Spring is in the air...

I could feel it as soon as I woke up this morning. :) I slept in until 9, and then laid in bed and read for a while... So relaxing! Then once I heard my parents stirring in the kitchen, I decided I had better get up. My mom and I had decided that this morning would be dedicated to cleaning, so we cleaned and listened to the Radio Theatre adaption of Left Behind. It was really nice, actually! You know that satisfied feeling you get after cleaning your house or just working hard on anything? It's awesome. :)
After that, I decided to FINALLY go for a run (I "took a break" for about a month...big mistake.). The weather made it pretty enjoyable! :D I'm certainly hoping for the warm temperatures to stick around.
Then I took a shower, which added to my happy feeling. Lol :) Then we went over to my grandparents' house to visit my aunt and her fiance while they're here! That was fun...we passed around the blood pressure machine and took turns taking our bp...haha :P
Finally, my family came home to eat dinner and watch our new favorite show (which we watch with Clearplay), Smallville! :D
The End.

Anyway, yep...that was my day. I thoroughly enjoyed it. :) Okay. I know that was the most boring entry I have posted. Ever. And I really was going to add more to it, but I have way too much to say, and I very much would like to go to bed now. Lol! :) So, I'll post more later about the more exciting/interesting topics... :)

Alone

Short story I wrote for my first essay this semester! :) Don't skip to the end. Or you will face my wrath. :P Enjoy!

Alone

I shut the door and quickly turn around to lean against it, releasing a long sigh. I am finally in my new apartment! My own apartment. I had been begging my parents for over a year, now, to let me move out, but they wouldn’t hear of it. That is, until I announced that if they wouldn’t let me go with their permission, I would just run away without it. Then they may never see me again; I am eighteen, after all.
So they finally let me go. Maybe they weren’t all too pleased with me…but it’s better for everyone this way. Now we all have a little breathing room. I can come visit when I want, and they will no longer have to pay my expenses. 
I’ve had a job for four years, and I have saved all of my earnings – haven’t spent more than fifty bucks the whole time. Between that and the second job I just applied for, I will certainly be capable of caring for myself. I’ll admit, though, I understand my parents’ reluctance to let me leave; I am their firstborn and only daughter. However, I’ll never get how they still don’t see the benefits for themselves! Oh well…they’ll wake up one of these days.
I turn around again to lock the door, and realize the latch is already in place. “That’s odd…” I think. “I guess I was too distracted to even remember locking it!” I chuckle and then mosey on into the kitchen. 
I’m not much of a cook, but the thought of making dinner for myself is exciting. I can’t help but revel in my independence throughout the entire cooking process. 
I open my refrigerator to get an onion to chop for stir-fry. Stir-fry is easy; even I can’t mess it up. The perfect meal to make me feel good about myself! I dig around in the well-stocked vegetable drawer, but cannot find the onions. “I swear I bought a few today,” I mutter to myself. “Two yellow and one red onion. Now where did I put them?” I search the other drawer and all the shelves, but still can’t find my onions. I sigh. “Stir-fry will be extremely lacking without onion, but I guess that’s the way it has to be.” I turn back to the counter to chop the other vegetables, and my heart jumps a bit.
On the counter, sit three onions. One chopped and two intact beside it. My eyes widen and I swallow hard. “I must have been more distracted than I thought.” My chuckle is a bit more nervous this time, but I continue fixing my dinner. 
Later that evening, I recline on my small sofa with a good book. The novel is gripping – a mystery filled with deceit, murder, and confusion. Too late, I realize this is not the sort of tale in which to indulge on my first night alone. Despite myself, I finish the novel within a few hours.
Eventually, still feeling jumpy from the story, I begin the process of going to bed. I am about to brush my teeth when I realize that I want to wash my hair, first. I have an unusual preference for sleeping with damp hair. My mother used to scold me, insisting it was a waste of water. Seeing as how I always have to wash it again in the morning. I suppose she was right; I always did it anyway, though.
As the warm water soaks my hair and massages my scalp, I begin to relax and the slightly apprehensive feeling leaves me. I turn the water off, wrap a towel around my head, and straighten from bending over the tub. A contented smile settles on my face, but is suddenly chased away when I notice the toothbrush sitting on the sink. A large glob of pink bubblegum toothpaste sits on the bristles and is even smeared a bit on the sink. My heart begins to pound.
I know I did not get my toothbrush out. It should have been in the drawer beside the sink. As images of intruders, ghosts, and murderers pop into my head, I further regret my decision to read that book. On top of this, it is now, of course, that I choose to recall the fact that this apartment building was originally a factory, back in the early 1900’s. Furthermore, the landlord had thought he should enlighten me with a bit of history about the factory: in 1927 there was an explosion in one of the machines, killing six employees. I hadn’t appreciated this information then and I appreciate it less, now.
I’ve never believed in ghosts, but at this point my mind is willing to consider any possibility. What if the dead factory workers still haunt this building? Maybe they enjoy playing pranks on new residents. 
“Ha. Good one, Mister Ghost. You got me,” I say aloud, for the benefit of any nearby spirits.
It is then that I notice the locked bathroom door; I quickly forget the humor of the joke. I unlock the door and run around my apartment, flipping on every light. Somehow, this makes me feel safer. I turn on some quiet, soothing music to drown out the silence.
I sit down to paint my nails. Manicures have always had a soothing effect on me. As I run the brush over my pinkie nail, the whistle of a train jolts me, causing me to smear polish on my finger.
“Good gravy,” I think. “I didn’t know that train would be so loud!” Immediately after I think this, I realize that it shouldn’t be so loud. At least not if the window was closed. It is all I can do to stifle a scream. I have not even touched the window since I’ve been here! How is it open?
I frantically close and lock the window, and then grab my phone to call the police. I think twice, however, and decide to call my parents, instead. I’m not quite sure how the police would handle my situation; an eighteen-year-old girl frightened by her first night of independence? I’m not entirely convinced they would take me seriously.
My parents aren’t much better, filling my ear with “told you so” and “this is what happens when you don’t listen to us”, but at least they do care about me. They say I can come home for the night, until we can figure out what is really going on.
I grab a few things and get to the door before remembering to turn out all the lights. When I turn around, though, all the lights are already off. I close my eyes and take a shaky breath. Then I quickly exit the apartment, making sure to lock it.
I run to my car in my pajamas, jump in, and turn on the ignition. It’s a good thing my parents don’t live far away, as I’m not sure I could handle a long drive. I blare the radio the whole way so I don’t have to listen to my own thoughts. It’s strange how trees look like looming spirits and cars appear as fierce beasts when your sense of apprehension is aroused. 
Finally, I arrive at my parents’ house. I reach to turn off the radio, and realize it is no longer playing. Now my heart threatens to pound its way through my breastbone. How long has the radio been silent? Wasn’t I just listening to one of my favorite songs? I let out a groan and exit my car. Then I scamper up the sidewalk as quickly as I can.
My mother opens the door, and I run into her arms. Any sense of independence I had earlier in the day has vanished.
“Mom, I think my apartment is haunted. But then the…ghost – or whatever it is – followed me here!”
My mom doesn’t laugh at me, but I can tell it will take more convincing evidence to persuade her. “Sweetheart,” she says as she rubs my back, soothingly, “how about you get a good night’s sleep, and we’ll figure out what to do in the morning.”
I almost protest, but then realize she’s probably right. We’ll all be more level-headed in the morning. My mom walks me to my room and actually tucks me into bed, stripping down my independence even further. It works, though; within minutes, I am asleep.
The rest of the night is uneventful, and I wake in the morning feeling much more relaxed. I get up and go into the kitchen for some breakfast. Both of my parents are already there, sitting at the table with their coffee. They stare at me as I walk past them. I stop and stare back. “What?” I ask.
My dad gives an incredulous laugh. “What?” he repeats. “So, your apartment is haunted, is it? Ghosts?”
I sigh. “Dad…I don’t know what was going on, but it was crazy.” Before explaining further, I turn to pour myself a bowl of cereal; but I stop cold when I see a bowl full of Fruit Loops already on the counter.
“See?” I yell, pointing at the bowl. “How did that get there?”
“Quiet down,” my mom says. “Your brothers are still sleeping.”
I had forgotten about my two younger brothers. Their rooms are just down the hall, and I certainly don’t want to involve them in this predicament, so I lower my voice.
“How did this bowl of cereal get here?” I ask as calmly as I can manage.” Did one of you pour it for me?”
Now my parents are really staring. My dad is the first to answer. “No, hon. You poured it yourself when you walked in here.”
It’s my turn to be incredulous. “What are you talking about? I just got here, and all I’ve done so far is talk to you two!”
“You also poured that mug of coffee,” my mom states, gesturing to a third mug on the table. I hadn’t noticed it until just now.
I grab my head between my hands and close my eyes, trying to recall myself doing these things; but it’s no use. I don’t remember pouring that coffee any more than I remember assassinating Abraham Lincoln. 
I open my eyes to see the disturbed expressions on my parents’ faces. My dad clears his throat. “I think we may need to take you to see a specialist.” Surprisingly, I don’t object.

A month later, I sit in my apartment alone, once again. I am sipping a cup of tea that I don’t remember brewing, and reading a new book that I don’t recall buying. But I’m not afraid this time.
After visiting many psychologists and enduring countless tests, it was concluded that I have a special mental disorder. It’s a form of short-term memory loss, possibly even a sort of early Alzheimer’s disease.
I cried a lot when I found out, but I have come to terms with the fact, now. As often as the disorder leaves me confused, at least I always have an explanation to offer myself.
Sometimes, though, I wonder if the doctors are wrong. Especially when I hear the voices.  

A Look into the Benefits of Vaccinations...

Here's another one of my rather controversial essays. I feel quite strongly about this topic, and I hope it will be beneficial to anyone researching this topic and trying to make decisions for their own family. :)
I also included my works cited at the bottom. :)

Vaccination: A Vehicle of Immunity

With so many deadly diseases in the world, the desire to prevent their contraction at all costs seems only logical. However, vaccines – the most obvious form of protection – are a source of much disagreement among many parents. Some want to take advantage of every vaccine available to them. Others feel that vaccines are unsafe and that vaccinating their children would do more harm than good. Nonetheless, in order to slow the spread of disease, help keep their community disease-free, and protect the health of their own children, parents should be committed to having their children vaccinated.
Before the widespread use of vaccines, disease was much more common and deadly. It was not unusual to know multiple people who were infected with a deadly virus. Once a person contracted a disease, not much could be done for them.
Thanks to vaccinations, however, this prevalence of disease no longer exists in the United States and other developed countries. One example in the article, “Childhood Vaccinations Are Important for Public Health”, is that of smallpox. This lethal disease was the cause of death for millions worldwide per year. That is, until in 1967 when the World Health Organization embarked on a mission to vaccinate the world against smallpox. In the span of twelve years, the virus was entirely wiped out. There has not been another case of smallpox since, and the credit goes to vaccination (2). Thus, smallpox is no longer a cause of concern in the world, but if it had not been for vaccinations, the disease would still be killing countless amounts of people.
The attack against the smallpox virus was obviously a highly successful effort. It is, however, the only disease to have been completely removed from the world, as of yet. Other diseases – such as measles, whooping cough, and tetanus – are still rampant in underdeveloped countries, and continue to be responsible for the deaths of millions every year. Some parents may be under the impression that since such diseases are not common in the United States, there is no need for their children to receive vaccination against them. This is a dangerous assumption. All it takes is for one person to contract a disease, and it can pass along to any who are not immune to it. For instance, if a person carrying a measles virus visits a previously uncontaminated area, an unvaccinated child would be completely vulnerable to contracting measles. On the other hand, if the child’s parents had been diligent in vaccinating her, she would have a much greater chance of avoiding the measles virus.
Furthermore, if the child, herself, wishes to travel to foreign countries later in life, having been vaccinated will help to preserve her health while surrounded by disease. As previously stated, many diseases are still rampant and lethal in other countries. One cannot assume that he or she will remain healthy when traveling, especially to third-world countries. Vaccines allow one to travel without fear of disease.
Not only must one be concerned with the worldwide spread of disease, but also with protecting the health of one’s own community. If an unvaccinated person contracts a disease, he could be responsible for infecting many others around him. While vaccinations are extremely effective in protecting against disease, they do not guarantee 100% immunity. Thus, people rely on the health and immunity of those around them. This being the case, parents who choose to take the protective measure of vaccinating their children will not appreciate the risk an unvaccinated child presents. As the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society puts it, “Even a small number of unimmunized individuals in a community can facilitate the spread of disease. In the late 1980’s, pockets of unimmunized children in the U.S. led to a resurgence of measles that caused 11,000 hospitalizations and 123 deaths” (2). Clearly, endangering an entire community because of a personal choice to refrain from vaccinations is not worth the risk.
As mentioned earlier, people must rely on the immunity of those around them. Even more so, people who are unable to receive vaccinations due to health issues depend upon their community’s immunity. “Childhood Vaccinations Are Important for Public Health” points out: “Some children can’t get certain vaccines for medical reasons, or some children are not able to respond to certain vaccines. For these children, the immunity of people around them is their only protection” (1). It displays inconsideration when parents put the health of other children at risk by refusing to vaccinate their own children.
Some parents’ refusal of vaccines comes from the belief that vaccines are morally wrong, and they claim exemption from them on the basis that vaccines go against their convictions. However, the predominant claim that these people make is, in fact, incorrect. Many people would insist that vaccines contain tissue from aborted fetuses, thus leading anti-abortionists to believe that receiving a vaccination contradicts their values. This, however, is simply a case of misinformation. In his article “Vaccines DO NOT Contain Fetal Tissue” Dr. Jay L. Wile states: “[A]nyone with a modicum of training in biology will tell you that it is impossible for vaccines (or any other injected medicine) to contain human tissue. The reason is simple: if you are injected with anything containing tissue from another person, your body will immediately recognize it as an invader and begin attacking it.” (1). Ergo, those who choose not to vaccinate their children due to pro-life beliefs are making this choice based on faulty information.
While the claim that vaccines contain fetal tissue is untrue, it is not completely unfounded. The viruses used in Hepatitis A vaccine, the MMR vaccine, and the chicken pox vaccine were originally derived from the tissue of two aborted fetuses. These fetuses were aborted in the 1960’s because they were infected with a virus, but not for the purpose of using the tissue for scientific research. In short, the fetuses would have been aborted whether their tissue was donated for use in the vaccines or not. Dr. Wile compares this situation to a case in which a murdered individual is able to donate his or her heart to save a dying child in need of a heart transplant. He then states:
                "Two innocent babies were killed. However, they were able to donate something that has been used not only to make vaccines, but in many medical research projects over the years. Thus these cells have been saving millions of lives for almost two generations! Although the babies were clearly murdered, the fact that their cells have been saving lives is at least a silver lining in the dark cloud of their tragic murder" (1).
Hence, to abstain from taking advantage of the benefits of these vaccinations is to waste the good that came of the deaths of those two aborted babies. Furthermore, since such claims that vaccines are morally wrong are incorrect, parents who continue to refuse vaccination of their children are endangering others without cause.
Ultimately, though, the most compelling reason for parents to accept vaccinations is the protection of their own children. Beyond concern about worldwide and local health, it is the desire of all parents for their own children to be healthy. Parents have a responsibility to do all they can to preserve their children’s well-being, and one way to do so is by having them vaccinated.
No good parent would want his or her child to become infected with a lethal virus – or any illness, for that matter. Hence, it seems only natural that all parents would jump at the chance to safeguard their children against infection. However, just as there are concerns about the morality of vaccines, there are also concerns about the safety of them. Many parents have heard that vaccines cause autism, leading them to fear that their child may develop this disorder upon receiving vaccinations. In her article, “Increase in Autism”, Sarah Glazer says, “A third of the parents of autistic children say their children developed normally in their first months or year and then began losing social skills or language. Many of the parents blame vaccines, since they first observed the regression after the children received routine vaccinations” (7). However, there is no proof that vaccines were indeed the cause. Glazer also states: “[T]he Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders — the standard handbook of psychiatrists — has broadened the definition of autism in recent years to include milder variants of the disorder” (5). Consequently, the seeming increase in autism could, in reality, be only a broadening of terms, rather than a problem caused by vaccines.
Another concern that many parents have is a valid one. If a child is allergic to an ingredient of a vaccine, then the injection of the vaccine could be fatal. There is, however, a way to avoid this danger: parents should wait until their child is at least two years of age before having them vaccinated. In doing so, they will have time to discover any allergies and therefore avoid any vaccines which would cause an allergic reaction in their child.
One of the most obviously beneficial reasons for parents to have their children vaccinated is simply to prevent them from contracting disease. There are vaccines providing immunity against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, hepatitis, diphtheria, and the list goes on. Unless he or she is unable to receive vaccinations due to health problems, there is no reason not to shield a child against such devastating diseases. Additionally, the only way, other than vaccination, to gain immunity to a disease is to contract it. Vaccines provide immunity to children without requiring them to become infected.
        Moreover, parents who fail to vaccinate their children are not doing all they can to prove their care and protection. Parents who genuinely care about their children would not willingly withhold from them defense against danger. Nonetheless, this is what they are unknowingly doing by refusing to vaccinate their children. The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society makes a good point concerning exemptions from vaccinations based on personal beliefs:
                "For example, parents cannot be exempted from placing infants in car seats simply because they do not “believe” in them…In this context, it is wrong to allow parents to exempt their children from required immunizations based on their personal beliefs. Exemption directly exposes children (who have no personal say in the matter) to harm." (3)
Thus, parents should not be allowed to endanger their children, even indirectly, by failing to protect them against illness.
        All in all, the success of vaccines seems to speak for itself. Despite any possible dangers, the overall effectiveness of vaccines has been dramatic. For this reason, parents should not hesitate to provide for their children that vehicle of immunity called “vaccination”.

Works Cited

"Childhood Vaccinations Are Important for Public Health." Parents' Guide to Childhood Immunizations. Portland, OR: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2007. Rpt. in Should Vaccinations be Mandatory? Ed. Noël Merino. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. At Issue. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 1 Nov. 2012.

Glazer, S. “Increase in Autism.” (2003, June 13). CQ Researcher, 13, 545-568. Web. 31 Oct. 2012

Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. "Mandatory Vaccinations with Few Exceptions Are Necessary for Public Health." Vaccines. Ed. Noël Merino. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Current Controversies. Rpt. from "A Statement Regarding Personal Belief Exemption from Immunization Mandates." 2011. 1-5. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 31 Oct. 2012.

Wile, Jay L. “Vaccines DO NOT Contain Fetal Tissue”. (2009). Proslogion, n. pag. Web. 4 Nov. 2012