E8#39: Claiming to be Independent

America was built upon the foundation of this one word: Independence. There is, however, a problem with this mentality. Everyone is dependent on one another. We need other people in our lives. There is no scenario where one person isn’t dependent on another. We should not be ashamed to hide that fact, because the reality is that everybody is dependent.

We are all familiar with the word independence. Independence means to be not be dependent. To be dependent is to rely on someone or something for something else, or to be ruled by another person or nation. The thirteen colonies were dependent on Britain. When the foundations for the United States were laid, they were based upon independence from Britain, and on equalityfrom birth, not independence from person to person. That said, we also have the freedom to attempt to be independent.

Every soul is dependent on another. Even in stories, settlers and pilgrims who were looking for independence and freedom by traveling to new lands were not independent. Did they not take stocks of food and other provisions from their own country? Did they not buy ships from their fellows? Did they not need tools to cut down trees to build their houses? Even Robinson Crusoe was dependent on others, and he was stranded. Did he manufacture his own gun? The reality is, nobody in the whole of mankind is truly independent.

No person can claim to be independent truthfully. Everybody has someone that they are dependent on. At the absolute least, everybody is dependent on their parents and on God for even existing in the first place.

S8#38: Layering to Keep Warm in Cold Climates

Depending on where you live, there will almost always be below freezing at some point during the year. In order to stay warm, you can’t just wear normal clothing. You have to “layer up” in order to stay warm. Four layers is the most reasonable amount for many cold climates, although when it is warmer you can take off one or two of your outer layers. The base layer is the one closest to your skin, and is generally the best material for this is polyester. The mid layer is the next one out, serving mostly to add a little bit of warmth without increasing the bulk of your garments. The best material for this layer is probably nylon. If it is really cold, you will also have an insulating layer, designed to increase your warmth a lot, while also sacrificing some space. Polar fleece or pile fleece are probably the best materials for this layer. Finally, you have your outerwear, or shell. This keeps the outside weather off of you, and generally you want to aim for water resistant shells to keep snow and ice from getting into the insulating layer. A thicker jacket is probably best for this layer. Overall, layers are very important to stay warm in cold climates, and it is very good to bundle up.

E8#30: The Most American Dessert

“As American as apple pie”. The phrase is used to describe something that is “typically in American character1“. Apple pie is clearly an American food. It has long held this title, its first recorded appearance being in 1924 in the Gettysburg Times newspaper. The origin of this stereotype of apple pie dates back to the time of the pilgrims, because apple pie was one of their only deserts. Apple pie is still eaten across the country every fall, and is still one of the most popular desserts. I believe that the reason why apple pie is still considered the most American dessert is because America produces the second most apples, and that is where apple pie became popularized. I guess when it’s one of the only desserts you have access to, you eat it a lot and it becomes popular. Apple pie also has many variants that are not mutually exclusive, so you can mix and match to create your favorite version of the popular dish. This means that there is pretty much an apple pie for everyone, and I am sure that this has helped it retain its popularity. I believe that apple pie still holds up as the most American dessert to this day, and it is one of my personal favorite foods, especially in the fall time and with some vanilla ice cream on top. It is a delicious treat!

1Definition courtesy of the Oxford English Dictionary

Apple pie is widely considered the most American dessert. Apple pie originated in England, but was brought to America by the colonists. Apple tree saplings were brought to America by the Europeans as well, and apples became plentiful in the new world. Apple pie rose in popularity over the course of the exploration of the new world as a delicious sweet dish, best enjoyed during cold weather and often eaten on special occasions, such as the holidays of Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Apple pie also has a lot of variants, mostly related to the type of apple used and the crust used. There’s almost certainly a version for everybody. You can have a sweet apple pie by using a sweet type of apple like honeycrisp, and a more sour apple pie with a more sour apple like granny smith. You can have a crunchier pie by cooking it less, or a softer pie by cooking it more. You can replace the top crust with a crumb mixture and you have dutch apple pie. You can remove the bottom crust of a dutch apple pie and you get apple crisp (my personal favorite version of the famous pie). You can add vanilla ice cream to the top of your pie and you get apple pie à la mode, or you can simply use cool whip or whipped cream. There is a version of apple pie for everybody, and that has probably helped it keep its popularity.

In my opinion, apple pie still holds up as the most American dessert to this day. I believe that this is partly due to the fact that it is commonly eaten as a a holiday and fall-time treat all over the country. Apples on their own are also a staple of American culture and cuisine, as we have caramel apples, apple juice, apple sauce, and so many more products made from apples, not to mention the fact that the country’s largest technology company is named after this delicious fruit. There simply isn’t any dessert that can come close to the title of the most American dessert other than apple pie. Pumpkin pie tastes really good and is also really popular, but it just can’t dethrone apple pie.

There is no dessert more American than apple pie. It has been here in America since the very first pilgrims explored the land. It is commonly eaten at two of the most celebrated holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Apple pie also has many, many different variants, which only helps its popularity. It is truly a pie that anyone can enjoy. My favorite way to enjoy apple pie is without the bottom crust and with a crumb top and some vanilla ice cream, technically making it apple crisp à la mode. Apples on their own are a large part of American culture in the fall time, which further helps apple pie remain popular. Overall, my verdict is that apple pie is the most American dessert by far, and I am not sure if it will ever be overtaken by any other sweet treat.

H8#20: A Letter To Congress

Dear fellow countrymen, as an honest silversmith of these British colonies, I have many grievances over the recent acts of taxation instituted by the British Parliament across the Atlantic Ocean in old England. The Navigation acts and Quartering acts in particular have really effected me, as I can no longer import my silver from other parts of the world without paying an outrageous tax on shipping, and I have had British soldiers demanding refuge every night, so much so that I can hardly run my shop and provide for them at the same time. These acts prove that the English Parliament does not truly care about the best interests of their American colonies. I believe that we must rise up and become independent of Britain and have our own government.

I am a silversmith. As most silversmiths do, I import my silver from China, and it is generally imported to the colonies by foreign merchants. With the navigation acts recently instituted, I must now pay a much higher tax to the English Government to purchase silver from their Merchants. We should be able to purchase imported goods, and export our own goods, without having to pay the British a large sum of money. My trade is suffering because the taxes make it nearly unprofitable to produce silver at all, and I am stuck using the silver of broken dishes to make new ones, which is not much at all.

The other act that I mentioned previously was the quartering act. This act states that I must provide housing and food for British soldiers. This is completely unacceptable. I am hardly able to produce enough money for myself to eat, much less provide food for several soldiers. Because of the taxes on importing and exporting, I am losing even more money than I would be, so I am poor and do not have enough bread to feed soldiers as well as myself.

The Townshed Acts have also effected me and many others greatly. The tax on tea in particular has caused a lot of pain as I have to pay an absurdly high price to get my daily tea. As previously stated, I do not have enough money to pay this tax. Like many others, I have stopped buying tea from the Brits in retaliation to this act, but I really wish it was affordable to buy tea like it used to be.

Overall, I am really unsatisfied with parliament’s government of the colonies. Many of the acts instituted by parliament have harmed myself and many others throughout the 13 colonies. The Navigation and Quartering acts in particular have effected myself, along with the Townshed acts. I firmly believe that we are able to govern ourselves, and that we should make a bold attempt to free ourselves from the rule of the selfish Europeans that think they can tax all of our goods with no consequence to themselves. Fare thee well good men, and may you have success in your ventures against Britian.

H8#15: The Seven Years War

The Seven Years War was, truly, the first world war. It was the first war that had conflicts across the globe. It began in North America, but also led to major conflicts in Europe, India, Africa, and other places. Although the Seven Years war didn’t create any major boundary changes in Europe, it drastically changed it in other areas of the world.

The Seven Years War began in America. The first skirmish in the war was the Battle of Jumonville Glen. It was a skirmish between the British Lieutenant Colonel George Washington and the French Leader Jumonville. Jumonville had been coming to warn the British to stay off French-claimed territory, and Washington had been going to check on a fort. The French were trying to be on the offensive, but the Indians accompanying Washington spotted the Frenchmen first, so Washington’s men struck the first blow. Washington’s men won the fight, even killing Jumonville. The glen where the battle was fought was named after Jumonville.

The Battle of Fort Necessity was fought several months after the Battle of Jumonville Glen. Fort Necessity was a British fort, and the French and Indians attacked it. They forced Washington into surrender. The British decided to send an army to aid the small colonial army. The British and French also declared war on each other in all locations, so that includes all the colonies owned by each country as well as their territory in mainland Europe.

The British army arrived in the British Colonies in 1755, commanded by General Braddock. Their forces joined with Washington’s and traveled to Fort Duquesne to attempt to take that fort from the French. The battle was called the Battle of Monongahela because that was the name of the river that the fort was situated upon. General Braddock’s men got absolutely destroyed in the “woods fighting”1, and Braddock himself was shot in the lung and died a few days afterwards. After this battle, the British made many offensive moves in America, but did not gain much ground until 1759. The British then captured the city Ticonderoga and the Fort of Niagara and that ended almost all French resistance in North America.

Meanwhile in Europe, the French attacked a Mediterranean Island controlled by the British and the British were forced to surrender. Britain’s ally Prussia set out against France. The next three years were Prussian victories, and they were able to keep France’s allies of Russia and Austria at bay. The Prussian army had a few close calls where Prussia could have very nearly been destroyed, but they never were. Russia’s ruler died, and that was when Russia decided quit the war. Hanover, another English ally, had been holding back the French to the east, and so Prussia now only had to deal with Austria. However, the British became tired of fighting, and told the Prussian ruler to make peace. The treaty of Paris was signed in 1763, ending the war in Europe. The Europeans also changed the country borderlines back to the way they were before the war, and so there were no changes to the countries in Europe.

In the Caribbean, the British were able to gain control of many of the islands that were previously owned by the Spanish, as well as Florida. The British also drove the French out of India, and adding it to their expansive Empire. If I am correct, they did also leave most of the local governments intact in India. Britain also gained some colonies from the French in West Africa during the war. Other than that, there were not many territory changes.

The Seven Years War was fought all over the world. It brought drastic changes for the British colonies, and saw the expansion of the British Empire come to new heights, as well as the decline of France. The Seven Years War also set in motion the events that would lead up to many other wars, including the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the World Wars. Overall, the Seven Years War was one of the most important wars in history.

1This is a direct quote from Bradly Fish

E8#25: My Favorite Music

Video game soundtracks are my favorite type of music. In this essay, I talk about why I like video game soundtracks, what my top ten favorite video game soundtracks are, and covers and medleys.

My favorite type of music is video game soundtracks. I like them for when I read books because they can help me focus and block out noise. I also like them for when I am doing chores and the like for the same reasons. I generally listen to them while I write as well. I am listening to a guitar cover* of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time soundtrack while I am writing this. I really like video game soundtracks because they do not take a lot of brainpower to process and do not contain any distracting words. They help block out the loud background noises of the homeschool environment and make it a LOT easier to focus. I particularly like the soundtracks from The Legend of Zelda video game series, specifically the new game The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. I also like a few soundtracks from the Super Mario Brothers series, but I generally like songs from The Legend of Zelda.

*See second-to-last paragraph

I have compiled a list of my top ten favorite video game soundtracks of all time. I am going to talk about each of them in detail in the following paragraphs. Overall, my favorite types are overworld themes/main themes as well as boss themes. My favorite versions are orchestrated, although the originals are really good too. I will begin with number ten and work my way up through number one.

Number ten on my list is Lorule Castle from The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. I really like this song because it is quite intense, and is played during an intense part of the game, near the very end, right before a betrayal. I also really like the instruments it is played with, particularly the trumpet. Since it is on the Nintendo 3ds instead of an older console, the sound quality is also really good compared to some of the more pixelated soundtracks. For a few of the songs I have put newer orchestrated versions instead of the original themes.

For number nine I chose Dragon Roost Island from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD. I chose the HD version because the audio quality is slightly better than the original version. They are pretty much the same song though. This song has the flute in it, which sounds really nice with the other instruments. It is just a really good song overall.

Number eight is the second newest song on this list, being present only in the newest game from The Legend of Zelda. I chose the main theme from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The first time I heard this song was watching the trailer for the new game several months ago. It is so epic and yet so peaceful at the same time. It also has some hints at the main theme from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and while that theme is not on this list, it is a nice theme. This song gave me goosebumps when I first heard it because I was so excited for the new game. It definitely deserves a spot on this list.

Number seven is one of the two songs from the Mario series. It is the Gusty Garden Galaxy theme from Super Mario Galaxy. This is commonly called the best song in Mario. Super Mario Galaxy has a fully orchestrated soundtrack, and this is no exception. I really like this song because it captures the entire vibe of Super Mario Galaxy into one soundtrack. It is very adventurous and energetic. The trumpets sound really nice particularly. It would be a shame not to have this song on the list.

Number six is the theme that plays when Gannondorf (the final boss) goes into his third phase in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. It is a great high intensity boss battle theme, that also references the boss battle themes for Demise from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and Calamity Gannon from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It is really good for motivation, like when you are late on a homework assignment and you need to get it done quickly. In the boss battle itself it is also very fitting, the very end of you journey and the battle against the root of all evil (in the game of course).

For number five, I chose an orchestrated version of one of the most well known game soundtracks ever. The band performance from Super Mario Odyssey is an orchestrated remake of the overworld theme from the original Super Mario Bros for the Nintnedo Entertainment System (NES). This theme is just so iconic, and to hear it on the trumpet played by in-universe musicians is just music to my ears (pun intended).

For the fourth place, I chose Revali’s Theme from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It is somewhat calm, and the violin sounds really good with the accordion and the piano. I’m not quite sure how to describe it, quite honestly. It just sounds really, really good.

Now for the top three. Number three is the theme that plays during the credits of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. It combines all of the best songs from that game into one epic medley*. Those songs are The Ballad of the Goddess, the main theme from the original Legend of Zelda for NES, Skyloft, and the sky theme. I really like this one because I really like the songs that make it up, and it is an even more epic version than the main one. It is one of the few Medleys that are found in the games without modifications made by others.

*See second-to-last paragraph

Number two is one of the most popular songs in the Zelda community, none other than The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s Gerudo Valley theme! The guitar in this song hits hard, with the little hint of trumpet. The theme matches the desert perfectly. This song definitely deserves its number two spot.

Finally, last but not least, we have my favorite piece of music. It is from Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, which is a spin-off of The Legend of Zelda. It is a combination of the master sword pulling theme from many of the other Zelda games and the main theme from NES The Legend of Zelda. Very few modifications are made to the original themes, other than being fully orchestrated. It is a very epic theme and fits the scenario very well. The hero pulls the legendary sword, turns around, and you fight the very source of the evil (granted, this isn’t the final encounter of the game, but that doesn’t make the theme any less cool). Again, the use of trumpets in this theme sounds really good. It is very heroic, as it should be for the situation that it is played in. This theme deserves the number one spot on my list easily.

In addition to the normal soundtracks there are two more types of music that I like. I like medleys and covers of Zelda soundtracks. Medleys are when a lot of songs are strung together into one longer song, and some of these medleys are better than others. Medleys aren’t generally a part of the original games, and are often performed by outside musicians. Covers are when somebody outside of the creators of the music plays the music, sometimes with minor modifications, and often with different instruments. I like them because they can sound better than the originals and often have their own little quirks and differences.

My favorite music type is video game soundtracks. I really like them because I can listen to them while I do mediocre tasks, and they can also help me focus and work better. I talked about my top ten favorite soundtracks in detail, and I also talked about medleys and covers for these same songs. I listen to these songs on a day-to-day basis, and I really enjoy them.

Incident Command System (S8#36)

The incident command system is the method in which search and rescue missions are organized. It is important to make sure everybody knows what their positions are and what duties they are expected to fulfill. It is a very organized hierarchy of people that keeps the search and rescue functioning properly.

Quite simply put, the incident command system keeps the search and rescue team from falling into chaos every time somebody goes missing and they have to search for them.

The incident command system is important because without it, SAR would be practically impossible without it. Every time somebody was lost, nobody would no what to do, and some things would be forgotten while others would be done multiple times.

SAR is basically organized into several groups. An incident commander oversees everything, and other “officers” oversee the smaller subgroups that are under the incident commander.

The ICA is a very important part of SAR because it helps SAR teams stay organized when there is an incident, and prevents them from falling into chaos every time there is an issue that needs resolved.

E8#21: My Favorite Type of Music

My favorite type of music, is, believe it or not, video game soundtracks. I really like them because I can listen to them while I do mediocre tasks to help myself focus, and it can also help me block out distracting noises (cough cough my youngest sibling cough cough). I also enjoy a couple tracks more than others.

I like video game soundtracks for many reasons. I enjoy listening to them while I read (both for fun and school) and while I do writing assignments. I like them more than other types of music because they don’t have words and they don’t take a lot of brainpower to process.

My favorite soundtracks come from the Legend of Zelda series. My top 3 Zelda tracks are as follows: The Gerudo Valley theme from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time; The theme that plays during the end credits of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD; and finally the hero’s theme (aka master sword theme) from Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. The hero’s theme from Age of Calamity is probably my favorite piece of music, as it is an orchestral remix of the overworld theme from the original Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

In conclusion, I really like video game soundtracks. They are my favorite type of music because they can help me focus, and also provide a little bit of entertainment for when I’m washing dishes or something of the like. I like a few tracks in particular that I keep coming back to.

E8#19: Our Homeschool

We homeschool. That’s probably not surprising to most readers, as this is an assignment for a homeschool course. We use the Ron Paul Curriculum for our homeschool. School generally takes a whole day. School is also a subject that I do not want to dwell on because I had to do summer school and anything is better than summer school.

Our homeschool is quite interesting. We use the Ron Paul Curriculum for all of our homeschool. The problem is that the customer service for the website is not very good, and the site is very clunky and not maintained. For reference, this essay was written after the website was updated. I wake up in the morning, eat breakfast, and then I begin my classes. Right now, I have English and History for 2 hours before I have a snack break. Between the end of snack and lunch Is 1 hour for math, and then I have another 2 hours for Science and personal finance. I really only like my math teacher and my personal finance teacher of my 4 school teachers, but I have a whole essay about that already. Overall, I would rather be in homeschool than public school, but not by a lot.

In conclusion, I don’t really like school a lot. It takes up a lot of my time, and the website we use is very clunky. I really want to have a couple months off of school because I missed my summer break. In short, I don’t like our homeschool much, but there’s really nothing to change that.

E8#18 A time I helped a friend

Today I’m going to talk about a time I helped my cousin Caleb shop for a new phone. Caleb is my closest friend, and my cousin. One time, his phone got crushed in a rocking chair. He needed to pick out a new phone, either a different model or a new phone of the same model. It turns out that I am really good at being thrifty and finding the best listing for a certain model and also researching features of other models. Caleb had previously wanted a phone that could charge his airpods and had longer battery life. I ended up finding an android phone that had that, but it was way too expensive for Caleb’s budget, so he found a cheap walmart listing that would let him buy the same phone he had for a good price. He decided to buy that, and that is the phone he uses to this day. Even though Caleb didn’t use the first phone I found for him, I was still very helpful to him when he was making his decision, and that is why I chose to use that circumstance for this essay.