Final Food Paper...

From the start of time, food has been one of the most important factors within ones life, and has had an huge impact even on those of different religions. Within the second semester of school, one topic we focused on was food. Specifically, how our food is produced or even how it is being picked, who pick our food, how we shop, what we eat, how we cook it, all these things that associate with the production of food. At the start of the food course we were assigned a homework where we had to tell everything that was in our refrigerators at the moment. From looking into my refrigerator i had basic things like, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, cheese, turkey, ham, salad dressings and than i had other foods like spaghetti, vegetables such as celery, i also had plenty of fruits strawberries, apples, pineapples, etc. and most of all i had juice. These things within my refrigerator was a way for me to analyze how i eat, or what i eat. Although some of the things within my refrigerator were not healthy i thought i would question why organic foods were considered "better" than regular unhealthy foods.

As a way to understand this i did internet research from a website named "The Healthiest Foods", i found out that organic food contains less toxins such as pesticides and solvents compared to agricultural foods we usually eat. Also organic food contains more higher level of protein, vitamin c, and minerals. From understanding this, it made it easier for me to understand a different way of eating compared to my eating habits and to experience this i thought it would be a good thing to try eating organic made foods. This practice did not work out as well as i thought it would because the food had tasted different than regular made foods that i eat already. Being able to experience this was probably the best thing that i could have done. I took it a step further and understanding how my family shop in grocery stores and how healthy the foods are and how i go about buying the foods i eat.

When shopping in grocery stores, my mom always make sure to stock up on can goods, like green beans, collard greens, corn, lots of vegetable, while also buying meats staying away from pork. Most of the time she come back with chicken, & fish which are the two most meats that we eat in my house. She may also pick up fruits, like strawberries, apples, mangos, oranges, pears and that would last us throughout the month. If food begins to run low in my house she may go to the local supermarket, path mark, everything there is sometimes affordable but sometimes it is over priced. I also thought about how the way my mom cook compared to the way others within the US cooked could of been different. In my house, my mom usually cooks all the dinners. Maybe twice a week I contribute to cooking dinner. When my mom cooks she often try to stay away from salts, and use healthy ingredients to prevent high blood pressure, or diabetes, which runs in my family. Usually when dinner is served it is before 9 PM.

Compared to the Us Mainstream i notice that many Americans eat unhealthy. They often use too much salts and oils for example Mc Donald's. When the movie Super Size Me came about i thought many people would learn their lessons of eating less fast foods but i guess over time it has gotten worse.

Food Assignment #7

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE DESSRT


Ingredients:
68 NILLA Wafers, divided
3 cups sliced strawberries, divided
3 cups cold milk
2 (4 serving size) packages JELL-O Cheesecake Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 (8 ounce) tub COOL WHIP Strawberry Whipped Topping, thawed

1. Cover bottom of 2-1/2-quart clear glass serving bowl with 24 of the wafers; top with 1 cup of the strawberry slices. Set aside.

2. Pour milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Spoon half of the pudding mixture over strawberry layer; cover with 1 cup of the whipped topping. Repeat layers using 24 wafers, 1 cup strawberries, remaining pudding mixture, and 1 cup of the remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

3. Arrange 8 whole wafers and 8 strawberry slices alternately around edge of serving bowl. Top with the remaining 12 wafers, 1/2 cup of the remaining strawberry slices and the remaining whipped topping. Garnish with remaining strawberries.

Grocery Store and Habitual Food

Well about once or twice a month my mother shops for groceries. At least one of those times she shop at a warehouse called "Costco", here they have a large amount of a food at a discount price. For example lets say a bag of chicken wings in a store like Path Mark are 10 dollars Costco's would sell the same bag, same brand for about 8 dollars. My mom always make sure to stock up on can goods, like green beans, collard greens, corn, lots of vegetable, while also buying meats staying away from pork. Most of the time she come back with chicken, & fish which are the two most meats that we eat in my house. She may also pick up fruits, like strawberries, apples, mangos, oranges, pears and that would last us throughout the month. If food begins to run low in my house she may go to the local supermarket, path mark, everything there is sometimes affordable but sometimes it is over priced.

From my experiences in grocery stores, many stores like costco send you coupons where you have a percentage off of a certain item or get an extra item for whatever you buy. In path mark i noticed that they have particular sales, for example soda sales where you get 3 cases of sodas for the price of one.

Food Journal

Tuesday Night Dinner:
-Tacos(beef, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, italian dressing)
-Tortilla Chips w/ Guacamole
-Drink: Perrier Water
((Cooked by Mom, eaten with hands, there was a conversation))

Feelings::
Before:
I was too tired, I wanted to eat and go to bed because i lost a couple hours of sleep.

During:
I was satisfied.

After:
Relieved that I ate & wanted to go to sleep

Wednesday
Morning:
-Bacon, Egg & Cheese
-French Vanilla Capuchino
((From Emma's, eaten w hands, cooked by mexicans, no conversation))

Before:
Starving & couldn't wait to eat

During:
No feeling

After:
Pleased

Lunch:
-Latin Thing: Ecuadorian chicken, black beans, yellow rice
-Drink: Snapple
((Cooked by spaniards, eaten w/ spoon, there was conversation))

Before:
I had a crave for spanish food

During:
Happy

After:
Excited & Full

Dinner:
-Fish
-Salad(lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, green & red peppers)
-Drink(Hawaiian Punch)
((Cooked by mom, Eaten w/ fork, There was conversation))

Before:
Didn't have a taste for it but was hungry

During:
Delighted

After:
Full & Tired

Food Cultures ((Home & Corporate))

How do you do food at home? How do people in the U.S. mainstream do food - as shown in TV and movies? Please write a one page comparison of your family's foodways, your foodways, and mainstream corporate US food ways.

Think about implements. Speed. Convenience. Togetherness. Ingredients. Healthiness. Sacredness. etc.

In my house, my mom usually cooks all the dinners. Maybe twice a week I contribute to cooking dinner. We eat lots of pasta, salads, and fish, as an alternative to stay away from the fried foods. Because I live in a neighborhood where there are not any fancy supermarkets, we often go to path-mark which i believe carry the same items as any other supermarket. When my mom cooks she often try to stay away from salts, and use healthy ingredients to prevent high blood pressure, or diabetes, which runs in my family. The food is often made around the same time each night, about 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. When we do eat dinner we eat together, and watch corny soap operas like all my children because thats a TV my mom loves. Last but not least, when dinner is being made, my mom always tries to please everyone in my house so she makes a dish that everyone liked.

US Mainstream-
Compared to the American way of cooking, most of the foods are unhealthy. They often use too much salts and oils for example McDonalds. Lots of people in the US eat out to fast food places, which is the reason why our cultures food is unhealthy. American culture are not accustomed to cooking. The culture was born to know how to cook or taught how to cook.

Internet Research

1. Why are organic foods better for health?

-Organically grown food is your best way of reducing exposure to toxins used in conventional agricultural practices. The toxins include pesticides that were said to have a potential to cause cancer and metals like lead and mercury and solvents like benzene and toluene. Heavy metals damage nerve function, contributing to diseases such as multiple sclerosis and lowering IQ, and also block hemoglobin production, causing anemia. Organically grown foods have been shown to contain substantially higher levels of nutrients such as protein, vitamin C and many minerals.

-Rats fed organic food were significantly healthier than their peers given conventionally-grown produce. (Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, February 2005) During the experiment, 36 rats were divided into three groups. All were given potatoes, carrots, peas, green kale, apples, rapeseed oil, and the same vitamin supplements. One group was fed organic food, another conventionally grown food with high levels of fertilizer and some pesticide, and the third group received minimally fertilized conventionally grown food.

Source:
The World's Healthiest Foods
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=faq&dbid=17#Health

Refreigerator Assignment

Heres some things stored in my refrigerator:
1. Mayonnaise
2. Jelly
3. Salad Dressing(Ranch, Italian, French, Balsomic Vinegrette)
4. Spaghetti
5. Salad
6. Cheese(American & Swiss)
7. Turkey
8. Water
9. Juice(Hawaiian Punch)
10. Milk
11. Fruit(Strawberries, Pineapples, Apples, Tomatoes)
12. Vegetables(Celery)

The reason why most of these things are in the refrigerator is because of my mom. Most of the things usually in my fridge are healthy, while the things i contribute to the refrigerator are unhealthy. I often eat spaghetti and salad or other pastas. I usually make sandwiches when i get home from school which is the reason why i have lots of turkey & cheese. I don't drink milk unless its in cereal so most of the time it goes to waste. When i eat dinner i always drink juice and Hawaiian punch is my favorite. In my house the food made that isn't eaten is put in the refrigerator as a leftover. I believe that no food should go to waste or should be given to someone who doest have any food which is the reason why there are leftovers. I eat leftover although they dont taste the same as when it is first made.

Health Questions

1. Are all thing people healthy?
-People who maintain their weight through diet rather than exercise are likely to have major deposits of internal fat, even if they are otherwise slim.



2. What does health really mean?
-a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease
-the general condition of body and mind


3. Do teens consume have more of a healthy nutrition than adults or children?
-Teens need good nutrition to support healthy growth and development, but they are less likely than either adults or children to consume adequate amounts of fresh produce.


4. How do someone keep a healthy diet?
-Eat enough calories but not too many.
-Keep portions moderate
-Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes
-Limit sugary foods, salt, and refined-grain products
-Drink more water
-One step at a time

Answers To Old People & Statistics...

Andy Theory 101:
-When you explore a topic and answer questions you understand a topic better
-A good way to learn things is by making questions

2. What percentage of old people are widows?
Studies show that widowhood is common in older women rather than older men. Women who are 65 and over were three times as men of the same age to be widowed 42% compared to men to be widowed 13%. In 2007, 76 percent of women age 85 and over were widowed compared with 36 percent of men widowed. (http://www.agingstats.gov/agingstatsdotnet/Main_Site/Data/2008_Documents/Population.aspx)

4. What percentage of old people are sexually active?
57 percent of men and 52 percent of women today enjoy sex. About one quarter of those old people ages 75 to 85 are now sexually active. (http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/sexual-reproductive/2008/09/04/making-the-most-of-the-new-sexual-revolution.html)

7. What percentage of the population is over 65?
In 2006, 37 million people age 65 and over lived in the United States. (http://www.agingstats.gov/agingstatsdotnet/Main_Site/Data/2008_Documents/Population.aspx)

8. What percentage of old people live in poverty?
3.4 million seniors age 65 and older live below the poverty line. (Currently, 3.4 million seniors age 65 and older live below the poverty line.)


14. What percentage of old people use prescribed drugs?
Researcher found that 91 percent of U.S. adults, about 50.5 million, used at least one medication regularly. Prescription medicines were used by 81 percent of adults, or 44.9 million older Americans. Most medications were used by those 75 to 85 years old. (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_73119.html)

Old People & Statistics...

1. What percentage of old people live in nursing homes?
2. What percentage of old people are widows?
3. How many old people per year commit suicide?
4. What percentage of old people are sexually active?
5. What percentage of old people still work?
6. What percentage of old people still receive food stamps?
7. What percentage of the population is over 65?
8. What percentage of old people live in poverty?
9. What percentage of old people interact with younger generations? (teenagers)
10. What percentage of old people come overseas to live better lives?
11. What percentage of old people keep in touch with family members?
12 what percentage of old people use know how to use or do use today's technology?
13. How many old people have health care?
14. What percentage of old people use drugs?
15. How do you feel internally? (Taj's Group)
16. What is the anti-depressant rate for old people? (Sam Rios)
17. What percentage of old people retire per year? (No Name)
18. Is old people really useless? or worthless? Values of old people? (No Name)
19. How much of the day do old people spend on their old?
20. How do old people spend their money? (Mara)

Inauguration Ceremonies!

This is a moment that i think all Americas whether for Obama or against Obama will remember for the rest of their life. The inauguration to me was the most exciting thing that i experienced in my life. Not just because Obama is the first African-American President but because I lived to see a day I thought was never possible in Americas government. We all to some extent never thought this would happen, but with this day we can now live our lives knowing that anything is possible in America.
The inauguration was inspirational to me, Obama's speech was outstanding and well spoken. He did not criticize America for what we did not do, he criticized us for what we as Americans did wrong and how he is going to stand up to fix our mistakes to make America and its citizens comfortable. In his speech he quotes "we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord." This to me meant that America and its citizens did not better themselves instead was in fear that they would not accomplish what they needed to accomplish as one, so instead we landed ourselves in war.
The inaugural ball was the most and biggest event that any president has ever had. There were many celebrities, from actors to actresses to singers and rappers. The first dance was the highlight of the night with the help of Beyonce who sang "at last" and Obama and his wife taking the spotlight in the middle of the stage. Many people shed tears of joy. As i was watching the ball, one couple thought it was the perfect day to get engaged. This shows how much people value Obama's presidency. Although we still have four more years ahead of us, we will never forget the day we never thought would come.

Big Paper

Throughout life i often wonder what make up a good and meaningful life to an individual. I noticed that it isnt just one idea or belief that surrounds one good and meaningful life but there are many. Many people have these theories that to have a good and meaningful life you have to surround yourself with family and friends, but within these lines are a thousand other ways to what a good and meaningful life is. From interviewing random people while on the streets of NYC and family and friends, I realized that many people actually were outside of these line with the theories i stated above. For example, one man who handing out free newspapers reported that a good and meaningful life is "Art," but when i asked to specify why art makes him have a good and meaningful life he said " because Im an artist." Anther random guy who was having alone time in the park stated that a good and meaningful life to him is "women, wine and song," which i did not understand what he meant but i found out that he was quoting a song. I assumed that a good and meaningful life to him is music because he quoted a song. Although these two men thought outside of these lines of just family and families there was one guy who still believe that family was apart of someone having a good and meaningful life. He stated that "family and accessories" makes up his good and meaningful life. There was one interesting comment that a candy man stated that you would not hear many people report. I asked him "what is a good and meaningful life to you?" he stated "I do not Know. Ask my Boss." I thought it was interesting to hear this because many usually involve family but this guy involved his boss, so i thought that his job was probably a good and meaningful life to him. I Life my good and meaningful life simply by sharing my love for my friends and family as well as my favorite hobbies such as writing and dancing. Sharing my love with my family and friends is the most meaningful things in my life because they are always there to give me a helping hand when i need it. But my hobbies such as dancing and writing are what make my life good. All of these things make up my good and meaningful life. Though we as people have our theories of what makes a good and meaningful life, we have the media that often give us ideas of what a good and meaningful life should be like. For example, we have MTV, there's people all over the world who watch this station. We often hear messages from this station that to have a good and meaningful life, you have to live your life like a celebrity, and the messages within this is to have the right body, wear the right clothes and be presentable(look good). Corporate media usually sends out three types of messages, they usually introduce the dominant, marginal and prohibited messages.

Trampled Wal-Mart Worker

what does this show about how people live?
The Walmart worker that was trampled on black friday simply shows the courtesy of people in this society. This was unpleasant to a man who was working to possibly live a good and meaninguful life and was cut short because people were
about people's priorities? about our culture? if anything? use specific evidence.)

Black Friday/BND

Did you shop or not-shop?
Black Friday was far most the worst day of my life! I never believed that so many people actually come out on this day to shop and catch sales. It was my first time seeing millions of people crowd the streets. If you get enough of tourists, crowded streets of 34th street, and people bumping you then this definitely wasn't a holiday to involve yourself in. After all, i shopped a little after being frustrated with the millions of people that surrounded me in huge department stores like Macy's, Bloomingdales, Bergdorg Goodman, and some other small stores like Gap, American Eagle, Rugby, etc. I didn't expect many people to be out shopping due to the financial but they proved my point wrong. Before break sitting in Andy's class, he told us that black friday was also said to be "buy nothing day." I interpreted that as buy nothing? how could you not buy anything on this day and there's numerous sales and selective products that you run across. To me buy nothing day went in one ear and out the other, the only way for me to have a good and meaningful life is by exploring my personal desires and to me that is buying what i want. At the end of the day I feel like I accomplished something because I did something I love.

TURKEY DAY!

After all, Thanksgiving wasn't what i expected it to be. Having family time is most important thing I look forward to every year when thanksgiving is coming around. This year it didn't affect me the same way it had done past years, most of my family went away, and all of my cousins within my age range wasn't there to celebrate with me. The only thing i had left to think about was being thankful for a loving family, caring friends, and waking up everyday to live another day. Genocide did not come up as a topic on thanksgiving, although i did think about the people who lost their lives and sacrificed, the pilgrims. Simply, a holiday like Thanksgiving is for individuals to give thanks family and friends and spin time with their families as it becomes a ritual each and every Thanksgiving. To me, Thanksgiving helps individuals overcome past struggles and grow into a new person by spending time with the people they love. This often helps one to believe that they are living a good and meaningful life by sharing their love.

Introductory Paragraph...What is a good and meaningful life?

What is a meaningful life? What do people say about it? How do they know? How do you live a good and meaningful life?

Throughout life, i often wonder what contributes to make a good and meaningful life.

Ideas & Answers from people interviewed

What does it mean to have a meaningful life?

My sister: "To Live and Learn, While Learning To Live

People on the street:
A guy who worked in the candy station says "I dont know, ask my boss"
A guy in the park said "women, wine, and song" which he quoted a song.
Another Guy in the park said "Family and acccesories"
An man handing out newspapers reported "Art." When I asked him why he said "Because im an artist."

Comments to others videos/Insights & Analysis

To Bonnie:
I enjoyed your video because of the music. The music definitely defined how you feel about everything that is meaningful to you. I really like the clip of you and jeffrey walking, very movie like.

To Dinorah:
I felt a connection from your video through your likes of animals especially dogs. I love dogs! your life doesnt seem meaningless afterall!

To Katherine:
I agree with kyle comment, although it was jus a slideshow of pictures it did show what you value the most, family. I actually value my family alot also so i could definitely connect.

To Bao Lin:
After watching your video i felt relaxed because your pictures was alot of nature and i would actually like to visit china in the future so that made me interested! also great photography!

To Reiko:
Reiko definitely loved your video, the coloring of the many different pictures in your video was great and i am a fan of photography. Goodluck with photography, maybe on day if i ever decide to take modeling to another level you may be one of my photographers!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Analysis:
1. I noticed that many people used family and friends as a meaningful aspect in their lives including myself so to me that shows me that our life is meaningful because family and friends bring hapiness and joy.
2. I noticed that a lot of the videos had very calm music, this to me described the mood of the person and the emotions of the things in their life that is meaningful to them.
3. The last thing that striked my attention in the videos is the use of color. This showed me that those people could be meaningful in some way because color describes happiness and it is a like to many people.

Description:
1. What have you included in this video?
In this video, I included a several other videos, one of myself modeling at a beauty pageant, another shows my friends and I celebrating my friend Alex birthday at hooters and the last video of Jay-Z live in Concert at the Apollo theatre. I also included many pictures of friends and myself at birthday celebrations, silly pictures, and a picture of the great college tour experience junior year at SOF.

2. Which parts of the video related to relatively meaningful aspects of your life? Which parts related to relatively meaningless aspects of your life?
I believe that all of the parts in my video are meaningful to myself. I believe that spending 5 years of my life with most of my friends is an accomplishment. This is true because many people go through ups and downs but within my “circle of friends” I realized those that I appreciate all that they have helped me to be as well that those that appreciated me. I feel that celebrating with one another is a true deed and being able to enjoy the company of others is greatly appreciated as well, though at many times I can very silly which is a part of my personal character.

I also believe that putting a clip of Jay Z in concert is actually a meaningful moment in my life because though I am not a fan of rap his lyrical ability and messages relate to me and my life growing up.


3. What would you have liked to have included but weren’t able to?
Something that I would have liked to include in the video was actually footage of my everyday life. The reason I wanted to do this was because I often feel that I actually do have a meaningless life at times, but at least having an actual cameral rolling for at least 24 hrs out of my life would of probably helped me understand that my life isn’t meaningless after all.



Analytical:
4.What seem to be some of the main criteria you use (emotionally +/or mentally) to assess how meaningful an aspect of your life is?
When trying to address how meaningful an aspect of my life is I usually think about how it will affect me in the future. The reason why I do this is because I try to spend less time on the less important things to me and try to expand on the more important thing to me. For example, going to school and finishing to go to college is a major aspect in my life and that what I try to focus on more. In my opinion, I believe that being able to relate to something in some way could be a sign of a meaningful life.

5. Is there a pattern in what you find meaningful or meaningless? What are some of the elements in that pattern?
I believe that there is a pattern in the things that I find meaningful. The meaningful things in my life reoccur often, which I think I will benefit from. Family plays a valid role in my life and this one of the things that is very meaningful to me because through my ups and downs they are always there to push me forward and help me. Being able to share love and happiness and having a connection are the key elements.

6. Looking at the video as a whole – is it a fairly honest/accurate depiction of your life? Does it make you seem interesting/special/exciting?
This video is actually an honest depiction of my life because the events included in my video are things that play a role in my life everyday and things that are very meaningful to me.

In someway it make me seem exciting like being able to have fun with my friends and be "silly" at the same time. It mostly makes me seem special because knowing where I came from and not being able to relate to people but being able to enjoy the company of those who can relate to me in some way and building bond with my friends is important. Also doing something I love, "modeling", also shows that my life is interesting, being able to model 3 pound angel wings was not the hardest thing I’ve done in life.

7. Does your life seem meaningful from an outside perspective? Is it from an inside perspective? Why?
My life does seem meaningful from the outside perspective. If a person can relate to the things I did in the video, like, celebrating with friends, going to concerts, experiencing challenges in life, and being silly, which many people can, than my life would seem meaningful. If they can watch my video and be able to appreciate the things that are meaningful to them than my life would seem meaningful.

From an inside perspective, it plays the same role.

8. What questions do you have about living a meaningful life at this point?
*How come we waste time on things that are less meaningful to us?
*Is there really such thing as a meaningful life?
*How does a person know when their life is meaningful?

Meaningless

test 12 12 12mic check 12 12