Literate or not?

Trying to start my Literacy Narrative is going to be the death of me! 

Where/when has reading and writing influenced me? I just can't say. I can't think of a time when it has impacted me in such a way as to be memorable. It certainly has been a big part of my life, especially during school as English was always my favorite subject. I love reading in and out of school. There is nothing better than escaping reality and being submerged into a whole new world that is drastically different from your own. But one single moment? Or one single book? I can't quite say there was one that was so special. I've been putting a lot of thought into what I could write about and have some vague ideas, but they are small events and I might have a hard time turning it into a narrative without being too unfocused. I'll just have to keep brainstorming! Hopefully I can keep it interesting without getting too off topic, because that is something I need to improve on. 

Feeling Crafty?

I can't tell you how many times I've had people ask me if these shoes were TOMS! The answer is no, they are not. They are from Payless Shoe Store, and look just like TOMS but the cost is less than half. These were a gift from my creative sister, who found the shoes there for a great price (about $16), and then went to Michael's craft store and bought fabric glitter spray. All she did then was spray the glitter right onto the canvas shoe, it sticks right on and theres no glitter mess left over. 

On the Official TOMS website, this pair of shoes costs $54, while mine cost only about $20! They look pretty similar too, huh? Not too bad for a DIY project. So before you buy that name-brand item next time, look around and see what you can do yourself for a fraction of the cost. (And buy a second pair of shoes with the money you save!) 

Good Reads

Contrary to my "two truths and a lie" ice breaker that we did in class, I actually love to read! I do not, however, love public speaking, which is how my nerves got the better of me and made me jumble up my thought-to-word process.

My favorite author is Nicholas Sparks, I'm a sucker for a good love story. I also made it through Sarah Dessen's list of published books, the Twilight saga, and the Hunger Games series. I am currently reading 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James (I tend to pick up the trending books) just finished the first book in the series of three last night . My favorite book to this day is Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, but I'll read anything that catches my eye. These are all great reads, I would definitely recommend opening them up if you like a good romance novel.

Aside from reading about the interesting life style of Christian Grey, I am also currently reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. This is the Campus-read here at Western Michigan University. I started reading it over the summer, and while the plot really pulls me in, it can be a bit hard to follow with all the medical terminology! I am nearly finished with part two of the book, and really need to try to get myself back into it (if I hope to pass English 1050 that is!) The bottom line of the book is such a controversial and interesting topic, I would also recommend this book to anyone out there, don't let the big words scare you off.

Henrietta's cells, known to the medical world as "HeLa" have changed modern medicine as the world once knew it. They were taken without the permission of Mrs. Lacks or her family, and while they had no knowledge of it in the beginning, these cancerous cells became the first cells to reproduce themselves, allowing for an infinite amount of testing to be done. The book is about how Rebecca Skloot, the author, gets down to the nitty-gritty and tells Henrietta's story to the world. You really form an opinion early on about how you feel towards the Lacks family and towards the scientists, researchers and doctors who took, grew and studied Hela cells.

Out To Sea: Adventures in Sailing

With all the different clubs, teams and groups at WMU, how can you not be tempted to try something new?
Well, this weekend I took a big step (more like lunge!) out of the box and went out on the water with the sailing team. Luckily, Ann Marie, my roommate was right there with me, so I wasn't the only newbie. With absolutely no sailing experience under our belts, we were paired together with one instructor/ team member to teach us the ways of the waves.
As with anything new and different, we were a little bit scared. Our biggest concern was tipping - after all, these were not the big sail boats we had imagined. Three people in one small boat was a tight fit! However, once we were reassured that we would be safe with Mike, our "Skipper" and one of the most experienced sailors on the team, we put on our life jackets and climbed in.
Once we got out on the water, we had a blast! Sailing was so incredibly fun and when the wind dies down and you start to float a little slower, it is the most relaxing feeling. We were told our instructions as the "crew" and practiced until we felt comfortable doing our jobs.
There were about 5-10 small sailboats out with us, and of course the day simply wouldn't be complete with out a little competition. The goal was to make it to the island then once everyone was there, race back. The wind picked up and we were off to a good start, with only one boat near to us. We were picking up speed and cruising along, when Mike told us to "tack" which meant we (Ann Marie and myself) turned the front sail in the opposite direction and moved to the other side of the boat while doing so. We had already done it about five or so times earlier, so we went ahead and tacked the sail. But, being beginners, we moved after we adjusted the sails and not before, causing the boat to capsize.

And who would be the only one to fall out of the boat? Me.
Somehow, Mike climbed onto the other side of the boat and was able to flip it back over (after i was already in the water) and Ann Marie, who was nearly dying of laughter, managed to stay seated where she was. My youth size life jacket (the only size they had left) had managed to keep me afloat, but I now faced a big challenge. How would I get back in the boat? There was no handle or anything to grab on to, and everything was slippery and wet. Well, with little effort Mike pulled me right into the boat where I flopped on board like a fish. When everyone finally was able to stop laughing, we headed our now-full-of-water sail boat back. Believe it or not, we weren't in last place either! Once ashore, we tried to warm up our soaked selves, with little luck. I was ready to go back to my room and make some hot chocolate for Ann Marie and I!
Sailing was such a wonderful experience, and I can't wait to go back out on the water! Although, this time, I wouldn't mind staying IN the boat.

Hi everybody!
My name is Angela, welcome to my blog! I'm from a small town in Michigan called Armada, about an hour north of the D. I am currently studying away at Western Michigan University, and enjoying my first year here! My goal is to study my butt off to get into the Nursing program here; and I would like to eventually become a Nurse Practitioner or a Physicians Assistant.
I love to travel, read, cook, craft, and be outdoors. I'm terribly addicted to Pinterest, and will probably post many ideas that I find from there! Along with my English posts, you can find yummy looking recipes, cool crafts and maybe a story or two!

Updates soon :)

- Ang