5 Words: Week 25

            So here is today's 5 Words......

Lugubrious- Looking or sounding sad or dismal.

Bellicose- Demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight.

Yeoman- A man holding and cultivating a small landed estate; a freeholder.

Nihilism- 1.) The rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless.

                2.) Extreme skepticism, according to which nothing in the world has a real existence.

Gerrymandering-1.) manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class.

                          2.) Achieve (a result) by such manipulation: "a total freedom to gerrymander the results the way they want".

  Before I go I just want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me over the past 9 months, thank you for your comments, and your kind words, if it weren't for you I would have given up.

 So that's all for this week, I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  

  XOXO,

     Lori

My Online High School Experience

      Today's post is about something I've never really talked about on here, but I decided today was the day to go for it and bring the subject up.  My big secret is that I don't go to public school, private school, or even a normal tradition high school, I attend  high school online, and I love every minute of it.

     In all my tuition was $777.00, that's for my entire four years of high school, it includes all of my books, free tutoring, and when i finish my program I will get a class ring. I go to high school through Ashworth College, my school is called James Madison High School. I started JMHS in August 2011, and because it was the beginning of the school year they has a discount for tuition.     

     Before I get any further I would like to point out that you can enroll in JMHS at any time of the year, I just included when I enrolled so you would know when to look out for the discount they have every year, at the start of a traditional school year.
       I enrolled in the College Prep program, and it is 24 courses divided into two parts, I'm hoping to graduate next year. If I do graduate next year then I will have graduated a year before my class in my hometown.
     The great thing about Ashworth College and JMHS is that they are flexible with tuition, I couldn't pay in full, so I made $40.00 a month payments and it was paid off in January.
     Some may question the quality of my education, but I don't mind answering their questions because I know how much my life has improved since I enrolled in this program. Ashworth College and JMHS are both Nationally and Regionally Accredited.
     If I hadn't decided to enroll in JMHS I would be attending one of the lowest scoring high schools in Kentucky, I will give them credit for raising their testing scores over the past few years, but by no means would I have gotten a quality education.  At the high school I was supposed to attend you can't take AP classes until your Junior year.
      By choosing JMHS I've taken my education into my own hands, it's all me, I'm the teacher, I go at my own pace, and I'm proud of that. I wouldn't recommend JMHS to everybody though because you do everything yourself, if you need to contact a teacher you can, but so far I haven't had to. I read through my lessons, study my notes, take quizzes, write essays, and take exams. Quizzes are computer graded but essays and some exams are teacher graded.
    I love that everything is online, I don't have to wait for textbooks to arrive, and I can start a new class as soon as I finish the one I was working on.  It really truly is amazing what you can do through this school. I've grown so much, and learned so much from this experience.
      I know I'm missing out on normal high school experiences, but I don't care. I'm just happy that when I graduate I can attend an actual ceremony they hold every year and I can walk across a stage to accept my diploma, that's all I want, and it will happen.
           If someone were to ask me if I would recommend Ashworth College or JMHS I would say yes immediately, because I know that it can change lives. It may not be right for everyone, you have to be focused and determined because there are no deadlines, and you don't have to finish a course by a certain date you could take 6 weeks, 6 months, or even a year to finish the class.

     Overall I love this school and I would never change my decision, if you want more info or have questions, either leave a comment below, or email me, I'd be happy to answer.
                    So that's all for today, I'll have my usual post up Friday.
                                               Stay Creative,
                                                                  Lori Ann
      

Blogger Related Questions

     This week I had planned on doing something major, but it didn't work out like I had wanted, so maybe next week. So since I wasn't able to post what I had planned I decided to take this from my draft box, I wrote it a few weeks ago to have in case I needed an emergency filler post.
        I decided last night to update my template, and I want your opinion on it. Basically I just want to know if you like it and if it's easier for you to read the page. Aside from changing my text color, and background color, I changed the page width. So let me know if it's too wide, if you liked it better before, or if it's just right.
      Next week I should be able to get up my original post, I'm just having trouble deciding how I want to schedule it. So for now here is my 5 Questions Related to Blogger
1.) How did you find out about Blogger?
- I think it was Google. But it's been so long I really can't remember.
2.) How did you come up with the name for your blog?
-I'm not really sure, it kinda just came to me. I had a name I wanted to call my blog but it was already taken, so I spent some time thinking and Lori's Creative Expressions just popped into my head so I went with it.
3.) How many times a day do you check Blogger?
-It really depends on the day. When I first started out I checked it every 10 minutes, but I'd say now on a normal day maybe once or twice a day. The first time I check is to make sure my scheduled post went up on time, and then I usually check it at the end of the day to see my views. I try not to check it too often because you get obsessed with it, and then you start focusing only on getting more views, and because of that your writing suffers.
4.) How long have you been blogging?
- I started this blog  in September 2012, but I had 2 blogs before that. My first blog was kinda silly, I only posted four times and it was just random stuff. My second blog was more like a personal diary, I went through a rough patch last year, and I used it as a coping mechanism. But I eventually realized it wasn't helping me, and in fact it was very unhealthy. And so now I have this blog, and I'm very happy with it.
5.) What do you think needs to improve on your blog?
- I think my writing could get much better, but I think everyone feels that way. I know I tend to over write, and over explain things and I really need to work on fixing that. I also want to write more reviews, and post more regularly.
     
     So that's all for today, I'll have my usual post up Friday. Stay Creative my lovelies.
                                                                                                 XOXO,
                                                                                                     Lori Ann
      Also contact me:  
                                  E-mail:      loriboyd15@gmail.com
                                   Twitter:    @LoriAnnBoyd

Weight Loss Monday's: Week 21

    I feel incredible, it's like I'm on top of the world and nothing can bring me down. This past week has been really good, I've actually accomplished a lot, most of which I had been putting off for a while.
       I got a lot of work done, and I'm hoping to get more done this week, I'm aiming for this week to be even better then last week.
     So for my diet and exercise, both went well, I got in more exercise last week, but I did fail in the trying to eat less chocolate category.  Overall i exercised more, ate less, and drank more water.
       My favorite part of the week related to my diet and exercise was finding my favorite breakfast once again. Here recently for breakfast I would eat two whole grain waffles or two pieces of toast, but I was finally able to find my favorite breakfast food- Cinnamon French Toast Sticks.
     I know it's not the healthiest food, but it satisfies my hunger, and I don't end up bingeing on something else within an hour like I do with other breakfast food choices. I usually eat about 6 cinnamon sticks, and with it I have a glass of milk and a bottle of water and then I don't eat again till Lunch time.
      Another major thing that happened this week is that I was finally able to find something to help with my leg/calf  cramps. I had been taking a magnesium supplement to help, but it wasn't really helping so I got a potassium supplement and it has worked wonders. Apparently you're supposed to use magnesium and potassium together to help with calf cramps, and so far it's helped.
    To be honest I actually think that's all, it was a good week, boring, but because of that I accomplished a lot. Sadly I have not lost any weight, but I can't really be sure because I'm super bloated right now. I noticed Yesterday that I look like I've lost weight around my shoulders and my collar bone, and that's usually the first place I notice weight loss.
    So that's all for today, I'll be posting again tomorrow and on Friday. Stay Creative my lovelies, I'll post again very very soon.
                                        XOXO,
                                              Lori Ann
      Also contact me:  
                                  E-mail:      loriboyd15@gmail.com
                                   Twitter:   @LoriAnnBoyd

5 Words: Week 24

    So this week has been good, I got a lot of my school work done, and I got some things done that I had been putting off for a while.
      I also went to see the doctor Yesterday, and as usual she said my allergies were really bad. I had mentioned to you last week that I was going to ask about maybe starting allergy shots, so I asked my doctor and she said no. She said she didn't think I needed it, and she wouldn't recommend it as a treatment option for me.
     So for now I'm stuck with these allergies and I'm just going to have to deal with it. Aside from that I'll also be going on Monday for blood work and I'm hoping my Iron levels will be normal. Also if my cholesterol levels come back normal I can stop taking my medicine.
     Overall I'd say I had a pretty good week, and I'm hoping that continues into next week. But that's all for now, let's get to this weeks 5 Words......
 
   Mellifluous- Sweetly or smoothly flowing.
   Aggrandize-To cause to appear greatly.
   Pantheon- A circular temple at Rome with a fine Corinthian portico and a great domed roof.
   Occident- The countries lying West of Asia and the Turkish dominions.
   Sanguinary- Bloody.

     So that's all for this week, I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  Stay Creative my lovelies, I'll post again very very soon.

                                                                                                 XOXO,
                                                                                                     Lori Ann
      Also contact me:  
                                  E-mail:      loriboyd15@gmail.com

                                   Twitter:   @LoriAnnBoyd

I'm 16 but I act 23 TAG

       So I found this TAG the other day, I thought it was interesting. I thought I would give it a go and here's the end result....

[] You know how to make a pot of coffee

[x] You keep track of dates using a calendar

[x] You own a credit/debit card

[] You know how to change the oil in a car

[x] You've done your own laundry

[x] You can cook for yourself

[x] You think politics is interesting

TOTAL SO FAR: 5

[] You show up for school late a lot

[x] You always carry a pen/pencil in your bag/purse/pocket

[x] You've never gotten a detention

[] You have forgotten your own birthday

[x] You like to take walks by yourself

[x] You know what credibility means, without looking it up

[x] You drink caffeine at least once a week

TOTAL SO FAR: 9

[x] You know how to do the dishes

[x] You can count to 10 in another language 

[x] When you say you're going to do something you do it

[x] You can mow the lawn

[x] You study even when you don't have to

[x] You have hand washed a car before

TOTAL SO FAR: 15

[x] You can spell experience, without looking it up

[] The people at Starbucks know you by name 

[] Your favorite kind of food is take out

[x] You can go to the store without getting something you don't need

[] You understand political jokes the first time they are said

[x] You can type pretty quickly

TOTAL SO FAR: 18

[x] Your only friends are from your place of employment (school counts).

[] You have been to a Tupperware party

[x] You have realized that practically no one will take you seriously unless you are over the age of 25 and have a job.

[x] You have more bills than you can pay.

[] You have been to the beach

[x] You use the internet every day

[] You have traveled overseas for more than 5 times.

[] You make your bed in the morning

[x] You realized people of the opposite sex might just make better friends

TOTAL: 23

Okay so there's mine, now I TAG all of you, so get to moving, and when you post you'res leave a comment below with the link. I look forward to seeing how old you act. So that's all for today, I'll have my usual post up Friday.  Stay Creative my lovelies, I'll post again very very soon.

                                                                                                 XOXO,
                                                                                                     Lori Ann
      Also contact me:  
                                  E-mail:      loriboyd15@gmail.com
                                   Twitter:  @LoriAnnBoyd

5 Words: Week 23

     Okay so my power is finally fixed, and my room actually isn't destroyed like I thought it would be. This week has been hard, my health isn't the best, I've been sick, and sleeping a lot. I think the reason I'm sick is a mixture of allergies, a sinus infection, and also I've had a migraine, so I haven't been able to do much.
     Something I've been thinking about a lot lately is maybe starting allergy shots, I think it would help me a lot because I know my biggest triggers are dust and grass. I'm going to make an apointment today to get an appointment to see if my allergy doctor would recommend it. I haven't seen him in about three years, because his response to any sickness is to give a steroid shot, and my other doctor doesn;t want me on steroids.
      So I'll keep you updated on that, if you've been through the process e-mail me about it, let me know about your experience and if you'd recommend it. So let's get started with this week's 5 Words.....
     
Posterity- All future generations.
Wheedle- Coax or persuade someone to do something.
Loki- A mischievous and sometimes evil god.
Sleight- The use of dexterity or cunning, esp. so as to deceive.
Brad- A  small wire nail with a small, often asymmetrical head.

So that's all for this week, I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  Stay Creative my lovelies, I'll post again very very soon.

                                                                                                 XOXO,
                                                                                                     Lori Ann
      Also contact me:  
                                  E-mail:      loriboyd15@gmail.com

                                   Twitter:   @LoriAnnBoyd