Article summary : the mighty Mississippi During the winter when his surface is covered by ice, you can walk accross Mississippi in the north of America. Nevertheless, beneath the Old man River continues his road towards the gulf of Mexico. A distance of 2500 miles with the meanderings of his flow represents his course before mingle with ocean. It was Indians who called him Mississippi, that means the great river. De Soto, a Spanish explorer was the first to interest in the river in 1541, but La Salle, a French, in 1682, embarked on the exploration and called the Mississippi basin Louisiana in honour to the French king Louis XIV. During a century, Mississippi was French, and nowadays, alone names of cities like St Louis or La Crosse stayed French. Americans began to settle after 1783. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, cotton plantations were in full swing and the river helped to get produce down to New Orleans to be exported everywhere in the world.

COFFEE Do you know that coffee has been discovered in Ethiopia around 850 by a shepherd ? His goats were excited after eating leaves and fruits of a shrub. Its role in nature is to act as a natural insecticide in order to avoid being eated by little insects. Since this discovery, coffee is becomed the second more beverage consumed in the world, after tea. And it is the second exchanged good after oil. USA is the eleventh bigger consumer of coffee, the first country is Finland. I consider coffee like an essentiel partner against tiredness feeling. My days never begin without a cup of coffee, I must admit that I am hooked, and I enjoy the smell of coffee. It is said that the French writer Honoré de Balzac could drink until 50 cups of coffee per day, he could work on his manuscripts until 18 hours per day. As for the composer Beethoven, he had a weird obsession, no more and no less than 60 coffee beans had to be used to prepare his beverage. Today, many people depend on caffeine to help them to start the day. But there are negative results from drinking too much coffee. Caffeine is a light stimulant that increases focussing and vigilance, but can affects sleep. Personally, if I drink coffee after 3 pm, I woud have difficulties to sleep. It has a diuretic and desiccant effect, so it is important to drink water after coffee. A massive dose could generate heart palpitations and tremors. And it is easy to become dependant, I can not do without coffee during the morning and after lunch. What about you ?

My first marathon I remember my first marathon. My purpose was to finish the race, I didn't want to target a specific time, just finish. For my preparation, I ran three to four times per week with a long outing once a week during twelve weeks. The D-day arrived fastly, and lack of chance, the weather was execrable, I should deal with rain and wind. I didn't feel the thirst so I think I didn't drink sufficiently. Until the first thirsty kilometers, my course was flow, but after I began to have muscle cramps. More I advanced, more they intensified, they seems to be electric current, I suffered a lot, it was if I struggled against myself. Fortunately, my friends ran with me, and they supported me, they gave me their hands, and it pushed myself to continue. Finally, I had arrived after four hours and thirty minutes, but I didn't know walking. In despite of the pain, it was a good experience, I accomplished my objective and I am proud of it.

Friday the 13th For some people, this day is a sign of misfortune. The bad reputation of this date is mostly based on religious believes, and strengthen by various historic events. For other, certainly more optimistic, this day is a sign of chance. By the way, the french national company of games uses this superstition to offer special jackpots. Personally, I am not superstitious, so today is a day like any other.