While other children were relaxing at their homes during Christmas break, my brothers and I participated in a Junior Achievement program called BizTown. Leading up to the event, there were three classes of preparation in which students learned how to balance a checkbook, write checks, and many other important skills. We were interviewed for the job of our choice. Fortunately, I was hired as CFO at Regions Bank, which was the position I wanted. There were also a myriad of different companies which sold unique products and services.
On the day of BizTown, we drove to Charlotte, which is where the simulation was held. When I walked into the town I found my business and met up with my fellow co-workers. Since I was Chief Financial Officer, I was responsible for paying my employees, paying the bills, and managing the money. There were four periods of activity. 1. Get your business started. 2. Eat lunch. 3. Buy from other businesses. 4. Work. But of course some people had different periods to keep the city running smoothly. After all the periods were completed, that marked the end of the day. Some awards were announced and my brother’s company, Woodforest Bank, even got the best business award.
After the day was over my brothers and I pose in front the door into BizTown.
BizTown was a phenomenal experience. It was both fun and educational, teaching me how to spend and save my money wisely, how to become a valuable member of a community, and what it takes to run a business. I had an amazing day, and I look forward to learning more concepts of cash next year.
Here I am with Granny and my brothers going to a wedding.
By Houston February 18, 2019
Happiness. Blessings from God. Be thankful for them. Wisely, Jesus instructed us to have grateful hearts. In Psalm 107:1, it reads, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His love endureth forever.†I’m profoundly thankful for my thoughtful Granny, who loves me and treats me well. While I think she’s the best, I’m also appreciative of Blindensburg, where I’m able to explore and build.Â
I am extremely thankful for my caring Granny. She visits as much as she can and thoughtfully brings with her treats, Chik-fil-A, and presents. She also helps around the house and plays cards with us. Granny has the best stories. At her house, I remember her telling one of my favorite tales: The Sallbank Booger! She claims this monster lives up by the creek and will snatch us if we’re not careful. Sadly, I don’t get to see her all the time, but when I do, I always have an incredible experience. When I travel to see Granny in the mountains, I adventure deep into the woods, which are magnificent. The creek rushes and glistens, and the bright green leaves on the trees drip with the mountain dew. She also drives me to the gem mine where one can collect copper and all other sorts of stones. Supporting and encouraging me, Granny fills me with joy. Other grandparents might not love their grandchildren or be close with them, or may be dead. But I know my Granny loves me and for this I’m grateful.
I’m also immensely thankful for my amazing backyard woods. One day, my brother Gabriel was rapidly rapping a wretched tree when and a jagged piece of wood flung off onto the ground. Gabe stated that the wood “blended†into the trees, so we started to construct a fort and named the forested town “Blindensburg.†Over time, our small city morphed into an enormous empire. A series of dirt roads lead to my friend’s house and all around the territory. A myriad of flags are displayed around the paths, including the North Carolina Flag and the Gadsden Flag. The symbols, which are nailed to massive fences, are majestic. However, we let Confederate Battle Flag billow in the breeze. Voting for new politicians each year, my friends and I each play a role in running our incorrupt civilization. After hunting the depths of forest, I come inside sore and exhausted. When it rains and I can’t tend to Blindensburg, I even become a tad sad. Freely, I can be a boy, scream, and be wild while working in the woods. Having a natural, wide-open space in which to play, build, and adventure makes me overwhelmingly happy.
Fortunately, Granny supports me in all that I do. While Blindensburg is a site where I can be wild, my helpful and totally hilarious Granny loves me. My woods are amazing, massive, and filled with freedom, flags, and friends. I’m grateful for Granny, who obviously cares for me. I’m also blessed that my backyard woods are a spot of childhood adventure. In life, these are the things that make me happy and thankful.
Did you know that people in Middle Ages weren’t as dirty as you thought? Despite the fact that people of the time did some dirty stuff, they did their best to try to be clean. But, there was no plumbing, sanitation, or medical knowledge during the Medieval Period. Although even commoners had access to toilets, waste disposal wasn’t held in high regard. Water was often used for hygiene, but getting it could be an arduous task, so other practices were employed, too. These unsanitary conditions, as well as general poor health, contributed to the spread of the Black Death.
If you were in a castle and had to go to the bathroom, you might have to journey far away, down an extensive hallway, till you found a “garderobe,†which is French for “clothes closet.†People of the time thought that fetid odors repelled moths, so they often hung their garments within the garderobe. Upon entering, you would sit on a raised platform made of smooth wood or clammy stone. Below you was a hole through which your excrement would fall and drain into the moat. Cleaning yourself would entail using “torche-cols,†a handful of straw, or a “gomphus,†a curved wooden stick. Medieval commoners had outdoor privies, whose walls were lined with “wattle-and-daub,†a mix of dung and clay. The waste would drop into a cesspit lined with stone, although the urine would simply seep into the ground. Unfortunate people with the reeking job of “gong farmers†would clean out the solid debris at night causing a rancid smell. However, city dwellers would just empty their chamber pots out windows. “Gardez l’eau!†which means, “Look out, water!†was commonly heard when walking through the noxious streets of Paris.
Obviously, the people of the Middle Ages didn’t have plumbing, but they tried to stay clean as best as possible. Nobility bathed in soothing warm water brought to them by servants and put in a wooden barrel, while commoners had to gather their own water, which was a major chore. Another perturbing thing was the water was always cold and the whole family used the same water. How repugnant! Despite the taxing effort. Regardless of the toil. Most people bathed weekly. In the summer, folks washed in bodies of water and some villages even had public bathhouses. Ladies and lords also regularly clean their hands. If you visited a medieval castle, you’d hear a trumpet blare and a servant yell, “corner l’aiue,†which meant “blow the water.†Before a meal, guests then washed their hands in “lavers†found at the entrance of the royal dinning hall. There, you’d find a stone basin, water, and fragrant soap from the Far East. During the feast, however, people didn’t drink water because it was too polluted. Instead, nobles consumed wine abundantly, and everyone chugged massive quantities of ale.perturbing thing was the water was always cold and the whole family used the same water. How repugnant! Despite the taxing effort. Regardless of the toil. Most people bathed weekly. In the summer, folks washed in bodies of water and some villages even had public bathhouses. Ladies and lords also regularly clean their hands. If you visited a medieval castle, you’d hear a trumpet blare and a servant yell, “corner l’aiue,†which meant “blow the water.†Before a meal, guests then washed their hands in “lavers†found at the entrance of the royal dinning hall. There, you’d find a stone basin, water, and fragrant soap from the Far East. During the feast, however, people didn’t drink water because it was too polluted. Instead, nobles consumed wine abundantly, and everyone chugged massive quantities of ale.
Because people of the Middle Ages drank too much alcohol and not enough water, they had a weak immune system. This, coupled with their lacking personal hygiene, unsanitary living conditions, and limited medical knowledge, sickness abounded. Despite people’s best efforts, a myriad of diseases, such as typhoid, dysentery, smallpox, and influenza, ravaged the medieval population. Of course, the Black Death proved most fatal, killing one out of every three Europeans. In fact, this plague, which lasted from 1347-1350, tragically ended the lives of 800 people a day in France alone! It was like a nasty barbarian army of death! The life expectancy was a stunning thirty years old. People began to perceive that there was a relationship between everything – from using the bathroom, dealing with waste management, having proper hygiene, to drinking clean water – preventing maladies. They had a lightbulb moment!
Both the medieval poor and the nobility definitely appreciated their garderobes, yet they didn’t fully understand the substantial significance of sanitation. Because life was so hard back then, people got creative with their water usage and hygiene practices. Due to the fact they lacked knowledge in these areas, it’s no wonder the Black Death was extremely fatal for Europe. Most significantly, plague survivors discovered their was a link between illness and disease and their personal and environmental health standards. They began to realize that cleanliness is next to godliness. Nevertheless, people of the Middle Ages had to endure suffering, stink, and sickness to a degree that is unimaginable. It was a horribly foul time.
