spot and until a few days before Christmas the presents appear under the tree. But let me tell you that looking for those presents is like the beginning of mission impossible four!! They either hide them some place obvious where we think they aren't, or they hide it some place like in the basement where no good soul should EVER go to or you probably won't see them ever again. I know my parents love doing this but.....i just get so annoyed by it!! Whatever happened to just putting the presents under the tree?!?! So mom if your reading this can you please please PLEASE just be like a normal parent? Oh and i want that pink psp so keep that in mind.

Corin