Here's a link to one of the songs in my orchestra performance last night. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYx6llyjWEQ

The 11 Elements of Eating (inspired by the 7 Elements of Art)

Flavor (Like that taste?)

Texture (Feels good going in?)

Coverage (How messy?)

Chewing (Fast or slow? Do your teeth have to tear and crush?)

Familiarity (Have you seen the food before?)

Satisfaction (Filled up? Want more?)

Nutritional Value (Healthy or junk?)

Environment (Where do you eat? At home? On the go? At a restaurant?)

Culture (What kind of food? Mexican? Asian? Italian?)

Size (How big are your portions?)

Temperature (Cold or hot? Heated or raw?)

(My dad helped me with some of the ideas above)

Have you ever wondered WHY we eat what we eat? In Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, And Wear Cows, social psychologist Melanie Joy addresses this subject. The traditions of eating meat and having dogs for pets have been in society for centuries, so we never really think about the fact that it doesn't make sense. Visit www.carnism.org for more information. 

Hi! I am now writing book reviews for children's literature on my Aunt Traci's blog. Here's the link if you want to check it out: http://bookplusheart.weebly.com/childrens-lit          

The Scoop on SB277

     Governor Jerry Brown signed SB277 last month. This law, rumored to have originated from the measles outbreak at Disneyland last December, goes into effect on July 1st, 2016. It states that, in California, unless a child is proven by a doctor to have medical problems that prevent them from being able to have vaccinations, they must be up-to-date on all vaccines or they will not be allowed to go to school. So, the only ways to not be affected by this law are to acquire a medical exemption or to home-school. Many parents can't homeschool, too. Action must be taken to stop this law from going into effect. Parents should be allowed to choose what they think is best for their children. Also, the eradication of religious exemptions clearly violates the 1st Amendment. Many religions, like Jehovah's Witnesses, do not believe in vaccines. We must argue against this law before it affects many children and parents across the US.