Recently by Morgan McQuay

How much is too much? I read recently in the New York Times, of parents able to go on line on a daily basis and check up on all their kids' activities at school. This is not a home school thing where they go in and track your work, but a number of programs have been designed to notify parents of their kid skipping a class or failing a test at school. While it is important for parents to be aware of what is going on in school, this completely detours from the relationship of a parent and kid. Growing up there where times that I did poorly on a stupid spelling test or on a science test, however I knew it wouldn't affect my overall grade and that eventually I could make it up. However, this program allows parents to know of each and every one of your grade without giving the child the time to tell them or explain anything to them. It makes it impossible for kids to mess up. When I was a kid I always resented getting yelled at or lectured for messing up one time out of a thousand, but no, parents pick that one time and never let up. These programs allow for continuous questioning and lecturing over simple mistakes kids our bound to make throughout school. This is not to say that the program may be beneficial to children with a history of skipping school or failing classes, but it leaves a large window of opportunity to get on to other children constantly about their school work even if they are an overall excellent student. I personally don't agree with the level this has been taken to. In the end, programs like ParentConnect are going to leave kids resentful of their parents, as well as make them not want to come home after school if they know all they are going to hear about is the C they got on their math test.Here is the site if you want to read more about it:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/fashion/04edline.html?ref=style

While there is only about a week and a half left of classes for the spring semester, I still feel as if this entire process is never ending. Summer, a time to relax and kick back is turning into a time of more school work. I am personally taking six hours over the summer as well as working. While we are ‘adults' now and becoming more accustom to the realities of the world all I can think about is how I am technically still in school and I would like at least ONE summer to do nothing.

I have not personally fallen behind in my class work, and I take an appropriate amount of hours each semester, however to graduate in the allotted four years, as much as I would enjoy taking a victory lap, I have to cram my summer full of class and work. I feel as I have spent the last two years filling up space on my arts form that frankly have little to do with my desired degree. It may just be me, but I feel as all the general requirements have been getting in the way of me advancing in my desired area as well as spilling over and consuming those precious three months that I use to call summer break. Well as of now the word break after summer has disappeared and been replaced with the word school, the place I could more than use a break from for the next couple of months.

I currently came across a book that I feel is the most straight-forward about what you eat. The book, obviously aimed at women but with tips for all, strategically reports about the type of food you put in your body without holding anything back. Skinny written by a former agent for Ford Models, Rory Freedman and former model Kim Barnouin, they tell you all the things that you don't really want to know about the food you eat with an in-your-face approach. I have skimmed through articles about eating healthy and a good balanced diet, but this is the first book that has honestly made me want to reevaluate what I choose to eat. The authors of this book have taken an extremist position on many issues, especially when it comes to foods that are derived from animals. I myself am a meat eater and couldn't even imagine giving it up, however the book really does make me stop and think about whether or not I want to eat that next bite of steak, no matter how good it is. I would recommend this book to anyone, not just if they are considering changing their diets, or need so inspiration, just anyone. If you are at all interested in taking a look at the book go to their web site http://www.skinnybitch.net/.