Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Introvert - Extrovert


         After viewing "The Power of Introverts" by Susan Cain on Ted Talk, it really made me stop and think about how much school has changed since I started school, thirteen years ago. She stated how school is now pushing students to work in groups instead as individuals, and I could not agree more. I remember when working in groups was like a once a month thing, but now it is every single day it seems like. I do agree that the world is trying to change introverts into extroverts. I believe that introverts are starting to feel less interesting or valuable to others than compared to extroverts, and that is not okay.
        Just because someone is an introvert, does not make them less interesting or valuable, they are just as interesting and just as valuable as extroverts. Take Steve Wozniak for example. He was the creator of the first apple computer, and he said that he never would've become such an expert in the first place had he not been to introverted to leave the house growing up.
         As Susan Cain talks about how people tend to follow the most dominant or charismatic person in the room, hearing her say that I do find myself doing that, as well as many others around me. We tend to take the persons'  who speaks very well in front of other people, instead of  the person who thinks very well but just doesn't feel comfortable enough to speak it out loud.
         So the question is, what one am I? Am I shy or am I outgoing? Do I like to be alone, or be with crowds? Introvert or extrovert? Well my friends, I would like to say that I am neither an introvert or an extrovert, I like to think of myself as an ambivert. An ambivert is someone who balances the personalities of an introvert and extrovert. I believe I am an ambivert because there are somethings I am shy and quiet about, and others that I like to speak my mind. I sometimes like working alone, and sometimes I like working in groups, I guess it all depends on how I feel that day -- shy or talkative.

Image result for introvert and extrovert

Monday, September 19, 2016

Apocalyptic Social Media


             I wake up to the sound of an actual alarm clock - which is weird because I used to use an app on my phone for that. I go to check my Facebook to see what I missed when I went to sleep the previous night, then I remembered that it's gone and that's something I'll have to get used to. With not being able to go on any social media, I go into the kitchen to go get some breakfast and sit with my family at the table - which is also weird because we never used to sit at the table together, for any meal. Conversation actually strikes between my family members, and it's not arguing! What is this? My family argues whenever someone breaths wrong.
             I get in the car, ready to go to school. The car ride there was full of conversation between my mom and I, which never used to happen. Get this, we actually made each other laugh - my mom actually making me laugh, now that's a first. For the first time, I felt connected with my mother, and I admit it felt good. I walk into the doors of hell, well what used to be hell. Instead of everybody on their phones, people are actually socializing in person. People are greeting each other instead of ignoring each other. I hear laughter, instead of music blasting through someone's headphones. For the first time, the conversations I overhear are not about assignments someone didn't do, or the answers to the test. People were actually talking about what happened this past weekend, or what their plans are for this coming weekend. Now that's weird.
            When lunch time came around, I see people looking at each other instead of their phone screen - isn't that how it's suppose to be? Instead of tweeting what just happened, or how much someone just pisses you off, people would physically talk to one another and try to sort their issues out instead of creating drama over the web - which is so much better than a Facebook or Twitter war. Students now had to physically walk to a teacher, instead of emailing them, to ask their questions, which in my opinion creates a better connection between the students and teachers.
             I had to print a picture of my dog out to show people, instead of just pulling it up on my phone. Which I do admit is kind of embarrassing but my dog's cute, so having a hard copy doesn't harm anything. I just want to share his silly personality to everyone else because who doesn't like cute pictures of animals.
Tank
              School's over, so it's time to go back home. I wait for my dad to pull up in his big black Ram truck. I get in the truck and for once he asks me how my day was. I told him how it was totally different than normal without anyone having social media. In return, I asked him the same question and we started up a little conversation on the ride home. - I never knew how cool my dad was until I heard one of his stories. I used to just sit in the truck on my phone, communication with someone over Facebook.
            We get home, and I go out to do my chores. At this time I would usually have a friend come over and hangout for a little bit, but I had no way to contact her other than calling and she doesn't have minutes. So I go inside bored out of mind, I actually start playing with my dog. I never realized how much my dog acts like a cat, until now. The bus pulls up and my siblings get off and run into the house. They all come in arguing and yelling at each other - which is natural for them because they never know how to get along. 
           Getting annoyed at the yelling and arguing, I go outside and go get my horse. I usually ride but today I just decided to brush her and talk to her. Kind of like a therapy session. I go back inside after like an hour or so and dinner is ready. We all get our food and sit at the table, AGAIN! Conversation strikes, and everyone tells how their day went, and what they learned. Get this, we actually laugh at the table, I never realized how funny my siblings were until I had no phone or social media to come to.
           Then I go take a shower and get ready for bed. I usually scroll through all my social media accounts before going to sleep, but today I just turned my fan on, and turned Netflix on my TV. I then let my dogs in so they can get situated before I turn my light off.
Tank and Titan
Getting situated for bed.


Monday, September 12, 2016

My South Haven

    South Haven is a fairly small town, filled with lots of tourist stores. South Haven gets very crowded in the summer because of all the parades, festivals, and of course the beaches. I try to stay out of the small town in the summer because there are a lot of tourists, and lets be honest, they tend to make me angry. Tourists usually fill the sidewalks, parking lots, and stores in South Haven, making it very hard for a local family to plan things downtown. Luckily I live just on the outskirts of South Haven, so I don't have to deal with the stupid driving the tourists do in South Haven. Throughout the town, there are many food places from fast food to fancy restaurants, we have it.

 Being a beach town, South Haven is pretty famous for their sun rises and sunset. I have to admit that some are pretty stunning at times, but rarely does a sunset make me say "that's so pretty." Here is an picture of a sunset that made my jaw drop, I also believe that this picture was taken sometime in the winter.


Photo taken by yours truly - Madison Pratt


    My favorite time of the year in the little town of South Haven is winter. Not only because most of the tourists are gone, thank God, but because the ice rink opens. Although their are still tourists in the town, the streets tend to be empty, which in my opinion is quite joyful. On top of the ice rink being open in the winter time, it is also the time the town gets decorated in pretty Christmas lights, making it look way more attractive than it normally is. When I was little, I would always want to come downtown to the ice rink, or to the movies but as I got older, that obviously changed. Now, the only time I really go into South Haven anymore is either to go to a friends house or my grandmas, but I spend most of my time at home.

    Like I've stated before, I live on the outskirts of South Haven, about 15 minutes from the town. So, I don't spend much time in South Haven like I used to do. I live in Grand Junction, an even smaller town than South Haven. A town that in which has maybe one grocery store and a gas station.The town does not get busy, other than traffic going through it to get to South Haven. So saying that, there is really not much to do in Grand Junction, unless you are very creative.

 Where I live, I have about 140 acres of land, some of which are either blueberries, hay fields and a pasture. Yes, I said pasture, which contains six horses - well technically four horses and two ponies but what does that really matter. Two of which are considered mine and only mine, Button and Lacy.


Lacy - Button

This is why I spend most of my time at home, not because I'm a boring person who doesn't like to go out, well I am sometimes but that's not the point, anyway but because I enjoy spending time with my horses, they are my best friends.