Spot the Fake Smile

Daniel H. Pink's A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future is a very interesting book. In the book, Pink defines six senses: design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning. For each sense, Pink backs each one up with a chapter and a portfolio. In the portfolio, Pink gives suggestions on how to develop the sense. He also provides books and web sites where you can try and experiment yourself.

After reading the chapter on Empathy, I decided to experiment and learn how to "Spot the Fake Smile." I took a ten-minute, twenty-question test to see if I could determine a fake smile against a real smile.

Before taking the test, I thought it would be simple to detect a fake smile. However, once I started watching the videos, I saw that the test wasn't going to be so easy. While watching some of the videos, I saw that some were obvious but others, not so much. In the chapter Empathy, Pink gives advice by saying that the only way to detect a fake smile, is by looking at the eyes, and I do believe that. Watching the eyes instead of the smile, sometimes, did give me my answer. Here is a video where the eyes gave the answer away:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/smiles/movie12.shtml

This video shows that the smile was fake, partially because of the eyes.

Here are more examples of fake and genuine smiles:

Fake-http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/smiles/movie13.shtml

Genuine-http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/smiles/movie15.shtml

When I watched some of the videos that were hard to determine, I started thinking that sometimes I would only be able to tell if someone was faking a smile only if I really knew them. For instance, I can definitely tell when my sister has a fake smile and when she doesn't just because I know her and her personality, as goes for some of my friends. Watching these people on the videos, however, I had no clue what their names were or what their personality was like. So, for me, I think determining what kind of smile a person is giving you has to deal with whether you know them or not.

Island of the Blue Dolphins Book Reveiw- Classic Read

Scott O'Deal's Island of the Blue Dolphins was a great read. A girl named Karana goes through a lot of hard times as she loses things in her life. She goes through a lot and ends up on the island by herself. Surviving on her own, she makes weapons, gathers food, and builds a house. She also gains and loses friends on the island. After her long stay on the Island of the Blue Dolphins, a ship comes and she has to decide whether she wants to leave or not.

The tone or attitude of this book is very frank and matter of fact. The narrator's voice is very flowing and expressive.

I would definitely recommend this book. Island of the Blue Dolphins is a book on survival and determination. The book inspired me and I know it will inspire others.

Sophomore Year 08-09

As this year comes to a close, I have mixed feelings. I am happy that summer is close, but I have really enjoyed my sophomore year.

Not only have I learned more in school, but I have also learned a lot in personal situations. I have been in situations that I do and do not like, but what is most important is that I have learned from every single situation. I have laughed, smiled, screamed, and cried. Not all of those are pleasant but I will never forget those moments.

God has taught me so much, especially when things did not turn out how I expected them to or wanted them to. I have learned that God has a plan for my life and that he is going to take care of me no matter what. Seeing that God has so much in store for me, I cannot explain how excited I am to see what He is going to do in my life.

This year, I have also learned who I can and cannot trust. I have been in situations this year where I have learned who my real friends are and who I can always talk to about anything.

Not only is my sophomore year gone, but also my last school year with my sister. As you may know from an earlier blog, this year was my sister's senior year. Thinking that I won't get to see her every day, let alone talk to her, is a sad thought. A couple of days ago, I realized she is moving into her dorm room a little bit less than three months now. I do not think that I have fully realized that things are changing and things are going to be different.

Letting go of my sophomore year is hard, but I will always cherish and never forget a single moment.

Of Mice and Men Book Review

John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men saddened me with its unexpected story.

This book illustrates the life lesson that anything can happen, good or bad.

Lennie, in the book, is not smart, forgetting everything as soon as he is told. George is smart and quick, knowing what to do. These two friends go through a lot together, keeping each other on their toes.

One thing that I like about this book is that for each chapter, there is a setting and the reading tells a person exactly what is going on around the people so you can picture very easily.

In the beginning of the book, George and Lennie get let off a bus miles away from the farm they are suppose to start working at. Finding the ranch, the first thing they do is talk to the boss and they get hired. George and Lennie meet several characters and learn quickly what each person is like. Throughout the book, there are fights and talks as they learn from each other. But, not meaning any harm, things happen on accident. Having a lot of misunderstandings, things get a little out of hand.

I do recommend Of Mice and Men. The book is sad and it does have some language in it, but Of Mice and Men is a great book.

The House on Mango Street Book Review

Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street confused me because the book did not really have a story line and the book also felt a little scatter- brained to me.

Esperanza is a girl that has moved around a lot and now lives on Mango Street. She has always dreamed to live in a nice, pretty house that her parents always tell her about, but Esperanza is stuck with a beat up, old house for now. Throughout the book, Esperanza talks about what all happens on Mango Street. She talks about her friends and more.

The attitude or tone of the book just felt informative to me. The House on Mango Street just talked about Esperanza's life and what she dealt with.

I would not recommend The House on Mango Street because the book did not excite me in any way or seem interesting.

Teacher Appreciation

I do not know about you, but I know that I do not realize how much my teachers do for me and the rest of my classmates. Preparing us for the real world, I know some of my teachers stay up at late hours of the night working on what my classmates and I need to know to be prepared for tests and even more, college.

I want to say thank you to Mr. Goodwin, Mrs. Roepcke, Mrs. Hogan, Mrs. Gillmore, Mr. Matthews, Mr. Robertson, and Coach Armstrong for all they have done and for what they will do. I also want to thank all my elementary and Junior High teachers for what they have done.

Not only do my teachers help prepare my classmates and me for the rest of our lives, but they are also there for us if we need to talk to them about anything.

With all this said, thank you teachers for helping me through these years, learning what I need to know before I go out into the real world.

The Hard Worker

So much depends
upon

A hard
worker

Drenched with
responsibilities

Inside her busy
office.