I read cornsugar.com and the website gives us an insight at why corn syrup and sugars are bad. Experts compare corn sugars and syrups to regular sugar that we add to our coffee and baked goods everyday. Many people are just now starting  to realize that corn syrup and sugars are bad for you because of articles and mostly kids commercials that tell parents that there is no longer added corn syrup and to choose the healthier choice. Micheal Jacobson, the executive director of the center for science in the public interest, says that corn sugar is essentially just as bad as normal sugar and that in reality the only way to become healthy or avoid corn sugars is to eat less sugars, all sugars, all together. Barry M. Popkin, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, says, "All sugar you eat is the same." Therefore, we must cut down on all sugars. I am just learning this as I'm reading about corn sugars. I had no idea that all sugars were bad for you. If you think about the sugars in fruit or even corn, would you think they were bad? I never did. These are "secrets" that people are not voicing loud enough and I think everyone should know about this! This topic goes back to "Food Inc." do we really know what we are eating? Or who's behind the food? The answer to that is no. We never actually realize any of these things until a big documentary such as "Food Inc." came out and even then people still didn't really know about the problems we face in food. This topic can go back to the GMOs editorial as well, the editorial stated that we need to be okay with GMOs and that there is nothing scientifically proven that says that GMOs are bad. What if we genetically modify all the foods with sugar and corn sugars and any other kind of sugars? There are tips to avoid GM crops such as corn and anything that doesn't have 100% cane sugar in it.  Have you looked at a label recently? What actually has 100% pure cane sugar in it? Besides, 100% pure cane sugar itself. Not much. More experts and people who are passionate about healthier foods need to speak up and be more vocal about the dangers or a simple sugar called corn sugar.

W9: Create your own topic

I noticed that a few people wrote their editorials about the locally grown food here, farmers markets, and the thirty mile radius, so I decided to do a little research. I noticed that at our dining halls, especially Shively and Baker, have signs up next to the food that is local. The meat and vegetables usually always have signs next to them. I remember in fall, Baker had a pumpkin palooza and my roommates and I had to go check it out. Scattered around the food court were assortments of pumpkin products that were made by locals or homemade. From pumpkin pie, pumpkin cakes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin cracker dip, and even pumpkin lasagna we sampled it all! All the products were so much better than anything store bought and my roommates and I stocked up on pumpkin products. It felt good not only because of the glorious amounts of pumpkin foods that I was about to consume, but because we bought and participated in a local project. I always keep a look out for different kinds of local foods that Baker will put out. Baker's catering using local products too, such as Boughton's Locally Owned Milk Products. Jackie O's serves all locally grown foods and brews their own beer. There are many opportunities to buy and eat locally grown food in Athens.

W8: It was my first time in the new O'Betty's and I was not surprised. The very laid back, sort of odd atmosphere is usual. I came in a couple minutes late, missed out on a seat with the rest of the class, but I snatched a seat at the bar with some other classmates and I ordered water. I'm on a health kick, mostly because a lot of the things we've been talking about in class has scared me a little, and warm weather is coming. Since I'm on this new and probably not long lasting, health kick, I examined my classmates food and watched their enjoyment. They seemed to like the simple, local, and fatty food and it looked so delicious. Sitting at the bar I could see into the kitchen, everything seemed clean and the cooks in the back looked like they had been working hard with the large lunch crowd that was there. There were pictures of pin-up type woman hanging around the place with leopard print and red fabric on the lighting and poorly cut leopard print fabric on side tables. A weird decor, mixed with promiscuity, and a little bit of the same things from Garden Cafe, the previous restaurant. After realizing this I couldn't help but just laugh, after all, it is O'Betty's. The servers were VERY friendly and attentive. Above my head was a ledge with awards from every year since probably 2000 saying that O'Betty's had the best hot dogs or combinations. Customers at O'Betty's varied. Obviously there were many college students there, but I saw locals, and even a man in a business suit (who tipped pretty well). O'Betty's food is quick, easy, and affordable, placed in a pretty nice location, close to Court Street and West Green. Once I'm over this health kick or on a cheat day, I'm making a trip to O'Betty's.

W6: Open Topic

A couple days ago, I finally gave myself permission to scope out the Valentine's day sale candy at CVS. Scanning the candy section as discretely as possible, with my hair enclosed around my face, I searched for something to call out my name- not an actual person though because how embarrassing?!... Buying on sale, Valentine's Day candy for myself days after like I had been waiting to snag a deal- Anyways, with my paranoia aside, I found a gem, a gem I wasn't expecting! A big purple bag, with big yellow cursive outlined in a hot pink, I read "Cadbury Mini Eggs". The bag reminded me of spring with mini colorful eggs sprawled out across the bottom of the bag and flowers sprinkled all around. This gem being Cadbury milk chocolate with a candy shell filled my childhood. My mother and I would share a bag while watching Days of Our Lives and I would color coordinate mine between a bright blue, bright yellow, pale pink and white egg. They all had freckles on them too which my grandma always told me they reminded her of mine, "Cute little freckles on such a sweet little candy, just like my Molly Olly". Precious, I know. Popping one -or three- of the addicting Mini Eggs into my mouth reminds me not only of the sweet, innocent childhood memories, but it fills my mouth with a rich blend of a unique, milk chocolate that coats your mouth with a thick residue and a sugary, crunchy shell. I can't help but drool. Thinking about all of this within a quick minute I snatched up the biggest bag they had and proceeded to the check out line. I opened them as soon as I was in the hallway leading to my dorm room. I know I'll be making the same shameful trip to CVS just to buy glorious amounts of Cadbury Mini Eggs especially since they are only around right after Valentine's day and right up until Easter. After that, the year long wait for this rare candy to come out begins again.

Julie and Julia

Julie and Julia function as a memoir because it told a story between two people. Julia Child's was how she came about publishing a cookbook and having her own cooking show. Julie's story was about writing a blog to completely cook all of Julia's recipes in her cookbook, linking them both together. This functions as a memoir because it tells a story, looking back on their lives and how they strive to complete and do something more in their lives. This memoir feels very authentic. I believe every word and not only because I'm a sap but because I love the idea of the movie. Julia and Julie both went through there struggles and that makes it more real, to me. The scope is appropriate and shows their struggles at the same time and their successes at the same time, linking them together even more. Some common experiences between them were cooking, of course. They both struggle with recipes and have doubts. Julia seems more composed and optimistic, Julie seems spastic and pessimistic. Both document their experiences whether it be by pen to a friend named Millie or on a blog to a bunch of strangers over the web. Both of these women have people that believe in them and people that want to make their story known. Another similarity is their relationships with their husbands. Both were also government workers not truly living out their dream or doing what they loved a little later in life. Julia loved the french and found a hobby and fame out of cooking. Julie, while she cooked, found fame because of her blog and the things she would write, after all she is a writer. Overall, this memoir made it easier for me to pin point the things I need to work on in my own memoir.

As we all know, in elementary school, there was a certain school lunch that everyone was required to obtain. The 'complete lunch' consisted of a juice box, sandwich, snack, fruit, and some sort of dessert. My lunch consisted of all of these things, except a sandwich. I was never big on the idea of peanut butter or jelly smothered between two pieces of white bread, just sitting in the sandwich baggie to sweat, while the peanut butter turned a not so peanut-buttery shade. One day at lunch, this snot nosed, grimy, kid who must of thought he was the lunch police, called me out in front of my lunch table. He told everyone that I didn't have a sandwich and that I was weird and my mother must not know how to pack a lunch! I was so embarrassed, later that day I went home and told my mother what happened. If I knew what I know now, I would've told that kid to take a hike, but of course what do you know as a fourth grader? My mother (who thought I was overreacting) and I concocted a peanut butter, chocolate chip and banana sandwich with toasted wheat bread. It was delicious! I took it the school the very next day and all the kids wanted to taste it! I was proud of my sandwich and my mother and I would eat for a snack on weekends while we read books. My mother and I still whip up the sandwich every now and then when we need to bring back a little youth.