-  Perfection is whatever you comfortable with.  Its not obese and not anorexic, but just right for you.

Has there ever been something about your body or features that you wanted to alter?  Why? (you do not have to be specific.)

-There was always something I pinpoint I want to change, but it usually goes away.  Sometimes people feel like the norm is to be perfect when its actually the abnormal.

Have your thoughts on celebrities changed?  Are they as “perfect” as you think they are?

-I think celebs are trapped in this world, the world of media.  It’s like a fantasy world, it doesn’t exist.  I think it’s sad what measures they would go to, to be “perfect” when they were perfect from the beginning.

Have your thoughts on Photoshop changed?

- Not really.  I’ve always known the power of Photoshop and how its worked.  Things can look amazing, but there is no reality in that.

When describing Saint Marys, there’s so many aspects to cover about it.  You can’t just talk about one topic without delving into ten different ones.  For example: what a great community and family we are.  It’s such a small school, and we really seem to know each other.  Our school activities, sports, church, and assembly’s really do reach out to every single person in this school.

One thing that really makes Saint Mary memorable for me is the sports.  Most of the friends I hang out with are cheerleaders, and I love being there and cheering for my team.  But, of course, I also love to participate in sports.  For example, playing volleyball and track.  It really brings you together with people you normally wouldn’t talk to and its so fun, and shows teamwork.  I really do love sports and SM.

There has been an improvement dealing with the uprising swine flu in Mexico.  The government has taken measures to restrict the flu from spreading or increasing, and it has helped.  But the flu is still on a ‘upsring’ so there should still be precautions taken.  New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Monday that 10 more cases not counted in the CDC total have been confirmed, bringing New York City’s total to 73. One school — P.S. 177 in Queens — remained closed Monday because of five confirmed cases there.”   The swine actually occured early last century.  It is still unknown if the swine flu today is more or less dangerous than the previous one.

Because of our recession, there has been a massive decline when it comes to jobs.  Education has been the only field that has seen much improvement.   Enrollment has been rising from kids in kindergarten through high school.  And enrollment is increasing because of lack of jobs.  People aren’t getting jobs in field they want, so they have to go back to school to receive that education they need.   Economists have been working giving us the number of worker as of 2006, how many there will be in 2016, and they’re annual wage.  Here are our tops jobs: Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers, Cafeteria cooks, Coaches, Education administrators, Janitors and cleaners, Postsecondary teachers, School bus drivers, School counselors, Self-enrichment teachers, and Special education teachers.

When driving around the US, you find yourself looking at strange sites.  From the Weird NJ books we own, the the news we hear about,  there are so many strange sitings to be found.  As we drive across the US, five of the “world’s largest” roadside attractions can be found.  CNN’s Jacque Wilson investigates.

The first roadside attraction would be the world’s largest ball of twine.  It is located in Cawker City, Kansas.  It had started in 1953.  The ball measures more than 40 feet across. It contains 7.9 million feet of twine and weighs approximately 19,000 pounds.  The person who keeps the ball, Linda Clover,  tells us that it shows traits of being caring and patient, up-keeping the biggest ball of twine.

The next is the world’s largest cow, Salem Sue.  She measures 38 feet tall, 50 feet long .  Salem Sue is made up of 12,000 pounds of fiberglass. This North Dakota attraction is big with little kids, but also with adults!  No matter how many times, people see it, you still want to see it again and again.

The next stop on our way across the country is Ohio. The  Freedom Worship Baptist Church in Blanchester, Ohio is another Guinness world record.   The world’s largest horseshoe crab resides there, in the parking lot.  The crab is 68 feet long from its head to its  tail. “It can have up to 65 people inside,” Jim Rankin, the church’s pastor said.  Someone had even jumped over the crab with a motorcycle!

Next is a yummy snack, that is the number one cash crop in the state of Georgia, as well as one of  the biggest food allergen.  AT the very top of a brick tower on Interstate 75 is the world’s largest peanut.  The peanut is 33 feet tall with a 10-foot circumference.  “Hilarious, isn’t it?” Zorn said of the public’s love affair with the peanut. “I can meet people on a cruise … and I ask them if they’ve seen it. Nine out of 10 people have seen that peanut, no matter where they’re from.”  The peanut has been featured in trivia questions, on commercials, etc.

‘All across the country, roadside attractions like this one bring surprise and delight to travelers who just have to get a closer look.’  People just want to travel, free, and inexpensively.  Whats better than crazy, spontaneous adventures that make people wish they were here ?

This week Obama’s first hundred days of office is finishing up.  As we rate his work in office many people say they must give him an ‘incomplete’.  He believes in negotiating with his own party and the Democratic Party is much more divided.  He has been restrained in his proposals.  The FDR passed 15 major bills in the first 100 days.  On a brighter side he has helped our country be providing  economic assistance programs and his financial bail-out program.

“We’ll have to see what happens in the second and third 100 days, which are perhaps more instructive in evaluating a presidency as the shine from the election fades and political tensions over the details of an administration’s agenda harden.”

We all know of endangered species: animals, plants, insects…. but rivers?  Rivers are flow from the highlands, such as mountain ranges, to our cities, farms, and land where bodies of water do not exist.  Rivers are the primary source of our nourishment as well as transportation.  So what are we doing that is endangering our rivers? American Rivers, our leading river conservation group decided to investigate.

We are begging to to make a new transformation when it comes to rivers.  To distribute, clean, pure water.   But some of our waterways are so polluted that there may be no hope for them, to save these we must have a lot of time and money to fiddle with.   The most endangered river in the US is in Sacramento, California.  It’s named the San Joaquin River System.  The management of water distribution and flooding is so outdated, the federal government must find a new alternative that can save the 25 million Californians this river serves.

Our next stop around the US is Flint River in Georgia.  It has no dams, and now constructing dams would cause this river to be shortened as well as fishing and boating wouldn’t be possible.  And while on the top of dams we have Lower Snake River, which flows through Idaho, Washington, Oregon.  It has four dams constructed for energy.   This is all great but these dams also kill 90% of salmon and trout living in this river.

The most crucial point to be able to conserve it clean water.  So many rivers are a waste land including: North Fork of the Flathead River in Montana, Saluda River in South Carolina, and Mattawoman Creek in Maryland. Both Saluda River and Mattawoman River are a result of wastes being spilled into their waters.  This is killing aquatic life, as well as depleting oxygen and increasing phosphorus and algae levels cost the country millions of dollars.  The North Fork Flathead River has a coal mining project that threatens everything from food source, to water recreation, and aquatic life.  Another River with a project similar to this is Beaver Creek in Alaska.  An oil-gas-development project is said top be constructed 600 miles along the creek.  It is very destructive if any spillage occurs.  In the Pascagoula River in Mississippi there are natural salt domes.  The US Department of Energy wanted to get rid of these to create storage for oil.  Yet another oil leakage waiting to happen!

And exactly what can we do to save these beautiful, natural resources?

“With the listing comes a national spotlight and action from thousands of citizens across the country,” Wodder, the American Rivers Specialist said. “These 10 rivers have a chance to be reborn and to serve as models for other rivers all across America.”  Rivers are a source of life, we need to continue and do what we can to save them!

“We’re moving?!” yells Delilah shocked.  Her dad is rubbing her slender shoulders as her mother explains this amazing job offer she received in Dover, a massive industrial city.   Going up North, chilly weather, even chillier people was very scary.  The little second grader made little comment, but was traumatized at how soon she was packed up and moved out, on her way to her new home.

She had reached her house, which was much more glorious and massive than her old cottage-like house.  Sure it was exciting, but also extremely frightening.  This house was foreign, not homey like it’s supposed to feel.  This was only the start of the many mishap that would occur to young Delilah Hart.  When she entered school, she was known as a freak.  With her Southern slang and abnormal sense of style she was the kids the bullies picked on stole lunch from, and tripped down the hallways.  Two months into her new school, Delilah, who was somewhat witty devised a plan.  She went into the girls room, painted her eye black and blue and ran to the principle’s office.  She ran crying, ” Principal, Principal help !”  He directed her into his office and urged her to tell  her who had done such an outrageous deed.

“I-I-I can’t tell,” she sniffled, “they would kill me if I told!”

The principal called her parents in.  She sat in the lobby while her parents talked with the principal.  When they came out, in their hands was a large file, a file with her name on it.

“I guess it’s time for us to go back home,” her mom said sadly.

“I’m really sorry, Ma!” cried Delilah.

“Oh it’s alright, you’re our first priority,” her mother explained.

Delilah was ecstatic about her parent’s sympathy and going back to her home.

We arrive at Brookdale Manor and I start unpacking in the glorious, ancient mansion.  I share the room with my brother.  As I start unpacking, I see a movement outside by the gardens.  I figured I should go exploring.

“Hey Kevin,” I called out to my ten year old brother, “Come outside with me!”

We run outdoors, down the stone steps, through the golden, rusty gates, and stop in the middle of a sparkling fountain.  It is filled with teal colored water, in contrast to the gloomy sky.  Behind it is a wall, a long, gray, never-endling wall.  I walk up toward the fountain, and it is a statue of Mickey Mouse.  From Mickey’s ears, the water splashes up and into the pool surrounding it.  As I walk toward it, the gray marble of the statue, develops a color, and comes to like.  My brother and I stagger backward.  It laughs at us.

“Would you like to go for an adventure?” Mickey asks us.

“Sure,” we reply.

“Well this is a quest, a quest to receive all the riches you will need in your life.  Just follow the wall, and see if you can solve the riddle.”

As we walk toward the wall, a sign appears, saying, “Show me the result of your hard work.”

My brother touches the wall, and steps on it.  His feet are planted on the ground!  He started vertcially walking up the wall as if his feet were attracted to it!  I step on the wall.  Al of a sudden my world shifts vertically as well !  We walk up the wall as if it was ground beneath our feet.  Two miles later Kevin calls out. “What’re we looking for?  I’m so tired!”

I wipe the sweat from my forehead and the single drop of sweat hits the wall.  We are standing back in the garden as if we never moved!

“I guess the price to pay the wall for our hard work was a drop of sweat, ” I surmised.

“Hey you over here!” someone calls us.

I look around, but don’t see anyone, besides a big elm.

“You’re looking straight at me as I’m talking to you,” shouts the tree, “respect your elders.”

We run up to it. “What do you want?’ my brother asks tiredly.

“Oh the manners children have these day, ” the tree mutters, ” well I’m supposed to give you something.  Something to help you move on in your quest. “

He pulls out a heart-shaped box and hands it to me.

“What am I to do with it?’ I ask.

“I don’t know,” says the tree sarcastically, “maybe open it?”

I try to pry it open for sometime, my brother being no help.

“Why aren’t you helping?” I ask.

He shakes his head and doesn’t answer.  With his mind he opens the box!

When the box opens, a sweet melody plays and a dancer twirls around on her right toe.  Kevin and I are suddenly filled with knowledge.  The little dancer stop and tells us,

“Well there you have it… this is what true wealth really is.”