Java: Classes and Code Organization

I have been programming in Java for over 6 years now, but because I was never formally taught the language, there are likely some things that I do that aren't part of the official standards, or things that may cause the code to be inefficient or hard to work with. In Java for dummies by Barry Burd, the basics of Java are covered as well as more complex topics and how to keep the code organized and effective without becoming a nuisance to work on.

Small sample program that is
easy to understand and work with.

Output of above program.

When learning programming, people start with very basic programs that don't do much. In these small programs, inefficiencies and confusing code don't matter very much, but as the program grows and gets increasingly complex, these small problems add up making future changes more difficult and causing the program to be slow. "For years, companies were buying prewritten code, only to discover that the code didn't do what they wanted it to do... Their programmers dug deep into the program files, changed variable names, moved subprograms around, reworked formulas and generally made the code worse" (Burd 198). This emphasizes the importance of keeping the code neat and easy to work with from the start because if the code is difficult to understand, even the programmer will eventually be unable to figure out what's going on.

More complex part of a program that
determines what code to run next.

As shown in the picture on the right, code can quickly become more complex and difficult to understand.

To organize this code, Java has classes which are used to put related code all in one file, while keeping less relevant code in another file. This helps with organization, similarly to how a book is divided into chapters.

Code all put into a single class
without being properly organized.

 



On the left is part of the original code when all of it is in a single class. As you can see, it's long and confusing with so much there that you can't easily see all of it at once.

Simplified code that is properly organized
and distributed throughout multiple classes.

However, below that image is a simplified version where I have put the code responsible for loading add-ins into a separate class. It is now easy to see that the single

Code for "loadJars()" method shown above.

function, known as a method in Java, "loadJars()" will load the add-ins from the other class.

Below that is a third image, which shows the code that is run when the "loadJars()" method is used. This is much easier to understand and won't result in as much confusion down the road. As you can see, even the "loadJars()" method contains another method, "loadJar(f, false)" that loads each specific file.

By putting methods within other methods, the code is even neater and simpler to understand! This is known as object-oriented programming, where "all the functionality that's associated with an [object] is collected inside the code for the [Object] class" (Burd 170).






What do you think of the organization used in modern, object-oriented programming languages? Does it make the code look neater and less confusing, or is the condensed form easier to follow as the code doesn't jump around?

Works Cited:
Burd, Barry. Java for Dummies. 7th ed., John Wiley & Sons, 2017.

Strength Training: Hammer Curls

Weight lifting and strength training can provide many benefits such as improve physical health, increase strength, enhance athletic performance, and can even help individuals mentally by improving self confidence. However, if bad techniques are practiced injuries can be endured. Within these blogs I will provide pointers to ensure correct techniques and will also share my experiences  performing these exercises.

The book I chose to use to complete this project is Strength Training Anatomy Third Edition by: Frèdèric Delavier. This book gives exercises that you can perform while at the gym or in your own home. Along with the exercises the book also provides diagrams of what muscles the specific exercise is strengthening and includes instruction on how to perform the exercise properly. While reading this book I noticed that I was practicing poor technique and form while weightlifting particularly while I was doing hammer curls. Throughout this blog post I will inform you how to correctly do hammer curls and how to practice proper form to avoid injury.

To begin start with one dumbbell in each hand and with your feet shoulder width apart. For beginners I recommend to use 15 pound dumbbells or less so you can master proper procedure before moving on to heavier weights. Inhale and lift the dumbbell so it is parallel with your shoulder. After that, slowly release the dumbbell to your side and remember to exhale. Breathing during exercise is key because your muscles need oxygen.

According to the author "This is the best exercise for developing the brachioradialis. It also develops the biceps brachii, brachialis, and, to a lesser degree, the extensor carpi radialis brevis and longus" (Delavier 9). So, this workout is very beneficial because it strengthens multiple muscles in     your arms.

Proper angle to begin hammer curl. 

While I was performing this exercise I learned several things about improper technique and how to prepare yourself for this work out. The first thing I learned is to always keep your elbow at a 90 degree angle as you raise the dumbbell up towards your shoulder (Delavier 8). If you do not keep a 90 degree angle this can lead to elbow injuries because without the proper angle you are putting too much stress on your elbow.

Another thing I learned during this exercise is it is essential to keep a good posture and to tighten your abdominal muscles while doing this exercise. This is extremely important because if you don't you may injure your back from leaning back and using motion to lift the dumbbells.

Finally, I learned that wearing shoes is also very important even if you are exercise in your home. If you are worried about damaging your carpets I recommend that you buy a exercise mat so you can preserve your clean carpets and keep your parents happy.

Overall, I enjoyed performing this exercise because it is beneficial for improving strength and helps build arm muscle. Since dumbbell curls and hammer curls work the same muscles, which exercise of the two do you prefer to perform?

Works Cited
Delavier, Frédéric. Strength Training Anatomy . Third ed., Human Kinetics, 2010.

Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: EQUIPMENT

    Hello, I'm Giselle Cruz and I decided to pick a makeup book because I love doing makeup but I never learned the proper way to put it on my face, half of the time I'm doing what I think works and experimenting. Sometimes I struggle with finding the right products to use on my face and how to use them. In the book Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual, it goes over various tips helpful to beginners to professionals. It helps you with tips for your skin, face, eyes, etc. I'm excited to see what I can improve on and learn to further my understanding on makeup.


MAKEUP KITS: This chapter goes over the importance of organization and how it sets you up to be successful later on when doing your makeup. It also talks about the basic makeup you need and the right brushes to use based on your needs.



"Being well organized is essential. Whether you're a minimalist whose makeup kit holds more than lipstick and powder or a working makeup artist who routinely totes around a complete collection of cosmetics, it takes a plan" (Brown 10). 



HOME MAKEUP: 

         You should always have your makeup neatly organized, it should never be thrown and left around in random places, this could cause your makeup to build up bacteria which is horrible to put on your face after. Personally, I like to keep my makeup on my small vanity/desk. "Organize your makeup either in your bathroom drawer, on top of the counter, or in a box. Keep basics and items used only occasionally separate" (Brown 10).  From my experience, I tend to make a mess every time i finish doing my makeup and leave it all over my desk so I will definitely use these tips on organization. Here i cleared my desk so I could start fresh and use these tips.

Here is a picture of my makeup organized. Products that I use often (left) and the products that aren't used as frequently (right). 

                                                                                                           

   

  BASICS/MAKEUP CARE

As Bobbi Brown states the basic makeup products include concealers/corrector, foundation, powder (two colors), eye shadow (three to four basic colors), eyeliner, mascara, blush, and lipstick/lip gloss. (10). In this picture I pulled out my basics to put on one side of my desk, because this is the makeup I use most often. This will help me reach them easier rather than leaving them wherever. You also want to make sure you don't keep makeup for too long! They have expiration dates. "Liquid/cream foundation (2 years), concealer (2 years), mascara (6 months), lipstick (12-18 months), eye shadow (2 years), and powder blush (2 years)" (Brown 20). Make sure to check your makeup often and throw out your old makeup, it could be harmful for your face and cause breakouts. 

ESSENTIAL TOOLS

        Brushes are essential to getting amazing and unique makeup tutorials. There are different brushes used for different makeup techniques. Most brushes that come with makeup compacts or kits are too small or they don't work efficiently to create various makeup looks. I personally like to shop for synthetic brushes as pictured because they tend to give me more control since they are more stiff. In this book there is also a tip to use your fingers because nothing beats the warmth to create an easier blending application (15). 

Do you think keeping makeup for longer time than the expiration date is okay? Do you tend to keep everything in order and organized or do you just leave everything wherever and don't care to keep everything in order?

Bobbie, Brown. Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: for everyone from beginner to pro. Springboard Press, 2011.

         The Art of Sign Language

       For my IRP Quarter 2 I decided to learn basic sign language so that I can communicate with the deaf or heard of hearing. So far, I have the English ASL alphabet memorized, and I perform it in the video. The text helped, less through actual instruction and more through the many pictures of the sign of each letter. Early in the text many of these images for the alphabet are shown (Brown, 9-15). As you can see, I can now perform the alphabet. The text also helped through providing text instruction the few letters that require both a hand shape and movement, such as Z, "Make sure you make the Z in the air so that the person talking to you might read it," (Brown, 15).

How do you feel about languages being a graduation requirement at KR? Are they helpful life skills, or should the time be spent a different way?

Brown, Christopher. The Art of Sign Language: Phrases. Vol. 2, Thunder Bay Press, 2003.

By Noah Crissey

A Child is...

When I first saw the book Introducing Child Psychology: A Practical Guide, I knew I would love it.  I am very interested in the thoughts that run through the minds of children.  The innocence and complexity of a Child fascinates me, thus I chose this book to learn more about the future generation.
This book written by Dr. Kairen Cullen is truly interesting, even though I am only two chapters in.

In Chapter 2 What is a Child? she notes that before we can understand the psychology of a child and how to help them, we must first define a child.  We could define them the dictionary way, that a child is the amount of age lived, however that looks over the maturity and growth one can experience under the age of 18. (Cullen, 4)  Ms. Cullen advised to ask others what they define a child as and do so ourselves.  "The logical starting point is to define what is meant by the term 'child'...By the end of the day you will probably have noted quite a few different points." (Cullen, 4)  I was very impressed by this suggestion so I proceeded to ask 3 people in my life how they define a child.

I asked my mother, Rebecca Kerin 41, my father, Gardner Kerin 43, and my brother, Matthew Kerin 13.  Below I am defining my definition of a child and the people mentioned are as well.  This chapter was extremely interesting to me and helped me further my understanding of the variety in which people think about and refer to children.

 My definition was that a child is someone who is physically and mentally not able to care for themselves.  Rebecca said "A child is someone who is under the age of 18.  Matthew Kerin said "A child is a new presence in this world." And Gardner Kerin said "A child is someone who is not yet mature enough to care for themselves."

What do you define a child as, is it just numbers or is there another deeper definition?


                           CULLEN, KAIREN. INTRODUCING CHILD PSYCHOLOGY: a Practical Guide. ICON BOOKS LTD, 2018.        


                                         

Soccer: Basic Freestyle Juggling

Soccer is a sport that involves many different skills and techniques. Each skill will help you improve different aspects of your game. In this case, juggling is a technique that not only challenges you ability to stay focus and concentrate on control, but it also helps you improve on your first touch.
Andrew Latham says that your first touch is critical in soccer. Juggling will help you learn how to control the ball and keep your balance, which can help you in tight spaces or tough situations (49). Your first touch can set you up for a pass, a shot, a dribble, and practically any other action of making contact with the ball.

When I was juggling, Latham's idea of juggling helping you balance and teaching you how to have control, helped me create a rhythm during my juggling. I had to make sure that I was on balance and stable with my plant foot, so then it would be easier for me to make contact with the ball and keep it up in the air. In the picture below you can see how my right foot is planted and balanced while my left foot is making contact with the ball and keep it in the air.

Not only was having a rhythm and being balanced help me do well in freestyle juggling, but having the right technique to make complete and good contact with the ball was probably the most helpful tip in my juggling process. "Most of the time, your toe will point up on contact to spin the ball back so you can keep it close and get lots of touches" (49). In the picture above and the video below, you are able to see how my toe is pointed up allowing the ball to have a backward spin, and bringing the ball right back down to my feet.

These tips and ideas that Latham provided really did help me improve my juggling ability and allowed me to get a new freestyle record of 407. I have also taken my juggling skills and build upon it doing tricks such as rainbows, foot holds, around the world, etc.

I would like to know your guys opinion and want to know if you think that back spin on the ball and short touches help you have more control on the ball? And i would also like to know what are some other tricks i could try in my juggling?

Latham, Andrew. Soccer Smarts for Kids: 60 Skills, Strategies & Secrets. Rockridge Press, 2016.                         

Backpacking and Hiking: Essential Gear

Don't let winter stop you from getting outdoors and hiking! From snow covered trails to frozen lakes carved between mountains, winter hiking has something for everyone. Throughout these blogs I will write about tips and about my experiences hiking during winter.

The book I will be using for this project is The Complete Idiot's Guide to Backpacking and Hiking by Jason Stevenson. This book gives tips from hiking basics to first aid along with helpful charts and definitions. I am very excited to learn more about hiking after hiking frequently over this past summer but never in the winter. Soon after starting this book I realized that throughout my past hikes I had never brought the essential supplies like the ones recommended in the book. In this blog post I will share my experience shopping for these supplies and highlight some of the most important items you need no matter how long your hike is.

Shopping for the essentials

According to author, Jason Stevenson, many people while hiking do not pack the essentials due to them not thinking about the possibility of getting stuck on the trail overnight (Stevenson 100). Soon after reading this I went out and purchased the essentials I did not already own in order to get ready for my hike.

The first item I would like to highlight is a knife. Bringing a knife with you while hiking can be very helpful especially when you need to cut or slice something. The ideal hiking knife should be small enough to carry and have around a 2-3 inch blade (Stevenson 103). The author also recommends to make sure you knife does not have a dull blade for safety reasons. The text says, "A dull blade is a dangerous blade because it can easily slip and cut you" (Stevenson 103). The knife I purchased has a three inch blade and is also stainless steal so it will hopefully last me a long time.

The next item I would like to highlight is the first aid kit. I purchased a smaller kit due to only going on day-hikes so the need for lots of supplies would not be necessary. The book also recommends only bringing a certain case size depending on the size of your hike. For day-hikes it is recommended to bring supplies for blisters, cuts, scrapes, sprains, muscle aches, and allergic reactions (Stevenson 104). Lucky for me, the case I purchased includes all of the supplies needed to treat these injuries. Having a first aid kit while hiking is very important due to you never knowing what will happen out on a trail.

The last item I would like to highlight is waterproof matches and waterproof fire sticks. No matter were you go in the wilderness, including trails, these supplies should be brought with you. Since both the matches and the fire sticks are waterproof they can be used in rain or snow which is especially helpful in the winter due to the high chance of it raining or snowing while you are on a trail. Unlike normal matches, waterproof matches need to have the waterproof coating scraped off before use (Stevenson 106). By bringing this items with you while hiking, if lost, the worry about not being able to find dry timber or if your matches will work will be eliminated.

Overall, this shopping experience was very helpful and I feel much more prepared for my hike now. Do you like to go hiking, if so do you bring the essential items when you go?

Thanks for reading! Make sure to read my next blog post to see how my first winter hike goes!

Stevenson, Jason. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Backpacking and Hiking. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha Books, 2010. Print.

Shading and Shadowing

Guide to Coloring ~ Shading and Shadowing

I have always enjoyed looking at others drawings and pieces of art. Many have unique and interesting pieces due to all the different techniques and the varieties of their style. I'm not the best creative person when it comes to coloring or drawing. I've always wanted to improve because art is very captivating. So this blog is where I'll share my tips and experiences for being better at drawing and coloring.

The more I read the book New Guide to Coloring by Peg Couch, I found that there are many easy tricks and tips to improve your drawings. One of the first things I am going to focus on is shading. It is something nice and simple. Shading is where you layer colors to darken an area to make an object appear three-dimensional, or in order to show that something is overlapping something else by adding a light source and shadows to your drawing (Couch 60). Shading gives the flat drawing a much more real 3-D perspective and it is a great and easy step to add to your coloring's to make it seem a bit more next level!

When shading you need to decide where to shade, by choosing to shade either inside or outside (known as underneath) your shape or drawing. You can even do a combination of both, which the drawing I have done happens to be. The key thing to remember is perspective. "Just be careful when combining the two that the dimensions make sense to the eye. If the light source is coming from the upper left of the shape, your shading would fall on the lower right of the shape. The same would be said for the shadow underneath or around the shape..." (Couoch 61). So always keep in mind that from whatever side the light is shining down on the object that your shading and shadowing match up, a good way to remember what side to shade is basically remember that the shading would fall on the opposite side of the light as the quote above had referred to.

The shading is a bit hard to see, but if you can tell the balls are both darker on the bottom left side. The ball on the left side shows the correct way of shading. It is the realistic shading- the shadow is cast opposite of the light source.
The ball on the right side is an example I drew of incorrect shading. It is non realistic- the light source does not match up with the shading and shadows.

As you can see the shading does give the flat shape more dimension. I am pleased at how it came out, but also can't wait to see other tips and techniques that will help me prove!

Do you agree that shading makes a drawing more realistic or do you think otherwise? Do you enjoy drawing in any specific way?

Couch, Peg. New Guide to Coloring for Crafts, Adult Coloring Books, and Other Coloristas!: Tips, Tricks, and      Techniques for All Skill Levels! Fox Chapel Pub Co Inc, 2016.

drawing animals anatomy: Dog face, eyes, and nose

Before a few of months ago, I had never really been super interested in art, I would do drawings and paintings but I wouldn't be super engaged in what I was drawing or painting. So I would always have these art pieces that were half done, and I would never go back and finish them. It wasn't until recently I started taking art more seriously. I started doing more human anatomy studies. I have always drawn animals, but they are little cartoon animals. Since I have been taking art more seriously I figured I should study animal anatomy.

The book that I have decided to study is called "The Artists Guide to Drawing Animals" by J.C Amberlyn. This book has made it clear in chapter one about dogs, "Getting the shape and proportions of the muzzle correct is a key part of drawing any dog breed"(Amberlyn 13). I was pleased that the book showed the progression of each picture. For example, the artist would start with a circle for the head adding a cylinder for the muzzle and triangles for the ears.

 Formatting the general shape of a dogs head

This section of the book was all about dog heads and their muzzles, Amberlyn says on page 12 "different breeds have different head-to-muzzle proportions. Some have a very long muzzle; some have a very short one"(12). When I was reading this I was thinking to myself, this makes sense because greyhounds have very long muzzles, and pugs have shorter muzzles (almost non-existent).

How to draw the dogs eyes and the nose

This next section was all about the general shape of dog eyes and noses. Amberlyn says on page 14 "Eye shapes vary, depending on the breed, but are generally round or almond-shaped"(14). The only thing different about some noses is the color. The colors can vary between a light brown to a black. The author compares the front of the nose to looking like a mushroom slice.

How mine came out

Are you going to try doing Animal anatomy some time? What are some things you could improve on for the next time you draw animals?

Source: Amberlyn, J. C. The Artist's Guide to Drawing Animals: How to Draw Cats, Dogs, and Other Favorite Pets. Watson-Guptill Publications, 2012.

JavaScript: Introduction

William Nguyen

JavaScript: The Good Parts, Douglas Crockford

Programming can often be seen as extremely difficult and time consuming to learn. This is not always the case, as it can easily be learned by anyone who simply devotes their time and effort. Learning a computer language can be extremely beneficial for those who are interested in a path down the quickly-growing technology field, as the pay and demand for experienced programmers are extremely high.

There are a vast amount of programming languages that are available to learners, each with their own purpose, such as C++, C#, Python, etc. However, I will be focusing on JavaScript, one of the most demanded languages in the job industry.

What exactly is JavaScript? JavaScript is the primary language that web browsers use, making it one of the most popular programming languages in the world (Crockford 2). This means it can be used to create web interactive elements such as text, or create complex applications and programs. In my practice to eventually master the language, I have chosen to create a simple program that responds with text based on whether a given statement is true or false. To create this program, I first need to obtain a console, which is a text-only interface that runs computer languages. Luckily, there are a multitude of consoles readily available on the internet, some with helpful guides, which I found out about when I started to learn how to program.

SoloLearn, the console I am using

After I found my console, I started to play with some of the code and test some different functions, seeing how JavaScript worked. As it turned out, many of my statements had mistakes, making it impossible for them to execute properly.  I found that it is necessary and extremely important to have good syntax when programming if you want your code to function. From this, I realized that I was essentially "speaking to the computer", and similarly to real life situations, if you do not communicate clearly, the person will not be able to do the job properly.

Syntax errors in red

 

The correct output

I made a significant amount of mistakes, but even the smallest error can make a huge impact on the how the code runs. In addition, errors can cost us large amounts of time to fix. "The sooner we can detect and repair errors, the less they cost us. JavaScript is a loosely typed language..." (Crockford 3). This means that JavaScript's software is unforgiving when it comes to mistakes, and this shows that in order to not waste precious time finding/fixing mistakes, we need to construct code accurately the first time. I noticed that I was constantly making mistakes by overlooking the minuscule details. After realizing what I was doing wrong, I was able to change the way I wrote code. Instead of typing and moving onto the next line without looking back, I made sure to double-check my work for syntax errors. This was extremely effective, as it became a helpful habit.

Code working properly!

Close-up of edited code

Practicing to master my new technique took quite a bit of trial and error, but as a result, my code was working much more often!




Question: Have you ever tried or thought about starting to learn how to code? If so, what are your thoughts on the learning process, and if not, what is your opinion on  starting to learn something                                                                  completely new?  

Works Cited:

Crockford, Douglas. JavaScript: The Good Parts. O'Reilly Media, Inc., 2008.

Weight Training

There are two different ways to approach weight lifting being either the use of freeweights or the use of a weight machine. Both of these have their pros and cons. This is supported by the quote "A huge number of different exercises can be performed with the most basic set of freeweights" (Susan Saliba 12). Weight machines also have there bright side being "They are safer to use because they are designed to hold you securely while training. You can usually life more because you do no have to worry about balance" (Saliba 12). A con to using freeweights may also be that it could be more dangerous, especially if you do not have a spotter, (which I don't) and then can lead to an injury. 

Using a close grip on bench is harder to control the form because mostly works out your triceps. A normal grip is easier to control because it works out a wider spread of muscles being the triceps, chest, shoulders and lats.
Do you think that it's better to just work out with machines instead of freeweights to avoid the risk of an injury. If I were to just use machines to lift, would I still make as many gains than if I were to use freeweights?

Works Cited

Saliba, Susan. The Basics of Weight Training. Weight Training, Mason Crest

     Publisher, pp. 1-64

turtle care

the book I read was called Turtles and Tortoises for Dummies, and because I own 3 turtles I was going to try to improve my care for them. While I was reading I came across a section about how you should maintain a chelonians (fancy way of saying turtles, terrapins, and tortoises) habitat, and I found that for my Russian tortoise, it would be much more ideal to let him live outside, but they require a certain temperature to live. this is a bit of a problem as I have heat lamps inside for my tortoises terrarium, and I would need those for him to be healthy as Washington is pretty cold and damp, but I can keep him warm, inside where he has less space to move. I decided that to solve this problem I would have my tortoise live inside for most of the year, but would prepare an outdoor enclosure for the summer. until then I decided to improve my tortoises terrarium by adding places for him to bask and by providing plants for him to hide in and snack on.







this is a picture of my tortoise in his water bowl basking in the light.

How to Keep your Closet Clean and Organized

I've always been interested in fashion. Not directly the sewing part, but the part where you put outfits together. Recently this year, I've been more into my style. The only issue is, I need room to put everything. But due to my new findings of The Cheap Chica's Guide to Style by Lilliana Vazquez, I have learned how to effectively organize my closet and my style, along with many other useful tips and habits.

Today, I will be focusing on how to keep a clean closet and buy only what you need for your wardrobe.

Now, when I first read this book, Lilliana talked about how "Twice a year- during the winter-to-spring and summer-to-fall seasonal transitions I'll outline in this chapter, I'll purge my closet" (Vazquez, 94). Due to it being that summer-to-fall transitioning time, I decided to clean out my closet.

At first, It seemed like an impossible challenge. I used to stuff everything in my closet that didn't look good in my room, so this would take some work. I started with clearing out any trash, ripped clothes and random items that didn't belong in a closet like miscellaneous boxes, socks and trinkets. This already cleared out a lot of room for opportunity.

The "keep" pile when sorting 

Next, I took all of my clothes out of my closet and set them in piles of need/like, don't need, and donate. In the book, Lilliana explains what you should discard. "Anything you haven't worn in a year... anything that doesn't fit you anymore... anything that was once trendy but isn't anymore... and anything that isn't flattering or makes you feel anything but fabulous." (Vazquez 98). This all made perfect sense to me "Why would I keep anything that I'm never going to wear?" I thought to myself. This and some music made the process go way faster than I expected.


I ended up having a good amount in each pile. I continued by taking my donate pile and putting it all in a trash bag to let my sister look though. She ended up finding some things she liked before I donated it to a Value Village near by along with my don't need pile.

My jewelry storage organized by type, mostly earrings 

The next step in the process was to put everything back. This was the easy part. I divided up my remaining "keep" clothes into what i needed to hang up and what could be put in a drawer. Vazquez talks about on pages 216 through 221 that you should fold sweaters in a drawer, store shoes in a shoe rack, loop belts through a hanger, place scarves in a bin, hang purses on a wall hook, necklaces on a decorative wall hook and rings on a small ring holder or cute display, I took all of these tips into consideration when re-putting-back-together my closet.

My closet put back together arranged by use and necessity 

In the end of the final process, I donated and cleared out around 2 full garbage bags full of clothes and other things I didn't need. It felt good that i cleaned out my closet, knew how to properly store everything, and possibly gave someone a new shirt or coat that was once mine. I hope that you can benefit from my learning experiences and prioritized your closet too!

Have you tried to ever clean out your closet? What are some things that you could've changed or gone better? Will you use these tips the next time you do a spring or fall cleaning?

Source: Vazquez, Lilliana. The Cheap Chica's Guide to Style: Secrets to Shopping Cheap and Looking Chic. Gotham, 2013.

Conditioning for soccer: Flexibility

Joey Macauley
Complete Conditioning for Soccer
By: Greg Gatz

Playing soccer is more than just a competitive exercise, but it's dynamic and multifaceted. In the introduction to Complete Conditioning for Soccer, Greg Gatz explains that a strong and developing foundation for your flexibility, balance, agility, power, and speed are important for preforming at a high level. In chapter 3, he begins specifying on flexibility as he claims that its defined by your ability to move your body through a range of motions. Playing soccer involves a combination of coordinated muscle movements and actively increasing mobility through static stretching and dynamic routines with rhythm and tempo promotes an improving and quality performance (Gatz 25). Then, Gatz states, "I like to use three basic stretching techniques to develop flexibility in athletes: dynamic stretching, static stretching, and active stretching. Dynamic stretching... is a combination of movement drills and stretching that stimulate and prepare the body for an increased work load... Static stretching, or 'stretch and hold,' has a soothing effect on the body and is beneficial after training or competition... Active Stretching... is used as a recovery technique from heavy bouts of exercise (Gatz 26). Then, towards the end of the chapter, he includes recommended daily routines, drills, and stretches in order to effectively improve one's flexibility and preserve muscle health. For example...

[Stretch # corresponds with picture example # in which each stretch applies to the muscle strain from specific muscle coordination/movements]

(1) Side Groin Stretch for adductors (inner thigh) and hamstrings.
(2) Deep Forward Lunge Stretch for hamstring, glutes, and lower back.
(3)  Quadriceps Stretch for quads and hip flexors.

(1) Constant and agile changes in direction (Lunges, abrupt stops, cuts, etc.)
(2) An example of many different motions that require significant muscle coordination/stress (on glutes, lower-back, hamstring, etc.) at a single time.
(3) Per every shot (or something more than a 20 yard pass) your quads and hip flexors is put under stress that may put your muscle health at risk without periodic stretching for recovery and warm up.

Initially learning about the importance of flexibility I reflected on how poor my flexibility currently is, and has always been, and then how I rarely prioritize stretching at any point in time. This may explain why I'm too pathetic to even touch my toes "without bending my knees." Anyways, after reading this, I began integrating more static and dynamic stretching routines for isolated time periods before and after soccer training and games, along with after daily runs. I've noticed significant decreases in the strain and soreness of my muscles, especially in my legs. Also, my movements feel more liberal or fluid and has allowed me to endure physical actively longer. Then, after reading the quoted evidence that I found, it was interesting to learn that static stretching is for "after training or competition." This was a slap to the face because I'm sure most of you are aware that most organized groups for teams and whatnot statically stretch before games or performances to "loosen their muscles." Well, that's apparently wrong and after learning that, I have corrected the way I warm up and prepare for soccer or runs.

What activities are you involved in and how important is flexibility in order to perform well? Also, how would you, or how have you created a convenient schedule to stretch on a daily basis for the recovery and development of your muscles?

Work Cited: 

Gatz, Greg. Complete Conditioning for Soccer. Human Kinetics, 2009.

Getting started: Drawing materials and Basic Techniques (Advanced concept drawing)

Getting started: Drawing materials and Basic Techniques (Advanced concept drawing)

Back in the day, I used to spend all my free time drawing, in the dark ages before I had access to electronics and never-ending entertainment (which is just up until the end of 7^th grade). Let’s take a journey back to those days and draw concepts from the mind to paper. Using a book from my favorite artist, Scott Robertson, I started drawing.

(Robertson, 12)

But wait! step one is to get the materials, basic materials for concept art as stated by the book calls for fancy pens, sweeps, dividers, and all kinds of other weird things that my broke self would never be able to afford. But I managed to dig a few musty looking artifacts out of my closet. A few drawing utensils, a metal straight edge, an eraser, and two templates for basic shapes.

None the less, read on! Because I'm gonna start drawing now. "Before you start drawing, clear some space and time to fully commit to the drawing. Have a clear work surface with tools at the ready" (Robertson 14) looking at my room, which looks like a tsunami had gone through with it, I decide it’s better just to pretend this step isn’t in the book. “Let’s look at the body mechanics that are necessary to achieve a consistently straight line, you only need to learn how to draw one straight line. After that rotate the paper to change the line direction. Without this technique, keeping the paper in a fixed position would lead to having to learn to draw an infinite number of straight lines”

(Robertson 14).

         Well that's a little strange, considering the fact that every other artist i had read up about have advised against the "rotato potato" technique (rotating the paper to draw lines in every direction) I start practicing lines, and only one direction because that's all I'd need. The book shows some techniques that I used here, drawing with the whole arm, drawing slowly, and ghosting the line.

Question: What is your opinion on rotating the paper instead of mastering all kinds of different angles of lines? 

Football passing: Basics of being a quarterback

Football can be a very complicated sport with all the rules and fundamentals. Although one of the most basic things in football is passing, or that's what everyone thinks. The passing game in football is much more complicated as it seems, as shown in this book Teaching the Modern Passing Game. This book is written by Dan Gonzalez and he shows us the basics to the passing game. He first describes concept based passing and shows us what a quarterback should do. The way Gonzalez defines this as is "The specific coordination of the quarterbacks feet and eyes in regard to certain spots on the field" (Gonzalez 10) This is just a basic understanding of this concept, after he describes this concept he shows us a diagram.

I sat in my room with a ball just visualizing this. I would hold the football in my hand and get a better feel for it.

He also includes two more diagrams for us to look at and observe.

In these diagrams Gonzalez stated that each concept have the following characteristics

• A feature of consistent rhythm
• An advantage player or conbination
• A pressure outlet in the quarterbacks face
• The ability to adjust to multiple formations

(Gonzalez 11)

These are just the basics to being a quarter back and where you should be looking when you throw the ball. Have you ever been a quarterback for a football team and used this concept based passing? If not then are you ever going to start try or use this method of passing?

Grilling Tri-Tip Steak

Grilling is a dry-cooking method that cooks meat and other foods over hot coals or gas flame. "The radiant heat of the grill sears the meat- shrinking the muscle fibers on the outermost layer- and imparts a hearty, smoky flavor as the meat cooks." (Stewart 160). This method is used in many styles of cooking and in many countries, and Martha Stewart hypothesizes that it "has to do with being outdoors and feeling less restricted than in the kitchen" and that the aromas and sounds of grilling are very appealing (160). With grilling comes the question of how long and what heat to cook your food. While grilling you use either direct or indirect heat. "Some aficionados consider the time it takes for the food to cook as the deciding factor..." (160) This passage goes on to talk about the different heats (direct, indirect) for different meats, and explains that when you use lower heat that is when grilling becomes barbecuing. There are many different tips listed for grilling, and some of the most helpful ones were that bringing meat to room temperature before grilling helps meat cook more evenly, and that there are many factors that lead to flare-ups and that moving the meat around and trimming it helps prevent or stop them from happening. Martha Stewart's Cooking School provides interesting information that goes into detail about many different topics, methods, tools, and foods. Along with tips and background information, it provides recipes that allow for practicing the techniques and methods.
When I cooked the steak, I seasoned it with basic spices, and served it with a compound butter that was recommended to go with the steak in the book. I used direct medium high heat and cooked until medium-rare (internal temperature of 125 degrees).

This book talks about many different things, from herbs to knives to cooking methods. What cooking techniques, cuisines, or specific meats/vegetables, should I try next? (Again, this book covers pretty much everything).
Stewart, Martha, et al. Martha Stewart's Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook. Clarkson Potter, 2008.