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Yesterday was Memorial Day and I thought I would just write about my day and a little about Memorial Day itself.  Every year I have to get up early to go to a Memorial Day parade in Lowell.  This year I went to bed really early and got about 13 hours of sleep so I was well rested the next morning.  For some reason, every year on memorial is the hottest day of the year so far.  The parade is really small with only a few people marching, the very small fort Frye high school marching band, and the 4-H club on a trailer pulled by my grand fathers tractor.  The reason we go every year is because my grand father is a past commander on the American Legion in Lowell so he is charge of leading the march of veterans and shouting commands.  So every year I go watch them do the same Memorial Day ceremony at the cemetery.  This year was so hot that I felt bad for my aging grand father marching five miles in 90-degree weather.  It’s pretty impressive that he can still do that.  After it was all over, I went up to his house to replace the chain and sprockets on my four-wheeler and then ride it around a little bit.  He was drunk from having shots at the bar with his veteran buddies.  The advice he gave me was that the first amendment is that you have the right to protect yourself and that you’re not an American unless you have a gun.

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I have two best friends and I really can’t choose between them.  My two best friends are also my room mates.  Adam and matt have been my best friends for a long time.  We met in middle school when we all joined the cross country team in 7^th grade.  We became friend through being team mates.  We all ran cross country and joined the track team for 6 years.  I have been close and hung out with them a lot ever since we met.  Our freshman year, they moved to Devola, which is where I have lived all my life.  We started hanging out a lot more once they moved closer because I could just walk or ride my bike over to their house.  Once we could drive, we would take turns driving to school and to practice.  The three of us and another friend had a combined graduation party because we’ve been friends for so long that we had a lot of people in common to invite.  Last year we didn’t live together but I spent a lot of time going over to their dorm to hangout and we all went out together just about every weekend.  I had a single last year and it’s so small it wasn’t a very good place to hangout.  This year was the first time we lived together and although we get on each others nerves at times, we have similar interests and opinions on things so we can usually work through our problems.

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My favorite place in the whole wide world would probably be where we go camping in the mountains every summer.  I am a member of the Mountain Top Hunting Club in the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia.  We don’t actually do any hunting when we go but we go on long ATV adventures and camp out for a week.  Every summer my grandparents take me and my cousins camping in the mountains.  The place that we set up camp is about 30 miles from town.  I usually sleep in a car hauler trailer that we use to bring the bikes up with.  We can’t sleep in tents because the bears can rip through them looking for food (it happened once). 

A general day for me up there starts by waking up early and starting the campfire.  Then, the whole camp (we have a group of about 20-30 people usually) packs lunches and gets ready for the daily ride on the trails.  Everyday the whole group usually rides about 25-40 miles.  After the ride, I usually go down to the lake to swim and wash off (no showers).  After dinner, the whole camp meets up at the campfire where we tell stories, make smores, drink beer and such. 

I always have so much fun up there but the reason that this is my favorite place is definitely because of the amazing natural scenery.  I love being able to just jump on my four-wheeler and go for a ride just to enjoy the nature and views the mountains have to offer.

            

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As of now, my major is currently pharmacy.  Pharmacy has been my interest since my senior year of high school.  I shadowed a friend of my mom and dad who is a pharmacist my senior year.  I found the pharmacy environment to be a nice place to work. Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs. The scope of pharmacy practice includes more traditional roles such as compounding and dispensing medications, and it also includes more modern services related to health care, including clinical services, reviewing medications for safety and efficacy, and providing drug information. Pharmacists, therefore, are the experts on drug therapy and are the primary health professionals who optimize medication use to provide patients with positive health outcomes.  Drugs and the way they react with our bodies has always interest me and that’s probably the main reason I chose this major.  The salary is fairly alluring also, being six figures.  Addicting drugs is what originally captured by interest.  The fact that the effect a substance can have on a human brain that can be rewarding enough to make a person become addicted really fascinated me.  Most functions in the body can be controlled by a drug and it’s amazing how the right combination of compounds can have such a significant effect on the human body and the brain.  I think developing new drugs or being a pharmacist would be really cool.

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I feel like if I had the opportunity to meet any famous person I want, I would have a tough time choosing.  Kanye West is definitely my favorite music artist of all time.  He would be up there on the list of potential famous people.  I have been listening to Kanye for a very long time.  I love all of his albums and just about all of his music.  808’s and heartbreak was definitely my least favorite album but it had a few good songs on it.  Graduation would be my favorite album and if I could have him do a private concert for my friends and I, I would want him to perform that whole album.  If I had the opportunity to hangout with him for one day, I would want to just do everything he does on a normal day and have him perform at my party.  Another person I would like to meet is Lebron James.  I think Lebron is one of the greatest athletes of all time.  It would be great to shoot around with him all day.  I’m really cheering for him to win at least one ring someday because and athlete like him really deserves it, despite all of the drama he has had over the last year.  Kid Cudi would be fun to hangout with too.  I once had a dream that Kid Cudi and Lebron James came over to my house to hangout and then me and Lebron chilled back stage while Cudi performed.

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I guess the weirdest dream I had been a long time ago, but I still remember it like yesterday. MY sisters and I were shrunk like the kids in honey I shrunk the kids. We were in our dad's glass of chocolate milk (mmm..chocolate milk..mmm) and he had one of those straws that look like the red and white barber stripes. He was going to drink us up. And we were trying to swim away. Then we escaped somehow and we were in the jungle (just the backyard) and we were looking up at my mom hanging the clothes on the clothesline. I think we were trying to get her attention. But we were so small and so far away. Anyways, oh, yeah once, I was running from this monster-swamp-thing-bad-man, and I ran into this person's driveway, I was so scared. There was this huge paper plate with stains and everything (I think  someone ate lasagna or enchiladas off of it) and it became my get away vehicle. I rode it down the street and he was right behind me. It was really funny afterward. But at the time I'm sure I was scared shitless. I don't like people following me or chasing me.  Oh and one time I dreamt that I could fly by using the breast stroke and swimming through the air.  This came in handy because I had to run from vicious raptors so I just flew up to the roof of a warehouse.

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Something in nature that really fascinates me is also considered to be one of the seven natural wonders of the world.  The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world.  I have always been fascinated by the ocean since I was little.  Coral reefs are one of the most interesting sites to see in the ocean and host thousands of species of wildlife.  The Great Barrier Reef actually consists of over 2,900 separate coral reefs, stretches over 1,600 miles, and can be seen from outer space. The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest individual formation created by living organisms. As the largest coral reef in the world, the Great Barrier Reef includes over 900 islands and supports one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Thirty species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises have been recorded in the Great Barrier Reef, including the dwarf minke whale, Hindo-Pacific humpback dolphin, and the Humpback Whale. Large populations of dugongs live there.   One day I would love to travel to Australia and visit the Great Barrier Reef.  It is one of my goals in life to scuba dive/snorkel in the GBR and really get a close look at what it has to offer.  My dad goes scuba diving from time to time and I would really like to get certified so I can enjoy the natural wonder.  I have been snorkeling in a coral reef off the coast of ft. Lauderdale and it was such a great experience.  So there is no doubt I would love the GBR.

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I would say that one of my biggest pet peeves is poor customer service.  If customer service is your job, you need to take it seriously just like any other job.  No matter how rude or uncivil the person you’re serving may be, it is your job to stay friendly and do your job.  The thing that really gets me is poor customer service when the customers are even being friendly and easy to manage.  I understand customer service can be rough so I generally don’t give anyone serving me a hard time.  But I get really frustrated and worked up when they can’t do their job correctly or are acting like it’s so inconvenient for them to just do their job.  Waiters and waitresses tend to be the biggest violators of my pet peeve.  Restaurants hire too many people that just are not fit to serve people.  If you make a mistake, you need to own up to it and maybe even do a little ass kissing to make up for it.  I hate when a waiter makes a mistake but then tries to say it is not their fault.  My best friends’ father used to own a restaurant and they both worked there.  They both have a good understanding of good service so we all get really annoyed when we go somewhere to eat and have a bad waiter or waitress.  If we get poor service, we usually don’t tip very well, if at all.

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The best present I think that I have ever gotten was a 2004 polaris scrambler 500.  I got it for Christmas a few years ago from my grandpa and my parents.  I remember how excited I was when I walked into my grandpa’s building and saw my new ATV sitting there.  Since I got my new bike, I have had so much fun riding it.  My grandpa has trails on his property where I can ride.  I have pretty much memorized all of the trails like the back of my hand from riding them so much.  Every year my grandparents take us grandchildren on a camping trip in the mountains.  We take all of our fourwheelers up with us to ride around on the hundreds of miles of trails.  We usually go camping up there for about two weeks and I sleep in a car hauler that we transport the bikes in.  We tried tents once but the bears just shred them up looking for food.  All day we ride fourwheelers on the trails.  Most days we’ll travel anywhere from 20 to 40 miles in one day so we pack snacks and lunch for the trails.  I have so much fun riding my bike up there every year and that is why it is by far the best present I have every received.  I suppose it’s also the most expensive present I’ve ever received too.

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My first job was lifeguarding a local public pool near my hometown of Marietta.  To become a lifeguard, I had to get certified in lifeguarding, CPR, first aid, and oxygen administration.  The minimum age to become certified in lifeguarding is 16 so I guarded the summer after my sophomore year of high school.  I was pretty nervous my first year at the pool.  Lifeguarding comes with a lot of responsibility and I wondered whether I would be ready to handle a situation like saving somebody’s life.  Lifeguarding is a pretty relaxed job and the people I worked with were a lot of fun.  I remember my first ‘save’.  I was guarding on a fairly busy day because it was nice out and a little girl jumped into the deep end and went over her head.  I jumped out of my chair and pulled her out of the pool quickly.  It feels good when you help someone but it also makes your heart race whenever you get out of the chair for a save.  Since my first year I have guarded for five years with my local YMCA and I’ve guarded at 6 different public and private pools.  I have always gotten along with and made friends with the people I have worked with.  We always find ways to make work fun.  Lifeguarding can be pretty boring and sometimes stressful so you have to find ways to have fun and enjoy it.

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Exercise is an issue many people have.  America gets a lot of criticism because of obesity and overweight problems in our country.  Most people have motivation problems when it comes to going to the gym or getting a workout in for the day to try and stay healthy and in shape.  A majority of exercise related articles are about self-motivation and tips to help get people more active.  There are tons of products to buy that claim they can get you in shape in a minimal amount of time.  Something I find interesting is on the other end of the spectrum that is an overlooked issue.  Exercise addiction and overtraining is a problem many people have.  Some people take their workouts to a point past being healthy.  Exercise and working out is considered good for you and healthy but many people take it too far.  Many people seek exercise as a method of relieving stress and workout for the good feeling they get from it.  Some people get addicted to this feeling and the endorphin rush they get from pushing themselves.  Overtraining is a common and very serious condition that occurs from over exertion when working out.  The body has limits and exercise is something, like most things, that needs to be done in moderation.  Another aspect of exercise that some people take to a point that becomes unhealthy is supplementation.  In search of a better physique, many people, mostly guys, take loads of supplements ranging from simple protein to growth hormones and steroids.  There is nothing wrong with exercise and taking supplements to stay healthy and shape but like most things, moderation is key.

            I know this isn’t really about a different culture.  But I took exercise enthusiasts as their own culture and society with customs that can lead to overtraining.  That’s where I was going with this blog.

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I figured that since I have to blog about a family member that I would blog about someone who has been an influential person and had an important impact on my life.  My grandfather is a great man who I have been very close to growing up.  When I was young, my grandpa’s house was somewhere I went a lot and really enjoyed.  I always had fun at his house.  His house is located in the woods so there were a lot of fun things to do.  I used to go on adventures through the woods on his property and he took all of us grandchildren on four wheeler rides a lot.  I loved spending time with him because of the stories he would tell.  He had so many sweet stories from back in the day when he was younger.  He used to do so many crazy things when he was a kid.  One of my favorites was when he had his Cadillac and ran from the cops.  Something you can’t really get away with anymore.  His war stories were very interesting too.  He was a tank driver in World War II and was oversees in Germany for three years.  My grandpa has been the biggest role model in my life.  I credit who I am today from his life lessons.  He has always been there whenever I need him.  When I got arrested last summer, he was the one who came at 3 in the morning to get me out of jail.  My grandpa is a very interesting man and I aspire to be like him.

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The number one aspect of grammar that I always seem to have issues with is the proper use of the comma and semi-colon.  I don’t really know much about the rules of using commas.  I usually feel as though I am using them the right way when I’m writing but I’m never really sure.  When I write, I say what I’m writing in my head as if I am talking out loud.  I place commas where it sounds right to pause if I were speaking out loud.  There are also some other common grammar mistakes I fall victim to occasionally.  I think over the years I have figured out the proper use of some of these tricky words in grammar.  The thing I get annoyed by easily is the improper use of your and you’re.  All it takes to avoid this error is to take a second and think about what you’re trying to say.  “Your” is a possessive pronoun, as in “your car” or “your blog.” “You’re” is a contraction for “you are,” as in “you’re screwing up your writing by using your when you really mean you are.  “There” and “their” are used improperly just the same.  “Its” and “it’s” is one that used to stump me as well.  “It’s” is a contraction of “it is” or “it has.” “Its” is a possessive pronoun, as in “this blog has lost its mojo.” Here’s an easy rule of thumb, just repeat your sentence out loud using “it is” instead. If that sounds weird, “its” is likely the correct choice.

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I have decided that the title for this project should be something clever about identical twins.  I was thinking something like “do you know who you are?” or “How to identify yourself” or ‘identical twins and the end of the world’.  I’m leaning towards the last title at this point.  I’ll have to talk to my roommates and see what title they like best and if they have any ideas.  Also, I thought it might be important to mention that although my roommates will be referred to a lot in my article, I will not be using their names or at least I will change them.  Alright, I also need to write a brief introduction.  I have been struggling to come up with ways to hook my reader about identical twins so I think a slightly sarcastic tone might help.

            Have you ever met two identical twins at a party and was immediately fascinated that they look so much alike you can’t imagine telling them apart?  You might ask them something obviously dumb such as, “how do you know that you are you and not your brother.”  You think this is hilarious at the time but they have heard it hundreds of times, and its not funny, trust me.  Be warned by your “hilarious” twin jokes though, because identical twins might just take over the world one day.  When this happens, you don’t want to be the one remembered as making lame twin jokes at the party.  

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My personal anecdote is about some experiences i have had with my two best friends and roommates.  My roommates are identical twins and share the same DNA.  Most people get them confused and few people can find a way to tell them apart.  People seem to have a lot of interest in identical twins.  My friends draw a lot of attention when we all go somewhere together and meet new people.  Of course this is where the bad twin jokes come into play that we have all heard a thousand times.  "How do you know you're not your brother."  Most of these jokes just annoy them because they take away from their own identity.  Too many people just group them together as if they are one person.  One popular myth or theory is that identical twins share a mental connection deep enough to share thoughts and ideas.  This has been somewhat proven by the fact that twins are often caught saying the same thing.  There have been several times that i have been alone in the room with one of them having a conversation about something and then later having almost the same conversation with his brother.  They will structure the conversation almost the same and even come up with the same ideas.  I believe that there is some connection there and that it is likely due to the development of their brain structures because they share the same DNA.

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Identical twins aren’t exactly a topic that seems that significant.  In fact, I’m sure for most people the topic would never pop into their heads unless they are reading an article about them.  So I think that the purpose of this paper, or it at least what I want anyone who reads it to get from it, is just awareness about identical twins and how it could be a topic of discussion in future studies when human cloning becomes a reality.  I think the idea of uniqueness and personality or self-identity can be better explained by identical twins.  If two people with identical DNA can form completely independent personalities, then it shows how environmental factors play a huge role in personal development.  I would also like to explore more into the theories of EMT communication or the possibility that, due to almost identical brain structure at an early age, that there is a deeper mental connection between identical twins than there is between two random people or average siblings.  From personal experience as well as various other accounts and stories, I have heard twins say the exact thing at different times or come up with the exact same idea while separated from each other.  I think I could include some awareness about what not to say to twins also.  My roommates constantly hear bad twin jokes and odd questions such as “how do you know you’re not your brother.”  I think identical twins everywhere would be glad if people stopped.

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I think that I can make my topic about identical twins quite compelling to read by using interesting research involving identical twins.  Identical twins is a fairly common phenomenon so not a lot of people appreciate the science that can be centered around twins and the usefulness of this research in up-and-coming technology involving human cloning.  It’s interesting how identical twins can share identical DNA and inner structure while developing their own complete uniqueness. While most twins grow up in the same home environment, there are many circumstances that create differences in the children’s appearances, personalities, and interests. As the twins approach the teen years, they may even seek to establish dissimilar qualities in order to establish individual identities.                                                  A study conducted by a team of researchers at the Spanish National Cancer Center in Madrid concluded that, while identical twins are born with the same epigenome, their epigentic profiles begin to diverge as they age. The differences increase as twins live longer and spend more time apart. The scientists offered two theories to explain this phenomenon. First, that epigentic marks are removed randomly as people age. Secondly, environmental influences change the pattern of epigentic marks.  This makes the topic interesting and compelling because it shows a lot about the power of the human brain and it’s ability to adapt.  Research about twins is very important in ethical considerations in human cloning by presenting evidence that the clone will develop it’s own unique personality.