Bug’s Blog

I contacted the American Dance guild.  I chose them because I really love to dance!  I figured that they would know a lot about dance and diferent types of dance and opportunities in dance.  I contacted them but I have not yet gotten a response.  I will be sure to tell you when I do!  A link to their site is: http://americandanceguild.org/home/.  I’ll add their reply to my blog when I get it.<3 

Well I’ve waited a while and still have not gotten a reply, so it looks like I’m going to have to give up on waiting for a response.

I love to dance so this was the blog for me!  I was all about dance.  This person seemed like they were a pretty major dancer.  I think they are so lucky to be that involved in something so fun!  Dance is my life so I felt like I had a lot in common with the person because it seemed that like dance is their entire life also.  I found this blog right away by typing blog+dance into google.  I learned that you really can make a living off of something that you absolutely love!  

“Last night I attended DanceNYC’s Townhall event “Does Dance have a future? Implications of a Technological World.” 

This quote I think shows what a major dancer that this person must be.  Here is a copy of the comment that I left on this persons blog: “That is so cool!  I absolutely love dance.  I dance at a studio 13 hours per week plus I assistant teach 8 classes!”  It was a great blog and I really enjoyed it.  Here is a link to this person’s wonderful blog: http://greatdance.com/movetheframe/2007/10/is-it-live-or-is-it-videodance.php.  I hope you like their blog!

I didn’t know how to make Halloween doughnuts, but now I do!

Makes 1 dozen
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup mashed potatoes
1 package dry active yeast (about 2 teaspoons)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for cutters
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Vegetable oil, for frying
Maple Orange Glaze
Chocolate Glaze
Sprinkles (optional)

Directions
1. Place milk in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, and remove from heat. Stir in shortening, sugar, and potatoes. Let sit until lukewarm.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place yeast and 1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees). Beat on low speed to combine. Turn off mixer, and let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes.
3. Place flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl; whisk to combine, and set aside. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray; set aside.
Add the milk mixture to the yeast mixture, and beat on the lowest speed until combined. Beat in egg and vanilla.
4. Add dry ingredients, and beat until moistened. Switch to next highest speed, and beat until a soft, smooth dough forms, about 5 minutes. Transfer to prepared bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let dough rise until it doubles in bulk, about 2 hours.
5. Spray two sheets of parchment with cooking spray. Roll the dough out between the sheets to a 1-inch thickness. Transfer to refrigerator, and let rest for 20 minutes.
6. Remove top layer of parchment. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out doughnuts as close together as possible, dipping cutter in flour before each cut. Use a 3/4-inch round cutter to cut a hole in center of each doughnut.
7. Line a baking sheet with paper towels; set aside. Heat 4 inches of oil in a large stockpot to 375 degrees. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, fry doughnuts until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to prepared baking sheet to drain and cool. Dip the top of each doughnut in glaze, alternating between the maple-orange and chocolate flavors. Coat glaze with sprinkles, if desired. Turn right side up to air dry.

I hope to make one soon! From reading this I have learned that you can make homemade doughnuts, which I didn’t know. Also I learned how to make a fun Halloween snack! It doesn’t seem to complicated either. I love Halloween and I love doughnuts, so mixing the two sounds great! Here is the link where I got this information from: http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=ef67900c316f4110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
Enjoy!

This post is to raise awareness of the environment.

There are many habitats in the environment, here are just some of them!

Deserts- This a a dry area, but not a lifeless one!

Grasslands- Grasslands are a very important part of our environment because they are Earth’s most agriculturally useful habitats.

Rainforests- Rainforests don’t play a very valuble role in sustaining life, but they sure are pretty!

Urban- If urban areas become much bigger in the future there could be trouble!

Freshwater- Dams and pollutionhave truly limited this vital resource.

Oceans- Believe it or not, they cover 70% of the Earth!

Tundra- These tundra lands are the home to hardy flora and fauna.

Well, I hope this helped you to learn something about our environment!  A link to a helpful site is http://green.nationalgeographic.com/environment   

     I saw a video podcast.  This podcast played music and showed a kitten playing.  It was so cute!  I really enjoyed this podcast because I love cats and I especially love kittens.  I searched different podcasts for a long time but this was the only one I found that I even considered.  There was another I wanted to hear about dance but for some reason that was the only one that wouldn’t play on my computer.  I was typing in different things that I like in the search box to find a good podcast.  When I typed in kitten podcast, this was one that showed up.  It sounded good so I clicked on it and enjoyed it.  I learned from this podcast different ways to entertain my cat.  In the podcast it showed akitten playing with a paper bag and it looked like the kitten was having a lot of fun.  I listened to this podcast at Josh Leo’s-Vlog Cats.  This is the comment I left for the podcaster: “I love kitten sitting!  The kitten is so cute and it gave me a lot of good ideas to entain my cat.”  The link to the podcast is  http://www.joshleo.com/vlogcats/2007/03/18/kitten-sitting/.  Another cute video podcast on that site is New Kitten.  The kitten has such big eyes and such a cute face in that video.  The link to that one is http://www.joshleo.com/vlogcats/2007/05/19/new-kitten/.  Check out these podcasts they are really cute!  You can comment back to me on how you liked them!

Meme Blog?    

     Imagine you want to get to know someone and you can ask only five questions.  What would you ask?  What would you most want to know? 

     Obviously it depends on the context–you’d ask different questions of someone you’re dating vs. a job interviewee vs. a customer vs. someone your daughter is dating.  These are five questions I would ask someone that I wanted to get to know in general and I wasn’t considering hiring them or dating them or selling them something or having my daughter date them.  (Some of these questions are ones I would ask as an adult or upper classman high school student.)

1.)  Do you have a job? - This would be a good question to ask because you would know if they are a hard worker and what kind of things they are involved in or interested in.

2.)  Do you live with your parents? - If I were to ask this now I would find out whether their parents were divoriced or if they lived with their grandparents.  If I asked this as an adult I would know if they were married or lived by themself.

3.)  Do you have any hobbies? - This is always a great question to ask because you will know if you share any of the same interests as the person.

4.)  Do you have any pets? - I would ask this because I love animals so I would find out if they liked animals or if they didn’t or if they were allergic to any animals.

5.)  What words would you use to descibe yourself? - This would let me know what the person thinks of themself and whether they have good self esteem or not. 

     At this age, the most important question for me to ask I think would be the one about their hobbies.  As an adult I think the most important question would be if they had a job.  Comment me on which you think would be the most important to ask.  You could pick a question you came up with on your own, or one that I listed.  :) 

     The major goal that I want to achieve is to go to Choate.  I have a good feeling about being accepted, but the only thing in the way is the cost.  Choate costs nearly as much as college, so I can only go there if I get a scholorship.  They only give out two scholorships to Wallingford residents each year, so there is a very slim chance that I will get to go there.  So I am working very hard to get good grades in all my classes and to be very outgoing and to be well-rounded and do a variety of extra-curriculars and community service type things.  All I can do is work hard and hope I get a scholorship.

Life Blogging?

     This weekend I am going to Rhode Island to see something called Waterfire and go to an artshow/fair thing.  Waterfire is sopposed to be beautiful.  What it is is these campfire type things in these metal things in the water.  I can’t wait to see it.  I heard it goes all the way down this river for about a half mile, maybe even longer.  Right next to where the fires start is Ruth’s Chris steakhouse which we have reservations to go to.   The art show/fair is sopposed to be great too.   They will be selling all kinds of art and crafts and food that people make.  I can’t wait to go!