Blog Entre # 7 : Finally?

   One month ago, If someone tell me have my own blog just for fun, I think my blog will fill in full of great pictures; not look like this "professional!!" or the pictures more than the text.

   When I want to look or read something, I always think the pictures can describe better than the text. I like this way to get information form social media. Sometimes I got all the information that I want without by read any words; however, I got a assignment for WRITE blogs. While I was start thinking to really write something, not use pictures to express my thoughts.

   I had never use any blogs before. Even though I was not sure know what blog is. I was staring do some research and thinking how to get my audience interests. Setting my blog, planning my topic and  making my tone. Since I finished the first self-generated entries, I realized I enjoy doing it. I used Chinese culture as my blog topic. I did not only think this a assignment, but also this is a good way to introduce my country to my classmates. As writing the blogs, I was thinking find a interesting topic to engaging the audience. I also found some pictures to show it. Every time I was trying write the sentences to close my topic. 

    I also like the way that we were required to write comments to classmates. After I read the comments, either I wrote for them or then wrote for me this is a good idea that I can learn things from my classmate by look over they are blogs. In addition, I expected someone will comment my blogs. Personally, I really get some skills by write blogs. This will help me in the future.

    Writing blog is a good method to practice my writing skill. It can be as an informal writing practice. After I have done all the blog assignments, I really understand my professor said something like the best way to improve your writing skill is to write a lot. SO TURE!!!

    Finally, I want to thanks for all my classmates who helped me. Specially, Medhija and Sally. Thanks my professor Chris Nielson. Good luck for all you guys.

Blog Entry # 6: Art of Chinese Paper Cutting

   The paper-cut art is a unique visual art of Chinese handicrafts. Its history can be traced back to the 6th century. The cutting tool are very sample: paper and scissors or an engraving knife. Although the tool are different, but the creation of works of art is basic and same, collectively known as the paper-cut. The carrier can be paper, gold foil, bark, leaves, cloth, leather and other sheet materials. Usually, red paper is very common for paper cutting. They were used during festivals to decorate windows and gates. The craftspeople are remarkably good at cutting in theme of daily life.

   It is easy to learn about cutting a piece of paper but very difficult to master it with perfection. One must grasp the knife in an upright fashion and press evenly on the paper with some strength. Flexibility is required but any hesitation or wiggling will lead to damage the whole image. Engravers stress the cutting lines in several styles. They attempt to carve a circle like the moon, a straight line like a stem of wheat, a square like a brick, and jaggedly like the beard.

People find hope and comfort in expressing wishes with paper cuttings. 

“ 喜喜 ” XI  (happiness)

“ 喜喜 ”

  For a wedding ceremony, red paper-cuts are a traditional and required decoration on the gate, the dressing table glass, and on other furniture. A big red paper character 'Xi' (happiness) is a traditional must on the newlywed's door. It is believed that this paper-cut will bring the new couple happiness.

" 寿 " shou (longevity)

                “寿”

   At a birthday party of a senior, paper-cuts with the character 'Shou' are often seen. It represents longevity and will add delight to the whole celebration.

             

“ 福 ”

   During the Spring Festival, the character “Fu” is pasted upside down on the door to express people's wish for the coming of happiness.

" 福 " Fu (wish for the coming of happiness)

    Chinese people believe that red paper-cuts on the door can bring good luck and happiness to the whole family.

Blog Entry # 5 : Food Inc.

   Most people have no idea where their food coms from, do you???

The food industry and how food is processed has changed dramatically at the past year. Our food is often marketed as being “Farm Fresh,” which gives people the idea that farms still can trust. However, this is not that anymore. Today, modern food production becomes to be more of a factory than an idealistic farm setting. Hundreds of chickens are lived into poorly and dark houses, thousands of cattle are stocked in dry feed lots, and vegetables and fruits are growing fast and big because of genetic engineering. Does not all this wrong?

   We love food, but we should pay more attention what go into our mouth. I think Food Inc. to be very effective. It covered all of the major aspects of the food production industry and did a great job of pointing out the issues. It tells the truth. '' Look, this is what do you eat everyday.''
   When I was watching Food Inc. that I know food safety is important.Food safety is an big issue. Food Inc. tells detail how the food was product. People all know this issue, but few of them really care about it. One example form Food Inc. that for low class families. They have lower income, more kids, work and no time for cook. Therefor, they ate a lot of fast food instead eat vegetables and fruits. For them, they do not have more choices to even think about food safety. They can not like others to buy organic food to keep healthy because of it costs more. As a result, they have to dealing with eat healthy or take pills. The companies wants make money, but they did not care what will go into people's mouth. This also for everyone to think about what they are eating now.

    After watching the documentary, I know I should change something. I have become more aware about the food I eat and buy, the livestock, poultry and environment. I have realized that the food I eat on a daily basis may affect my health in the future. Eating healthy and paying more attention on what do I eat and buy will be my first change.

Blog Entry # 4 : Dragon Boat Festival

             Next saturday is Dragon Boat Festival in China. It is also called the Duanwu Festival, is celebrated on the fifth of May according to the Chinese calendar. Chinese will eating traditional food zong zi and racing dragon boats.

Zong zi

              Zong zi is a glutinous rice ball, with a filling, wrapped in reed leaves. The fillings can be beans, dates, fruits, sweet potato, walnuts, and meat or a combination of them. They are generally steamed.

Qu Yuan

                  

           The big thing for the festival is dragon-boat races because in the southern provinces where have many rivers and lakes. This races was to remembered the death of Qu Yuan. Qu was a minister of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475-221BC). He was upright and loyal. He brought peace and prosperity to the state.  However,when a corrupt prince vilified Qu, he was disgraced and dismissed from office. He was realizing that the country was now in the hands of evil. He felt very sad and grabbed a large stone and leapt into the Miluo River on the fifth of May. People tried to save him, but was too late, so they using reed leaves wrapped the rice throw into the river and race the dragon boat because people did not want to the fish eat his body. For thousands of years, people still use this way to remember him.

Dragon Boat Race

           The dragon boats are made by wood. The dragon head is attached at the bow,and a dragon tail at the stern. Usually, there are twenty plays rowing the boat. One drummer sit down in the front of the boat. When other plays rowing the boat, the drummer will play the drum to creates an atmosphere of gaiety and excitement for the participants. The winners are awarded medals.

Blog entry # 3 : Wall – E

         The film takes place in the future. When the movie started, a robot was working at trash station. He was compressing the trash to a box and use it to built high buildings. At that time the trashes full of the earth. The pollution of the earth was very heavy. The sky was gray. Although I cannot smell it, but I can image that might smell very bad. Even nobody lived on the earth. Only robots stay there and clean the trashes. All the people moved out of the earth. They stay at a clean and high technological place. At the new place, people worn same color clothes. Everyone had a moving chair can took them to anywhere they want to go. They was lying on the chair and chat online. While they were looks very enjoyable, they ordered the food without got off the chair, but suddenly a guy dropped on the floor. He could not stand up. Why? Because he was too fat, probably he had long time didn't exercise and lose the ability. He was asking for help and the wall-e took his back on the chair.

          After I saw the movie, I worried about our future. I felt so sad about those people. Nowadays, more and more people rely on the technology products to do anything. When we did't have a car, we always like walk to home. However, now we even cannot walk 5 minutes long, instead walk people just want to drive to home as soon as possible. As a result, a lot people get fat and sick. There also had more trash with us. Our environment changed. Global warming and many problem happened.

         Wall-E is a great movie. It is a kid movie and also tells us a big reason. It tells form kids should protect our environment. We use technology to make our live convenience, but it is not a reason to be lazy and hurts our home - EARTH.

Blog Entry # 2: A dress for Chinese women ----- Qi Pao

            If you just saw the title,  do you know what kind of dress is Qi Pao? Or if you are a big fan of Chinese old movie, have you ever pay attention to the Chines women dresses? What and why they wear it? How is it looks? If your answer is negative ' No No No', then follow me.

        Qi Pao is a one-piece Chinese dress for women. It is pronounce Chi-pao. The style of the dresses are body-hugging, one-piece, and tight-fitting. It was created in the 1920s in Shanghai and made fashionable by socialites and upper class women. 

        Usually, they were made of silk or cotton and the whole dress was embroidered with pearls and other pretty decorations. The pattern of Qi Pao commonly were flowers and peacock. Especially, Peony and lotus are very typical. This dresses were Chinese women daily clothing at ancient times. In the 1950s, women in the work started to wear more functional Qi Pao. The dresses were a fusion of Chinese tradition with modern style.

• The structure of Qi Pao

       collar and bottons

            Hand embroidery

• picture appreciating

    Qi Pao as wedding dress

      Today, Qi Pao is now mainly worn as formal wear for important occasions or worn as wedding dress. 

     Chinese favorite color is red because it is respect good luck and enthusiasm. So Chinese women like worn red Qi Pao as their wedding dress.

      Although, now people like wear more comfortable and casual clothes, but we are still keep this tradition. It is Chinese unique culture.

Blog Entry # 1: So What Is a Blog ?

        Let's begin with the definition of the blog. A blog is a frequently updated online personal journal or diary.

        I heard about blogs, but I never use it 

and I do not know more about it. Until today, I did few research that I know blog is a short 

form for the word web blog. Originally blogs were known as places for people to write about their daily activities. I can say that my blog is my own website that I can post anything I want it. Here is a place to share my experience and my thoughts. It is also can share the details of my days. It could be what I ate for lunch, a good restaurant where I have been to or a funny movie that I watched last night etc.

        while I read some of blogs from Top 15 Most Popular Blogs. There was a blog call TechCrunch. The blogs is all about information technology. I really like and enjoy to read it. It updating the computer and smart phone technology news everyday. There are also post a lot of video with every blog. I like watch videos than read texts. I prefer the writer put video with texts. As I read this blog that I will learn something from it. I read the text first and watch the video. There are videos very interesting. I like the way to read and learn things.

       

        I read another one call TMZ. It is an news website. They share a lot of interesting stories. I watched few of their video. They were talk about famous movie stars gossips. It is an entertament blog.

         As I saw few of blogs, there is one call Kotaku. It is a video game blog. There are very focus on the games. If you are a big fan of video game, you might will like it. However, I don't like play video games and I really do not know what are they talking about. So I am not enjoy it and also for there homepage of the designer, I want to say, they put too many of advertisement. When I opened there blog, the advertisement follows my mouse. It is even hinder me to read the story.

         All in all, I start love to read others blogs. I can read many things that I even heard it before. Also, this is a good way to improve my English. Learn it, Like it and Enjoy it.

Hello! I am here!

        Hello everyone! Let me tell you a story about myself. My name is Xinxin Zhang. I am from China. I have been came to Unite States for two years and I am studying first semesters at GCC. As for my family, I am my parents only kid. I am a friendly person and easy going(as long as we are friends.). My life style is very sample at my free time(Eating and sleeping).

        I am interested in many things such as draw, music, watching movies. I also love to singing english song. I like take more English class because I wanna improve my English skills and also I can pronounce correctly when I sung. I took some ESL classes that I had chance made some friends all from different country. My other hobbies including stay with my foreigner friends. We always have a lot fun for speak incorrect English. We help each other for fix the grammar and pronunciation. We study and improve together.

        I have a short goal and long term goal. As for now I am only want to focusing on summer classes to pass this semester with the good result. Doing my best at today. (Tomorrow is another assignment due day.) For my long term goal, I want to finish my associate degree and transfer to ASU.

        There are all about me. Thanks for taking your time to read my blogs. Have a nice day.