Bone Health for Girls

     I am a Girl Scout, and I just made a presentation about bone health as part of a Women's Health badge. Please read it, it has lot's of cool info and advice! This is a link to the slides in Google Documents where you can view it: 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1FdXsPQnGjH89Y44X5z7YZrBV5Xy1RF2S3b55UFPRyC0/edit#slide=id.p

For more info about bone health for girls, go to bestbonesforever.gov

The International Space Station

     What is a zero-gravity environment, 230 miles above the surface of the Earth, in a satellite moving 4.8 miles a second called? The International Space Station! Otherwise known as the ISS, this large satellite is larger than a football field.  However, unlike other satellites, the ISS is home to a crew of  usually 6 international astronauts all year round.
     The ISS began as a dream during the Cold War. The Cold War wasn't actually a war, although it did close a couple times, between the Soviet Union, AKA the USSR, and America as a battle for space exploration and world influence. The space exploration part of this "war" was called the Space Race. It pretty much ended when the U.S. sent man to the moon, and now instead of competing with the USSR, now Russia, we are partnering with them. The ISS is an international project with much contributed from the U.S and Russia.
     The ISS began to be built in the early 90s, and with modules being added. The ISS will technically never be complete, because countries keep adding new modules, building the ISS even today.
     The International Space Station is the most expensive project that the world has ever taken on. Despite what many people think, the ISS is in full use. It is used as a research lab with international scientists living full-time on board.
     Life on the ISS is very cramped, but they manage. The crew switches out every so often, and new scientists and astronauts (Russian astronauts are called cosmonauts) come on board.
     Ever wonder how they get to and from the ISS? Well, they use a Russian spacecraft called the Soyuz, which was built in the 60s. It holds up to three people and it uses a really cool docking mechanism to attach to the ISS main module.
     The International Space Station is one of the most prestigious projects that mankind has ever done, and not many people know much about it. You can look up more info on the ISS on the NASA website.

Journal Writing!

     What does society think of when the word "journal" pops up? Do they think of a junior high girl giggling as she writes about boys in her diary with a bedazzled pen? Or do they think of an explorer, jotting down his adventures into a leather-bound book in the light of an old lantern?
     There are many different ideas when it comes to keeping a journal. In my opinion, keeping a journal is very important. Starting to journal when you are young will prove beneficial in your later years, or maybe even in a few days. Looking back at what you did and how you felt at the time can help you make better choices in the future.
     I am an avid journal-er. I write every day in my personal journal (which is an awesome bright orange), and I journal about everything: my feelings, music, crushes, and even current events. It makes me feel better when I'm upset, and it's fun to read later on.
     Keeping a journal is very easy, and consists of three basic steps. First, write down anything you want. Just put what's in your mind on paper, even if it seems silly. You don't have to put any planning into it, or punctuation. You could even draw pictures in your journal. The next step is to never tear out pages or delete/erase what you wrote, no matter how tempting it is. Even this step is hard for me, and I have broken this "rule" many times in the past. The last step is review what you wrote, either immediately after to a year later. You can reflect on what you wrote, and maybe see how silly it was. All of these are the basic start of journaling, also, you don't have to write every day if you don't want to.
     When it comes to picking out what kind of journal to have, it is entirely your choice. You could make your own journal, or you can use a composition book. Maybe a pink diary with a lock and key is what you want, or you could even journal on the computer.
     Journaling is a great habit to start early, and it will prove to be very valuable later in life. I highly recommend it!

   

Malala Yousafzai (Again)

Remember Malala Yousafzai? Well, she has been released from the hospital in London! She will be staying with her family nearby for about four weeks until she can get another skull reconstruction surgery. She has recovered well, according to the doctors who took care of her. I hope she will continue her work as a young activist, and maybe get a Nobel Peace Prize.

Malala leaving the hospital.