Merchant Gambles

5/31/2012

 
        A merchant living in the 1700's just got the information on a new buisness plan. If it succeeds, he becomes richer than he ever could imagine; but if it fails, he will lose everything. Although this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, would the merchant take the risk?
        If I was a merchant in that situation, I wouldn't take that risk. There is a fifty percent chance that my ships won't make it back and I wouldn't be willing to gamble that much. I would be thankful for what I have and just continue with my average life, not setting out on any new projects.
 
        This week, I learned that when you're in middle school you work hard no matter how close the end of the school year is. In all of my classes the work is more difficult, even though the big tests have already passed. And there is more homework than there has been all year. But, no one can concentrate properly when there is only twelve days until school ends.
        Not a single one of my eight classes are easy now, even though nearly all of them were in the first three quarters. I currently have four B's! I've never had more than two in my life! I have to work harder than ever to bring them up. But, it's going to be hard to find time for make up work with all of the homework piling up. I will be relieved when summer begins, but I know that feeling won't last long because eighth grade is going to be even more difficult.
 
        Being a Maya, Aztec, or Inca would be very difficicult and different for my way of life, but if I had to choose one, I would deffinately be a Maya. The Maya people had so many graeat accomplishments in their time. They were the first to create a 365 day calender. They were able to predict eclipses, even though they didn't have a telescope. They even learned about the cycles of the moon.
        The Maya empire's decline was gradual and generally peaceful. But, in the Aztec and Inca emppires, they were overtaken by Spanish and slowly killed off by foreign diseases. Although the Maya still did some things that I personally would not approve of, like human sacrifice, I still think that life as a Maya wouldn't be too bad.

Zoo Day

5/22/2012

 
       Yesterday, I went to the zoo with all of the seventh grade at my school. I don't think that it was particularly educational, but it was still quite enjoyable. We had to do an activity at each statioin, most of which were more time consuming than difficult.
        For most of the time we were at the zoo, we didn't work very much. But one mentally beneficial thing that happened at the zoo was that I got to see the animal that I did my report on, the Bateleur Eagle, in person. I didn't realize that they were such beautiful creatures and very graceful flyers. So, at the end of the day, I noticed that I had learned something by going to the zoo after all.

Aztec noble

5/17/2012

 
        If I was a member of the Aztec society, I would want to be a noble. I wouldn't want to be a king because they have to give blood to the gods; I wouldn't want to be a priest for the same reason. I couldn't be a warrior because I'm a girl. Merchants and artisans have to travel and work all day. Farmers have to be out in the sun working in the fields all day. Slaves are sacrificed. So, being a noble is the only thing that I think I could manage and be happy with.
        I'd like to be a noble not just because I don't like the other positions, but also because I like what they get to do. They live peacefully with many luxuries. They rarely have to work because other people do everything for them. They are friends with the king, so they have anything they could ever want. All in all, I think that life as an Aztec noble wouldn't be too terrible.

Embarrassment?

5/16/2012

 
        Today I'm supposed to blog about my most embarrassing moment, which I would gladly do because nobody ever goes on my website, but I can honestly not think of one. I'm sure that something embarrassing must have happened to me when I was younger, but I can't remember it if it did. Although I have a serious manner, I don't take the things that I do outside of school too seriously. I mainly just laugh off anything embarassing that happens to me, so none of my embarassing moments make a lasting impression.
        However, the embarrassing things I do remember aren't the things that most people would find embarassing at all. For example, if I get a bad grade on a test or get below a 4.0 on my report card. I know that it's probably weird that those kind of things embarrass me, but its true.

writing

5/15/2012

 
        One think I do to rest my mind is write in my book. I find writing very relaxing and it puts my mind at rest. When I write, I'm not only relaxing and calming myself down; I'm also accomplishing my life goal. My goal in life is to have a book of mine published. I have many books that are nearly done because of all the time that I have spent relaxing. 
        I know that most people say that it takes effort to write and that it isn't relaxing, but I don't understand how so. When I can't write in my book for relaxation, I occassionally write a blog. Sometimes blogs can be very calming, well to m anyway.
 
        The Maya was a great empire that prospered for many years. They had everything that a great empire needs: trade, fertile soil, and a strong army. But, for a reason still unknown, the Maya empire collapsed. Some say it was because of taxes; others say it was because of warfare. Many believe that internal rebellion was a part of it.  
        But, personally, I think that the reason for the decline of the Maya empire was all of these reasons combined. I don't think that any of these reasons could bring down the Maya empire alone, but together no empire could last against that. I think that as well as the main three reasons, a climate change could also have affected it. Well, in conclusion, it would have taken a lot to bring down an empire as strong as the Maya, but with many different reasons put together, the Maya empire collapsed just like any other would have in its place.

Academics

5/9/2012

 
        I think a personal stregnth of mine is academics.  Most subjects come quite easy to me and I comprehend nearly everything.   I tend to get good grades on most things.  The only academic subject that I don't think I'm very good at is Computers. 
        I'm not that great at many sports, so that is deffinately not a stregnth of mine.  I can play one sport and that's all.  So, throughout my life, I have mainly focused on school work. And, though I seldom study, I am pretty good at most school subjects.
 
        If I were the PE teacher, I would make sure that PE was an elective, not a required class. I think that PE just takes up 42 minutes per day of time that I could be learning something useful. I would also not make the students run very much.
        I understand that the students will have to run some, but the amount we run now is excessive. I would also have students vote on what the next unit would be. That way, I would know what sports kids enjoy and which ones they don't.