I am thinking about moving out and how scary it’s going to be. Am I going to be able to afford living on my own and be able to pay my bills? I will not be able to go out as much, but if I have extra money at the end of the week or month, then I might be able to go to the movies or to a nice restaurant. I have a few friends that live on their own. They told me it was confusing at one point, but they eventually got the hang of things. I hope it will happen soon. I will give you an update.

Moving Guys Carrying a House

-Matt

Hooters' Logo

I recently went to Hooters in Miami (love their wings!!!!),  and when I went the place was packed. I waited an hour for a table that wasn’t even cleaned, but that is what you get at a sports eatery. Anyway, the waitress finally came, and had an attitude. She was like “what do ya want to drink?” I was like “Wait, it’s not my fault the place is packed and there is barely any room to walk. Be polite to me!” (All of this was said in my head by the way.) So I told her I wanted a glass of water. About 10 minutes later she brings the water and slides it to me and doesn’t even give me a straw! Now it was time to be rude back. At this particular Hooters they don’t have any Braille or large print menus, sooooooooo, when she asked what I wanted I was like “Um do you have and large print menus?” She said no, so of course she had to read every item on the menu for me. Oh and before you guys think I was a total jerk, it was late when I went and my friends were driving because my eyes were tired, so I wasn’t a complete jerk. Yes, my friends could have read it for me, but they weren’t getting paid.

-Josue

I’ve always been interested in volunteering, and I’ve always enjoyed doing it. Before I moved out on my own I never really had a way to find volunteering ideas on my own. Usually my school or other programs that I am involved in would offer different ways to get involved and volunteer. Now that I live in the Tampa Bay area, there is a website that I heard advertised on the radio called “Tampa Bay Needs Me.” This site is organized by the counties in the area, and it has a list of companies that are looking for volunteers. I feel like I’ve reached the jackpot!! It’s like the volunteer opportunities are coming to me. I’ve already signed up to volunteer with the people at Easter Seals. It makes me wonder if other areas in Florida have this same kind of website. I advise everyone to look into volunteering, it’s a great way to get involved and give back to your community. 

-Whitney

Did you know that about 39 percent of the households in America have a canine addition to the family?  That’s over 43,000,000 American households and around 77.5 million dogs that have found a special place in the hearts of their owners!  Dogs are definitely man’s best friend.

Daisy

I have two dogs, both from the pound, that have proven to be the most amazing blessings in my life.  Lately, I have been overwhelmed by the amount of essays, exams, and assignments that I am responsible for each week.  Suddenly, driving, sifting through endless stacks of college letters, preparing to write for scholarships, and considering my options for life after high school has been thrown into the already chaotic mix.  I come home each day feeling exhausted and drained of all motivation, until I feel the little wet noses nudging my hands.  I feel the warm breath of my favorite fury friends on my arm as they beg for love.  Throwing down the burden of my backpack, I collapse on the floor and let my little fluffy bundles of joy jump into my lap, kissing my forehead with their warm pink tongues.  For a few minutes, I tell them all the stressful things that happened during the day and about the pile of work that awaits me at home.  Their beautiful brown eyes sparkle in anticipation as they wait for my story to come to an end.  I am so sure that they are listening, and understanding everything that I say.  I invite one of them to snuggle up on my lap to keep me company as I scatter my Spanish, AP American History, and Calculus (ugh!) textbooks all over the floor in my room.  Whenever I get tired of reading and writing, I take a deep breath, give my pup a big squeeze and some petting, and then get back to work.  Somehow, the work gets done faster when I’ve got a little buddy curled up in my lap.  I’m so glad that I rescued these little guys.  Though we give them a lot: food and water to keep them healthy, a warm and loving home, and lots of walks; they have given back so much.  I am proud to say that I am a dog lover!

Echo

-Ashlen

Nexus 1

Next I’m happy that I’m going to be getting a new TV, too long have I not enjoyed the HD world. So I will be buying one probably within the next money.

Thirdly, the Family café is coming up and I had a pretty fun time last time and I’m hoping I can have even more fun this time around.

But before that I will have my spring break which I take very seriously, I intend to lock myself in a room with lots of cheezits, romen, my HDTV (hopefully) and my video games. Hopefully I can catch up on all the time I’ve missed recently.

Now these next three things are a bit more down the road but worth the wait.

Firstly is the next Annual Youth Summit. I hope to see a lot of old and new faces there.

Secondly is the new research into holographic TV. I’m really wondering how this will turn out in the next 10 years or so.

And lastly is a new movie coming out, The Hobbit.  I’ve loved the book since I was a small child so I hope the movie is good. I do know that there are actually going to be two movies, to split them up.

The Hobbit

-Nick